Search the Community

Shabbat shalom, brothers and sisters. This may come as a shock to some, but it really shouldn't take anyone by surprise or cause any consternation. The power doesn't exist in our faith! The power is in the One in Whom we PLACE our faith! That's a VERY important distinction! Faith is often misunderstood because of the difference between how the Greek text used the word "pistis" and how we use the words "faith" and "belief" in English today. There's a notable difference, but the bottom line is that the power of our faith is GOD'S power. It's to be found in the God of the Bible, YHWH, in Whom we place our faith and in Whom we trust! ALL wothwhile and lasting power is to be found in Him, and we do NOT exercise that power at all when we SAY we "exercise faith!" Our God is an AWESOME GOD! Just look at all the things He has made from the tiniest neutrino, quark, or "string" to the vastness of space with the myriads of galaxies, quasars, and nebulae, not to mention the HUGE volumes of empty space! In between these extremes, we see the vast complexity of what we can know as living things, from the tiniest viruses, to the huge whales, from the smallest plankton to the huge redwoods of the forest! When one studies biology and biochemistry and organic chemistry, one will come away with a DEEP appreciation for the intricate ways that ALL of God's creations work together flawlessly to form this vast biosphere in which we live. The fascinating way that the information that describes each species in stored in the DeoxyriboNucleic Acid (DNA) of that species, and how the body of that creature uses this coded information to develop organs, tissues, and fluids is truly amazing! The sheer complexity of any one species and then to compound that with the symbiosis of other life forms is just BEYOND normal comprehension! BRAG ON HIM! (That's what "praise" is.) Make Him STAND OUT from anyone or anything else! (That's what "glorify" is.) BOW THE KNEE before Him! (That's what "worship" is.) And, after all you've done to make Him as AWESOME as you can (and STILL He's greater), both in your eyes and the eyes of anyone to whom you're talking, then realize that you can come to Him and call Him "Daddy!" (That's what "Abba" means.) If that doesn't make your head swim, then you didn't do it right! Try again! Let's say you ask Him for something - anything. Do you really doubt that He could do it for you or give it to you, if He wanted to? The MAKER OF THE UNIVERSE couldn't do your silly little request? Nope. THAT'S not it. What you REALLY doubt is whether such an AWESOME AND RIGHTEOUS God would do it for the likes of YOU! And, you'd be RIGHT to doubt, IF ... YHWH was an exacting God. Psalm 130:3-6 (KJV) 3 If thou, LORD, shouldest mark iniquities, O Lord, who shall stand? 4 But there is forgiveness with thee, that thou mayest be feared. 5 I wait for the LORD, my soul doth wait, and in his word do I hope. 6 My soul waiteth for the Lord more than they that watch for the morning: I say, more than they that watch for the morning. David said and Paul quoted, Romans 4:1-25 (KJV) 1 What shall we say then that Abraham our father, as pertaining to the flesh, hath found? 2 For if Abraham were justified by works, he hath whereof to glory; but not before God. 3 For what saith the scripture? Abraham believed God, and it was counted unto him for righteousness. 4 Now to him that worketh is the reward not reckoned of grace, but of debt. 5 But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness. 6 Even as David also describeth the blessedness of the man, unto whom God imputeth righteousness without works, 7 Saying, Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiven, and whose sins are covered. (Psalm 32:1) 8 Blessed is the man to whom the Lord will not impute sin. (Psalm 32:2) 9 Cometh this blessedness then upon the circumcision only, or upon the uncircumcision also? for we say that faith was reckoned to Abraham for righteousness. 10 How was it then reckoned? when he was in circumcision, or in uncircumcision? Not in circumcision, but in uncircumcision. 11 And he received the sign of circumcision, a seal of the righteousness of the faith which he had yet being uncircumcised: that he might be the father of all them that believe, though they be not circumcised; that righteousness might be imputed unto them also: 12 And the father of circumcision to them who are not of the circumcision only, but who also walk in the steps of that faith of our father Abraham, which he had being yet uncircumcised. 13 For the promise, that he should be the heir of the world, was not to Abraham, or to his seed, through the law, but through the righteousness of faith. 14 For if they which are of the law be heirs, faith is made void, and the promise made of none effect: 15 Because the law worketh wrath: for where no law is, there is no transgression. 16 Therefore it is of faith, that it might be by grace; to the end the promise might be sure to all the seed; not to that only which is of the law, but to that also which is of the faith of Abraham; who is the father of us all, 17 (As it is written, I have made thee a father of many nations,) before him whom he believed, even God, who quickeneth the dead, and calleth those things which be not as though they were. 18 Who against hope believed in hope, that he might become the father of many nations; according to that which was spoken, So shall thy seed be. 19 And being not weak in faith, he considered not his own body now dead, when he was about an hundred years old, neither yet the deadness of Sara's womb: 20 He staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief; but was strong in faith, giving glory to God; 21 And being fully persuaded that, what he had promised, he was able also to perform. 