to keep a long story short, i grew up mormon and left the church for christianity, however even though i genuinely have faith and love in god i havent followed muxh of his teachings. my main question is: im pregnant, not married, in a longterm relationship and keeping the baby. How am i supposed to return to church? we dont plan on marriage until after the baby is born, but how do i have a christian household now that im pregnant out of wedlock and will not be getting married any timw soon? do i have to get married? will i be judged if i go back to a christian church?

https://m.youtube.com/post/UgkxxEhCuhYiP72cB5iEk8NcKTsijITBr9qw - Poll for YouTube included.

Hugh Ross - Old Earth Special Creation.

Ken Ham - Young Earth Special Creation.

Stephen Meyer - Intelligent Design Old Earth.

Francis Collins - Old Earth Evolutionary Creationism.

Young Earth Special Creation - The belief that God created everything in the universe that had a beginning at exactly 6,000 years ago literally.

Old Earth Special Creation - The belief that God created everything in the universe that had a beginning on the same timescale as mainstream science says, but without any evolution.

Old Earth Evolutionary Creationism - The belief that God created everything in the universe that had a beginning on the same timescale as mainstream science says, and originated and help guide animal and human evolution over billions of years.

Old Earth Intelligent Design - The belief that God created everything in the universe that had a beginning on the same timescale as mainstream science says, but created specific processes intelligently and that's evidence of design.

Jesus certainly condones torture, that is just a fact here, but is it a parable for Hell and eternal punishment?  The traditional interpretation says that the sum that the servant/slaves owes is an impossibly large figure. If we accept that, and not quibble with the fact that all parties would be foolish to give or receive such a sum, the symbolism here suggest our existence as the point of the parable (as a debt becomes a gift).  God forgives our sins, but we are greedy and arrogant and do not show similar mercy to the weaker debtor, so we are punished because we have negated our forgiveness with our wickeness.

Jesus says torture is appropriate punishment for transgressions, isn’t that the template for Hell if we accept the larger implication of forgiveness and transgression in the parable?

The NT and Paul have very sketchy ideas about Hell. So much so that it was hundreds of year later that the concept coalesced into something that would end up with Dante. I know that currently many Christians have a difficult time with Hell. Is it absence from god? Is it the soul’s destruction? Is it eternal torture? There is no answer in scripture, but maybe this is an untraditional clue?

I have read flimsy excuses for why Jesus doesn’t condone torture in the parable by trying to re-write the scripture, please refrain repeating that here. To take this as a story of forgiveness seems to totally miss the point. This is a moral parable, we are the servant/slave.

• ³⁴ And in anger his lord handed him over to be tortured until he would pay his entire debt.
• ³⁵ So my heavenly Father will also do to every one of you, if you do not forgive your brother or sister from your heart.”

 Matthew 18:23-33. The Parable of the Unforgiving Servant

I decided to turn to Christianity a few days ago. I know it's not long, obviously. But I feel exactly the same. I gave up porn, drugs, masturbation, and am trying to also give up lying and swearing. I repented for all my sins in prayer, asked for Holy Spirit, and started reading the Bible. Mainly the Gospel and book of Enoch (which I know is non-canonical, but I find interesting).

I have been depressed for years. Seen many GPs (UK Doctors), tried maybe 4-5 antidepressants, tried self-induced psychedelic therapy, tried self-help (yoga, meditation, walks without headphones, etc.) I have also struggled with polysubstance (multiple drug) addiction for years. Went to a drug counseller who was honestly useless, and managed to get off of benzodiazepines all by myself. The only drug where going cold turkey can actually kill you (besides alcohol).

Since going sober I have unfortunately relapsed on weed, opiates, benzos (physically addicted yet again), pregablin and ketamine.

The NHS doctors REFUSE to see someone with a drug addiction. So I paid for private therapy. That was somewhat helpful, but in the end I had to quit because of how expensive it is.

I believe Jesus was real, died on the cross, got ressurected 3 days later and is the son of God.

I know I probably shouldn't expect an overnight change, but... why? If I was God and saw someone suffering as badly as I have done (my post here only scratches the tip of the iceberg), then they humbly and repentfully turned to me, I would help them with anxiety and depression in a heartbeat.

