> General Discussions
Unequally yolked
Michele:
Me AGain,
You know, I feel these weird scary feelings about these people who write these books because they are Non God. But you know....other "Christians" and Preachers are always speaking of these persons (Non believers) as if it was their full choice to not believe in God....and maybe for a few who are angry at God ...maybe that's true for people who say "well if god is going to torture people for eternity" then I don't want anything to do with him, ...but then you couldn't say the case there was them not believing in God, those people just don't want anything to do with God.
I'm talking about people who truly think of "God" like you would think of believing/worshipping the tooth-fairy, or santa claus.
These men/women who write these books are just like the rest of us in a way, they are Searching for something. Maybe some of them are so afraid of anything controlling them that they totally shy away from the possibility of it and look everywhere else, or maybe they just cannot see God in any aspect???
I surely don't know.
I have read a few posts here from a couple of persons who said they were scientists or scientifically minded. I would SO appreciate ANything you could show me, lead me to read that would help me stay my course towards God and also help reveal the natural wonders of the world in a way that I could enjoy them as a way to relate to my "science is my religion" spouse.
I find that I've let myself be terrified of Science becasue the scientists of today seem to make a mockery out of God completely....but there must be some scientists out there (I've read 40%) that DO believe in a creator. Please, can any of you help me see science as a way to understand God's creation better....WEll all science is of God's making then everything that scientists discover is something that God allowed to Be, but tell that to an athiest!
Can someone help me reconcile the Bible scriptures and Scientific facts? There must be a way unless everyone thinks God is out to see who would believe what....like many christians say..which cannot be because God already Knows Everything we're going to say or do, right?!
So is the Bible guidelines?
Which is literal and which are parables?
Adam Eve and the Serpant...a story of good/evil and consequences or Literal? They say there are many other civilizations who have such creation stories.
The Flood? Parable story of a good man who obeys God and the destruction of the wicked? Or literal happenings? Science says it would be a structural impossibility for an ark to be created this way much less float.....
But then you've got the virgin birth and Jesus's resurrection, but those were of course miracles....
Please forgive my ignorance. I truly do not know what I believe on any of these subjects.
Sometimes I don't know anything about anything.....All I know for certain is I want to be on God and Jesus good side, out of fear and out of love also. I cannot even imagine what "heaven" is like. I always thought of it as a "place" that "our spirit" dwells....I cannot imagine it other than that.
Hell is still a "fear" I'm trying to stomp out of my soul.
I appreciate all of your help, with all my heart.
Bless you all,
Michele
orion77:
Hello Michele,
I appreciate your openess and honesty in looking for the truth. Have you prayed in this same way and asked Him to reveal the truth to you? If you have, hopefully Rays site and this forum will help in some way.
As far as that site teaching of hell, I got through the first sentence and it just amazes me hell is a place for people who reject Christ, so they say. To where I am at now, concerning Christ, those who truly know Christ can in no way possibly even consider Him in that way, impossible. Its just not true. God is full of righteous judgment which leads to repentence and humbleness, and a knowledge of the character of God.
Raising children is a good example of our Father. We, who are sinners, love our children and want the best for them. Yet, would any of us even think of punishing our children so brutally and without mercy? Then they come up with the response, that it is not God sending them to hell, but they chose to go there. It is all hogwash and totally unscriptural. Hope you read and study Rays articles, he teaches these truths in a good and unique way. Very eye opening.
From your posts, I can see God is drawing or dragging you to search for the truth. You are blessed for this. We have common sense (spiritual) for a reason, and through diligence and prayer, He will open our eyes.
As far as science goes, there are others here who know more than I do, but I often think that it was not too many years ago, that the world used to believe the earth was flat and if anyone said anything differently they would of burned them at the stake. The gift of spiritual awakening far exceeds the wisdom of this world.
God bless your search for truth,
Gary
hillsbororiver:
Hi Michele,
I don't know if your husband is open to reading any of the following, but these books are all written by Phd scientists who explain rather convincingly the problems inherent with Darwinism and evolution, as well as how Einstein's Theory of Relativity might explain the time/space continuums that perplex many in regard to Genesis/creation.
If you check out the following links they can lead you to many other interesting books on this subject.
http://www.amazon.com/Science-God-Gerald-Schroeder/dp/076790303X
http://www.amazon.com/Science-God-Introduction-Scientific-Theology/dp/0802828159/ref=pd_lpo_k2_dp_k2a_3_txt/104-5271819-8875154?ie=UTF8
http://www.amazon.com/s.html/ref=pd_lpo_k2_dp_sq/104-5271819-8875154?ie=UTF8&keywords=darwins%20black%20box&index=blended
Maybe this will help, an open mind is crucial.
His Peace to you,
Joe
mongoose:
Michele,
You sound so anxious and scared...it's ok. You don't have to know everything right now. You're going to be all right. We aren't going to think less of you because you have confusions and questions and anxieties. It's ok to be afraid and to doubt and be confused and seeking answers. We all seem to go through this and it's all ok.
Ok, scientists. I am one of those. I work in research at a university. And yes, I do work with some athiests. My last mentor is one and talked about it all the time and tried to convince others. Now, that said...I have scientist friends who are methodists and catholic and agnostic and hindu and well...the list goes on and on. The fact is, scientists are just like everyone else...a mixture of religions and beliefs. The whole thing that all scientists are athiests is a myth. Yes, there are some and they are very vocal. In the case of my last mentor, he is athiest because he decide the whole bible was a made-up lie because he read revelations and all about hell...and couldn't reconcile it with this supposed god of love that they also talked about. Too many contraditions = lie to him. So he threw the whole thing out. Interestingly enough, his wife goes to some sort of christian church and his daughter believes in God.
