Hi, Christian Sup Forumsacks I've hit a rough patch in my life. Despite being baptised and confirmed, I've mentally been an atheist for about ten years. To cut my issue short: I don't want this anymore. The thought of eternal not-being after life is driving me absolutely insane. I consider myself a stoic person and I have always acted calm and calculative to the best of my abilities. It's become very clear to me that the truth is a means, and not an end. Truth is subservient to good consequences. I cannot go on living whilst believing that death is the end of all. It is ruining my life. I do not react to anything but this with strong emotion, I never have - not even the prospect of the death of my parents. This kills me, though. I cannot move, I cannot think. It is a permanent and ever-present fear that I cannot hope to shake while I do not believe in any form of afterlife. This constant fear has recently led to me putting down all of my goals long-term goals and subjecting myself back to video games and hours of unproductive Sup Forums browsing in order to distract myself from the tyranny of contemplation. I do not want to become a weak degenerate and undo all of the hard work I've put into becoming something and someone that I can love.
Please, christanons, tell be how to become religious. I need this. Please help a suffering user. I'd trade this for cancer.
the version i read was abridged - it did not include the encyclopedic and non-religious (or non-virtue related) areas of the book, but it was all raw material. i think i will read it again, maybe it will work this time thomas is a very nice writer. aristotle has been a light to guide my actions for quite a long time now and thomas' works on virtue click with me. the theological metaphysics seemed flawed to me, though. i wish they didn't seem flawed. i will give it another go, if i can push myself to come face to face with the contemplation of the issue.
Jose Carter
i used to be like you, kid. then i found out about the jews.
Ryan Wilson
how does understanding the JQ help me here, user?
Jaxon Reyes
Sometimes all it takes is a leap of faith
Jack Russell
Read about our British Catholic saints fellow bong. There are multiple books about the martyrs, Thomas More, Henry Walpole, Edmund Campion etc
I definitely recommend Evelyn Waugh's biography of Campion
Justin White
I don't know how to will faith though, user. I've been trying. I've been messing with a few ideas and have perhaps pieced together a few convincing notions regarding the infinite mixing with possibility and the notion that I am all and this is a simulation that will one day break down.
Kayden Gray
Thank you, thank you. Do you have any other book names or versions that I use?
Parker Johnson
I've run into something similar
>baptized as an infant >confirmed at 14
Despite this, I've felt spiritually dead for years. I used to be very spiritual, but I noticed a change in recent years, particularly around the ages of 17-18 I get terribly depressed thinking of any sort of afterlife. I want to believe, but something in the back of my mind keeps holding me back. I hate this feeling, and if anyone has advice, I'd appreciate it.
>Lutheran btw
Parker Turner
Christianity was never intended to be a "religion." It was supposed to bring mankind into a walk with God through His Son. Dumbasses ruined it through not doing their damn job. Pure Christianity is not religious procedures. Sure there are dos and don'ts, but it's supposed to free your butt and not tie you down.
t. Techno-Scholar
Andrew Taylor
pussy ass bitch
Josiah King
Give me a couple of minutes to have a little look user.
pic related picture from Brompton Oratory in London to occupy why you while I look
Jack Cruz
Because once you understand that modern jewish people are a satanic force trying to enlsave civilization under everything god commanded against. Everything just clicks, I recommend you read protocols of the elder zion and start reading the bible or just lurk moar, best of luck :)
Julian Reyes
>Christcuck
Good Goyim
Evan Evans
I'm pretty sure I understand this. You'd be mistaken to believe that I really want to be part of some religious community or something. Any form of spirituality and belief in any eternal is all I'm looking for.
Luke Roberts
Just to give you a quick background I come from an atheist family and I bought all the atheist logic hook line and sinker and still even read the Bible with an Aristotelian slant. But once I started working out and eating right and cutting the bad habits from my life, I have found myself becoming closer to Christ. Denial has been my greatest tool so far.
Nolan Martinez
I get you, if you want to believe just believe.
Nathaniel Hernandez
The bible even prophecies on the jew world order, check Titus 1:10-16
Parker Miller
Thank you for your help. I should definitely read the bible.
I definitely understand the benefits of Christian mythology, traditions and ideas to society, of course.
Kayden Jones
I recommend some literature closer to home (my home heh), Dostoevsky for example. Crime and punishment + Brothers Kharamazov are true gems, not only of Christian but every other type of literature.
