Theists, what led you to believe what you believe?

[JustWondering]

Also, can you tell us in detail about the moment you found your faith?

 

[Seven]

I'm not a theist anymore but I was a Jehovah's Witness for the better part of my life. I was born into the religion though, so I didn't find my faith so much as learn it.

 

[whereismynotecard]

I remember when the Jehovah's Witness people used to come to our house. They never do anymore. I wonder what my mom said to them...... O_O

 

[ChristineES]

A loud voice came in from the sky and called me "Christine, I am here. Believe in me." and I did. Just kidding. I answered a question to this a short time ago and I will repeat what I said then- it came to me gradually. It was a journey that took several years of thought and learning.

 

[wmam]

Also, can you tell us in detail about the moment you found your faith?

O.k. Just remember that you asked.

I searched for truth my whole entire life and could never find a group that I could 100% agree on in all things where it pertained to salvation. I would ask question after question and was told most of the time that "I shouldn't question God" or "I don't know" or even "That’s a question that you will have to answer for yourself" etc. etc. etc. I got so sick and tired of bouncing from one place to another until I had almost given up. I had over all this, a period of 31 years, been mainly Baptist and Southern Baptist at that. I dabbled in most of the other so called christian venues all the way up to 2003 when I was visiting an old man that I was told to see about questions I had about finding gold. I had been bitten by the gold bug and had the fever and was wanting to know all I could get my brain to absorb with the knowledge of that elusive yeller metal. This old man had spent a whole day with me climbing all over the mountains of North Carolina right outside his back door showing me, and telling me, all his knowledge and wisdom on the stated subject. When at the end of the day as the sun was going down and I reached out to shake his hand with all the appreciation I could muster for what he had endowed me with, I soon became aware that he had not finished with his lesson. He spoke up and said to me “Don’t you know you are a “JEW”?” Of course I was floored at the notion and couldn’t believe my ears as to what has just came from this old and seasoned veteran of the hills. I said “Do what?” He went on to explain to me about Herbert W. Armstrong and the “World Wide Church of God” and how all the white men are direct descendents of the lost tribes of Yisrael. I have to admit that I did get caught up in all that for a time and a space but am now proud to say “I’ve seen the light” but to continue I followed those teachings only as long as it took for me to disprove them. I got my first computer in 1995 that I was able to connect to the internet and started off with Windows ‘95 and AOL 2.0. I know, I know. :computer: That’s ancient history. Anyways this is how I studied about Herbert and his take on things which led me to a more extreme look at the so called “christian identity” movement into the depths of the Militias and common law courts around about the time of the “Montana Freeman” incident. After realizing that this wasn’t truth either I went on to the likes of a few other areas of belief until I ended up at Yisrael Hawkins “House of Yahweh”. This was the closest thing I could find at the time that took in most but not all, and I repeat for those not paying all that much attention, NOT ALL of what I believed. I had some real problems with Hawkins teachings but he did have allot of what I know as truth. I was so perplexed and confused as to what I must do cause I had over the past 12 years since 1993 been taking a little here and a little there from all the various groups had studied from and had, by what some had told me, came up with my own religion. I just wasn’t happy. I had no peace. I had so many unanswered questions still with no one to turn to. Things I read in scripture just didn’t add up to all that others had tried so hard to cram down my throat. One Saturday in October of 2005 I was home and was flipping through the channels of my television. I had cable and was just channel surfing when I heard someone say “YAH” and I had already went a couple of more channels before it hit me that hey, wait a minute. I had come to know that the name of the Father was, and is, Yahweh. What’s this “YAH”? So I quickly backtracked to the channel where I found this individual speaking on scripture in a topic driven format with a stand alone reader that you didn’t see off screen but as the word was read this individual would interrupt at times to show and prove though out scripture with great ease and zeal what was just read. He never gave what he thought or what he felt the word had said but rather used many other verses through out the whole of the bible to prove what had been stated. I was floored. I had not, at this time, ever been anywhere that this had been done without a bunch of inference and conjecture as to what someone thought or felt. I was very impressed and amazed but at the same time very cautious. I didn’t want to get bit again. It had been so expensive for me in the past. All these places I had been to and all wanted so much in tithes that people wouldn’t eat or not make the rent because they were made to feel that they just had to pay that tithe. I wanted to make sure that this was on the up and up before I jumped in. I listened to the classes on the weekly show on cable and also on-line with the live classes. It took me from October of 2005 all the way to February 2006 before I decided to go. Yes go. The Tabernacle was right here in my back yard where I had traveled so much and so far in the past looking for but never finding. I went first to what was called “Friday Night Q&A” which was set up for all that had questions could come and just ask and the same individual that was on the TV show would answer - by scripture only. It was so amazing and rewarding to finally here truth without the fog and murkiness of mans thoughts and feelings. I started going on a regular basis and also to the Shabbat classes. I had over the next few months compiled a notebook of over 100 questions with the scriptural answers that I had received during those classes and I finally felt a great ease and peace that I had found my home. I also feel very humbled as I thought I had acquired so much knowledge from all the other places that I had attended and studied with and just to find out that it wasn’t really anything much at all. I sometimes even laugh at the saying “Tip of the iceberg” cause there was so, so much more to learn and after almost 3 years there is still so, so much more. I can honestly say that there hasn’t been a time that I have been to the Tabernacle that I didn’t learn at least one new thing if not much more. I feel so blessed to not only have found where I belong but for the place to be 30 minutes away from my house. Praise Yah! :clap