22 And therefore it was imputed to him for righteousness. 23 Now it was not written for his sake alone, that it was imputed to him; 24 But for us also, to whom it shall be imputed, if we believe on him that raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead; 25 Who was delivered for our offences, and was raised again for our justification. And, Yeshua` (Jesus) said, Matthew 7:7-11 (KJV) 7 Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you: 8 For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened. 9 Or what man is there of you, whom if his son ask bread, will he give him a stone? 10 Or if he ask a fish, will he give him a serpent? 11 If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your Father which is in heaven give good things to them that ask him? And, Luke 12:22-32 (KJV) 22 And he said unto his disciples, Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat; neither for the body, what ye shall put on. 23 The life is more than meat, and the body is more than raiment. 24 Consider the ravens: for they neither sow nor reap; which neither have storehouse nor barn; and God feedeth them: how much more are ye better than the fowls? 25 And which of you with taking thought can add to his stature one cubit? 26 If ye then be not able to do that thing which is least, why take ye thought for the rest? 27 Consider the lilies how they grow: they toil not, they spin not; and yet I say unto you, that Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. 28 If then God so clothe the grass, which is to day in the field, and to morrow is cast into the oven; how much more will he clothe you, O ye of little faith? 29 And seek not ye what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink, neither be ye of doubtful mind. 30 For all these things do the nations of the world seek after: and your Father knoweth that ye have need of these things. 31 But rather seek ye the kingdom of God; and all these things shall be added unto you. 32 Fear not, little flock; for it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom.

How can a sceptic strengthen his Belief in God?

Hi there! I am going to start off by giving a bit of a backstory, and please hear me out by reading all of this because I am in dire need right now. I grew up in a lovely home with Baptist parents who attended church every Sunday. However, I hit very traumatic times at about 7 years old, and now I am 16, going on 17, and my life is healing from the trauma of divorced parents, dealing with calling defax on my own mother for emotional, verbal, and sometimes physical abuse, hating my father for years due to my mother calling him unworthy every chance she got- only to find that my father did everything he could to make me realize he meant no harm, and all the mental issues which came with these life experiences. Shortly after turning 12, four years into my nearly 10-year real-life conflict, I found myself falling far from God. Although I had become fully saved according to the Baptist faith and believed with all my heart that God was my savior and my all at age 10, I fell far from Him only two years later. Two years later, at 12, and hardly 12 at that, I text my friend late one summer night. "I don't know that I believe in God anymore," I sent her, crying my eyes out because all I needed right then was someone to pull me back to God and say that I needed to hold on. I desperately needed someone to grab my ears and pull me up saying, "Hello!! Jesus is alive! He is alive! And He loves you more than you'll ever comprehend!" But, the reality was far from this. My friend responds less than a minute later. "I am an Atheist." My heart dropped at the message. But... strangely enough, it later was found with relief. I felt ACCEPTANCE for falling from Him! It sounds crazy because it is. I researched for a long time, mainly in the wrong places, and I found myself to identify as an Atheist. This lasted for years, all the way until a month or so ago to be frank. I am going to be 17 in July and going into the 12th grade next year, and I believe this all happened in the summer of going into 6th or 7th grade, which would have put me at 11 or 12. So for 5, possibly 6, years I have been very lost and falling blind of God. I fell into believing I was transgender, from female to male, to believing I was gay and dating a girl almost a full year. Many, many tragic things followed this initial start of trauma when my parents got a divorce at 7 years old. Now, having all that said... I still feel a strong incomplete pit in my life, this being my relationship with God. I still question my sexuality today. I believe that being abused for all those years led me to believe I was homosexual because beforehand, I never EVER questioned my sexuality. I was your typical "boy-crazy" little girl who would go to their mom after school and say, "Guess what mommy! [Enter name here] talked to me today! I was so nervous!" I can tell you confidently now that I know I am a beautiful, straight female who deserves just as much as everyone else. In my heart, I feel that. However, I hesitate to answer so confidently in person because it takes denying my past conflictions to find my true self deep within me