Im an agnostic atheist watching this, who gre up christian in a loving family much like his. I respect this coversations so much. I think the interviewer is very respectful and genuine. I know it takes alot to admit things like this, i have been there. This is how we should talk to people we agree with and disagree with. Love is something we can all agree with. So love to all
You Have A Wonderful Outlook!! It Is Something I Truly Appreciate About People Like Yourself, Jon Steingard, & Josh Harris. Thank You!! Having That Kind Of Attitude Is Like A Breath Of Fresh Air Here In Ohio In The Middle Of Our Mid 90's Heatwave!!
As for me, an Asian lady, I feel I am so blessed to be so loved by my Abba Father God and to be saved for eternity. I came from a pagan, Taoist-Buddhist background. Am so glad I am in the Light of the LORD Jesus Christ. Whenever I read the Bible, I am full of LIFE because the Word of God is life-giving. His Word heals, transforms and restores. I am forever grateful to be able to get out of the darkness into His marvelous light. Each morning when I wake up, I am full of joy, enjoying daily my walk with God. He walks with me and He walks with me and He tells me I am His own. And the love I receive daily from Abba Father is just awesome! Love my LORD Jesus so so so much. And I worship Him daily in my life. Fyi, I live in Asia.
Forever blessed and joyful. I memorized the 16 chapters of Romans in 16 days when I was 16 years of age, in 1968 while driving a John Deer Tractor around the field.
Yes hes not alone.... God Is still with him and God will help him find his answers and bring him back. You’re absolutely correct with saying that... thank you God bless you too
JM Campbell I memorized the 16 chapters of Romans in 16 days when I was 16 years of age, in 1968 while driving a John Deer Tractor around the field. Life i believe has to be away from the charismatic, sensation seeking type. We do have rationality, we just have to use our minds, rather than having sensations speak to us. God bless you in your journey. 😀😅😀
I memorized the 16 chapters of Romans in 16 days when I was 16 years of age, in 1968 while driving a John Deer Tractor around the field. Life i believe has to be away from the charismatic, sensation seeking type. We do have rationality, we just have to use our minds, rather than having sensations speak to us. God bless you in your journey. 😀😅😀
JM Campbell I memorized the 16 chapters of Romans in 16 days when I was 16 years of age, in 1968 while driving a John Deer Tractor around the field. Life i believe has to be away from the charismatic, sensation seeking type. We do have rationality, we just have to use our minds, rather than having sensations speak to us. God bless you in your journey. 😀😅😀
I wonder how many Christians have a wonderful relationship with the church, with the music and songs, the mid-week fellowship, the weekend retreats, the gatherings, the conferences and never acquire a solid foundation in Christ? A lifetime of attending church and never knowing the heart God. It gives me a shudder.
The Kingdom Is Now I memorized the 16 chapters of Romans in 16 days when I was 16 years of age, in 1968 while driving a John Deer Tractor around the field. Life i believe has to be away from the charismatic, sensation seeking type. We do have rationality, we just have to use our minds, rather than having sensations speak to us. God bless you in your journey. 😀😅😀
I memorized the 16 chapters of Romans in 16 days when I was 16 years of age, in 1968 while driving a John Deer Tractor around the field. Life i believe has to be away from the charismatic, sensation seeking type. We do have rationality, we just have to use our minds, rather than having sensations speak to us. God bless you in your journey. 😀😅😀
If your an honest Christian,you will have doubts from time to time,We struggle with emotions,but have to test our emotions with truth,My hope for John is that he can come to terms with these doubts and know there are resources out there that may be useful, I love you John,all the best to you and your family .
I also wonder if he was a talented musician in the church pushed to a position of leadership and influence before he had a biblical foundation. Hence a cultural belief rather than a personal conviction.
Nic Husted I think you may be right...He said, “I fell in love with music”... Praying He opens his heart to fall in love with Christ. I feel like he is being honest about his concerns. I pray he keeps earnestly seeking
I went through a hard time of asking tough questions. I felt guilty for even questioning my faith and became a bit depressed, but I am so thankful I did ask the hard questions and looked for truth. What helped me so much was reading the testimonies of converts to Christianity. People who had a lot to lose, but wanted the truth and found Christ. Like Nabeel Qureshi and former Mormon Missionaries of Adam’s Road ministries.
I felt the same way when I lost my parents and the last uncle on my dad's side of the family but I found out that God and Jesus were there. God is behind the end times and He is taking the ones that have finished what they were sent done to and now they are up there with Him and when we finish doing what I am supposed to do. I was brought in a Catholic church and than when I because a Christian when I was 26 years old
bebeed771 I memorized the 16 chapters of Romans in 16 days when I was 16 years of age, in 1968 while driving a John Deer Tractor around the field. Life i believe has to be away from the charismatic, sensation seeking type. We do have rationality, we just have to use our minds, rather than having sensations speak to us. God bless you in your journey. 😀😅😀
This is why I'll always believe that The Church is not a Religion, a Denomination or a Building but a Body, a Family, a Community. The Church Body has Members/Parts that are Aching/Hurting, Hungry, Tired, Discouraged, Neglected, Rejected, Wounded, Doubtful, Weak, Deformed etc, and We Need to have Real Life Discussions as a Family where we can Talk Freely and Openly with our Heavenly Father, our Elders, our Brothers and Sisters and Ourselves. It's a Slow Fade. Believers don't just turn Unbelievers Overnight. People don't turn their backs on God or His Church Overnight. We Need To Learn About Ourselves, Our Church Family & Our Faith Before It's Too Late. We Need To Address The Inadequacies, Failures & Shortcomings in order to Alleviate the Shortfallings.
A. Davis I memorized the 16 chapters of Romans in 16 days when I was 16 years of age, in 1968 while driving a John Deer Tractor around the field. Life i believe has to be away from the charismatic, sensation seeking type. We do have rationality, we just have to use our minds, rather than having sensations speak to us. God bless you in your journey. 😀😅😀
I totally understand and relate. Conversely I find it unacceptable for “Christians” to respond with the very predictable and generic comments. Exhibiting no sympathy or empathy. But sounding similar to the Pharisees. The comments below illustrate an unwillingness to listen. But resor to the usual “church” speak.
I have doubted and questioned but came out believing... but I definitely think differently than I used to, I’m not the same kind of “Christian” that I used to be. I totally agree there are too many platitudes and cliches within the church.
Speaking truth is not cliche it's truth. Religion is not some high, or a feeling. But I sense this guy has a good heart, God can withstand these questions. And when he finds the answer, he'll come back with such a great testimony, God is not done with this man yet.
jsab1270 I memorized the 16 chapters of Romans in 16 days when I was 16 years of age, in 1968 while driving a John Deer Tractor around the field. Life i believe has to be away from the charismatic, sensation seeking type. We do have rationality, we just have to use our minds, rather than having sensations speak to us. God bless you in your journey. 😀😅😀
I memorized the 16 chapters of Romans in 16 days when I was 16 years of age, in 1968 while driving a John Deer Tractor around the field. Life i believe has to be away from the charismatic, sensation seeking type. We do have rationality, we just have to use our minds, rather than having sensations speak to us. God bless you in your journey. 😀😅😀
jsab1270 I memorized the 16 chapters of Romans in 16 days when I was 16 years of age, in 1968 while driving a John Deer Tractor around the field. Life i believe has to be away from the charismatic, sensation seeking type. We do have rationality, we just have to use our minds, rather than having sensations speak to us. God bless you in your journey. 😀😅😀
Jonathan comes across as a wonderfully honest and thoughtful person that has a lot of integrity. As an Atheist myself, I found that the reasons for his deconversion were substantive. After all, the problem of evil, the problem of divine hiddenness as well as the hard questions over biblical inerrancy and morality are the principal reasons why people leave Christianity. Whether you agree with his conclusions or not, one simply cannot say that he did not consider his position carefully, or apply his mind to these questions, over a lengthy period of time. The contemporary British Philosopher A.C. Grayling writes of the importance of embracing the considered life: _'Socrates famously said that the unconsidered life is not worth living. He meant that a life lived without forethought or principle is a life so vulnerable to chance, and so dependent on the choices and actions of others, that it is of little real value to the person living it. He further meant that a life well lived is one which has goals, and integrity, which is chosen and directed by the one who lives it, to the fullest extent possible to a human agent caught in the webs of society and history.'_ It would seem that Jonathan Steingard indeed chose to embrace the considered life. And we should all, Atheist and Christian alike, wish him nothing but good will and success in that most noble human endeavor.
Well said. Too often, the knee jerk response from those "in" is to quickly shout how "out" one was all along and/or come up with so many reasons why the deconvertor is ignorantly walking away from "T"-truth. I think if one was to really do some self reflection, they just might find some resonance with doubt and uncertainty. These are difficult and scary places to go, it makes sense why believers can be hasty to make these feelings go away. I think we are all seeking peace and integrity in some regard and at many levels. Finding this shouldn't require a whole systematic belief structure. Simple reflection and action may just be the way.
I so get where Jon is coming from, I love this guy, I feel exactly the same, I don't want to let go of God.. but at the same time, i'm like where is he???? I'm identifying with almost everything his saying.. especially when he says the thought of God not being there is terrifying. Thanks for sharing Jon.
Sometimes God is quit. There are many reasons for that. Sometimes it's sin in our life. Sin cuts us off from God. Or it is because he wants to see our trust... Whatever it is. He wants to transform us into his image. Don't stop praying. Don't stop trusting. There is reward in heaven.
I love this interviewer. He knows his stuff, knows how to ask questions that make sense to someone that no longer believes. I rarely see that in Christians, they're just flabbergasted you don't believe anymore.
I memorized the 16 chapters of Romans in 16 days when I was 16 years of age, in 1968 while driving a John Deer Tractor around the field. Life i believe has to be away from the charismatic, sensation seeking type. We do have rationality, we just have to use our minds, rather than having sensations speak to us. God bless you in your journey. 😀😅😀
Jon, I am so glad to hear this conversation. I wished I was your age when I finally accepted the truth about how indoctrinated, actually brainwashed on how to believe as a child without the ability to think for yourself. Unfortunately, the pain that comes with this reality makes it so hard to let go, knowing you believed in a lie for so long.
Do you all not understand that when Jon says "feel" he does not mean it literally??? It is colloquialism. Wake up and think, and stop criticizing Jon and the many other deconversions with the same old tired rhetoric christians use when another christian sees the light and is set free from this archaic religious place holder in history.
