I'm a born-again christian single parent - AMA

[midwifeinthemaking]

Just that really - would love to answer any questions, dispel myths etc.

What was your motivation for doing an AMA thread OP?
What did you think or hope it would achieve a) for you and b) for the people who have and will engage with it?
Thank you.

OP are you Ned Flanders

I still wonder what OPs answer to the question is about the consequences to her daughters decisions in regard to men and their actions.

But like anything in life, I had to choose the path which to me, makes more sense, has the most evidence to me. I certainly don't understand the wordly life in full either! Just like I didn't know what I was signing up to when becoming a mother - I made the choice to jump into it with an open mind, open to constantly learning and always striving to do better.

So essentially, you took a leap of faith without really knowing much. I think that's fair enough, but why not just own it as such?

Why try to argue that there is coherence or logic or truth in any of it, when there is no evidence to support that? Why state that it makes sense of the world and provides answers to difficult questions when you are unable to articulate what those answers actually are?

You keep talking about the need to study more, but actually, I'm not convinced that any amount of study will enable you to answer these questions, because there is no coherent answer. It's all about blind faith.

Nothing wrong with that, if it makes you happy. However, I think it's important to understand where you're coming from before imposing your particular world view on your daughter.

@Luckychant

What's the point of starting an ask me anything thread if you can't answer most of the questions?

My thoughts exactly.

@Luckychant

What's the point of starting an ask me anything thread if you can't answer most of the questions?

We’re not meant to have questions.

We’re just meant to fall weeping at her feet and ask “what must we do to be saved?”

maybe OP wanted to be challenged in her faith? All part of her learning?

I've been wondering for a while what the big questions of those who are unconvinced of christianity are, and this is a great resource!

OP, it isn't so much that we are unconvinced by Christianity. That implies that we could be convinced if we just had a little more evidence, or if someone just answered that difficult question for us.

It is more the case that some of us are convinced that Christianity has been fabricated by human beings, just like all of the other human religions. In my case, I desperately wanted to believe in it, but my rational mind simply did not allow for that. And the more I studied, the less it made sense.

"she needs to make the choice to follow Jesus herself"

No she doesn't.

@chinateapot

I'll try to answer your questions as best I can. First, I am very sorry your child has cancer. There is nothing worse than having a sick child.

When God created the universe, necessary forces were put into play that exist today. One of those is genetics, and, as I understand it, most childhood cancers are related to genetic abnormalities. As we're finding out genetics is involved in the course of many if not most diseases. This doesn't mean that you caused your child's cancer in any way, any more than I or my husband caused our daughter's chronic serious illness, which we were told is the likely result of an interplay between genetic predisposition and a virus.

Did God indirectly cause it? Yes, at creation. Does he want your child or mine to have a serious illness? No. Does he love our children more than we do and grieve at their suffering? Yes.

[quote LifeExperience]@chinateapot

I'll try to answer your questions as best I can. First, I am very sorry your child has cancer. There is nothing worse than having a sick child.

When God created the universe, necessary forces were put into play that exist today. One of those is genetics, and, as I understand it, most childhood cancers are related to genetic abnormalities. As we're finding out genetics is involved in the course of many if not most diseases. This doesn't mean that you caused your child's cancer in any way, any more than I or my husband caused our daughter's chronic serious illness, which we were told is the likely result of an interplay between genetic predisposition and a virus.

Did God indirectly cause it? Yes, at creation. Does he want your child or mine to have a serious illness? No. Does he love our children more than we do and grieve at their suffering? Yes.[/quote]
But the point is, if he is all powerful why can't he stop this child's suffering?

@Mxflamingnoravera

46

I think the OP started the thread because she rather naively believed that she could "help" people by sharing her faith. I think her intentions were good.

The trouble is that new converts tend to have such a simplistic, superficial understanding of faith that they think it will be easy to bring others around to their point of view. Those who have pondered these matters for much longer tend to realise the inherent complexity.

I am really interested in these topics - mainly from an intellectual point of view, these days, rather than a spiritual one - and would actually like to have these debates with believers who are more established within their faith, more comfortable with ambiguity and more honest about the ways in which their religion is problematic. It's fascinating to understand what others think and believe. I think the problem with debating with very new converts is that it all tends to be a little bit flimsy because they are trying so desperately to make sense of it all.

God doesn't interfere with the forces of creation.

Thank you @LifeExperience, I appreciate your thoughtful answer, whilst not agreeing.

How does prayer work? Can prayer be effective in recovery from illness? And if so why doesn’t God heal everyone?

But the point is, if he is all powerful why can't he stop this child's suffering?

Yes, exactly. Either he lacks the power to alleviate suffering, or he lacks the will. Which is it?

@LifeExperience

God doesn't interfere with the forces of creation.

Didn't he create the forces of creation? If he didn't, who do you think did?

God doesn't interfere with the forces of creation.

But again, why not? If he is a loving father, why wouldn't he choose to alleviate the suffering of his children. Is it that he can't, or is it that he won't?

What do you think about the phrase " 'born again"?

Personally I hate it, as no one is born with a religion, you are indoctrinated into the one your parents and possibly country want you to have, but no new born baby has a concept or belief in god, or would likely develop one if left alone.

Just another feeble answer to the unanswerable question ..

@FullofCurryandparatha

I'm not speaking for you, I'm explaining my beliefs. I don't wish to offend, but if I do, so be it. You are perfectly free to be angry with me.

I have a couple of friends who are minsters of religion who fully support equal marriage. So presumably given they are Christian equal marriage can’t be anti Christian? Why are some Christians against it?

So..who made all the millions of Jews , Hindus , Muslims , Shintoists , Buddhists etc?
Er ..god ..
And so what happens to his creations that dont espose christianity ..?
Well..there's a sort of celestial powerpoint in reception that explains things ..
I have genuinely heard something close to this from evangelicals ..think they must have watched "A Matter of Life or Death " with David Niven ...one of the best British films ever by the way ..

How would you feel about worshipping with gay Christians OP? Or having a divorced vicar?

Appreciate you are new to faith and still reading a lot, but are you aware Jesus never said anything against homosexuality?

I am a Christian and some of the most devoted Christians I know are gay.

Was also divorced and my second marriage was performed by a divorced/remarried vicar.

I think you have difficulty with which parts of the bible you do and don't think are literally true and would encourage more reading and also interaction with as many Christians as possible from different backgrounds with various views to understand more.

I'm from RC Irish Stock. Atheist.

What was my final straw was when I was in hospital nearly terminating 19 week old twins for medical reasons, my mother pulls out the prayer cards and starts praying. Never mind what I'm going through.

Never mind the religion, all religions are for the believers benefit. I'm happy some find comfort in it but the idea anyone would let a kid grow up believing in sin and all that crap turns my stomach.

The pope has popped up today that he can't bless same sex unions. FFS. I despair.

@RedcurrantPuff it depends on the church cult some of the American ones are totally bonkers. Particularly when you get into LDS and similar territory.