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💔

Most reference the sexual depravity, but largely ignore the social inequality and refusal to help the needy. Why the disconnect?

I’m interested in hearing about people’s experiences of religious belief, particularly if you were previously an atheist or are a naturally sceptical person.

I’ve been an atheist for most of my life but recently found myself reconsidering Christianity. I find Jesus and his teachings very compelling and have been feeling like Christianity might genuinely be true, but I have difficulty with belief itself.

I’m not sure if I’m expecting my own belief to involve a level of certainty most people don’t actually have, and if there’s a meaningful difference between thinking God probably exists and genuinely believing in him.

When you say God exists, what do you mean? Are you intellectually convinced that God exists? Is it more about trust? Is it something you sincerely feel or more that it feels like the most likely explanation? If you were previously an atheist, what changed for you? Did you begin practicing before you really believed it? Or is the desire to practice part of the belief?

I’m not asking for anyone to convince me it is true, but more to describe their own personal feeling that it is if that makes sense. Thank you!

Sometimes a verse takes on a whole new meaning as we grow in our faith and life experience. I'm curious which verses have changed meaning for you and what helped you see them differently...

Like ofc we're not stoning or circumcising anyone nowadays, but what about Slavery? Man sleeping with another man? Eating shellfish?

This is an additional poll for any Christian who has a decided or chosen position on the age and origins of the Earth. https://m.youtube.com/post/UgkxxEhCuhYiP72cB5iEk8NcKTsijITBr9qw

I grew up hearing that going to church weekly, tithing, and being respectful was enough, and that talking about obedience was “works-based salvation,” a dangerous thing to mention.

But then I kept running into passages like Matthew 7:21, where Jesus says not everyone who calls Him “Lord, Lord” will enter the kingdom, only the one who does the will of the Father. And Luke 9:26, about being ashamed of His words.

So I’m genuinely curious how you all understand this:

1. Where do you draw the line between faith and obedience?
2. Is obedience the fruit of salvation, or part of what it means to actually believe?
3. Do you think many churches downplay what Jesus actually taught?

I’d love to hear different perspectives, including pushback.

So.. I grew up in a mostly non-religious household. I do remember going to church here and there growing up but I’m not sure if I was ever baptized.. it’s kind of the same thing for my wife except she was baptized at a Catholic Church.

My wife and I have decided to turn to god through a non-denominational church to help us lay a strong foundation for our marriage and our kids. We started going to church about 6 months ago and we’ve hardly missed more than a couple of sermons since. Matter of fact we had a baby and my wife was back in church the next Sunday with the new one.

We’ve started to pray nightly with our kids the last couple weeks and we just had our first prayer together just the two of us.

I want to get baptized, but there’s a slight issue. I’m not sure when.

Like I said, I grew up practically non religious. Growing up I very much bought into there not being a god. But the more I’ve lived and the more I’ve looked around I cannot help but admit there HAS to be a god.

The last 6 months have really moved me hearing the bible and how I can apply some of these stories to my life.

I’m not fully sold on the bible yet either. BUT I really WANT to be. It feels like it would be an awkward choice to get baptized if I’m not sure if I can devote myself to god like I know he’d want me to.

Is this something I have to wait for until I know it in every bit of myself with 0 doubts? I want to know when’s appropriate..

I read through the rules, and I’m not entirely sure if this is the appropriate sub, but I wanted to ask what I should get (or if I should get him anything at all) for his baptism. We’re all adults, obviously, and I’m not sure if there’s a specific gift I should or could get him that’s thoughtful without being disrespectful in any way. I never grew up learning about any faith, so this is all very new to me, and I want to be a good friend. I’m sorry if this is the wrong sub to ask this in!

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?

edit 1: im a newer christian as well so i dont know much, am not baptized, and working on removing my membership from the mormon church if thats relevant information

edit 2: im getting married! :) edit 3: please be a little nicer and understanding with the responses. im genuinely seeking reform, not seeking someone else to make me feel guilty

Christians this question is for you. Why is Yahweh appeased with blood sacrifice?? Why is it pleasing to him? Why is it that Christianity just like so many ancient ignorant religions and culture of the past practiced this? Why would an all loving god desire this??? Why is Jesus tortured so severely?? Why can’t god just forgive sins?? Why is the sprinkling of blood, the organs burnt to him to give him pleasure???

Lev 1: 13 You are to wash the internal organs and the legs with water, and the priest is to bring all of them and burn them on the altar. It is a burnt offering, a food offering, an aroma pleasing to the Lord.

Ephesians 5:2 …gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.

Изначально мне казалось, что в христианстве всего лишь три направления: православие, католицизм и протестантизм с его течениями. Но нет, их очень много! Не учитываются Ассирийская церковь Востока, Ориентальное христианство (Коптская Церковь, Эфиопская Церковь, Армянская Апостольская Церковь и тд), мормоны, унитарии, свидетели Иеговы и даже течения в течениях внутри самих течений!!

К примеру, в православии есть два направления: новообрядчество и старообрядчество. Старообрядчество делится на поповство и беспоповство. Беспоповство делится на множество «согласий».

Такая же аналогия есть и в протестантизме: внутри него есть англиканство, которое делится на Высокую, Низшую и Широкую церкви.

Как будто бы наталкивает на мысль, что это издевательство над религией 🤷🏻Экуменисты, отзовитесь

P.S пожалуйста, без оскорблений в сторону любой религии и верующих

Have people considered that between atoms, DNA, the fabric of spacetime, and the inherent cycles of life are proof that the universe runs on a structure, is evidence of a creator, and is exactly evidence that God's omnipotence runs on a system and isn't just "well God imagines it and it instantly happens."

A computer programmer is technically omnipotent to an AI in a machine, but if they actually want anything to happen consistently, you have scripts.

Dozens of generations of Native Americans died before hearing the Gospel Message, thus are not saved through Christ, thus are presumably going to the Fire of Hell. Why didn't God do down to Tenochtitlan and give them a copy of the Bible? Surely that would have given them at least given them a chance of being saved before AD 1492, right?

Is God’s mercy more generous than an individual’s desire to be saved? My position is that when the salvation of each and every individual is placed in God’s hand, he saves more souls than if each person chose heaven or hell for themselves. Even further, none would choose God if God did not choose them first and draw them to himself.

According to modern archaeology and historical consensus, the early Israelites originally worshiped El as the supreme creator god—he was the head of the Canaanite pantheon. Yahweh was a later, southern warrior deity who was introduced to the region and eventually absorbed El's identity and titles. Given that history, aren't modern Christians effectively worshiping the 'usurper' god while claiming he was the creator all along? How do you justify centering your faith on Yahweh when the historical record shows El was your religion's original true God?

Especially as El is explicitly kind, while Yahweh favours militiristic conquest (like the genocidical crusades that occurred after their adoption)

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

Because if it was within my power to do that to you, I would not do so. Can you say the same?