Is Faith a Gift?

Only 7.2% if the Scottish population attend church, and these tend to be older people.

According to a recent article..................
Church of Scotland (Presbyterian) membership is on track to be wiped out completely by 2042, according to exclusive new analysis.

Meanwhile, attendance at weekly mass in Catholic churches would reach zero just three years later if the current rate of decline continues.

It might sound unlikely, but our investigation reveals for the first time the full extent of the challenges facing Christianity in Scotland.

We tracked the current decline using Church of Scotland membership from 2018 to 2022 and then used a special algorithm to work out how long it would take for numbers to dwindle out completely if things stay as they are.

I'm not really surprised by this. With the exception of the Western Isles, Scotland is in most parts very secular.
 

been thinking about this question?? - is faith a gift - well some may think so but it can also be a birthright? - or a renewal gift on returning home ? or a maturation process between the son/daughter and the father?
 

spectratg said:
All very good responses, thank you. However, I am really looking for an answer to my second question, "what about a person who has never received that gift?"
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As I was taught by the nuns in Catholic elementary school, those without faith were destined to endure eternal suffering in a fiery, agonizing hell.
 
spectratg said:
All very good responses, thank you. However, I am really looking for an answer to my second question, "what about a person who has never received that gift?"
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Believing in God is not a gift honey it's a choice. You have to make the decision as to whether or not you believe in him and accept the gift of salvation and then proceed to live in his will. If you don't believe then you might want to take the time to read a bible and study some more to determine whether or not you believe. Belief is the number one thing. Without belief you have nothing. I hope you find what you're looking for and I hope you are able to build a relationship with God. 🤗
 
Have you ever noticed how much of it all is about suffering and physical pain for all of eternity.
Pre birth and all of life is suffering and physical pain.

Discount all the suffering and physical pain and believe in a forgiving power. Thank it, ask it for zilch.
Shake heads and try to forget all the future hell Russia is putting itself thru now, believing!

Disbelieve in that type of behavior is best, I believe. Forget the Conspiracies. B.S. is the word.

Maybe a lot of energy thought make up, is for an easy free ride. Look at it this way, If a Man
never marries he won't have a Wife needing his money. Vice Versa applies. ... :ROFLMAO: ... no kids too.
Couple generations pass by and it becomes quiet again. One day, there is only One Spike at da mic.

Life then has changed from long multi-storied apt. rooms to Sand and Dust. No ignorance too.
 
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I’m the exact same person that I was after I decided religion was man made and no longer had faith. I’m just as empathetic and have always helped people often going above what most people will do over long periods of time.

So many people have been slaughtered in religious wars. I’ve read the Bible and the god of the Old Testament was a vengeful murderer. Once you die that is all there is.
 
I believe that only, Mars, the God of War, is the only real God. Just read history and you will see that War is the most important event in mankind. I say a prayer to Mars every night when I go to sleep. Just imagine how boring history would be without wars! However, Jesus still has better music.
 
some biblical histories tell us that the 'Arab nations' originated from father Abraham and his wife's maidservant? - no not making it up its in the early bible stories - but the beginnings of the Arab nations were also described as " being like the wild asses of the deserts" always fighting each other and others.?????? Just go to the Abram story beginning? [have a personal opinion on this story but will wait a while - may not get any responses?]
 
smiley said:
you're on the right track keep walkin ! but watch out for the pot holes ! ps: we don't have all the answers - no one does - that's what's faith about?
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Faith, blind faith, is about giving up reason. It's about giving up on looking for answers, and handing the ultimate solution to the questions over to someone/thing else, some unknowable being or state. Blind faith is what you arrive at when you're no longer seeking.
 
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Mitch86 said:
I just heard that Israel launched many missiles into Iran and Iran will now retaliate. Again, MARS, the God of War rules Planet Earth!
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No. Some people have rung the warning bell over Palestine. Of course, it's not been heeded. Now we're here. One thing led to the other, and it's all part of the same plan.
 
smiley said:
some biblical histories tell us that the 'Arab nations' originated from father Abraham and his wife's maidservant? - no not making it up its in the early bible stories - but the beginnings of the Arab nations were also described as " being like the wild asses of the deserts" always fighting each other and others.?????? Just go to the Abram story beginning? [have a personal opinion on this story but will wait a while - may not get any responses?]
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Going back in Biblical time one of Noah's sons was Shem (or Sem) who is considered the common ancestor of both the Jews and through Abraham the Arabs. Antisemitism can refer to hatred and discrimination of both Jewish and Arabic people.
 
Warrigal said:
Going back in Biblical time one of Noah's sons was Shem (or Sem) who is considered the common ancestor of both the Jews and through Abraham the Arabs. Antisemitism can refer to hatred and discrimination of both Jewish and Arabic people.
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interest topical and current topic - hazard specs reqd!! they're not fighting again are they??
 
I have heard countless stories of peoples who have walked into a church service with no previous history of it and walked out a new person - have responded to the spoken word from the bible as part of the vicars sermon and been challenged to embrace a new faith or re-newed faith from birth and become 'born again' - in some miraculous fashion they have "been endowed - gifted if you will " with a new adult faith in the spoken christen word and often invited anew with a full immersion baptism [ usually in ensuing days]
 

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