Converting to christianity????

I have basically been an atheist all of my 23-year-old life, my family and my neighborhood is atheist too, but lately, I've been feeling depressed and kind of like the atheism doesn't give me the answers to the emptiness and the nihilistic depression I feel inside, so I decided to give Christianity a try. In an earlier thread, some christian Sup Forumsacks advised me to start with a bible, so I borrowed one from a library, and I have a New Testament here right next to me.

My question to the christians in Sup Forums is: what to expect from New Testament? Am I gonna find the answers I seek? Did you find them? Please give me advice, I will read every reply in this thread.

Other urls found in this thread:

pastorrick.com/devotional/english/six-principles-for-interpreting-scripture
youtube.com/watch?v=lAIGb1lfpBw
twitter.com/AnonBabble

bump, I really need the christians of Sup Forums to give their thoughts plsss

The Old Testament is great, but if you really want answers, start with Old Testament books.

Ecclesiastes and Job.

New Testament is great and easier to read, but yeah. You can find a good reading list that's easier than reading cover to cover.

oops, typo. you know what I meant

The library offered me the New Testament thought, I would have accepted the Old Testament too, but they didn't have it available, but if you say that the New Testament is easier to read, it sounds good, since I am really new to the Christianity.

If you're not part of a study group you need a commentary or study guide. You have to recognize that these books are thousands of years old and you need to consider the literary and storytelling conventions of the time. It requires real work to understand these books but it is very rewarding. I would recommend Scott Hahns commentaries but above that I would not recommend even starting with the bible. Start by reading Mere Christianity by CS Lewis because it will give you a very good but general overview of what most Christians believe and why.

expect to read what some Greek speaking folks that never met Jesus, or met anyone that met Jesus have to say about stories they heard about the apocalyptic rabbi (teacher) Jesus and his band of common followers did a few generations before, in a different country, in a different language, with no contemporary records. Expect similar but different interpretations in the Gospels because a few used a a common source and altered the stories as they saw fit because they each had a different idea about Jesus and never expected their works to be assembled into a book.

I would START with "Misquoting Jesus" or "Jesus, Interrupted" before you thrown yourself since it covers the NT in a non-controversial way that is taught in all mainline american seminary and divinity schools

Dr. William Lane Craig

sounds like you don't like Christianity that much, or am I mistaken here?

Job is my favorite book of the Bible, but it's a little too "heavy" for your first go.

My advice? Just start with the Gospels. Gospel of Mark, to be specific, as it was written with a Gentile audience in mind (I.E., less emphasis on OT symbolism and metaphors), then probably move onto the Gospel of John.

Also you should examine and familiarize yourself with the classical arguments for theism. I say this because the sort of folks that come to Christianity because they're sad or something tend to leave as soon as they're not. This is because emotions and personal experience are not a good foundation for faith, they are actually the dumbest reasons to believe in god.

Answering Atheism by Trent Horn is good entry level theology.

The Bible is too easy to misinterpret and confuse metaphors for laterality

Read Thomas Aquinas's Summa Theologica and thank me later.

no, its fine really. but as others said, kniow what you are reading and how to read it. this includes poetic elements, added sections (explicit trinity statement, woman taken in adultery), and the general history.

I chuckled

quality advice, will keep it in mind, thanks

I don't know about that, since if Christianity provides the answers I need, I am willing to commit to it for my entire life and not leave it that easily. Mainly, the answers about the meaning of life and why it's necessary to appreciate and celebrate your life in the western cultural space.

You can't contradict this.

Read Matthew 16:25. You don't give Christianity a "try", either you believe or you don't.

Well, how am I supposed to interpret the bible then? I really don't know, I am sorry. Can I start reading it from scratch and kind of "get it" or is there something I should keep in mind first?

I was laughing because he said the bible was too hard to read so he should instead read the Summa. You practically have to be an expert on Plato and Aristotle before you can even touch Aquinas.

