What has you religion, faith, beliefs done for you?

Dondi · 07-10-2007, 01:34 PM

I hoping to hear of personal accounts about how you faith has changed your life, changed the circumstances, mended relationships, brought peace and harmony in your life. I think it would be encouraging to others to seek God more effectively if they knew the possibilities their faith has for them. I'm starting this in the Christianity forum, but will welcome other faiths, and may eventually move this out in the open forum.

As one who has been raised in a Christian home, I haven't always been faithful in my walk with God. There was a period where I rebelled against religion in general and God in particular. But on my return to God, in quite the Prodigal Son fashion, I've found a stabilizing factor in my life. By submitting to the will of God, the relationships I have with others have been more favorable, probably for the fact that I've changed through a relationship with God. I'm less bitter and depressed. The Love, Forgiveness, Mercy, and Encouragement I've received from the Lord has given me a calming Peace that I lacked before. I find I'm less prone to anger and dealing with situations with a lot more patience. My relationship with my wife, being God-centered, has improved greatly, as is my relationship with my children. There have been bumps in the road and I'm far from perfect or sinless, but I found the best thing to do when fallen is to GET BACK UP. I'm learning to love others more, as Christ loved, and am learning the value of giving rather than receiving (oddly enough, I gain greater joy in giving than receiving. Funny how that works). But I still have my selfish moments, as we all do. I enjoy friendships with people of like faith in my church and my community. I don't feel I'm getting stabbed in the back or used like I did with my old friends. (Not saying that my new friends are faultless, but there is a greater sense of trust and forgiveness with them. They are like family).

One thing that I am particularly thankful is how the Lord has worked in my oldest daughter. When she started middle school a few years ago, she really struggled with some of the cruel kids at school and found it hard to relate. You know how kids get. Not that she was excessively picked on any more than anyone else, but she is a bit shy and had trouble making friends at school. One day, she came home really upset about it, but clammed up to me about it at first. She being the independent one, wanted to work things out for herself. But I eventually told her not to worry what others thought. I related similiar problems I had when I was in school. I basically told her to be who she is and not let anyone try to change who you are. God made you like you are.

When she turned teen, she hooked up with the teen group at church and really took off with better friends. We have an excellent teen group in church and it has changed her whole attitude. She has a great desire to serve the Lord and never misses an activity that the teen group participates in (She's going to a Teen Conference at a megachurch in Indiana next week). She is not as shy as she used to be and is generally happier than I'd ever seen her before. She is an honor student at school and I can't be more proud and more thankful to the Lord for what He has done in my little girl.

I could go on and on, but I'll stop for now.

What do you have to share?

shadowman · 07-10-2007, 06:03 PM

I developed schizophrenia and now live every day in confused terror as I imagine the merciless torment that awaits millions, my family, and especially me. I also view myself as an enemy of all that is good, all of mankind(gods children at least), and of jesus because I keep on questioning and resisting the ideas stuffed into my americanized head since birth.

LeoSalinas22 · 07-10-2007, 06:11 PM

hey shadowman, i got a question for you. why would you side with something you know is going to fail? basically, i recommend you run with the bulls because if you don't you are going to get the horn. just looking out for you, its all.

mee · 07-10-2007, 06:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by shadowman

I developed schizophrenia and now live every day in confused terror as I imagine the merciless torment that awaits millions, my family, and especially me. I also view myself as an enemy of all that is good, all of mankind(gods children at least), and of jesus because I keep on questioning and resisting the ideas stuffed into my americanized head since birth.

maybe you need to hear what the bible REALLY TEACHES and then you will be set free from false religious teachings. it works wonders you know

LeoSalinas22 · 07-10-2007, 06:21 PM

Quote:

maybe you need to hear what the bible REALLY TEACHES and then you will be set free from false religious teachings. it works wonders you know

you know mee, is that how you aproach everyone when you want to talk about God. try saying that to a hard core criminal that just got out of prison and see what response you will get. you need to talk to them like if they are human beings and not children. shadowman needs someone to talk to. if he decides to open up to you about God, then you talk to him about God. this is real life and not a cartoon, YOU KNOW?

