Some rather unusual happenings over the last couple of weeks

[Shadow]

Although technically I identify as an agnostic theist rather than as a christian, quite a few inexplicable things have happened to me in the last couple of weeks

I joined CD as an agnostic and still have this as my religious view on my profile there, however I was far from comfortable posting on that section of the forum, although my first post was in that section explaining why I don't identify as christian, as strange as this may seem I actually soon discovered that I had even less in common with the atheists and agnostics than I did with the rampant hardcore fundy ETers, despite being able to empathize and sympathize with the A&A views, but I found some of their posts ridiculing christianity and God and Jesus and I wanted no part of that

It came as a total shock to me when I did the beliefomatic test and came out with these results

1. Mainline to Conservative Christian/Protestant (100%) 2. Orthodox Quaker (94%) 3. Seventh Day Adventist (93%) 4. Mainline to Liberal Christian Protestants (87%) 5. Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (Mormons) (84%) 6. Eastern Orthodox (82%) 7. Roman Catholic (82%) 8. Jehovah's Witness (81%) 9. Hinduism (78%) 10. Orthodox Judaism (74%) 11. Jainism (72%) 12. Islam (72%) 13. Liberal Quakers (69%) 14. Unitarian Universalism (65%) 15. Baha'i Faith (61%) 16. Mahayana Buddhism (61%) 17. Sikhism (61%) 18. Reform Judaism (60%) 19. Theravada Buddhism (59%) 20. Neo-Pagan (43%) 21. New Age (39%) 22. Scientology (36%) 23. Secular Humanism (33%) 24. Taoism (33%) 25. Christian Science (Church of Christ, Scientist) (28%) 26. New Thought (28%) 27. Nontheist (24%)



I was stunned when I saw these results as atheists/agnostics tend to score highest on the categories I scored lowest on, and the fundies would possibly get similar results to myself were they to do the test as well, according to this I am christian (or at least very much a believer)

However

I am finding that the ET fundies are not making any sense when trying to defend the doctrine of an eternal hell, and even when they speak about things like the rapture, or that people deliberately choose to go to hell (I once believed in the rapture myself, but to me now it seems rooted in self centredness), I am however understanding and agreeing with the CU posts being made, what's even stranger is that as I read from a UR source, I'm actually finding that the thoughts have actually crossed my mind before I even see it on the website I'm on, I'm noticing that the UR's are able to successfully debunk the ET POV, even the annihilationists can

It just doesn't make sense that God would create untold billions of people and only intend to save a few to the vast exclusion of all others, there is far more to knowing God than merely sitting in a pew and being spoonfed the doctrines of the day which tend to focus on one theme, without addressing far more important themes like truly learning to love one's enemy and the fruits of the spirit and the restitution of all things

I was a member of ex-christian.net and received a PM yesterday which I read, I did tend to browse the site now and again, but very seldom made posts on there for the same reason I stated in my opening paragraph, although someone rated me 5 star when I addressed a fundy's attitude last year which I would have done again had the need arose, however when I tried to access the site this morning I found I'd been banned/deleted from the membership list (and I don't even know why) the posts I made now have the Guest_**** prefix next to them, I couldn't help but wonder if it's a sign that I have no business being on there, obviously the admin clearly didn't think I belonged on there, despite the fact I wasn't classified as an apologist or fundamentalist otherwise they wouldn't have deleted my account, I won't be joining there again

I do not want to be an ex-believer, I want to be a believer and get to know God better, in fact it's the foremost thing on my mind each and every day, I'm still having trouble praying properly but in my heart I cry out to God, I know that He's real, it's just finding out exactly who He is and what He wants from me :HeartThrob:

I think slowly, but surely I may be beginning to see the ultimate reconciliation of all, after all :icon_flower:

[martincisneros]

 :HeartThrob: :cloud9:

[WhiteWings]

I was stunned when I saw these results as atheists/agnostics tend to score highest on the categories I scored lowest on

I don't know the test but I think it's (almost) impossible to have unbiased questions and scoring of questions.
It's not the HS calculating the score of your test. It's the programmer of the website that decides answering question X with yes means you edge to islam. But why? Just because it's the programmers opinion.
Assume you make to extra tests.
A how well I know the Bible test on a Calvinist website.
A how well I know the Bible test on a Arminianist website.
Do you think you score the same on both websites?
Why not? Both are based on the same books.
Indeed. Because the programmer says so....

