If a book should be judged by how much it practically improves your life

[Anonymous No.17136165]

This is the best book I've ever read (aside from the Bible). After reading the Westminster Standards I
>researched the Presbyterian Church in America
>started attending a local church
>developed an active prayer life
>became embedded in a wonderful, caring community of like minded young people and families
>became a member and had my daughter baptized
>go out socializing and having dinners and spending time with new friends doing everything from playing board games to bible study to parties to mission work to caroling over Christmas
>spend every sunday worshiping and lingering for half afternoon as kids play on the playground and the wife and i plan get togethers
My life has completely changed and instead of being an atomized, intellectualizing, bourgeois secularist, I've finally discovered what it's like to live a real life in a real community with a real connection to the real God. Imagine how petty a place like /lit/ seems to me now. This might be my last post here.

[Anonymous No.17136174]

>>17136165
Praise be, you are no longer a 4chan Quasimodo

[Anonymous No.17136177]

How is this any different to joining a 40k or DND Club?
You were seeking human contact, The Church was your medium for it. The actual teachings themselves are irrelevant, you'd have gotten the same thing from other social venues

[Anonymous No.17136185]

>>17136165
Fuck you. If you'd ever bothered to read Hegel or Nietzsche you'd realize how pathetic and unhappy you actually are.

>>17136174
Kys. Pseuds who bury their heads in the sand with muh god are quitters. I'll be here probing the depths of analytic philosophy regardless of where it leads. Because I actually give a shit about the real world.

[Anonymous No.17136206]

>>17136177
>The actual teachings themselves are irrelevant, you'd have gotten the same thing from other social venues
I disagree, but I am not sure how I'd be able to convince you of that. And I won't deny that the social aspect is important. However, socializing as a church is unique and inseparable from the teachings themselves

[Anonymous No.17136214]

>>17136165
>Presbyterian
>a real connection to the real God

Worshiping yourself doesn't count as a connection to God.

[Anonymous No.17136221]

>>17136165
Huh, I thought all that anti-psychiatry discourse was pure drivel, but maybe schizos really are happier without the meds

[Anonymous No.17136227]

Nice LARP

[Anonymous No.17136229]

>>17136214
Post your denomination

[Anonymous No.17136230]

>>17136206
There's nothing to convince me of, I practise asceticism myself.
Large social gatherings with rituals you feel align with your values are always spiritual experiences, that's going to remain true whether you are a Christian, Jew, Muslim or some Geeky nerd roleplaying being a devoted member of a made up faction for DnD
The teachings themselves are irrelevant, that's why religion, despite its differences is a common thing throughout the entire world

[Anonymous No.17136243]

>>17136165
Based the rest of the christfags should do this too and fuck off from /lit/ forever

[Anonymous No.17136251]

>>17136165
>he says he finally found the connection to God...
>by praying to the wrong God

[Anonymous No.17136256]

>>17136230
>The teachings themselves are irrelevant
I think this claim is extraordinarily debatable unless you're speaking in the broadest possible sense on limited topics. Even then, I dunno.

[Anonymous No.17136263]

>>17136251
which is the right god?

[Anonymous No.17136281]

>>17136165
>mission work
>caroling over Christmas
What are these?

[Anonymous No.17136312]

>>17136281
>4channel crypto-chud doesn't know what a christmas carol is
oof

[Anonymous No.17136338]

>>17136243
Good idea

[Anonymous No.17136341]

>>17136312
>crypto-chud
What are this?

[Anonymous No.17136344]

>>17136165
Why would you think the life of as an atomized, bourgeois secularist would've been non-fulfilling for you? You would've found relevant communities in that life too and could've indulged into the same social activities with equal sense of fulfillment. As some other anon said, it's the community belonging that you were seeking.

[Anonymous No.17136347]

>>17136243
>>17136338
I'll pray for you.

[Anonymous No.17136350]

>>17136344
>atomized
>communities
>life of as an
Based actual retarded person.

[Anonymous No.17136353]

>>17136341
Don’t worry anon, he has schizophrenia, he just has some trouble staying in reality and making sense to others, but that’s just due to his condition.

[Anonymous No.17136359]

What other catechisms and related works do you read prior to it?

What would your response be to a Mormon or a Muslim who posted something similar?

[Anonymous No.17136364]

I guess I would have to say the bible had the biggest practical effect in my life because it help me realize religion is a whole heap of shit
dumped all those books in the garbage after that

[Anonymous No.17136368]

>>17136256
Not that anon but how then do you deal with the fact that every major religion is able of producing epiphanies/moments of experiencing the diving, wholesome living and relationships?

[Anonymous No.17136374]

>>17136185
>giving a shit about the real world
>analytical philosophy
decent bait

[Anonymous No.17136378]

>>17136165
If you’re gonna make yourself believe in your own lies and join and take part in a great fulfilling community, why go about it in the pussy way? Just become a cult leader, no I’m not saying this to edgy, and I am not an atheist, it’s an honest statement.

[Anonymous No.17136383]

>>17136359
>What other catechisms and related works do you read prior to it?
Lutheran and Catholic and Orthodox. Some familiarity with Islam and Buddhism. Also a decent amount of philosophy and critical theory.

>What would your response be to a Mormon or a Muslim who posted something similar?
Good for them, I guess but they should convert.

>>17136368
Similar to above, I'm not really sure why I need to "deal" with it or be bothered in some way by this. Lots of things produce epiphanies and experiences of the divine. Like drugs.

[Anonymous No.17136391]

>>17136221
>>17136353
>those anons who bring up unrelated mental illnesses out of nowhere
Less thread makey more med takey

[Anonymous No.17136397]

>>17136383
>Lutheran and Catholic and Orthodox. Some familiarity with Islam and Buddhism. Also a decent amount of philosophy and critical theory.
Im interested then - what made the Episcopalians stand out, was it their more broad tent approach to doctrine?

>Good for them,
Is it good for them if it will lead them to damnation?

>Similar to above
Well I guess it becomes relevant and important because the gist of the OP is that because this gets good results it must be true which in turn produces issues as other religions can produce these results while contradicting with the fact that Christianity claims exclusivity over the truth.

[Anonymous No.17136424]

>>17136347
No you won’t. Stop playing the holier than thou card, you are Seraphim of Sarov

[Anonymous No.17136466]

Joining the presbyterans is not any different from joining a bookclub, except more fanatical. Better than anything I guess.

[Anonymous No.17136536]

>>17136165
I strongly suggest a strong dose of DMT to rid yourself of this false belief system.
- /x/

[Anonymous No.17136792]

>>17136165
>doing everything from playing board games to bible study to parties to mission work to caroling over Christmas
sounds boring

[Anonymous No.17137644]

>>17136792
t. spends 6 hours a day on lit.com/forums

[Anonymous No.17137700]

>>17136165
>This is the best book I've ever read (aside from the Bible

[Anonymous No.17137891]

>>17137700
Why are you like this, anon?

[Anonymous No.17137923]

>>17137700
OP here, I don't look like that. I have a strong STEM career and make very good money as well. I just like Christianity too.

[Anonymous No.17137945]

>>17136185
cringe

[Anonymous No.17137999]

>>17136165
Begome cadolig

[Anonymous No.17138016]

>>17136185
>If you'd ever bothered to read Hegel or Nietzsche you'd realize how pathetic and unhappy you actually are.
Holy projecting

[Anonymous No.17138087]

>>17136185
I just realized: lit is kinda stupid and puerile

[Anonymous No.17139342]

Good thread. Sorry for the weird hate. This board is full of insecure lonely incels

[Anonymous No.17139736]

Good for you OP.
I honestly wish I was a religious person.