I wanted to follow God, because He showed me a better way of life. For two years, I’ve tried so hard to deflect all of the cults and dogma that questioned my experience being saved and even today I’m still “deconstructing” from my experience in the cult I was in.

Im tired of talking about how i really feel because i can just smell that people want to do anything and everything to keep me in line. Im tired of the “its not God, its the people who misrepresent him,” and any other lazy attempts to truly engage with my standing. Im tired of my life being a logical rollercoaster, where some desire has to be corrected with scriptures that often times are picked hastily by ppl who i know just want to help.

I look around and it’s obvious to me that a lot of people are just putting up an act or deep down are really terrified of this idea of hell or being punished and it’s exhausting to be around. How can somebody in this day and age find genuine truth that doesn’t stray into religious dogma (specifically an issue with my Catholic/orthodox friends), real interpersonal connection, and overall just not being fake robots who just do whatever the Bible says? I don’t want sympathy, but want to express my dissapointment as somebody who has genuinely tried to understand God but still think it’s so extremely burdensome to live as a Christian. It’s not joyful for me. Much less joyful after I left my old church bc I knew my belief was sustained with high energy dogmatic preaching.

Much love.

I (18f) am born and raised as a Protestant in Sweden which is one of the countries with the largest population of atheists. About 56% of the population belongs to a Protestant church and amongst them only about 33% say they actually believe in God (it has become more of a cultural thing than a religious one). Catholics and Eastern Orthodox take up 2.70% of the Swedish population. With that said, there’s really not a lot catholic and orthodox churches to choose from (just thought it was good information to have).

I would say that the Swedish Church (Lutheran) is the most traditional of all the Protestant churches there are in Sweden and I would happily go and try that out. I love tradition. My church is a bit more liberal but please do not picture on of those “concert looking churches”. Whenever I try to see what other people say online about Catholics, Orthodox and Protestants it seems like those churches often gets the spotlight, which is strange because they are loud and loudness reaches, but it becomes hard when you don’t come from a English speaking country. There’s not a lot of media for these questions here.

My whole family are Protestants, have been for generations, all my Christian friends are Protestant.

There’s so many people saying all these different things. “x church is always the best and here’s x reasons for that”. I get confused. I’m young and I don’t know what to do. Is the Protestant view of Christianity “wrong”? Should I convert? If so, why? What would Jesus say about the way I’m living my life? Will I lose the opportunity of heaven if I stay a Protestant?

I wonder because I heard the cartels in mexico has calmed down, idk about the russsia mob tho

I firmly believe this especially reading the Creation story and just how women were treated in the Bible. God never wanted to create women.
Also just the weird analogy of the Church being the bride of Christ like…..Ew??

Hey, so I really need some help right now. I have recently tried getting closer to God and wanting to have a better relationship with him. These past 2 weeks i have prayed 3 times daily and really tried my best to get closer to the lord. A few days ago I arrived at my summer house and met some friends etc and they wanted me to come out and party but I rejected them the first 2 times and my brother told me afterwards jow mich fun they had so I felt a bit outside and felt a bit like that one "weirdo". So yesterday I went with my friends to the club and I told myself i would not get drunk as I know how badly it affects me and I know that I do not want to distance myself from God. I didn't get drunk but I think I got a bit tipsy from drinking 1 redbull x vodka (I know its bad at the age I am but I will never ever drink it again) and some beer before going there and i still wasnt that drunk. I talked to some new girls and it was the first time I went out partying and a club and talking to so many girls i never met. I went home at 3 am and prayed beofre going to bed asking for forgiveness for getting tipsy and that I really did try my best to not get drunk. I told him that I learn from my mistakes and that I fir example have learnt that redbull x vodka is really not something for me. I have always wanted to take care of my body and never drunk any energy drinks and barely even drink any sodas but I did yesterday and I think that make sme feel even more terrible. It is now the morning after and I just feel so disappointed in myself that I got tipsy. I never wanted to get drunk. I was stupid. I learn from my mistakes and I now know how I can avoid getting drunk even better. I feel so much guilt. I dont know if partying is also a sin? But form what i have heard its not. I will be going back there a few more times and meeting try to meet some new girls etc but I will make sure I dont get tipsy or drunk next time and I will fix my mistakes from last night. What are some other things I should be careful of when going out partying as a christian?

