Why I turned to Christianity after growing up in a violent world

United States
June 13, 2007 11:00am CST
Well its kind of hard to even know where to begin this tale I guess I will start from the time I was very young before I had even started grade school I would have this recurring dream, and in the dream I was always in a bed with a white room and at the foot of the bed there was a plain wall with a giant eye looking at me I felt pale and weak in comparison as if I was nothing more than a bag of bones. The dream hade a second part to it, the second part was that I was trapped between two giagantic objects that were racing at enormous speed. As a kid I thought of them like tanks becuase thats the only thing I could think of that couldnt be destroyed but as an adult when I have had this dream it was mroe like they were the size of planets and might crush me out of existance. These dreams have a meaning to me now and I only seemed to dream them when I was sick or very troubled. There was other things I would see as I grew up that no one else around me would see. I could have been just an over imaginative kid but some of the things I seen and the people I seen them around makes me wonder if there isnt a bit more to it. When I was younger I went to church on Sundays not with my mom or any of the father figures I had of course. There is one time in particular that I recall, if you went up to the alter and got prayed for they would give you candy. I didnt go because I felt it was very wrong to do this. As I grew up I did alot of searching my oldest sister had a very strange and rough life also she was involved in wiccan beliefs. I studied some of the things she did but in the end it wasnt right for me. I went to several different churches and most of the ones I went to preached about hell and damnation to try and scare you into the church. I have even been to mass a few times. When I was about 16-17 I became best friends with my current best friend. He was Muslim and I have went to Mosque and even read the Qur'an. Him being Muslim is probably a better Christian philosphy than most Christians I know. I really couldnt see much difference between the Qur'an and the old testament other than one was to the side of arabs the other to the jews. Funny that cousins could be so bitter to each other. It still wasnt what touched me. Christianity was still a hard thing to swallow with my past and I thought violence was the only way to fight violence so I coudlnt accept that it was the best way. So for a long time without accepting god into my life. I thought I was going to save the world by being in the army after that I thought I was going to save the working class by being a union leader. The truth was in both cases I couldnt even save myself my marriage was a mess and my life was a whirlwind. I finally ended up getting a divorce and met my second wife she was from a different state and believed in Christianity very deeply. I was leaning more towards the Buddhism by this time. I had come to the realisation that violence wasnt the way to go and it only caused more suffering. I tried meditation again and it seemed to help me a bit more in my life. I had also tried meditation when I was a teenager because I had gotten involved in tae kwon do and was trying to not only learn the martial arts but the eastern philosophy. My wife wanted to move back to her home town and was very unhappy about living in where I did,Iwasagainst it but I had a few things happen to me that made me wonder if it wasnt time to give it a try. Out of all that happened the things that really made me change my mind was some of the dreams I was having. I dreamed Jesus was talking to me and he told me if I beleived in him I could levitate. Of course I thought that it was just a dream even if it was dreaming. You know those things when you realise your asleep because it cant be real. He did reassure me that it wasnt just a dream and than he showed me this furnace there were three people inside and while they had ashes on them they werent hurt and he (Jesus) told me if I needed to find him I would have to look in there. Of course I was like aint no way I am going in there. The other dream I had was that me and my wife were arguing and I got on a plane and it was crashing it was heading straight to the ground and all I could think was my family is never going to know how much I love them. When I had awoke I knew that I was suppose to move with her. So we packed up all we had rented our house to friends and moved. I wasnt happy about it in fact I was very bitter and angry. We eventually split up I went back home and she stayed in where she was. At first things were going great I got a job right away even got my old job back in time but it just felt wrong after awhile. I had come to get the kids and I went to chruch with them. I couldnt stand going to church before becuase I didnt agree with some of the things I had been taught. But for some reason when I went this timeit was like every word that was said was exactly what I was suppose to hear. Everything that I had spent the last year thinking about was what was being said. I finally came to the realisation that I coudlnt save myself let alone the world, my fellow man or my marriage. There have been alot of things since that time that have given me peace fo mind that I am on the right path. I am sure most would just think I was either a bit silly or superstitious but the fact is I can only count coincidence for so much and I have seen enough that I know its not all by accident. So thats my story and I am sticking to it or atleast the path that has finally brought me some peace. For the first time I have heard about loving god not fearing him and I can see why I should love and I know that this is something that is gona be hard but I am trying to change the core of my being and not revert to my old ways. For some people I am sure they can find what they are looking for and maybe they are strong willed enough to make things happen on their own,but in my life I have come to realise I need faith and god to make positive things happen in my life. I think its come to a point where I finally realised if god wanted someone dead than he would do it. I am going to try and do my best and follow the path that Jesus made and give up thinking violence can cure all the worlds ills. I think violence only begets more violence. I hope I am never tested in a way that I cant handle and I continue to get my salvation a bit at a time as god knows how I can handle it. Sorry for the long post, believe it or not this is a very condensed version of things.
