I used to be a Christian
Converting to paganism was the best decision I've ever made. My Gods have my back and don't wish harm on my community. I'm encouraged to be who I am and never hide it.
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I respect your decision, but honestly, being a believer in Christ, I've never seen nor witnessed anyone wanting to deliberately harm my community or anyone else. Just the opposite. Jesus told us to love everyone and not judge anyone, including all religions. I feel great freedom in my Savior. There's no reason to hide anything. Jesus tells us the truth, and the truth sets us free. I'm not forced to do anything I don't want to do. I don't follow Christ because I have to. I follow him because I want to and I find joy, peace, and love from him and because I'm thankful for what he did for me on the cross to save my soul, which no one else could have provided me with. There's freedom in Christ, but Satan would have us believe it's all bondage, as he doesn’t want us trusting Christ to save our soul. Being in bondage is being condemned by sin without a Savior to rescue us.
thechik96 · 26-30, F
@LadyGrace you haven't seen people spit in women's faces at planned parenthood? You haven't seen bricks be thrown through pride building windows? The banner at a local church that does offer a safe space for pride was cut in my home town. The pastor whom is lesbian was threatened by a "Christian" man who was "doing God's work"
@thechik96 Yes, honey I have seen that, and you know what that tells me? That tells me that's the result of a fallen world where sin dominates and the devil. That tells me why I need Jesus because I can't get to Heaven by myself. None of us can. That's why we all need Jesus cuz he'll make sure we get there safely.
thechik96 · 26-30, F
@LadyGrace I simply don't believe in the ability for a God who won't stop that behavior to exist. My Gods rear their head when they see that happen. They also think sex is a beautiful ceremony that is to be celebrated not hidden. They encouraged you to be your best self and hold others accountable for their actions rather than just forgive and hope it doesn't happen again.
@thechik96
I haven't seen your gods stop any bad behavior, so far. Can you give me examples? And you've not said who your gods are.
I can understand your point but God didn't appoint us to be robots and control our every move. That's why he gave us free will to make the decision to do right or wrong and if people do wrong, that personal responsibility is on them, not God.
God gave us the ability to know right from wrong. Some people just don't like that responsibility because they want to do anything they want to do like a spoiled child and then not take responsibility for it. Then when bad things happen, they blame it on God, when God didn't make them do anything bad. Free will doesn't force people to do nor act a certain way. My God doesn't do that. Would it be loving if your husband forced you to be an act a certain way? I don't think you would like that because you would not have free will. That's not love. That's abuse.
God's laws are "just", and since there is no sin in him and he is incapable of sinning, since he is pure and holy, we cannot say that God causes us to sin. Nor can we say he is sinful to do anything. That's judging God. That's not just to God, nor fair. If I send I can't blame it on you. That's on me and that's the way it should be and as adults we are responsible for our own actions both in this world and the next.
If we want to talk about fairness then I think we have to consider that it wasn't fair for Jesus to die on the cross for our sins, when he was innocent and did nothing wrong. Yet he loved us so very much, he took our sins on him, to save us from the consequences. He not only said he loves us, he proved it on the cross when he had told for our sins, wish we didn't deserve. That wasn't fair to him. Jesus is the best friend we could have because he didn't have to die on the cross to save us from hell. He could have let us go but he didn't and then we act like this towards him. He is not the culprit. Sin is. Sin brings condemnation on people. Jesus did not come into the world to condemn the world but to save it. John 3:17 and he said anyone who comes to him and will allow him to save their soul, he will turn no one away. Even after people has cursed him and hated him and nailed him to a cross. That's what I call love. He didn't have to do that. He didn't have to come down from heaven and do that but because he loves us so greatly, he sacrificed himself in order to save us. that sure doesn't sound like a bad God to me or someone out to get us. If it weren't for jesus, we would all go to hell. Would we like that alternative? I'm very grateful for my Savior. Without him, I would be lost forever. No other god has done this for us. No one has come forward with a name or sacrifice of one God that will keep men from hell, except Jesus.
I simply don't believe in the ability for a God who won't stop that behavior to exist. My Gods rear their head when they see that happen.
I haven't seen your gods stop any bad behavior, so far. Can you give me examples? And you've not said who your gods are.
I can understand your point but God didn't appoint us to be robots and control our every move. That's why he gave us free will to make the decision to do right or wrong and if people do wrong, that personal responsibility is on them, not God.
God gave us the ability to know right from wrong. Some people just don't like that responsibility because they want to do anything they want to do like a spoiled child and then not take responsibility for it. Then when bad things happen, they blame it on God, when God didn't make them do anything bad. Free will doesn't force people to do nor act a certain way. My God doesn't do that. Would it be loving if your husband forced you to be an act a certain way? I don't think you would like that because you would not have free will. That's not love. That's abuse.
God's laws are "just", and since there is no sin in him and he is incapable of sinning, since he is pure and holy, we cannot say that God causes us to sin. Nor can we say he is sinful to do anything. That's judging God. That's not just to God, nor fair. If I send I can't blame it on you. That's on me and that's the way it should be and as adults we are responsible for our own actions both in this world and the next.
If we want to talk about fairness then I think we have to consider that it wasn't fair for Jesus to die on the cross for our sins, when he was innocent and did nothing wrong. Yet he loved us so very much, he took our sins on him, to save us from the consequences. He not only said he loves us, he proved it on the cross when he had told for our sins, wish we didn't deserve. That wasn't fair to him. Jesus is the best friend we could have because he didn't have to die on the cross to save us from hell. He could have let us go but he didn't and then we act like this towards him. He is not the culprit. Sin is. Sin brings condemnation on people. Jesus did not come into the world to condemn the world but to save it. John 3:17 and he said anyone who comes to him and will allow him to save their soul, he will turn no one away. Even after people has cursed him and hated him and nailed him to a cross. That's what I call love. He didn't have to do that. He didn't have to come down from heaven and do that but because he loves us so greatly, he sacrificed himself in order to save us. that sure doesn't sound like a bad God to me or someone out to get us. If it weren't for jesus, we would all go to hell. Would we like that alternative? I'm very grateful for my Savior. Without him, I would be lost forever. No other god has done this for us. No one has come forward with a name or sacrifice of one God that will keep men from hell, except Jesus.
thechik96 · 26-30, F
@LadyGrace honestly I don't think Jesus was Devine. I think he was just a crazy man before health conditions existed with a bunch of Kool aid drinkers surrounding him hyping him up and paying people off to lie 🤷. It's not my jam. My Gods at Celtic bridgid, Frig, danu, Odin, Freya.... Most rearing their heads through karma. Ie the dude who spits on a homeless guy loosing everything in the stock market. Very do as you wish was done to you. My Gods aren't perfect and don't claim to be. But at least they haven't disappeared from the earth for thousands of years and said figure it out 🤷
@thechik96 That's okay, honey. I'm not here to, nor wanting to, argue with anyone here. Everybody has a right to believe what they want. I just enjoy talking about the Lord because he's done so much for me and I can't help but want to share. He saved my daughter from dying. The doctors all gave up and told her she only had a week to live and she was making all the funeral arrangements and the doctor said all her organs were already shutting down. I have pictures and proof. My poor baby went from like 185 lb down to 89 lbs and looked like a skeleton, it was so scary but the family got together and prayed for her and God healed her instantly. Now I know that sounds impossible, but with God all things are possible and that's why it is called a miracle. He has also saved me many times when I could have died. And I don't think it's fair for people to say oh that was just your imagination when we witnessed it with our own eyes. I wouldn't do that to anyone else. She recovered fully and is still alive years later. Prayer works and so does God on our behalf. I'm just so thankful he saved my soul or I would have been lost forever. I hope you have a great rest of the evening honey.
And then this other man I know, who didn't believe in God, was so depressed, at 17 he lost all hope and went down his basement to hang himself. He got on the stool and put the noose around his neck and dropped. But God saved him that day because the rope broke and he was so glad because he knew God saved him that day from dying. God had other plans for him and even Jeremiah 29:11 says that God does have great plans for us to help us and not hurt us. To give us hope and a future and that's what he did for Dean that day. And that very day, he gave his heart and life to the Lord and invited him into his heart and life as Savior, and Dean was so grateful to God for saving his life that he dedicated his whole life to God and became a minister. He was my minister and a couple years ago he died of old age but he loved the Lord so much and I've never heard a preacher preach so good. I've never heard another one preach that good. And during the service one time I saw it with my own eyes. This man in the middle of the service had the most terrible seizure during the sermon and Dean didn't blink an eye. Dean had so much faith. I've never seen anyone have so much faith and he led many people to the Lord. But he kept on preaching and walked right over to this guy and just laid his hands on his head and started praying for him and that sees your stopped instantly. I know God heals but yet I was just flabbergasted to see it in person like that hahaha. I saw it with my own eyes he stopped the worst seizure I've ever seen right in its tracks and went right on preaching. Hahaha that's what God can do for anybody and he loves everybody no matter if they love him or not. Thanks for listening.
And then this other man I know, who didn't believe in God, was so depressed, at 17 he lost all hope and went down his basement to hang himself. He got on the stool and put the noose around his neck and dropped. But God saved him that day because the rope broke and he was so glad because he knew God saved him that day from dying. God had other plans for him and even Jeremiah 29:11 says that God does have great plans for us to help us and not hurt us. To give us hope and a future and that's what he did for Dean that day. And that very day, he gave his heart and life to the Lord and invited him into his heart and life as Savior, and Dean was so grateful to God for saving his life that he dedicated his whole life to God and became a minister. He was my minister and a couple years ago he died of old age but he loved the Lord so much and I've never heard a preacher preach so good. I've never heard another one preach that good. And during the service one time I saw it with my own eyes. This man in the middle of the service had the most terrible seizure during the sermon and Dean didn't blink an eye. Dean had so much faith. I've never seen anyone have so much faith and he led many people to the Lord. But he kept on preaching and walked right over to this guy and just laid his hands on his head and started praying for him and that sees your stopped instantly. I know God heals but yet I was just flabbergasted to see it in person like that hahaha. I saw it with my own eyes he stopped the worst seizure I've ever seen right in its tracks and went right on preaching. Hahaha that's what God can do for anybody and he loves everybody no matter if they love him or not. Thanks for listening.