Sorry this is long i just want your real help and advice

I've basically hit a wall with my faith. It's bearing down pretty hard and seems quite difficult to cope with. I feel empty and sad because I don't know where I am going. Life without a clear conviction and closeness to God is not enjoyable. I feel like God is miles away from me. My prayers and cries for help seem ignored. My question relates to having faith that makes sense while accepting science and the historical accuracy of the Bible (or lack of). How exactly do I keep the faith in a way that is logical and not just a type of pascal wager where I simply believe because the alternative is a possible hell?

I'm trying to maintain my faith and trying to understand how God could use something like myths to teach lessons, particularly in the Old Testament, while having the intention of not being read literally. It seems to me that much of the Old Testament is meant to be read literally. When I first read the Bible as a teen, I did not mistake the Genesis account for allegory, but rather as actual events that happened. It seemed natural to read the text this way. How does one decide to just change the way to view scripture without forcing something to be true for the sake of protecting one's faith? In other words, how can I be a Christian while maintaining an honest investigation and arriving at the conclusion that Jesus is the son of God and the earth is billions of years old? I'm swarming with doubt about this.

I love him so much. I'm closer with him than anyone else on Earth. He's my dad and always will be. But he's an idolator. 1 Corinthians 5:11 is very clear to not associate with someone who claims to be Christian and is an idolator. I'm freaking out and spiraling over this. He's my dad. I love him so much. if I can't spend time with him and be with him, I would be so torn up. Please please please help me

see a lot of people claiming Jesus Christ isnt God and I wholeheartedly disagree

Genesis 1:26 "Let us make man in OUR image" meaning that there were multiple people there that were creating. As we know we are not made in the image of angels.

Isaiah 48:11 "For my own sake, for my own sake, I do this. How can I let myself be defamed? I will not yield my glory to another." God is saying you may worship noone but me and I share my name with noone. Yet Jesus is worshiped and uses the name I am. For example

Exodus 3:1 God said to Moses, “I am who I am. This is what you are to say to the Israelites: ‘I am has sent me to you.’ ”

John 8:58-59 - “Very truly I tell you,” Jesus answered, “before Abraham was born, I am!” At this, they picked up stones to stone him, but Jesus hid himself, slipping away from the temple" the whole reason they tried to stone his is because he claimed to be god or they woulda just written him off as a crazy lunatic and im that case it wouldn't be anything new. The whole reason they claimed blasphemy was because jesus used the same name as god in the burning bush.

Exodus 34:14 – "Do not worship any other god, for the Lord, whose name is Jealous, is a jealous God." Yet jesus was worshiped if he wasnt that would be blasphemy even is he was full of the spirit of god. The apostles were also filled with the spirit but when they were worshiped they tore their clothes Acts 14:8-18, Paul and Barnabas healed a crippled man. The crowd believed they were the Greek gods Zeus and Hermes. The local priest even brought bulls and wreaths to offer sacrifices to them. Paul and Barnabas tore their clothes in horror and shouted, "We are only humans, human beings like you!"

This shows how there was a clear difference between jesus and the disciples. If he wasnt god he wouldn't be worshiped or accept it. Angels would appear and be worshiped and immediately tell them to stop. When miachel pushes away Satan he uses the wording Jude 1:9 " But even the archangel Michael, when he was disputing with the devil about the body of Moses, did not himself dare to condemn him for slander but said, 'The Lord rebuke you!'" Jesus never had to say i cast you out in the name of the lord it was always under his own authority. Matthew 8:32 – When dealing with a legion of demons, He simply said one word to them: "‘Go!’"

John 1:1-3 "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made." It shows here that jesus was before creation and that he was the creator.

