Why is this belief any different than any of your other beliefs? If everyone thought this way God would basically be playing geographical bingo with everyone's souls.

If you do do this lilprog I hope you start your own site and not think too much like this writer:

How Should Christians Share Their Faith?
My Mixed Feelings About Proselytizing
http://voices.yahoo.com/how-christia...43.html?cat=34

The writer above is walking on eggshells more than walking in faith.

What Does it mean to be "Walking on Eggshells"?
http://www.wisegeek.com/what-does-it...-eggshells.htm

When you walk on eggshells you're deferring to the crazier people and letting them subvert you from a critical mission for God.

If you study negative personality types much you'll find it's the saner people walking on eggshells around the crazier types they know.

But Jesus Christ said to step out in confidence, didn't he? Praise him round the clock to anybody and everybody.

The man writing the article is the pale imitation. This world likes us to mirror Jesus Christ weakly but if we weren't so weak more people would be saved.

Start your group then man. It's weak though, straight up, on a spiritual level. It doesn't seem to be based on any real, lasting foundation. You want poker players to get together and encourage one another and state poker is okay. Laugh. Whatever, do it. To what extent are the members really going to be involved with one another in each others spiritual walk. What is the basis. What are you going to be grounded on? Seems more like a political group...but whatever, do it. There's plenty of weak christian groups that benefit the kingdom. I'm just to picky or something...don't listen to me...I'm unrealistic...I'm a dreamer. Oh wait, start a "christian" group (in part about something that doesn't even matter) with views in direct opposition to other "christian" groups...that's smart. - I'm being sarcastic. Oh wait, start a "christian" group which may influence how a child thinks in response to his parent's instruction. - I'm being sarcastic. Some legitimate christians are just plain stupid, they don't get poker, they don't get math, they were lazy when it was presented to them in school, and they never understood it...they hate it and don't see why people should use it. What, is your group going to educate the masses about numbers...I doubt it. Maybe I'm the one with the problem though, maybe I doubt too much.


good luck though, seriously. sorry about my tact or whatever...remember i dont think when posting on twoplustwo

I think you have misunderstood my goals a bit..

#1 goal is to represent truth.....

yes as a result of that #1 goal, I will be representing poker players who have been chastized by judgemental Christians. Yes I will be publically walking out my faith in casinos all over the US. Yes I`ll be vocal about who Jesus is and how He loves poker players.... Yes I do hope that alot of "followers" might have their eyes open and see poker for the sport it is....

I am actually not here to be political, I was simply stating there was a benefit politically to something like this and that even non Christians would get some value in this.

Better post a tour schedule i don't want to miss the show when it comes to the south eastern US casinos

I can't judge your motives...if I had to bet though, i know what side i'd take, sorry.

"represent truth" - that's clear (and a safe answer...let me guess, you play tight)

as a result -> you'll be bringing God* along to represent your stance on a marginal spot. though we shouldn't be guided by someones stances in marginal spots...it seems quite questionable to turn a marginal spot into a definite for everyone (or even make a deal of it). let me ask are you on board with starting a similiar group for pub crawlers...see the logic?

*more likely your idea of God

The fact that your bringing any of this up tells me there's some directional "rightness" in your life...probably due to the work of God. He might iron you out so that you can accomplish some of the things you're thinking about. So stick with it. Again, I said do it! Just don't come my way, pattin me on the back, telling me all those judgemental christians can't break your bones...laugh. That bandaid ministry isn't what i desire.

prog, given that you are entertaining questions, this one seems particularly important. Whether or not God exists seems to me to be an extremely important question, would you agree? If so, why would you not subject it to the same rigor as your other beliefs to be as sure as you possibly can be that you have it right?

28 years of contemplating, examining and investigating the God question, and I didn`t start going to church until about 15 years ago so I wasnt a product of what I learned growing up.

No other issues come even close to the amount of experience and thought that this issue has....

If I may, what is the best piece of *something* that makes you be a Christian, that couldn't also be used to justify another religion?

You keep lumping all these religions together as if they were all the same, and they aren`t. I`m not talking about one being right and the rest wrong. Christianity is fundamentally different in it's approach to spirituality. Most religions focus on morals and principles and effort to improve ones self. Most religions accept other prophets and wise speakers from other religions.