Dondi · 07-10-2007, 07:06 PM

Shadowman,

Please don't turn my thread into another rant about God's judgment. You have enough of those already. I've PMed you my response.

Leo, mee

Neither do I wish this to turn into an ugly spat about JW doctrine. If you have something positive to say about your faith, please express it.

Thank you.

Love & Peace,

Dondi

mee · 07-10-2007, 07:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by LeoSalinas22

you know mee, is that how you aproach everyone when you want to talk about God. try saying that to a hard core criminal that just got out of prison and see what response you will get. you need to talk to them like if they are human beings and not children. shadowman needs someone to talk to. if he decides to open up to you about God, then you talk to him about God. this is real life and not a cartoon, YOU KNOW?

i suppose it is the righteous idignation in me that makes me quite annoyed with false religious teachers who teach lies about God . hellfire ect ect and look how those teachings effect people . and all they need is to be taught the truth from the bible and even many problems that people suffer from can be made more bearable. false religious leaders have a lot to answer to God for .

LeoSalinas22 · 07-10-2007, 07:39 PM

Quote:

Neither do I wish this to turn into an ugly spat about JW doctrine. If you have something positive to say about your faith, please express it.

dondi, you got me all wrong, my friend, i have nothing against the doctrine that mee ascribes to, just his methods of witnessing. they just seem to "cold".

LeoSalinas22 · 07-10-2007, 07:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mee

i suppose it is the righteous idignation in me that makes me quite annoyed with false religious teachers who teach lies about God . hellfire ect ect and look how those teachings effect people . and all they need is to be taught the truth from the bible and even many problems that people suffer from can be made more bearable. false religious leaders have a lot to answer to God for .

and you are right to be annoyed, my friend. i don't blame you one bit. it annoys the s*** out of me when people give God a bad Name, but don't let that make you inconsiderate or oblivious to people who are reaching out to God through you, ok? i know we are just chatting on a forum and all we can do is read words and we are faceless and emotionless, but you can still tell when someone generally feels love towards you if you use the right words. i don't want to offend you, for i really enjoy the scriptures you use and have learned alot through most of your posts. most of my in-laws are jehova witnesses and i have a very dear friend to me who is also a jehova witness that comes by every saturday to have interfaith dialogue and i learn a great deal from him. i would have pm'ed you on this but i have sent you a few pm's and you never respond, so i will then just post this here. so thanks for your response and God bless you, mee.

BlaznFattyz · 07-10-2007, 08:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dondi

Shadowman,

Please don't turn my thread into another rant about God's judgment. You have enough of those already. I've PMed you my response.

Leo, mee

Neither do I wish this to turn into an ugly spat about JW doctrine. If you have something positive to say about your faith, please express it.

Thank you.

Love & Peace,

Dondi

i agree--respect the Original Poster's request for relative discussion.
my personal relationship with god has given me a personal relationship with god. i have the holy spirit guiding me and revealing and teaching me, i have jesus to talk to, to give me strength and forgive me when i fall, and i have god to glorify. i have a love for god and his word no matter what happens and he keeps me company everyday

LeoSalinas22 · 07-10-2007, 08:25 PM

hi everyone,

first and foremost, i don't believe in the word religion. too systematic. belief as well seems kinda negative. i prefer to "know" without a doubt in my heart about God. faith? yes! i will go with that, definitely. my faith in God came with heartbreak. basically, a person close to me broke my heart and when that happened, i became even more heartbroken and disappointed with this world. i had put my faith in this worlds ways. for instance its sciences, arts, music, culture, etc. you name it, i had put my faith in it. i sought all of my answers through the world and the world failed me. nothing made sense anymore. so, without even me knowing, God led me to a jobsite where my manager was christian. God, through him, pointed me the way to the light. what has my faith in God done for me? well, for one, it made order of all the chaos that was in my heart. but in turn i became more depressed and sad because when you know the truth, that being, knowing that this world, this place is only temporary and we are only passing thru, just brings more heart ache. and all the crap that is happening in the world doesn't make me feel anymore better. my boys will now benefit from this knowledge of God at an earlier age because my dad never talked to me about God. my wife and i are always debating about God, too. faith is merely one step in the whole journey that one will take when you are going to walk with God. it is just the beginning. so i tread carefully because temptation will always be there to sidetrack me in my quest for knowledge of God. overall, God still isn't done with me, so i can't really tell what He is going to do for me yet. hope that makes sense. thanks for reading and God bless you all...

