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Posting this issue across a few forums to see what kind of responses from people.

S

Sheridan

Member
Hi everyone,

I don't consider myself 'religious' in the strict sense, I don't go to any church, but I do have a sense of spirituality. I often prey to God and ask questions about everyday life, and try and ask for guidance and humility.

Even though I do these things, and I tell people that I am not religious if they ask me, I find it very upsetting when I hear people talk badly about religion, spirituality or God. I am instantly defensive and annoyed, even offended. I feel sometimes like defending the Church, and God, even though i am none of these things.

Why is this? Do you feel the same?

I feel that something terrible has happened, and that is people have become incredibly complacent, incredibly anti, they hate and attack religion/spirituality for no reason, they haven't even studied it and they hold more anger toward it than anything else? Why? How can you decide to hate something so passionately if you don't even bother to study it first? I think this is so frustrating. And I'm stuck in the middle!

The other day at work (I work in a social enterprise and not for profit organisation which is supposed to be about social justice and share some of these very same values I believe as good Christians do) and one of the girls I work with asked me if I was religious. I am guessing because she had seen me being really nice to everyone and being engaged, tolerant, actively/overtly loving how i went about things. This confused her as this is rare today with everyone on their guard and acting so mean to each other, and so she must have put it down to being religious in her mind and asked. I replied what I wrote above, not giving too much away as I am cautious of people now hearing them constantly blame and put down anything to do with god or religion for no good reason.

Her reply was, "I am DEVOUT atheist".

I can't say how much this offended me, how much this continues to offend me every day listening to people put down god and something that is so nice. I am deeply hurt by this.
Why go out of your way to set me up with that question, after I've been so nice to you and everyone else, and then mock me or say the extreme opposite to what it might be I believe in and stand for?

Why?

What are your answers to this, and why people are so anti-religion/god these days, and how that has become so pervasive, so cool and trendy to hate on God, so acceptable to say this openly in work places and put people down but then stick up for human rights, anti-discrimination, gay-rights, the starving in Africa etc. All of which I stick up for too of course, but this one issue polarizes people more than any other it seems.

Why?
 
Hi Sheridan.It is nice to have you join us on CF.There is a difference in spirituality and being a Christian as you know.I feel badly when I hear people speak against God because I love Him.I do not attend a Church but that does not make me any less of a Christian.We live in a very dark and evil world.All you have to do is look around you and read the news to see that.What is happening in our world now is Satan.He is the prince of this world.He is working overtime because he knows his time is short.People in the work place can mock God and say very bad things about Him.I have experienced this first hand.But if you say anything about God or what the Bible has to say there is a very good chance you could be fired.It is the way our world is right now.Sad but true.People are going against Christianity.This is going to get worse before it gets better.God loves you Sheridan.Have you given any thought to committing your life and heart to Jesus Christ?Have you given any thought to where you would like to spend your eternity?
 
hey...I posted a response to this in another part of the forum....

Kathi's right. What I learned (the hard way) is that the only basis we have for goodness, for decency, for true kindness is Christ Jesus. seriously. What we're witnessing now, with the rise of this aggressive, intolerant, hateful secularism is frightening. I mean, think about it...when you're down and out in modern day society, who will deal with you but the Christians? And the only reason we, Christians, care is because of Christ Jesus. Human decency only gets you so far, and decency has fallen by the wayside in modern culture, anyway.

I think maybe Jesus is trying to get your attention. That's my honest to goodness best guess.
 
These are Jesus words. "If the world hates you, remember that it hated me first" John 15:18. Also in John 14:6 "I am the way and the truth and the life: no man cometh unto the Father but through me". If you are talking to a non Christian they get offended because we believe that Jesus is the only way to God. I think this anger is sometimes a sign that the Holy Spirit is working on their heart and they know the truth....they are just not wanting to accept Him yet.
 
I admit, I did not read the explanation that followed your question but will give you what God has given to me about this matter.

When I was busy being an Atheist, I had no serious thoughts of God. After my first exposure to God dealing with me, directly, I did not convert because my theology was seriously cork-screwed and did not believe God could save me. But, because god had spoken to me, my life took on a brand new form and, much, like the Mormons and J.W.s I was busy trying to prevent people, on one hand, from going to Hell, like I was. On the other hand I was on stage calling "Motel Time." I was completely different but still an unrepentant sinner.

