slimyem: I travelled by road last weekend and something similar happened. This two year old boy screamed and cried for almost all the four hours the journey lasted. I felt like grabbing him from his mum and flinging him out the window.
Then there was this other one that was seated with her mum behind me. She pulled at my hair through most of the journey while I constantly protested. It was a really uncomfortable trip.
I avoid sitting next to nursing mothers on journeys like that. My tolerance level is very low. I love kids only when they are quiet,clean and cheery.

it's quite challenging traveling with toddlers beside you but the amazing thing is how some are so well behaved n others rambunctious

Ify Angela: @op in my experience tolerance is d key. Eventually d noise and screaming blends in.

thank you my dear. dunno why some folks are unnecessarily upset.

Ify Angela: @op in my experience tolerance is d key. Eventually d noise and screaming blends in.

thank you my dear. dunno why some folks are unnecessarily upset.

oh well. I honestly feel for d mothers really. I guess that might change when I have mine oh well. I honestly feel for d mothers really. I guess that might change when I have mine .thank you

Dr young: Help if you can and stop whining bro.
You can't chase them out to play, you know. Just visualizing your face and the state of your attire after the long journey will be a sight to behold.

I usually do, help that is. Outside of a tight, cramped bus. Plus I don't have one of those faces that reveals much so much for your enjoyment

I honestly love children and don't abhor road travels in Nigeria. But traveling beside a mother with an infant & a toddler, always leaves me wanting to tear my hair out. They'd climb you, spill all kinds of fluid on your clothing and the mother's too busy trying to keep them in check (a good one anyway) she fails to notice your discomfort and consequently doesn't apologize. The children are always screaming, grabbing just plain annoying. I personally change seats when I can. NARRATE YOUR EXPERIENCES

I remember at some point in our home the fridge had an electrical problem and my mum got shocked. After that day instead of repairing the fridge, she made sure never to open it...even wen we outside the house she would call. "wat about that backyard I told u to clean" my response...."mummy I did that yesterday" and she already knew....only to ask "eh oya give me water from the fridge".

i firmly believe in the gift of praying/speaking in tongues, but is it a proof of an infilling with the Holy Spirit? I would say no. I truly doubt its universality. Here is why. 1Cor 12:30,31 and especially 1cor 14:5a. If the answer to my aforementioned question was TRUE, Paul wouldn't let any christian under the churches he oversaw go without the infilling of the Holy Spirit whose attendant feature was speaking in tongues. I honestly believe every christian under Paul's churches would have been filled with the Holy Spirit and if they were and did not speak in tongues, then it remains a gift. one to be desired but no more than prophesy and totally obtainable.

Religious section....hmm...its blessed me immensely. I've grown up a lot since i registered. the depth of knowledge of some christian folk here is a shining light that draws insects like meself lol. sometimes though it gets tiring reading through the ever present rubble. Truth is for those who belong to Christ no LIE can ever snatch you from his hand and the arguments for those who are GOLD only strengthen your faith and not weaken it. If that happens? hmm....all in all, its been a fairly decent trip

musKeeto:
I'm an atheist but I doubt I've ever argued for atheism. I'm not that intelligent to prove God does not exist...

But criticize religions that claim that suffering is God? I'll do that, and with as much as sarcasm as the 'good lord' has blessed me with...

Bombs are going off and people choose to remain there for a 'cause'.. 50 out of 52, lol.. Hopefully, they'll get the message when all 52 churches have been bombed.

It's sad that government is not doing their job of protecting the lives of its citizens. It's sadder when people are yet to realise that. It's saddest when people are being encouraged to go through the 'fire' when they could as well make efforts to turn off the cooker.

Ps: I don't hate christianity. I only hate stupidity. Anyone can be stupid, including me.

yeah justify whatever...what's sad is not the government isn't doing whatever u say they aren't. But that u aren't smart enough to know that there are people on NL who have lost loved ones and yet u spew such drivel. US is a world power and they lost 3000ppeople in a day to terrorism. Anyone can be hit. It would have been a lot easier to aapologize than go on trying to justify idiocy and the very wickedness of your heart (not that its that much of a surprise). because they're bombing people should just up and run regardless of the lives they have built? teenagers with their never ending killing sprees in US, I don't see you advocating movement to less lethal zones...u can criticize Christianity all day I would be silent cos on that subject u may be justified but statements like your first leaves nothing to be desired bout your character

musKeeto: 50 down, 2 to go...

