What keeps you from even thinking about becoming a Christian?
611819
1)Christianity is the religion of persecution and bigotry. It says it isn't but its history says otherwise. Ask the Jews.\n2)Jesus wanted all his disciples to be like him, which is to say, wandering penniless homeless celibate monks. No thanks!\n3)Jesus prohibits divorce except for adultery. Apparently Jesus had little experience with alcoholics. I cannot follow a teacher who puts such a blanket prohibition on divorce.\n4) Jesus was not the Messiah. The Jews were looking for a king who was a military genius (like Alexander the Great). They expected the Messiah to tackle Rome and drive the Romans out of Israel. Jesus denied he was this Messiah (my kingdom is not of this earth).\n5) The Bible is  a partisan document edited and compiled by men who were hostile to women. Gospels like "The Gospel of Mary" and the "Gospel of Thomas" were just thrown out as being heretical. \n6) Christianity embraces orthodoxy - thinking those thoughts that you are taught and which are allowed. Thinking your own thoughts about God leads to heresy. *uck this shit.\n7)The miracles are unbelievable.\n8) The Bible contradicts itself in serious ways. There is an entire literature of Biblical criticism devoted to this problem. Library shelves are full of books like this.\n9) The Bible lies and mangles history. Joshua did not stop the Sun.\n10) Some of the Bible's commands are horrible. If you doubt it, read Leviticus and Deuteronomy.
838392
It was not one single event. I was just an honest Christian trying to do what the bible said do and people who do not believe that baptism is essential for salvation, kept attacking me and especially those who believe in miracles and tongue speaking and I had to always defend scripture. That wasn't too bad until these people infiltrated the churches of Christ and I started getting attacked even at church by people who wanted to use instrumental music and believe in once saved always saved. \n\nIf God cannot keep his one and only church holy and clear of false teachers, then why should I bother to keep defending the gospel?\n\nEven that did not make me turn but I kept reading scripture and the errors kept jumping out at me until I finally had to realized the bible is not the perfect word of God I once thought it was.\n\nI lost my my whole family due to church differances and even my children and many jobs , but I was willing to die for what i beleived the bible said. \n\nI haven't seen or heard from any family for over 10 years and my dad died hating me for my religious beleifs. He thought I was demon possessed when I served Christ. I wonder what he would think now that I am Wiccan? \n\nI am now pagan, Wicca to be exact and since we believe all paths lead to Deity, i no longer have to defend God's truth. \n\nI now believe in personal truth and not absolute truth.
386522
I have heard people (nonbelievers) describe many Christians like that, but I have yet to meet a true Christian who actually said something like that about another Christian. I think that what some may be doing is judging you (or whoever) by their actions, and forming their opinion that you are not saved. God does tell us that the saved can be judged by their actions. \n\nPeople who are truly saved do not want to practice sin anymore. But, that does not mean that we do not sin. I was saved 13 years ago, and if anyone would have judged me by my actions, they would have probably said that I was not saved, but I was. That is why ONLY God can judge our hearts. \n\nI do much better now, but it took me a very long time to deal with some of the major sin in my life and to learn to let it go. \n\nYou are absolutely right. Sin is sin. So, don't let other Christians get you down. If they judge you, don't allow it to make you feel bad. Just remember that you belong to Jesus, and that they sin EVERYDAY too. Although I am doing better now, I still sin a lot. The difference now is that I am a little more mature, and I do ask forgiveness immediately after a sin. It helps me to try harder not to do it again. And, I am holding myself accountable for what I do. \n\nSome people who claim to be Christians are NOT. And those who are constantly judging other Christians may be doing it to cover up their own sin. But you must not judge them, just pray for them. \n\nIf you are saved, you can NOT go to hell. Your sins cannot keep you from God, once saved always saved! You won't go to hell for sinning, unless the sin you commit is rebuking the Holy Spirit. Some people get all excited about getting saved, but nothing happens afterward, and then they forget all about God--then they were not truly saved. But those who are saved will continue to grow in Christ, even if it takes 13 years to grow just an inch.
665149
just staying true. staying close to God and in His will, all this stuff about going to church EVERY week AND midweek service and never thinking bad thoughts and all that...well its good but not imperative. whats important is your walk. if your in His will your in a good place. (= good luck!