When were the middle days and when did we switch over? Was it when the gays came? Little House on the Prairie got cancelled? The porn that got invented with the internet? Yikes, what generation (including Jesus himself) didn't think we were in the end times? Rubbish...
What specifically are you trying to say? A Christian musician losing his faith is prove that Jesus will return?? Huh? It would be great if you could eloborate.
Yes! This is exactly what the The book of Revalation warns us about, the Laidecian Church. The falling away. We can love this man, but let's be clear, he's denying Jesus Christ. He clearly is not reading a bible, which gives him the answers to all his questions. I don't know the host, but I don't think this is how Jesus would have talked with to him. Why is this host even agreeing with him? Your prayers will not be heard in hell. Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, confess your sins and repent!
BouncerMattMan - so you think “for the Bible tells me so” is a good way to wiggle out of the conversation? That the “good book” is a tome of answers clearly laid out for any person throughout the future to simply just pick it up and figure out what’s folklore, what’s history, what’s metaphor and what’s miraculous? And that through a ghost, it’s trying to talk to you? Hell just might be the prison one finds in ones mind if you believe something like: this all loving Jesus gets so pissed for not believing all the fantastical things in the Bible, for questioning and doubting, that he won’t himself, try to interact with people when they try to figure out a way back, but rather has a fiery eternal torture chamber to put them in. That’ll teach ‘em. Imagine your own kid doing the same thing; going through doubt and deconstruction. They aren’t a serial killer or a huge danger to society, but just for not being (version of) a Christian, “sorry kid, I’m throwing you into the oven for (for even just four hours) on high broil” that’s reasonable. Why not just beat people until they submit to Christ? At least they’ll get into heaven? I think you have the complete wrong idea of what Jesus saves people from and how he does it. But hey that was my original point. Everyone has an idea of of who Jesus, God and the Holy Spirit are. And there doesn’t seem to be any way to figure out who’s got it right, if there is even a right aside from claiming “I just read the Bible man, you’re stupid if you don’t get it.”
JM Campbell You have believed a lie. Satan used James Hutton, Lyell and Darwin to push his lies. You were given a choice. To listen to God or listen to satan. Your father is the devil and soon will pass away from this life. You are not a god as Satan whispered in your little ears. You have rejected God You have called God a liar You have called Jesus Christ a liar. It is appointed for man to die and then the judgement. God will hold you accountable for your sins and will cast your soul into hell for eternity. Repent and accept Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior and share His Gospel. Do it before you take your last breath. The wages of sin is death but Gods gift is eternal life through Jesus Christ The choice is yours My job is done. I have shared the good news with you. Peace be with you. To God be the Glory!
Speaking as a former Christian myself: All you have to do is accept someone has changed. There is no one way to live life. No matter how much you believe in your truth, it does not mean it is the truth. It would be incredibly arrogant to say you know the answer of eternity and everybody else is wrong. People can live moral lives without your religion and people can live immoral lives with your religion. Be happy this dude is living his truth! I won’t go into the depths of why I stopped believing, but when you go through the process of challenging your faith there are many levels to it. Some levels have to do with disagreeing and seeing the flaws within the Bible (I realize that may sound extreme to you, but I’m sure you don’t agree with some things in there either) and some levels have to do with outside the Bible. Using my eyes and really questioning philosophically and logical ideas. Questions like: If I was born into a Muslim family, would I be an equally devout Muslim as I feel now towards Christianity? Is it all the roll of the dice and I believe my religion is the right one just because that’s how I was raised? A geographical location that played to my advantage and the others aren’t so lucky. If God is all knowing, did he know the angel would fall from heaven and become Lucifer? If God created everything, did he create Lucifer too? Which means he created hell? Christians says evil is the absence of good, but couldn’t good be the absence of evil? Is it all just word play? And I believe it because it’s in the Bible and... I just believe it... because... it’s in the Bible. Those questions above are really only two questions with many questions inside the questions. I had many more thoughts, like these and beyond, as I challenged my faith. I listened to lectures and read books from Sam Harris. I read the Bible and highlighted the parts that I do not stand for (sometimes as Christians we ignore those parts). I asked my Christan friends questions they couldn’t answer, and really, questions nobody can answer. Without saying, “well... because it’s in the Bible” or “god is always good” or “I don’t know but I have faith because he’s good to me” Which are all ok things to say! But you can’t judge, patronize or condemn someone when they aren’t satisfied with those responses anymore. You can’t blame them when they want to lift the head out of the Bible and out of the boarders of one perspective and maybe walk in some different shoes. Love, peace, respect and equality. These are all things taught in the Bible (but not always) and also in other books that even predate the Bible (believe it or not, it’s true... google it). And I want to spread these things to this guy from Hawk Nelson. Good luck to anyone out there on a journey!
I honestly think he is still saved. No one can snatch you out of the fathers hand. He has doubts and questions but even when we are faithless God remains faithful. Someone who wants to believe but has doubts and is seeking answers and talks about God so much, to me is just struggling in their walk as we all do. Just my thoughts.
I think this is a faith strengthening valley, Jesus, I pray, let your spirit fall on Jon! Let his journey lead him to you! Thank you for your music Jon. You helped bring me to God. And that is everything to me. Jesus loves you! I love you!
This makes me sad. What are churches teaching? If you're looking for signs and wonders or a feel good gospel then you're not living for the one true Christ.
That is EXACTLY the problem with the Charismatic Movement which he was a part of. It is a distorted touchy feely Gospel. Not robust in the least. You cannot base your faith on emotions, feelings and experiences.
Not only the Charismatic Movement, 90% of all evangelical churches are preaching “another gospel”, a gospel where Sin has been defined as merely being imperfect...
I memorized the 16 chapters of Romans in 16 days when I was 16 years of age, in 1968 while driving a John Deer Tractor around the field. Life i believe has to be away from the charismatic, sensation seeking type. We do have rationality, we Judy have to use our minds, rather than having sensations speak to us. God bless you in your journey. 😀😅😀
This quandary may one day come upon you, Shonda. What happens when your lived experience totally contradicts the memorizable, doctrinal positions you've been trained with? Can any amount of psychological buttressing protect you from the cognitive dissonance and unsettlement that occurs? We are experiential creatures, at the core. No amount of teaching or orthodoxy can secure your faith if your body is telling you "this doesn't feel right!".
I hear christians say "it's not about feelings." Yet, when trying to get someone to join the club, they will say, "It's about a personal relationship with Jesus, not a religion." How can it be both ways - relationship AND not about feelings? If it's not about feelings, then should the person have a relationship like a robot or a Vulcan? Definitely does not sound appealing. If feelings are not present in this supposed relationship with god, then how is it a relationship?
@Jesus or Nothing! You are WRONG! When an act of love is shown from one person to another, a dump of endorphins rushes through our brain and body and bathes us with pleasurable feelings of comfort, rest, acceptance, understood, connection, validated, compassion, etc... These endorphins during human development help create a securely attached psyche that is able to give and receive love with others, and activates the pituitary gland to secrete hormones to advance us to the next stage of development. Without consistent displays of love, a person can have a stunted development that is often called - at its worse - failure to thrive, and less debilitating will create attachment issues. If you are talking about a love that is given out of a pure benevolence (agape), there are still emotions of desire, passion, and connection that fuel agape love. It is not emotion-free agape...agape love is not based out of some sterile duty and obligation; if it is based in sterile duty & obligation, then that kind of "love and relationship" looks no different than the heartless fictional characters on Star Trek - The Borg. Additionally, when a human does not experience these endorphins regularly through out one's life, but especially during the formative years, that individual subconsciously searches for a psychological substitute to meet the desire and soul need; usually through a hard (chemical) or soft (gambling, porn, codependency, people-pleasing,...) addiction. If you are talking about Emotional Reasoning, then I agree. Emotional reasoning is a cognitive distortion that filters decisions, behaviors, choices, reactions through unadulterated emotionalism. However, that is not what I mean when I talk about relationship.
Knowing the Lord for yourself is so crucial. Spending time sitting with the Lord, speaking with Him, reading the word while having the expectation of Him responding to you and caring about you, from the place of authenticity and faith, is everything.
I know the Lord because I read the Bible everyday. Jesus talked about the Horrors of Hell because He died on the Cross 4 our sins.He died to save us from going to Hell. On the 3rd day He 🌹 from the dead. When Hawk Nelson says he no longer believes in God, th@'s no one but Satan telling him to turn his back on God.
I understand where he is coming from, I am a Costa Rican Rapper who was Christian my dad was a pastor and I came out as agnostic. For reasons such as Evolution, Homosexuality, Weed, The government. There was just so much that made me believe that there could be a possibility of him but if there is everything in the bible isn't true. And I also believe that it couldn't at all be true. Jon is at that point where he doesn't know and that's totally fine I don't know it all so I can't give an answer we all can't we just have beliefs and speculations
An old song says" though none go with me, yet I will follow." This was said by an Indian Christian being literally torn limb from limb by his persecutors. Can we then, discard the faith in this climate of easy believism? We are soldiers of the cross, dying daily to our will to obey God's will. Cowboy up guys! Be faithful unto death and Christ will give you a crown of life.
I pray that you find Jesus personally..not through your upbringing...praying that you return to your Heavenly Father like the prodigal son. Feeling sad for your decision.
