What advice would you offer this individual?

Question

The following is copied from another question:
--------------------
"[A risk of believing in god is:] humiliation... especcially if you are a baby christian...ur all fired up...trying to prove ur love of God..trying to be helpful and then some jerk comes along who knows the bibles inside and out...who is not christian..and makes you look like a fool.

there are 2 times in the life of a christian that it can backfire...When ur a newborn christian and you dont know much...or when you have been one so long..and you have seen so much bad stuff still..it makes you doubt...and when u doubt..you lose touch with God.

i think that is why alot of christians turn atheist... "
-----------------
What comment of advice do you offer?

Answer 1

At the risk of boring you with more quotes you've probably already heard from me already...

It is difficult, none the less, for the ordinary man to cast off orthodox beliefs, for he is seldom allowed to hear the other side.... Whereas the Christian view is pressed on him day in and day out.
— Margaret Knight

Finding that no religion is based on facts and cannot be true, I began to reflect what must be the condition of mankind trained from infancy to believe in error.
— Robert Owen

The great trouble is that the preachers get the children from six to seven years of age and then it is almost impossible to do anything with them.
— Thomas Edison, (1847-1931)

Just think of the tragedy of teaching children not to doubt.
— Clarence Darrow

Give me child until the age of six and I will give you a Nazi for life.
— Adolph Hitler

It is an interesting and demonstrable fact, that all children are atheists and were religion not inculcated into their minds, they would remain so.
— Ernestine Rose

If we must play the theological game, let us never forget that it is a game. Religion, it seems to me, can survive only as a consciously accepted system of make believe.
— Aldous Huxley

I am now convinced that children should not be subjected to the frightfulness of the Christian religion.... If the concept of a father who plots to have his own son put to death is presented to children as beautiful and as worthy of society's admiration, what types of human behavior can be presented to them as reprehensible?
— Ruth Hurmence Green

Religion is the masterpiece of the art of animal training, for it trains people as to how they shall think.
— Arthur Schopenhauer

There is no absurdity so obvious that it cannot be firmly planted in the human head if you only begin to impose it before the age of five, by constantly repeating it with an air of great solemnity.
— Arthur Schopenhauer

The loss of religious faith among the most civilized portion of the race is a step from childishness toward maturity.
— Charles Eliot Norton

Illusions die hard and it is painful to yield to the insight that a grown-up can be no man's disciple.
— Sheldon B. Kopp

Religion is something left over from the infancy of our intelligence, it will fade away as we adopt reason and science as our guidelines.
— Bertrand Russell

I do not believe that religion has been a force for good.... I regard it as belonging to the infancy of reason.
— Bertrand Russell

I believe that religion, generally speaking, has been a curse to mankind--that its modest and greatly overestimated services on the ethical side have been more than overcome by the damage it has done to clear and honest thinking.
— H.L. Mencken

If one attempts to assign to religion its place in man's evolution, it seems not so much to be a lasting acquisition, as a parallel to the neurosis which the civilized individual must pass through on his way from childhood to maturity.
— Sigmund Freud

For that again, is what all manner of religion essentially is: childish dependency.
— Albert Ellis

The origin of the absurd idea of immortal life is easy to discover; it is kept alive by hope and fear, by childish faith, and by cowardice.
— Clarence Darrow

Many people never grow up. They stay all their lives with a passionate need for external authority and guidance, pretending not to trust their own judgment.
— Alan Watts

Humanity has the stars in its future, and that future is too important to be lost under the burden of juvenile folly and ignorant superstition.
— Isaac Asimov

Imagine the people who believe such things and who are not ashamed to ignore, totally, all the patient findings of thinking minds through all the centuries since the Bible was written. And it is these ignorant people, the most uneducated, the most unimaginative, the most unthinking among us, who would make themselves the guides and leaders of us all; who would force their feeble and childish beliefs on us; who would invade our schools and libraries and homes. I personally resent it bitterly.
— Isaac Asimov

Answer 2

This is probably why I am a solitary practitioner. I am a Christian Witch. My own religion wants me dead! (grin) That's why I am a solitary practitioner. God and I understand each other just fine.
What would I say? I'd say I would prefer to believe in God now, than give him the finger all my life, and meet up with him during some later point in time. I
When I look back at those two times you mentioned, yes I lost touch, but I sought it out in other beliefs. When you find a truth it's in all healthy religions. My belief is now based on those truths. I created my own, and I love it. If a truth is a truth, then find as many as possible and put them all together. There you have it, a new religion that grows as more is learned.

Blessed Be

Answer 3

Both examples are a new believer. That is to say they are weak. They believe they have to have the answer for everything and that it should all make sense. God's ways are not our ways and you cannot always see the divine picture.