[Molly]

but I found some of their posts ridiculing christianity and God and Jesus and I wanted no part of that

I find this physically painful, to listen to people do this.  I'm not sure why.  It's not like it offends me intellectually.  But, it hurts.  And, I found that the more time I spend with God, the more it hurts.  I actually can't even be in its presence easily anymore, which is hard since I am surrounded by self proclaimed atheists.  What I can't figure out is why they have to be so aggressive towards others' beliefs, whatever they are.  It's like they hate God.  If they were truly atheists, wouldn't they be indifferent and think about something else like the baseball game?  They are obsessed.

I don't like labels, but I think it's wonderful that you want to know Him better.  He won't disappoint and he will accept you any way you come to him.  And, yes, I see His hand behind everything you have recently experienced.

[WhiteWings]

What I can't figure out is why they have to be so aggressive towards others' beliefs, whatever they are.  It's like they hate God.  If they were truly atheists, wouldn't they be indifferent and think about something else like the baseball game?  They are obsessed.

I think it's partly because religion has caused so much war.
Plus fans of different baseball teams fight too.

[Molly]

What I can't figure out is why they have to be so aggressive towards others' beliefs, whatever they are.  It's like they hate God.  If they were truly atheists, wouldn't they be indifferent and think about something else like the baseball game?  They are obsessed.

I think it's partly because religion has caused so much war.
Plus fans of different baseball teams fight too.

That's like saying I'm against guns because guns kill people.


Guns don't kill people, people kill people.

If they are against wars, work for the peace movement.  Doing away with all Christians will not stop wars.  Christians didn't invent war.  Ask Cain and Abel.

[Cardinal]

 :cloud9: Like Molly, I see His hand at work in everything you said above, too. He is revealing your heart to you, even a heart you didn't know yourself, and that heart is Christ in you, the hope of glory. Blessings..... :HeartThrob:

[WhiteWings]

but I found some of their posts ridiculing christianity and God and Jesus and I wanted no part of that

Weird isn't it?
I have the same lately. Very obvious for most on this forum. But not for a foul mouth like me.

[WhiteWings]

What I can't figure out is why they have to be so aggressive towards others' beliefs, whatever they are.  It's like they hate God.  If they were truly atheists, wouldn't they be indifferent and think about something else like the baseball game?  They are obsessed.

I think it's partly because religion has caused so much war.
Plus fans of different baseball teams fight too.

That's like saying I'm against guns because guns kill people.


Guns don't kill people, people kill people.

If they are against wars, work for the peace movement.  Doing away with all Christians will not stop wars.  Christians didn't invent war.  Ask Cain and Abel.

Many atheist mock Christianity because of the horrors it caused. Same for islam.
But they are far less angry about budism. Why? IMO because budism is seen as a 'religion' of peace.
Christianity certainly is too but it is burned beyond recognition. Atheists judge the religion for what it does. Not for what it should do.
Christianity once was a plow to sow seeds. Church has used the iron to make swords.
More clear now?

[Shadow]

Thanks for the responses all, I also think God is working in my life, there is no other way to explain it, but I've learned not to rely too much on feelings and emotions which seem to change every so often

WW

When I did the test I thought it was a fluke at first myself, however many other things have happened since then

My main intention for joining CD was to lash out at the fundamentalist christians when I first joined and I even viciously attacked them, I soon noticed they wouldn't come near me with a ten foot pole and couldn't successfully answer or debunk me, I wasn't playing games and I told it like it was (If ever I deserved a warning or ban, it was on the CD forum), but then one day I felt so bad about my behaviour and publicly apologized, but at the same time I noticed that I was becoming increasingly uncomfortable and uneasy with what I was seeing posted in the A&A section.