its a complete shame that your hatred for christianity would have you uttering statements like that. One of the reasons no matter how seemingly sound your arguments on atheism are you would only hit brick walls when trying to appeal to christians. You're a wicked person and there is nothing attractive about that. Like i have said before, when i look at the attitude of some of you atheists that delude yourselves into thinking you're showing christians the error of their beliefs, forgetting some of us watch from the sidelines. even if i was stupid enough to believe your lies, you're attitude would have me fleeing in a heartbeat. Two to go. mtscheew

Isaiah 48:17B(NIV). I am the Lord your God, who teaches u WHAT IS BEST FOR YOU, who directs you in the way you should go.
just lets me know i may know what is good, even better for me, but only he knows the best for me. it may not look palatable to me, but as long as its his choice, ill be just fine

@logicboy03.https://www.nairaland.com/1151894/how-got-born-again-christians-only/1#13702433. just a little to give you some insight. its just a tip of the iceberg

Logicboy03:


I asked you simple questions.


As for being disowned by your family, can you explain further?

What more do u want to hear? my personal stories on NL? no. preferable via email

Logicboy03:



Are these "real christians" branded as satanists and evil fools that will burn in hell? Are these people shunned and disowned by their own families?

and
Wasn't Jesus called something similar. You have honestly said nothing new and nothing i haven't heard before. You have no idea what i personally have faced, so slow down before you assume to know what i speak of. For i would tell you true stories, not fiction like i often hear on NL. At least whatever you face, you face from just other religions not your fellow atheists. We face ostracism from even our kind...sometimes. Slow down is all i'm saying, your sufferings aren't unique

Logicboy03:



Are these "real christians" branded as satanists and evil fools that will burn in hell? Are these people shunned and disowned by their own families?

I requested objectivity from you but it seems you declined. Yes, i have been disowned by my family, so dont ask me to pity you.

Logicboy03:


Are you seriously comparing the discrimantion of christians to that of atheists in Nigeria?


Gaddem.


This reminds me of some conservative white men that claimed that there is no racism in America. Blacks just like to complain about hardships more than everyone. The ignorance is outstatnding

Bros, like or hate it. I may not have an exact idea what its like to be in your shoes and you mine. Though i have lived in nigeria all my life and watched people discriminate against some atheists i know. I just might know what i am talking about and you just might not. Slow down and be a little more objective before you comment. Do you really think you know what real christians face in the workplace, streets and even at home?

ylaa: VIRGINITY VIRGINITY VIRGINTY, ALL FOR LADIES ALONE. HOW ABOUT MEN? WHEN WILL THE MEN ALSO BE ENCOURAGE TO KEEP THEMSELVES? NA WA OH! PLEASE LET THE MEN ALSO BE INCLUDED. THANK YOU.

Trust me there are a few of us. I'm a 28yr old nigerian male who is a virgin. And no, im not bad-looking, neither am i jobless or broke and neither is my status what it is for a lack of opportunity. Just love God a lot. PS. got lots of friends like me...if you're looking for lol

poopli: hey david, you again. am waiting for your answers on origin in ooman's thread. anyway, Eat this .

ATHEISTS LOVE TO DEBUNK XTIANS BECAUSE IT MAKES SENSE A LITTLE. ISLAM IS DAMAGED BEYOND REPAIR, HAVE YOU READ THE QURAN AT ALL, IT CONTAINS NOTHING THAT MAKES SCIENTIFIC SENSE.

AM AN AGNOSTIC AND I ALSO SPEAK AGAINST XTIANS AND BIBLE BECAUSE I FEEL THREATENED BY ITS EXPLANATIONS, IF NOT, I WILL JUST ABANDON THE BIBLE LIKE MOST ATHEISTS DO TO QURAN.

SECONDLY, SPEAKING AGAINST THE QURAN MIGHT GET YOU BOMBED AND KILLED, MUSLIMS ARE ANIMALS, WHO WOULD DEBATE WITH THEM?
SO WE FEEL SECURED ABUSING XTIAN GOD AND DEBUNKING THE BIBLE THAN DOING THE SAME TO MUSLIMS BECAUSE NO MATTER WHAT, XTIANS CANT JUST BE CRAZY ENOUGH TO KILL FOR THAT.