Since you are just starting out, don't try to interpret it at all. Just start reading. If you find something and you become really interested in what it means, read commentaries. You have the Internet so you should be fine. Keep the mind open, ask for the Holy Spirit to guide you while reading. Pray before you begin to read it.

You don't get it, I want to believe it, but I come from a country that is atheistic as fuck, and it requires a bit of mental gymnastics to get back to the roots of the western society. Please try to emphatize with the fact that I come from country that was raped by this atheist communism for 50 years and it really does take time for me to come back to the real traditions of the west, the Christianity and all.

alright, will keep it in mind, thanks for the response

I do get it. You can want to believe it, but that won't help you. It is not something that you can want and expect to eventually get it.

Either you come to believe or you don't. Pray right now, and read that verse. Pray in the name of Jesus, ask for the Holy Spirit to guide you. Then turn to Matthew 16:25 and read it. Do it right now.

What kind of answers are you searching? Why are you empty?
Why would christianity may lead you to answers?

Im christian myself. Its the best and people automatically like you but I dont really have much interest in those things.
My mother though, shes super mad into that stuff.

I highly recommend Pierre Teilhard de Chardin's "The Phenomenon of Man," even over the Bible. He basically scientifically argues that Christ consciousness is the Singularity 100 years before Kurzweil came up with it. Best way to become a believer. Then read some Rene Girard.

I started agnostic the more i read the bible the more faith i got , you only need new testament the gospels matthew john luke mark the letters of paul are difficult

The bible even warns for it

2 Peter 3
>15And account that the longsuffering of our Lord is salvation; even as our beloved brother Paul also according to the wisdom given unto him hath written unto you; 16As also in all his epistles, speaking in them of these things; in which are some things hard to be understood, which they that are unlearned and unstable wrest, as they do also the other scriptures, unto their own destruction.

Disregard the dogma. Skip to the part called "unconditional love" where you start loving all of creation and singing and dancing and being joyful and sharing and being a good kid again. Dogma is needless, divisive. Love is all that matters. Peace be with you.

>my neighborhood is atheist
tfw you go around asking your neighbours about their religious beliefs

I think christianity is meant to be a way of life - it's more than just believing in god

Why does this thing have to be "purely actual" and not just actual the way the actuals down the line are?

Weakling.

>Well, how am I supposed to interpret the bible then?


You read and understand , and if you dont understand you read it a 100 times , if you still dont understand then it is for a other day and the holy spirit will guide you

>10And the disciples came, and said unto him, Why speakest thou unto them in parables? 11He answered and said unto them, Because it is given unto you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it is not given. 12For whosoever hath, to him shall be given, and he shall have more abundance: but whosoever hath not, from him shall be taken away even that he hath. 13Therefore speak I to them in parables: because they seeing see not; and hearing they hear not, neither do they understand.

Read all four Gospels. They were designed with pretty much the same message but for different audiences. You'll find one that you like.

>Following the new testament jewish cucks
>Completely changed things about the religion
>Still call it christianity

lol idiots

A potential can't actualize itself so that makes a pure actual a logical necessity.

Be Russian stronk, get drunk on vodka and beat women

funny

I gave up being a catholic many moons ago

I now see christians as mentally sick and feeble minded hypocrites

if you feel a need to find meanign and commitment to life and cannot cope with the fact that one day ure going to be worm food, just convert to Buddhism or Taosim.

fuck all the disgusting abrahamic religions


They only bring misery and a slave mentality

Jesus was nothing but a jew

Someone got touched by a priest

It sounds very stupid to you, but I actually don't know, how to pray. I think I need some time to bring myself up to date with a.
I just feel that nothing in life has any meaning and I feel this nagging emptiness inside that eats me alive. I don't know if I can explain it very well, but basically, I need something to give me a reason to look forward to living my life to the fullest, to inspire me and to give me hope.

The bible warns what in specificly?

