We often hear about big events that cause unbelievers or agnostics to become Christians, i.e. A near death experience, a booming proclamation from a persuasive orator, dreams, unexplained events etc. Many times, however, it's a gradual process.
Until the age of 16 I didn't think about the subject of God at all. Being a typical self-absorbed teenager, my thoughts ran to little more than winning the next track event and impressing a cute girl in my math class. However, a trip to a Christian youth meeting (which was light on scripture and heavy on jokes, giggles, and fun) a browse through a Christian bookstore, and a few other seemingly random events in the years to follow sparked curiosity which led to serious questions, which (in time) led to real faith.
The point of this is if one is looking for the thing that will give them real faith, that "thing" may take the form of a gradual learning process, rather than a BIG event. 🙂
@mchill saidInteresting topic.
We often hear about big events that cause unbelievers or agnostics to become Christians, i.e. A near death experience, a booming proclamation from a persuasive orator, dreams, unexplained events etc. Many times, however, it's a gradual process.
Until the age of 16 I didn't think about the subject of God at all. Being a typical self-absorbed teenager, my thoughts ran to li ...[text shortened]... eal faith, that "thing" may take the form of a gradual learning process, rather than a BIG event. 🙂
Were your parents/parent/ guardians Christians and did they teach you about God and Christianity?
@divegeester saidMy parents were atheists. They wanted nothing to do Christianity.
Interesting topic.
Were your parents/parent/ guardians Christians and did they teach you about God and Christianity?
@mchill saidMy parents were/are Christians but I wanted nothing to do with Christianity.
My parents were atheists. They wanted nothing to do Christianity.
However too attended a Christian summer camp for a few years and I had a great time; I was also exposed to people with a different perspective on faith and also other campers from very different backgrounds. I had some level of spiritual enlightenment (for want of a better phrase) at this camp but forgot about it once I returned home. It wasn’t until later in life that (in my own words) God dragged me back from the brink by the scruff of the neck and gave me a portion of faith which has stayed with me ever since.
@mchill saidIsn't it great that the crowning achievement of our growth as human beings takes a quantum leap once we are exposed to other young humans? We can't do it all ourselves and it is this exposure to other thinking minds working it out also to give us enough expansion of mind to show us the panoply of possibilities in our own lives.
My parents were atheists. They wanted nothing to do Christianity.