that, yes, I am that person. For a long time I denied this person that I was because of the many times my mother would tell me that I wasn't her daughter, I wasn't what she wanted, and I was a mistake through and through. I believe truly, within my heart, that abuse can cause lifetime problems such as this. Abuse, especially that in childhood, does not just affect your personality, your social life, and your way of coping with life situations. Abuse affects your lifestyle, your beliefs, and all the critical things of yourself. I am stuck. My ex-best friend and I started talking recently. We grew up together and shortly after I went from a true Christian to Atheist, we fell apart from one another. In the past month, we found each other via social media and I have come to find, not to my surprise, that she is still very faithful and connected to God. Even when we were little and very close, I was inspired by her connection with God and trust in Him, despite our different beliefs. She was raised Apostolic Pentecostal. I was raised Baptist. However, now that we have reconnected, I have caught her up with everything that happened to me in the past years that we haven't talked. She amazes me still at her immaculate trust in God. She is now involved in leading many youth groups to teach the Bible to younger kids, as well as attending her own youth group herself. This makes me intrigued in her beliefs since I am currently not under any official belief besides that in which God does indeed exist. My mother is not much in the picture anymore, so I have free reign to explore all sorts of Christianity that I please without fear of being bashed or shunned for doing anything other than Baptism. I have been looking into Apostolic Pentecostal all day, trying to actually understand what the belief is all about compared to Baptism, since that is what I know best, and it makes so much more sense to me compared to what I grew up with. Is there anybody who is an Apostolic Pentecostal that could please help guide me and help me in understanding the beliefs? I am very intrigued by this way of praise and church-going. So please, if you read all of this, which I hope you did because it contributes so much to my reasoning behind this, and you are an Apostolic Pentecostal, please give me information on your beliefs and ways of praising and keeping faith. I am finding God again, and I do not plan on losing Him this time. Not again.

Do not be deceived, there are only two possible states: Belief or Unbelief. "For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes." - Romans 10:4 The Scriptures are clear of the existence of these two states, and depending on what people are believing in it will be reflected in their lives. "You will know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes from thornbushes or figs from thistles?" - Matthew 7:16 One cannot believe in the truth and do works from deceit, for example. "You believe that there is one God. You do well. Even the demons believe - and tremble!" - James 2:19 "If we say that we have fellowship with Him, and walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth." - 1 John 1:6 There is only one source of absolute truth: God (The Father, The Word, and The Holy Spirit). "For there are three that bear witness in heaven: the Father, the Word, and the Holy Spirit; and these three are one." - 1 John 5:7 If people believe in the truth, they will naturally produce fruits from the truth. "Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me." - John 15:4 If you are questioning: "You said Word, where is the Son Jesus Christ?!" "And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth." - John 1:14 There are only two types of fruits: Bad or Good. Also there is another type of fruit, the one that appears beautiful outwardly, but inside is full of death, deceit, and all uncleanness. "Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like whitewashed tombs which indeed appear beautiful outwardly, but inside are full of dead men's bones and all uncleanness." - Matthew 23:27 People in this group includes those who say "Lord, Lord", profess faith in Him but does not care in doing what is pleasing in His sight: To believe and to practice the truth. "Sanctify them by Your truth. Your word is truth." - John 17:17 "For the law was given through Moses, but grace and truth came through Jesus Christ." - John 1:17 Such people are living in deceit, as they do not submit themselves to the Lord. And prefer to believe in the lie: Walk in darkness, practice willful sins and justify themselves instead of repenting and to seek a holier life and truly walk in love and truth. "I say then: Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh." - Galatians 5:16 These are the fruits of unbelief, as they do not believe the Lord can sanctify them, and prefer to live as they please. "Jesus said to him, I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me." - John 14:6 When the Word of God clearly states that such is possible for those who believe in The Son: "Sanctify them by Your truth. Your word is truth." - John 17:17 "And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free." - John 8:32 "Most assuredly, I say to you, whoever commits sin is a slave of sin... ...Therefore if the Son makes you free, you shall be free indeed." - John 8:34+36 Another common thing that is discussed is when someone who once professed faith in Christ but now lives in sin. They are in unbelief, and this is a fact. If they were