This is how I view these 'kinds' of stories with regards to the religious community.

First, there must be a fair amount of open mindedness in those who believe such things. To believe that one can have experiences, must equate to one who believes in all forms of mentalism.

In other words there are poeple who believe they are being followed and hauted by ghosts, demons.. whatever. Even posession
from unseen 'spirits'.

I think it's a nice gesture for those who have such mystical beliefs to be so sympathetic to those who have these stories to tell.

And of course there are those who believe they are being directed by a 'spirit guide'. I imagine the nature of that guide will fall into the realm of what one believes. In other words, one can be guided by the 'holy spirit' and they have a believe in a Christian God. Others are quided by Indian spirits, or the spirits of an anchient Atlantean spirirt or some other guide, like the Seth spirit.

Also, quite open minded of Christians to be so willing to accept these kinds of eperiences.

There are those who also believe in other para-normal activities, including the seers and the empaths. I find it a good thing that all religions can find some measure of acceptiblity in these types of phenomenon.

But I do have one question? If Christians are so open minded, to all these types of stories and mystical phenomenon, why do they pick and choose which people to listen to and which to deny?

In other words, are some really being open minded ONLY to accept such stories as 'truthful and reality based' accounts if they relate to a 'turning' to their religion?

Why can some hear the Holy Spirit and get answers, when those who speak with their spirit guides are not believed?

I can only speculate that those who have an experience and then relate it to Christianity and thier conversion, are the only true stories that Christians Accept.

So perhaps what Christians expect of others (to be open minded) is really a guise, maybe what they really want is for others to be open minded, only to the values of Christian doctine.

Would like to hear about that. Good thread!

Redykeulous,

All religions are exclusive. Christians believe that Jesus is the Messiah. Jews do not. Only one can be right. Christians believe that Jesus is the only way to heaven. Everyone else disagrees. Someone is right, it can't be everybody. Christians believe in one life and then judgement. Hindu believe in many lifes with reincarnation. Only one can be right. Do you get the point? It's not intellectually sound to claim that all religions are correct. They contradict each other, so they can't all be right.

As I have already said, the Bible encourages the believers to test their faith. To search the scriptures. To compare scipture to scripture looking for contradictions and misunderstandings. But you seem to be saying that all claims should be accepted at face value. That advice is impossible to follow. Religions are incompatable, therefore if any are right, it's just one that is right. Which one is what you should be trying to determine. They all differ on judgement, salvation, afterlife, who God is, if there are many gods, etc. You can't accept all, that's not being logically honest. Unless you plan to place your faith in that "God doesn't care what you believe, so long as you believe". In that scenario, Hitler was right in his beliefs, because God didn't have a problem with his attempted genocide. It seems a huge and dangerous assumption to assume that God doesn't care what we believe. That's not a god I want to know, one who doesn't care if you kill six million jews, just so long as you believe you are doing the right thing. No thank you, I would rather believe in a God who has a standard of behavior and expects us to love one another.

has it occured to anyone that if u believe in hell there is a chance ul go there?

Spider:


I apologise, I thought the tread was another attempt to provide "proof" that the Christian doctrine must be correct. I was simply trying to identify if there were 'actually' open minded Christians, who believe that any person's story is as good another.

I didn't realize that this thread was just a testimonial to one faith alone.

I shall bow out!

Why not actually discuss my arguments, instead of playing the poor victimized non-Christian?

I do believe that everyone has the right to their stories, and to believe whatever it is they want......And even though some may not think so.....I really do

Debs, I am a little skeptic about those folks. I certainly hope they have not done anything with the intent to deceive.
I understand some can be very convincing.


must agree with a lot of what Spider has already said.

I believe that is one good reason for christians to go back to the bible to help them discern whether these things are valid.

Do I believe in Santa......no....But the tradition of Santa and what he represents yes.....I did another thread on the true meaning of Christmas....that is what I believe....And when I wrote if you believe maybe you will receive was more of a joke.

And yes I very definitely believe that people could be experiencing these things. Who is to say what God will show prophets of our time. I also think its a matter if you believe in prophecy and don't question what God may be showing others. I do look at all this experiences of people with an open mind, and I know for my own experiences they are real....It was no dream for me....He was showing me and showing me for a reason...and with purpose. A reason and purpose I don't take lightly.

Ferel:


Was it your intention to ask others if they would believe the stories you pose have validity or truth, with regards to your faith?

I took it that way, as I have heard literally thousands of amazing 'dream like' stories, from all walks of life pertaining to varying beliefs.

I was not trying to catagorize you or anyone in particular. I was trying to make the point that a in lifetime of hearing so many types of stories, how only those that 'fit' the doctrine of a particular Christianity are the only ones ever to make it to mainstream mythology. No doubt because they are used as "proof".

In a country such as the U.S. where some knowledge of Christianity is all but escapable to every citizen, it is not a mystery at all that those who have never held a Christian belief, would have such 'dreams' or 'blackout memories' or 'near death expereinces' only to equate them with what they know of the Christian faith.

This is yet another reason to be skeptical of all such stories, even those that have 'conversion' power.

the other point is simply this. If a person is suddenly 'converted' to the Christian faith due to such mysterious circumstance, than similar circumstances can not be denied, even when the one experiencing them does so from another religious aspect, or no religious aspect, or even when one Believes they speak with God and God say that Christians are on the wrong path.

If one story holds merit, they must all hold the same merit, and not only those that support, a Christian doctrine.

Hammer of justice crushes you...

I love you... here, eat this...

Oh, now I get to throw you in an eternal fire with damned creatures... misery forever...

Really?

Self imposed ignorance...

Was it your intention to ask others if they would believe the stories you pose have validity or truth, with regards to your faith?

Answer: No They can not believe as you do and feel it's a dream....But I have had this happen to me and I assure you I was wide awake and outside. So take it any way you wish I guess.

I don't look at them as dreamlike stories as most people are awake...cmon the guy was driving a truck....yea you could argue that he fell asleep...But I guess you would have to read the book to find out.....

I was not trying to catagorize you or anyone in particular. I was trying to make the point that a in lifetime of hearing so many types of stories, how only those that 'fit' the doctrine of a particular Christianity are the only ones ever to make it to mainstream mythology. No doubt because they are used as "proof".

Answer: You really believe that. I think this happens to all people, with all types of religious beliefs.......remember redy when it happen to me...I was not a Christian......And God in no way said.....Now this happen go be a Christian.....All it did was make me start the search.

In a country such as the U.S. where some knowledge of Christianity is all but escapable to every citizen, it is not a mystery at all that those who have never held a Christian belief, would have such 'dreams' or 'blackout memories' or 'near death expereinces' only to equate them with what they know of the Christian faith.

Answer: well that might be.....but I did not equate it to anything but God....I think to many people are stuck on some particular "religion" I never looked at my experience that way.....I asked him to show me....he did....He exsist this I know beyond a shadow of a doubt.......I never said to myself, self you are now a Christian.....He never said it either.....so disagree with that way of thinking strongly...I don't have a relationship with being a Christian I have a relationship with God and Jesus Christ.

This is yet another reason to be skeptical of all such stories, even those that have 'conversion' power.

If one story holds merit, they must all hold the same merit, and not only those that support, a Christian doctrine.

I couldn't agree more.

When you say you did not equate it to anything but God, how did you know which God?

If you were of some other race and the state in which you grew and developed were, say Islam, or Hindu, predominant, there is little doubt that your 'revelation' would NOT have led you to be Christian.

You see, your story, no matter what it is, has its equvalent with millions of others,worldwide, who did not choose Christianity, and many felt the revelation to be a direction to a cultural way of life, without a Godhead.

We are all limited by the knowledge we don't have and by our own perceptions of our experiences with the knowledge we do have. We only know what is in the scope of our reality at any given moment. That reality is a very small frame of reference.

If I were in a car wreck and I told the cop that I saw a bigfoot, so I swerved and hit another car, should he believe me? What if I'm completely drunk and holding a beer in my hand when I'm talking to him? It's rediculous to state that all claims must be accepted. Any claim must be judged by the person hearing to claim to determine if the claim is to be believed or not. It's partly subjective and partly objective. You can look at the facts, but in the end, you must make a decision that can't be completely determined by the facts.

Again Redy this is where there is so much confusion when there has to be none....

The first area of contradiction regards the nature of the ultimate reality (such as God). One discovers there is a vast chasm between monotheistic religions (such as Judaism, Christianity and Islam), and pantheistic religions (such as Hinduism, Buddhism). Muslims claim that there is only one God, Allah, who created the universe from nothing. Some Hindus, on the other hand, believe not in a personal creator but in an impersonal absolute reality (Brahman) which permeates all things. Other Hindus believe that there are millions of deities (such as Brahma, Vishnu, Shiva, and Krishna) which are manifestations of Brahman.

So for me the God that came to me.....Is just God.....plain and simple.......I asked God to reveal a truth and he did so.....Now if others feel the need to put a label on that God...such as above then so be it. But for me God is God and He is, Was, and Always will be....And only for me to pray to more then One God in any religion is a no no.....just for me....But if someone else chooses to do that...so be it.

It also might seem a lil contradictory but then again so is the whole of religion.....is it not!!!!! And just to make it clear I am a Christian and study and fellowship with Open Bible Church because for me it was the closest to reading the Bible as it was written.....for me when you take the Bible and change it to fit you particular needs such as the mormons and others did....that is just not for me.....I want to learn and study the Bible at it was written more then 2000 years ago. This is not to say that I am reading the exact...but it's the closest.....Actually Jehovah Witnesses read the only version of the bible that is exact.

http://www.carm.org/jw/nwt.htm

let me go check it out spider.....brb

What I would love to see is an actual bible as it was written in the beginning......can you find this spider....and I stand corrected on the Jehovah New World version......But then with any translation how do we know which is most accurate to the original.......waiting with anticipation for your answers.

I use http://www.blueletterbible.org/. You can read the KJV and compare it to the original text. You can buy your own software if you don't trust the web or you can buy an Bible that shows both the original and the translated words. There are lots of choices, but I believe that the Bible is like an onion. The more you study, the deeper it goes. If you like NIV, I have no objection. I own NIV, KJV and NASB. I still like to use the Blue Letter Bible, because the electronic format makes it very easy to use.