Christianity stands alone and says, the bar is set at perfection. Which none of us can obtain. Good person, bad person doesn`t matter, whether your 5 inches under the water or 500 miles your still drowning. Christianity says that the ONLY way to improve, the ONLY way to be pure, the ONLY way to be cleansed of sin is through Christ. "I am the way, the truth and the life, no one can come to the father except through me.." I`m sure it`s been over quoted...

Christianity is fundamentally different in how it approaches sin and weakness....

And it being different makes it right religion how, exactly?

Your questions are pointless? I can do the same thing asdf.

Prove to me that there is no God.

Prove to me that massless Crystals exploded and made bazillions of miles of galacxy.

Have you ever experienced a premonition? De ja vu?

It`s like you think if you ask a question that doesnt get a great answer you have proved something, when in reality you have proved nothing. My life is all the proof I need. Clearly you need more....

The burden of proof is on the person making the claim. You're claiming there is a God, and I'm asking why. If you haven't figured this out in 28 years of contemplating, then you haven't been trying that hard.

We have scientific explanations for the above phenomenon (for deja vu, anyways). Premonitions are most likely due to confirmation bias.

If you're the type of person who doesn't really care if what you believe it true, that's fine. I do care if what I believe is true.

Faith.

From earlier:

Ive already explained why ITT....

Most likely is a theory. I`m rock solid confident in my beliefs, the best you can give me is most likely?

This is a lie in my opinion. You know why? Because you have no experience. Have you tried being a Christian to see if it works? Everything I believe is based on years of putting it to the test. You haven`t tested anything. You honestly are in no position to say there is no God because you haven`t spent time seeking one out. You just chose to make the decision there was no God and now try to align your arguments with your beliefs in an effort to appease your stance

I`m not blindly following a cause. I`m practicing it daily and seeing it work all the time. Christ has NEVER EVER failed me, and he never will....

There is a peace bro. A genuine peace that you haven`t even experienced. I feel sorry for you, because there is something more, and something way better, and if you were just willing to find it you wouldn`t be disappointed. I would love to watch the movie of your life and find what events have calloused you and led you to such a strong stance. It`s very evident that their is passion behind your persistence that has been fueled by something in your past....

the faith is given really, certain people are called out from the world by God...at the same time everyone is accountable.

the sheep hear his voice...we're not worthy in any way

throughout my life i've wanted out of the faith to be honest...afterall it's our lives he takes away, but some small, tiny piece of hope never goes away

you're way more deserving than i am...i'm sorry for you, but there's still time...

Best.

Could you provide a quote? Make sure the provided quote cannot be used for other religions as well.

There has never been a verifiable example of a premonition that couldn't be explained by coincidence (or cheating/lying).

This isn't true, I grew up Christian (my father was a pastor for some time), and it's because I tested my faith that I found it unsubstantiated.

Of course you're blindly following the cause. You already said there was nothing that could change your mind.

It depends on how you define failure. You would probably go out of your way to say Christ didn't missionaries killed in other countries.

I have the strong stance? Which of the two of us said they would never change their mind? Remind me.

....and paging RLK due to the amateur psycho analytics. You don't see me stooping to that level do you? I haven't said something like: "The reason why you're religious is because you're too weak to face reality." I would appreciate the same courtesy.

Rommel whats your story look like?

This is the most telling thing you have said in this entire thread.....

100 years on the earth is NOTHING, an infintecimal part of eternity. We of course only look from the perspective of our current lives, so lots of things dont look right from that perspective...

What are you even talking about? I mentioned what you consider telling only to answer your question: "Have you tried being a Christian to see if it works?"

Also, 'works' is a rather silly term since other religions 'work' as well.

your situation growing up explains everything....

The rest was in response to your bit on missionaries...

Paging RLK. Paging RLK. Paging RLK.

Oh, okay. So even if the missionaries are tortured to death, Jesus still didn't fail them. Hmmm, it seems from our perspective there's no way Jesus can fail. That's convenient.

And I find it telling that you skipped over the rest of my post.

I`m 12 tabling atm, so ya your going to get limited responses...

BTW were you paying attention in your dads church? Or did you miss the part about what God allowed to happen to his OWN SON...

Nothing happens without a purpose....

We went over this in another thread.

Jesus being crucified was not that big of a deal. As an example, I would snap accept being crucified if it meant I would be remembered and worshiped by billions, and I get to go to heaven immediately after. It's not even a hard decision.