founded in Him they would not fall in such state. "Therefore whoever hears these sayings of Mine, and does them, I will liken him to a wise man who built his house on the rock: and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it did not fall, for it was founded on the rock." - Matthew 7:24-25 The Lord commanded us to watch and pray... "And what I say to you, I say to all: Watch!" - Mark 13:37 "Watch and pray, lest you enter into temptation..." - Mark 14:38 If we fall, He is there to take us back... If we believe. "If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness." - 1 John 1:9 Another common thing that is discussed is when someone simply says: "I will put an end to my life". To commit suicide is not an idea that is coming from the Spirit of God... And those who believe in Him would never do such a thing. "This is the message which we have heard from Him and declare to you, that God is light and in Him is no darkness at all." - 1 John 1:5 But what indeed happened and the reasons: by accident, murder or by willful rebellion against the truth. "For He shall give His angels charge over you, To keep you in all your ways." - Psalm 91:11 It is not up to me to judge... But if it was willful rebellion against truth then it means the person died an unbeliever. "Many are the afflictions of the righteous, But the Lord delivers him out of them all." - Psalm 34:19 "Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good." - Romans 12:21 "...Be faithful until death, and I will give you the crown of life." - Revelation 2:10 And another common thing that is discussed is when someone claims to believe in Him, but lives in rebellion against Him. No one who believes in Him, in truth, sincerely... Will seek to practice evil. If they do, they repent, and sincerely seek not to next time. If they can... "If anyone sees his brother sinning a sin which does not lead to death, he will ask, and He will give him life for those who commit sin not leading to death..." - 1 John 5:16 "...There is sin leading to death. I do not say that he should pray about that." - 1 John 5:16 "All unrighteousness is sin, and there is sin not leading to death." - 1 John 5:17 Do not seek to practice evil, and flee from it... This pattern is one of obedience to the truth. When the person says: "I will just sin and do whatever I want... I am sinner and cannot stop sinning!" This clearly is willful rebellion against the truth, pride of their sinfulness is preventing them to receive the words from The Truth. "Sanctify them by Your truth. Your word is truth." - John 17:17 "And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free." - John 8:32 "Most assuredly, I say to you, whoever commits sin is a slave of sin... ...Therefore if the Son makes you free, you shall be free indeed." - John 8:34+36 This is one of the reasons why the Lord Jesus said why it will be so hard for "the rich" to enter heaven. "...How hard it is for those who have riches to enter the kingdom of God!" - Mark 10:23 "Blessed are the poor in spirit, For theirs is the kingdom of heaven." - Matthew 5:3 "for the kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit." - Romans 14:17 Because it is too hard for them to accept, believe and consequently be obedient to the truth. "You are My friends if you do whatever I command you." - John 15:14 Unless they stop justifying themselves and repent indeed instead of insisting in their evil ways, they will all perish. "Beware, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief in departing from the living God..." - Hebrews 3:12 "For we can do nothing against the truth, but for the truth." - 2 Corinthians 13:8 "...unless you repent you will all likewise perish." - Luke 13:5 And to die in unbelief is never a good option... The elect, the true believer will keep believing in God till the end; and consequently through all eternity. But there are three types of believers: Those who believe in the truth, and consequently practice it. "But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin." - 1 John 1:7 Those who say they believe in the truth, but do not want to practice the truth. "If we say that we have fellowship with Him, and walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth." - 1 John 1:6 "Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits, whether they are of God; because many false prophets have gone out into the world." - 1 John 4:1 Those who openly believe in the lie. "Now “If the righteous one is scarcely saved, Where will the ungodly and the sinner appear?”" - 1 Peter 4:18 What kind of believer you are is up to you to choose. And we all know that walking in unbelief or deceit is never a good option. "Thus says the Lord: Cursed is the man who trusts in man And makes flesh his strength, Whose heart departs from the Lord." - Jeremiah 17:5 And the Lord desires that we believe in Him, His Words, and consequently do them. "...not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance." - 2 Peter 3:9 "Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning." - James 1:17 Or do we think we have something better to do?! "And if it seems evil to you to serve the Lord, choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve... ...But as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord." - Joshua 24:15 As the Lord Jesus said: "...Take heed that no one deceives you." - Matthew 24:4 Yes, and this includes ourselves; our evil flesh that is full of deceit and all uncleanness. God bless you all in Jesus' name! Amen.