DO YOU UNDERSTAND?

that is as honest as it gets. Appreciate the candor, can't say the same for most atheists/agnostics

Logicboy03: Empty barrel Enigma went ahead to copy Davidylans failed arguments about atheists practicing openly in Naija.

The last time I checked, Leo Igwe is based in Nigeria. He does his work for European organisations and the videos of him I have seen debating are done in Europe.

Fela was not an atheist.Sure he knew that christianity and islam were frauds but that doesnt mean that he was an atheist.

Tai solarin is dead. And we can see how you christians and muslims sidestep his many achievements for Naija to insult him for his beliefs;
https://www.nairaland.com/723007/tai-solarin-life-ideas-accomplishments


Funny how you fools can not mention more than 2 atheists in Nigeria, a country with close to a population of 200 million.



The most foolish thing is that you claim psalm 14 that atheists are evil fools then on the other hand, go on to say that atheists do not receive discrimantio in Nigeria.



Some christians can lie. Even on a sunday

the truth is there is some discrimination. not admitting that is false, for me at least. But there is nothing special as real christians following the truth of the bible also suffer discrimination. I know what i suffered from my superiors as well as colleagues for not coming up with fake medical reports and saying no to some illicit medical practices, just because i believed God would not approve of it and stating that as my reason. The fact that i would be discriminated against and hated never stopped me from espousing my beliefs and vocally stating them as my reason. If you don't because you fear discrimination i would then agree the OP was right.

Kay 17: @jeSoul

Would you say the Biblical directives against homosexuality are the exceptions for the expression of Love?

And while leafing through Mosaic laws, I found that the institution of slavery was regulated. Probably to make it less inhuman, yet personhood was negotiable. And slavery was very rampant in the times of the apostles. Therefore, should themes like Love outweigh and be preconsidered while reading directives, or equal weights and literal reading?

the answer is really simple. but i would answer with another question. What is the greatest commandment in the bible?

this thread is really funny. i am a christian, no apologies. But over the last few months, if nairaland religious threads would be my scale used to weigh and maybe answer the question posed by the OP i'd say no. When i think about why atheists spend so much time arguing back and forth with christians and ever so often say they feel its their duty to liberate christians from the so-called "enslavement" of religion. I look at how often insults are traded, anger bubbling up and down like a volcano and i ask seriously? they think they can actually say something to make me wanna be like them? again? so angry, bragging about knowledge with nothing that can actually change a life in the real world and not on some threads? SO NO. MORALLY THEY MAY BE BETTER THAN HYPOCRITICAL 'CHRISTIANS' BUT NOT TRUE CHRISTIANS. cant speak for other religions

Best avoided indeed. What is on your mind whilst kissing? what is on your partner's mind? you may not be sinning but they might be. Do you kiss without your bodies touching or do you GRAB stuff? Can you do it outside with all your church folk watching? important questions to answer

ATMC: @ihedinobi from ur post, u r yet to experirence seex or have u? just being curious lol

and what would that do for you? lol

Clemzy16: Like it or not, the OP has a point. I share the same sentiment with him. What is the essence of me going to school to study theatre art where 99.9% of actors in Nigeria do not have formal knowledge about acting?! Acting is a talent not what you can learn. That's like someone studying fine-art when he/she cannot draw naturally. That to me is a colossal waste of precious time.

Agreed

jaybim: DUMBEST POST EVER... Hw many of doz ppl hu studied d couses hav come to ur house to ask 4 money?... Education is smthing dat adds immense value to an individual and his art. Ppl hu studied diz courses cannot b compared to doz hu jst freely entered it, knw dat.

His presentation of what he deemed to be facts may have been brusque but he does have a point. I have seen countless friends wandering the streets and hating themselves for what they studied. Plus our country being what it is, offers little room for practice of the aforementioned courses to those who are truly learned. this at least is true

Image123: Very Sorry to crash-end this party, we are all enjoying it BTW. But with the way things are going, logicboy would soon share his testimony of how he also saw the light, and whatever nonsense again. My point is are we truly born again, saved by grace. What are we saved from? ARE WE SAVED FROM SIN? Because that is the first promise in the new covenant, that He will save us from sin. Are we still under the claws and jaws of sin and satan? If any man be in Christ, if any man be born again, he is under grace. He is not expected to still be operating under the law of sin and death, but under grace.
Rom 6:14 For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace.
Rom 6:15 What then? shall we sin, because we are not under the law, but under grace? God forbid.

