Best Posts in Thread: An Open Letter to All Young Christians - Please Convince Me.

"But in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect." - 1 Peter 3:15 (ESV)

With all due respect for your beliefs, Deljikho - it sounds like you have given them a lot of reasoned thought - some of the views you describe, especially the one quoted above, are what I would consider to be "eccentric" for someone who calls himself a Christian. Christ being crucified for our sins is a core belief that defines what Christianity actually is. Gnosticism is also considered heretical - not Christian. I'm not sure how someone can say they are a member of a religion and then reject the core tenets of that same religion. Please understand, I say this not to make claims about whether you or anyone else is "saved" or going to heaven, but to make sure that the terms "Christian" and "Christianity" have actual meaning in this discussion. One can find meaning in the life and teachings of Jesus without holding the core beliefs of Christianity.

Some do... and they're told to stop ramming their beliefs down people's throats. It's refreshing to see an athiest acknowledge why Christians would be motivated to preach about Jesus to others. But generally, leading with telling people they're going to hell doesn't get a good response (though it does serve as a "wake-up call" for some). Especially here in the United States (or Western societies similar to it), most people believe they know who Jesus is, what Christianity is, and why they do or don't believe it. It tends to be more effective to lead by example, to have honest conversations, to make people WANT to follow Christ.

I agree that Christians' attitudes toward death can seem very... puzzling... and contradictory. Part of that is because many of us are still reconciling our belief with our doubt. We mourn the death of fellow believers even as we celebrate the rebirth in heaven of those we have lost. We are supposed to trust God in all things, but in many things, we're sometimes still afraid.

The thing is - this life here, that I'm living right now on earth, happens only once. The moment that it took you to read that sentence will never be here again. The existence of eternal life does not make our temporary, earthly life any less sacred or precious. To me, it's even MORE precious in the light of eternity. It is a gift. I believe we have purpose here - first of all, to enjoy that gift and treasure it (not to throw it away by not taking care of it)... and then to help others who are suffering... to learn and grow from suffering ourselves... to glorify God and help people come to know Him... to take part in God's plan and shaping a better world... bringing about His kingdom here on earth. To me, thinking about eternity doesn't take away life's meaning - it GIVES it even deeper meaning.

"O Me! O Life!" by Walt Whitman, Leaves of Grass

Oh me! Oh life! of the questions of these recurring,

Of the endless trains of the faithless, of cities fill’d with the foolish,

Of myself forever reproaching myself, (for who more foolish than I, and who more faithless?)

Of eyes that vainly crave the light, of the objects mean, of the struggle ever renew’d,

Of the poor results of all, of the plodding and sordid crowds I see around me,

Of the empty and useless years of the rest, with the rest me intertwined,

The question, O me! so sad, recurring—What good amid these, O me, O life?

(Answer.)

That you are here—that life exists and identity,

That the powerful play goes on, and you may contribute a verse.

I remember, during a Bible study in college, someone said something that really struck me. He said that as Christians, we have eternal life NOW... we are with God (via the Holy Spirit) NOW... it's not some vague point in the future that we're patiently waiting for. One of my favorite bands wrote a song that touches on that idea.

 

Ok Mr. 12 year old, I'm sure you used your vast life experiences and knowledge to determine that it is the truth.

 

yes it's all about my satan life

 

As a young eager christian, I speak on behalf of 90% of the worlds population who also follow the worlds best religion. We evolved from a man named adam and a chick named eve who had babies and then bred all of us, We are all inbreds some more than others and it is only ok for a man and a woman to be together and if a man and a man are together or woman and woman they have to be hit with sticks and stones cause that is the right thing to do. I live in akansas USA and my dad and aunt told me that Its better for them to mary eachother and to marry the same sex cause its what is right