Just a little something to think about today. http://www.relevantmagazine.com/god/practical-faith/faith-isn’t-about-finding-answers

Not all gospel messages are created equal. A god-shaped hole, a wonderful plan, and many others get pitched by well meaning Christians. What have you heard (or believed) that drifts from the gospel outlined in Romans, and by Paul in 1 Cor. 15??? Here's a podcast I did on this subject. Feedback welcome! http://apologeticsevangelism.podbean.com/e/episode-009-what-version-of-the-gospel-are-you-sharing/?token=9aa4ba458984739921bc97f1a4d4f2e2

Do you feel and believe that Christians should be able to share their Faith as a Personal Ministry, and have FB Groups as well I personally do that as well through graphic Art (Created Christian Art) and I have 2 Christian groups only in a few other Christian fb groups. I see Jesus Can Use Social Media but 1 must use Great Spiritual Insight and Wisdom.

Nicholas Copernicus (1473-1543) Copernicus was the Polish astronomer who put forward the first mathematically based system of planets going around the sun. He attended various European universities, and became a Canon in the Catholic church in 1497. His new system was actually first presented in the Vatican gardens in 1533 before Pope Clement VII who approved, and urged Copernicus to publish it around this time. Copernicus was never under any threat of religious persecution - and was urged to publish both by Catholic Bishop Guise, Cardinal Schonberg, and the Protestant Professor George Rheticus. Copernicus referred sometimes to God in his works, and did not see his system as in conflict with the Bible. Sir Francis Bacon (1561-1627) Bacon was a philosopher who is known for establishing the scientific method of inquiry based on experimentation and inductive reasoning. In De Interpretatione Naturae Prooemium, Bacon established his goals as being the discovery of truth, service to his country, and service to the church. Although his work was based upon experimentation and reasoning, he rejected atheism as being the result of insufficient depth of philosophy, stating, "It is true, that a little philosophy inclineth man’s mind to atheism, but depth in philosophy bringeth men's minds about to religion; for while the mind of man looketh upon second causes scattered, it may sometimes rest in them, and go no further; but when it beholdeth the chain of them confederate, and linked together, it must needs fly to Providence and Deity." (Of Atheism) Johannes Kepler (1571-1630) Kepler was a brilliant mathematician and astronomer. He did early work on light, and established the laws of planetary motion about the sun. He also came close to reaching the Newtonian concept of universal gravity - well before Newton was born! His introduction of the idea of force in astronomy changed it radically in a modern direction. Kepler was an extremely sincere and pious Lutheran, whose works on astronomy contain writings about how space and the heavenly bodies represent the Trinity. Kepler suffered no persecution for his open avowal of the sun-centered system, and, indeed, was allowed as a Protestant to stay in Catholic Graz as a Professor (1595-1600) when other Protestants had been expelled! Galileo Galilei (1564-1642) Galileo is often remembered for his conflict with the Roman Catholic Church. His controversial work on the solar system was published in 1633. It had no proofs of a sun-centered system (Galileo's telescope discoveries did not indicate a moving earth) and his one "proof" based upon the tides was invalid. It ignored the correct elliptical orbits of planets published twenty five years earlier by Kepler. Since his work finished by putting the Pope's favorite argument in the mouth of the simpleton in the dialogue, the Pope (an old friend of Galileo's) was very offended. After the "trial" and being forbidden to teach the sun-centered system, Galileo did his most useful theoretical work, which was on dynamics. Galileo expressly said that the Bible cannot err, and saw his system as an alternate interpretation of the biblical texts. Rene Descartes (1596-1650) Descartes was a French mathematician, scientist and philosopher who has been called the father of modern philosophy. His school studies made him dissatisfied with previous philosophy: He had a deep religious faith as a Roman Catholic, which he retained to his dying day, along with a resolute, passionate desire to discover the truth. At the age of 24 he had a dream, and felt the vocational call to seek to bring knowledge together in one system of thought. His system began by asking what could be known if all else were doubted - suggesting the famous "I think therefore I am". Actually, it is often forgotten that