 

[JustWondering]

wmam,
Thank you for the response but when did you first come to believe there was a God. Your search (the one described above) seemed to start with you already believing there was a God and in salvation from your sins. What was it that made you believe there is a God in the first place?

 

[sandandfoam]

I believe what I believe because the feeling built to a point where I could no longer ignore/deny/run from it. My beliefs are an attempt to reconcile myself with what I feel/perceive.

 

[JustWondering]

stephenw,
What feelings? What made you think embracing the Baha'i faith would help you cope with these feelings?

 

[sandandfoam]

stephenw,
What feelings? What made you think embracing the Baha'i faith would help you cope with these feelings?

Cope isn't the word I'd use. I felt God, I couldn't ignore God, I had to follow my heart, the Baha'i faith feels right - that does no justice to what I feel, I can't think of any better words to describe it though

 

[wmam]

wmam,
Thank you for the response but when did you first come to believe there was a God. Your search (the one described above) seemed to start with you already believing there was a God and in salvation from your sins. What was it that made you believe there is a God in the first place?

Oh, by reading the OP the question wasn't asking this precisely.

My parents took me to church from birth. As far as salvation is concerned, I haven't recieved that yet. No one has. Theres only a promise of a possibility if we obey. This is my own personal belief. I had mentioned that I was a southern baptist to start with.

 

[emiliano]

Also, can you tell us in detail about the moment you found your faith?

God lead me to believe, He gave faith, I believe that this happened at my confirmation at about seven years of age. Confirmation is a rite in the RCC.

 

[BruceDLimber]

Greetings!

Also, can you tell us in detail about the moment you found your faith?

As I've stated elsewhere, this was the result of extensive prayer, reading, research, investigation, observation, and evaluation, after which I came to an informed conclusion!

(There was no "single moment" in which all this happened; rather, it was a lengthy process. Actually, I finally enrolled when I <still not a Baha'i> found myself telling others, "This is neat; you should really check it out!" I eventually said "This is ridiculous!" and became a Baha'i.)

And all this happened over 37 years ago, since which time I have NOT ONCE found any reason to regret this decision!

Best!

Bruce

 

[lilithu]

God tapped me on the shoulder one day and said, "Hey, remember me?"

And no, I'm not kidding.

Except that God is not a "being" and did not speak in words.

And even then, I did not believe again right away. I was surrounded by secular humanists, materialists, reductionists, who thought that anyone who believed was less than intelligent. It conflicted with my worldview at the time. I was comfortably "agnostic," which in my mind meant that I could be more "open-minded" than my atheist friends but still didn't have to bother with what comes with belief. I did not want to change. I tried all different ways to ignore the call, to rationalize it away. But ultimately, the still small voice would not go away. It persisted in various ways, making it harder to ignore, and becoming a coherent meaning. Until, over the course of years, I finally said, Yes. Here I am. I cannot believe/do/be anything else than to place my faith, my whole life, in You and serve You.

 

[eccentricjdo]

It's simple: in the physical universe, there is both continuity in the way it works, and enough discontinuity to convice me that God exists. The usual reign of what is currently understood to be natural law can be understood in terms of God's wisdom.