I hope I find these things in the bible. Thank you for the response, brother.

being a catholic is not christianity , you dont do some rituals and go to a stone building to get saved

kool story satan

Don't take it literally is my advice. Use the lessons each story/whatever teaches.

A lot of atheists take the Bible literally like the retards they are, so it's a legitimate warning.

He means pure actual as in never becoming actual from potential, it has always been actual.

dont do it theyre also nuts!!

It is very simple.

"Dear God, -----------, in the name of Jesus Christ I pray, Amen."

the bible is errant OP. The english translations are largely garbage. The Greek translations are better than the Hebrew, but the Greek scriptures are more divergent than the Hebrew, which is more consistent over 1000 years than the Greek is over 300.

it's also full of deceptive letters from (((apostle paul)))

www,blessyahowah.com
www.anintroductiontogod.com
www.yadayah.com
www.questioningpaul.com
www.problemswithpaul.com

Read though these sites. I can't make you trust me, or believe what they say, but here is one guarantee: if you bother to research the claims on these websites (which are wildly different than what I'm sure you're familiar with, and very "heretical"—which is a meaningless word), you will find that these websites are very well researched, and often encourage you to validate the claims the make. I trust them, personally, because I studied the claims they made, and found they always checked out. Even if I disagreed with some of the grander conclusions, the history, translations, scriptural differences, pagan origins, all of it ALWAYS checked out. I learned a ton.

If Christianity has always been distant for you, or seems "close" to the truth while at the same time feeling slightly "off", like something doesn't quite add up. There is a reason. Check out these sites. Even if you ultimately decide you disagree, you'll learn a lot. I find them invaluable. I also believe they highlight the true important things from the bible, and show you the true, narrow path to eternal life. Start with blessyahowah.com, it will probably take you all of an hour to read through the site. It's a highly condensed version of some much longer, more in-depth books.

God bless.

thank you for the guidance, I will certainly give it a try

I don't think so, the christian tradition is the basic foundation for all things western, and belittling it is rather hypocritical for someone who browses Sup Forums

>this ape is so sure of life beyond consciousness
>being this stuck in the physical realm
>BEING THIS SURE what is and isn't

>A lot of atheists take the Bible literally like the retards they are, so it's a legitimate warning.
I agree, this is a very good advice actually, since that is a pitfall for many atheists that they take bible so literally

Thank you for the guidance, I will try it right now

I know it's difficult when your neighbors have statues of st mary in their front yards and LED illuminated plastic crosses are sold everywhere. Stay strong, brother.

>The bible warns what in specificly?

That when you read the bible wrong you learn the wrong stuff like the new jews who think the pope is legit because 1 misunderstood verse

why not go pagan?
t. eternal swamp heathen pole

Read that verse. Matthew 16:25

Do you really want to be the only non atheist in all of Estonia?

What answers do you seek? The answer to everything is god/jesus in the bible.

Can you quote the passage also where is thecorrect way of reading the bible explained?

>I agree, this is a very good advice actually, since that is a pitfall for many atheists that they take bible so literally


Its actualy not the people who take the bible more serious in a literal sense have more faith, to me when i started to read the bible it was shit then it took some time but it finaly turned in to gold

kek

And the disciples came, and said unto him, Why speakest thou unto them in parables? 11He answered and said unto them, Because it is given unto you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it is not given. 12For whosoever hath, to him shall be given, and he shall have more abundance: but whosoever hath not, from him shall be taken away even that he hath. 13Therefore speak I to them in parables: because they seeing see not; and hearing they hear not, neither do they understand.

I guess through the holy spirit?


> 22He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches.

Read this

pastorrick.com/devotional/english/six-principles-for-interpreting-scripture

Christianity claims to have answers where it doesn't. Yes, these words may be comforting, but reality is not.

I now convert you to Neeyanism

youtube.com/watch?v=lAIGb1lfpBw

do not go astray

Ex-atheist myself, I'd recommend you jump right into the gospel of Mark and then John.