the next step for Descartes was to establish the near certainty of the existence of God - for only if God both exists and would not want us to be deceived by our experiences - can we trust our senses and logical thought processes. God is, therefore, central to his whole philosophy. What he really wanted to see was that his philosophy be adopted as standard Roman Catholic teaching. Rene Descartes and Francis Bacon (1561-1626) are generally regarded as the key figures in the development of scientific methodology. Both had systems in which God was important, and both seem more devout than the average for their era. Blaise Pascal (1623-1662) Pascal was a French mathematician, physicist, inventor, writer and theologian. In mathematics, he published a treatise on the subject of projective geometry and established the foundation for probability theory. Pascal invented a mechanical calculator, and established the principles of vacuums and the pressure of air. He was raised a Roman Catholic, but in 1654 had a religious vision of God, which turned the direction of his study from science to theology. Pascal began publishing a theological work, Lettres provinciales, in 1656. His most influential theological work, the Pensées ("Thoughts"), was a defense of Christianity, which was published after his death. The most famous concept from Pensées was Pascal's Wager. Pascal's last words were, "May God never abandon me." Isaac Newton (1642-1727) In optics, mechanics, and mathematics, Newton was a figure of undisputed genius and innovation. In all his science (including chemistry) he saw mathematics and numbers as central. What is less well known is that he was devoutly religious and saw numbers as involved in understanding God's plan for history from the Bible. He did a considerable work on biblical numerology, and, though aspects of his beliefs were not orthodox, he thought theology was very important. In his system of physics, God was essential to the nature and absoluteness of space. In Principia he stated, "The most beautiful system of the sun, planets, and comets, could only proceed from the counsel and dominion of an intelligent and powerful Being." Robert Boyle (1791-1867) One of the founders and key early members of the Royal Society, Boyle gave his name to "Boyle's Law" for gases, and also wrote an important work on chemistry. Encyclopedia Britannica says of him: "By his will he endowed a series of Boyle lectures, or sermons, which still continue, 'for proving the Christian religion against notorious infidels...' As a devout Protestant, Boyle took a special interest in promoting the Christian religion abroad, giving money to translate and publish the New Testament into Irish and Turkish. In 1690 he developed his theological views in The Christian Virtuoso, which he wrote to show that the study of nature was a central religious duty." Boyle wrote against atheists in his day (the notion that atheism is a modern invention is a myth), and was clearly much more devoutly Christian than the average in his era. Michael Faraday (1791-1867) Michael Faraday was the son of a blacksmith who became one of the greatest scientists of the 19th century. His work on electricity and magnetism not only revolutionized physics, but led to much of our lifestyles today, which depends on them (including computers and telephone lines and, so, web sites). Faraday was a devoutly Christian member of the Sandemanians, which significantly influenced him and strongly affected the way in which he approached and interpreted nature. Originating from Presbyterians, the Sandemanians rejected the idea of state churches, and tried to go back to a New Testament type of Christianity. Gregor Mendel (1822-1884) Mendel was the first to lay the mathematical foundations of genetics, in what came to be called "Mendelianism". He began his research in 1856 (three years before Darwin published his Origin of Species) in the garden of the Monastery in which he was a monk. Mendel was elected Abbot of his Monastery in 1868. His work remained comparatively unknown until the turn of the century, when a new generation of botanists began finding similar results and "rediscovered" him (though their ideas were not identical to his). An interesting point is that the 1860's was notable for formation of the X-Club, which was dedicated to lessening religious influences and propagating an image of "conflict" between science and religion. One sympathizer was Darwin's cousin Francis Galton, whose scientific interest was in genetics (a proponent of eugenics - selective breeding among humans to "improve" the stock). He was writing how the "priestly mind" was not conducive to science while, at around the same time, an Austrian monk was