Camden Perry
I will try my hardest. It's been increasingly difficult to delay gratification recently because of how painful it is to not distract myself from my own mind's torture. I'll really do all I can.
Jacob Walker
I recently bought Demons! I'll be reading it after Jung's Modern Man in Search of a Soul. If I like Demons I'll read more
Jaxon Price
I can only suggest one area that I trust. I'm Christian and I used to trust this dude from LA named Pastor & Doctor Fred K. C. Price. Smart guy. Black, but not full of crap. He was a great teacher. I think he has some web site where you can watch their sermons and stuff. Ever Increasing Faith or something. It's a great place to start.
Alexander Myers
Reach out to God, and beg Him to save you.
Kevin Peterson
Thomas More: A Lonely Voice Against the Power of the State - Peter Berglar Edmund Campion - Evelyn Waugh
Would be a good start. But anything you can get on our martyrs in Britain would be good user. If you google Forty Martyrs of England and Wales, you'll get lots of names. Sometimes you can read every theological book going, but you need to read the stories of those who've lived the faith for it to really make sense to you
Nathan Wright
i use to be an atheist. Start watching youtube videos about the end times deception and the anti-christ one world government. You won't need faith, you'll just realize the Christianity is the truth.
Jacob Price
Glad to hear it! Just be patient and you'll see. Also, my teacher always said that Dostoevsky is meant to be read multiple times, so if at first you don't succeed..
Caleb Perez
>Despite being baptised and confirmed,
Wow! It's absolutely nothing!
Isaac Scott
-Wars and rumors of wars-
"OH MY GAWD THE BOBLE WAS ROUGHT THE WHOLE TAME!!!!!!!!!"
>It's become very clear to me that the truth is a means, and not an end. WRONG.
Pilate asked: "Quid est veritas?" And then didn't bother to get answer, just went and handed Jesus over to be killed, probably thought it would have better consequences.
Here's how you become religious: Seek and you find. Ask and you shall receive. Knock and it shall be opened unto you. Find a Catholic Church that has adoration. Go there to be physically close to Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament, and pray to Him, as an atheist, if He is there, asking Him for the grace to know and believe in what is true.
Levi Martin
thank you. i will order them right away i may also buy a rosary, but I do not know what to look for or where to buy one from. i had one when i was young - i recently gave it to someone very close to me for them to remember me by. making this habitual should help, i think
i will. i will force this until it works. nothing is more important to me
can you give me any examples of these videos?
what do you mean by this?
I'll do what I can. I haven't prayed sincerely in over a decade, and I'm not sure I understood prayer when I was that young.
Blake Hall
>Please, christanons, tell be how to become religious. I need this.
I don't want you to be religious. Jesus doesn't want you to be religious. Jesus' harshest words were for the most religious people of all time, the pharisees. Nobody alive can exceed the religiosity of a pharisee today, and that righteousness is insufficient to enter into the Kingdom of Heaven.
Make things simple for yourself. Realize the following truths:
1. Jesus is God. 2. Human life is eternal from conception forward. 3. There are two eternal destinations; and 4. You get to pick which one you want to go to.
You can either be For Jesus, or Against Jesus.
In order to be For Jesus, you must do what the bible says to do:
1. Confess with your mouth, that is to say out loud, that Jesus is Lord; and 2. Believe in your heart God raised Him from the dead.
Do this, and you will be saved. You will need help doing this; you will need the Holy Spirit's help to do this. That's easily obtained. Just ask Him for it. He can hear you, right where you are.
You can go to Jesus right now, just as you are, just as He said, and He will never turn you away.
Jesus is alive. Jesus can hear you. Jesus is within arm's reach of you, right now.
I will pray for you to have a clear space, right now.
Aaron Gomez
I think force is too strong of a word, it should come naturally.
Jonathan Bennett
Honestly, do it. I think if you started a work out regime and a diet it would be a good start. It will suck and be painful as hell at first, you will get accustom to it though. It is the main thing that I can point to that broke me of the instant gratification cravings. You will gain discipline from this and in turn it will make a lot of other hardships easier. It will give you a time to focus and clear you mind. I recommended working out in the morning as well it is great prep for the day. Listen to books, podcasts, and what not during your workouts. I can only say that it saved me personally, I was practically a suicidal dude weed every day idiot before I realized I needed to stop and make a change. Through that process I found God and it was not even what I expected and it was not my purpose to start with.
Carson Wood
The Holy Spirit makes me cry too. He also provides peace, and love, and joy.