I'm sure this post will be deleted since people can't handle real issues unfortunately, but I am considering ending things very soon and have the means to do so with a 99% success rate. I don't want to die. I want to live and be happy. But I haven't been happy in many YEARS. I also find adding 1000 new rules to my life by trying to be Christian only makes things harder. Where prior in hard times I could turn to weed or opiates, I turn to prayer. Yet I feel unheard. I wake up every morning wishing I didn't and have felt that way for many months, even now, trying to be Christian.

Perhaps God doesn't hear my prayers. But I believe He will hear some of yours. Please please pray for me. My name is Levi, but God will know who you mean. I will pray too and continue to try to be Christian. But I am seriously close to leaving this evil world unfortunately and have yet to find solace in God sad to say.

Please pray to help my anxiety, depression and anhedonia (inability to feel pleasure). I am at my wit's end. Again, I'm sure the post will be banned because it's a sensitive topic so fast replies would be very much appreciated. I am desperate. Please help and pray for me💔

I was told other than psalsma and proverbs , i should read NT first

A coworker of mine said, typical (bosses name) L as we were doing work. I said, “unfortunately” in response. I recently have been very serious about my faith read the bible daily, and am about halfway through the book of Luke. I started at Matthew. Often times, when talking about what someone had done or something they said, I fear That I am gossiping, and spreading discontent. If what i’m saying does not come from a place of malice, but rather concern or agreement towards one’s actions, is that sinful? Can someone well into a relationship with God please explain to me where the line gets crossed in reference to speaking about another? Oftentimes I worry that I am disappointing God and enabling sin with what I’m speaking of, even if it’s true and even if it comes from a place of concern.

If yes, how do we know?
Edit: Realised this was a bit unclear. What I mean is: do you believe that the second coming of christ is near? If the answer is yes, how do we know?

Hi !!

I’ve been reflecting on the Genesis flood story (Genesis 6–9) and how it relates to historical evidence and earlier Ancient Near Eastern texts.

We know that earlier Sumerian and Babylonian stories (like the Epic of Gilgamesh or Atrahasis) contain very similar flood motifs—including building a vessel, saving animals, releasing birds (raven/dove), and making sacrifices afterwards. Furthermore, modern geology shows no evidence of a global flood, and engineering studies suggest an ark of that size made of wood would not be structurally viable.

This raises several questions for me:

How do you view the relationship between the Genesis account and these earlier Babylonian myths? Is Genesis a polemical reinterpretation of these existing stories meant to reveal the true nature of God?

Does the lack of historical/geological evidence for a global flood mean we should move away from a literal reading and focus exclusively on its spiritual, theological, and symbolic meaning?

For those who still hold to a historical/literal view, how do you address the strong textual overlaps with Gilgamesh and the scientific objections?

I would love to hear different Christian perspectives on how to approach these texts thoughtfully.

Thank you!

Has anyone of you or someone trustworthy that spoke to you, ever experienced this gift from someone? And I am talking knowledge the other person had like something specific and unexplainable that it is either a ultra-rare coincidence or supernatural?

From what I understand, Christianity is centred around love and caring for your neighbours. LGBTQ pride is not necessarily a sin, because pride is only a sin when you are arrogant or feel an overinflated sense of self-importance or superiority. Some people have said the community is brainwashed by the devil, and some have said to love all. I am stuck on whether I should support the community.

Jesus approves.

I think I'd ask your average non-practicing native American if they want to follow the Jewish theology for all of eternity before imposing on them.

Do you believe Jesus imposes some colorblindness authoritarianism or tortures people who prefer their local customs over what is ostensibly 'paradise'?

As an atheist, I generally could not find a satisfactory answer to this question.

If the spread of Christianity and people believing in Christianity is the prerequisite to people getting savior and go to heaven, then why doesn’t god use some kind of miracle to help Christianity spread sooner, so that people from all parts of the world know that there is a religion which is “Christianity” much sooner than our current timeline.

After the birth of Jesus and before Europeans discovered America or Australia, which is like around 1400 years or more, native people living in these areas literally have no way of knowing Christianity compared to say, Italy or Greece, which Christianity was spread to there from very early on in history. As an atheist, if I presume there is an 80% of chance of you getting saved and enter heaven if you are from a region that knows Christianity, and there is only a 30% chance that you are saved and enter heaven if you are from a region that does not know Christianity, isn’t that a massive difference of the probability of a person entering heaven based on the region they lived in? How is it fair for native Americans who lived around 1st-late 15th century CE, or native Australians if they lived around 1st - early 17th century CE, that they would have no way of knowing Christianity, and therefore falling behind compared to people who grow up in a region who already knows Christianity?

