Originally posted by SuzianneIn view of the fact you have grown up as a religious person, do you think it's likely that you would have grown up a Hindu if you had been born and brought up in Bali, Indonesia, for example? Or a Buddhist if you'd been born and brought up in Thailand?
Your question is How can he be expected to? Or is it How could he possibly choose Christianity?
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Originally posted by SuzianneFutility Personified even attempting to communicate with those who have no ears and refuse to listen. In a State of Spiritual Death, no human being has the capacity to apprehend Absolute Truth; all human beings who haven't yet chosen Personal Relation with God may still grasp essential salvation facts through the Facillitating Ministry of the Holy Spirit, once positive volition says, "Yes, if you're out there, God, I want to know you". The Rest is His Responsibility. He's Perfect Veracity and Immutable. He always keeps His Word. Sorry my style irritates you. Please forgive.
I have to say, Bob, even I find your circumlocution hard to wade through sometimes. It doesn't surprise me that some people would claim that you continually dodge their questions. This is why I recently suggested to you to avoid the multiple winding paths, and take the straight, wide avenue once in a while. You gotta know your audience.
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Originally posted by Rank outsiderAll you have to do is choose Jesus, for he is the way, the truth, and the life.
No, I think I made it pretty clear that I cannot rationally chose between the rival claims made by people as to why I should follow their religion as opposed to any other.
Nor, it appears, can you. Or indeed anyone on this forum, as I have asked this question in varying ways a number of times.
HalleluYah !!! Praise the Lord! Holy! Holy! Holy!
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Originally posted by FMFProbably. Which is to say, yes. It's very likely. But I still think I would have been brought around to Christianity sooner or later.
In view of the fact you have grown up as a religious person, do you think it's likely that you would have grown up a Hindu if you had been born and brought up in Bali, Indonesia, for example? Or a Buddhist if you'd been born and brought up in Thailand?
I have to say, though, that your 'given' is not as 'given' as you might think. As a little girl, I was taken to church and God and the Bible and Jesus was all explained to me, but it was an incomplete education. While being good people, I'm not sure if my parents were very clear on exactly why Jesus' death on the cross was salvation for mankind. And due to some things that happened to me in my last few years of teenagehood, no one would blame me if I came out of it questioning God and wondering if he was really there for us. I didn't become a Christian until I was in college, and boy was it a revelation. I still had questions, some of which I see echoed on this forum at times. But I was lucky to have a few shepherds through this time of my life and here I am today with the faith of the mustard seed.
Yes, I know you probably don't get what I'm saying here and you probably give a damn even less than that. I hope I answered your question to your satisfaction.
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Originally posted by Grampy BobbyFutility Personified even attempting to communicate with those who have no ears and refuse to listen. In a State of Spiritual Death, no human being has the capacity to apprehend Absolute Truth; all human beings who haven't yet chosen Personal Relation with God may still grasp essential salvation facts through the Facillitating Ministry of the Holy Spirit, once positive volition says, "Yes, if you're out there, God, I want to know you". The Rest is His Responsibility. He's Perfect Veracity and Immutable. He always keeps His Word. Sorry my style irritates you. Please forgive.
No amount of sincerity and certainty on your part can really alter the fact that a post like the one above is little more than an ad hominem wrapped up in slogans. Indeed, it is interesting to note how often, in matters to do with your faith, you resort to ad hominems and slogans. That, right there, may be the source of your futility in terms of communication.
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Originally posted by twhiteheadI didn't answer a question because (it's simple, really) you didn't ask me one.
Clever, clever..... You don't answer the question, whist pretending that it is actually me that isn't listening.
Pretending? Pretending!?!? I don't pretend, sweetie. Not unless I'm playing a game, and I'm not playing a game here. It IS you who's not listening! Only because you don't care about listening. As I've said before, numerous times now.
More distortions. Just stop it.
Originally posted by SuzianneWhich other religions did you delve into and consider at that time? The point being, 'choice of faith' is quite clearly is affected by geography, culture, community, family etc. There are Hindus and Muslims in Bali, for example, who have not "been brought around to Christianity sooner or later" despite living alongside each other and being aware of their different faiths. You think it would have happened to you, but is that you with your not-from-Bali hat on, rather than really imagining yourself to be Balinese and having been raised in the Hindu tradition?
I didn't become a Christian until I was in college, and boy was it a revelation.
Originally posted by FMFI'll pick this up in the morning. I do not mean to seem like I'm dodging here, but it is now WAY past my bedtime. 🙁
Which other religions did you delve into and consider at that time? The point being, 'choice of faith' is quite clearly is affected by geography, culture, community, family etc. There are Hindus and Muslims in Bali, for example, who have not "been brought around to Christianity sooner or later" despite living alongside each other and being aware of their differe ...[text shortened]... than really imagining yourself to be Balinese and having been raised in the Hindu tradition?
Originally posted by FMF¿
No amount of sincerity and certainty on your part can really alter the fact that a post like the one above is little more than an ad hominem wrapped up in slogans. Indeed, it is interesting to note how often, in matters to do with your faith, you resort to ad hominems and slogans. That, right there, may be the source of your futility in terms of communication.
Originally posted by twhiteheadThe reason was outlined in the post of mine that you just seemingly answered point-by-point. I say seemingly, because the line I quoted above shows you really didn't read it at all. Or if you did, you just treated it like you treat all the posts of the theists here, exactly like I described in the post of mine that you just seemingly answered point-by-point. My reason was in that post, delineated a couple times, at least. And yet you sit there and claim my 'witch hunt' was for no apparent reason.
Oh, and maybe you could try treating us like humans, too. We're not here just for your entertainment.
Says the girl who was on witch hunt for me recently, for no apparent reason, and no appoligies either I noticed.
Feel free to continue twisting and flailing in the wind.
I have no apology for you. You don't deserve any apologies. You revel in the liberties you take with the truth and the distortions you create. I'm not sorry for describing your recent actions and telling you I'm not taking it any more. I'm sure it would take you totally by surprise and perhaps, if such were possible, render you completely speechless, if I were to say to you that if anyone here deserves an apology, it's me, for putting up with your abuse for this long, not to mention all the other theists in this forum that you treat similarly. Stop the distortions, please.
Originally posted by SuzianneHa ha , just woken up here. No, there will be no suggestion that you would go as far as going to sleep unnecessarily in order to dodge my question. And besides, Grampy Bobby is currently doing enough dodging to make up for any shortfall by other posters.
I'll pick this up in the morning. I do not mean to seem like I'm dodging here, but it is now WAY past my bedtime. 🙁
Originally posted by FMFGood Cop/Bad Cop, Old Hats.
Ha ha , just woken up here. No, there will be no suggestion that you would go as far as going to sleep unnecessarily in order to dodge my question. And besides, Grampy Bobby is currently doing enough dodging to make up for any shortfall by other posters.
Which other religions did you delve into and consider at that time? The point being, 'choice of faith' is quite clearly is affected by geography, culture, community, family etc.
So you are saying that had she been in another geographic area, another culture, another community, and another family etc. she might have, who knows, ended up as a "former Christian" ?
Was your choice of being a former _____ largely just the outcome of geography, culture, community, family too? It seems then with some circumstantial adjustment you well could have been a former anti-Christiandomist.