Sin shall not have dominion BECAUSE you are under grace. This is the purpose of the new testament. In the old testament, they also had forgiveness of sins, so being born again is not just about forgiveness of sins. Its not primarily about healing either.
Psa 103:2 Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits:
Psa 103:3 Who forgiveth all thine iniquities; who healeth all thy diseases;

i know we all have our different theologies, and i respect that, especially when we are not forcing it into others on a public forum like here. But theology doesn't save anybody. It doesn't make anyone born again. Being born again is the core of the new covenant. It is the grace and truth that came through Jesus Christ. That we should live a godly life in this present world.
Titus 2:11 For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men,
Titus 2:12 Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world;

Sin shall not have dominion over you because you are not under the law but under grace. The question to be asked each person is are you under the law or under grace. If sin still has dominion over you, you are under the law. And vice versa. i don't intend to go on in a sermon, but please. Bother to ask yourself this pertinent question, am i under the law or under grace? Does sin still have dominion over me?

As undeniably important as the comment you made is,it truly can ruin a beautiful thing. Lets just learn what we may from the testimonies and drop nuggets of wisdom much later or we'd rue our loss at what would have been a beautiful and civilized thread

Ishilove: I continued in the way of the path because I felt there was no other options for me to choose from.

Life, in the meantime was tough. I was buffeted by trials, challenges and temptations. Eventually, I realised that the path wasn't giving me the answers I sought. I just didn't understand it anymore. I was only going through the motions because I was born into it, not because of any great revelation like my mother had had. The last time I was at our centre in 2003, I knelt down before our leader and vowed to him that I would never leave the religion. Our leader had simply looked into my soul, smiled gently and said, "You will".

And leave I did.

I started attending church because I had nowhere to turn to. There is this particular church programme I attended which hosted by a very popular church in Ijesa. I stood for 6hrs straight because there was no place to sit down. When I got home, I wondered where the heck I got the energy from, but I still wasn't satisfied or fulfilled. One night, after a gangster three hour prayer session alone, I sat down on my bed and started weeping. I was so frustrated, tired of the challenges and temptations and was just plain fed up with life. Suddenly, in the midst of my tears, I heard the sweetest,calmest, quiet and the most beautiful voice in the creation. The voice said to me,

"Why are you crying, my child? Fear not, I am with you...".

My tears dried instantly. I looked round the room to ensure I was alone. I was.

"Lord, is that you?", I asked. No answer. However, deep down in my heart I knew that I had heard the voice of God for the first time in my life.

I felt like ice water had been poured on my soul. Days later, I was idly leafing through the bible (I hadn't yet learnt to read the bible) when I stumbled on the words I had heard in my spirit. That strenghtened my conviction and that same week, I answered an altar call in church and gave my life to Christ.

It hasn't been a journey with its challenges, but daily I beg for the grace to keep growing in the Lord in my walk with him.

Beautiful. Unusual but beautiful

Mr_Anony:



For number 3, it was personal experience that convinced me; shortly after I got born again, I had struggled with pornography. I prayed about it and gradually the urge died (there is a longer story in this short sentence). . . . . and for about two years believe it or not, I didn't lust after women - Mind you it's not that I didn't see women that I found attractive, it's just that I didn't see them as sexual objects anymore. I could now have real loving relationships with them without thinking about getting into their pants.
In that time, apart from the occasional waking up erection, I don't remember getting aroused by any lady no matter how close we were. It is funny because I was living free of lust without even noticing it until one day when the topic of lust came up in one Brothers meeting we had in Fellowship. that's when I looked back and was like "Come o! I don't have this issue anymore."

Won't i love to hear the longer story about the bolded statement. I struggled with por#nogra#phy, mast#urbation and lust for over ten years, going up and down like a pendulum. I actually was frustrated because i can honestly say God never let me forn#icate. Something out of the ordinary always happened, always. Never stopped trying to overcome though, then i came across a message by Bob Philips - Conqueror from Edom. That message was the beginning of true victory, it snuffed my desires and gave me a heart truly seeking purity and i honestly think true victory in this particular area comes when one is willing to give everything and i mean everything to God. Keeping nothing for oneself. even the quick peek as the lady walks by

Nickydrake: Rhowly, i found your story more stirring than i can describe. It bears an eerie degree of similarity to my own experience. This thread's just the thing i needed to see. It's. . . invigorating. Thank y'all.

