Am I a christian?

Just let me ask you this, Fabian.

When did you experience your conversion? If I remember correctly, you weren't always a 'professed' Christian in this forum.

Originally posted by Suzianne
Just let me ask you this, Fabian.

When did you experience your conversion? If I remember correctly, you weren't always a 'professed' Christian in this forum.

By a "professed Christian" you you mean a "believer christian", one who admits the "christian faith as true"?

I am born in a christian family. Christian thinking was a norm. In my teens I started to think for myself and rebelled (yet mildly) of what the right thinking was. I thought that the christian way of reason was simplified to avoid paradoxes, and the more difficult matters was not addressed at all. I remember once when I asked my spiritual leader why god is a 'he' and not a 'she', I got the answer that I shouldn’t think along these lines. When I yet wanted to know, they became angry and saying things about my person. So there I was, having to chose: Accepting as some said without thinking further, or think for myself, searching for answers. I asked God to lead me. and I was met by silence.

When I started to think in alternative ways, I search for other denominations, other philosophies, and other authorities, and found out after a while that none of these was really needed. I used my brain, piece for piece to join in the big puzzle.

I came also to the conclusion that every religion was good, even the non-theistic religions - if (impirtant!) they respected others and their ways of thinking, and it didn't hurt their near and dear in any way.

Some people think I am christian, because I act as a christian according to their view how christians should be. But I am not. there are too many paradoxes to be resolved before I take this step back to the christian belief.

The christians beliefs has only one thing, and one thing only, in common, and when I ask christians what this is I get various answers. Some say that a real christian have to believe in creation, that a real christian have to see the pope as the holy authority, that a real christian must make love in a certain way with certain people, that a real christian cannot share blood with others even if you rather die, to be a real christian you must be able to handle snakes, some... some... so what is it to be a real christian when christianity is so heterogene a religion? It would be better that all christians agreed to what really is to be a real christian. But christians don't. And in such a vague religion, I don't want to be a part of.

Christians can be mean, angry, aggressive, and some are loving, caring, empathic. You know what kind of christians I lika, and what kind I don't like.

Is this an answer of your question?

Fabian,
You Typed
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I remember once when I asked my spiritual leader why god is a 'he' and not a 'she', I got the answer that I shouldn’t think along these lines. When I yet wanted to know, they became angry and saying things about my person. So there I was, having to chose: Accepting as some said without thinking further, or think for myself, searching for answers. I asked God to lead me. and I was met by silence.
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God is not a man or woman. As for why He wants "He" or "he"to be used as a pronoun describing Him, I don't know exactly. It is something God chose to describe himself to humans. God's point of view may come into play here. Furthermore, God may want us to understand Him in a certain way.

No matter what, God is not a man or woman. Perhaps, the word "he" does not need to be taken in view as pertaining to masculine as relating to man. Perhaps, it is though, only part of how God wants humans to understand about Him.

The bible does say that. . .

King James Version
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John 4: 24
God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.

Fabian,
You Typed
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The christians' beliefs has only one thing, and one thing only, in common, and when I ask christians what this is I get various answers. Some say that a real christian have to believe in creation, that a real christian have to see the pope as the holy authority, that a real christian must make love in a certain way with certain people, that a real christian cannot share blood with others even if you rather die, to be a real christian you must be able to handle snakes, some... some... so what is it to be a real christian when christianity is so heterogene a religion? It would be better that all christians agreed to what really is to be a real christian. But christians don't. And in such a vague religion, I don't want to be a part of.
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First of all, to be a Christian means that a person has put faith in Christ to be their personal Savior and Lord. The person has repented of their sin. Repentance is said to be a "change of mind." I have not studied this definition in the Greek. But to some extent it may mean a change of mind about sinning against God. It may mean a change of mind of doing what you want to do that is against God's will.

One explanation of what a sinner is to do is to turn from sin to Christ. It is like you are going one direction toward sin and turning from sin 180 degrees toward Jesus and accepting Him as Savior and toward living as He wants you to live.

We humans can be evil and sinful. Even Christians are stuck in human life with the sin nature. But Christ sacrificed Himself and rose again offering freedom from the eternal punishment for sin and eternal life, and more. The believer becomes a joint heir with Christ.

Don't follow what man adds on his own to how to live for God. Seek Christ as the example of how to live. The most important requirement to be a Christian is faith in Christ as Savior and Lord. After that, don't follow "thus saith the mind of man," but do follow Christ and all that you believe God leads you to do that is not against the bible. Consider the bible as a long letter from God to you. Catholics add to God's word. Israelites can add to God's word. Even protestant Christians can add to the bible. You don't have to do that. Please God and forsake all that keeps you from pleasing God. Rejecting man's own ideas is fine.

Fabian,
Certain religions may have earthly benefits, but all of them do not offer eternal life. They are not all true at the same time. Therefore, seek out God for eternal consequences.

Again, God is silent to me too. But the bottom line is, I need Him to take care of my eternity which Jesus supported as real. If God is silent to your 5 senses, don't let that stop you from accepting His word which is translated into English or, I guess, even in your native language.

Originally posted by KingOnPoint
Fabian,
Certain religions may have earthly benefits, but all of them do [b]not offer eternal life. They are not all true at the same time. Therefore, seek out God for eternal consequences.

Again, God is silent to me too. But the bottom line is, I need Him to take care of my eternity which Jesus supported as real. If God is silent to your 5 se ...[text shortened]... m accepting His word which is translated into English or, I guess, even in your native language.[/b]

So what you say is essentially - prayers are for losers, he never answers anyway.

And that eternal life - who wants it? To me it sounds boring, I would be bored to death - and fail.

Fabian,
Concerning Eternal life and boredom. Do you believe that Christ and the holy angels are bored. Do you think that God is bored?

King James Version
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John 15: 13
Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.

I Corinthians 2: 9
But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him.

Romans 8: 1, 31, 32, 33-39
There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.

What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us?

He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things?

Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God's elect? It is God that justifieth.

Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us.

Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?

As it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter.

Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us.

For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come,

Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

I Thessalonians 4: 16-18
For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first:

Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.

Wherefore comfort one another with these words.

Originally posted by KingOnPoint
Fabian,
Concerning Eternal life and boredom. Do you believe that Christ and the holy angels are bored. Do you think that God is bored?

How would I know? They never say anything.
We don't have any information of these supernatural beings other than from people who claim they have contact with them.

I would be bored. To death.