Christianity

Hello,

I'm a non-religous agnostic:ish, living in a secular society. But I am interested in knowing how other became christians, and if they had any problems associated with it. How did your family react? Did you feel shameful to abandon "your old ways"? How did you justify living without god and then suddenly changing your mind? Why did you choose a faithful life?

/G

Originally posted by Golub
Hello,

I'm a non-religous agnostic:ish, living in a secular society. But I am interested in knowing how other became christians, and if they had any problems associated with it. How did your family react? Did you feel shameful to abandon "your old ways"? How did you justify living without god and then suddenly changing your mind? Why did you choose a faithful life?

/G

hi, why are you interested?

It's for my own personal use only. If someone wants to share, I'd appreciate it.

i don't mind sharing. everything started going wrong in my life, i was losing all the people i could previously rely on. my best and then only real friend took me to something called an 'Alpha Course' and things went on from there. I've not had any problems with it, on the contrary. everything seems better now.

hope this helps

Originally posted by Golub
Hello,

I'm a non-religous agnostic:ish, living in a secular society. But I am interested in knowing how other became christians, and if they had any problems associated with it. How did your family react? Did you feel shameful to abandon "your old ways"? How did you justify living without god and then suddenly changing your mind? Why did you choose a faithful life?

/G

If its any help, I did the opposite, I grew up in a Christian society and became atheist. My family don't really like the idea but have never pushed me in any way. I don't quite understand why you think a Christian would be shameful for abandoning his old ways, or do I misunderstand you?

Originally posted by Golub
Hello,

I'm a non-religous agnostic:ish, living in a secular society. But I am interested in knowing how other became christians, and if they had any problems associated with it. How did your family react? Did you feel shameful to abandon "your old ways"? How did you justify living without god and then suddenly changing your mind? Why did you choose a faithful life?

/G

what type of agnostic are you?

Originally posted by Golub
It's for my own personal use only. If someone wants to share, I'd appreciate it.

You would probably be better off posting an OP with your request and little about yourself and your reasons for your research; if you want to get anything with any depth I'd suggest offering the pm option as people may be wary about sharing thier deeply held values and life experiences. You probalby realise this already of course.

I grew up in a loving and free christian home and had an experience of god when I was in my early teens but later rejected the whole idea of religion to be an atheist (by default not intent). Many years later i realised that t is very hard to get away from god.

Originally posted by Golub
How did your family react?

Your family would probably react much worse if you become Muslim, Hindu, Buddhist, or anything they perceive to be a cult.

Your family cannot make decisions for you, you have to make your own and just because your family is Christian and you became an atheist and they didn't do anything about it doesn't make it right. I know Christans are better in theory than atheists because they have rules and follow them (in theory), which helps them follow civil rules like stopping at a traffic light, because they are used to following rules.

Originally posted by daniel58
Your family cannot make decisions for you, you have to make your own and just because your family is Christian and you became an atheist and they didn't do anything about it doesn't make it right. I know Christans are better in theory than atheists because they have rules and follow them (in theory), which helps them follow civil rules like stopping at a traffic light, because they are used to following rules.

Well, in reality, based on my experience, Christians are no more moral than non-Christians. In fact, some of the worst people I've known are Christians. I suspect that this is the case because so many believe "God accepts me the way I am", "It's okay if I sin if I later ask for forgiveness", "No one can keep from sinning because I'm of the flesh" and/or whatever other "reasons" they may have. The bottom line is that they are as self-centered and prideful as any, if not more. One noticeable difference is that they tend to be more superficially "pleasant". But then, that pretty much just makes them ravenous wolves in sheep's clothing 🙁

I know you qualified everything with "in theory", but it's probably better to talk about reality.

Originally posted by ThinkOfOne
Well, in reality, based on my experience, Christians are no more moral than non-Christians. In fact, some of the worst people I've known are Christians. I suspect that this is the case because so many believe "God accepts me the way I am", "It's okay if I sin if I later ask for forgiveness", "No one can keep from sinning because I'm of the flesh" and/or w ...[text shortened]... ed everything with "in theory", but it's probably better to talk about reality.

I have to agree with this. I became a Christian at age 18. I had a ton of issues with this. I struggled with what I knew intellectually and what the bible said. My mother was mad because she was catholic. I admit as of late I'm struggling with am I even a Christian anymore. I think most (not all) Christians I've met are so very superficial. They go against the very words that Christ taught. Christians should be the most generous non judging welcoming people of all. You know on a certain level I have less issue with God than his so called people. (Yes I do have faults like all of us)I think part of this maybe a western culture thing about how Christians our these days. I can see why agnostics and others would be repulsed by Christians. They say repent or you will go to hell. Then they act like idiots themselves no better than anyone else. I was however drawn to Christ and His words and the ideas of Christianity. I do believe in the morals and ethics of living better to serve your fellow man. Not to gratify ones self.

Manny

Well I'm not judging anybody but My family and I have the same problem with my older brother, he started doing his own thing... Now he's trying to get a divorce, of course I'm not implying that everybody that's not Christian is completely bad but my family and I want are my older brother back the way he acted before!

Originally posted by daniel58
Well I'm not judging anybody but My family and I have the same problem with my older brother, he started doing his own thing... Now he's trying to get a divorce, of course I'm not implying that everybody that's not Christian is completely bad but my family and I want are my older brother back the way he acted before!

Surely you see the problem there, Daniel: you want the older brother that you want—which is not necessarily who he is or sees himself to be. (At least that is how I read what you are saying; perhaps I read you wrongly.)

Sometimes what we say we love and appreciate (and I am not suggesting that you don’t love your brother!) is not who persons are, but who we think they are, or have been in the past. Sometimes, if we are honest with ourselves, we might have to admit that what we loved was not the person, but our own image of who we thought that person was, and “ought” to continue to be.

May you and your whole family walk through this time with mutual love, grace and understanding.

Thanks for your support and I hope it all turns out well, but I think if he starts acting better again we wouldn't have so many misunderstandings.