Welcome, Kevster! Myself I am also a relatively recent addition to this forum, and it excites me to see some new blood in the Christian camp -- especially another that appears quite capable of expressing his views as clearly and coherently as this your first post.
Kevstersmith writes:
I respectfully disagree with your assessment of A_Christian's admission of weakness. Such realization of a person's frailty and or sinfulness is an accurate knowledge of our human condition that God gives those he's called to bring to himself. From my "born again Christian" perspective it is more a curse to not be aware of your condition and miss out on a personal relationship with God himself not to mention the eternal life side of things.
I understand that this is more-or-less fundamental to your worldview, but I think my comment illustrated precisely its detrimental effect on individuals. A person who believes they cannot "do right" will have a more difficult time actually doing right than a person who believes themselves capable.
kevstersmith writes:
That such brokenness seems unfortunate to you echoes what we see in 1 Corithians 1:18: "For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God."
Great propagandist, that Paul. Always skillfully poisoning the well.
kevstersmith writes:
Where other religions appear to be beneficial does not surprise me as they are typically works or behavioral based. I think the man made religions probably compliment our fallen nature better than the Christian faith and therefore should be expected to bring more fleshly pleasure and contentment.
So you concede that other religions have a greater
measureable benefit than Christianity? That is what I infer from your statements. If we are comparing evidence, this means that there is greater evidence in favor of non-Christian worldviews by the very criteria that A_Christian put forth. If he(she?) was honest about regarding that evidence, then, s/he would not be Christian.
Kevstersmith writes:
Living by the spirit of the Christian faith, which the NT so often exhorts Christian's to do, runs counter to all that the world teaches. It defies our human fleshly nature and is very much a struggle for most Christian's. It certainly was for me as it led to clinical depression. However, once I got the hang of it, namely living by the power of God instead of myself, I think I've come to enjoy life, albeit a very difficult one, in a way I never thought possible.
How can you say that you enjoy living in this world when you've just spent a paragraph condemning its ways and your own "fleshly nature"?
Kevstersmith writes:
I pray someday God moves on your heart to bring you to him as well.
I thought that happened once. Turned out it was acid reflux.
But seriously, I know that you have the best intentions in making that statement, but you could never convince me that I am as detestful of a creature as the Christian worldview regards me, and in return I wish that you will one day trust yourself enough to confidently assert your own worth and goodness. That, my friend, is true salvation.
Blessings,
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