My Experience

[Method]

So hear recently I have been questioning by belief in GOD, inpart due to this form and all the good questions you are posing. You give alot of valid, and feasible points to why GOD doesnt exist. And it brought up alot of doubts in my mind, and being a rational thinker it's hard for me to just say "Yeah, I know he exist's" when theres no proof, but faith alone. So I guess you can say here lately, I have been doing some soul searching. Listen to my story hear me out on this one.

So for some reason last night, I decided I would pick up and go to my youth group, aimed for high school students (note - i'm only seventeen) its just a place where us teenager can go and hang out, and enjoy great food & fellowship. I haven't been in almost two months now, that includes church aswell. But I felt like I really needed to go, so I go when I get there, we are just all hanging out I was throwing football with a couple kids from the high school team, so it's time to go in. We start with a couple of worship songs, some that were oddly relating to me. So our new leader gets up there and begin's to present his sermon.

This is where it gets weird, my leader's sermon was focused mainly on "Doubt's" doubting your religion, and faith for any reason. The main point was a passage from the bible "trust in the lord with all your heart, lean not on your on temptation and you shall have eternal life." And I started thinking to myself, and it's kind of dumb but I pictured the Blues Brothers in my head, saying the lord works in mysterious ways. I know it's werid but hey, that did it for me no more doubts and I feel great.

So any other "weird" religious experiences?

[Seraphina]

...uh...I don't really see how being told "You have doubt!? Don't have doubts! Trust in the Lord!" is much of a religious experience, so much as just sweeping your doubts under the carpet and pretending they're not there.

As I said to that new kid, Raider, questioning your beliefs is a good thing. Do you have any idea how often I test mine? I test mine the same way I test a smoke alarm, to make sure it works fine...saying that you don't need to ask any questions just because you're supposed to 'trust' doesn't provide any answers for your questions, it just means you're trying not to explore those questions.

Personally, if I had any doubt in my own beliefs, I would be tugging on every thread I could see to try and follow them back to the truth. Deciding to put faith aside for a while and ask questions could probably do far more for you than pretending they're not there...depending on what answers (if any) you're able to find anyway.

[Method]

It's not like i'm brushing them under persay, I believe I have addressed my doubts and I feel the road I have taken was best for me, maybe "My Religious Bout" would be a better term, for lack of words.

[missknowitall]

that happened once when i was really upset. our pastor talked of how even in times of doubt we should still look to God. it really surprises me how i can be thinking on a subject and hoe out of nowhere my pastor's talking about it. i've heard thats called a "divine appointment" whre God can be leadinf you to just the right places for what you need help with, but thats just my opinion.

[GabrielsAid]

Method, The Lord be with you. It is good you have no doubts, it is not pushing them under a carpet, it is knowing the truth. The Holy Spirit will be with you.

I have a religious experience I would like to share.

When I was in 8th grade I had an experience that will be with me to the day I die.

My parents had always taken me to church, but when I was young I didn’t really think it was important. Only until 8th grade did I truly and fully try to seek Jesus Christ. I began to pray a lot, I was putting my faith in Him to lead me.

So one day my mother picked me up from some school event and we were heading to church. We were about 2 minutes away from church and I was in deep thought about life and were we are all going. I often thought of this among other things. Then all of a sudden these words came to my head

“Do not be troubled. Behold, light shall not come from the sun or the moon, but from the Glory of the Lord who shall be your everlasting light and will never fade"

As this came to my head, I seriously felt light and felt as though goosebumbs had gone all over my body, I felt brand new. Totally new I am telling you, separate from the body. Fresh, New, Happy lifted, Light, all in one.

At that moment I knew it was the presence of God, the Holy Spirit.

When we got to church the reading was,

Isaiah 60:19, "The sun shall be no more your light by day; neither for brightness shall the moon give light to you: but Yahweh will be to you an everlasting light, and your God your glory."!!

When I heard this I gave myself to Christ. I felt as free as I could possibly be. About every minute of every day I think of Him.

Edited October 16, 2006 by GabrielsAid

[Morrigan_Le_Faye]

What an unbelievable experience!! How truly inspiring! I am not a Christian, but I must say that those two tales, are of divine intervention! I completely believe that everything happens for a reason, even if the experience seems small and unimportant. You were both MEANT to get those messages.

As to the doubts that you face...I do believe that doubts are a good thing, it allows your faith to grow and possibly even change. Even though I don't believe that Jesus is my savior, I do find a lot of inspiration in how he lived, and what he did for his people. I think that faiths don't have to be one or the other, they CAN BE blended. And I don't think that you are having just blind faith. If your experience just reassured you that having doubts is normal and you aren't a bad person for having them, that God will accept you no matter what your faith is, as long as you have faith, and that is why your doubts abated, then COOL!! You just grew a spiritual inch!! Good for YOU!!

