MrDarwin

But would you agree that the overwhelming majority of Christians have Christian parents?

Similarly, would you agree that the overwhelming majority of Jewish children have Jewish parents, Hindu children have Hindu parents, Muslim children have Muslim parents, etc.?

If we are so free to "choose" our beliefs, why do most of us "choose" the same set of beliefs as our parents? It would seem that our religious beliefs are, by and large, "chosen" for us primarily by our families, and in a broader sense by our communities.

Zippy

Christians come in various flavours.

You may not consider some of them Chrisitian, but they do.

Paul

GeoTheo

Neither one of my parents is a Christian.
Neither believes they must accept Christ as their Savior to go to heaven.
As far as the majority of Christians having Christian parents, they do, but that is seen as a missionary failure. Christians would have all to be Christians. Not all choose to be. What is one to do? It is totally based on choosing Christ as Savior. That is why various Christian groups have tried to use the power of the state to force conversions and other CHRISTIANS, mind you, have decided that is a bad idea because it violates "individual soul liberty."

MrDarwin

That's not really relevant to my point, except to correctly note that there are exceptions to my broad generalization.

But out of curiosity, do your parents consider themselves to be Christian, or are they atheists or members of some other religion? (Forgive my asking but I've had the experience more than once of certain Christians declaring that members of other groups--Catholics, Mormons, Jehovah's Witnesses, etc.--are not Christians, even though those people do indeed consider themselves to be.)

[ July 31, 2002: Message edited by: MrDarwin ]</p>

NOGO

I am so happy for you.
Helen please answer me this.
I can see that you believe that Christianity is the only true religion.
For myself I have looked into quite extensively and have concluded that it is ... wrong (as mildy as I can put it)
This is not stubbornness nor is it unwillingness to believe, nor anything of that kind.
I do not believe because Christianity does not make sense to me and nobody has been able to fix it.

My disbelief is as honest and true as your belief.

My mother and father were both strong believers so that nobody can blame them for my lack of faith.

So Helen, please explain why my parents will be without their son when your God has it his way?

What have I done wrong, Helen?

HelenM

NOGO

How can I begin to answer a 'why' question about God? I have enough trouble knowing whyI do things sometimes, let alone anyone else! Let alone God!

I don't know 'why'.

love
Helen

NOGO

You don't know why but you trust God.

It is obvious that you and I have a totally different attitude toward authority.

I trust God too but I want to know why?

This sort of question keeps me away from false religions.

HelenM

Originally posted by NOGO:

You don't know why but you trust God.

It wouldn't be 'trust' if I knew everything.

It is obvious that you and I have a totally different attitude toward authority.[/b]

Maybe so.

I trust God too but I want to know why?

Oh, I do want to know why; but I am realistic and realize I am going to have to make the best of a life in which I have a lot of unanswered questions.

This sort of question keeps me away from false religions.

I try to ask enough questions to keep myself away from bad situations.

But there seems to be no point in asking questions I'll never get answers to...

love
Helen