I Was Asked To Share My Story (No Catchy Phrse Today) Just Typos

[Ravenstar]

I can understand being uplifted by a good story/parable… but I am probably much more widely read than you are. The various Hindu texts have some incredible stories.. as does the Enuma Elish and the Epic of Gilgamesh. Confucious wrote some very awesome stuff.. as did Siddhārtha Gautama, Lao Tzu, and Socrates…(Can't forget Homer) and Marcus Aurelius is probably one of my favourites. His dissertations on morality are.. profound. (to me anyway - but I'm a stoic). My favourite poet is Kahlil Gibran… amazing stuff. Some of these… most of these predate Jesus. I've touched on maybe 5% of what's out there.

 

A lot of the stories/parables/proverbs/morals in the Bible have counterparts in many other writings. They are not unique.. sorry to tell. I truly hope that you expand your repertoire to include other wisdom as well. There's a lot out there.

[florduh]

You DO understand that this site is created by and for EX-Christians, right? That means we have been Christians at one time, pastors, teachers, missionaries and we even have a couple of real Bible scholars here. We know the verses, various translations, and most are versed at least somewhat in the apologetics game. No Christian who wanders in here for whatever reason has ever or will ever tell us something we haven't heard or even said ourselves regarding Jesus, God, the Bible or Christianity in all of its flavors.

 

Now, what is it that you want?

[Guest Marty]

This was one of the powerful Stories jesus Told that contributed to my Conversion i was wondering what you guys thought of it...

 

 

I find this much more inspiring:

 

[par4dcourse]

 

Now, what is it that you want?

Inquiring minds (and me) want to know.

[Vigile]

 

 

Now, what is it that you want?

Inquiring minds (and me) want to know.

 

 

Long-winded, unintelligible response laden with bible verses to follow. 

[bornagainathiest]

 

 

Now, what is it that you want?

 

Well, I know what  I  want Florduh, but will 1AAT1 give me what  I  want?

 

Hint for his benefit...

 

http://www.ex-christian.net/topic/63950-cosmology-101-for-1acceptingatheist1/#.U90OS_ldVzM

[ironhorse]

"Shanghai McCoy's my name. Been around the Horn, sailed the seven seas, seen everything, done everything..."

 

~Rooster Cogburn

 

 

As a Christian, I don't claim to know everything about the Bible or Jesus. I don't know
any Christians who do claim "all knowledge" of God and the scriptures. I'm still reading
and still exploring my faith.

 

I do know enough to be able to share my faith and I'm open to listening and discussing
the arguments against it. 

 

This is why I appreciate the Lion's Den for allowing Christians a voice here. 

[Vigile]

"Shanghai McCoy's my name. Been around the Horn, sailed the seven seas, seen everything, done everything..."

 

~Rooster Cogburn

 

 

As a Christian, I don't claim to know everything about the Bible or Jesus. I don't know

any Christians who do claim "all knowledge" of God and the scriptures. I'm still reading

and still exploring my faith.

 

I do know enough to be able to share my faith and I'm open to listening and discussing

the arguments against it. 

 

This is why I appreciate the Lion's Den for allowing Christians a voice here. 

 

It's just one simple book dude.  I was bored out of my mind with it when I was 18. To this day I can recite every possible sermon almost verbatim. I tried digging deeper by getting into Charles Finney and other early apologists, only to discover it was just more guilt heaped upon more guilt.  There's nothing profound here.  Expand your interests.  This one's a dead end. 

[midniterider]

Here is the Normal Version

 

³ He told many stories in the form of parables, such as this one:

“Listen! A farmer went out to plant some seeds. ⁴ As he scattered them across his field, some seeds fell on a footpath, and the birds came and ate them. ⁵ Other seeds fell on shallow soil with underlying rock. The seeds sprouted quickly because the soil was shallow. ⁶ But the plants soon wilted under the hot sun, and since they didn’t have deep roots, they died. ⁷ Other seeds fell among thorns that grew up and choked out the tender plants. ⁸ Still other seeds fell on fertile soil, and they produced a crop that was thirty, sixty, and even a hundred times as much as had been planted! ⁹ Anyone with ears to hear should listen and understand.”

¹⁰ His disciples came and asked him, “Why do you use parables when you talk to the people?”

 

¹¹ He replied, “You are permitted to understand the secrets^[a] of the Kingdom of Heaven, but others are not. ¹² To those who listen to my teaching, more understanding will be given, and they will have an abundance of knowledge. But for those who are not listening, even what little understanding they have will be taken away from them. ¹³ That is why I use these parables,

For they look, but they don’t really see.

