A question for those of you with a religious belief?

I was raised A "HARDCORE" Catholic for the first 18 years of my life. But I grew very tired of the same old routine, every Sunday. It wasn't until, a member of my church choir gave me a book called "666", by Salem Kirban, that my life would change forever! In the back of that book was the Salvation Invitation. After reading the book, (& being totally freaked-out by it!), I signed my name after the prayer, & became a Believer. That was 1973!

All through college, I was actively involved in both Inter-Varsity Christian Fellowship, & Campus Crusade for Christ. I really made some very close friends during those years!

It wasn't until after I had graduated from college, (University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, Class of December '79), that things really went "south" for me!

After my one & only job in my major, (Bachelor of Fine Arts-Technical Theatre), bombed, I started working at another place. I met a girl there, who when I told her that I was still a virgin-well, that was all she needed! She lead me around like the proverbial "bull-with-a-ring-through-it's-nose". (Remember, I had been a HARDCORE Catholic for my first 18 years, & was taught those 18 years-that if I even LOOKED at a woman, I was going to Hell, & then I was a Believer for over, at that time, 4 years-so still no sex). She kept promising me sex, but as I was to discover, she never had any intention of fufilling that "promise". When she dumped me, to say I was devastated, would be an understatement!

Looking back on all this, I think the reason I fell away from my Lord for so long, was because, I didn't have the close Christian fellowship, that I had had at college!

I fell away from the Lord hard after that! Over 20+years, to be exact!

I was extremely racist, I had a hatred for woman, that was, (to say the least), unflattering, I had a mouth that would make most gangsta' rappers cringe, & most of all-I had a hatred for God, that lead to my practically cursing Him 24/7! Not a pretty picture, is it?

Oh yes-I also tried to kill myself over 2 dozen time, as well! Everything from Pills, to knives, to carbon Monoxide, even to dousing myself with gasoline & being within millimeters of striking the match!

My job situation wasn't any better! I went from one job to the next, never setting down roots anywhere for very long!

Well, I had a job, (this was after I moved to Madison), that I thought was ideal! Everybody was very happy with the work that I was doing, & I felt, for the first time in my life-satisfied with my life. Well, I was unjustly accused of something at this job, & that was the straw that broke the proverbial "camels" back! I ended up swallowing 30 sleeping pills, & ended up in the emergency room of one of the hospitals here! And what did I get out of it-a $1400 hospital bill, that it took FOREVER to pay off!

Looking back on this, I DO realize that it was indeed the Lord, telling me to get my rear-end over to the hospital, although I didn't realize it at the time.

Well, after a long string of temp jobs, I was ready to try suicide again, & this time, I was determined to get it right! I had hit rock bottom. No money, no job, nothing! In my apartment building, I had discovered the internet, because they have a small computer lab here. I now know that it WAS indeed the Lords leading here as well, when I came across a Christian website called Theology Online. Eventually, after trying to disprove Christianity, unsuccessfully I might add, I finally mustered enough courage to ask the people there to pray for me, which they did, because I was really depressed! As I said earlier, it was the Lord that lead me to TOL as well! What surprised me was I even interested in a Christian website, when I hated God so much! Well, HE didn't hate me!

Finally, I was ready to get the whole suicide thing right one & for all! I told the Lord that I would give Him one more chance to help me, if He even cared!

Well, the Lord again, (Although again, I didn't realize it at the time-sound familiar?), lead me to look in the Yellow pages for a church that had, of all things, a Satuday night service, which I thought was little bit strange. I went there, & sat in the back of the sanctuary. I wasn't there more than 10-15 minutes, when 3 wonderful women came over to talk to me. I told them why I was there, & what I was planning to do. They both prayed for & with me, & like the proverbial "prodigal son, THIS prodigal son finally came back to the the Family of God! That date was 1/11/03-a date that I will never forget!

Since that time I have had both ups & downs, like we all have. The "ups" side was fantastic! I had gained an absolutely fearlessness in witnessing-eventually, which lead to my witnessing not just to one person, but to groups of people, both at work & at my apartment building as well! What was really cool, was that I just knew exactly what to say! I KNOW that that was the Lord working through me, because I was so totally surrendered to the Lord, it was the greatest experience in my life, that 2 of the people that I had a chance to witness to actually received the Lord as Lord & Savior ON THE SAME DAY! *WOW*

But I also have had some major "down" times as well! I did backslide for 6-7 months, I turned my back on God's calling to become a minister,were the top ones!

Yet even through that, I will NOT fall away from my Lord again! I have no intention of living that kind of life!

That's what it's all about, my beloved Brothers & Sister in Christ-humbling ourselves to an Almighty God-admitting to Him that we cannot do ANYTHING without His help! I'm have as much as possible faith that the Lord WILL provide for my needs, as He has done so in the past! He HAS never let me down, even when I WAS unfaithful to Him!