8 people like this
13 responses
• United States
13 Jun 07
I'm impressed. You have the rare ability to reach people with words, it's something that I practice at because I want to be a writer. But with you, you were born to be a writer. Write short stories and send them into magazines if you haven't done so already. Base your stories on dreams and personal experiences, and then with all that becomes child's play. Write a book! You are easily the next Stephen King or Mary Higgins Clark. Please take what I'm saying into consideration. Readers in this world need writers like you, and they don't want you to condense ANYTHING. Get back to me if you want, but I am serious about this. You are a diamond!
2 people like this
• United States
13 Jun 07
LOL, thanks for the reply and the compliment. My head is swelling already. Thats not a good thing I have too much pride as it is, believe me when I say I been swallowing alot of it over the past year and it hasnt went down easily its taken a whole lot of water.
1 person likes this
• United States
13 Jun 07
WOW Evan! What a great story of your path to Jesus. I am happy you found your way. I won't bore you with my story but maybe this will inspire a similar post of my own. LOL Thank you for sharing it. Maybe you have planted seeds in some fertile ground!!
1 person likes this
• United States
14 Jun 07
Thanks for the reply and I will be looking forward to seeing your own. Hopefully I will be able to catch it sometime soon since we are going out of town tomorrow for a week.
1 person likes this
@asmurthy (2461)
• India
13 Jun 07
Jesus suffered violence but would not commit violence. He told his followers not to use violence to prevent him from being arrested. Jesus rejected the use of violence for self-defense. He taught his disciples not only to avoid committing violence, but actively to love their enemies. Jesus taught his disciples to avoid murder and insult, and to be reconciled with their brothers and sisters. By his word and example, Jesus taught us to respond to our enemies with surprising acts of mercy and nonviolence..
1 person likes this
• United States
13 Jun 07
Thansk for the reply. Like I said it took me a long time to come to grips with the fact that violence only begets more violence.
@Springlady (3986)
• United States
13 Jun 07
Thank you so much for posting your story! It seems to me that you were trying to do things all on your own and you came to the realization that you needed Christ. I'm so glad that you want to follow the Lord and Savior and I want you to know that He has plans for your life. I believe He has spoken to your heart and you answered. It is exciting to know that Jesus is with us all the time and that He forgives us and we have a clean slate! He took our sins on the cross. He paid our debt in full! God bless you!
1 person likes this
• United States
13 Jun 07
Thank you for replying springlady. Yes I tried changing the world and thought I was gona do it on my own and like I said in the end I came to realise I coudlnt even save myself I needed the Lord for that.
2 people like this
• United States
13 Jun 07
I appreciate your sharing your story. Welcome to the Family! But, you can not live the Christian life by trying hard. You need to rely on the Holy Spirit to guide you and help you. Jesus wants us to lean totally on Him and He will carry us and help us. We can not live His way with our understanding. Spend time in His Word, Pray, and make sure that your church is preaching God's Word. I'll be seeing you someday at Home (Heaven).
• United States
13 Jun 07
Thank you for replying. Yes I have decided I needed more than just repentance and I am pushing onward and hopefully upwards.
1 person likes this
• India
14 Jun 07
Yes,very enlighting one but it is not only Christians are having such experience but people of other religions too. I have nothing personally against Jesus,Bible or Christianity but a few questions. 1) Why are the so-called Christian countries where Christians are in a majority like USA,UK,Germany and host of other European countries,people turn to Islam and Hinduism for peace of mind ? 2) What are the christian Evangalists spending billions of dollars to convert people of other faiths ? 3) Why do these Christian Evangalists market their religion,as if religion is a soap,shampoo, when religion is a matter of faith.? 4) My Hindu Ancestors in Goa(a place in Western India) were tortured by the Portuguese colonialists and thousands of temples were demolished and the Goan Hindus were prosecuted under cruel policy called GOAN INQUISTION,what is your opinion about this ? 5) Last but not the least why are people of other religion addressed as non-believers in Bible.