Also, ignore crabs in a bucket like this guy

thanks for the based answer user

Btw when you read john that is the same part of muh pope peter , jesus literally asked them if they also went away , and the next thing he does is make peter pope?

Peter's Confession of Faith

(Matthew 16:13-20; Mark 8:27-30; Luke 9:18-20)

>66From that time many of his disciples went back, and walked no more with him. 67Then said Jesus unto the twelve, Will ye also go away? 68Then Simon Peter answered him, Lord, to whom shall we go? thou hast the words of eternal life. 69And we believe and are sure that thou art that Christ, the Son of the living God. 70Jesus answered them, Have not I chosen you twelve, and one of you is a devil? 71He spake of Judas Iscariot the son of Simon: for he it was that should betray him, being one of the twelve.

>i have to make a list someday why the cathocucks are wrong about muh pope peter

Join a bible study on campus e.t.c.
They will help you out.

I am also an athiest converting to Catholicism.

Psychology studies ( peer reviewed and replicated) show time and time again Religeous people are happier. It also had a lot of practises that reign in self-control, and working towards fulfillment and personal ethics.

I highly reccomend it, but it only works if you are an actual follower, and don't fall into hypocrisy; this created cognitive dissonance and depression and anxiety.

Religion is hard work, which becomes innately fulfilling. The benefits justify the work.

>bible studies in Estonia

this nigga dont know things be how they are

>this

Pray God for guidance and He will guide you,
Pray God for forgiveness and He will forgive,
Pray God to give you faith and He will give you faith through Holy Spirit, for you alone as a sinner as a mere human being cannot have pure faith due to original sin(none of us can), but that`s why God is there - to guide us, to show us our sins and to show us that we`re forgiven, that Jesus Christ died for our sins, we`re all sinners and we`re all forgiven, to be redeemed we need to ask for this forgiveness and believe (with the help of God) that we`re forgiven. That is my view on Christianity in a nutshell more or less... I`m a lutheran btw...

>70Jesus answered them, Have not I chosen you twelve, and one of you is a devil?

>23But he turned, and said unto Peter, Get thee behind me, Satan: thou art an offence unto me: for thou savourest not the things that be of God, but those that be of men.


Now suddenly this next verse in matthew makes more sense does it not ? cathocucks , muh pope peter

New Testament is a guide on how you should conduct yourself in the world to win spiritually.
...Turn the other cheek

Old Testament is how to conduct yourself to win materially.
..eye for an eye and tooth for a tooth

>inviting evil spirits to ferment distress and unfortune in your life

thats not how you want to roll

trust me

The greatest faith a man can get is by reading the bible and discover that the cathocuck church is the whore of babylon

all christianity is a shit.

but the shittiest of all abrahamic religions is judaism

...

The reading of the Bible, for new Christians, must be coupled with good theology and readings from masters of the subject. If you are completely new to Christianity, I cannot recommend CS Lewis enough. He puts big ideas into simply, and was once an atheist himself. Thus, he attacks the views of atheists and debunks their views while explaining the core tenants of Christianity.

After that, the following is a baseline of the works you should read while also studying the Bible:

Apostolic Christianity recommended books:

>GENERAL

The Bible (Ignatius Study Bible Recommended)
The catechism of your denomination

>accepted English versions of Bible

NABRE
Douay Rheims
RSV

>THEOLOGY

>novice

Introduction to Christianity by Joseph Ratzinger
Scholastic Metaphysics by Edward Feser
The Last Superstition by Edward Feser
The Everlasting Man by G.K. Chesterton
Orthodoxy by G.K. Chesterton
Mere Christianity
CATHOLICISM by Robert Barron
The Orthodox Way by Kallistos Ware
Outlines of Moral Theology by Francis J. Connell