This is really a great conversation that I believe every Christian should have… Either with others or at least with themselves… You can’t truly have a faith until you know what you believe and why you believe it and it has to be personal can’t be based on “adopting someone else’s faith”. I’ve had these questions in my own faith walk… One thing that really answered those was reading CS Lewis‘s “mere Christianity“… This is an intellectual defense of the faith… The bottom line that he gives when your doubts are so overwhelming is “what’s the alternative?“ And even with the question of evil… If there is no God isn’t the concept of evil all the more hopeless and isn’t life even more useless if there’s not an opposite to evil? To me, there has to be a God… The world universe is far too complicated and organized and intricate to be created by accident… How we live out that relationship to God is different for a lot of people and religion gets in the way a lot of times but “religion” is a way that we give structure to believing in God… But to me, there has to be a God…
Jon Steingard, My brother I sure hope you find your way back. You know Gods real love was demonstrated to all of us, when He gave up his one and only son to die for all, so that NONE should be left out of eternity and I don't know of any greater showing of ones love for another then for them to lay down their life for anothers and Jesus did it not just for one, but for all who would accept him. God never intended anyone to go without or to have harm come to them and if we all lived according to his will and heart none would, but we as a people are broken and sometimes far removed from the will of God and his heart for our lives. We are selfish, self centered, have self ambitions and are sometimes just so unreasonable. It's impossible to understand God when looking at him from an earthly standard or heart for his thoughts are higher than ours and his plans are beyond what we could ever think or imagine, so how could anyone ever come to a difinitive understanding of someone that can with just a word speak things into existence that never once existed? Through my own reflection of who God is I have come to understand that God is not subject to me or to what I think, but He is immeasureable, all knowing and such a great force of power that every living thing on earth heeds to his voice. As a parent I know what it feels like to have children and to love and nurture them and then have to watch helplessly as each one of them go their own way and abandon all the good that I raised them to live and dwell in. I know the feeling of rejection and betrayal and I know the feeling of dissapointment and despair, yet through all and in all hope still burns within me, but not because of anything i've done, but because of the Love of God thats been poured into me. I never know what tomorrow will bring, yet I do know that no matter what it is that by my choice I am attached to someone that is VERY mighty in every way and He will work it all out for my good even if i cannot see it for myself. From being a parent I imagine the Hardest thing for God is to have to watch his own beloved creation reject him, his love and his gift of salvation to spend eternity with him. A persons life must come to God as a free will offering of their own free will for what is love if your forced to do it and do not choose it on your own with great gladness. My hope is that God will help you find your way back to him and thst He will give you your own story of his great love and redemption for your life. God Bless, love me
He was looking for answers in a wrong direction. God said, "seek Me and you will find me, if you seek me with all of your heart"..you simply pray and ask him all the doubts in your heart for answers. I pray for you, that you will seek God genuinely and stop looking answers from what eyes can see.
The problem is, you cannot worship God and having dinner with the devil at the same time. Rock music is satan's playground for lost souls. It's not about the lyrics but the beats. There was once in my life as a kid, my family couldn't afford 3 meals a day because we were so poor. Infact, for years I was wearing the same close until I'd finally grew out of them, but that's a whole diff story now. I seeked God on a personal level and I found him. The problem is us humans. If only we all can love and extend a hand to the poor and needy, the world will be a better place. I do hope you rediscover God and come back into the fold.
The way I see it, life is knowledge, nobody should pitty him, the way some Christian's treat those who leave their faith is sometimes abominable (Underoath took a big hit). When I left my faith I was accused of not even trying and just being lazy, it was becoming very clear I was simply not buying into what was being taught, regular knowledge had to be denied in order to follow blind faith. I'm glad that he has made peace with his doubts and has moved on
This absolutely breaks my heart. I have and am still working through so many of the same kinds of struggles that Jon is. I have so much empathy for him and understand so much of what he is saying. I am praying that Jesus meets him where he is and that he ultimately comes to the secure knowledge of the truth. Jon, if you read this, please know you are not alone. There is a 29 year old mother of three in Washington state who is working through these things as well. You are in my prayers. Truly.
Doubt and disappointment are part of the whole Christian journey. There's a great tradition within historical Christianity of debate and wrestling with ideas (See Thomas Aquinas' Summa Theologia, for example). And we have no better example than Christ on the cross, in his cry of pain: "Why have you forsaken me?". I'm just saddened Jon didn't come out on the other side of the darkness and doubt to experience the embrace of our Lord again.
I tend to think the whole “Worship Team” culture is rather odd, and not constructive. Aren’t we all the “worship Team?” Some sing a bit better than others, and that’s nice, but why is it a big deal? Why do people pay money to go hear a “Christian Artist?” I just have never connected with that, and I like music, I’m always singing, or humming, some people call me “the whistler.” And I like that the people doing music have some skill. That’s nice. It’s not critical. It’s not any more a big deal than the guy that gave an old lady a ride to the doctor. But that’s not how we tend to think. It fosters the concept that the guitar player is more significant than the janitor or the single mom sticking with it, the Hollywoodization of the church. I listen to lots of Christian music, but who sings it? I dunno, never ask the question, why would I? I never heard of “Hawk Nelson,” and frankly, I kind of like being ignorant of the “artist.” They’re not among the first thousand things of the Christian walk.
A Christian broadcast actually getting it from a non believer himself. Thank you. Usually they feature some Christian to bad mouth the guy and never allow an ex-Christian or an atheist anywhere near a microphone to speak for themselves.
“When you are happy, so happy you have no sense of needing Him, so happy that you are tempted to feel His claims upon you as an interruption, if you remember yourself and turn to Him with gratitude and praise, you will be - or so it feels- welcomed with open arms. But go to Him when your need is desperate, when all other help is vain, and what do you find? A door slammed in your face, and a sound of bolting and double bolting on the inside. After that, silence.” ― C.S. Lewis, A Grief Observed
I truly respect people like him he is being super true to himself I'm no longer a believer but now I have a knowing and to evolve. BE(LIE)VE or Ev(olve)=love big difference..
You are looking for the wrong thing in a relationship with God. Job stayed faithful to God even though He was suffering. Thank you for your transparency of course?!
My answer to the evil question is because humanity has an enemy that walks thru walls. Lots of Christians have reasoned away the forces of darkness, the devil is alive and operating freely and with great success, sadly
He seems to be truly seeking the truth . The fact that he had never seen true evil shows the sheltered life of a typical Western raised child. . The real world is an even better teacher for me. The modern church has failed in this. There a lot of things here that can’t be covered in so short a time but the Bible does address trying to create a god in our own image, not his. God bless him.
penprop01 I memorized the 16 chapters of Romans in 16 days when I was 16 years of age, in 1968 while driving a John Deer Tractor around the field. Life i believe has to be away from the charismatic, sensation seeking type. We do have rationality, we just have to use our minds, rather than having sensations speak to us. God bless you in your journey. 😀😅😀
He knew JESUS for sure. He wrote songs for JESUS for sure. But based on his IG posts, he didn’t have an intimate relationship with JESUS, or probably he had in the beginning, but it didn’t grow deep for sure, til eventually he lost it.
I bet the great falling away is going to be all of these Churchgoers who’ve been steeped in whatever version of religion their denomination dictates and yet never knew God. I wonder how many people won’t even live to see that day, and yet will say, “But God, we preached about you! We preformed miracles in your name! We prophesied!” And on that day God will say, “Nah.”
About Premier Christianity (from their website): "Premier Christianity magazine is the UK's leading Christian magazine. Our 'heartland' readership is UK charismatic evangelicals, but we seek to provoke, inspire and engage readers from the breadth of the Christian spectrum." ...Interesting.
how can one have kids and not believe in God...sad for God is real but perhaps this is what he needs to go through before he can one day know God...once you know Him, you will never leave Him
I wasn't mad he left I was grossed out he tried to take others with him straight up stumbling block Whispering in the ear to his fans like the proverbial devil on one shoulder. As a believer alot of us have questioned things but that's our individual struggle but none of us have the right to take others down with us.
GOD is faithful, and I believe its important for everyone to find a personal relationship with Christ, Note this God will forgive, rescue and Love you worldly father can only do so much.
I think he is struggling with very deep things and he doesn't know how to trust God. It appears he hasn't truly encountered Jesus and I pray for a miracle in his life.
I have to question the motive of a man who lived 99% of his life with a supposed purpose, understanding God's character, garnering followers and influence, to now spend his time freely making uninformed arguments against God, with no proclaimed purpose. No purpose, that is, except what seems to be an effort (inadvertent or otherwise) to drive unsuspecting people away from the truth. Jon's questions are absolutely a necessity to coming to any deeper understanding - but these questions are fundamental for anything else.
Dear Jon, Have you ever cared to have a discussion with those suffering Ugandans who do believe in God? Part of those who's "poor lives" made you conclude that God doesn't exist? Or do you not believe in their spiritual agency?
Christianity is not a culture, cultures can lead to bad things/habits sometimes...Christianity is based in a relationship with God, way above any culture, if God is not Lord and Savior in our lives nothing else will fill our emptiness. You need to repent/be born again, other wise you are mercenary of the gospel by taking advantage of people.No culture will replace the gospel and its power!May God have mercy on you Jon and millions others that think exactly the same way"
The Toronto experience was weird to say the best people were grunting, barking it was hard to conclude it was real. My take is that you never had a personal encounter with God that you never had an experience that made you say that you know beyond a shadow of a doubt Jesus is lord. The latter is the work of the holy spirit so that is where iij would go next if I were in your shoes. Ask God to show up and demonstrate his presence and sovereignty.
Jon might have given up on God, but God will NEVER give up on him... Jon Steingard is a child of God, whether he believes this truth or not. i won't condemn him for his feelings, but you're not supposed to let your feelings rule you necessarily anyway... let's all pray for Jon that the Holy Spirit living inside him, Whom was gifted to him by Jesus Himself, will come alive in him before it's too late... God is waiting for His to come back to Him, and though Jon just walked away from Him, God will wait for him too... heaven is real. hell is real. the Bible in It's entirety is true and Jesus is God the Son. Jon might not have faith, but i believe that he at least has the amount of a mustard seed, which is enough. i have faith that God will rescue Jon before it's too late. we can't do much for Jon, but we can pray for him. let's all pray to God the Father, through Jesus, for Jon to 'come around'... Amen.
We are not meant to know everything. That's the point. God wants us to have faith, not knowledge. There is no love in knowledge, but there is love in faith, so faith is far superior to knowledge. Knowledge will never bring us any closer to God. Faith will. Would you trust or rely on someone who didn't have faith in who you are? Faith is a requirement for entering Heaven? Do not expect God to give you signs and wonders. The Bible even preaches against this expectation.
I just want to say to my brother here that I love him and pray Yeshua reveals through the "Helper" that he may find a solid foundation in the entire Bible, without question! I say "without question, " because as you grow through trials & tribulations then you learn how less you are and how much Christ is in us, that continues to save & deliver us from the tight grip of Satanic/ demonic holds! What's more scary is that he never mentions the enemy of our souls, and I believe this is becoming more in the church- As if the enemy dosen't control the systems and devices of this world, our minds are very dangerous in a world full of satanic devices, because we wondering into these grey areas where "it's not evil, yeah but there is no good, outside of Gods truth! Satan is laughing his attacks on our minds through new age information and worldly beliefs systems, to get believers to question Gods truths/goodness. He mentioned that these earthquakes and world hunger is not cause by man- I would employ our brother to read the entire book of Genesis to see where sin and brokenness lie (within the ❤️'s of men). So seems that he may be confused that evil is man- made the position of Gods, role of addressing and eradicating evil! Job ran into these similar questions when he question God's goodness & integrity..