They hear, but they don’t really listen or understand.

¹⁴ This fulfills the prophecy of Isaiah that says,

‘When you hear what I say,

you will not understand.

When you see what I do,

you will not comprehend.

¹⁵ For the hearts of these people are hardened,

and their ears cannot hear,

and they have closed their eyes—

so their eyes cannot see,

and their ears cannot hear,

and their hearts cannot understand,

and they cannot turn to me

and let me heal them.’^[b]

 

¹⁶ “But blessed are your eyes, because they see; and your ears, because they hear. ¹⁷ I tell you the truth, many prophets and righteous people longed to see what you see, but they didn’t see it. And they longed to hear what you hear, but they didn’t hear it.

¹⁸ “Now listen to the explanation of the parable about the farmer planting seeds: ¹⁹ The seed that fell on the footpath represents those who hear the message about the Kingdom and don’t understand it. Then the evil one comes and snatches away the seed that was planted in their hearts. ²⁰ The seed on the rocky soil represents those who hear the message and immediately receive it with joy. ²¹ But since they don’t have deep roots, they don’t last long. They fall away as soon as they have problems or are persecuted for believing God’s word. ²² The seed that fell among the thorns represents those who hear God’s word, but all too quickly the message is crowded out by the worries of this life and the lure of wealth, so no fruit is produced. ²³ The seed that fell on good soil represents those who truly hear and understand God’s word and produce a harvest of thirty, sixty, or even a hundred times as much as had been planted!”

 

Ah, bible bullshit.

[midniterider]

"To those gullible fools who listen to my teaching, more brainwashing understanding will be given, and they will have an abundance of my personal manipulation knowledge."

[Deidre]

 

This was one of the powerful Stories jesus Told that contributed to my Conversion i was wondering what you guys thought of it

i think you need a good fuck,,,, and jesus too, if he actually existed

 

 

hmmmm lol

 

You DO understand that this site is created by and for EX-Christians, right? That means we have been Christians at one time, pastors, teachers, missionaries and we even have a couple of real Bible scholars here. We know the verses, various translations, and most are versed at least somewhat in the apologetics game. No Christian who wanders in here for whatever reason has ever or will ever tell us something we haven't heard or even said ourselves regarding Jesus, God, the Bible or Christianity in all of its flavors.

 

Now, what is it that you want?

this

[sdelsolray]

Here is the Normal Version

 

³ He told many stories in the form of parables, such as this one:

“Listen! A farmer went out to plant some seeds. ⁴ As he scattered them across his field, some seeds fell on a footpath, and the birds came and ate them. ⁵ Other seeds fell on shallow soil with underlying rock. The seeds sprouted quickly because the soil was shallow. ⁶ But the plants soon wilted under the hot sun, and since they didn’t have deep roots, they died. ⁷ Other seeds fell among thorns that grew up and choked out the tender plants. ⁸ Still other seeds fell on fertile soil, and they produced a crop that was thirty, sixty, and even a hundred times as much as had been planted! ⁹ Anyone with ears to hear should listen and understand.”

¹⁰ His disciples came and asked him, “Why do you use parables when you talk to the people?”

 

¹¹ He replied, “You are permitted to understand the secrets^[a] of the Kingdom of Heaven, but others are not. ¹² To those who listen to my teaching, more understanding will be given, and they will have an abundance of knowledge. But for those who are not listening, even what little understanding they have will be taken away from them. ¹³ That is why I use these parables,

For they look, but they don’t really see.

They hear, but they don’t really listen or understand.

¹⁴ This fulfills the prophecy of Isaiah that says,

‘When you hear what I say,

you will not understand.

When you see what I do,

you will not comprehend.

¹⁵ For the hearts of these people are hardened,

and their ears cannot hear,

and they have closed their eyes—

so their eyes cannot see,

and their ears cannot hear,

and their hearts cannot understand,

and they cannot turn to me

and let me heal them.’^[b]

 

¹⁶ “But blessed are your eyes, because they see; and your ears, because they hear. ¹⁷ I tell you the truth, many prophets and righteous people longed to see what you see, but they didn’t see it. And they longed to hear what you hear, but they didn’t hear it.

¹⁸ “Now listen to the explanation of the parable about the farmer planting seeds: ¹⁹ The seed that fell on the footpath represents those who hear the message about the Kingdom and don’t understand it. Then the evil one comes and snatches away the seed that was planted in their hearts. ²⁰ The seed on the rocky soil represents those who hear the message and immediately receive it with joy. ²¹ But since they don’t have deep roots, they don’t last long. They fall away as soon as they have problems or are persecuted for believing God’s word. ²² The seed that fell among the thorns represents those who hear God’s word, but all too quickly the message is crowded out by the worries of this life and the lure of wealth, so no fruit is produced. ²³ The seed that fell on good soil represents those who truly hear and understand God’s word and produce a harvest of thirty, sixty, or even a hundred times as much as had been planted!”

