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I would like to thank you all for sharing your gift of knowing me better than I know myself.

Please don't take offense, but your generalizations and scripture references don't give you the ability to know what I was like or felt 20 years ago. Had you met that person, I have no doubts you would have accepted him as a Christian without a second thought. I do appreciate your confidence that no one who once truly believed could ever become convinced otherwise, but that is my history. Whether you believe it happened or not has no bearing on it.

If it is any consolation, I do still believe in God, just not necessarily the literal Biblical one. My skepticism, for lack of a better word, is directed more towards the institution of religion rather than the idea of a Divine father. I personally believe that if He pays us any attention at all it is more for detached bemusement at our antics in His name than anything else.

NoCmpromiz, although you never asked me directly, my studies were mainly about the origins of the various writings and legends that eventually were voted and bargained into inclusion within the Bible. I was fascinated with the thought that men decided through political compromise what Words of God were more important than others, and from there I started studying about the origins of these various items. So in essence it wasn't so much studying the Bible as it was studying about it.

Merry Christmas to you all.

I would like to thank you all for sharing your gift of knowing me better than I know myself.

You bring out a very good point. We do not know you, and we cannot deny that you had a belief system at one point which you were faithful to. However, had I ever met you, personally, and sat down and had lunch with you, and spent some time getting to know you, I could never at some point in the future say that you never existed. Oh, I could say it, but it would be because of my dementia, or some other mental lapse.

Even if it had been years and years ago, and someone came up to me and said, "Remember that Antonello fellow that yada, yada, yada?" I would say, "Yeah, I remember that guy, "former Christian", right?"

I would have known you, and would not be able to say you didn't exist.

Now, you have basically confessed that you never really had a personal relationship with Jesus (or at least you haven't mentioned it on this 100+ post thread). Since you never met Jesus, you never really knew Him. Oh, you may have known about Him and what is was said that He did, but by your own words, you never really met Him, right?

To be a Christian is to have personally met Jesus, and to have faith that He's who He claims to be, and did what He said He did. If you don't have the personal relationship with Him, then the "faith" you profess is simply a faith in what others have told you which leads to a belief system built on a house of cards.

You're right, I do not know you. I've never really met you. However, with just this brief interaction (as one sided as it's been), I have no doubt you exist. A relationship with Jesus is much more personal (and more interactive, believe it or not), and once you've had that real, and personal, relationship, there is no denying His existance.

Blessings...

Thanks for clarifying what your problem is, Antonello - and I agree - your problem seems to be with the institution of religion - not necessarily God - if I understood you correctly from what you have written. And, in that case - you are correct. People are fallible and sometimes do not get the message from God correcty.

But -

God is able to take care of His Word (scripture) no matter how man tries to change it or interpret it; just note how Abraham and Sarah went ahead of God and Abraham to conceive a child through Sarah's servant - Hagar - instead of wating for God to work in Sarah! But God was still bring to pass His promise to give them an heir (of the promise) in spite of their misunderstanding - and not waiting for God.

We could argue with you on theological concepts forever - but if something happens to you in your life that is bigger than any amount of money, medical advancements, or person - including yourself - what or who are you going to turn to - to fix the situation?

It is at times of great need and personal tragedy that some of the greatest writers have come to know Jesus as well as come to know themselves. And that is where we'll find Him. Scripture says that Jesus came to bind up our wounds and heal the brokenhearted! That means He is personally involved in our lives!

And - Merry Christmas to you too, Antonello! I hope you come tho know this man called Jesus intimately - the reason for this season! He is knocking at your door!