He forgot that this God was kind enough, loving enough to give every person free will..and a lot of peoples sufferings are a result of someone out there exercises their free will affecting others, and he just said it. Why blame God for not making everyone a robot? Your free will lead you to chose your perspective about God. Everyone suffering gives a person like you to exude the love you experience to those who have less. But you responded differently though.
@@Matthewsmusic1000 For example we have choices in life. A person may choose to exercise free will in a bad manner, which means they could choose to do bad decisions, for example murder or rape.
@@Stars-ut3cv but only if they have a desire to do so. Do they choose to have that desire? If they don’t choose to have that desire, and our desires cause what we do, then we don’t really have a choice in the libertarian sense
@@Matthewsmusic1000 But as human beings of course we will have different desires to do things. Some may be good desires and some may be bad desires. God made it so that we have a choice, why would a loving God who wants to have a relationship with us treat us like robots. Even though we have bad desires, a person can choose not to do them. For example a person is not objected to doing something like stealing. Like what if the person doesn’t have food or sees something nice and wants to have it but they don’t have money for it, some may have the desire to steal it. But we have free will in the sense that the person can choose to steal it or they can choose to not steal it. Also sometimes it’s not dependent on desire or a reason, some may choose to murder or do something wrong simply because they love seeing people suffer and that’s really cruel. Also it could based on people wanting to imitate someone else and not really based on what they want to do but because of an example set forth.
@@Stars-ut3cv you don’t seem to be answering my question. You can say that someone has the completely free choice to steal food when they don’t have it, but so long as they have the desire to steal it they will. If stealing is their highest desire then they are going to do it. You have a choice of acting on your highest desire but you have no control over what those desires are, which is not libertarian free will. Same goes for the murderer who just enjoys watching people suffer. They don’t have a choice that they enjoy watching people suffer. That’s an uncontrollable circumstance they are in. They cannot control that they enjoy watching people suffer, even though it is a horrible thing to want
in order for prophecy to be fulfilled, in the last days before the believers are taken out of the world there will be a falling away of those who will be left to endure the worst 7 years the earth will ever experience, some will see their mistake and believe in Jesus but they will likely be killed by those in power, others will believe the lie and be eternally lost.....Eternity is a long time friend compared to this brief existence on earth. Believers have failed the great commission but God is concerned about where you will spend eternity, not your standard of living.
You can’t have a definition of good and evil unless there is a God. Without God there is no standard. The fact that you have a standard shows that God has written it on your heart.
You cannot just define goodness as god to prove god. Furthermore, what makes it the case that god is good? Is it the fact that he has goodness, therefore goodness is good, or is it the fact that goodness is already good, therefore god has it?
MD Independent Films Goodness isn’t good because it is good. Goodness has to be defined. Take societies that allow things things we know to be horrendous. The individuals who made up the society new what they were doing was wrong but because of fear went along with it. Then they minimized it and justified it so they could live with themselves. This is what happened in Nazi Germany. But were did this understanding of good and evil come from did it come from the group consensus no the group was allowing that evil to happen. Now take the issue of slavery our nation new it was evil but it was allowed and justified. How do we know it was because of religion no the Churches at that time twisted Gods words and preached that slavery was right ( that is not what the Bible says by the way.) They knew because they had an inward conviction that told them good from evil. It is called a Conscious give by God. This struggle of knowing good and not doing it can be found in Romans chapter 1 , The solution to this is found Romans 10:8-11 It is here that it says that you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord. You are asking Him to be your Lord and save you from your rebellion against Him.
Two passages from the Bible come to mind, the seed sown along the path and the father awaiting the return and welcoming back the prodigal son. “When anyone hears the message about the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what was sown in their heart. This is the seed sown along the path” (Matthew 13:19). “So he got up and went to his father. But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him; he ran to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him. The son said to him,’Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’ But the father said to his servants, ‘Quick! Bring the best robe and put it on him. Put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. Bring the fattened calf and kill it. Let’s have a feast and celebrate. For this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’ So they began to celebrate” (Luke 15: 20-24). I’m praying for you Jon.
Feel so sorry for him and I will pray to God to have mercy and let him repent and really know our faithful and only God. he doesn't believe in God anymore because the band is not selling and not making money :( sad is going for the things for the world not for really knowing God... if he wants answer questions read the Bible ask the Holy Spirit to give him wisdom and discernment, never too late God is good ALWAYS!!!!
I noticed that when Jon started making an excellent point but gets interrupted and the subject was quickly changed. This seems to be intentional and it’s quite disturbing. Jon is right, if he wants to get close with his son and spend time letting his sing getting to know him, then if god is the way people discribe him then it should be perfectly clear who god is and what god wants. But no god spends time with us like we spend time with our children. And that’s where a lot of religion begins to fall apart, very easily. The man running the interview saw this coming and changed the subject, like he doesn’t want to give Jon time to say specific arguments that are hard to grapple with by people they’d want to be still in the church. That’s what it comes down to. The church makes a lot of money and they need warm bodies in pews handing in their money. I can still use my time, talents, and treasure to love on the world and not do it in the name of a religious deity.
I can understand this path of reasoning. The world really does condition us to come to this conclusion. No one has the full picture and the corruption of religion has made a counterfeit of the truth people are seeking. I would encourage you and any others who are seeking to keep pressing in. There is a deception going on in the world - that is obvious - but it's for each of us to find out why.
2 Thessalonians 2:3 states : Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, * except there come a falling away first *, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition;....... Jesus mentioned , earthquakes , pestilences and also the spirit of Antichrist who is only seen when there is a falling away of people from God (as in the video)..... All these things we are experiencing today.... Such stories is simply a sign that scripture IS true and God IS real.......
I also left religion when I left my christian bubble in the U.S. There is so much pain and sufferting in the world and it's a very different experience when you actually see this suffering. I think it's very selfish to think that a god, even if he was real, should have the right to create suffering. Should have the right to decide that people deserve hell for eternity, no crime deserves this punishment. If there is evil, this is it. And don't tell me he didn't create it, who did then? (In case you believe the bible)
@@Mimi-nr6jx You have no idea how many and from many different religions. They are despearate for comfort but believing in a lie may only help them superficially and it will also depend on what kind of god they believe in. The one from the christian bible is pretty evil. Besides all the slavery and genocide it supports, there is also no option. You either love god or is doomed to be tourtured and burned in hell for eternity. As if life is not hard enough for these people, they also have to be feeling guilty for stupid reasons and be afraid of even more punishement after death. I was a child when a pastor told me my mom was going to hell. I had nightmares all my childhood and I went to church by myself from the age of 5. Scared that If I didn't god would never reveal himself to my mom. This endocrination is horrible, it took be more than twenty years to break free from all this brainwashing and it was the best thing that ever happened to me!
@@laneantunes4059 No it depends on us. We all live together yet we can't helped them. A lot of these countries are suffering because of poor judgements of some of their top leaders. That's selfishness and greed
I feel most of us have forgotten the evil our culture has suprpassed and now we live in a sheltered community. We dont know how to practice forgiveness or appreciation. My culture for example is well known for tardy and cheap labor because we cant measure time.
Jon I am worried about you and the effect you will have on the souls of thousands of people. You and I will stand before the Righteous Judge Jesus. You have fallen under strong delusion. What about your spirit and where will it go? I searched to and found Christ as the TRUTH. There is NO DOUBT in my mind that Jesus is Real. I will pray for you..And Jon you are the spiritual head of your family. Yikes your influence on your kids.
He just doesn't represent a grieving, life turned upside down guy. I mean do you go get your hair painted when everything you have based your life on ends? God is supposed to conceal Himself so we can operate above our own ability to help this hurting world he noticed
The New Testament teaches a 5 fold ministry in the church. One of the 5 fold ministries are teachers. Churches today lost sight of the teachers. There are no good teachers in churches that teach the Bible in context of the Bible itself or other ancient texts that correspond with our scripture. Pastors and churches today only teach the scriptures on how it relates to the matters of life. Therefore there are a lot of people who don’t know the full story of what’s going on in scripture, and I blame the church. There needs to be more teachings of what actually happened in the Old Testament. The different bloodlines, The fallen angels, the giants, the human animal hybrids, these are all missing pieces to the puzzle. Whoever decided to leave books out of the Bible did a major disservice to mankind. At the end of the day God is real and he loves you. And the little children in those indigenous tribes that Jon spoke of. This world is not the final destination. There is a heaven. Our only prerequisite to salvation is believing in our hearts that Jesus died on the cross for our sin.
Dear Soul. May GOD have Mercy on you and your Family. Don’t you know your Adversary the devil hates MUSICIANS, you played right into his hand!. Filled with the ‘Ranch Ha Kodesh in and through Yeshua Jesus we ask The FATHER that HE keep you! and for you to fulfil your Calling and be Witness to His GLORY and WHO HE IS.
yep satan of this material world got you. I am scared for you. Yep your kids will grow up faithless. God works thru people so starving kids are OUR FAULT NOT GOD's. It's a fallen world and you weren't listening.
Who knows why evil, why corona, why earthquakes. Just because we don’t know the answers to these hard questions, does not mean God does not exist. Who knows all the answers to these questions? As the story Jesus told about the seeds, only 25% make it. Like Joseph, he didnt have cell groups, pastors or bible apps, but he believed.
Hey believers, read all the comments and see how many different (and contradictory) ways this guy can "come back to Jesus". What might explain this: You happen to have the answer, the correct interpretation of the Bible - the correct denominational affiliation - the true theology OR might you just making up a story based on your own biases? Hmm... the world may never know...
Im an agnostic atheist watching this, who gre up christian in a loving family much like his. I respect this coversations so much. I think the interviewer is very respectful and genuine. I know it takes alot to admit things like this, i have been there. This is how we should talk to people we agree with and disagree with. Love is something we can all agree with. So love to all
You Have A Wonderful Outlook!! It Is Something I Truly Appreciate About People Like Yourself, Jon Steingard, & Josh Harris. Thank You!! Having That Kind Of Attitude Is Like A Breath Of Fresh Air Here In Ohio In The Middle Of Our Mid 90's Heatwave!!
Zach Jourdan I memorized the 16 chapters of Romans in 16 days when I was 16 years of age, in 1968 while driving a John Deer Tractor around the field.
I cant agree more!
@@billhildebrand5053 16 chapters, 16 days, 16 years of age! OMG: 666! Get away from me Satan!