 

[Katzpur]

I was maybe three or four years old. One day I was playing with what my mom used to call "the bell." It was one of those little portable timers people use when they're cooking (nowadays they're generally built-in, but this was a long time ago, and ours wasn't). Anway, I was sitting and winding it just past the 5-minute mark and then immediately backwards to where it would go, "ding!" So it was wind clockwise, wind counter-clockwise, ding! Wind clockwise, wind counter-clockwise, ding! Over and over and over again. Finally my mother said to me, "Kathryn, don't do that any more. You're going to end up breaking it. It's not supposed to be a toy." Well, since I was so much smarter than she was, I just answered, "No I'm not! See!" and I continued to go through my little routine. A few more winds, a few more dings and all of a sudden, the bell stopped working. Guility, I handed it to my mother. "Im sorry," I said. She tried for a few minutes to get it to work. Finally, she said, "Well, I told you that's what would happen, but you didn't listen to me, did you? We'll just have to buy a new one."

"No we won't!" I said. "I'll pray about it. I'll ask Heavenly Father to make it work again." My mother really didn't know what to do. She'd taught me to pray and to have faith that God would hear and answer my prayers, but she knew that He didn't waste His time fixing mechanical timers. She hesitated and started to try to discourage me, but I was insistent. "I'm going to pray!" I said. And I did. After I asked God to please fix the bell, I went over and picked it up. I wound it just past the 5-minute mark and then backwards. DING! What a beautiful sound! I handed "the bell" to my mother, who was standing there were her mouth open. Do I believe God answered my prayer? Absolutely. Would I have that much faith today? Probably not. But I believe God knew how important it was that He answer that prayer. He knew it would influence the way I thought of him forever.

 

[Reverend Rick]

I walked away from God and became a Pagan. Actually I was pretty much an agnostic seeker. I performed magick and became a witch. Later I became a ceremonial magickan and summoned some Goetic Spirits outside the circle. God would never make such a vulgar display before me, but these spirits where very much real and did tangible physical things before me.

Once I proved beyond a shadow of a doubt that the supernatural actually existed to myself, it was not so very hard to have faith in God once again.

 

[GiantHouseKey]

But I believe God knew how important it was that He answer that prayer. He knew it would influence the way I thought of him forever.

Wow what a story ! I guess you already believed in God at this point though? Or at least you had been told that he existed from your mother. Did it really lead you to believe in God or did it just strengthen the faith you already had?

Do I believe God answered my prayer? Absolutely. Would I have that much faith today? Probably not

Why do you not have that much faith today? If you believe in God and that he will answer prayers just like Jesus said he would, why would you not believe now what you believed then?

GhK.

 

[Charity]

Also, can you tell us in detail about the moment you found your faith?

In all honesty, My grandfather led me to church the first couple of times I ever went, I was 5. So I guess I really was "led"
I had a personal experience and once I was in Church I knew there was a connection between the two. The experience/God......:angel2:

 

[Katzpur]

Wow what a story ! I guess you already believed in God at this point though? Or at least you had been told that he existed from your mother. Did it really lead you to believe in God or did it just strengthen the faith you already had?

Yes, I definitely believed in God at that point and it was because my parents had told me He existed. Kids that age will believe anything, you know. It's weird, though, I can't recall anybody drilling the idea into my head. There were never any threats of what might happen to me if I didn't believe or anything like that. So I'd say it just strengthened the faith I already had. It did a darned good job of it, though.

Why do you not have that much faith today? If you believe in God and that he will answer prayers just like Jesus said he would, why would you not believe now what you believed then?

I understand prayer differently now. As a little child, I figured that if I believed enough, I'd get whatever I wanted. I have come to realize that that's not how it works, and that God doesn't always go along with all of my demands. Sometimes He simply gives me what I need. I've learned to be grateful for that, and I've learned that He often rewards my faith by granting me some of the things I don't really need, too.

 

[IF_u_knew]

Also, can you tell us in detail about the moment you found your faith?

I let go of faith and in that, I found the Knowledge of G.d. While most fear His judgments (as is evident by either denying that He exists or by using a man or other such idol to focus their attention on), I rather find great comfort and strength in His judgments; and His Law was exactly as He declared it to be... perfect for converting the soul!

I would not call what I subscribe to a "belief" so much as it is Truth. :yes: