Give me reasons to why somebody would convert to Christianity

[InChrist]

And how does this change the fact that even YOU are not using the "actual" name, which kind of defeats the purpose of what you are saying here?

I am using the name for the Son of God in the English translation of the scriptures. It doesn't matter what language the name is translated into as long it the right name and in reference to the right Person.

 

[Me Myself]

I am using the name for the Son of God in the English translation of the scriptures. It doesn't matter what language the name is translated into as long it the right name and in reference to the right Person.

There are no "translation" for names.

If someone is called Pedro Guerrero and you call him Peter Warrior you got the name wrong.

Might as well call him Waldo

 

[Ingledsva]

And how does this change the fact that even YOU are not using the "actual" name, which kind of defeats the purpose of what you are saying here?

I am using the name for the Son of God in the English translation of the scriptures. It doesn't matter what language the name is translated into as long it the right name and in reference to the right Person.

A "translated" name that does not stay the same when the people are able to pronounce such, and they know it is incorrect - is using a different name.

Also, above you said the OT references "jesus." Where?

 

[Muffled]

It's funny, I usually think the exact same thing of Christians when they say "I'm going to Heaven and I'll be happy forever"

I quite agree with you on that one.

 

[Muffled]

Then you are either not reading what you have been told, are not comprehending what you are reading, or dismissing what you are being told for your own agenda.

I can't recall being told what to red although I had one church member suggest that my preference for secular reading wsn't good for me.

I have The Holy Spirit as my giude so I don't miss much.

Not everything I am told is correct and in accord with God's will. I have eschewed my own agendas for the will of God.

 

[Muffled]

OK. My 5-year-old son believed that adults were engaging in fairytale-ism when they denied the bogeymen in their closets. Adults were just trying to make themselves feel better by denying the bogeymen.

Everyone believes what they believe.

I believe that the concept of hell -- if taken seriously -- can do as much harm to the human psyche as the bogeyman in the closet can do to the minds of children. It's just what I believe. I can't help it.

Meanwhile, I thank goodness that my son's mind has matured as he has aged. He fears neither bogeymen in his closet nor the chance that he might go to an actual hell.

I suppose he sticks his hand in the fire because you haven't taught him he can be burned. I believe teaching the child a fantasy that can do him harm isn't doing him any favors.

I believe it is a good idea to demystify Hell. Actually the bogeyman did me a favor in that I learned to face fear at an early age and overcome it.

 

[Brickjectivity]

I know several people who've converted to Christianity, and I have questioned them. I know why people convert, and I know how they are converted as well as how it should work and how they should be converted. They should convert following the formula given in the book Ruth -- because they like Christians and so want to be Christian; but its ok if they convert for other reasons. Conversion is a long process not a moment of transformation

. What is Not OK (NOK) is for Christians and Churches to try to convert people using any means other than simple ones. No pressure or carrots or arguing should be used, because this makes conversion less successful. Matthew 12:45 comments upon the problem of partial conversion, where Jesus speaks of it as if a demon leaves a person and then comes back worse. You could think of it as someone who is getting over a sickness and then instead of resting, immediately goes back to work and then gets even more sick. I Corinthians 11:17 suggests that a divided church is worse than no church at all, and Luke 9:62 warns that partial conversion is not conversion, using the example of someone who tries to plow backwards or who plows with their head pointed backwards.

People sometimes convert:

• because of a desperate need for financial or other assistance.
• As a means of strengthening their families.
• To connect with God
• To learn about Christianity
• To find their own identity
• just on a lark, for a laugh
• they are deeply impressed by a Christian they know and love (The same as Ruth's conversion) Good!
• their family or a friend recommends it
• they worry about death
• the literature fascinates them
• they desire influence and power
• they see an opportunity to cash in
• they are attracted to vulnerable people and see opportunities to control others
• they are in a Christian culture and "If you can't beat'm join'm
• they want to learn how to destroy Christianity
• they are lonely
• they need a job
• they work for a church
• they are in a drug rehab or other rehab program
• they enjoy church services or worship
• they like Christian dating
• they want to change something about their way of life or some habit
• to hide from their past
• to become part of the local community where they have moved
• to make business contacts
• as missionaries to change or alter Christians or to influence Christians
• to find out if healing miracles are real
• to find out if demons are real
• to experience ecstasy (such as in very fervent worship services)
• to help them with government work
• to get volunteers for social projects
• they are talented public speakers
• they want to help people
• churches are pretty
• churches are sacred buildings
• other reasons (this is not an exhaustive list)