Man is not in Mama's name, as you believe you came from a woman. So you still believe because you accept who the Christians told you, you are
As for me, an Asian lady, I feel I am so blessed to be so loved by my Abba Father God and to be saved for eternity. I came from a pagan, Taoist-Buddhist background. Am so glad I am in the Light of the LORD Jesus Christ. Whenever I read the Bible, I am full of LIFE because the Word of God is life-giving. His Word heals, transforms and restores. I am forever grateful to be able to get out of the darkness into His marvelous light. Each morning when I wake up, I am full of joy, enjoying daily my walk with God. He walks with me and He walks with me and He tells me I am His own. And the love I receive daily from Abba Father is just awesome! Love my LORD Jesus so so so much. And I worship Him daily in my life. Fyi, I live in Asia.
Forever blessed and joyful. I memorized the 16 chapters of Romans in 16 days when I was 16 years of age, in 1968 while driving a John Deer Tractor around the field.
This is actually a great conversation, and Jon, if you're reading this, you're not crazy and you're not alone.
JM Campbell I memorized the 16 chapters of Romans in 16 days when I was 16 years of age, in 1968 while driving a John Deer Tractor around the field.
Yes hes not alone.... God Is still with him and God will help him find his answers and bring him back. You’re absolutely correct with saying that... thank you God bless you too
JM Campbell I memorized the 16 chapters of Romans in 16 days when I was 16 years of age, in 1968 while driving a John Deer Tractor around the field. Life i believe has to be away from the charismatic, sensation seeking type. We do have rationality, we just have to use our minds, rather than having sensations speak to us. God bless you in your journey. 😀😅😀
I memorized the 16 chapters of Romans in 16 days when I was 16 years of age, in 1968 while driving a John Deer Tractor around the field. Life i believe has to be away from the charismatic, sensation seeking type. We do have rationality, we just have to use our minds, rather than having sensations speak to us. God bless you in your journey. 😀😅😀
JM Campbell I memorized the 16 chapters of Romans in 16 days when I was 16 years of age, in 1968 while driving a John Deer Tractor around the field. Life i believe has to be away from the charismatic, sensation seeking type. We do have rationality, we just have to use our minds, rather than having sensations speak to us. God bless you in your journey. 😀😅😀
I wonder how many Christians have a wonderful relationship with the church, with the music and songs, the mid-week fellowship, the weekend retreats, the gatherings, the conferences and never acquire a solid foundation in Christ? A lifetime of attending church and never knowing the heart God. It gives me a shudder.
Very true. We need a strong discipleship.
This comment is so incredibly important. It’s really quite scary.
The Kingdom Is Now I memorized the 16 chapters of Romans in 16 days when I was 16 years of age, in 1968 while driving a John Deer Tractor around the field. Life i believe has to be away from the charismatic, sensation seeking type. We do have rationality, we just have to use our minds, rather than having sensations speak to us. God bless you in your journey. 😀😅😀
I memorized the 16 chapters of Romans in 16 days when I was 16 years of age, in 1968 while driving a John Deer Tractor around the field. Life i believe has to be away from the charismatic, sensation seeking type. We do have rationality, we just have to use our minds, rather than having sensations speak to us. God bless you in your journey. 😀😅😀
If your an honest Christian,you will have doubts from time to time,We struggle with emotions,but have to test our emotions with truth,My hope for John is that he can come to terms with these doubts and know there are resources out there that may be useful, I love you John,all the best to you and your family .
I also wonder if he was a talented musician in the church pushed to a position of leadership and influence before he had a biblical foundation. Hence a cultural belief rather than a personal conviction.
Nic Husted I think you may be right...He said, “I fell in love with music”...
Praying He opens his heart to fall in love with Christ. I feel like he is being honest about his concerns. I pray he keeps earnestly seeking
I went through a hard time of asking tough questions. I felt guilty for even questioning my faith and became a bit depressed, but I am so thankful I did ask the hard questions and looked for truth. What helped me so much was reading the testimonies of converts to Christianity. People who had a lot to lose, but wanted the truth and found Christ. Like Nabeel Qureshi and former Mormon Missionaries of Adam’s Road ministries.
So Religious Indoctrination (brain washing) IS necessary for faith in gOd! 🤔
No, he was never saved. It has nothing to do with being pushed in a position of leadership. He was not saved.
Troy Gonzalez
Well let’s see, do you believe in an invisible man who lives in the sky who supposedly kills people who disobey. Case closed!
I felt the same way when I lost my parents and the last uncle on my dad's side of the family but I found out that God and Jesus were there. God is behind the end times and He is taking the ones that have finished what they were sent done to and now they are up there with Him and when we finish doing what I am supposed to do. I was brought in a Catholic church and than when I because a Christian when I was 26 years old
Being honest with yourself and with others is never easy, I’m glad he told the truth and didn’t keep deceiving his listeners, that’s respectable.
bebeed771 I memorized the 16 chapters of Romans in 16 days when I was 16 years of age, in 1968 while driving a John Deer Tractor around the field.
bebeed771 I memorized the 16 chapters of Romans in 16 days when I was 16 years of age, in 1968 while driving a John Deer Tractor around the field. Life i believe has to be away from the charismatic, sensation seeking type. We do have rationality, we just have to use our minds, rather than having sensations speak to us. God bless you in your journey. 😀😅😀
This is why I'll always believe that The Church is not a Religion, a Denomination or a Building but a Body, a Family, a Community.
The Church Body has Members/Parts that are Aching/Hurting, Hungry, Tired, Discouraged, Neglected, Rejected, Wounded, Doubtful, Weak, Deformed etc, and We Need to have Real Life Discussions as a Family where we can Talk Freely and Openly with our Heavenly Father, our Elders, our Brothers and Sisters and Ourselves.
It's a Slow Fade.
Believers don't just turn Unbelievers Overnight.
People don't turn their backs on God or His Church Overnight.
We Need To Learn About Ourselves, Our Church Family & Our Faith Before It's Too Late.
We Need To Address The Inadequacies, Failures & Shortcomings in order to Alleviate the Shortfallings.
YES!!!!!!!!
A. Davis I memorized the 16 chapters of Romans in 16 days when I was 16 years of age, in 1968 while driving a John Deer Tractor around the field.
A. Davis I memorized the 16 chapters of Romans in 16 days when I was 16 years of age, in 1968 while driving a John Deer Tractor around the field. Life i believe has to be away from the charismatic, sensation seeking type. We do have rationality, we just have to use our minds, rather than having sensations speak to us. God bless you in your journey. 😀😅😀
I totally understand and relate. Conversely I find it unacceptable for “Christians” to respond with the very predictable and generic comments. Exhibiting no sympathy or empathy. But sounding similar to the Pharisees. The comments below illustrate an unwillingness to listen. But resor to the usual “church” speak.
I have doubted and questioned but came out believing... but I definitely think differently than I used to, I’m not the same kind of “Christian” that I used to be. I totally agree there are too many platitudes and cliches within the church.
Speaking truth is not cliche it's truth. Religion is not some high, or a feeling. But I sense this guy has a good heart, God can withstand these questions. And when he finds the answer, he'll come back with such a great testimony, God is not done with this man yet.
jsab1270 I memorized the 16 chapters of Romans in 16 days when I was 16 years of age, in 1968 while driving a John Deer Tractor around the field. Life i believe has to be away from the charismatic, sensation seeking type. We do have rationality, we just have to use our minds, rather than having sensations speak to us. God bless you in your journey. 😀😅😀
I memorized the 16 chapters of Romans in 16 days when I was 16 years of age, in 1968 while driving a John Deer Tractor around the field. Life i believe has to be away from the charismatic, sensation seeking type. We do have rationality, we just have to use our minds, rather than having sensations speak to us. God bless you in your journey. 😀😅😀
jsab1270 I memorized the 16 chapters of Romans in 16 days when I was 16 years of age, in 1968 while driving a John Deer Tractor around the field. Life i believe has to be away from the charismatic, sensation seeking type. We do have rationality, we just have to use our minds, rather than having sensations speak to us. God bless you in your journey. 😀😅😀
Jonathan comes across as a wonderfully honest and thoughtful person that has a lot of integrity.
As an Atheist myself, I found that the reasons for his deconversion were substantive. After all, the problem of evil, the problem of divine hiddenness as well as the hard questions over biblical inerrancy and morality are the principal reasons why people leave Christianity.
Whether you agree with his conclusions or not, one simply cannot say that he did not consider his position carefully, or apply his mind to these questions, over a lengthy period of time.
The contemporary British Philosopher A.C. Grayling writes of the importance of embracing the considered life:
_'Socrates famously said that the unconsidered life is not worth living. He meant that a life lived without forethought or principle is a life so vulnerable to chance, and so dependent on the choices and actions of others, that it is of little real value to the person living it. He further meant that a life well lived is one which has goals, and integrity, which is chosen and directed by the one who lives it, to the fullest extent possible to a human agent caught in the webs of society and history.'_
It would seem that Jonathan Steingard indeed chose to embrace the considered life.
And we should all, Atheist and Christian alike, wish him nothing but good will and success in that most noble human endeavor.
Well said. Too often, the knee jerk response from those "in" is to quickly shout how "out" one was all along and/or come up with so many reasons why the deconvertor is ignorantly walking away from "T"-truth. I think if one was to really do some self reflection, they just might find some resonance with doubt and uncertainty. These are difficult and scary places to go, it makes sense why believers can be hasty to make these feelings go away. I think we are all seeking peace and integrity in some regard and at many levels. Finding this shouldn't require a whole systematic belief structure. Simple reflection and action may just be the way.
eronfas101 I memorized the 16 chapters of Romans in 16 days when I was 16 years of age, in 1968 while driving a John Deer Tractor around the field.
I so get where Jon is coming from, I love this guy, I feel exactly the same, I don't want to let go of God.. but at the same time, i'm like where is he???? I'm identifying with almost everything his saying.. especially when he says the thought of God not being there is terrifying. Thanks for sharing Jon.
Abbey Tarson I memorized the 16 chapters of Romans in 16 days when I was 16 years of age, in 1968 while driving a John Deer Tractor around the field.
Sometimes God is quit. There are many reasons for that. Sometimes it's sin in our life. Sin cuts us off from God. Or it is because he wants to see our trust... Whatever it is. He wants to transform us into his image. Don't stop praying. Don't stop trusting. There is reward in heaven.
I love this interviewer. He knows his stuff, knows how to ask questions that make sense to someone that no longer believes. I rarely see that in Christians, they're just flabbergasted you don't believe anymore.