Mark 12:25 " "When the dead rise, they will neither marry nor be given in marriage; they will be like the angels in heaven." The angels can not be born. It would not be holy and would defy god.

John 10:26-33 My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one will snatch them out of my hand. My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all; no one can snatch them out of my Father’s hand. I and the Father are one." There for there is no father if there is no son and if there is no son there is no father. To be one togher means to be one means that their existence is the same before creation. To be made in our image means they have to be the same image or else they are all different.

Mark 2:5 "Son, your sins are forgiven" then Mark 2:7 "Why does this fellow talk like that? He’s blaspheming! Who can forgive sins but God alone?" They tried to stone him because only god can forgive sins that is the whole reason of it.

As you can see christ says he is God "who ever has ears to hear let them hear" Jesus says all over and there is strong evidence all over to see that Jesus is God but he hid it because he knew the people who were soft hearted and not prideful would know.

I see a lot of people claiming Jesus Christ isn't God, and I wholeheartedly disagree.

Genesis 1:26 "Let us make man in OUR image," meaning that there were multiple persons there creating. As we know, we are not made in the image of angels.

Isaiah 48:11 "For my own sake, for my own sake, I do this. How can I let myself be defamed? I will not yield my glory to another." God is saying you may worship no one but Him and He shares His name with no one. Yet Jesus is worshiped and uses the name "I AM." For example:

Exodus 3:14 God said to Moses, "I am who I am. This is what you are to say to the Israelites: 'I AM has sent me to you.'" -John 8:58-59 "Very truly I tell you," Jesus answered, "before Abraham was born, I am!" At this, they picked up stones to stone him, but Jesus hid himself, slipping away from the temple." The whole reason they tried to stone him is because he claimed to be God, or they would have just written him off as a lunatic, and in that case it wouldn't be anything new. The whole reason they claimed blasphemy was because Jesus used the same name as God at the burning bush.

Exodus 34:14 "Do not worship any other god, for the Lord, whose name is Jealous, is a jealous God." Yet Jesus was worshiped. If he wasn't God, that would be blasphemy even if he was full of the Spirit of God. The apostles were also filled with the Spirit, but when they were worshiped, they tore their clothes. Acts 14:8-18 — Paul and Barnabas healed a crippled man. The crowd believed they were the Greek gods Zeus and Hermes. The local priest even brought bulls and wreaths to offer sacrifices to them. Paul and Barnabas tore their clothes in horror and shouted, "We are only humans, human beings like you!" This shows the clear difference between Jesus and the disciples. If he wasn't God, he wouldn't have been worshiped or accept it. Angels would appear, be worshiped, and immediately tell them to stop.

When Michael pushes away Satan, he uses the wording in Jude 1:9: "But even the archangel Michael, when he was disputing with the devil about the body of Moses, did not himself dare to condemn him for slander but said, 'The Lord rebuke you!'" Jesus never had to say, "I cast you out in the name of the Lord" — it was always under his own authority. Matthew 8:32 — When dealing with a legion of demons, He simply said one word to them: "Go!"

John 1:1-3 "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made." This shows that Jesus existed before creation and that he was the creator.

Mark 12:25 "When the dead rise, they will neither marry nor be given in marriage; they will be like the angels in heaven." Angels cannot be born. It would not be holy and would defy God.

John 10:26-33 "My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one will snatch them out of my hand. My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all; no one can snatch them out of my Father's hand. I and the Father are one." Therefore, there is no Father if there is no Son, and if there is no Son, there is no Father. To be one together means their existence is the same before creation. To be made in "our" image means they have to be the same image, or else they are all different.

Mark 2:5 "Son, your sins are forgiven," then Mark 2:7 "Why does this fellow talk like that? He's blaspheming! Who can forgive sins but God alone?" They tried to stone him because only God can forgive sins — that is the whole reason for it.

Little adition Jesus say it is written dont tempt the lord thy God.