Austin Jones
Also user, I would strongly urge you to get Orthodoxy by G.K Chesterton. Would be particularly helpful for someone like yourself who simply wants to believe
You needn't buy this one. 99% sure it can be found for free on the internet
Jonathan Martinez
Stay away from the "end-times deception prophecy apocalypse" type of stuff, it's really the worst side of Christianity since it rejects reason.
Noah Campbell
Do you really think so? I always do err on the side of truth when in doubt, but I have trouble universalising it. Surely it is not good to convince your dying grandfather that there is no afterlife waiting for him, or to tell a man that his wife is being raped just before he dies.
i will attend church when possible. i have a lot of searching to do and i have exams coming up to which i must dedicate some time, but i shall definitely attend a mass to try it out
Michael Perez
I liked watching these videos to understand some major concepts of Christianity. I think you might like them.
Illuminati Exposed - Know Your Enemy (Part 1 - Introduction) >youtube.com/watch?v=MLggDBo1wqk I recommend watching all 77 parts. Good Christian videos.
Fallen Angels & The New World Order - Age of Deceit 1 from FaceLikeTheSun (Full Documentary) >youtube.com/watch?v=XLzYkGPktWc
I still need to read the Book of Enoch, it sounds really interesting.
Julian Williams
I mean that getting wet and taking a class will in no wise cause you to be transformed into a new creation in Christ Jesus. You didn't start out a Christian and become an atheist any more than a caterpillar started out a butterfly and became a caterpillar.
Dominic Gonzalez
These are long! I find it hard to dedicate myself to other things as of now, though, so I should use this time to plough through a few of these. Thank you so very much.
Oh, of course, I entirely understand you and agree. I'm not really sure why I included it. It wasn't an argument or anything, perhaps just irrelevant background.
Logan Ross
it shall be done. i love physical copies, filling up my bookshelf with read books is one of the few joys in my life
Alexander James
The word kills the spirit. It always happens.
Prayer is the way God makes slow changes in our lifes. Pray at least one time before going to bed. Pater noster
Christopher Taylor
my diet is already very good, frankly. it's habitual and a lifestyle. i need to go into exercise and reduce procrastination, now.
Jace Rogers
If you're going to try mass user, I would strongly urge you to check this list & see if there's a latin mass near you lms.org.uk/mass-listings
Oh I'm the same. Just wanted to give you the option before you started spending your cash on books because someone on Sup Forums recommended them
Jaxon Cooper
Read "Your Heritage" by Bertrand Comparet, OP, it has all you need..
Colton Lewis
it's not pleb to order a rosary online, is it? it makes me feel so cheap and china-like
i'll order it right now.
Logan Brooks
I have given you the way to become a born again Christian, here, from the bible, but all you seem to care about is rosary beads and Catholic history.
When "being religious" also fails to alleviate your anxiety, do what you have to do to be born again.
Jayden Wilson
>I'm not really sure why I included it.
It was a cry for help. The catholic indoctrination you suffered is blocking your path to God.
I merely pointed out that you did not have something, and lose it.
You never had it to begin with.
And then I showed you how to gain eternal life.
Jonathan Rogers
No, user, I really do care. There is a lot of information for me to process in this thread - bookmarking links, ordering literature, and foremost being grateful to you all! I'm trying not to leave out anybody's much appreciated help!
Xavier Price
Yes Bongbro, do it. If anything the exertion will bring you peace for a while.
Gavin Gonzalez
Have you read Mere Christianity by CS Lewis yet? It's basically the "babbys first apologetic" book, but for a good reason. He basically just builds, from the ground up, a defense of religion in general and then Christianity in particular.
Zachary Ortiz
this is a politics board, not a board to recruit for your cult sage this shit
Cameron Cook
>but i shall definitely attend a mass to try it out Do not go to mass. If you go to them Christ will profit you nothing. If you become a Romanist, you will not be saved. Do not listen to the papists ITT. They are false brothers who are trying to take you into bondage of their false gospel. They would have you save yourself, rather than Jesus save you. If you do one thing to contribute to your salvation, whether it be confession, or penance, or mass or baptism or any other thing, you will not be saved.
