You wrote: “
I am probablly not the first to ask this question but i have never seen a credible answer to it so i will ask it again.
Most christians are born into a society which is made up of an overwhelming majority of christians, to christian parents and so are often raised to be christian just as someone born in lets say western china would most likely be raised to practice buddhism. So how many are really willing to bet a life long devotion simply on chance and circumstance that you were born in the right place at the right time.”
Dear Friend.
That indeed is an ever-relevant question that should not be omitted by any kind of believer. In all honesty: Every autonomous adult would ask him or herself that question, whether he has the faith of eg. Christianity, Buddhism or Atheism (Which of course I hold to be a belief along with every other world view). And anyone should be honest enough to admit that it is most likely that one would have a different world view were one born in another circumstance, be that time or place; were I born in Saudi Arabia I would probably sit in a religious school, bow to Allah with my fellow brothers and sisters, I might even be into Wahabism.
But I am not. (There is no circumstance/chance in God’s creation and I will not judge anyone, for the judgement belongs solely to Him. I am not worthy to partake in His Sons Body but it is all thru His Grace).
I was born in Northern Europe where secularist atheism is the leading stance. In these circumstances I have myself taken the stance of belief in Christ as my Saviour. (Some say only dead fish goes with the flow
I sense in your question an abstract and theoretical question to religion. This is of course a valid approach, especially if one is keen on maintaining the role of a spectator. I myself go to school everyday at a higher faculty for learning in one of the most atheistic schools of religious science in the world. I have had to study about all the major world religions as well as tendencies in our time, philosophy throughout history and the psychological processes involved in religious thinking, not omitting theories of evolution and neuro-biological cognitive science. This has indeed been challenging at times, and I have had to ask my self your question as well as many more complicated ones.
I can only give you my personal response, naturally. What has persuaded me that the Goal of my worship and belief is truly worthy of my trust? The answer is very plain: Experience. I have found that believing in the Christian God Trice Holy is most logical. Did you know that the scientist who decoded the DNA went from being an unbeliever to instantly becoming convinced of the existence of God? This, I know, does not answer your question. You say: Why Christ instead of Shiva, Zeus or Donald Duck, right? I don’t know if you have ever read the New Testament. In this collection of sacred writings, inspired by the Holy Spirit, Jesus tells His followers that certain signs will follow those who believe in Him. These signs involve healing of the sick in the Name of Jesus (Jeshua means Saviour), prophesying and speaking in tongues. There are also stories about dreams and visions, like when the zealous Pharisee Saul sees a great light and is struck down from his horse and he hears the Voice of the Lord saying:” Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me?” (Saul who became Paul was persecuting the Christians at the time). The people who were with him heard the voice but saw no one. I grew up thinking that these old stories were all we had, until one day I came to the right place and people started coming to me from all Christian Churches telling me what they had seen and heard. I saw people get healed before my very eyes and I heard others prophesy, I saw people fall into ecstasy, several people at a time, having the same vision of Jesus Christ or his mother Mary, I spoke to normal people such as you and I, who told me about their supernatural experiences with the Lord. There was no doubt about who this God of Wonders is: The Christian God Trice Holy. To this day He is still healing (in an instant) the cancer patients in the last stage, healing the crippled and speaking audibly to people, giving them visions that appear more real that the realest of what we usually call reality. Faced with all of these miracles, which are recorded even on video and in medical reports all over the world, I have talked to people who remain unbelievers and who deny the reality saying that what I describe simply does not exist. I have been forced to answer with Jesus: “Come and see”. Most people who dare to engage with an open heart, realizes the fact: there is more out there than what atheistic science wants to admit. But if a man chooses to close his eyes then he is not a very good scientist, in my opinion. I heard one atheist who at the end claimed he believed in telepathy. He could not explain how in 1985 100,000 people in Lvuv in Ukraine at the same time saw the Virgin Mary with the infant Jesus in her arms. Or how in Fatima in 1970 70,000 people saw the miracle on the sun. He said some person might have telepathed the vision to all these people. I told him that he might as well call himself religious because the fact that the Virgin has indeed appeared with Jesus was just as plausible as claiming telepathy. I have been told that many people in Iran and in other rather closed countries are having dreams of a Man in a white robe presenting Him self as Jesus, urging them to come to Him. Extremely many people across the world suffer persecution today because of their belief in Christ. My sister met a man who told her how he had once, in his youth, when he was indifferent to God, visited the tower in Pisa, Italy. Arriving at the top he looked at the sky. Suddenly he was struck down flat by a huge energy. A powerful voice sounded: “I am God. I Exist. I am Jesus Christ”. From that day the man was no unbeliever anymore. I have near friends who have seen Jesus Christ presenting him self to them and speaking to them. One even was declared clinically dead in 1968 because of miscarriage with serious complications. While really being dead, she met Christ and He showed her all she had done, but with a Love and Forgiveness that exceeds anything you can possibly imagine. That, the LOVE, is another testimony of Christ, which has persuaded me. But you are free to ask me to elaborate on all this. Please do not stay a sceptic but plunge in: Ask the Lord to enlighten you. You will see that you, as well as everyone and the whole of creation, is in dire need of salvation. We have all crowned Him with a crown of thorns and our sins have held Him on the cross, until it was accomplished. No one can say: I did not do this, I did not crown Him, I am without blemish. Look into yourself and you will see what you are, the wounds you have inflicted on your self and on others. What can you give to make anything well again?… Or can you even create one petal of the tiniest flower (consider the love with which the Father has created a flower.. the love which is only seriously explained through Christ) or can you ad one day to your life. If you look with the eyes of a believer for one instant only on everything in this life you will have explanation and explanation without end.
In Christ.
Katarina, Denmark <><