The parable/analogies here are anthropocentric, myopic and demonstrate an ignorance of life on Earth.

 

The seeds on the road became food for birds.  Those birds had more successful offspring, who in turn, helped the farmer by eating insects.  In addition, other birds (who do not digest the particular seed), spread the seed to other locations increasing that species of plant's survival.

 

The seeds in the rocky soil which did not survive added mulch to the rocky soil and provided food for bacteria and more favorable living conditions for other forms of life, such as ground insects.  After enough time, that rocky soil, with continuous addition of seeds to that soil who grow, wither, die and provide more soil mulch, would become sufficient for many species of plant like, some of which produce flowers which increases the bee population and helps the farmer in pollination of his own crop.  At some point in the future, that rocky/mulched soil would be great for growing plants that prefer such soil and more drainage, like many species of grapes.  So the farmer (in the future) could grow the seeds and grapes, improving his life.

 

The seeds that grew in the weeds resulted in a similar soil enhancement and some of them may have a genetic mutation allowing them to live with the weeds and, via natural selection, would produce new seeds with that mutation.

 

The seeds planted in the farmers field are (of course) going to produce numerous more seeds for the next generation.  Most successful plants have this reproduction strategy because those that didn't are extinct.

 

The attempt by the author of the Biblical passage above to shoehorn some religious dogma into a parable by analogy does not take the reality of life on Earth into account.  For example, analogizing the birds eating the seeds to some evil entity taking something away from humans demonstrates a self-centered and anthropocentric viewpoint that the seeds only exist for human benefit (or detriment).

[◊ crazyguy123 ◊]

_{See moanareina Just as i predicted these responses below is WHo i was referring to in the first few sentences of my story.}

 

 

 

 

_{"all of those roles you claimed he performed, were absolute bullshit."}

_{"I don't know what the point of the OP was, but you didn't show me anything but typical christian circular thinking..."}

_{"It all comes back to me failing to understand how you could trust such a monstrous god and believe that he is willing to help you for selfless reasons and how you could possibly think he cares about you."}

 

 

 

 

_{I understand....they dont beleive but IT never fails that they didnt actualyl care about me or my story. or if they do they have a funny way of SHowing it... Not everyone is like this, and i appreciate everyone who had loving responses. while the others claim christianity/jesus/God isnt love fine believe that if you want but then why would they go ahead and NOT show love themself and accuse others of doing the SAME thing they are doing? wow. not suprised. im used to it. no more insults will tip the kettle.}

 

I wasn't insulting you or attacking you. I was just explaining that I didn't understand how you could possibly believe the things about Jesus that you do and I was asking actual questions, to get answers from you, so that I could understand how you could think of Yahweh/Jesus as anything but the savage tyrant I came to realize that he was.

[Thackerie]

 

_{See moanareina Just as i predicted these responses below is WHo i was referring to in the first few sentences of my story.}

 

 

 

 

_{"all of those roles you claimed he performed, were absolute bullshit."}

_{"I don't know what the point of the OP was, but you didn't show me anything but typical christian circular thinking..."}

_{"It all comes back to me failing to understand how you could trust such a monstrous god and believe that he is willing to help you for selfless reasons and how you could possibly think he cares about you."}

 

 

 

 

_{I understand....they dont beleive but IT never fails that they didnt actualyl care about me or my story. or if they do they have a funny way of SHowing it... Not everyone is like this, and i appreciate everyone who had loving responses. while the others claim christianity/jesus/God isnt love fine believe that if you want but then why would they go ahead and NOT show love themself and accuse others of doing the SAME thing they are doing? wow. not suprised. im used to it. no more insults will tip the kettle.}

 

I wasn't insulting you or attacking you. I was just explaining that I didn't understand how you could possibly believe the things about Jesus that you do and I was asking actual questions, to get answers from you, so that I could understand how you could think of Yahweh/Jesus as anything but the savage tyrant I came to realize that he was.

 

 

A lot of christians appear to think that they are being persecuted whenever someone disagrees with them. And, apparently, for some extra-special christians, just being questioned is enough for them to claim they're being attacked. Pathetic.