I memorized the 16 chapters of Romans in 16 days when I was 16 years of age, in 1968 while driving a John Deer Tractor around the field. Life i believe has to be away from the charismatic, sensation seeking type. We do have rationality, we just have to use our minds, rather than having sensations speak to us. God bless you in your journey. 😀😅😀
Jon, I am so glad to hear this conversation. I wished I was your age when I finally accepted the truth about how indoctrinated, actually brainwashed on how to believe as a child without the ability to think for yourself. Unfortunately, the pain that comes with this reality makes it so hard to let go, knowing you believed in a lie for so long.
YOU NEED TO BE BORN AGAIN , NOT FEELINGS
Do you all not understand that when Jon says "feel" he does not mean it literally??? It is colloquialism. Wake up and think, and stop criticizing Jon and the many other deconversions with the same old tired rhetoric christians use when another christian sees the light and is set free from this archaic religious place holder in history.
Well at his adult size he would probably tear up his mother's vagina during a rebirth. Only god can do that yo.
No you don't
@Jesus or Nothing! yes I was just joking
@@chrissilver8461 I agree. christians say the same disparaging comments every time someone else has a deconversion.
Dear LORD Jesus, may you help this rock Christian singer to encounter You because You love him and You are real. Thank You, LORD God. Amen.
What we are seeing is the falling away. Jesus said this would happen. We are living in the last days.
When were the middle days and when did we switch over? Was it when the gays came? Little House on the Prairie got cancelled? The porn that got invented with the internet? Yikes, what generation (including Jesus himself) didn't think we were in the end times? Rubbish...
What specifically are you trying to say? A Christian musician losing his faith is prove that Jesus will return?? Huh? It would be great if you could eloborate.
Yes! This is exactly what the The book of Revalation warns us about, the Laidecian Church. The falling away.
We can love this man, but let's be clear, he's denying Jesus Christ. He clearly is not reading a bible, which gives him the answers to all his questions.
I don't know the host, but I don't think this is how Jesus would have talked with to him. Why is this host even agreeing with him?
Your prayers will not be heard in hell.
Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, confess your sins and repent!
BouncerMattMan - so you think “for the Bible tells me so” is a good way to wiggle out of the conversation? That the “good book” is a tome of answers clearly laid out for any person throughout the future to simply just pick it up and figure out what’s folklore, what’s history, what’s metaphor and what’s miraculous? And that through a ghost, it’s trying to talk to you?
Hell just might be the prison one finds in ones mind if you believe something like: this all loving Jesus gets so pissed for not believing all the fantastical things in the Bible, for questioning and doubting, that he won’t himself, try to interact with people when they try to figure out a way back, but rather has a fiery eternal torture chamber to put them in. That’ll teach ‘em.
Imagine your own kid doing the same thing; going through doubt and deconstruction. They aren’t a serial killer or a huge danger to society, but just for not being (version of) a Christian, “sorry kid, I’m throwing you into the oven for (for even just four hours) on high broil” that’s reasonable. Why not just beat people until they submit to Christ? At least they’ll get into heaven?
I think you have the complete wrong idea of what Jesus saves people from and how he does it. But hey that was my original point. Everyone has an idea of of who Jesus, God and the Holy Spirit are. And there doesn’t seem to be any way to figure out who’s got it right, if there is even a right aside from claiming “I just read the Bible man, you’re stupid if you don’t get it.”
JM Campbell
You have believed a lie. Satan used James Hutton, Lyell and Darwin to push his lies. You were given a choice. To listen to God or listen to satan.
Your father is the devil and soon will pass away from this life. You are not a god as Satan whispered in your little ears.
You have rejected God
You have called God a liar
You have called Jesus Christ a liar.
It is appointed for man to die and then the judgement. God will hold you accountable for your sins and will cast your soul into hell for eternity.
Repent and accept Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior and share His Gospel. Do it before you take your last breath.
The wages of sin is death but Gods gift is eternal life through Jesus Christ
The choice is yours
My job is done. I have shared the good news with you.
Peace be with you. To God be the Glory!
Speaking as a former Christian myself:
All you have to do is accept someone has changed. There is no one way to live life. No matter how much you believe in your truth, it does not mean it is the truth. It would be incredibly arrogant to say you know the answer of eternity and everybody else is wrong. People can live moral lives without your religion and people can live immoral lives with your religion.
Be happy this dude is living his truth!
I won’t go into the depths of why I stopped believing, but when you go through the process of challenging your faith there are many levels to it. Some levels have to do with disagreeing and seeing the flaws within the Bible (I realize that may sound extreme to you, but I’m sure you don’t agree with some things in there either) and some levels have to do with outside the Bible. Using my eyes and really questioning philosophically and logical ideas.
Questions like:
If I was born into a Muslim family, would I be an equally devout Muslim as I feel now towards Christianity? Is it all the roll of the dice and I believe my religion is the right one just because that’s how I was raised? A geographical location that played to my advantage and the others aren’t so lucky.
If God is all knowing, did he know the angel would fall from heaven and become Lucifer?
If God created everything, did he create Lucifer too? Which means he created hell?
Christians says evil is the absence of good, but couldn’t good be the absence of evil? Is it all just word play? And I believe it because it’s in the Bible and... I just believe it... because... it’s in the Bible.
Those questions above are really only two questions with many questions inside the questions. I had many more thoughts, like these and beyond, as I challenged my faith. I listened to lectures and read books from Sam Harris. I read the Bible and highlighted the parts that I do not stand for (sometimes as Christians we ignore those parts). I asked my Christan friends questions they couldn’t answer, and really, questions nobody can answer. Without saying, “well... because it’s in the Bible” or “god is always good” or “I don’t know but I have faith because he’s good to me”
Which are all ok things to say! But you can’t judge, patronize or condemn someone when they aren’t satisfied with those responses anymore. You can’t blame them when they want to lift the head out of the Bible and out of the boarders of one perspective and maybe walk in some different shoes.
Love, peace, respect and equality. These are all things taught in the Bible (but not always) and also in other books that even predate the Bible (believe it or not, it’s true... google it). And I want to spread these things to this guy from Hawk Nelson.
Good luck to anyone out there on a journey!
I honestly think he is still saved. No one can snatch you out of the fathers hand. He has doubts and questions but even when we are faithless God remains faithful. Someone who wants to believe but has doubts and is seeking answers and talks about God so much, to me is just struggling in their walk as we all do. Just my thoughts.
No .....
I think this is a faith strengthening valley, Jesus, I pray, let your spirit fall on Jon! Let his journey lead him to you! Thank you for your music Jon. You helped bring me to God. And that is everything to me. Jesus loves you! I love you!
Lov u Jon 💗I respect u don't believe in God anymore I just want to thank u for the hope u gave me thru music.. :')
This makes me sad. What are churches teaching? If you're looking for signs and wonders or a feel good gospel then you're not living for the one true Christ.
That is EXACTLY the problem with the Charismatic Movement which he was a part of. It is a distorted touchy feely Gospel. Not robust in the least. You cannot base your faith on emotions, feelings and experiences.
Not only the Charismatic Movement, 90% of all evangelical churches are preaching “another gospel”, a gospel where Sin has been defined as merely being imperfect...
Shonda Mixon my exact thoughts
I memorized the 16 chapters of Romans in 16 days when I was 16 years of age, in 1968 while driving a John Deer Tractor around the field. Life i believe has to be away from the charismatic, sensation seeking type. We do have rationality, we Judy have to use our minds, rather than having sensations speak to us. God bless you in your journey. 😀😅😀
This quandary may one day come upon you, Shonda. What happens when your lived experience totally contradicts the memorizable, doctrinal positions you've been trained with? Can any amount of psychological buttressing protect you from the cognitive dissonance and unsettlement that occurs?
We are experiential creatures, at the core. No amount of teaching or orthodoxy can secure your faith if your body is telling you "this doesn't feel right!".
I hear christians say "it's not about feelings." Yet, when trying to get someone to join the club, they will say, "It's about a personal relationship with Jesus, not a religion." How can it be both ways - relationship AND not about feelings? If it's not about feelings, then should the person have a relationship like a robot or a Vulcan? Definitely does not sound appealing. If feelings are not present in this supposed relationship with god, then how is it a relationship?
@Jesus or Nothing! You are WRONG! When an act of love is shown from one person to another, a dump of endorphins rushes through our brain and body and bathes us with pleasurable feelings of comfort, rest, acceptance, understood, connection, validated, compassion, etc... These endorphins during human development help create a securely attached psyche that is able to give and receive love with others, and activates the pituitary gland to secrete hormones to advance us to the next stage of development.
Without consistent displays of love, a person can have a stunted development that is often called - at its worse - failure to thrive, and less debilitating will create attachment issues.
If you are talking about a love that is given out of a pure benevolence (agape), there are still emotions of desire, passion, and connection that fuel agape love. It is not emotion-free agape...agape love is not based out of some sterile duty and obligation; if it is based in sterile duty & obligation, then that kind of "love and relationship" looks no different than the heartless fictional characters on Star Trek - The Borg.
Additionally, when a human does not experience these endorphins regularly through out one's life, but especially during the formative years, that individual subconsciously searches for a psychological substitute to meet the desire and soul need; usually through a hard (chemical) or soft (gambling, porn, codependency, people-pleasing,...) addiction.
If you are talking about Emotional Reasoning, then I agree. Emotional reasoning is a cognitive distortion that filters decisions, behaviors, choices, reactions through unadulterated emotionalism. However, that is not what I mean when I talk about relationship.
Knowing the Lord for yourself is so crucial. Spending time sitting with the Lord, speaking with Him, reading the word while having the expectation of Him responding to you and caring about you, from the place of authenticity and faith, is everything.
I know the Lord because I read the Bible everyday. Jesus talked about the Horrors of Hell because He died on the Cross 4 our sins.He died to save us from going to Hell. On the 3rd day He 🌹 from the dead. When Hawk Nelson says he no longer believes in God, th@'s no one but Satan telling him to turn his back on God.
I understand where he is coming from, I am a Costa Rican Rapper who was Christian my dad was a pastor and I came out as agnostic. For reasons such as Evolution, Homosexuality, Weed, The government. There was just so much that made me believe that there could be a possibility of him but if there is everything in the bible isn't true. And I also believe that it couldn't at all be true. Jon is at that point where he doesn't know and that's totally fine I don't know it all so I can't give an answer we all can't we just have beliefs and speculations
An old song says" though none go with me, yet I will follow." This was said by an Indian Christian being literally torn limb from limb by his persecutors. Can we then, discard the faith in this climate of easy believism? We are soldiers of the cross, dying daily to our will to obey God's will. Cowboy up guys! Be faithful unto death and Christ will give you a crown of life.