shadowman · 07-10-2007, 10:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by LeoSalinas22

hey shadowman, i got a question for you. why would you side with something you know is going to fail? basically, i recommend you run with the bulls because if you don't you are going to get the horn. just looking out for you, its all.

its the principle of it

mee · 07-11-2007, 09:56 AM

[quote=LeoSalinas22;113954] but don't let that make you inconsiderate or oblivious to people who are reaching out to God through you, ok? i know we are just chatting on a forum and all we can do is read words and we are faceless and emotionless, but you can still tell when someone generally feels love towards you if you use the right words.quote]................................... my aim is to put over the truth , if that truth means that a person looks more into the bible without the preconcieved ideas of false religious teachers then that can only be a good thing , and yes i agree this is only a forum and it is faceless , but words of truth are the important thing . if i was inconsiderate i would not even bother to put over the bible truth , i would keep it all to myself , and it is because i am aware of others pain that i want to help them to at least see that Jehovahs witnesses do not believe in manmade doctrines such as HELLFIRE . many people do not even know what Jehovahs witnesses believe because they have been told lies about us and again it all comes from religious leaders who claim to represent God . so ,just as Jesus showed righteous indignation at those not doing the right thing . (remember the turning of the tables ) you will from time to time see that coming out of me , but for the most part my message based on the bible is about GOODNEWS .Daniel 2;44 MATTHEW 24;14 So going back to the threads theme ,......... what has your religion , faith beliefs done for you? i think my beliefs have changed me completely . i am now giving out bible truths instead of listening to false religious teachers who speak lies . and in doing this i am helping the faithful ones spoken of in matthew 24;45-47 which inturn gets the truth out into the world . and you never know in the flesh i just might not come over as a faceless person at all , but to be honest it is not about me as a person that is at issue here , it is the truth that is important . the one who brings the message is not .

Quahom1 · 07-15-2007, 08:36 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by shadowman

I developed schizophrenia and now live every day in confused terror as I imagine the merciless torment that awaits millions, my family, and especially me. I also view myself as an enemy of all that is good, all of mankind(gods children at least), and of jesus because I keep on questioning and resisting the ideas stuffed into my americanized head since birth.

"...and Enoch walked with the Lord for 42 years, and was no more."

Can't develop schizophrenia...it is a thing one is born with. Ya really ought to stop worrying about the "millions" and start with self. If you are an enemy of all that is good, you won't be soon for this world.

Ask questions, question answers, carry out orders...that is life.

I think you are in good hands there Shadow lad.

v/r

Q

Snoopy · 07-15-2007, 10:54 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Quahom1

Can't develop schizophrenia...it is a thing one is born with.

Q, I'm not sure it's that simple...

“Although the exact cause of schizophrenia remains unknown, experts agree that schizophrenia develops as a result of interplay between biological predisposition (for example, inheriting certain genes) and the kind of environment you are exposed to.
Neither of these two categories is completely determinant, and there is no prescribed amount of genetic or environmental input that will ensure someone will or will not develop schizophrenia. Moreover, risk factors may be different for different individuals - while one person may develop schizophrenia due to a strong family history of mental illness, someone else with much less genetic vulnerability may also develop the disease due to a significant prenatal or environmental stressor during their lives.”

Schizophrenia Cause and Prevention

shadowman, if you do have schizophrenia, I hope you get the support you want and need, and that your interaction on CR is beneficial to you.

s.