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[jim]

Hi.  I’m 18 years old and I live in Illinois, USA.  Some of my hobbies are pen spinning, video games, reading comic books, and hanging out on the internet.  I’m a senior in high school and I go to a Christian school.

Short testimony of me.  In my sophomore year, I found Ray’s article on tithing.  I liked it and agreed with it, then I looked at the rest of the stuff on the website and saw that he didn’t believe in Hell.  I thought he was crazy and I didn’t even bother to read the other articles.  Some time later, I gave my brother the tithing article, but I told him I didn’t agree with the rest of the website.  My brother read the some other articles and he believed them and told me about it.  I didn’t listen at first, but eventually I couldn’t ignore the proof my brother was giving me, so I believed it.  I think this was around the second semester of my junior year.

Going to a Christian school now is a lot different than it was when I used to believe the church.  I don’t want to go to a different school though, because I want to finish high school with the people I’ve been with for 7 years.

I’ve been lurking here for awhile, just wanted to let you guys know about me.  I’ve read almost all of Ray’s Lake of Fire series.  Excellent stuff.

Well, good to be here.

[hillsbororiver]

Welcome Jim,

I must say I found your introduction to be quite remarkable, if I had been introduced to this 34 years ago when I was an 18 year old wild man I either would have laughed it off or my head would have exploded.

It is nothing short of amazing to me that you are in the position to be sober (spiritually) minded about these things at your age, believe me I am not disparaging your youth, just the opposite, your post gave me a great joy this evening.

His Peace and Wisdom to you,

Joe   

[chuckusa]

Hi Jim,

Joe, you said it!

What a wonderful thing to see, make no mistake about it Jim, this is real. It's mind boggling at first when you realize that the truth was there in front of you all the time, but you couldn't see it. I'm very happy that you have been led here, welcome.

Your brother,
Chuck

[ned]

Hi Jim,
Welcome to the forum.
Going back to my teenage years.....
I didn't learn about God until I was 16. (I even went to a catholic elementary school). What I learnt at 16 was the truth, but only what God wanted me to know at that time;
20 years later, He led me to a church, got me saved, even "physically" baptized, and after only one short year... - pulled me out.
One year in the church was enough to plant blasphemy in my mind.

Praise God for His mercy in showing me the truth and leading me here to fellowship with His children.

Stay focused on Jesus, Jim, being in a christian school that doesn't know the truth, when you know the truth, could be real tough...but God is right beside you. You are blessed indeed to know the truth. And what's great, there will always be so much more to learn.

Here's to Jesus Christ!
Marie

[buddyjc]

Hi Jim,

I work at a Christian school here in Orlando, Florida.  I'm the janitor, so you be nice to your janitor okay?    Anyway, when I was 18, I was still asking the 'Why God' questions.  What a joy it must be for you to see these truths early on.  It will indeed be tough attending a Christian school now, but like Marie said, keep your focus on Christ and you will see it through. 

We are so glad to have you here, so don't lurk too much.  I will pray that you will be able to stand for the truth of God's Word while in school.

Your Brother,
Brian

[Kat]

Hi Jim,

It is always good to see someone new on the forum.
It is indeed unusual for God to open the eyes of someone your age.
You should be very thankful for the knowledge of the Truth.
Hope you will post any questions you have,
someone here should be able to give you an answer.
The more you stay in His Word, the more you will stay out of the world.

mercy, peace, and love
Kat

[snorky]

Jim, you are such a welcome one here and remarkable, too, that you have been given a lot of wisdom so young. I didn't want my two kids in a Christian School because all those kinds of schools out here are Southern Baptist and they always seemed to me to be too self-righteous and uptight with their dress codes, student behavior and what not (and actually I heard some almost horror stories about some of them out here in far west Texas, where fundamentalism and legalism is king), nor having taught in public school did I want them there. So I homeschooled them both, but NEVER used a Bible curriculum (again, the homeschool materials were from a Southern Baptist perspective), I just had them mainly read the "red letters" of Christ's words. So you are going to have to deal with the heresies they spout there... perhaps "in one ear and out the other" which is what I had to do when I went to Catholic school grades 1-4 (and then my parents decided to get me out of there before I drove them nuts about it) where, would you believe, I was once told I was going to hell because I ate food an hour before "Comunion practice" [at the time one must not have aten 3 hours before!]!! Plus, my mother was Catholic but my dad was Episcopalean and forced to convert to Catholicism. I'll never forget the discussions around the dinner table about the Pope's "infallibility"! Anyway, ritualistic stuff never got me down and don't let it get you down. God knows what's in your heart. May your God-given wisdom increase!

Deb aka "snorky"

[justifyothers]

Hi
I'm retarded and cannot figure out how to introduce myself. So, I just replied to one of the new guys...
I'm new to this or any other forum. Just wanted to say HI.
Started reading some of Ray's things 2 yrs ago. And I must say, I thank God for his web-site!! It taught me that it is OK to question. I was bound very tightly in "traditional christianity" and could not get answers from my friends/family/pastors. I will admit -- I don't agree with EVERY thing Ray says ( I guess if I agreed with everything he said, I'd be him!!) ;-) But I enjoy discussion and embrace totally the idea that there is no eternal damnation!!
Hope nobody minds if I share other thoughts I might have on various topics......
My "code" name is justifyothers...It doesn't mean I always do, but it serves as a reminder to me that I should!!
Love
Karen

[justifyothers]

Hi Jim --
Sorry I used your post to introduce myself. Didn't know how otherwise!
Welcome ! And you can welcome me!!;-)

Nice to see someone so young in the world of free thinkers!! Got out before they really sucked ya in, huh?
Just kidding (kind of) Christianity is full of many wonderful people who beleive they are doing the right thing and living the right way. And we are not here to tell them they are not! That said, it is good to ask questions and follow the Spirit.  Just ask God for His will in your life and follow your heart!  You may be surprised where it takes you and the questions you ask!
love
Karen

[jim]

Thanks for the welcomes, guys. 

lolz, it's funny how everyone has there name at the end of their post.

Hm, I feel special to know the truth at a young age.  Now I have the rest of my life to continue learning truths of the bible, that is, if I live for a long time.   

@ Kat: Pen Spinning isn't a northern thing, it's a global thing.

http://www.superhandz.com/videos.html

Watch the first video, and then you can watch the next 2 also.

@justifyothers: Heh, I don't mind you using my topic.  Uh, welcome, even though I just got here.

[gmik]

Hi Jim & Karen.  (Sorin thanks for bringing this thread back up as I just now saw it.)

Welcome, belatedly.  Don't be shy, please post.

Jim I taught in a Christian school for 11 years. (Back when I was a "christian").  Don't know how I would work out there now with what I believe now.  How my 3 kids got thru there was to answer all questions in line with the schools  beliefs and then at the end of each paper they would say, but that is not how I believe or THIS is what I believe. Only 1 of the 3 are into Ray's teaching.  The other 2 are "good" christians who pretty much reject all of Ray's teachings EXCEPT for universal salvation.  They like that.

Anyway good to have you both here.

gena