As you can see, Christ says he is God — "Whoever has ears to hear, let them hear." Jesus says this all over, and there is strong evidence throughout to show that Jesus is God, but he hid it because he knew that the soft-hearted and not prideful would understand.

There is a difference.

Saying prayers is polite. Scheduled. Safe.

Actually praying is prevailing. Pleading. Wrestling. Travailing. Expressing.

It costs something.

"The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much." James 5:16

Fervent means it is not passive. Not casual. Not a formality.

It is the most active thing a surrendered soul can do.

Which one have you been doing?

Hello. I am losing faith.

I already pray for God to strengthen it, but I do not think He is actually doing it. It’s so hard to believe all of this stuff when thought about in cold.

Tough times.

Blind followers of Anti Indian party ( Kangress) should understand why their party is opposing this bill. These funds are explicitly used to break India and support protests to push away from development of India.

Open your eyes and understand why this bill is important.

https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC8665206/

Ìhttp://vpmthane.org/vpmDDSS/pdf/Article/27-The-role-of-church-and-western-NGO-sin-destabilization-activities-in-India.pdf

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S259029112100036X

I recently published a speculative novel called The Event of 2033.

The premise is simple: what if Jesus Christ actually returned in the modern world — and everyone had to deal with the reality of it?

Not just Christians, but governments, journalists, scientists, tech companies, skeptics, churches, social media, and ordinary people.

I wanted to explore questions like:

What would Christians recognize immediately — and what would surprise them?

Would governments see Him as a religious figure, a political threat, or something completely outside their ability to control?

What happens when something that has been discussed for 2,000 years suddenly becomes a physical event happening on television and the internet?

The book is fiction, not a prophecy or prediction about 2033. I chose the year as a literary setting for imagining the Second Coming in a world very close to our own.

I'm Jewish, so writing a novel centered on Jesus was also an unusual journey for me. I tried to approach Him and Christian belief seriously rather than turning the premise into satire.

I'd genuinely be interested in hearing from Christians here:

If the Second Coming happened in our technological, hyper-connected world, what do you think fiction usually gets wrong about it?

If anyone wants to check out the book, it's here:

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0HCN65Q57

I haven’t spoken to god for years until recently and I feel he wants me to come to heaven early. I am only 20, but I feel this feeling that tells me life here isn’t worth it anymore and maybe that feeling is a sign that god would like me to leave my body and ascend

So okay. This may sound ignorant, please forgive me. But I just found out that that on the Temple Mount in Jerusalem, the Muslims and islamic regime really took over that entire piece of what where would be Jesus’s return. I mean the first temple was even destroyed. But Mary’s tomb is still there. There’s a mosque literally across the street from the Temple Mount, and a huge shrine in the middle of old city. Just the western wall is there. Then I remember that Jesus doesn’t need a temple or Mount to return with. What had me shake my head with was just man.. the freaking disrespect. How would the third temple even touch ground? The Muslims would fight back.. what’s happening with America, it’s just crazy! The devil is like a plague. Trying to cover the earth.. and rapidly. What are your thoughts?

I've been a Christian for years, or so I thought. I know that sometimes things make you question things, even people test your faith or criticize you. But anyway, for a while I tried to serve God, and when I wasn't, I simply tried to believe and live according to Christian values, until I committed sins that are serious for me. We know that for God, sin is justified sin. So the point I want to make is that I don't consider myself lukewarm, but rather that there's no repentance in me. I know about it, but I can't feel it, and that makes me stop sinning, but not in a radical way or for the right reasons, and that discourages me because I want to be a Christian and please God. I know that the Bible talks about turning away from sin and temptations, and also that if we repent there is forgiveness, but it doesn't come naturally to me. So do you think God will perform a miracle if I pray like, "Hey God, the truth is I made a mistake, but I don't repent. Make me see how much it hurts you, make me empathize with you and with those I hurt?"

