Trying to be a Christian... any tips?

[HeroicMinute]

I've just started listening to the Hallowed app. The first thing I've come across is a Routines course, which is great for me as I am horrendous time waster, which probably explains why I haven't spiritually evolved.
I was raised loosely Christian and attended the village church as a child. I think I want to replicate this traditional experience, but with some slightly more intellectual content.
I've been thinking about Christianity for a few years, and have tried a few different churches, but nothing's stuck.
My reasons for not sticking at a church:
-I can't handle a church band, it all seems very nice and worshipful but it makes me cringe a bit. I love a choir.
-I am very opposed to modern identity politics and didn't go back when a vicar started talking about structural racism in the church.
-I stopped going to an evangelical church because the curate was sweet and excited about his Christianity but did lengthy sermons suitable for children with no analysis or intellectual stimulation.
-found a curate at another church a bit creepy.
-found the sermon in a big popular church on 8th October to be a bit antisemitic.

You get the picture; I'm a bit of a PITA and I'm obviously putting up barriers. Don't get me wrong; I'm not a particularly intellectual person but I am curious and I sincerely want to be a Christian. I don't yet believe properly, sometimes I do, well I suppose I usually do, but with varying levels of conviction.
Any tips would be very gratefully received.
Thank you in advance.

You think I’m interested in the advice of an occultist blasphemer who insults my God?

Your ideas and advice are worse than useless and I will not be engaging with you further. Consider this the dust being shaken off my feet. Get behind me.

@Kdtym10

or whether the voice he heard was Jesus or a demon do we?

But you claim Paul was a learned mystic who engaged in the occult practice of chariot mysticism. Don't you think he would be well versed with regards to the source of his vision?

Do you have a vicar/priest/teacher (preferably not someone unbalanced tv evangelist type) you can discuss this with - because I think you might find that helpful.

I don't think a Christian priest in any mainstream Christian church would have quite the same perspective as you, otherwise they would be engaging in the same type of occult practices (or at least exploring them) as you do.

My own position is faith based as I have explained upthread. The (orthodox) Christian church certainly has no problem with this.

@Kdtym10

!

And you accused me of ad hominem attacks!

Christ is the Rock, not Peter. I recommend you study the passage :)

He is also God - try Micah 5:2, John 1. I'll give you plenty more references, if you like. Again, this is really basic.

Some are quite manipulative-esp if they want to start their own thing!

@Kdtym10, does not surprise me at all. It's why I steer clear. I don't need any of it. I can trust God in faith to supply me with all the knowledge and power I need.

What is “really basic” is understanding that there is a different interpretation of that passage between Catholics and Protestants- you do understand that there are different views out there on biblical interpretation don’t you. Catholics in this instance believe in what is referred to as the “primacy of Peter” and he is the rock on which the church is built. Protestants tend to believe that Jesus was not referring to Peter here.

Again there are different views on how Jesus is God. Trinitarianism is not a universal Christian concept for example.

Of these things were “really basic stuff” there wouldn’t be different Christian denominations, millions wouldn’t have died arguing over these things.

If you’re referring to me suggesting that someone who is appearing to get increasingly distressed reaches out for help is a bad thing I’m confused about all you’re “be kind” comments

@Kdtym10 suggesting someone has a mental illness because they disagree with you to the point of finding your views abhorrent is not what I meant by being kind!

Being kind would go something along the lines of saying you'd have to agree to disagree.

In any group of people though some will be incredibly manipulative- look at all the tv evangelists as an example of this within Christianity. I walked past someone in Oxford Circus screaming we were all going to hell - Christianity in based on threats and manipulation

In any group of people though some will be incredibly manipulative-

@Kdtym10, so? My solution is that I trust God in faith to supply me with all the knowledge and power I need.

I have participated on many threads with people (often including yourself) where I have continued to debate happily.

@Kdtym10 yes, what happened?

What do you mean what happened?

@Kdtym10

What changed?

Hi do you know It’s God speaking to you and not a demon?

I’ve learned quite a bit and maybe others did too? I assume you don’t think I enter these discussions thinking I can change your mind. Is that why you do it? Thinking you can change my mind?

@Kdtym10

Hi do you know It’s God speaking to you and not a demon?

Faith. I pray to God in faith that I think, act and believe according to His will and that I want His will.

It is His will that He carries out His will. I told you this upthread.

I’ve learned quite a bit and maybe others did too? I assume you don’t think I enter these discussions thinking I can change your mind. Is that why you do it? Thinking you can change my mind?

@Kdtym10 so something changed your mind with all the learning.

Debating focuses my thoughts, ot has made me more aware how limited some peoples understanding of their faith is and that for some people understanding is not important-which I find surprising ax o would never commit to something about which I didn’t have some good level of understanding

so why do you debate?

lol- so you now think I’m demon possessed- you really are starting to sound like some kind of 80s TV evangelist- just to help you a long I also listen to heavy metal. No doubt you would be front of the line burning those records (actually o think eventually they started smashing them because they were worried about the fumes)

As you will see if you read my posts instead of seeing a red mist I have never denied Jesus’s deity, I have said we are all the gods (which Jesus actual teachings are supportive of).

What on earth makes you think I’ve not studied scripture- it’s very clear there’s a few on here who hold themselves out to be Christians who have studied the scripture and hace only read it in accordance with the interpretations given it by their own particular denomination. Anyone who applies one second of thought to this must know, given the multitude of Christian denominations that there are a multitude of different interpretations of the Bible, I’ve just thrown in a few more, potentially lesser known ones for the OP to consider. I think that some of those lesser known interpretations are closer to the actual teachings of Jesus than many more orthodox views. Those unorthodox views have escaped the clutches of princes, emperors and kings and haven’t been corrupted by their intergration with the machinery of power.

I’m interested how you know Jesus is God as “a fact” that would normally indicate some quantifiable, replicable, observable data - can you present that please, it would stop a lot of wars. Do you not believe in sola fide? If you know something as fact where does faith come into it for you?

I don’t fear hell because I know for the most part it comes from the minds of poets and artists with very little biblical reference..people create their own hells and several people on this thread seem to have done just that.

There is a Christ outside the hell of some of these organised religions, one based on the teachings of Christ not some cult leader.

you weren’t stood in Oxford Circus yesterday morning were you, there was some woman shouting at passers by they were going to hell.,I mean I just thought “idiot, you don’t know the Bible” despite waving it furiously in people’s faces” but then I thought, that could do someone who is mentally vulnerable some serious harm. Maybe those were the people she was targeting. Who knows.

Anyway, I’m not vulnerable - despite certain people on this thread imploring me to “show my vulnerable side” so I could just giggle any carry on.

If I’m wrong, apparently only 144,000 out of the whole of mankind will be allowed into heaven according to Revelation so on the balance of probability I’ll see you in hell I guess. I’m hoping for the first circle. All the interesting people seem to be there.

Ultimately this discussion is between people who think their interpretation of the Scriptures is the only correct one and those who accept that there are many different interpretations and we cannot know whether there is a correct one, let alone which one it is. It's closed minds and open minds.

Given the immense damage done by the closed minded approach throughout history, this atheist stands with those who choose thought and question over blind faith.

this atheist stands with those who choose thought and question over blind faith.

@pointythings, my take on blind faith is that faith is only blind when people don't know that it is faith - that is when they take their faith for scientifically proven fact. Another word for that is ignorance.

I know I am choosing faith. My faith is the result of my hope. To deny my faith would be to deny my hope and that I feel would be a cold and desperate way to exist.