Jesus

[MrBlobby]

But what you described isn't exactly what I was looking for . . . I mean a time where you had a true encounter with the Lord, something where at the time there was no room for doubt.

Well at the time I did actually think this was a true encounter with god. I took my *healing* to be an answer from him. Maybe not what you are looking for, but you almost expect this true encounter, which seems strange.

MrB

[Fiosh]

Hi MrB:

Can I ask you a couple of questions? I'm curious.

* how old are you?

* what "were" you before the 8 years as a Christian?

* what 1 thing convinced you that Jesus is not God?

* do you want us to help you believe again?

* would you like us to pray for you?

Peace,

Fiosh

[nebula]

Well at the time I did actually think this was a true encounter with god.

I understand that - I had experiences, too, where I thought it was God -

as one song I love goes:

So many times in my life

I thought it was You

But I was mistaken

So many things in my life

I thought were from You

But now they've been taken

But through the confusion

The things of my life

The struggle that always remains

No matter how hopeless and dark it may seem

You never change. . . .

But is this the only example you have?

Because by what you are saying, it sounds like you had more of a religion than a relationship going on there.

[mrs]

Would you please describe one of these experiences?

Why did you believe this was God at the time (beyond "wanting")?

And what do you have now to replace this? (Not what else to explain this - but what you have now to replace what you found then.)

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I have asthma. I prayed that this would be taken away so that I would not have to keep on taking my meds every day. One night I felt a strong urge not to take my meds, I felt this message was from god who was answering my prayer. I did not take anything that night. It felt weird and I was in some discomfort, but I managed through the night, and for the next few months. I took this to be an answer to my prayer, and gave god the praise etc. I was having problems breathing but I was determined not to take anything for it. After a few more weeks though I was really having breathing problems, and reluctantly had to go back to my meds. I think it's clear that I was deluding myself at the time. I wanted to be healed so I convinced myself that I was.

MrB

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

It sounds like you got mixed up in some of the WOF bad teaching.

[yomotalking]

Would you please describe one of these experiences?

Why did you believe this was God at the time (beyond "wanting")?

And what do you have now to replace this? (Not what else to explain this - but what you have now to replace what you found then.)

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I have asthma. I prayed that this would be taken away so that I would not have to keep on taking my meds every day. One night I felt a strong urge not to take my meds, I felt this message was from god who was answering my prayer. I did not take anything that night. It felt weird and I was in some discomfort, but I managed through the night, and for the next few months. I took this to be an answer to my prayer, and gave god the praise etc. I was having problems breathing but I was determined not to take anything for it. After a few more weeks though I was really having breathing problems, and reluctantly had to go back to my meds. I think it's clear that I was deluding myself at the time. I wanted to be healed so I convinced myself that I was.

MrB

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

It may have been that you let go of your faith that it was going to work.

[yomotalking]

It sounds like you got mixed up in some of the WOF bad teaching.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Yup. God isn't a genie in a bottle that you rub and chant over and then get what you want.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

What is WOF?

Witnesses of ........??????????

[EricH]

Could you expand your question? are you interested if Jesus is fictional or not, or if what He did was substantially different than a fictional character like Super-man

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I do not believe Jesus is God. I am sure there were many men named Jesus living at that time, but I do not believe that the Jesus in the bible is a factual person. I asked my question because fictional heroes tend to have similar attributes. Eg. Heroes tend to be loners who operate outside of society, like Jesus.

MrB

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Jesus didn't have claws made of adamantium that he could extend and retract from the ends of his fists. He didn't have protoplasmic light that He could fire from His eyes at will. He wasn't a master of marital arts. He couldn't scale walls the the dexterity of a spider, and He couldn't fire webbing from His wrists. Jesus wasn't faster than a speeding bullet, more powerful than a locomotive, and He couldn't bend steel with His bare hands.

Jesus Christ was in no way, shape, or form comparable to a comic book superhero. He was - and is - the incarnate God. Nothing less.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Yeah, but ya gotta admit the way he drove those demons out of the man in Gadarenes, and into the swine.....that was pretty cool

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

The biggest miracle is how he took a person like me who was full of sin, and is in the process of transforming me so that I can serve Him

[PwrInTheBld]

I literally brainwashed myself in order to submerge myself in Jesus, to get to know him intimately. It's a one sided relationship though. We didn't even go out for a cup of coffee together!

He likes Chi tea He was at the table with me and a friend at the coffee shop not long ago. Our tea came, we prayed....and He WAS there

You say you invested 8 years of your life into Christianity.....Jesus invested His entire life in you.

Jesus loves you. That won't change no matter how far you try to run away from Him.

[ruah brit]

Would you categorize Jesus as a hero? Many fictional stories are based on a character who saves the day. Is Jesus just another of these characters?

MrBlobby:

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

A hero is a concept of the flesh. Christ is God. Christ is the king of the soon to be saved creation. The Almighty Spirit of light that will soon separate those who would not come to the Light into outer darkness for eternity.

Denise

[Fiosh]

he