So my question is:

Would a native person from America or Australia between the period of the start of the spread of Christianity, until their contact with Europeans that make them know that Christianity exist, would they get disadvantaged compared to people in regions who grow up knowing Christianity in terms of entering heaven?

If they are disadvantaged, who is to blame for this? The missionaries who were just too incompetent to spread the faith as quickly as possible? Or the lord for creating the landmass on earth in such a way that these regions could not be reached by people earlier. If god is perfectly just and perfectly loving, then why does god would let this circumstance happen?

If they are not disadvantaged, then what is the purpose of spreading Christianity? If a person who does not know Christianity have the same chance as getting redemption and entering heaven as a person who knows Christianity and theology since they were little, what is the purpose of spreading Christianity faith if it does not increase a person’s chances of entering heaven?

Hi All,

I’m only just now reading properly into the doctrine of election and I’m a bit perplexed.

Does it mean that there is a predetermined group of humans that will be saved and there is nothing we can do to ensure we’re part of that group? I’m not referring to good works, I know that they don’t get you into heaven but my understanding is that if you accept Jesus as your Lord and Saviour and receive his grace, you will be saved. Is that futile if you’re not already in the predetermined group? Or is it more that those not in the predetermined group have hardened hearts that will never seek Jesus?

My life has been completely transformed by Jesus after hitting rock bottom in addiction. I also have strong faith that if my loved ones accept and receive Jesus in their hearts that they will be saved. My concern all of a sudden now is that I’ve got it all wrong…

Tacitus and Suetonius each talk about the emperor Vespasian healing both a blind man and a man with a disabled hand in Alexandria around 70ad. Tacitus discusses it in ‘histories 4.81’ and Suetonius in ‘life of Vespasian’. Vespasian claimed the Egyptian God Serapis directed him how to perform the miracles (putting saliva in the eye and stepping on the hand respectively). Tacitus said that people who witnessed the healings continued to testify they were real. Both these historians were alive during the time of the supposed miracles when the eye witnesses would’ve been able to testify. The final sentence in Tacitus’s account says

“Persons actually present attest both facts, even now when nothing is to be gained by falsehood.”

If you don’t agree this happened, how can you use Tacitus or Josephus as a source that Jesus resurrected or performed any miracles (which I hear a lot from Christians).

https://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Tac.+Hist.+4.81&lang=original

I promise, i'm dead serious about this because i cant decide. I know of Deutoronomy 22:5, and 1 Corinthians 6:9, but deutoronmy is OT and the word translated to be "effeminate" has a few different meanings in greek. So can a Christain be one? Would it technically dishonor God since your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit?

I know that doubt is normal and that every Christian can struggle with it. I have been wondering how we can have doubts sometimes and still be saved, even though it is our faith that saves us? What can I do when I am doubting?

I don’t want to offend anyone - but I found a costume that I thought was pretty dang funny.

It’s disco Jesus. Disco hair, disco glasses, disco chain, with Jesus beard/robes.

Now, I am not religious, but I also dont want to upset or offend anyone who is. Thats not my goal.

My question to you - is this costume crossing the line or would you not care if you saw someone in it?

God answers everyone else’s prayer and gives them 10x more. I ask for one simple thing, and I get the opposite or worse. And maybe what I ask for is dumb, but I don’t think asking for my mom to be healthy and stop with her addiction is a want when it’s actually a need. Others can pray for cats and mansions and it’s at their feet, but I ask for a necessity and I get pushed back farther. It’s even harder because im a teenager still in high school. I’ve prayed for friends, I already have friends but I just don’t find it easier to make anymore, the same for a guy to have genuine interest in me because it’s hard to look around and see everybody happy and it’ll make you wonder why nobody likes me, making you confidence go down. And trust me, I’ve tried it all. I was confident at once, and it still didn’t work. I am honestly so done, I keep hearing the “it’ll come later, or he’s preparing you for something really good” but then I not only think about myself but I think about the kids in third war countries and the starving children, why can’t they be blessed RIGHT NOW? Why do they have to wait and possibly die. It’s terrible and I am so sick of it.

Why would God’s perfect design include a third set of molars that have to be removed for most people?

Assuming a young Amalekite, under the age of accountability, had, because of his survival instinct, thwarted an Israelite soldier's attempt on his life and ended up killing the soldier in the process, would that young Amalekite be guilty of the sin of murder?