Would you like to see an end to racism, bigotry, and any other form of hate? Passing laws will not eliminate bad behavior as prisons and jails can attestt to. I can guarantee throwing bricks through windows or any form of rioting will not end these problems, in fact it probably will make the problem worse. Bringing up the sins of the past will not help either. People from all cultures have committed atrocities against humanity at some point in their history. People of all races suffer from the same disease - a sinful human nature. The only thing that will work is if hearts are changed.
When someone decides they really need or want God in their lives they undergo a complete transformation. The Biblical term for this is born again. I feel it is important to distinguish sincere God seeking individuals from those who I call cultural Christians. Cultural Christians are those who were raised going to church or they have just a surface understanding of God. For these individuals being a Christian has little impact on their lives. There is an interesting book called Why America Needs Religion: Secular Modernity and Its Discontents by Guenter Lewy that provides studies on how Christians have made a positive impact on society. He distinguishes the difference between families that regularly attend church and pray together as opposed to those who are Christian by name only. What makes the book interesting is that the author is not a Christian but a self proclaimed agnostic.
A true Christian is someone who desires a deeper relationship with God. This is the type of person who sincerely wants to do what the Bible teaches instead of the type of person who "obeys" only because they think this is what they should do or were told to do. Once someone develops this deeper relationship with God their entire view of life changes. This person will find peace and contentment no matter what is going on externally. They become less judgmental and more understanding for those that do not think or act like they do. They become less self-centered and more concerned about others. This does not mean they will agree with any lifestyle choice or agree with every worldview. It does mean they will not hate those they disagree with. A true Christian develops a faith that helps them overcome addictions and other destructive behaviors, it is a faith that has real life changing power.
Personally, changed hearts I have witnessed is the most compelling evidence making God real to me. I have seen and met people who have undergone the complete transformation I have been describing. There are no shortages of biographies and public personal testimonies of people who give God credit for miraculous changes in their lives. Rarely do I see people drastically change for the better from any other means other than through a relationship with God.
Listed below is a biography of a mass murderer who has undergone this transformation -
From Son of Sam to Son of Hope: The Amazing Story if David Berkowitz by Roxanne Tauriello
I will add to this list as I discover more books proving how God changes lives.
When someone decides they really need or want God in their lives they undergo a complete transformation. The Biblical term for this is born again. I feel it is important to distinguish sincere God seeking individuals from those who I call cultural Christians. Cultural Christians are those who were raised going to church or they have just a surface understanding of God. For these individuals being a Christian has little impact on their lives. There is an interesting book called Why America Needs Religion: Secular Modernity and Its Discontents by Guenter Lewy that provides studies on how Christians have made a positive impact on society. He distinguishes the difference between families that regularly attend church and pray together as opposed to those who are Christian by name only. What makes the book interesting is that the author is not a Christian but a self proclaimed agnostic.
A true Christian is someone who desires a deeper relationship with God. This is the type of person who sincerely wants to do what the Bible teaches instead of the type of person who "obeys" only because they think this is what they should do or were told to do. Once someone develops this deeper relationship with God their entire view of life changes. This person will find peace and contentment no matter what is going on externally. They become less judgmental and more understanding for those that do not think or act like they do. They become less self-centered and more concerned about others. This does not mean they will agree with any lifestyle choice or agree with every worldview. It does mean they will not hate those they disagree with. A true Christian develops a faith that helps them overcome addictions and other destructive behaviors, it is a faith that has real life changing power.
Personally, changed hearts I have witnessed is the most compelling evidence making God real to me. I have seen and met people who have undergone the complete transformation I have been describing. There are no shortages of biographies and public personal testimonies of people who give God credit for miraculous changes in their lives. Rarely do I see people drastically change for the better from any other means other than through a relationship with God.
Listed below is a biography of a mass murderer who has undergone this transformation -
From Son of Sam to Son of Hope: The Amazing Story if David Berkowitz by Roxanne Tauriello
I will add to this list as I discover more books proving how God changes lives.