I would be happy to discuss these things with you over PM and look things up to help you understand how science and God can coexist. I think the books Joe suggested are an excellent idea to read. I was reading Stephen Hawkings "A Brief History of Time" a little while ago and it hit me, he's describing God. Not in those terms but he is. Freaked me out...but I loved it too. So, I personally see no contradition between science and believing in God and a lot of my co-workers don't either. One thing is...most scientific "breakthroughs" happen by "chance"...a happy set of circimstances where things don't go as they are planned and then all of a sudden wow, is that how this works. And this is openly acknowledged (from the journal Physiology Oct. 2006):
--- Quote --- Moreover, discoveries almost always come about when bright independent investigators stumble over unexpected findings and then sort them out. Such stumbling is unpredictable. The bigger the discovery, the more unpredictable. As unnerving as it may seem, the best way to invest in discovery is to fund the best independent investigators and turn them loose to stumble.
--- End quote ---
Hmmm....I just don't see us coincidently stumbling into things this way without a little help. Kinda sounds like God at work directing the "discoveries" doesn't it? ;) To me, scientific progress is all God unveiling things just a bit at a time. And it is so complex. As Gary said, we used to believe the world was flat. Guess what, we're just as wrong about other things. As Albert Einstein said "the difference between what the most and the least learned people know is inexpressibly trivial in relation to all that is unknown". So, science doens't have all the answers or even the right questions. What we do learn is making people's lives longer...and sometimes better. I study how our bodies work...and it is so elegant and beautiful and perfect. We are all walking miracles. The amount of things that have to go right for us to breathe or for me to type this...it blows my mind.
Anyway, you may not be able to convince your husband, even though you might want to. Only God can open his eyes. As for telling him you dont' believe in hell, pray about it and you'll do what's right. It's ok.
I hope this gives you some comfort. And the offer to discuss this at any length you'd like over PM is always open.
Be at peace. God loves you and is working in you. You're going to be ok.
Love in Christ,
mongoose
Michele:
I've continued communicating with a particular member here who has given me much good to think upon. But I always come up with many more questions. Given my situation where I am already unequally yolked I am interested in getting some solid answers to some questions I have.
1. Someone writes in to Ray about being getting into an unequally yolked relationship and whethere he should or not and Ray's responce was of course the bible passage that states "Do not be unequally yolked with a non believer". That is what the passage says. However I would like some further explanations that might help someone coming here if they looked that up. See, if we believe that God is overseeing our lives and actions and presenting us with all the choices and you choose that choice then that means you are supposed to be where you are for a reason right? Meaning if you fall in love with a non-believer then that's where God has allowed you to be? So if that's the case then you are not doing anything wrong by marrying a non-believer? But the traditional church would have you believe that you broke one of Gods laws by getting with a nonbeliever. And what I've been learning here from others is that the reason God states "do not be unequally yolked" is because it will cause Strain in your marriage and he doesn't want you to have to suffer that.....even if you are there because that's where he allowed/led you to go???? Very Confusing!
Conversely God specifically states that non-believers and belivers that are unequally yolked are to stay with one another if the unbelieving spouse wants to stay with you and says how the family and child of the family is sanctified by this union because one of them is a believer and also for those that worry about their childs spiritual welfare in this union the scriptures say that God is Not willing for the child of this union to be lost...(I need to find the scripture, I can't recall it word for word) and that the union and child is blessed or sanctified because one of the parents is a believer.
My point here is that yes, we see what the bible says and that's great to know. But what EXACTLY does it mean for the many of us in this situation?
1.I've been told God is directing our lives or presenting us with a myriad of choices that he wants us to choose from so if we ended up whereever we are then it's because that's the way he wanted it to go....so those of us who have been told by the traditional christian upbringnigs, who live in anguish and guilt daily need to know that THIS IS WHAT God meant for us, in other words we're here for a reason. Right? ANd if that's so we need not feel guillty and we should continue to love our non-believing spouse and if God wants them to know him, HE will do the work on them and our only job as believers is to continue to try seeking Him out and being a non-judgemental, non-pious, humble, examples...so if God chooses to use us to show the non-belivers the way then that's what'll happen. ?????
Someone asked earlier on this same thread what constitutes a Non-beliver? and her question was never addressed?
Is a non-beliver people who don't beliver in God/Jesus Period.
OR
All other religions?
OR
Is a non-beliver people who don't belive in universal restitution....say like nearly everyone in the traditional christian upbringings of today?
People need not only know what the bible scrilptures state, but how to actually think about them and utilize their message in real daily life. IT's especially tough for all of us who grew up in "traditional" christian upbringings who are struggling to find out the real Truth of God's word after all of the false things we've been taught.
Any help here would be greatly appreciated.
Oh, one more thing. I was reading up some stuff here and there were two memebers who were talking about visiting an athiest website i believe, and one said to another to "get out of there it's dangerous"....WHAT does that mean? Why is that dangerous? If you are there doesn't that mean that God allowed you to go there and also, most importantly if God has already spoken to your heart and now you know him, aren't you SAFE from any type of dangers?
ANd furthermore, what are the DANGERS that can happen anyway. IF it is never to late for anyone on this planet...since Jesus died for ALL and we ar e all going to be in Heaven with God and God is not going to torture us in a fabled "hell" for eternity...........WHAT exactly is the terrible things that everyone is trying to avoid....the Dangers that believers worry about for thier non-beliving loved ones facing?????? And why should we worry anyway? God's gonna handle it for the non-belivers, RIght? IT isn't up to US to save anybody????
Please help me with these questions. I seem to be misunderstanding or picking up some contradicting information....or perhaps i just don't understand it all yet.
All help is appreciated.
Thanks!
Michele
Navigation
[0] Message Index
[#] Next page
[*] Previous page
Go to full version