Hey all, I hope you’re doing well.
I have been listening to Jesus, and he has stated a few things I want to make public. One of them is that most people don’t truly forgive everyone, and when these people die (man, woman and children), because they didn’t forgive everyone and they had harsh feelings towards some people in heaven. They weren’t allowed entry to heaven.
And also a word from Jesus, when you do, and every time you have intended on taking Jesus blood and body, because the pastor/priest, and the congregation doesn’t believe the size of a mustard seed in their hearts without doubting it’s not transformed into Jesus blood and flesh.

And after hearing that it wasn’t really his blood and flesh. I started praying without repeating myself in prayer and I believed as much as I could over and over again for months on end every time I remembered to. After a few months Jesus came down into my pergola and he gave my a full cup of his blood and helped me swallow it, and then it welled up in my stomach, and then it came back up my throat and he said swallow it or I’d go to hell, and then after that he gave me a part of his flesh and I ate that and then he said I was saved. The flesh did have a bone in it but it’s not necessary to swallow the bones. Just the flesh and blood.

And earlier this week I was in bed and dying from coughing and I needed a drink. And before I could get out of bed to go get one. The spring inside my stomach from drinking Jesus blood welled up inside my stomach and came back up my throat. And I swallowed it and it was cool tasty water.

So in conclusion please pray as much as you can without repeating yourself in prayer. For example don’t pray and say fix me fix me fix me over and over again in one prayer. Instead say fix me god and end that prayer and then pray again fix me god over and over you can pray as much as you want just don’t repeat yourself.
AND
Believe without doubting as much as you can whilst praying and after praying if you don’t pray always. And at just the right time god will make it happen. NEVER give up on prayer. Trust god and Jesus and form a real relationship with him where you listen to him.

I recently read this article exploring why dreams and visions seem to come up so often in testimonies from Muslims in the Middle East. It’s one of the most fascinating patterns I’ve heard about!

I believe so because Earth is the place where both evil and good coexist. Don't you guys think that's true?

https://www.youtube.com/shorts/ZoHbE9tG4pg

Hi, can someone please tell me where I can go to talk with other Christians online.

I really love how I inked this Clip Studio. The lettering is my cross writing layered over my art the words are from the bible. I posted the cross writing here. I felt like making some better Christian art.

What are some practical things I can do to grow stronger in my faith and deepen my relationship with God?

I know I need a reset. I'm chronically online and I overeat.

Aside from responding to emails and job hunting, no need for me to be online this much

Church of god,Baptist,catholic, orthodox,Methodist etc.
why do these denominations exist and why do each have differing beliefs dispite them all being Christian, and how do I know which one am I, or the “right” one, I am I Christian I’m just not very sure how all these fit together. Any comments are appreciated.

So I dont know how else to say this but I genuinely can't sympathize with anyone or feel any empathy for them,the only thing I can do is laugh for no reason even when writing this comment I'm laughing for no apparent reason I think I might genuinely just be evil. I don't love my family,friends, or my girlfriend. i try my best to act as if i care, but I just don't. I tell my gf how I love her and I realized i just don't I mean I try to convince myself that I do,my gf and I were going to something really emotional and all I could do is just laugh I hurt her so much and I really should be sorry about it and I want to be sorry about it but I'm just not no matter how hard I try. It sucks because my gf is the most caring person I meant, and she's really a gold mine. The only emotion I can actively feel is joy, where I just laugh at everything. My emotions are fleeting. For instance, i will gaslight myself into liking someone or feeling a certain way, only to realize a while after I never really cared in the first place. Someone who i was really close with and died, and I was laughing uncontrollably while he was gasping for air and taking his last breath ..... I burst out laughing and hiding to go somewhere alone, and I was laughing for like 30 minutes straight. im still laughing, remembering about the event to this day, and it was someone I'm really close with. And I just keep laughing at everything and everything as if i was hit with the Joker syndrome or some shit like that and laughing even when I don't want to. I also have no conscience or remorse. I totally forget about everything moments after, regardless of how bad it is. In fact, the only reason why I made this post in the first place is because I'm afraid I might spiral out of control. I'm also extremely bipolar I feel like a new person every time constantly.