What's more convincing?

Question

I recently went to a prayer service unintentually because I just went to a friend's house and there it was, in her living room. Anyway, it had actually people tell real stories of how their faith has helped them and stuff. I paid more attention there then at actually church. I was just wondering, do you find a priest or an actually person more convincing?

Really think about it. A priest who took years of his life studying the bible and who took a vow of chasity v.s. a person who did have a religious expirence but did nothing that the priest did.

Answer 1

people as it is written, deny not the gathering of the saints

Answer 2

They do not study the bible. They study philosophy and physocoligy. I was amazed at how little the priests knew compared to the children who were made to read the bible.
some of the ministers even said, they didn't believe most of the bible such as the virgin birth and Jesus raiseing the dead.
In Jesus day the religious leaders were the most corrupt people he said. Because they should know the bible and yet don't teach it. Religous leaders never speak out against the war.
Yet they say that murder is wrong. pagan customs asssociated with Christianity is false and you never hear them comdem it.
when was the last time a priest or any religious leader said there is no Easter bunnie. They hid eggs on the church lawn.
Or the Christmas tree is from pagan orgin. which it is.
Or the Cross was in pagan culture long before Christ and history tells us the romans didn't hang criminals on a cross. but an upright stake. That didn't come in until the 3rd century.
Santa clause is a lie. Raindeer don't fly and he doesn't give gifts.
It is all a lie. If you take all the pagan customs out of Christianity you wouldn't recognise it. When was the last time a preacher told you that?

Answer 3

I would be more convinced by a real person than a priest. Priests shut themselves off from most of real life which gives their ideas and opinions a hollowness in my own mind. Also I would rather hear what a person thinks rather than what some book says

Answer 4

Neither.

Tell me any of their stories, and I can provide a plausible explanation that does not have God in the equation. Magically healed from some disease while praying? I bet they got medications and medical treatment on top of that prayer....so it is the prayer or is it the medicine??? Told you had 6 months to live, yet you lasted three years?? Thats because doctors are not infallible, and it has nothing to do with God.

What is more convincing is the power of your mind over your own body, rather than the notion of a sky pixie controling you.

Answer 5

A priest doesn't really know the truth because they do not study the Bible, no Catholics really do. What religion was the prayer service?

Answer 6

The best story told ever to me about the faith, is in the bible first, secondly would be to hear others stories, third would be the pastor, priest whatever title they may go by.

Answer 7

I enjoy both for different reasons. A really good rabbi/minister/speaker can lift a congregation to the skies with their eloquence and inspire great acts of kindness and charity, but I also like the personal, individual stories shared in smaller groups (covenant groups, prayer study circles, etc.).

Answer 8

When a priest says his sermon, he is generalizing for the masses. Personal stories of faith are more convincing and you know, personal.

Answer 9

Real people, though the difference is marginal. Priests are trained in convincing people, but you know that. But I'm pretty firmly set in my agnostic path, so I'm not one to be convinced that any individual idea should be accepted as truth.

Answer 10

God must have put you there for a higher understanding about what faith can do. A good church led by a good pastor can do the same thing for you too.

Answer 11

I think someone sharing there life story and how faith saw them through difficult times is much more convincing.