I pray that you find Jesus personally..not through your upbringing...praying that you return to your Heavenly Father like the prodigal son. Feeling sad for your decision.
I agree..unfortunately we encounter him through our painful trials
Good and interesting interview. He let the guy speak without trying to re convert him. Jon seems a genuine person
This is really a great conversation that I believe every Christian should have… Either with others or at least with themselves… You can’t truly have a faith until you know what you believe and why you believe it and it has to be personal can’t be based on “adopting someone else’s faith”. I’ve had these questions in my own faith walk… One thing that really answered those was reading CS Lewis‘s “mere Christianity“… This is an intellectual defense of the faith… The bottom line that he gives when your doubts are so overwhelming is “what’s the alternative?“ And even with the question of evil… If there is no God isn’t the concept of evil all the more hopeless and isn’t life even more useless if there’s not an opposite to evil? To me, there has to be a God… The world universe is far too complicated and organized and intricate to be created by accident… How we live out that relationship to God is different for a lot of people and religion gets in the way a lot of times but “religion” is a way that we give structure to believing in God… But to me, there has to be a God…
Jon Steingard, My brother I sure hope you find your way back. You know Gods real love was demonstrated to all of us, when He gave up his one and only son to die for all, so that NONE should be left out of eternity and I don't know of any greater showing of ones love for another then for them to lay down their life for anothers and Jesus did it not just for one, but for all who would accept him. God never intended anyone to go without or to have harm come to them and if we all lived according to his will and heart none would, but we as a people are broken and sometimes far removed from the will of God and his heart for our lives. We are selfish, self centered, have self ambitions and are sometimes just so unreasonable. It's impossible to understand God when looking at him from an earthly standard or heart for his thoughts are higher than ours and his plans are beyond what we could ever think or imagine, so how could anyone ever come to a difinitive understanding of someone that can with just a word speak things into existence that never once existed? Through my own reflection of who God is I have come to understand that God is not subject to me or to what I think, but He is immeasureable, all knowing and such a great force of power that every living thing on earth heeds to his voice. As a parent I know what it feels like to have children and to love and nurture them and then have to watch helplessly as each one of them go their own way and abandon all the good that I raised them to live and dwell in. I know the feeling of rejection and betrayal and I know the feeling of dissapointment and despair, yet through all and in all hope still burns within me, but not because of anything i've done, but because of the Love of God thats been poured into me. I never know what tomorrow will bring, yet I do know that no matter what it is that by my choice I am attached to someone that is VERY mighty in every way and He will work it all out for my good even if i cannot see it for myself. From being a parent I imagine the Hardest thing for God is to have to watch his own beloved creation reject him, his love and his gift of salvation to spend eternity with him. A persons life must come to God as a free will offering of their own free will for what is love if your forced to do it and do not choose it on your own with great gladness. My hope is that God will help you find your way back to him and thst He will give you your own story of his great love and redemption for your life. God Bless, love me
Not believing in God doesn't remove suffering; it just makes it worse - for all hope beyond life on earth has become non-existent.
I memorized the 16 chapters of Romans in 16 days when I was 16 years of age, in 1968 while driving a John Deer Tractor around the field.
He was looking for answers in a wrong direction. God said, "seek Me and you will find me, if you seek me with all of your heart"..you simply pray and ask him all the doubts in your heart for answers.
I pray for you, that you will seek God genuinely and stop looking answers from what eyes can see.
The problem is, you cannot worship God and having dinner with the devil at the same time. Rock music is satan's playground for lost souls. It's not about the lyrics but the beats. There was once in my life as a kid, my family couldn't afford 3 meals a day because we were so poor. Infact, for years I was wearing the same close until I'd finally grew out of them, but that's a whole diff story now. I seeked God on a personal level and I found him. The problem is us humans. If only we all can love and extend a hand to the poor and needy, the world will be a better place. I do hope you rediscover God and come back into the fold.
Just my existence alone is proof enough that there is a God for I did not create myself.
Your existence is proof that your parents had sex. How is it proof of a god?
John Hazenhousen you do know that creation is different from reproduction...but go off 🤷🏾♀️
@Nneka's Beauty Corner - So you were created, rather than conceived?
John Hazenhousen God created conception...so technically both are true...but that’s neither here nor there
@Nneka's Beauty Corner - Why do you think god created conception?
I think we experience Jesus through the Bible. I appreciate his honesty though.
The Bible and Real Life Experiences where we see The Bible come to Life in our lives.
The way I see it, life is knowledge, nobody should pitty him, the way some Christian's treat those who leave their faith is sometimes abominable (Underoath took a big hit). When I left my faith I was accused of not even trying and just being lazy, it was becoming very clear I was simply not buying into what was being taught, regular knowledge had to be denied in order to follow blind faith. I'm glad that he has made peace with his doubts and has moved on
This absolutely breaks my heart. I have and am still working through so many of the same kinds of struggles that Jon is. I have so much empathy for him and understand so much of what he is saying. I am praying that Jesus meets him where he is and that he ultimately comes to the secure knowledge of the truth. Jon, if you read this, please know you are not alone. There is a 29 year old mother of three in Washington state who is working through these things as well. You are in my prayers. Truly.
ND 01 I memorized the 16 chapters of Romans in 16 days when I was 16 years of age, in 1968 while driving a John Deer Tractor around the field.
Doubt and disappointment are part of the whole Christian journey. There's a great tradition within historical Christianity of debate and wrestling with ideas (See Thomas Aquinas' Summa Theologia, for example). And we have no better example than Christ on the cross, in his cry of pain: "Why have you forsaken me?". I'm just saddened Jon didn't come out on the other side of the darkness and doubt to experience the embrace of our Lord again.
what? it's not okay to doubt? it is okay to doubt! it is okay to ask questions... God shows his self to those who seeks.
I tend to think the whole “Worship Team” culture is rather odd, and not constructive. Aren’t we all the “worship Team?” Some sing a bit better than others, and that’s nice, but why is it a big deal? Why do people pay money to go hear a “Christian Artist?” I just have never connected with that, and I like music, I’m always singing, or humming, some people call me “the whistler.” And I like that the people doing music have some skill. That’s nice. It’s not critical. It’s not any more a big deal than the guy that gave an old lady a ride to the doctor. But that’s not how we tend to think. It fosters the concept that the guitar player is more significant than the janitor or the single mom sticking with it, the Hollywoodization of the church. I listen to lots of Christian music, but who sings it? I dunno, never ask the question, why would I? I never heard of “Hawk Nelson,” and frankly, I kind of like being ignorant of the “artist.” They’re not among the first thousand things of the Christian walk.
The Documentary The American Gospel is really powerful. Speaks a lot on this topic
A Christian broadcast actually getting it from a non believer himself. Thank you. Usually they feature some Christian to bad mouth the guy and never allow an ex-Christian or an atheist anywhere near a microphone to speak for themselves.
But Hawk you will always believe in God because He will be there if you just ask for Him
“When you are happy, so happy you have no sense of needing Him, so happy that you are tempted to feel His claims upon you as an interruption, if you remember yourself and turn to Him with gratitude and praise, you will be - or so it feels- welcomed with open arms. But go to Him when your need is desperate, when all other help is vain, and what do you find? A door slammed in your face, and a sound of bolting and double bolting on the inside. After that, silence.”
― C.S. Lewis, A Grief Observed
I truly respect people like him he is being super true to himself I'm no longer a believer but now I have a knowing and to evolve. BE(LIE)VE or Ev(olve)=love big difference..
This is sad. I really enjoyed their last two C.D.'s. I hope he comes back to the faith some day.
You can't even say that you left a Church. "Even demons believe".
I do believe that there is an infinite force that connect us all.
“But he that denies me before men shall be denied before the angels of God.”
~Jesus
For a long time I believed that Jesus said that. Now I have reasons to doubt such a claim
he loved God for what he would receive
As do all Christians. You only worship god because you believe he will give you everlasting life!
You are looking for the wrong thing in a relationship with God. Job stayed faithful to God even though He was suffering. Thank you for your transparency of course?!
My answer to the evil question is because humanity has an enemy that walks thru walls. Lots of Christians have reasoned away the forces of darkness, the devil is alive and operating freely and with great success, sadly
I was raised in a Christian family myself but never really followed God ...
He seems to be truly seeking the truth . The fact that he had never seen true evil shows the sheltered life of a typical Western raised child. . The real world is an even better teacher for me. The modern church has failed in this. There a lot of things here that can’t be covered in so short a time but the Bible does address trying to create a god in our own image, not his. God bless him.
This reminds me of Megan Phelps this is where Calvinism leads. Soteriology 101
penprop01 I memorized the 16 chapters of Romans in 16 days when I was 16 years of age, in 1968 while driving a John Deer Tractor around the field. Life i believe has to be away from the charismatic, sensation seeking type. We do have rationality, we just have to use our minds, rather than having sensations speak to us. God bless you in your journey. 😀😅😀
He knew JESUS for sure. He wrote songs for JESUS for sure. But based on his IG posts, he didn’t have an intimate relationship with JESUS, or probably he had in the beginning, but it didn’t grow deep for sure, til eventually he lost it.
I bet the great falling away is going to be all of these Churchgoers who’ve been steeped in whatever version of religion their denomination dictates and yet never knew God.
I wonder how many people won’t even live to see that day, and yet will say, “But God, we preached about you! We preformed miracles in your name! We prophesied!”
And on that day God will say, “Nah.”
About Premier Christianity (from their website): "Premier Christianity magazine is the UK's leading Christian magazine. Our 'heartland' readership is UK charismatic evangelicals, but we seek to provoke, inspire and engage readers from the breadth of the Christian spectrum."
...Interesting.
Wonder who else will surprise us like this in the near future
how can one have kids and not believe in God...sad for God is real but perhaps this is what he needs to go through before he can one day know God...once you know Him, you will never leave Him
What does having kids have to do with belief in god?
I wasn't mad he left I was grossed out he tried to take others with him straight up stumbling block Whispering in the ear to his fans like the proverbial devil on one shoulder. As a believer alot of us have questioned things but that's our individual struggle but none of us have the right to take others down with us.
He has the right to express his opinion. You are obviously very insecure and are absolutely terrified of your Heavenly Daddy.
GOD is faithful, and I believe its important for everyone to find a personal relationship with Christ, Note this God will forgive, rescue and Love you worldly father can only do so much.