making the breakthrough in genetics. The rediscovery of the work of Mendel came too late to affect Galton's contribution. William Thomson Kelvin (1824-1907) Kelvin was foremost among the small group of British scientists who helped to lay the foundations of modern physics. His work covered many areas of physics, and he was said to have more letters after his name than anyone else in the Commonwealth, since he received numerous honorary degrees from European Universities, which recognized the value of his work. He was a very committed Christian, who was certainly more religious than the average for his era. Interestingly, his fellow physicists George Gabriel Stokes (1819-1903) and James Clerk Maxwell (1831-1879) were also men of deep Christian commitment, in an era when many were nominal, apathetic, or anti-Christian. The Encyclopedia Britannica says "Maxwell is regarded by most modern physicists as the scientist of the 19th century who had the greatest influence on 20th century physics; he is ranked with Sir Isaac Newton and Albert Einstein for the fundamental nature of his contributions." Lord Kelvin was an Old Earth creationist, who estimated the Earth's age to be somewhere between 20 million and 100 million years, with an upper limit at 500 million years based on cooling rates (a low estimate due to his lack of knowledge about radiogenic heating). Max Planck (1858-1947) Planck made many contributions to physics, but is best known for quantum theory, which revolutionized our understanding of the atomic and sub-atomic worlds. In his 1937 lecture "Religion and Naturwissenschaft," Planck expressed the view that God is everywhere present, and held that "the holiness of the unintelligible Godhead is conveyed by the holiness of symbols." Atheists, he thought, attach too much importance to what are merely symbols. Planck was a churchwarden from 1920 until his death, and believed in an almighty, all-knowing, beneficent God (though not necessarily a personal one). Both science and religion wage a "tireless battle against skepticism and dogmatism, against unbelief and superstition" with the goal "toward God!" Albert Einstein (1879-1955) Einstein is probably the best known and most highly revered scientist of the twentieth century, and is associated with major revolutions in our thinking about time, gravity, and the conversion of matter to energy (E=mc2). Although never coming to belief in a personal God, he recognized the impossibility of a non-created universe. The Encyclopedia Britannica says of him: "Firmly denying atheism, Einstein expressed a belief in "Spinoza's God who reveals himself in the harmony of what exists." This actually motivated his interest in science, as he once remarked to a young physicist: "I want to know how God created this world, I am not interested in this or that phenomenon, in the spectrum of this or that element. I want to know His thoughts, the rest are details." Einstein's famous epithet on the "uncertainty principle" was "God does not play dice" - and to him this was a real statement about a God in whom he believed. A famous saying of his was "Science without religion is lame, religion without science is blind." Source: http://www.godandscience.org/apologetics/sciencefaith.html

An Atheist’s View On Life I will live my life according to these beliefs God does not exist It is just foolish to think That there is a God with a cosmic plan That an all-powerful God brings purpose to the pain and suffering in the world It’s a comforting thought however Is only wishful...thinking People can do as they please without eternal consequences The idea that I am deserving of Hell Because of sin Is a lie meant to make me a slave to those in power The more you have the happier you will be Our existence has no grand meaning or purpose In a world with no God There is freedom to be who I want to be But with God Everything is fine It is ridiculous to think I am lost and in need of saving Versus A Christian’s View On Life (Now…read from bottom to top to see a different view.) I am lost and in need of saving It is ridiculous to think Everything is fine But with God There is freedom to be who I want to be In a world with no God Our existence has no grand meaning or purpose The more you have the happier you will be Is a lie meant to make me a slave to those in power Because of sin I am deserving of Hell The idea that People can do as they please without eternal consequences Is only wishful thinking Is a comforting thought, however That an all-powerful God brings purpose to the pain and suffering in the world That there is a God with a cosmic plan It is just foolish to think God does not exist I will live my life according to these beliefs ~ Author Unknown