C
Hiya, my name is Chalkboard.
I came here a little while ago looking for lively discussion, ideas and general companionship but only just now thought to put up an introduction.
I suppose I should start with religion. I'm not a 'born-again" Christian. I am more of a reformed Atheist. I first felt God a few years ago with the passing of a friend. Neither myself, nor my friend, believed in God at the time but her mother insisted on her funeral being at her Catholic Church.
In the end, I found myself at a park. It was strange. Normally, I'd have put the vision down to a coincidence, but on this particular cloudy day there was one sunny patch over a bit of farmland. To me, it looked as if a little bit of the Kingdom of Heaven had opened up and I felt something inside. Just something that felt like just being glad. Or happy. It was God saying "Hey, I'm here. It's all good."
It took me a while, but I started attending a Baptist church. Not because I've decided I'm a Baptist. It's just that it's the closest church to my house and I also happen to like the people there. My first experience with the church was that I went in one afternoon and asked the Pastor if I could have a word with him. We fixed up a time and I returned to see him the following morning.
I explained my situation: I came from a family with parents that had faith. My mother was a Methodist and my father believed in God, but refused to attend any sort of organised religion. When I was a teen, I noticed a lot of things I would call errors in any religion, either Christianity, Islam, Judaism, Hindu etc. It started off as a "I'm sorry, I just don't believe". But through the years, I found it tough to be an Atheist. As soon as you say it to someone, they automatically think you're some sort of Satanist that kills babies and beats women. Eventually my passive Atheism turned to a blind-rage Atheism and I would argue with anyone who declared themselves as religious and proud of it in any public situation.
Towards the end of High School, I had all but given up on debate. The one thing that's for sure: neither Religion or Atheism will win an argument. Arguing to convert a religious person never worked. Arguing to better my understanding of a person religion didn't work. I just gave up.
When one of my best girl friends had passed away, God had finally come to me and shown me what I had never seen before. The Grace. As an Atheist, I had always said "Prove to me, God, that you exist. And I shall follow". God had done just that.
The Pastor then asked me if I had read the Bible. I said I had read it casually over the years, but only because I wanted the knowledge for arguments sake. He suggested I read it again, but I refused. When he asked why I told him the truth: I suppose there's still a little bit of Atheism in me that just doesn't TRUST the bible. The one thing I'm grateful for is his understanding. He said I would gain a great deal from reading the bible, but that if I was not ready to accept it as truth then it would be a waste of time. He said that I could then, instead, seek advice from him but he let me know that his information came from the bible so I would have to work out whether to trust him or not too.
When he asked me of Jesus, I said I have not met him. Which is true. I have not yet met Jesus. I have discussed this at length with others of the church. I have been asked everything from "How can you know God, but not know Jesus? They are one in the same.." etc etc. I have felt God. I talk to God. But I have not yet talked to Jesus. It took 19 years for me to see God. I am sure I will see Jesus in my own time.
I know that without Jesus, there is no hope for Salvation. And that Salvation is possible only through Jesus. Jesus is what makes Christians Christians. It is not that I don't believe Jesus. It's just I have not met him yet. I have met God and trust in God. I also trust that, in time, he will introduce his Son to me. I don't know whether this makes me a Christian, a Jew or just a believer. But I believe God wants me to be somewhere where His followers can guide me, and I can also guide them.
About a month ago, the Pastor came to me and we talked again about how we met. He asked me how I felt about being Baptised. I declined. He then asked me if I would do him a favour.
The next Sunday I stood before my friends and recalled the above to them. It felt good to explain myself. As a believer who used to be an Atheist, with still some anti-religious views when it comes to doctrine and organised religion itself, it felt like a massive weight off my shoulders. I can easily say it's one of the best experiences I've had and, the whole way through, it felt as if God had a hand on my shoulder. Everything IS "all good".
Personality wise, I can be quite argumentative. But argumentative not to prove someone wrong, but more so that I can understand the opposite side of things and help me either understand my position or understand whether I should change my decision based on the new evidence given to me.
I am quite a relaxed believer. I smoke and enjoy a glass of wine with dinner. I will watch movies about anything. Read anything, listen to anything (except, and no offense, I still have a strong dislike for Christian music). Favourite movies are The Princess Bride, Scarface and The Fifth Element. Music wise, I'm a guitarist by trade, but have played in a couple of bands over the years. I enjoy Jeff Buckley, Ben Harper, Electro/House/DnB (Prodigy, Pendulum, Black Sun Empire, Kids of '88), reggae like Third World and decent Hip Hop like Mos Def, Talib Kweli, Common's old stuff, A Tribe Called Quest etc. I am currently about to start an accounting degree, as well as dabble a bit in Religious Studies and History on the side.
I can be long winded too.