After the LORD, my God had finally impressed on me that He loved me so much that He would save, even, me, I converted and I yearned for the Fellowship, found only in god fearing Christian Churches and went every Sunday until and afterwards, I was called by God to teach.

When I was in Junior High I consumed words to expand my vocabulary and one that has remained to this day is, or was, the longest word in the English language, antidisestablishmentarianism. I looked it up in my Miriam Webster so as to know what it meant but never in my life did I expect to become an Antdisestablishmentarian but like you, I am. I and you are against the disestablishment of religious organizations.

Like you, I am not religious. I attend a Baptist Church to teach and to fellowship but i am a Christian, not so much a Baptist. The way you s
describe Jesus leading you, I suspect you will soon find you need Christian Fellowship. God is busy in your life just as He was in mine.

God bless my brother.
 
Like many people, I have fallen into the trap of group think. Its a tempting safe place because it helps to shelter people from criticism and gives them a sense of belonging. I think that is the heart of the issue. People tare down others in order to prop themselves up. The internet has helped to bring non religious people together in a way that hasn't been done before, this can also be said of many other groups. So due to this growth, it was inevitable that the group would become split into different areas of though. A lot of friends I've had that use the term Atheist tend to gravitate towards specific you tube channels, writers, and bloggers. They build their views around these people and groups and then immerse themselves.

At one time my Identity was that of a Gay Atheist, So I was dedicated to defending anything Gay and Atheist, and occasionally resorted to rhetoric. I was blinded by my own fervor that I couldn't even hear outside opinions. I've grown up a little and learned that using labels and grops as shields helps to erase your own opinions and thoughts. So now I use labels as more of a starting point and work from there instead of trying to fit the label.

So I think the short end is that people want and identity and want to make sure that people are aware of it. Quite often people will adopt the identity of a group and will tare down those in the out group because of a false sense of superiority.

Its way more fun to just be by yourself sometimes and find your own thoughts. :)
 
hey guys.... you may notice your posts in a different place.... .. I think i have these all under one roof now ... :) reba
 
reba said:
hey guys.... you may notice your posts in a different place.... .. I think i have these all under one roof now ... :) reba
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Don't you just love this kind of shotgun posting? Hey, it's not like you have anything better to do than mess with this kind of repair work for hours, right?
 
I posted this in one of the other threads that has been closed and moved to the dead threads. It was in reply to a comment from MarkT.

You said a mouthful there, but might I remind you that is was not the unbelievers and adulterers that Jesus called an evil generation. It was to those who profess a knowledge of God to whom that was said.

It is not because they love pleasure and such that they have abandoned religion, it is because of the hypocrisy that drives them away. As an example, Christians will tell you about the Love of God through Christ with one breath, and then turn around and declare that homosexuality and gay marriage are a sin and is against God's will, and they claim the sanctity of marriage as defined by the Bible: But what do Christians demonstrate to the world about the sanctity of marriage? A 40% or more divorce rate? Stop worrying about the unbelievers or those who have rejected religion. Often times I find they are actually more spiritual than those who profess to follow the Spirit of God. God has not abandoned them, you have abandoned them because you can't help but judge them. Judgement begins with the house of God. When they see the hypocrites and self righteous, the evil generation that speaks of the knowledge of God but demonstrates no understanding of the Spirit, when they are Judged, many shall glorify God in that day.
 
ezrider said:
I posted this in one of the other threads that has been closed and moved to the dead threads. It was in reply to a comment from MarkT.

You said a mouthful there, but might I remind you that is was not the unbelievers and adulterers that Jesus called an evil generation. It was to those who profess a knowledge of God to whom that was said.