I was still a member of exc and made a post there about a week ago, I really thought I was going through a deconversion which I couldn't stop (I know of a couple of people who have deconverted), as there was a portrayal of God on CD that upset me, similar to the one started by a certain poster that became very active on here and was banned recently, only the person on CD was much more forthright and straight , so on the surface it seemed as if I was on that path myself as I was seeing this horrible, unjust God that this person was portraying, so by all appearances it seemed as if I was an exc or on the way to becoming one, I only made 6 posts on that board, I never clashed with anybody, I never got any warnings for breaking the rules, I never Pmed or hassled anybody, I just signed in anonymously and read a couple of threads here and there, so I should have been largely unnoticed, so all I can think of is that somehow the Lord allowed it as He does NOT want me on that website as it doesn't have the answers He wants me to find

Also between the time I made the last post on ex-c, I haven't been active on CD, only here, I've also closely monitored the board as well as reading UR sources and somehow miraculously being able to understand exactly what is being said, I had concentration problems before, but am able to fit the pieces of the puzzle more clearly than before

I feel at this stage, this is one of few places I seem to feel at more at ease posting at, I always somehow felt I didn't quite fit in with the mindset of ex-c although I could empathize with what some of them went through, but I don't fit in at a place like CARM either, in fact probably CARM could be a reason why many people end up on ex-c (it's so utterly depressing) :dontknow:

[WhiteWings]

Shadow,
Please post the link to that test.

[Shadow]

BELIEFOMATIC

I must confess, a couple of times I had to choose an answer that most closely matched my beliefs, rather than one I would have rather have seen appear on there that I could choose from, BTW I am trinitarian and that is one the questions asked on that quiz :bigGrin:

It will be interesting to see some other results :bigGrin:

[WhiteWings]

Time for me to say goodbye to this forum...

1.  Orthodox Quaker (100%) 
2.  Mainline to Liberal Christian Protestants (97%) 
3.  Seventh Day Adventist (90%) 
4.  Mainline to Conservative Christian/Protestant (87%) 
5.  Liberal Quakers (81%) 
6.  Unitarian Universalism (74%) 
7.  Eastern Orthodox (71%) 
8.  Roman Catholic (71%) 
9.  Reform Judaism (60%) 
10.  Hinduism (52%) 
11.  Sikhism (52%) 
12.  Baha'i Faith (50%) 
13.  Orthodox Judaism (49%) 
14.  Mahayana Buddhism (48%) 
15.  Theravada Buddhism (48%) 
16.  Islam (47%) 
17.  Jainism (46%) 
18.  Neo-Pagan (44%) 
19.  Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (Mormons) (43%) 
20.  New Age (41%) 
21.  Taoism (38%) 
22.  Secular Humanism (37%) 
23.  New Thought (35%) 
24.  Jehovah's Witness (34%) 
25.  Scientology (34%) 
26.  Christian Science (Church of Christ, Scientist) (32%) 
27.  Nontheist (32%) 

[Shadow]

Please tell me you're joking, it's better that I leave rather than you :grin:

Isn't it ironic that a self proclaimed atheist and a self proclaimed agnostic theist find out what they originally thought they might be, are right at the bottom of the list instead of the top :winkgrin:


I think this test is somewhat accurate because with most atheists and agnostics, the results would mostly be in reversal order, they tend to score very highly on secular humanism or nontheist

[WhiteWings]

Quaker makes good musli. If they give discount to members I might join them  :laughing7:

Isn't it ironic that a self proclaimed atheist and a self proclaimed agnostic theist find out what they originally thought they might be, are right at the bottom of the list instead of the top

I think it's (partly) about settig standards for yourself.
Not everybody with a gun is soldier.
Not everybody with running shoes is am athlete.
Not everybody with .....
Not everybody with a Bible is a Christian.

[SQ]

1.  Mainline to Liberal Christian Protestants (100%) 
2.  Orthodox Quaker (89%) 
3.  Liberal Quakers (88%) 
4.  Baha'i Faith (83%) 
5.  Mainline to Conservative Christian/Protestant (77%) 
6.  Unitarian Universalism (71%) 
7.  Reform Judaism (69%) 
8.  Islam (66%) 
9.  Orthodox Judaism (66%) 
10.  Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (Mormons) (66%) 
11.  Sikhism (58%) 
12.  Seventh Day Adventist (58%) 
13.  New Age (50%) 
14.  Jehovah's Witness (50%) 
15.  Eastern Orthodox (48%) 
16.  Roman Catholic (48%) 
17.  Christian Science (Church of Christ, Scientist) (48%) 
18.  Neo-Pagan (44%) 
19.  New Thought (41%) 
20.  Mahayana Buddhism (40%) 
21.  Taoism (40%) 
22.  Theravada Buddhism (40%) 
23.  Jainism (39%) 
24.  Secular Humanism (37%) 
25.  Nontheist (35%) 
26.  Scientology (33%) 
27.  Hinduism (20%) 

:mblush:

[Molly]

What I can't figure out is why they have to be so aggressive towards others' beliefs, whatever they are.  It's like they hate God.  If they were truly atheists, wouldn't they be indifferent and think about something else like the baseball game?  They are obsessed.