It is my one & only desire, (outside of my wanting to be more like my Savior), to be, above all-an encouragement to everyone here! The Bible says, "Delight thyself in the Lord, & He will give thee the desires of thy heart". (Psalm 37:4) That is my one & only desire-to serve Him & be an encouragement to all of you!

God Bless!

I chose Christianity pretty much because I live in England, and it's the only religion I was familiar with at the time. I read The Bible, converted and repented, accepting Jesus. God commands us NOT to follow other gods. He said that they were lies stemmed by Satan. I am Christian, so I will follow this law.

As someone else already mentioned, some of the old god stories seem more like fairy tales to me. Not the more epic ones, or the ones with original ideas, I meant ones about Zeus, Odin, Loki, Thor. I mean, a hammer been stolen by Giants, and a god having to dress up as a woman to get it back? This sounds very humiliating considering it was meant to be a great and powerful god who was doing this. The Bible is about the people. It's just because the Ten Commandments say we should have no other god but God Himself.

I believe in the G-d of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. I was mostly an agnostic until I realized that it was important for me to answer the question: Is there a G-d? I was on a quest for the answer for10 years. After reading a book by the Rebbe Schneerson explaining what a Jew is supposed to be like, I looked in the mirror and realized that I was that person. I became that person without consciously thinking about it, so what he wrote must have been true. If there is no G-d, what is the purpose of our lives? To attain material wealth? I don't think so. For me, there must be G-d or else life is not worth living.

Hmmm, it appears that members of a certain "members-only" religion are going through life with blinders on. They seem to believe that their book is the only one that has a god in it that has had believers for a couple thousand years. Either they're not aware of the fact that there are several older religions with older texts that still have millions of adherents today, or they are outright lying. Perhaps it's something else... maybe they're just dumb and speaking out their rear ends.

Genesis 1:1...in the beginning there was God

Revelation 22:13...I am the beginning and end

During the Old Testament, God defeated every god known...by defeat the people choose God over their previous god

During the New Testament, Jesus defeated Greek and Roman god...by defeat the people all over the world choose Jesus as their savior

Today, our generation has decided that they do not need a God, so they eliminate Him from schools and parks. All this generation needs is themselves. They worship themselves

I believe in God. The Catholic God seems the most logical to me, but I don't know for sure that He is the God in heaven.

In my opinion, the world is a pretty good place, so I assume there would be a good God.

Also, it wouldn't make sense for there to be more than one God, because, well, it would seem to me like there would not be room for more than one God. Pretty much every polytheistic religion involves fights between Gods, and that seems unnatural to me. The ancient Greek and Norse tales of their gods seem more like storybook tales instead of dogma.

Also, whenever I pray, I tend to see results. I have not tried praying to Zues or Allah, so I don't know if they would work, but I tend to stick with what works. Some God is answering my prayers, I just hope it's the right one.

Also, the commandments of my religion tend to be good rules for life in general, and I feel that if more people followed them the world would be a better place, even if we were not all Christian. For example:

Worship no other gods: Can you think of how much better this world would be if no one worshiped money, or cars, or celebrities?

Do not commit adultery: There goes AIDS. Also, unwanted pregnancies, cheating spouses, etc.

The rest are all laws, anyway, so if we obeyed the laws, and those two on top of it, this would be a much better world.

DF,

I took and overview of religions when I was in my second year of college (about 1976-77) and really enjoyed it. We did not study every religion of this present world but we studied the major religious movements of that time. The Professor was very good about keeping his opinion to himself and allow the students to run that portion of the class through study and presentations that were done by others. He never took any sides and did not participate in the class discussions more than was necessary to get the discussions to begin. My wife and I were married prior to that time and much of the material I discussed with her. We started a family much later and began a Bible Study with an older couple and decided that our belief was in the GOD of Abraham and the FATHER of Jesus, the CHRIST (MESSIAH). We were baptized and have been faithful followers for the last twenty years. Have a wonderful week.

Thanks,

Eds

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All the world’s religions practice the art of deception to control the masses. Having a person to believe their God is better than other gods creates division between the people and keeps them under control. The general rule of divide and conquer.

I have no religious belief per se'.

I think there is a God, or an intelligent energy, that created my soul and the universe.

I do not believe a 'God' would possess human flaws like jealousy, or need his ego stroked.

I believe there are many roads to God and he does not care which road you take, or if you take no road. We planned much of this life before we came here.

I am not in the mainstream, as you can see. just me.

I think all of the scriptures and fables ellude to the same figure. As a deist, i believe that there is one god and many have tried to grasp the concept and make him sound good or bad or spiteful when in reality, i don't think he is any of the above. He is just there and he is complacent. I will go where he chooses when i die so i don't worry much now. No worship, no worry.

Why do you ask? Are you searching for God, or for evidence of God? That would be a good sign for you. But to answer, my God is the only one of those thousands who has provided a ransom for me and a place with Him for all eternity.