[1AcceptingAThiest1]

actually that parable was about people who thought they were christians but wasnt. I was looking for someone to interpret that since you guys used to be christians.  That is why it contributed to my conversion
I became christian because God was there for me when humans wasnt. So when my atheist friends say Yea I used to believe God was there for me and humans wasnt"  I dont think i understand that fully, IF God was there for you and humans wast, Then...why would you proceed to rely on humans again when they wasnt there?

 

 

Thackerie i think i will Defiantly take you up on that offer

 

and Diedre thanks for the encouragement Guess we all have a story

 

Crazy Guy Apologies if i misinterpreted you, i make amends without hesitation.

 

I personally do not care if people make fun of me its just that if they do, i fell more for them then for me but for your clairification i understand you were not. I want and enjoy and like and insist....that people ask me questions about my story, its only 5% of what happened. IF we could know all there is to know in one sitting, people would marry on the first date.

 

Moreina thansk for your encouragment as well, Sorry you could not find worth in God, i did and still do. IT is true worth ahs to come from within, not other people. Even if we dont beleive in God, we are worthy because of who we ARE not because of what we do.

Peoples love is moved on performance, for me i find uncondtional love thru God, even when i mess up i dont have to worry about guilt shame or fear. Jsut like a real relationship we are accepted for who we are, not because of what we have to offer

 

i went from athiest to christian to athiest back to christian. This seems unlikely but i was one confused Mo Foe.  lol but now I have 100% assurance of WHO i am. its like realzing your not anatomocally correct, once you realize, you accept it. no more confusion.

 

when i was trying to do the blind faith thing, it didnt work for me, and even me now doesnt, my faith now is different from waht i thought faith was at the time. I kept trying to win people and getting sad when i couldnt. Once i realize that ws NOT was God expected of me that was when everything changed. 

 

Did you know the Bible says ONLY God is the one that convert? Knowing this i stopped feeling bad ebcause i couldnt convert people, that is why i am here today. IT is NOT MY JOB. never has been. We can water a tree but we cannot make it frow, we can plant a seed but we cannot bring life.  I am here to learn sooo many christians are sooo focused on preaching and trying to convert they dont take time out to learn the other side, with me i been back and forth but i still have more to learn due to social changes

 

Im writing a book based on real responses from athiests and will turn it into a movie, not like the mormal movies today. This time real athiest will get a say from their own mouth, and not a made up script on what a director or writer THINKS what an atheist thinks. Better to hear from the real deal. Im going to be a christian writing a atheists book but allowed people to see both sides. The real sides...no bs...no make up stories...no shenannigens...real deal

i have first chapter written already

[1AcceptingAThiest1]

i think even if i do spell check it wll help but there will still be flaws because i dont know propper placement of things, i really need to go to school :/

[Guest Marty]

 

 

 

A lot of christians appear to think that they are being persecuted whenever someone disagrees with them. And, apparently, for some extra-special christians, just being questioned is enough for them to claim they're being attacked. Pathetic.

 

 

Just like how our minds are closed off if we don't agree with them.  The only way to have an open mind with a christian is to agree with all their preconceived notions and their interpretation of the bible.

[1AcceptingAThiest1]

alot of christians think their persecuted because you disagree because they dont havea  strong foundation on what they stand for. Many christian are taught what to think and not how to think. So they just sit in pews and get a happy feeling once a week and forget everything that was elarned the second they are a 5feet radius from the chruch, when you are grounded you will not be swayed. Jesus said to love those who oppose us even if they try to spitefully use us, So anything less than that should be a walk in the park. I however am sadden because i feel sorry for the person making the insult. I am not offended by anything even if people Call God names and say christians are scum. Who cares about what they say about me, what i care about is what they are saying about themself.

 

Contrary to popular belief they say actions speak louder than words, its true but i like to take it a step further, They say our eyes our windows to our trueself or some people say (SOULS) but as someone who used to be skeptic i dig deep into specific words and used to make more about then was needed and by passing the whole point. In anycase, I say that our words are windows to our heart. Jesus said your treasure is where your heart is, and that the words that you speak reaveal the condition of your heart.

 

So when people curse, get angry, insult, etc, i feel there is something they have been hurt by, and i am not to be mad at them but to feel sorry for them. Maybe there is a hidden pain,...a hidden pain under a Rock that weighs  a TON, and maybe that rock is too heavy to lift or people are afriad to see whats under it. We all have been hurt we all have been pain. I feel we should try to understand before we are understood. We can do love actions all day but if the end resulst was for a heavenly reward or human praise, it worthless, we can give all we want to the poor and be Burned as a Marttyr  but if it wasnt done thru love it was for Nothing.. So christian or not, God or Not. Just try to love people...no matter what we do...no matter what we say....we are banktupt without love.

