Dear all
I just want to know your opinion on somthing. At school a lot of the people in my class are athiests. When they come and question you about the existance of God and you reply with alot of good points they seem to be ignorant and don't wan't to hear the God side of it. They keep saying that science has proved that God doesn't exist. I keep telling them it can't but they won't listen. I feel sorry for them because they didn't have the same privilages that we had (bieng born in a christian family and knowing god) that is why I'm concerned. What should I do?
Comments
In the world today, they're should be no such thing as "preaching", especially in the well developed countries such as Europe, America, Canada, Australia etc. Everybody knows about God, Jesus, the torah, the koran, the bible, mohammad etc. It is a fact that they have heard about god, and they don't accept it. It takes a person like St. Athanasius to convert these people. Not even a regular Abouna would be able to do it. Because in this modern day world, many conversions from one religon to another have occurred because people are born into a religon they don't like. In your class, it seems like these are old people. They have made up they're decisions and like I said it takes a person like St. Athanasius to convert these people. Even Saint Athanasius had a hard time dealing with heretics who haven't heard about christianity. Now, these people know about it, and they don't accept it, so that makes it even harder for them to return to the right path. The best thing you can do for them is pray and maybe even fast if you really want them to repent. However, I don't believe that anything you say will influence they're ideas.
PK
Although I don't believe that most people have any real information about religion these days I agree it is worthless to preach directly to them. However we have to witness to them, we can't just ignore them,we may even have to preach if we are called to.
What to do? We will be judged and found wanting if we just let people go to hell. Can we as well as praying and fasting for our comrades ensure that we set a good example of a Christ like life (admitting our faults when we commit them)?
My daughter has told me she is not a Christian and neither are any of my relations. How sad is that? I want to enjoy eternity with them but Christ is the Way. Unbelieving colleagues and classmates also deserve our best prayers and other efforts.
God bless you
Aidan
God Bless.
Dear Friends
Although I don't believe that most people have any real information about religion these days I agree it is worthless to preach directly to them. However we have to witness to them, we can't just ignore them,we may even have to preach if we are called to.
What to do? We will be judged and found wanting if we just let people go to hell. Can we as well as praying and fasting for our comrades ensure that we set a good example of a Christ like life (admitting our faults when we commit them)?
My daughter has told me she is not a Christian and neither are any of my relations. How sad is that? I want to enjoy eternity with them but Christ is the Way. Unbelieving colleagues and classmates also deserve our best prayers and other efforts.
God bless you
Aidan
Aidan, in all due respect what kind of person doesn't know about christianity, islam, and judaism?!
waht u are taught
what u beleive in
and most importantly ur weakness in following this.
ur hope and strong will that even if u fall u will stand up and try again and in the end the just father will give me waht ever he sees as worthy.
do not pity others into or make them belive by telling them u r personal expereince. that is not for u to do. many in the western world witness in this manner they run around telling how God has changed thier life. i think this is a dangerous step and shouldnt be followed.
just simply tell them that u believe in GOD that u believe in heaven hell and judgment day do not pass a judgment just say i do. tell them about our saviour thats all
do not answer questions on too much just tell if they want to know the truth and more then take courage and find out themselves go study the bible and pray and u will find out and to leave u at peace. the rest God will take care of. if they still doint believe then bless them saying may u find the truth may God be with u and never against u.
as for Aidan remember with family members it is important to know that u are not there save thier soul it is God s work just do that which is asked of u speak the word to them and leave the rest to GOD. PLEAD in prayer for thier eyes to open the rest may the lord take care of .
They don't even understand the apparent evidence of science that they believe disprove God, so how can they maintain that. Tell them that just as easily you could say that Science has found God, and they wouldn't be able to prove you wrong. So, tell them the fact they think that God has been disproven by science is not evidence at all. Unless they understand science, what they think it says about God is irrelevant- and they are truly the ones that are ignorant, not you.
He came to my house, and my mother had baked Fateer (for Saint Mary's feast). He then started to ask us questions. All i said is this :" Well, you know, ONE DAY SHE APPEARED IN THE ZEITOUN CHURCH... " . then he stopped me. He said :"NO WAY!". Then he was eager to believe and to learn more. However, I was only around 14 years old at the time; and I couldnt give him the information he required. Had the internet been available at that time, he would have seen the pics of Saint Mary in the Church where MILLIONS witnessed this most amazing and spectacular apparition of the Holy Mother.