It is not because they love pleasure and such that they have abandoned religion, it is because of the hypocrisy that drives them away. As an example, Christians will tell you about the Love of God through Christ with one breath, and then turn around and declare that homosexuality and gay marriage are a sin and is against God's will, and they claim the sanctity of marriage as defined by the Bible: But what do Christians demonstrate to the world about the sanctity of marriage? A 40% or more divorce rate? Stop worrying about the unbelievers or those who have rejected religion. Often times I find they are actually more spiritual than those who profess to follow the Spirit of God. God has not abandoned them, you have abandoned them because you can't help but judge them. Judgement begins with the house of God. When they see the hypocrites and self righteous, the evil generation that speaks of the knowledge of God but demonstrates no understanding of the Spirit, when they are Judged, many shall glorify God in that day.
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You can expect inappropriate behavior from unbelievers.Satan has them.It is the ones who say they are Christian and proclaim beliefs that are not Biblical that has me confused.Although the Bible did say this was going to happen so I do not know why I am confused.
 
Kathi said:
You can expect inappropriate behavior from unbelievers.Satan has them.It is the ones who say they are Christian and proclaim beliefs that are not Biblical that has me confused.Although the Bible did say this was going to happen so I do not know why I am confused.
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Kathi, I think the Bible can be confusing at times, and many people have different interpretations that we just don't see. But If might, I would caution to remind you that there are many different spirits of God. I think Revelation states the seven spirits of God. We have been commanded to follow after the Spirit of Christ.

There is another topic that I will eventually write on, but I am not quite ready for it yet. There is a passage in the book of John I believe, where Jesus and the disciples were rejected in a certain town, and the disciples asked Jesus if they should call fire down from heaven as Elijah did, but Jesus chastised them saying "know ye not what spirit you are of?" I am speaking in broad generalities, but I believe the church might reflect more of the Spirit of Elijah than it does the Spirit of Christ; Both spirits are of God, so to me spiritual discernment goes far beyond what is simply written in the Bible for our admonition. If we claim to be a follower of Christ, then we are to follow after the Spirit of Christ.
 
ezrider said:
Kathi, I think the Bible can be confusing at times, and many people have different interpretations that we just don't see. But If might, I would caution to remind you that there are many different spirits of God. I think Revelation states the seven spirits of God. We have been commanded to follow after the Spirit of Christ.

There is another topic that I will eventually write on, but I am not quite ready for it yet. There is a passage in the book of John I believe, where Jesus and the disciples were rejected in a certain town, and the disciples asked Jesus if they should call fire down from heaven as Elijah did, but Jesus chastised them saying "know ye not what spirit you are of?" I am speaking in broad generalities, but I believe the church might reflect more of the Spirit of Elijah than it does the Spirit of Christ; Both spirits are of God, so to me spiritual discernment goes far beyond what is simply written in the Bible for our admonition. If we claim to be a follower of Christ, then we are to follow after the Spirit of Christ.
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There is one Spirit of God.That Holy Spirit is in the ones who have given their life to Him.
 
Kathi said:
I don't understand your question.What do you mean by "the spirit of Elijah?".
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I'm sorry, but If you do not know what I mean by the spirit of Elijah, I can not help you. I could try to explain it to you, but my guess is you would not receive it anyway, and it may lend to more of your confusion. If you want to try and understand what I mean by the spirit of Elijah, then go study the gospels and read what Jesus had to say of John the Baptist.
 
ezrider said:
I'm sorry, but If you do not know what I mean by the spirit of Elijah, I can not help you. I could try to explain it to you, but my guess is you would not receive it anyway, and it may lend to more of your confusion. If you want to try and understand what I mean by the spirit of Elijah, then go study the gospels and read what Jesus had to say of John the Baptist.
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I know who Elijah is.But I do not understand what you are intending.
 
Kathi said:
I know who Elijah is.But I do not understand what you are intending.
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Jesus said of John the Baptist, if you can receive it, this was Elijah who was to come. John came in the spirit of Elijah. Those who have an ear, let him hear what the spirit saith. But, Jesus also said that truly Elijah shall come and restore all things. And like John came in the spirit of Elijah to prepare the way of The Lord, so to shall the spirit of Elijah come to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the hearts of the children to their fathers. I won't go any further than this at this time.

Needles to say, I was trying to draw a distinction between the spirit of Elijah and the spirit of Christ, and that both spirits are from God, but both spirits are not the same.
 
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