Leo Ross
>Christian Conversion >I cannot go on living whilst believing that death is the end of all. It is ruining my life. >Please, christanons, tell be how to become religious. I need this. >I'd trade this for cancer. wailing babykike
Kevin Perez
>sees flag >checks out
Why the fuck do Americans always have to be the brain dead ones to ruin everything?? You are worse than Australians and Canadians. You think you own this board because you are majority the only reason though it's because there are so many fat people in your country that they just stay in front of the computer instead of going out like a normal human being. You are the main propulsors of multi-culturalism and at the same time you are literally ruled by the kikes! I hate every single one of you amerilards and I cringe whenever I see one of you in my city. I hope you an hero tonight for the sake of the gene pool.
Chase Ramirez
You don't need anything, God is enough. Pray, and do not get confused about christian denominations.
But if you want one, go for it.
Isaac Mitchell
The main thing I'm learning from this thread is that there are a remarkable number of legit-ish christfags on Sup Forums...
Another recommendation if you're looking into generic pro-religion arguments is this debate between David Wood and Michael Shermer: youtube.com/watch?v=PMWKm40-dnM
It's kind of long so if you don't have time it's fine. Still, David Wood is my favorite living Christian Apologist/Anti-islam internet crusader, and I'd at least recommend his stuff about islam (which this particular video isn't) to my non-Christian acquaintances.
no, i haven't. i will. it definitely wasn't meant to be a catalyst for prayer or anything, it was meant just to be a symbolic reminder of my path and how i am to live and act
Eli Jones
Don't get a rosary, do not pray the rosary
Joshua Campbell
w-would this scare me user
this would damn me? i just want some durable, portable and hardy object that can remind me of my goals
Ryder Cooper
babby's first existential crisis
Evan Harris
Alright man I'lol see if I can help you out. I've been a devout Christian for all my life. Baptized at age 12 and I realized what it all meant around age 14. Hear me out
Christianity isn't all about going to church or confessing every single little thing to cry over, it is about accepting god. The devil is the one who is throwing all of the false thoughts at you. You must accept the idea that god is the supreme being and that he exists for you. If you confide in god about your faults and do your best to better your life, you will live in peace and will continue that into the afterlife. It isn't that hard to believe in god, you just have to be open to trying.
I know that a lot of anons have explained it better than me, but I'm hoping that I can contribute.
Samuel Fisher
Final word fellow bong: We always have Catholic General threads on this board on Sundays. So if you enjoy the books on the martyrs or the book by Chesterton, go to mass & feel it helps you spiritually or have any general questions about Catholicism, chances are I'll be there to answer/ be glad to know what you thought of the books
Jason Evans
Thanks for the debate, I like both of these guys and will certainly watch it. I don't know how legit of a christian I am I have just started on this journey but I am taking it seriously. Surprisingly I have received great advice and info from the Christian general here.
Ayden Taylor
The rosary would not damn you in and of itself, however it is full of idolatry and superstitious repetition. Remember, the rosary isn't just an object, it's a list of prayers. If you want a durable, portable and hardy object, it doesn't need to be a rosary. >go to mass OP, I repeat, do NOT go to a Catholic mass, under any circumstances.
Robert Taylor
>this would damn me? The only way it would is if you thought it had some power in itself, or was a necessary tool for prayer. Neither of these are true--there's nothing wrong with looking at trinkets if it helps you pray--the only issue would be in ascribing any sort of power to an inanimate object.
On another note, () I'm surprised you haven't read Mere Christianity yet. But then again, I'm surprised whenever I hear a Christian hasn't read it. After finishing it, I was myself surprised that nobody had recommended it to me. I'd highly recommend it as something short, simple, and accessible.
Gabriel Flores
Stop taking it literally. You can't just pretend God is real, he's not. You are an atheist because there is no God, the magically fairy tales are probably bullshit.
However....
Religion is in place to tell you something. It's a part of our culture. Americanized religious bullshit has converted Jesus into a cartoon character, who you can actually and see and speak too. People obviously get frustrated and just throw more money at the Church when they can't see Jesus like the Televangelist can.
Stop personifying the Bible, and take it for what it is. A story about a culture, that you already belong too.
Ryan Lewis
Read the diary of St. Faustina: Divine Mercy in My Soul. Her humility will help you regain perspective. And pray to God, often.
Carson Hall
If you want to be religious, be a Catholic, fondle your beads, beg your priest for forgiveness, do your penance, take your communion, get your bath over with.
If you want to be a born again Christian and go to heaven, do, say and believe what Romans 10:9-10 says to do, say and believe.
Because getting wet, eating crackers, drinking juice, fondling bones/beads, and repetitive prayers are a great way to go to hell.
Andrew Brooks
A
Kevin Rodriguez
I just bought my first found of books, the bible included. I'll put them all near the front of my reading list.