I think it's partly because religion has caused so much war.
Plus fans of different baseball teams fight too.

That's like saying I'm against guns because guns kill people.


Guns don't kill people, people kill people.

If they are against wars, work for the peace movement.  Doing away with all Christians will not stop wars.  Christians didn't invent war.  Ask Cain and Abel.

Many atheist mock Christianity because of the horrors it caused. Same for islam.
But they are far less angry about budism. Why? IMO because budism is seen as a 'religion' of peace.
Christianity certainly is too but it is burned beyond recognition. Atheists judge the religion for what it does. Not for what it should do.
Christianity once was a plow to sow seeds. Church has used the iron to make swords.
More clear now?

wow You're a Quaker!  I love Quakers.  Talk about peaceful Christians...

I know what you mean.  A lot of Christians are seriously deluded by their paid for false shepherds.  Satan has infiltrated churches. Isn't that where you would expect to find him?  And, they don't read the Bible for themselves.

The Inquisition was the low point, and it could return, but atheists should realize they are conducting their own Inquisition without the props.  It's all about honoring another human being for what they are and who they are and just because they are, which is a generic problem for the entire human race.  We don't seem to be able to do that. And satan capitalizes on it.

[firstborn888]

It seems that URs generally score high in the Quakerism category

[Molly]

It seems that URs generally score high in the Quakerism category

How do you know that?  I was beginning to think the programmer was a Quaker.  :laughing7:

Is there something special that UR and Quakers have in common?

[Cardinal]

 :cloud9: The Quakers and the Shakers actually started out being Spirit filled, thus their name, from the quaking of the Spirit coming upon them. So maybe they have an unconditional love premise?  :dontknow: Blessings....

[firstborn888]

It seems that URs generally score high in the Quakerism category

How do you know that?  I was beginning to think the programmer was a Quaker.  :laughing7:

Is there something special that UR and Quakers have in common?

I can't remember - but a few of the traits leaned toward UR type thinking like a metaphorical hell IIRC, plus an openess to personal revelation...

[sven]

1.  Orthodox Quaker (100%) 
2.  Seventh Day Adventist (77%) 
3.  Liberal Quakers (71%) 
4.  Mainline to Liberal Christian Protestants (71%) 
5.  Baha'i Faith (69%) 
6.  Mainline to Conservative Christian/Protestant (69%) 
7.  Orthodox Judaism (69%) 
8.  Islam (66%) 
9.  Reform Judaism (66%) 
10.  Sikhism (59%) 
11.  Eastern Orthodox (58%) 
12.  Roman Catholic (58%) 
13.  Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (Mormons) (58%) 
14.  Jainism (57%) 
15.  Theravada Buddhism (56%) 
16.  Mahayana Buddhism (54%) 
17.  Jehovah's Witness (53%) 
18.  Unitarian Universalism (50%) 
19.  Hinduism (42%) 
20.  Christian Science (Church of Christ, Scientist) (39%) 
21.  Scientology (38%) 
22.  Taoism (37%) 
23.  New Thought (36%) 
24.  Neo-Pagan (35%) 
25.  New Age (34%) 
26.  Secular Humanism (32%) 
27.  Nontheist (22%) 

[WhiteWings]

Click on the name of the denomination and you get a list of their core believes.
According to the programmer....

[Molly]

I came out 100 percent orthodox quaker, too.  What are Quakers? One percent of the Christian population?  I thought they mostly all died out 100 years ago lol.  This is just too weird.

Back to my theory that the programmer is a Quaker...

[WhiteWings]

Odd question perhaps.
Are Quakers related to Quaker oats? (in the past)
Here we have a certain brand of beer that is brew by monks. So....