Once, when I was on my way to Calcutta, I met a Krishna on the way to Thailand. He asked my why I ate meat when my Lord went out to save a single sheep. If he loved animals so much why should I go out of my way to eat one. I was not a new believe but I was not a strong Bible reader (a common flaw in most today). The argument was ridiculous, but I could not think of one verse to throw back at him. Now I had a choice. Do I leave God or turn towards him for guidance? I started reading my Bible every day for hours on end and I finally got to the story where Peter has the vision of "Clean and Unclean animals." He was called to go kill and eat! Also Jesus helped his men catch fish and even caught some himself. So, now armed better, I prayed fervantly that I would meet up with the Krishna on the way home. But, God did not send me there to teach him the Bible. Rather God used an unsaved soul to teach me humility and dedication to my cause.

Now I strive for perfection and use R&S questions to keep sharpening my sword. I confess that I am still lazy at times and the questions I get here make me flee to my Bible to read and absorb the word of God.

So, while I get a lot out of learned men of God. I get just as much, if not more, from the jaded or scorned of God. The honest anger, hurt, and pain shows me where I need to focus my studies to bring healing to those that are wounded.

Answer 4

If you can't see the seething racial hatred for President Obama, and the vicious attacks on Sen Pelosi,as destroying the credibility of the GOP, then you are among the 23% that still are 'willing' to be publicly identified as belonging to the Republican party. Political parties have evaporated overnight in the history of the USA, the GOP are on the "endangered political party" list ! Get rid of the bigots,hate,smear tactics,lying to Congress and the American people, stop denying Science to please the religious fanatics,in other words, it's time to join the 21st Century, Already in PROGRESS !

Answer 5

I'll preface this by saying that only God knows the heart of man.
By that I mean that, some, having said "the sinner's prayer" or something similar - may not have realized the full implication of what they were doing. This would be referred to as a false conversion. One that was made maybe in the heat of the moment but by someone who wasn't willing to turn their lives over to God.
This is why one must consider the cost of being a Christian.

"And He summoned the crowd with His disciples and said to them, If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must
deny himself
and take up his cross
and follow Me." Mark 8:34

Is this an easy thing to do? NO
Is it worthwhile? Absolutely

In believing in Jesus Christ, receiving His gift of salvation and following Him, we have the assurance of eternity in heaven and in this lifetime we have a friend who sticks closer than a brother.

Those who are truly saved are not going to turn atheist - those who claim the name of Christian but never really changed anything in their lives & followed HIm are more likely to turn away.

For those interested- read and study the Bible, pray for understanding. If you would like help with Bible study feel free to email me.

Answer 6

be strong and keep your faith, if you feel you don't know enough to defend your faith, then find a really good bible study group and go every chance you can, and don't be afraid to participate...ask questions, that's the only way to learn. pray to God for strength. remember that the more you go through to defend God the greater the reward will be for you in heaven. so keep your head up, even if it feels like everyone around you is against you. people have gone through much worse for God...to the point of death. i will pray for you also.

Answer 7

Every time I have been challenged in my faith, I have gone to those in the know. It should be no different for the new believer. They should seek out mentorship, and the sheep need to stay away from the wolves through fellowship with other believers. This is the strength of the church, too many people believe that they can "go it alone" without that fellowship, and that simply opens them up to the situations that you describe.

Answer 8

This is a really good question.

I have to say that anyone in any religion who intimidates or tries that "I know more than you," crap is probably suffering from real problems. Don't let them worry you - just see them for the pathetic wannabes they are and move forward. It is hard when you are new, so think of this as a way for you to easily identify people who you SHOULD NOT associate with.

Blessed Be.

Answer 9

Let's not forget that satan knows the bible better than any of us mere humans do. He can quote it backwards and forwards and those that belong to him often times can as well. That does not mean they apply it correctly or that they quote it in the context as was intended. It simply means that satan will use his followers to turn ppl away from the Lord, Yashua, if he possibly can.

He would deceive the elect if it were possible!

Don't allow your faith to be shaken by the one that comes but to steal, kill, and destroy.

Answer 10

Opportunity comes in many guises... In these cases, regarding humiliation and doubt about ones faith, most Christians will use to grow and strengthen it. It is in the testing in these fires that our mettle is shown, our dross burned off, and our purity improved. The refiner knows the gold is pure when He can see His reflection in it. It also reflects our need to be in His word and abiding in Him. Education in Spiritual matters is achieved through these things and the indwelling Holy Spirit of the living God, who teaches and guides each of us according to our needs.