Here is the advice I give you:
a) Tell them that you understand they may not believe in God given their cultural backgrounds. (ie. their friends may not be practicing etc, nor their parents. Also, there is no one in school to actually evangelise. On the contrary, schools now teach against the Bible: That evolution is only a theory, etc, and the Bible is not real.
b) Tell them that you were born of a Christian family, and that your family would never have left Christianity had they not been convinced with the power of prayer.
c) Tell them that you were fortunate enough to come from a particular Orthodox Church where Saint Mary appeared in Zeitoun before millions of muslims AND Christians. If they doubt, direct them to the web-pages.
d) Tell them "which of the 10 Commandments is wrong for them?"
e) If they don't believe in marriage because they don't believe in God, it would mean that they just believe in fornication; or sex for pleasure?? Ask them then if would they be happy if their daughters or mothers were just used for sex also (even if they consented).?? Maybe they will say "Sure! If she consents and she's old enough - why not?? its only sex" : Tell them that they cannot distinguish between right and wrong. And leave them alone quietly.
And when thwey ask you questions, don't hesitate to answer. Don't answer with a 'I'm going to prove you wrong' attitude, but a 'Lord, please speak through my lips'. It's is your duty to answer the questions they ask you, and if you cannot, find the answers and go back!
+God Bless.
PRAY PRAY PRAY !!
And when thwey ask you questions, don't hesitate to answer. Don't answer with a 'I'm going to prove you wrong' attitude, but a 'Lord, please speak through my lips'. It's is your duty to answer the questions they ask you, and if you cannot, find the answers and go back!
+God Bless.
Yeah... i forgot to mention, its important to pray.
pray for me and for all who don't know God
For every law to every chemical reaction, there are discrepancies against that law. Even in Chemistry the books that explain concepts where these reactions do not follow the law of chemistry are more than the books that explain chemical laws.
There is an entire subject in chemistry to do with perfection and imperfection, namely of lattices. Its endless. For every journal saying that some vitamin is good for you, there is another journal saying the exact opposite.
From talking to some, I found out that they are athiests because of two things. Lustful desires and what they call "freedom" from any Religion or God.
What you have to bear in mind is this: Christ's laws protect us. The ONLY law in the 10 commandments that they seem to agree with is murder. However, If people are living outside these laws and neglecting them, they are suffering. Can you imagine the state someone would be in who would say:
"There is nothing wrong with having sex outside marriage, and if my 16 year old daughter decides to have some sexual fun, well good for her".
--> what if she gets pregnant? Then you'll commit abortion? That's murder!?
--> What if the man she slept with is not interested in living with her?
--> what if the man she slept with just used her for sex? Afterall, its what you've condoned for her also?
I totally trust that what God tells us is for own good. At the end, they will reap what they have sown, but for sure, we need to help them. We definately have to pray for them.
I know 100's of girls that got pregnant outside marriage, and it was just through having sex with their boyfriends. When they became pregnant, i can tell you, it was not a pretty sight : they were screaming, angry, depressed... and yes, they apparently had abortions. Its awful.
--> Is this "living your life to the full"
--> Is this regrettable? yes!
All this nonsense brings them to God, and they need healing.. but as a Christian, i care that they are not hurt by the false sense of freedom that is marketed to them by people who do not have any morals, nor fear of God.
Every one knows about religions but they don't know what they are about or what God is.
I'm not trying to preach in a sense but just to answer them in good way, not convincing them.
God bless all of you and pray for me
I have experinced such situatuions and somewhat worse to the point were people in my class (including the teachers) have made fun of our Lord Jesus Christ. The best soultion is to pray for them, because like some one else already mentioned these people have their mind set or have experinced a situation that made them have a bad impression of christianity. every thing is possible with God and if you pray hard enough and God will act on your love towards them. seconde you preserve your chrisitian conduct because a good example of a christian would definatley give a good impression and it is through our actions that people know God. We are the light of the World and to shine we must keep our lantern clean from sin and earthly actions. If you give up then it is your responisbitly and you would be judged at the end. it is a commandment of God to pray for those who hate us, but what about those who hate our Lord!! We must pray for them too. (also avoid mentioning our sacrements or rights of the Church if you are certain people will make fun of it.... "Do not give what is holy to the dogs; nor cast your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under their feet, and turn and tear you in pieces." i had trouble with this in the past until i learned about Mathew 7:6)
Please pray for me ;D
I do not intend for you to hate athiests (if you do that perhaps you will suffer from satan in whatever ways God knows..)
My friend Kirmich I think you will benefit much if you listen to this advice from me... (I will benefit to follow it too)
"Athiests and all unbelievers are the most dangerous people in the world" the bible verse "Contend for the faith"
"fight the good fight of faith"
this is not for all people.. but rather only for those people who have the talent for this and perhaps mostly for certain clergy...