 

[AmbiguousGuy]

I suppose he sticks his hand in the fire because you haven't taught him he can be burned. I believe teaching the child a fantasy that can do him harm isn't doing him any favors.

Fire hurts, so he has learned to avoid it. But Hell is a fantasy, like the bogeyman, and so he has outgrown both notions.

I believe it is a good idea to demystify Hell.

I agree. It's like NeverNeverland. We can believe in it if we like, but most everyone knows that it doesn't really exist.

 

[Muffled]

Fire hurts, so he has learned to avoid it. But Hell is a fantasy, like the bogeyman, and so he has outgrown both notions.

I agree. It's like NeverNeverland. We can believe in it if we like, but most everyone knows that it doesn't really exist.

i believe Hell is a fire. Teaching that it is a fantasy is teaching that there isn't a fire that can burn.

I wasn't saying that. I just believe that many people try to mystify Hell instead of examining the reality.

I believe a person is incapable of knowing something that isn't true. It would be like saying that you know a giraffe has a long trunk.

 

[Muffled]

I know several people who've converted to Christianity, and I have questioned them. I know why people convert, and I know how they are converted as well as how it should work and how they should be converted. They should convert following the formula given in the book Ruth -- because they like Christians and so want to be Christian; but its ok if they convert for other reasons. Conversion is a long process not a moment of transformation

. What is Not OK (NOK) is for Christians and Churches to try to convert people using any means other than simple ones. No pressure or carrots or arguing should be used, because this makes conversion less successful. Matthew 12:45 comments upon the problem of partial conversion, where Jesus speaks of it as if a demon leaves a person and then comes back worse. You could think of it as someone who is getting over a sickness and then instead of resting, immediately goes back to work and then gets even more sick. I Corinthians 11:17 suggests that a divided church is worse than no church at all, and Luke 9:62 warns that partial conversion is not conversion, using the example of someone who tries to plow backwards or who plows with their head pointed backwards.

People sometimes convert:

• because of a desperate need for financial or other assistance.
• As a means of strengthening their families.
• To connect with God
• To learn about Christianity
• To find their own identity
• just on a lark, for a laugh
• they are deeply impressed by a Christian they know and love (The same as Ruth's conversion) Good!
• their family or a friend recommends it
• they worry about death
• the literature fascinates them
• they desire influence and power
• they see an opportunity to cash in
• they are attracted to vulnerable people and see opportunities to control others
• they are in a Christian culture and "If you can't beat'm join'm
• they want to learn how to destroy Christianity
• they are lonely
• they need a job
• they work for a church
• they are in a drug rehab or other rehab program
• they enjoy church services or worship
• they like Christian dating
• they want to change something about their way of life or some habit
• to hide from their past
• to become part of the local community where they have moved
• to make business contacts
• as missionaries to change or alter Christians or to influence Christians
• to find out if healing miracles are real
• to find out if demons are real
• to experience ecstasy (such as in very fervent worship services)
• to help them with government work
• to get volunteers for social projects
• they are talented public speakers
• they want to help people
• churches are pretty
• churches are sacred buildings
• other reasons (this is not an exhaustive list)

I met a former Muslim who came the Ruth way, attracted by the love of Jesus found in believers.

 

[AmbiguousGuy]

i believe Hell is a fire. Teaching that it is a fantasy is teaching that there isn't a fire that can burn.

Fires burn people all the time, or so it seems if we trust our senses.

But there is no fire in Hell, and the bogeyman doesn't really live in our childhood closets.

They both appear to be stories concocted to frighten and control people -- that's all I'm saying.