1030990
well, I was a bible thumping christian for 23 years-old. Then one day I woke up and realized that all Christian's do is judge and say how everyone is going to hell if they don't believe in GOD.  Who gives them the right to say that.  I also realized that you can't force others to believe in what you  believe in.  I was always being asked by fellow church members on why I didn't have a visitor at church or why I wasn't persistent on sharing my faith with others.  I just got tired of it and left.  No one should tell you how your relationship  with god should be like, even if it's not to their standards.   I also realized that the money I thought I was giving to god wasn't going towards his work it was going into the pastors pocket, There were single mothers in our church who could barely feed there families and the pastor has five kids and a two story house and he is able to write off food and bills when it comes to taxes, cause the Church pays for it.  Yeah the CHURCH me and my money pay him so he can live like a king.  so F***religion.  I couldn't be happier with out it.
48700
I would point out that it is the most difficult point for a Christian.  The umbrella of youth is gone.  Life seems chaotic.  Time for study and prayer is dangerously thin.  You are exposed to ideas that counter or deny your beliefs.
666260
I seen  this problem myself. They, in their own misguided way believe that they can actually change those of us that they pertain to be "lost". They are told by their religious leaders that it is their duty to go out and find all those who are not practicing the christian faith and 'save' them by forcing their religious beliefs upon them.  Now one must keep in mind that the only reason those poor sheep are actually practicing christians themselves is that they must be led, they don't have the self esteem that they need to actually make a decision for themselves therefore they join a religious cult where their God tells them how to behave, how to live, and even in some cases what to eat and what not to eat. Sad but true. They are so brainwashed in some cases that they will even go door to door by orders of their leaders and try to convert others. They  live in fear of their God, and are proud to call themselve GOD FEARING CHRISTIANS!  It all comes down to the sad fact that they simply don't have the self esteem to know who they are or what they want and its easier for them to be led then to do the hard work of thinking for themselves. I personally prefer a Deity that I don't have to fear and who loves me for who I am despite all my faults and human frailities. I fear few things in this life, my deity should not be one of them. So don't be angry with our poor Christian brothers and sisters who invade our chats and groups, instead pity them. For they know not what they do.
997651
I am a Christian and I'm also a human.  There are some people I'm still struggling to love.  It takes a total surrender to God for that.  For example, there is a man who molested me as a child and it took YEARS to come to the place where I can say I've forgiven him for what he's done.  I fervently pray that he accepts Christ as his savior.  I believe he hasn't thus far because he's afraid he'll have to confess to what he did to me and others.  He was even convicted (plead guilty) and was sent to prison for 2 years, but he maintains his innocence and said his attorney told him to plead guilty because it was a he said/she said case he couldn't win.  I still see this man at a lot of family gatherings.  The balance I've come to is that I am kind to this man, but I'll NEVER let him even pick up my child.  Luckily, I've never had to say that out loud because he's got the good sense not to try.  Sorry to be so long-winded, but I wanted you to see that there are some Christians who are really TRYING to live out the example that God set for us to follow.  It truly is a narrow path and it's difficult to stay on sometimes.
878099
it is required to be christian!
983236
your problem is not unusual.  luckily, you are smart enough to realize your own confusion...some people will go their whole life "half-believing" in god.  One thing i noticed that you need to realize, if you don't already, is the most important thing to god is your "personal relationship with god."  don't let the whole morals and rules business confuse you until you are at that point.  christianity is not a religion, it is a relationship.  god wants you to experience love and fulfillment in life and he says you can only experience this through that "personal relationship with god."\n\ngod loves you and he is someone to talk to.  he doesn't respond verbally in most cases, but you can find his responses in your everyday life.\n\ni'll tell ya...i love talking to people about this kind of thing.  its my favorite thing in the world, and people tell me i'm a good listener.  so if you're serious about this wanting to get out of a spiritual rut business and you have the slightest interest in talking to me:  email me at e-address@sbcglobal.net and i'll try and set up some means to talk to you.\n\nif not, i'll still pray for your spiritual push-outta-a-rut.