• India
15 Jun 07
Hi,thanks for your wonderfull mail, it is nice that you understood my pain and anguish that my Hindu ancestors went through,even though many of the Hindus converted to Christianity,my ancestors never did. They somehow fled from their Homeland-Goa and settled in parts of Southern India like Kerala,Karnataka and Maharastra etc.It was possibly one of the biggest migrations in India. I donot have anything personnal against Christians and Christianity as such,as I beleive that according to Hinduism all religions are rivers, and all the rivers lead to the ocean,similarly all the religions lead to the god. In India people of all the religions give peacefully, eventhough there are occassional disturbances. Many Hindus in India are suspicious of Christians now a days,because some overzealous Christian Evangelists,who want to convert people by hook or crook, and does not mind even bribing people to convert,as you know India has millions of poor and hungry people. Even though my ancestors had to leave Goa,due to portuguese evangalists, I did not had any hesistation in sending my daughter to a Christian run school(they are popularly called convents in India)because I believe that past is History. Christians also run some of the best schools,colleges and Hospitals in India,they are involved in Charity also,we have a problem with mainly evangalists. Let us live and let others live also.
@neon2000 (2756)
• Philippines
14 Jun 07
Your long post is worth reading. Our life is a journey... we have to spend it the way God want us to have, peace. Peace can be achieve without violence, as violence, you have said begets violence.
• United States
14 Jun 07
Thank you for the reply and for taking the time to read such a long post.
@Celanith (2327)
• United States
14 Jun 07
Wow this a powerful statement you should come post this on Gather.com
• United States
14 Jun 07
Thanks for the reply. I head never heard of gather I just went and looked it up. I take it that its kind of like mylot? Or is it more of just an open blog for putting out your thoughts or ideas? I really didnt think it was that moving myself in fact when I first read it over I thought I sounded kind of nutty...lol. But the fact being its all true my wife even read it over herself and she thought it was good so I guess I didnt come off as nutty as I thought I would.
@dfollin (24252)
• United States
13 Jun 07
Iam very glad that you found Jesus and christianity.But,I do think when ou were a kid they were JUST dreams.
• United States
13 Jun 07
dfollin, thank you for the reply.
1 person likes this
@lecanis (16647)
• Murfreesboro, Tennessee
13 Jun 07
Thanks for sharing your story, Evanhunter! After our discussions elsewhere, I had been looking forward to hearing it! =) I think it's great how you found what you believe in, and that it's made you so much happier and at peace. I would love to say more, but I'm probably not too popular among other posters in this discussion, so I'll not wear out my welcome! Thanks again for sharing!
• United States
14 Jun 07
Hi Lecanis, thanks for the reply. Yes it took me a few days to break it down to a size where anyone would even consider reading it...lol. On top of that we are getting ready to go out of town for a week so I been busy tidying up loose ends around the house. I am looking forward to the moment I get back home again and chat with everyone again. I can say I have met some really wonderful people on here and I am glad you are a friend I can include in that list!
1 person likes this
@zandi458 (28102)
• Malaysia
25 Jun 07
Praise the Lord. I read with great delight about your personal life experiences and glad that you chose the right path in proclaiming Jesus as your Saviour.
• United States
30 Jun 07
Thanks for the reply, sorry it took me so long to get back with you spent alot of time on the road the past week and finaly got home to roost.
@vivienna (582)
• Venezuela
13 Jun 07
Dear EvanHunter, this is a moving testimony and, maybe, a far to common one, although many people don't want to recognize their spiritual driftings. We arrive at the decisive point when we are forced to admit our own failure "in saving myself let alone the world", as you wrote. You have many brothers and sisters in this! The only important thing now is to continue, steadfastly, and don't give in to the problems and conflicts that life uses to put in our way. To love God is to love him always. Thanks for posting your story!
• United States
14 Jun 07
Thanks for your reply and thank you also for the words of encouragement.
• Philippines
14 Jun 07
There are many denominations of Christianity nowadays and I believe that going into Christianity after "seeing" or "experiencing" other religions is good but insufficient as much as true Christianity is concerned. I suggest that you look for a denomination that: -Believes in the infallibility and superiority of the bible over any authority here on earth be it the pastor or fellow members. And therefore, everyone is subject to its teachings. -Does not practice traditions that are not in line with the teachings of the Bible. -Has a high regard or concern on members' righteousness on the individual level. And that members show great concern and love for each other. Many things can still be added here and I did not mention specific things to give no offense to others. But as a start I believe that reading the Bible often will help you a lot to understand the differences among the denominations and will enlighten you to take the right path.
• United States
14 Jun 07
Thank you for the reply. I have been to many different denominations growing up. I know I am right where I am suppose to be. Will my journey end here or go on elsewhere? I have no idea only god knows that. Like I said I am going to keep pushing onwards and hopefully upwards. I am sure god will keep me moving in the right direction if I keep my eyes and ears open to him. Who seeks for heaven alone to save his soul, May keep the path, but will not reach his goal; While he who walks in love may wander far, Yet God will bring him where the blessed are.