What Would Make You Become A Christian Again?

[Guest eejay]

If all the xtians who've supported Bush and his war were to burst into flames or be struck by lightning.

Ah...what a great refreshing answer. Love to see it happen. But...realistically, I don't think I could ever become a x-tian again. I tend to agree with the previous posters that I would have to literally see some kind of existence of a god before I would ever just take up a belief. Possibly a theist, but never a x-tian.

[Comanche]

Possibly a theist, but never a x-tian.

 

I agree. For me to become a theist again, I would need several things. One, concrete evidence of some sort, which had been tested multiple times for authenticity. Two, something to respect, not fear. I would never worship Biblegod. I might consider the Flying Spaghetti Monster. Three, a reason beyond an afterlife to follow that particular branch of theism (or anything, for that matter). I want a collateral for this life, not the next one.

[Dhampir]

Oh, damn, I wish I remember what I said last time this question came up here, about 4 years ago. Had something to do with coming out of a coma into a severe amnesiac state, with well-meaning but misguided family members re indoctrinating me, or something along those lines.

[Guest Net Eng]

So what would persuade you to become a Christian again?

 

Christianity as currently defined and we see today? Nada. No takers here.

[Robbobrob]

If God showed me personally that he demands me to be a Christian, then I would not become one, on the same grounds that if Hitler in the 1930's had personally demanded me to be a Nazi, I would not have become one.

 

If God is not open to diversity of belief/non-belief, then It is not much of a universal deity.

[Legion]

If there was a God and this being granted me omniscience for even a few moments then I would know for certain right?

 

Yes, I’ll take omniscience please.

[Antlerman]

Yes, I’ll take omniscience please.

No thanks to that!

"For my omniscience paid I toll

In infinite remorse of soul.

All sin was of my sinning, all

Atoning mine, and mine the gall

Of all regret. Mine was the weight

Of every brooded wrong, the hate

That stood behind each envious thrust,

Mine every greed, mine every lust.

And all the while for every grief,

Each suffering, I craved relief

With individual desire,--

Craved all in vain! And felt fierce fire

About a thousand people crawl;

Perished with each,--then mourned for all!

A man was starving in Capri;

He moved his eyes and looked at me;

I felt his gaze, I heard his moan,

And knew his hunger as my own.

I saw at sea a great fog bank

Between two ships that struck and sank;

A thousand screams the heavens smote;

And every scream tore through my throat.

No hurt I did not feel, no death

That was not mine; mine each last breath

That, crying, met an answering cry

From the compassion that was I.

All suffering mine, and mine its rod;

Mine, pity like the pity of God.

Ah, awful weight! Infinity

Pressed down upon the finite Me!

My anguished spirit, like a bird,

Beating against my lips I heard;

Yet lay the weight so close about

There was no room for it without.

And so beneath the weight lay I

And suffered death, but could not die. "

 

Edna St. Vincent Millay

 

Interesting to read the responses to this again. Nice to see it resurrected.

[Legion]

Sure you would know the suffering, but you would also know the joy.

[Antlerman]

Sure you would know the suffering, but you would also know the joy.

That's besides the point, you literalist you.

 

Maybe it would be like matter and antimatter colliding and you'd just blink out of existence.

[BlueGiant]

Present answer: since Christianity as we know it today, particularly "orthodox" brands of it, (Catholocism, the Orthodox churches, Evangelical branches) are untenable, there is no way to get me back to it. It is flatly and objectively wrong.

 

That and let's face it, I got a better offer as gods go anyway.

[Robbobrob]

Sure you would know the suffering, but you would also know the joy.

That's besides the point, you literalist you.

 

Maybe it would be like matter and antimatter colliding and you'd just blink out of existence.

Being All Anything would be a drag.....half the fun in doing stuff is because you don't know how it will turn out.

[Antlerman]

Being All Anything would be a drag.....half the fun in doing stuff is because you don't know how it will turn out.

Well there you go. What fun would it be being God? Which leads to the question, why would you want to be friends with someone who knows everything themselves already? "Hey God, did you know that... oh wait I'm sure you already do" " Phooey. Kind of a conversation killer.

[Guest WarrantedPVC]

Actually, in my case it's really simple. All God would need to do is get in my brain and convince me, he's quite welcome? Would take him less than a thought?

 

But he doesn't do that, that's also why I eventually concluded he can't be there. I really wouldn't need super-special miracles or anything, it is just very disappointing that God doesn't even deliver the "blessed assurance" everyone is on about. The observation is that God is there when you're able to fix your own life anyway (or some other people help you fix it), but he just ignores you when you'd need him the most and only he could help. Go figure...