Thank you all so much if I can find God through this.
Christopher Jones
IMO David Wood makes some great arguments in the debate, including one I hadn't actually heard before (the thing about "the universe is understandable, it's good to understand it, etc...").
Wood also ends up destroying Shermer pretty hard on a single point near the end of the debate, and is clear he's a more experienced debater. Still, I think he could maybe have done more to strengthen his own original argument rather than wasting so much time pouncing on what was basically Shermer putting his foot in his mouth.
Former atheists often just seem so much more capable of providing compelling arguments in defense of religion--it's part of why I like David Wood and CS Lewis so much.
Luke Gonzalez
Here are the books you should read before any other: The Epistle of Paul to the Romans The Epistle of Paul to the Galatians The Epistle of Paul to the Hebrews The Gospel according to John Read those.
Ryan Gomez
Chistianity is a fucking jew-controlled religion made to divide the white race, fuck off schlomo.
Eli Gutierrez
Emergency indeed.
Thomas Miller
...
Noah Roberts
I genuinely think it's great to see the fear inspired in non-Catholics by the mere thought of someone attending the mass of the one, true Church founded by Christ
Wyatt Hernandez
The mass is a false sacrifice, a sacrilege, a blasphemy, idolatry and the vehicle of Satan.
Robert Cox
you aren't going to get any real religious knowledge from Christians, ask Jews or Muslims
Adrian Morales
Honestly, this probably should have been recommended more in this thread. Those new testament readings are probably the most important, but it's also HUGELY important to read the entire bible, so you're no longer surprised by some of the shit that's in the old testament when atheists bring it up to condemn Christianity (e.g. Benjamites deciding to kidnap their wives from neighboring tribes, rape basically being legal if you aren't caught and get married afterwards, etc.).
Also, tons of stuff in the New Testament (e.g. Jesus' arguments with the Pharisees and Paul's with the Judaisers) only really makes any sense if you understand the OT laws they're referring to.
Chase Wood
Thank you. I will. The suffering is building up in me again. I think I'll try to take it as a calling. I'm going to try to sleep. Thank you all again.
Joseph Fisher
Interesting that Shermer would mess up so badly he is usually pretty good in my book even though I disagree with him on tons of issues and especially in metaphysics. I'll just have to watch it. As for former atheists I think they in general have had more practice with the arguments for God than any other people as they had to have spent a ton of time and energy arguing with themselves over this issue. I know I am constantly debating myself and my previously held beliefs.
Samuel Murphy
Its not a book, and I would not bother with catholic sacramentalism
Do you want the truth? Or do you want racial integration, your destruction
Joshua Jenkins
threadly reminder that Christians have no place in the world to come and are idol worshipers and pagans in the eyes of God
Jordan Green
What's your most hard to quit sin?
Mine are Sloth and Gluttony. I sit around on the PC a lot and I drink alcohol a lot. But I do it less since I started believing. Instead of everyday I only drink once a week now. But I do go over board on that day. I buy 15 packs of PBR.
Oliver Wilson
lol, how does it feel that the ELECTED leader of your church hosted a fucking Islamic prayer in the Vatican? Catholicism is fucking cucked, and the entirety of Paul's letters are basically fighting against elevating traditions into religious necessity.
Also, as the timeless badass Martin Luther put it:
>The pope, when he uses the words "plenary remission of all penalties,'" does not actually mean "all penalties,'" but only those imposed by himself.
>I cannot go on living whilst believing that death is the end of all. Transhumanism is superior to Christianity. If you want a shot at living forever, sign up for cryonics, and try to live past the Singularity.
Also google Quantum Immortality.
Charles Ramirez
Whenever you look for advice here, you're going to get alot of Romanists. So, I think this documentary could help you alot: youtube.com/watch?v=5bVEXZ38Vs8 You should give it a watch sometime. Remember, this is your immortal soul we're talking about here, Satan doesn't want to lose his grip on it. God bless user, I'll pray for you.
Michael Smith
Crap, smoking is a sin? I've seen priests smoke so I thought it was okay.
John Fisher
It's a sin if you're addicted
Leo Jackson
Meanwhile in early christianity
Jackson Miller
Hm, probably greed. Even though I'm pretty poor (for an amerifat, at least), I spend shittons of time thinking and worrying about money. If I'm forced to get off my ass and work I can do it, but I don't think anyone can make me stop fantasizing and worrying about cold hard cash