Nice meeting you.
I came here a little while ago looking for lively discussion, ideas and general companionship but only just now thought to put up an introduction.
I suppose I should start with religion. I'm not a 'born-again" Christian. I am more of a reformed Atheist. I first felt God a few years ago with the passing of a friend. Neither myself, nor my friend, believed in God at the time but her mother insisted on her funeral being at her Catholic Church.
In the end, I found myself at a park. It was strange. Normally, I'd have put the vision down to a coincidence, but on this particular cloudy day there was one sunny patch over a bit of farmland. To me, it looked as if a little bit of the Kingdom of Heaven had opened up and I felt something inside. Just something that felt like just being glad. Or happy. It was God saying "Hey, I'm here. It's all good."
It took me a while, but I started attending a Baptist church. Not because I've decided I'm a Baptist. It's just that it's the closest church to my house and I also happen to like the people there. My first experience with the church was that I went in one afternoon and asked the Pastor if I could have a word with him. We fixed up a time and I returned to see him the following morning.
I explained my situation: I came from a family with parents that had faith. My mother was a Methodist and my father believed in God, but refused to attend any sort of organised religion. When I was a teen, I noticed a lot of things I would call errors in any religion, either Christianity, Islam, Judaism, Hindu etc. It started off as a "I'm sorry, I just don't believe". But through the years, I found it tough to be an Atheist. As soon as you say it to someone, they automatically think you're some sort of Satanist that kills babies and beats women. Eventually my passive Atheism turned to a blind-rage Atheism and I would argue with anyone who declared themselves as religious and proud of it in any public situation.
Towards the end of High School, I had all but given up on debate. The one thing that's for sure: neither Religion or Atheism will win an argument. Arguing to convert a religious person never worked. Arguing to better my understanding of a person religion didn't work. I just gave up.
When one of my best girl friends had passed away, God had finally come to me and shown me what I had never seen before. The Grace. As an Atheist, I had always said "Prove to me, God, that you exist. And I shall follow". God had done just that.
The Pastor then asked me if I had read the Bible. I said I had read it casually over the years, but only because I wanted the knowledge for arguments sake. He suggested I read it again, but I refused. When he asked why I told him the truth: I suppose there's still a little bit of Atheism in me that just doesn't TRUST the bible. The one thing I'm grateful for is his understanding. He said I would gain a great deal from reading the bible, but that if I was not ready to accept it as truth then it would be a waste of time. He said that I could then, instead, seek advice from him but he let me know that his information came from the bible so I would have to work out whether to trust him or not too.
When he asked me of Jesus, I said I have not met him. Which is true. I have not yet met Jesus. I have discussed this at length with others of the church. I have been asked everything from "How can you know God, but not know Jesus? They are one in the same.." etc etc. I have felt God. I talk to God. But I have not yet talked to Jesus. It took 19 years for me to see God. I am sure I will see Jesus in my own time.
I know that without Jesus, there is no hope for Salvation. And that Salvation is possible only through Jesus. Jesus is what makes Christians Christians. It is not that I don't believe Jesus. It's just I have not met him yet. I have met God and trust in God. I also trust that, in time, he will introduce his Son to me. I don't know whether this makes me a Christian, a Jew or just a believer. But I believe God wants me to be somewhere where His followers can guide me, and I can also guide them.
About a month ago, the Pastor came to me and we talked again about how we met. He asked me how I felt about being Baptised. I declined. He then asked me if I would do him a favour.
The next Sunday I stood before my friends and recalled the above to them. It felt good to explain myself. As a believer who used to be an Atheist, with still some anti-religious views when it comes to doctrine and organised religion itself, it felt like a massive weight off my shoulders. I can easily say it's one of the best experiences I've had and, the whole way through, it felt as if God had a hand on my shoulder. Everything IS "all good".
Personality wise, I can be quite argumentative. But argumentative not to prove someone wrong, but more so that I can understand the opposite side of things and help me either understand my position or understand whether I should change my decision based on the new evidence given to me.
I am quite a relaxed believer. I smoke and enjoy a glass of wine with dinner. I will watch movies about anything. Read anything, listen to anything (except, and no offense, I still have a strong dislike for Christian music). Favourite movies are The Princess Bride, Scarface and The Fifth Element. Music wise, I'm a guitarist by trade, but have played in a couple of bands over the years. I enjoy Jeff Buckley, Ben Harper, Electro/House/DnB (Prodigy, Pendulum, Black Sun Empire, Kids of '88), reggae like Third World and decent Hip Hop like Mos Def, Talib Kweli, Common's old stuff, A Tribe Called Quest etc. I am currently about to start an accounting degree, as well as dabble a bit in Religious Studies and History on the side.
I can be long winded too.
Nice meeting you.
