Damien the Leper Posted January 6, 2013 Share Posted January 6, 2013 This morning, during Holy Eucharist, I was baptized into the Episcopal church. 2 Link to comment
Tacenda Posted January 6, 2013 Share Posted January 6, 2013 This morning, during Holy Eucharist, I was baptized into the Episcopal church.How cool. It would be nice to live through another baptism as an adult. How do you feel? Link to comment
Bill “Papa” Lee Posted January 6, 2013 Share Posted January 6, 2013 This morning, during Holy Eucharist, I was baptized into the Episcopal church.My brother, I fear for this having had admitted being an atheist so short a time ago...could you PM me? Link to comment
Damien the Leper Posted January 6, 2013 Author Share Posted January 6, 2013 How cool. It would be nice to live through another baptism as an adult. How do you feel?Amazing. Several of my LDS friends came to support me and even participated in Communion. Link to comment
Damien the Leper Posted January 6, 2013 Author Share Posted January 6, 2013 I tried to send you a message, PaPa but it said you can't receive any more messages. Link to comment
thesometimesaint Posted January 6, 2013 Share Posted January 6, 2013 Congrats. May you find happiness in your new faith. 1 Link to comment
Damien the Leper Posted January 6, 2013 Author Share Posted January 6, 2013 Thanks, TSS. Link to comment
volgadon Posted January 6, 2013 Share Posted January 6, 2013 I won't lie, I'd be even happier if you rejoined the church, BUT, I am happy for you. The Episcopalian Church is a good church, and this sounds like a much better place for you than atheism. Congratulations. 3 Link to comment
followerofemmanuel Posted January 6, 2013 Share Posted January 6, 2013 (edited) Thanks for sharing your news with us. I am so glad that you felt loved and supported today. Congratulations ! Edited January 6, 2013 by followerofemmanuel 1 Link to comment
Damien the Leper Posted January 6, 2013 Author Share Posted January 6, 2013 I won't lie, I'd be even happier if you rejoined the church, BUT, I am happy for you. The Episcopalian Church is a good church, and this sounds like a much better place for you than atheism. Congratulations.I understand, Volg. Thank you for your care. 1 Link to comment
Bill “Papa” Lee Posted January 6, 2013 Share Posted January 6, 2013 I tried to send you a message, PaPa but it said you can't receive any more messages.See if it works now...btw, very happy for you. Link to comment
bluebell Posted January 7, 2013 Share Posted January 7, 2013 So glad you were able to come back to your faith in God. I hope your journey in this new religion is a good one. 1 Link to comment
Darren10 Posted January 7, 2013 Share Posted January 7, 2013 This morning, during Holy Eucharist, I was baptized into the Episcopal church.My congradulations to you. May you find peace and ways to be of service to the Lord. May this be a starting point for much personal revelation to you. 1 Link to comment
halconero Posted January 7, 2013 Share Posted January 7, 2013 This morning, during Holy Eucharist, I was baptized into the Episcopal church.Well...if you were going to be baptized into another church at least it was the American descendent of the good ole Church of England. Maybe you can do something about slowly integrating yourselves back into British North America?All said tongue in cheek, of course.Congrats Valentius 1 Link to comment
Damien the Leper Posted January 7, 2013 Author Share Posted January 7, 2013 Well...if you were going to be baptized into another church at least it was the American descendent of the good ole Church of England. Maybe you can do something about slowly integrating yourselves back into British North America?All said tongue in cheek, of course.Congrats Valentius I know you're an Anglican at heart...its only natural since you're Canadian. 1 Link to comment
Damien the Leper Posted January 7, 2013 Author Share Posted January 7, 2013 These are the publicly asked questions that make up the first half of the celebration:1) Do you renounce Satan and all the spiritual forces of wickedness that rebel against God?2) Do you renounce the evil powers of this world which corrupt and destroy the creatures of God?3) do you renounce all sinful desires that draw you from the love of God?4) Do you turn to Jesus Christ and accept him as your Savior?5) Do you put your whole trust in his grace and love?6) Do you promise to follow and obey him as your Lord?The Baptismal Covenant:A) Do you believe in God the Father?--I believe in God, the Father almighty, creator of heaven and earth.B) Do you believe in Jesus Christ, the Son of God?--I believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord.He was conceived by the power of the Holy Spiritand born of the Virgin Mary.He suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died and was buried.He descending to the dead.He ascended into heaven,and is seated at the right hand of the Father.He will come again to judge the living and the dead.C) Do you believe in God the Holy Spirit?--I believe in the Holy Spirit,the holy catholic church,the communion of saints,the forgiveness of sins,the resurrection of the body,and the life everlasting.Book of Common Prayer, pp. 301-304 1 Link to comment
BlueDreams Posted January 7, 2013 Share Posted January 7, 2013 Just out of curiosity, how'd you go from atheist to Episcopalian? Honestly, I've never seen someone switch belief structures in such rapid succession. I'm sure it's happened before, it's just astounding to kinda watch from a fairly big distance. Anyways, take care. With luv,BD Link to comment
Kenngo1969 Posted January 7, 2013 Share Posted January 7, 2013 Perhaps you've seen this. I've posted it here before. However, for your consideration and convenience:http://www.greatgourdini.wordpress.com/2012/04/16/toward-interreligious-oneness/Likewise, I have also posted this here before, but I'll repost it for your consideration and convenience. Here is the "money quote":If you are an honest, upright, decent, moral, caring human being who happens to derive your morality from a source other than religion, more power to you. Likewise, if you possess those traits and you derive your morality from a religion which differs from mine, more power to you.And here is a link to the article in its entirety: http://www.tooeletranscript.com/view/full_story/21179443/article-Religion-and-culture-are-inseparable-%E2%80%94--no-matter-your-beliefs-or-lack-thereof. Best wishes to you for continued happiness on your faith journey. 1 Link to comment