People might trouble you throughout your life because they might be envious of you... atleast the devil is very envious
I suffered personally greatly from thinking too much about these godless people.. in fact I was all day long for a long time thinking these people were irrational idiots.. and I was succeeding alot I thought in my mind.. proving many things in my mind and learning many things.. but I was struck with a heavy blow one day when I was by myself thinking... and I was at a great point of despair.. and I would have been totally destroyed if God did not save me.. He seemed to prolong not helping me and I wanted to commit suicide (God seemed to say hard things against me also in His word but that might of been the devil to some degree atleast how he would magnify the negative)... but God prevented me out of His love for me... and I thank people on this forum for helping me alot.. but without God Himself and praying to Him very seriously.. so desperate I was to get my faith back that I would go to places at night or do other weird stuff and would run desperately praying for my faith back... sometimes with tears.. and God did save me (I also made sure to follow my bishops advice to do 10 prostrations).. (I wonder if He would not save me if I did not pray seriously) God always saves those who wait on Him but the temptation of depair is cruel..
(Abba Theodore) said 'If you are friendly with someone who happens to fall
into the temptation of fornication, offer him your hand, if you can, and
deliver him from it. But if he falls into heresy and you cannot persuade him
dto turn from it, separate yourself quickly from him, in case, if you delay,
you too may be dragged down with him into the pit.
I believe pope shenouda is very deep about things more than me perhaps and that he went through some trials too and escaped them...
he said in the book spiritual warfares (?) that the temptation of faith is more harder to beat or that might be wrong.. rather did he say it is more dangerous (or something) than the other temptations even fornication.......
he said that not everyone has the talent to refute all the doubts.. and it is true if you keep beating some doubts more will come which are worser for you to deal with..
Anyway it was said here by my brothers and sisters(sorry I do not remember) that I MUST have a rock solid relationship with Jesus Christ... Jesus said He who desires to do God's will will know whether I am from God or not.. right? yes sorry I could be twisting words.. and He said all who are taught by God will come to Me and His sheep hear His voice.. and I heard a preacher on tv.. while I was in this period.. say that for 20 years he ... mental.. faith... but now he understood something..(?) that he must seek to do God's will to have faith or something..
Faith is a gift from God..Nor is it a mental conviction resulting from analysis, deduction, or comparison but that might follow. Faith is not a feeling or emotion. Got that from somewhere..
Did pope shenouda say that if you do not have the fruits of the spirit and live a life of faith then God will take even your intellectual faith from you.. but as with me.. I believe God said do not despair.. and when you seek God again you will find Him .. but then you have to live the life of the spirit... I think God wants us not to trust in our faith alone.. but not to lose hope we may be saved like many other sinners who were saved and like the right thief..
"to him who has more will be given and to him who does nor have (the lively faith) even what he has will be taken away from him (the intellectual faith)" that is how pope shenouda interpreted the verse I think... but there are other meanings too I think..
I know that satan wants to take away our faith for in revelations those who were praised were those who kept the faith of jesus AND do His commandments..
Sorry if I have terrified you my beloved friend.. I say to all the same..
Since I like to think alot and find it hard to do positive work I think I could be easy bait for satan again and again.. may God never permit the enemy to swallow us up.. oh well I have greatly enjoyed the christian life..
Basically I am afraid I say all my life to everyone on this forum.. that my virtues could be destroyed or I have no reward in heaven.. but I am hoping that this is not true.. and it does not seem reasonable to me.. I think many other people think this way thats why they don't post alot.. or maybe their struggles are not such that it is necessary for them to do the same.. YES I ENCOURAGE YOU TO SEEK GOD ABOUT WHAT IS RIGHT OR WRONG.. DO NOT Destroy yourself through vain glory.... actually this saying no to you.. encourages you to do the same doesn't it? that you won't let me live how I want to ..you demons.. okay sorry.. just kidding? if you will not heed me you shall be destroyed and I will not....
Of course the next question Atheists will ask is, "who created god?" which is a silly question if and when you have a clear definition/concept of "God".
It is so annoying when they ask that. Even when u explain they don't get it![quote author=bible_dude link=topic=5840.msg80236#msg80236 date=1197430327] (also avoid mentioning our sacrements or rights of the Church if you are certain people will make fun of it....
It's not that they will make fun of it but they just don't understand it. To them, how can bread and wine turn to flesh and blood?
+ The other thing is when they want to ask someone they go to a christian in the class who has the least idea about christianity and they start attacking. The Christian gets confused or just doesn't care so they think that all Christians are uncertain about their beliefs.
+ When you try to be a good example and do good things, they just ignore it and think that u are different (in a bad way) still u never stop being a good example but they just don't get the message that u are good because of your faith.
Pray 4 me
His material is free to download at drdino.com.
I've seen his vids. They are quite good to convince. When will they ever learn the truth? He has mentioned a few times about what athiests believe like evolution, humanism... The thing that now gets annoying is that they force their fake theories into everybodies mind in text-books claiming that it is science. All these things haven't even been observed so they aren't science...
God Bless.
http://www.coptichymns.net/module-library-viewpub-tid-1-pid-375.html
Check it out and i hope i helped
Pray for me a Sinner
May the prayers of Pope Kyrollos be with us all Amen
Glory be to Our GOD Amen!