>intermediate

God: His Existence and His Nature by Reginald Garrigou-Lagrange
Natural Theology by Bernard Boedder
The Spirit of Medieval Philosophy by Etienne Gilson
Against Heresies
City of God
Christianity for Modern Pagans
The Mystical Theology of the Eastern Church

>advanced

Apologia Pro Vita Sua
Summa Contra Gentiles
Summa Theologiae
On the Incarnation
The Didache
Divine Names by Pseudo-Dionysius the Areopagite

Part 2/2
>SPIRITUAL LIFE

>novice

The Introduction to the Devout Life by St. Francis de Sales
Story of a Soul by St. Therese
The Seven Storey Mountain by Thomas Merton
Orthodoxy and the Religion of the Future by Fr Seraphim Rose
Nihilism - Fr Seraphim Rose

>intermediate

The Interior Castle
Spiritual Exercises by St. Ignatius
Dialogues by St. Catherine of Sienna
True Devotion to Mary
True Devotion to the Holy Spirit

>advanced

The Cloud of Unknowing
The Dark Night of the Soul by St. John of the Cross
The Desert Fathers
The Philokalia
The Ladder of Divine Ascent
New Seeds of Contemplation by Thomas Merton
The Imitation of Christ by Thomas Kempis

>MEMETICS

Things Hidden Since the Foundation of the World by Rene Girard
I See Satan Fall Like Lightning by Rene Girard

>HISTORICAL/BIOGRAPHICAL

Rome Sweet Home
The Long Loneliness by Dorothy Day
After Virtue
Christendom I: Founding of Christendom
Theology and Social Theory by John Millbank
Ethics and the Limits of Philosophy by Bernard Williams
Life of St.Anthony by Saint Athanasius
Life of St Francis of Assisi by Saint Bonaventure
Silouan the Athonite by Archimandrite Sophrony
The Autobiography of St. Ignatius Loyol

>FICTION

Don Quixote
The Divine Comedy
Paradise Lost
Silence by Shusaku Endo
A Canticle for Leibowitz
Faust
Les Miserables
The Canterbury Tales
The Man Who Was Thursday
The Brothers Karamazov
A Man for All Seasons
The Pillars of the Earth
The Lord of the Rings
The Chronicles of Narnia
Lord of the World
Parzifal
Joseph of Arimathea: A Romance of the Grail
The Arthurian Cycle

Christianity is judaism 2.0 , you mean talmudism

I don't know about listing Edward Feser under novice. Sometimes he'll take an abstract thought and spell it out over pages and that's enough to make my head spin. You ought to have some philosophical foundation before reading him.

...

You'll find that positive message in there somewhere, yes. The book itself is completely useless though, save as a guide to that one lesson. If you can just skip right to the unconditional love part you'll save yourself a bunch of time and confusion. Literally, just love everything always. Enjoy your life and help those around you enjoy theirs as well. It's easy. Just be joyful. Smile. Share. Hum a tune. Do your best. Dance for joy. Smell the roses. Etc. These are the sort of morals you put into a childrens' cartoon and also the ones found in many religious texts. It's all the same shit: be a good person. Do you need a book to tell you that? Do you need mahou shoujo to tell you that? Of course not, but the reminders might help. Just be love. Good luck.

He's in the minority of opinions here. Belief can come from understanding, particularly if you were raised Athiest like myself.

The church and many catholics and other secs of Christians love converts and want to help.

You were drawn to this for a reason; keep pushing :)

100% agree with you.

Read it and see if it speaks to you.

Fuck kikery, you don't need to be an atheist, but never be a Christcuckold.

>not recognizing the love and divinity of Christ
I pity you, my man.

Christianity is overrated (catholic here). I do however enjoy the christian culture. Especially in times like these. Commie pope should be hanged though.

>we should implement my special version of atheism/paganism that has never been tried before
>that will show the jews, muslims and the atheistic leftists

t. faggots itt

Jesus is waiting for ya son