Damien the Leper Posted January 7, 2013 Author Share Posted January 7, 2013 Just out of curiosity, how'd you go from atheist to Episcopalian? Honestly, I've never seen someone switch belief structures in such rapid succession. I'm sure it's happened before, it's just astounding to kinda watch from a fairly big distance. Anyways, take care. With luv,BDThe question is even quite troublesome to me as well. I watched a sermon that shattered my atheistic worldview. The pastor who gave the sermon stated that the good and moral life that atheists do live assumes the Christian worldview. This was absolutely the most influential statement that has ever annihilated any argument I could have against God. In and of itself, it proposed a logical and rational mindset that doesn't seek to prove God's existence but to give God the benefit of the doubt and to trust Him, trust His Son and to trust Resurrection. I did not believe, with his statement in mind, that I could not respond accordingly.I hope this helps. 1 Link to comment
Damien the Leper Posted January 7, 2013 Author Share Posted January 7, 2013 Perhaps you've seen this. I've posted it here before. However, for your consideration and convenience:http://www.greatgourdini.wordpress.com/2012/04/16/toward-interreligious-oneness/Likewise, I have also posted this here before, but I'll repost it for your consideration and convenience. Here is the "money quote":And here is a link to the article in its entirety: http://www.tooeletranscript.com/view/full_story/21179443/article-Religion-and-culture-are-inseparable-%E2%80%94--no-matter-your-beliefs-or-lack-thereof. Best wishes to you for continued happiness on your faith journey. Both links were wonderful. Thanks for sharing, Ken. Link to comment
volgadon Posted January 7, 2013 Share Posted January 7, 2013 The question is even quite troublesome to me as well. I watched a sermon that shattered my atheistic worldview. The pastor who gave the sermon stated that the good and moral life that atheists do live assumes the Christian worldview. This was absolutely the most influential statement that has ever annihilated any argument I could have against God. In and of itself, it proposed a logical and rational mindset that doesn't seek to prove God's existence but to give God the benefit of the doubt and to trust Him, trust His Son and to trust Resurrection. I did not believe, with his statement in mind, that I could not respond accordingly.I hope this helps.Bravo. 2 Link to comment
Damien the Leper Posted January 7, 2013 Author Share Posted January 7, 2013 Bravo.Thanks, Volg. (bowing with a slight blush) Link to comment
Kenngo1969 Posted January 7, 2013 Share Posted January 7, 2013 Both links were wonderful. Thanks for sharing, Ken.You're quite welcome. I'm glad you enjoyed them. Link to comment
Calm Posted January 7, 2013 Share Posted January 7, 2013 Just out of curiosity, how'd you go from atheist to Episcopalian? Honestly, I've never seen someone switch belief structures in such rapid succession. I'm sure it's happened before, it's just astounding to kinda watch from a fairly big distance. Anyways, take care. With luv,BDPaul and Alma the Younger were even quicker, but they managed it only twice. Link to comment
Darren10 Posted January 7, 2013 Share Posted January 7, 2013 (edited) The question is even quite troublesome to me as well. I watched a sermon that shattered my atheistic worldview. The pastor who gave the sermon stated that the good and moral life that atheists do live assumes the Christian worldview. This was absolutely the most influential statement that has ever annihilated any argument I could have against God. In and of itself, it proposed a logical and rational mindset that doesn't seek to prove God's existence but to give God the benefit of the doubt and to trust Him, trust His Son and to trust Resurrection. I did not believe, with his statement in mind, that I could not respond accordingly.I hope this helps.Is this it or along these lines?The existence of moral obligation and moral indignation cannot be made intelligible alienated from the existence of the Christian God. An objective morality presupposes God as the founder of that law of good. In the Christian worldview, the moral law is an idea within the divine reason of the eternal God, an idea that behavior that best affects the happiness of being is morally obligatory. This moral law, summed up in love, is the standard by which God voluntarily governs Himself and impresses as obligatory upon the minds of those sentient beings He has created.The atheist who defends the myth of relative morality proposes his version of moral obligation just as vigorous as does the Christian theist proposes his. "No one has a right to force his moral code on others." "Every one has the right to freedom of thought and opinion." "Tolerance of alternative lifestyles is virtuous." "The Catholic priests are wrong to molest little boys." "Christian churches were wrong to defend slavery in the American colonies." "Criminals shouldn't be punished, but treated with compassion." "Women should have the right to choose to get an abortion." "People shouldn't kill abortionists." "Society should care for the poor." "No one should discriminate against another because of his sex, race, or sexual orientation." The moral commandments of the atheists go on and on, and don't you think for a moment that they are any less dogmatic about their moral code than the Christian theist is about the Bible's.You can give your opinion as to how you think men should live, Mr. Atheist, but that's all it is, consistent with your worldview, it's your opinion. The question is, WHY should men live as you say? Because of pragmatic concerns? Because it'll go better for them in this life if they do? Well, what if they disagree? Is it thereafter good for them to do as they wish without regard to their fellow man because, after all, there is no such thing as right and wrong, there is no future day of reckoning, and they think it's better for them in this life to do as they please rather than as you please? All you can do, atheist, is disagree, but you cannot, consistent with your worldview, have moral confidence in condemning immoral behavior. Atheists, to condemn immorality, must borrow the worldview they reject, the Christian worldview, without which moral indignation makes no sense.http://rightremedy.org/booklets/47Good reasoning there. Also, Dr. Johnston should be LDS with all the, kids. ; > ). Nice looking bunch too. Edited January 7, 2013 by Darren10 1 Link to comment
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