I think the thing Ive drawn the most heat for on this board is that I am a devout Christian. I don't simply attend church on Sunday and go about my way, Im sincere in my beliefs. I try to, both in my real life, and on here, be as Christ-like as possible. I think it's rare to never that you'll find a post of mine where Im degrading someone or swearing, and it's due to my beliefs. I try to read my Bible every day, and live out my faith in every possible way, even in one of the most stressful jobs imaginable, and one that generally frowns upon religion, let alone faith.
The most important aspect of my beliefs, to me, is that I don't look down on those who believe differently then me, or don't believe at all. In taking a look a the "stable" Im in, two of them are atheists, and one is agnostic, if Im correct.(And please correct me if Im wrong.) And it doesn't matter to me. All that matters is that they're 3 really good dudes that I enjoy talking with and posting in the same section as. And never once, to my knowledge, have I attempted to impose my beliefs on them. To me, those are the areas where my faith and beliefs are most important, in that I try and let my actions speak louder then my words.
So yes, I would say that Im devout in my beliefs. I believe in a Jesus Christ who died for my sins, and, you know the rest of the story. I was raised that way, and promptly spent the first 5 years of my 20's(before my wife came along) living the opposite. I drank hard 5 nights a week as a graduate student, and woke up next to women I didnt know. Im thankful that through my wife's influence I became serious about my faith again, because unlike 2008, I like who I am today. Much of it is due to me being a devout Christian.
Forgive me here, its just an explanation, nothing more.
In Christianity, when referring to fear, the word "Holy" is always attached before it. So the fear it's referring to is a good one, one of a devine belief in something greater then ourselves. Not a fear of condemnation or of hellfire and brimstone.
And I believe in "sin". I would consider it sin if I assaulted your sister or stole your mother's credit card. Again, the thing Christianity as I know it stresses about sin is that it is easily forgiven, not that one goes to hell due to sin. Its that in if you've done something wrong(sin), all you have to do is ask for forgiveness. Like I would return your mother's credit card and ask her forgiveness. Sin equates to doing something you know is morally wrong, simple as that. And in asking forgiveness of God, whom I believe in, I get to someday enjoy the wonderful pleasures of Heaven. There's a positive way to look at Christianity, or religion if you will, as I just demonstrated.
The most important aspect of my beliefs, to me, is that I don't look down on those who believe differently then me, or don't believe at all. In taking a look a the "stable" Im in, two of them are atheists, and one is agnostic, if Im correct.(And please correct me if Im wrong.) And it doesn't matter to me. All that matters is that they're 3 really good dudes that I enjoy talking with and posting in the same section as. And never once, to my knowledge, have I attempted to impose my beliefs on them. To me, those are the areas where my faith and beliefs are most important, in that I try and let my actions speak louder then my words.
So yes, I would say that Im devout in my beliefs. I believe in a Jesus Christ who died for my sins, and, you know the rest of the story. I was raised that way, and promptly spent the first 5 years of my 20's(before my wife came along) living the opposite. I drank hard 5 nights a week as a graduate student, and woke up next to women I didnt know. Im thankful that through my wife's influence I became serious about my faith again, because unlike 2008, I like who I am today. Much of it is due to me being a devout Christian.
Forgive me here, its just an explanation, nothing more.
In Christianity, when referring to fear, the word "Holy" is always attached before it. So the fear it's referring to is a good one, one of a devine belief in something greater then ourselves. Not a fear of condemnation or of hellfire and brimstone.
And I believe in "sin". I would consider it sin if I assaulted your sister or stole your mother's credit card. Again, the thing Christianity as I know it stresses about sin is that it is easily forgiven, not that one goes to hell due to sin. Its that in if you've done something wrong(sin), all you have to do is ask for forgiveness. Like I would return your mother's credit card and ask her forgiveness. Sin equates to doing something you know is morally wrong, simple as that. And in asking forgiveness of God, whom I believe in, I get to someday enjoy the wonderful pleasures of Heaven. There's a positive way to look at Christianity, or religion if you will, as I just demonstrated.