Thank you, i'm glad about that. Never really told this much to anyone but i'm guessing this was the right place and time. Left out lots of facts, dislike long posts

i hate heights. I also dont know if its a fear but God knows i hate GECKOS. once when i was thirteen, i was cleaning the windows in the parlor while my younger sis was taking care of the cobwebs and she inadvertently swiped a gecko. it fell on my bare back. i couldnt even get it off. the thought of it on my back was so repulsive, i began to cry. my sis saw my tears and took care of the gecko. i dint come out of my room all day

My earliest memories of church were of Celestial church of Christ or ‘white garment churches’ as most would refer to them. Funnily, i learnt alot about the bible there. We left it for the catholic church later on. Being in the catholic church was a new and exciting experience because it afforded the opportunity of being a part of something. Lots of activity there to make one feel saved whilst not. I was about 10 then. In secondary school my catholic principal loved me not just cause i was a stellar student but a pillar of the fellowship. I basically did everything for the church and i mean everything. However, i noticed there was so much evil in me and all my diligence in service failed to rid me to my demons. I was LUSTFUL, PERVERTED and lying was second nature to me. I also noticed hypocrisy in the lives of people i was supposed to look up to; parents, priests and my principal. Then i started to doubt God. Being the only boy sandwiched between four sisters and effeminate my dad thought it wise to take me out of the public school to a single-sex private school. In the one year i was there i was physically and sexually abused and came in contact with porn for the first time(its grip would take ten yrs to disentangle). I subsequently came to hate guys a lot and most learned the hard way not to touch me, even across the shoulders. I hated that school and even though i couldnt explicitly tell my parents why, they saw i had no intentions of returning after one year. Plus they had noticed changes in me. For one i was an angry child. I once was beating daylights out of my younger sister and my mum and my elder sister tried to wrest me off of her and failed. My mum started slapping and hitting me from behind and it wasn’t till her finger inadvertently entered my eye that i turned only to find her out of breath and panting. She had been there for ten minutes. I was then sent to my former school.
Here and back again, i was changed. Angry lustful child. I chased everything in skirts. I was very faithful to my catholic roots though but truly agnostic with serious doubts as to God’s existence. I despised FCS students or so-called protestant fellowship and was constantly arguing with them. i cant explain this, but even till today i have a knack for finding people in ‘compromising’ positions.’ So even when occasionally they seemed close to victory when we argued, i would bring up something i had seen, a compromise in their lives so to speak and that would clinch it.
One day, quite early in the morning one member of the protestant fellowship was singing, i knew the song he was singing and joined. He was suprised i could sing as well as i did and then asked me to do the number at his fellowship the next day. Of course i declined and not nicely too, but he would’nt give up. He kept coming to my room from about 10am in the morning till 10pm in the evening till i finally gave in.
The next morning during the service, two things struck me about his fellowship. One was the warmth with which we were received, despite their knowledge of who i was and my prejudice. Two was i had never heard God spoken about like i heard from the pastor that morning. For the first time in my life i knew, i knew nothing about God. There was no altar call but i clearly heard a voice say during the service twice “its time.” So i went home fell on my knees and said “God i know now that i do not know u, please help me follow you the way these people follow you.”
I started to go for bible studies, sometimes i would stay up with the president of the fellowship asking questions till 3am in the morning. I studied the bible and i knew that for something like this a man would die. One of the greatest reasons for my disbelief in Jesus death previously was that i could’nt see a man dying just so i could mumble some prayers repeatedly in church only to go home and continue living in sin. In that fellowship the males decided to live like the early church, owning nothing. We shared towels even toothbrushes lol. It was truly one of the most trying as well as happiest times of my life. I was punished by my principal and at home by my parents routinely for my choice. My dad slapped me once 15times, my fellowship suffered persecutions because of me. But boy did we grow? Gradually my love for the rosary and so many other doctrines waned as the truth grew especially following the Holy Spirit’s baptism. I cant say i havent struggled with a lot and haven’t wandered many a time, like my decade struggle with porn, masturbation and lust. But God never left me, i could never get rid of his love and it healed and brought me back time and time again. God healed of all my hatred for guys and in this fellowship for the first time in my life i heard the words ‘l love u’. Trust me it changed a lot. I can hug my brothers and my family noticed the changes. Today, more than a decade after, two of my sisters are born again and i hope for the rest of my family. Even though my father disowned me for “apostasy.” He’s been the everything to me, Jesus...my everything