1043944
Yes. I have a very difficult time forgiving myself for many of my shameful actions, even though I've asked the Lord for forgiveness. In fact, some of the things that I regret I still ask forgiveness for, many years later. I know I don't need to, but I just feel so incredibly terrible about those things. I want so badly to be the person that God wants me to be. I want to have Christ-like qualities. It is so hard for me to understand why I can't get there! I struggle almost everyday with self control (especially control over my tongue). I would give pretty much anything to consistently maintain my self control, and yet I can't without God's help. I have found that if I forget to pray before I go to sleep (and thus forget to sincerely ask the Lord to allow His Holy Spirit to be with me every second of the following day to help me with self-control), I have a very hard time the next day. If I do ask, it's so much easier - I mean VASTLY different. I don't know why it seems as though God wants me to request help every night, but I'm sure He has a reason. Probably to get me to rely on Him more. That would be a good reason. When I lose my self-control and yell at my little ones, I feel so much remorse. I'm a stay-at-home mom, so my 4 and 2 year old are the ones who try my patience.  :o)  That is to be expected, and is not their fault (sometimes it is, but not usually)! I want to be a calm and predictable mommy, but it's very hard for me. That's all I have to say, as I am tired now and need sleep.  :o)
457831
There are always times of doubt in what Christianity believes, because the devil is always working against you. I have struggles with not believing how certain things could have occured but the key is to believe and have faith. You could sit all day long and ponder what is real and what isn't but it wont do you any good. In the end Jesus will be found as real, He will come again, and there will be a judgment day. The best advice I can give is to just believe, take what the Bible says and have faith that it is the truth. Jesus is the way, the life, and the truth. Without Him we are nothing!
1023171
I was born into Cahtolicism, my parents switched to Christianity when I was like three and I practically grew up in the church.  Before I turned 18 life was pretty good for me, and then when I left Christianity and turned to numerous other religions (among which were Atheism, Wicca, and a few others which I wont mention), everything in my life turned upside down.  I wasnt happy, I lost my job and had trouble finding a new one and keeping it, I even ended up having to file for bankruptcy at the age of 19!  Around the age of 20 or 21 a recommitted myself to Christ and became a Christian again, that is when my life started to change for the better again.  I was raised Christian, but ultimately I think I had to choose Christianity on my own.\n\nWhat keeps me with Christianity is that life ultimately was almost the worst that it could be when I was without Christ, it could have always been worse, but it was my WORST time ever.  I stay with Christianity because I beleive in the teachings of the Bible, I beleive that Christ died and rose again, for me and every person on earth.  The other reason that I stay with Christianity is that I am "Eternally Forgiven," my sins have been washed away by the blood of Christ and although I am not perfect I am saved by God's grace.
703219
what a shock another Christian reporting sumone who cant have a option...your sooooo right about the born again christian 99% of them have come of drugs or drink the weak minded haha the other christians have had it prounded into there sytems since birth from there parents that is how it survive's(just) but its a dying breed\n\n\ni doubt very much you'll get a good answer from a christian about this they just make excuse's and avoid the question..and preach to you
910615
I called myself a Christian for years.  I wasn't really but I didn't know it at the time.  My mother was Catholic & dad was atheiest.  After husband's death I became a Wiccan.  I studied all sorts of reiligions because I wanted to understand everyone:), I know it's impossible but I have tried.  I became a born again Christian November 2001.  I try to quit putting God in a box and dusting Him off when I want something.  I try to follow the guidelines in the Bible and live as Christ, loving all and praying for all.  Somedays I really just stink at it, I am a work in progress.
741159
Not submitting yourself to the authorities of the religious institutions, and thinking for yourself.\n\nI will ring your doorbell and run away!!!
165185
becoming a christian isnt an act, it's a state of mind, a change of heart and a belief. the actions come after the change of heart. the more you feed off of God's word (the bible) the more He changes you from the inside out and that is when you start to change. just getting saved and trying to act diffrent without being fed the word of God will never work. you'll be saved but you wont change. once you believe in Christ and become saved you dont just forget and go back. people struggle with the flesh and our earthly desires and the only way to battle the flesh is to know how, the only way to know how is to live in the word. this is what will change them. without the word they are going at it alone and no one can do it alone.