Religion and Individualism

[Lief Erikson]

Originally Posted by Bombadillo

Thanks, yeah it does clear up a bit. I feel like I knew that at one point but forgot it. Still, it would be hard to love something you don't know or don't believe in fully. How is the word "love" supposed to be applied here?

When I encountered God, I didn't believe in him fully and I didn't know him. I doubt that I loved him; I certainly didn't love him as I do now. I don't know what RÃ*an would say, but I'd advise knowing before loving. From my personal experience, that's the order it goes in (though maybe it goes differently for other people). If you look at the book of Acts, you'll see that the Christians spoke of a God that they didn't just believe in, but experienced powerfully. God still speaks to people and acts through them powerfully. He can be known, just as physical people can be known. I suggest asking God to come into your life.

Originally Posted by Bombadillo

Gah, most of the trouble with religion is that everything about it can be interpereted so many ways, and the outsider can't tell which way is right.
To quote Dougal McGuire from 'Father Ted', "that's the great thing about Catholicism: it's so vague that nobody really knows what it's all about."

Ask God to teach you the truth about himself, and to answer your questions. It says in the scripture, "ask and you will receive, seek and you will find, knock and the door will be opened to you." I know from personal experience that even from a state of unbelief and uncertainty, one can be given experiential knowledge and then will tumble into love.

Will you pray, with me, that God will show you which religion he is to be found in and that you will encounter him?