[mydisplayname]

i think even if i do spell check it wll help but there will still be flaws because i dont know propper placement of things, i really need to go to school :/

*Ath ... e ..... i.... st*

 

First the e and then the i.

[Guest Marty]

i think even if i do spell check it wll help but there will still be flaws because i dont know propper placement of things, i really need to go to school :/

 

Is English not your first language?  I do not want to nit pick your posts if so, but for someone writing a book you have an atrocious grasp of grammar and punctuation.  

 

Their, there, they're.  You're and your.  Capitalization helps the reader greatly, and not doing so makes you look like a 13 year old girl texting her BFF (at least to my eyes).  Not everyone agrees, but if you want your ideas to be taken seriously, you should take the English language seriously first.  Not doing so shows intellectual laziness.  If you can't be bothered to hit the shift key when typing "I", how can I be sure you took the time to fully study all aspects of the topic of discussion?

 

Not trying to be a dick here, just pointing out what grabs my attention.  And not just you, but most christians that post here.  More often than not, after reading a christian's post, I am left with how uneducated they seem because of their grammar and sentence formulation than anything they actually said in the post…I am not good with spelling, and I mix up my "theres" a lot too (a lot is 2 words, not one), but I make a great effort to proof read my posts before I push send, and edit them if I discover something after the fact.  It doesn't need to be perfect, but some effort at intelligibility should be observed...

[1AcceptingAThiest1]

True thanks Marty will work on. Let me know by next Friday if you see any improvements

[midniterider]

actually that parable was about people who thought they were christians but wasnt. I was looking for someone to interpret that since you guys used to be christians.  That is why it contributed to my conversion

 

So some people thought they were Christians but really weren't. If it's possible to think you are , but not really be , then how would you ever know for sure if you were one or weren't one?

I became christian because God was there for me when humans wasnt. So when my atheist friends say Yea I used to believe God was there for me and humans wasnt"  I dont think i understand that fully, IF God was there for you and humans wast, Then...why would you proceed to rely on humans again when they wasnt there?

 

How do you know that YOU are REALLY a Christian? Maybe you only 'think' you are one but really are not one at all? OMG!

 

[1AcceptingAThiest1]

midniterider that is why that Parable is so important it Tells you EXACTLY why and how you can know for sure. But you guys used to be christians remeber it should be easy to intepret. i get bashed for trying to interpret it ssaying im caliming eprfect intepretation and knowledge, but again once i KNEW what that parable meant....I KNEW for sure. 100% so i dont know what else to say. Since you guys already know you were christians

[1AcceptingAThiest1]

marty English is my first language but School wasnt my first priority

[midniterider]

alot of christians think their persecuted because you disagree because they dont havea  strong foundation on what they stand for. Many christian are taught what to think and not how to think. So they just sit in pews and get a happy feeling once a week and forget everything that was elarned the second they are a 5feet radius from the chruch, when you are grounded you will not be swayed.

 

The purpose of church is to reinforce your brainwashing (what you call grounding). It is harder to be swayed if you continually associate with Christians and continually go to Church. If you stop associating with Christians, stop going to church and stop thinking about Jesus, your 'grounding' wears off like any other brainwashing.

 

Have you been taught to criticize God? Or to NEVER criticize God? Have you been taught that you are a confident, wonderful person without Jesus? Or are you a sinner? What have you been taught to think inside Christianity? Christians are taught to conform in thought and action.

 

When you are brainwashed you go along with what the group thinks so you can fit in with the group. When you think for yourself, you will find that you disagree with some things you have been told. It's only natural.

 

A young adult will begin to disagree with some of the things his parents told him. This is independent thinking.

An employee will will sometimes disagree with company policies or what the boss says. This is independent thinking.

A parishioner will sometimes disagree with church doctrine. This is independent thinking.

 

Why is being 'swayed' a bad thing? Why would you want to continue to think in a rigid, unbending manner as new information arrives? I know a couple of Catholics who are like this. Change = Satan, pretty much for them.

 

Why is it a good thing to base (or pretend to base) your life on bronze age and iron age societal values? Certainly some values are unchanging, like not harming others but we are in the 21st century now and a lot of biblical teaching is irrelevant. Even some Christians will say that the Old Testament has been overridden by the New Testament...but they still carry both Old and New to church with them....Society has taken the good things from the bible and other ancient books of wisdom and converted them into laws. The rest of the irrelevant bullshit scripture has been ignored by society as we progress into the future.

 

The church is the last to accept change and grudgingly acquiesces to avoid it's own extinction.