 

PVC

[Crazycatlady]

Personal communication with Jesus himself. Though I would probably seek a psychological evaluation first.

[Emme]

If god came to me and proved he existed, left empirical evidence that could not be contradicted, I would accept it.

But if there were proof, that would just mean I KNEW he existed. I guess faith is based on not knowing a thing is true or exists, and still believing in it, and that is lost to me.

[SWIM]

If god came to me and proved he existed, left empirical evidence that could not be contradicted, I would accept it.

But if there were proof, that would just mean I KNEW he existed. I guess faith is based on not knowing a thing is true or exists, and still believing in it, and that is lost to me.

 

I agree, this is what it would take for me too. But about the faith thing... So what? Faith, imo, is hogwash. It's a negative thing that relgious people put a positive spin on. Try appling "blind faith" to science and see how many discoveries you make.

 

I am talking about blind, religious faith, not faith that the sun wil rise and the like. Blindly believing, simply to "impress" god that "hey, look I dont need proof, you so wunnerfull!" is bullshit imo.

[Robbobrob]

Being All Anything would be a drag.....half the fun in doing stuff is because you don't know how it will turn out.

Well there you go. What fun would it be being God? Which leads to the question, why would you want to be friends with someone who knows everything themselves already? "Hey God, did you know that... oh wait I'm sure you already do" " Phooey. Kind of a conversation killer.

Oh, how annoying humans must be to God. Not only does He already know everything, but so many of us say the same things over and over to him (in prayer, etc).

 

No wonder he stopped responding. Probably has had giant cotton-like clouds in his ears trying to keep out the inane chatter for the past couple thousand years. LOL

[Antlerman]

Being All Anything would be a drag.....half the fun in doing stuff is because you don't know how it will turn out.

Well there you go. What fun would it be being God? Which leads to the question, why would you want to be friends with someone who knows everything themselves already? "Hey God, did you know that... oh wait I'm sure you already do" " Phooey. Kind of a conversation killer.

Oh, how annoying humans must be to God. Not only does He already know everything, but so many of us say the same things over and over to him (in prayer, etc).

 

No wonder he stopped responding. Probably has had giant cotton-like clouds in his ears trying to keep out the inane chatter for the past couple thousand years. LOL

 

Yeah, and perhaps the end of days is God finally snapping from the pressure and just making everyone 'shut the hell up!'. Those that are allowed to go to heaven are those who have learned not to talk to him - hence, only Atheists will go to heaven. It's simply logical. It must be true.

[Eponymic]

1. God himself would have to come to me.

2. He'd have to prove that he doesn't believe in the Bible as written.

3. He'd have to show me his doctrines that enforce positive uplifting ideals.

 

If he doesn't do this. I don't care how real he is, I'm not following him.

[MesaGman]

If Jesus were to come down personally and tell me in person that he wants to be my boy friend, instead of having his other classmates pass the message like notes in class.

[Lightbearer]

 

 

If I saw Jesus bust in my house like this, on a raptor, I might be tempted to rejoin Christianity.

 

 

In all seriousness, the last prayer I ever said I laid down the criteria for God if he wants me back. Oddly enough, I'm even further from that thing I wanted from Him now. I guess He doesn't really give a shit.

[MonolithTMA]

In all seriousness, the last prayer I ever said I laid down the criteria for God if he wants me back. Oddly enough, I'm even further from that thing I wanted from Him now. I guess He doesn't really give a shit.

 

Towards the end I prayed daily, practically begging for God to reveal himself to me. No response.

[Kalidasa]

Correct my eyesight to better than 20/20 without surgery, and I might consider it. Not saying it'll happen, but there'd be a sliver of hope.

[Amethyst]

At this point, they would have to change the entire doctrine to get rid of the bigoted and hateful stuff. They would have to get rid of hell or any punishment for not being Christian and not being perfect enough. They would also have to provide hard evidence that it was real, including Jesus appearing in front of me. All Christian churches and Christians on this planet would have to change to be a true force for good, rather than greed. Then I'd seriously consider it. But only then.

[R. S. Martin]

Pretty much everything people have mentioned in this thread would help (the embossed cross on plastic urn containing my ashes, hmmm, yeah, I'll reconvert after I'm dead ), but there's some major theological questions I'd need answered--and god (if he exists) knows what these are--if I am to become a Christian. Theology would have to conform with reality, just for starters, and I won't have to twist my brain to make it fit, either. Since the very concept makes the liberal theologians bristle I don't think we can get god to cooperate; god is, after all, the puppet of the theologians and preachers in case anyone didn't know.