Apologetics

While we're on the topic, I would like to ask you all something that has puzzled me for a long time. What causes some people to seek out God, and others not to? Is it genes or their environment, or something else? Would people make the same choices if their positions were reversed with others? Most importantly, what must unbelievers protect themselves from in order to want to search for God, and how should they know to behave that way? I hope I'm making sense.....
 
To desire to find God, first you must be aware of the need for God.
It may be acceptance of our own sinful nature,
or that nagging feeling that the world makes no sense,
or desire for a higher life or purpose.

Those who do not look for God can
feel that they are complete and need no one else,
refuse to be subservient to anyone,
or unwilling to face their own failings.
 
God_be_with_you said:
While we're on the topic, I would like to ask you all something that has puzzled me for a long time. What causes some people to seek out God, and others not to? Is it genes or their environment, or something else? Would people make the same choices if their positions were reversed with others? Most importantly, what must unbelievers protect themselves from in order to want to search for God, and how should they know to behave that way? I hope I'm making sense.....
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Here is a fact for you. Name ONE person passed puberty that has not thought of God.

Jer 17:9 The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it? Meditate on that for a while. We can deceive even ourselves. But oneday on judgement day, God will recall the time we rejected Him / His Son! All are without excuse!! Rom 1:20.
 
There has been some wonderful suggestions! I will add my 2 cents here.. Because I was in the same boat.. If you read the Bible, Pharisees had the same problem.. They wanted to see some signs and wonders from Christ to believe Him.. We humans do the same.. We want concrete proof that first God exists, and second Christ is the real God.

Start looking at your life.. Have you ever done anything wrong in your life? Hurting someone else or some wrong habit? Do you feel guilty because of that? Now, what are you going to do with that guilt? There is nothing you can do! You need a Savior! Is there any religion which handles forgiveness of sin? It is all about doing some sacrifices. No other religion talks about giving a person clean state. Only Jesus did that on the cross. You have to believe this first. If you believe this, ask for forgiveness to Christ and pray. Accept Him as Lord and Savior.. Then focus on the Word of God. The Holy Spirit will illuminate the Word and reveal many truths to you. We can give answers for all your questions. It will not convince until Holy Spirit reveals it to you. But you have to trust that you need a Saviour first. Once you put your faith, what we call as saving faith, rest will follow!

You cannot do it the other way around. That is, one feet here and one feet there. Then try to read apologetics to get "convinced". That will never happen.
 
RiverJordan said:
Yes, and it's about the whole "science says everything happened by chance" thing. That's not an accurate representation of scientific thinking, and isn't something you likely learned from any genuine science resource. It is something that is repeated in non-scientific, apologetic places though.
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I'm glad people here aren't characterizing science as the enemy of religion. There are parts of the bible that, when taken literally, are unscientific. The reason for this I believe is because while the bible was inspired by a perfect, omnipotent God, the different parts of it were assembled and edited by man. It reflects some of the thinking at the time it was written, such as the earth being the center of the universe. I don't think this makes it any less credible, because it's fundamental message is timeless. As far as science and religion goes, while many people percieve them as at odds, I think they simply ask different questions. Science tries to answer the question: "how does the world work? " and has it's own methodology to arrive at an answer. Religion asks the question: "Why are we here? and now that we are here, what should we do?" Of course, religion also seeks to answer how we got here as well, but I don't necessarily take genesis in a literal sense.

One of my favorite passages in the Bible is "In the beginning there was the word, and the word was God"
This is my favorite for a couple of reasons. A little while ago I stumbled on the science of cymatics. Basically, cymatics is how frequency relates to structure. If you look up cymatics on youtube, there are some very interesting videos where they play frequencies and particles of sand assemble into various geometric forms. The higher the frequency, the more complex geometry the forms take. My mind was absolutely blown when the shapes became things like galaxies, DNA, vertabrae, and different animals. The reason I bring this up is because science knows that all matter is merely energy condensed to a slow vibration. Vibration=sound=frequency. At the most fundamental level is not atoms, or protons, or elements, but vibration. I take the passage "and the word was God", to mean that God is sum of all frequencies, a singularity. In the beginning there was a singularity (what existed before the big bang), and from that we came into being (in his image). I know no one can ever comprehend what God is, but this passage is basically the foundation for my faith. For such wisdom to be in the Bible thousands of years before the invention of science is a testament to the truth contained in it. I can't really do it justice with my feeble explanation, but if you look it up on youtube for yourself I think you will experience something like I did.
 
The reason I bring this up is because science knows that all matter is merely energy condensed to a slow vibration. Vibration=sound=frequency. At the most fundamental level is not atoms, or protons, or elements, but vibration.
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This explains why the older we get, the slower we move and the more weight we gain?:LOL:


sorry :whistle:
 
it's ok to speculate, but I have always cast a "sideways glance" at Apologists and Anthropologists, as well as some Historians .. those who feels the need to fill in an unknown blank with rhetoric and try passing it as a fact, are not a friend of the cause .. my 2 cents
 
if you believe in him and feel his presence, how then can you say you have lost faith. for he who comes to God should have faith. anything that is done without faith is sin. Romans 14:23.
Proverbs 3:5-8 ESV
Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths. Be not wise in your own eyes; fear the Lord, and turn away from evil. It will be healing to your flesh and refreshment to your bones.

James 1:6 ESV / 294 helpful votes
But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea that is driven and tossed by the wind.

God says also , that he who asks anything from me without faith (doubting) must not expect anything from me.

James 1:5-8 ESV / 82 helpful votes
If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him. But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea that is driven and tossed by the wind. For that person must not suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord; he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways.

TRUST HIM, AND HAVE FAITH. CONFIDENCE IN THINGS HOPED FOR. BELIEVE IT IS DONE AND WILL BE DONE!!! MATT21:22
 
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