[missknowitall]

What an unbelievable experience!! How truly inspiring! I am not a Christian, but I must say that those two tales, are of divine intervention! I completely believe that everything happens for a reason, even if the experience seems small and unimportant. You were both MEANT to get those messages.

As to the doubts that you face...I do believe that doubts are a good thing, it allows your faith to grow and possibly even change. Even though I don't believe that Jesus is my savior, I do find a lot of inspiration in how he lived, and what he did for his people. I think that faiths don't have to be one or the other, they CAN BE blended. And I don't think that you are having just blind faith. If your experience just reassured you that having doubts is normal and you aren't a bad person for having them, that God will accept you no matter what your faith is, as long as you have faith, and that is why your doubts abated, then COOL!! You just grew a spiritual inch!! Good for YOU!!

have you ever had any experiences happen in your life?

[Irish]

It may well appear as blind faith to the non believer but after the initial step of as you say blind faith evidence is given to the individual. The truth is revealed only after an earnest commitment, much to the chagrin of those that do not believe. Is that you must first come to Christ by faith alone and then the truth is revealed to the individual with no doubts. The facts are revealed within our hearts and minds, but we are only able to show others with our words and deeds. In much the same way I feel that my Christian beliefs are better expressed in how I live and what I do.

The great deceiver of mankind seeks to confuse by deliberately duplicating the evidence of God. That is why the Holy Spirit holds the final pieces to the puzzle and delivers them when the individual is truly ready to receive them.

Having membership in a church is NOT a prerequisite for salvation. Acceptance of what Christ accomplished IS.

Christians are encouraged to join a church to have fellowship with like minded friends and for biblical education. There are many Christians who have never set foot within a church building. The church really is as Jesus said......

Math 18:20 For where two or three are gathered together in my name,(Jesus Christ) there am I in the midst of them.

[Bella-Angelique]

Moslims and Hindus and Buddhists have the same types of experiences.

Consider that. They are also telling the truth.

That God exists does not mean that what the clerics teach as truth is all truth.

[Grandpa Greenman]

Hail and welcome Morrigan_Le_Faye to UM.

I have had a lot of experiences. The day I went to register from college there was a big line. Standing for a long time is hard on me. As I stood there I started getting weak. I call to my Goddess the Morrigan. I can stand more I told her in my mind. Just then a young man started making disparaging remarks about women. It p***ed me off; I could see the women in line were upset. I forgot all about how weak I felt as I told the young man off. Next thing I knew a young woman offered me her place in line, then another and soon I was next.

On my way out a crow was in bushes next to the side walk. It hopped down in front of me. I bowed to the crow and thanked the Goddess from her help. It bow back and flew away.

For those of you who don't know the Morrigan she often appears as a crow. She is also a Goddess of the battle field and it is very like her to set you up in situation with an adversary so you must show strength to get what you need. Pagan God/desses are teachers; you often must earn your favors.

Edited October 16, 2006 by Darkwind

[Method]

Method, The Lord be with you. It is good you have no doubts, it is not pushing them under a carpet, it is knowing the truth. The Holy Spirit will be with you.

I have a religious experience I would like to share.

When I was in 8th grade I had an experience that will be with me to the day I die.

My parents had always taken me to church, but when I was young I didn’t really think it was important. Only until 8th grade did I truly and fully try to seek Jesus Christ. I began to pray a lot, I was putting my faith in Him to lead me.

So one day my mother picked me up from some school event and we were heading to church. We were about 2 minutes away from church and I was in deep thought about life and were we are all going. I often thought of this among other things. Then all of a sudden these words came to my head

“Do not be troubled. Behold, light shall not come from the sun or the moon, but from the Glory of the Lord who shall be your everlasting light and will never fade"

As this came to my head, I seriously felt light and felt as though goosebumbs had gone all over my body, I felt brand new. Totally new I am telling you, separate from the body. Fresh, New, Happy lifted, Light, all in one.

At that moment I knew it was the presence of God, the Holy Spirit.

When we got to church the reading was,

Isaiah 60:19, "The sun shall be no more your light by day; neither for brightness shall the moon give light to you: but Yahweh will be to you an everlasting light, and your God your glory."!!

When I heard this I gave myself to Christ. I felt as free as I could possibly be. About every minute of every day I think of Him.

Goodness, that must have been amazing. My leader was also telling us how dobuts are a part of any religion, and it is a growing expierence. I havent had my "voice" from GOD, but he has definitley been sending me signs. This "divine appointment" is new to me, but it makes alot of sense. Can you elaborate?