I think he is struggling with very deep things and he doesn't know how to trust God. It appears he hasn't truly encountered Jesus and I pray for a miracle in his life.
Every church should have a apologetics course.
Great interview!
I have to question the motive of a man who lived 99% of his life with a supposed purpose, understanding God's character, garnering followers and influence, to now spend his time freely making uninformed arguments against God, with no proclaimed purpose. No purpose, that is, except what seems to be an effort (inadvertent or otherwise) to drive unsuspecting people away from the truth.
Jon's questions are absolutely a necessity to coming to any deeper understanding - but these questions are fundamental for anything else.
He had to find his own path..he had to find his own way. God had to be one real to him. Unfortunately going through trials is when we encounter him.
I think that what happens after we die we find out what happens
Dear Jon,
Have you ever cared to have a discussion with those suffering Ugandans who do believe in God? Part of those who's "poor lives" made you conclude that God doesn't exist? Or do you not believe in their spiritual agency?
This guy looks like that director guy, that guy who directed Eraser Head and Mullholland Drive. He even sounds like him. David Lynch.
Christianity is not a culture, cultures can lead to bad things/habits sometimes...Christianity is based in a relationship with God, way above any culture, if God is not Lord and Savior in our lives nothing else will fill our emptiness.
You need to repent/be born again, other wise you are mercenary of the gospel by taking advantage of people.No culture will replace the gospel and its power!May God have mercy on you Jon and millions others that think exactly the same way"
Stay Strong
i feel bad for expecting God to just work in the small things in my life now
The Toronto experience was weird to say the best people were grunting, barking it was hard to conclude it was real. My take is that you never had a personal encounter with God that you never had an experience that made you say that you know beyond a shadow of a doubt Jesus is lord. The latter is the work of the holy spirit so that is where iij would go next if I were in your shoes. Ask God to show up and demonstrate his presence and sovereignty.
Jon might have given up on God, but God will NEVER give up on him... Jon Steingard is a child of God, whether he believes this truth or not. i won't condemn him for his feelings, but you're not supposed to let your feelings rule you necessarily anyway... let's all pray for Jon that the Holy Spirit living inside him, Whom was gifted to him by Jesus Himself, will come alive in him before it's too late... God is waiting for His to come back to Him, and though Jon just walked away from Him, God will wait for him too... heaven is real. hell is real. the Bible in It's entirety is true and Jesus is God the Son. Jon might not have faith, but i believe that he at least has the amount of a mustard seed, which is enough. i have faith that God will rescue Jon before it's too late. we can't do much for Jon, but we can pray for him. let's all pray to God the Father, through Jesus, for Jon to 'come around'... Amen.
We are not meant to know everything. That's the point. God wants us to have faith, not knowledge. There is no love in knowledge, but there is love in faith, so faith is far superior to knowledge. Knowledge will never bring us any closer to God. Faith will.
Would you trust or rely on someone who didn't have faith in who you are? Faith is a requirement for entering Heaven?
Do not expect God to give you signs and wonders. The Bible even preaches against this expectation.
God is sooooo real
I just want to say to my brother here that I love him and pray Yeshua reveals through the "Helper" that he may find a solid foundation in the entire Bible, without question!
I say "without question, " because as you grow through trials & tribulations then you learn how less you are and how much Christ is in us, that continues to save & deliver us from the tight grip of Satanic/ demonic holds!
What's more scary is that he never mentions the enemy of our souls, and I believe this is becoming more in the church-
As if the enemy dosen't control the systems and devices of this world, our minds are very dangerous in a world full of satanic devices, because we wondering into these grey areas where "it's not evil, yeah but there is no good, outside of Gods truth!
Satan is laughing his attacks on our minds through new age information and worldly beliefs systems, to get believers to question Gods truths/goodness.
He mentioned that these earthquakes and world hunger is not cause by man-
I would employ our brother to read the entire book of Genesis to see where sin and brokenness lie (within the ❤️'s of men). So seems that he may be confused that evil is man- made the position of Gods, role of addressing and eradicating evil!
Job ran into these similar questions when he question God's goodness & integrity..
He forgot that this God was kind enough, loving enough to give every person free will..and a lot of peoples sufferings are a result of someone out there exercises their free will affecting others, and he just said it. Why blame God for not making everyone a robot? Your free will lead you to chose your perspective about God.
Everyone suffering gives a person like you to exude the love you experience to those who have less. But you responded differently though.
How do we have free will?
@@Matthewsmusic1000 For example we have choices in life. A person may choose to exercise free will in a bad manner, which means they could choose to do bad decisions, for example murder or rape.
@@Stars-ut3cv but only if they have a desire to do so. Do they choose to have that desire? If they don’t choose to have that desire, and our desires cause what we do, then we don’t really have a choice in the libertarian sense
@@Matthewsmusic1000 But as human beings of course we will have different desires to do things. Some may be good desires and some may be bad desires. God made it so that we have a choice, why would a loving God who wants to have a relationship with us treat us like robots. Even though we have bad desires, a person can choose not to do them. For example a person is not objected to doing something like stealing. Like what if the person doesn’t have food or sees something nice and wants to have it but they don’t have money for it, some may have the desire to steal it. But we have free will in the sense that the person can choose to steal it or they can choose to not steal it. Also sometimes it’s not dependent on desire or a reason, some may choose to murder or do something wrong simply because they love seeing people suffer and that’s really cruel. Also it could based on people wanting to imitate someone else and not really based on what they want to do but because of an example set forth.
@@Stars-ut3cv you don’t seem to be answering my question. You can say that someone has the completely free choice to steal food when they don’t have it, but so long as they have the desire to steal it they will. If stealing is their highest desire then they are going to do it. You have a choice of acting on your highest desire but you have no control over what those desires are, which is not libertarian free will. Same goes for the murderer who just enjoys watching people suffer. They don’t have a choice that they enjoy watching people suffer. That’s an uncontrollable circumstance they are in. They cannot control that they enjoy watching people suffer, even though it is a horrible thing to want
in order for prophecy to be fulfilled, in the last days before the believers are taken out of the world there will be a falling away of those who will be left to endure the worst 7 years the earth will ever experience, some will see their mistake and believe in Jesus but they will likely be killed by those in power, others will believe the lie and be eternally lost.....Eternity is a long time friend compared to this brief existence on earth. Believers have failed the great commission but God is concerned about where you will spend eternity, not your standard of living.
You can’t have a definition of good and evil unless there is a God. Without God there is no standard. The fact that you have a standard shows that God has written it on your heart.
You cannot just define goodness as god to prove god. Furthermore, what makes it the case that god is good? Is it the fact that he has goodness, therefore goodness is good, or is it the fact that goodness is already good, therefore god has it?
MD Independent Films
Goodness isn’t good because it is good. Goodness has to be defined. Take societies that allow things things we know to be horrendous. The individuals who made up the society new what they were doing was wrong but because of fear went along with it. Then they minimized it and justified it so they could live with themselves. This is what happened in Nazi Germany. But were did this understanding of good and evil come from did it come from the group consensus no the group was allowing that evil to happen. Now take the issue of slavery our nation new it was evil but it was allowed and justified. How do we know it was because of religion no the Churches at that time twisted Gods words and preached that slavery was right ( that is not what the Bible says by the way.) They knew because they had an inward conviction that told them good from evil. It is called a Conscious give by God. This struggle of knowing good and not doing it can be found in Romans chapter 1 , The solution to this is found Romans 10:8-11 It is here that it says that you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord. You are asking Him to be your Lord and save you from your rebellion against Him.
Two passages from the Bible come to mind, the seed sown along the path and the father awaiting the return and welcoming back the prodigal son.
“When anyone hears the message about the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what was sown in their heart. This is the seed sown along the path” (Matthew 13:19).
“So he got up and went to his father. But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him; he ran to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him. The son said to him,’Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’ But the father said to his servants, ‘Quick! Bring the best robe and put it on him. Put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. Bring the fattened calf and kill it. Let’s have a feast and celebrate. For this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’ So they began to celebrate” (Luke 15: 20-24).
I’m praying for you Jon.
I feel better about not believing now
Feel so sorry for him and I will pray to God to have mercy and let him repent and really know our faithful and only God. he doesn't believe in God anymore because the band is not selling and not making money :( sad is going for the things for the world not for really knowing God... if he wants answer questions read the Bible ask the Holy Spirit to give him wisdom and discernment, never too late God is good ALWAYS!!!!
I noticed that when Jon started making an excellent point but gets interrupted and the subject was quickly changed. This seems to be intentional and it’s quite disturbing. Jon is right, if he wants to get close with his son and spend time letting his sing getting to know him, then if god is the way people discribe him then it should be perfectly clear who god is and what god wants. But no god spends time with us like we spend time with our children. And that’s where a lot of religion begins to fall apart, very easily. The man running the interview saw this coming and changed the subject, like he doesn’t want to give Jon time to say specific arguments that are hard to grapple with by people they’d want to be still in the church. That’s what it comes down to. The church makes a lot of money and they need warm bodies in pews handing in their money. I can still use my time, talents, and treasure to love on the world and not do it in the name of a religious deity.
I can understand this path of reasoning. The world really does condition us to come to this conclusion. No one has the full picture and the corruption of religion has made a counterfeit of the truth people are seeking. I would encourage you and any others who are seeking to keep pressing in. There is a deception going on in the world - that is obvious - but it's for each of us to find out why.
Healthy to have more of a living room like atmosphere where people can talk real talk
2 Thessalonians 2:3 states : Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, * except there come a falling away first *, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition;.......
Jesus mentioned , earthquakes , pestilences and also the spirit of Antichrist who is only seen when there is a falling away of people from God (as in the video)..... All these things we are experiencing today....
Such stories is simply a sign that scripture IS true and God IS real.......
I also left religion when I left my christian bubble in the U.S. There is so much pain and sufferting in the world and it's a very different experience when you actually see this suffering. I think it's very selfish to think that a god, even if he was real, should have the right to create suffering. Should have the right to decide that people deserve hell for eternity, no crime deserves this punishment. If there is evil, this is it. And don't tell me he didn't create it, who did then? (In case you believe the bible)
Have you ever cared for a discussion with those suffering people outside the U.S who believe in God? Or do you not believe in their spiritual agency?
@@Mimi-nr6jx You have no idea how many and from many different religions. They are despearate for comfort but believing in a lie may only help them superficially and it will also depend on what kind of god they believe in. The one from the christian bible is pretty evil. Besides all the slavery and genocide it supports, there is also no option. You either love god or is doomed to be tourtured and burned in hell for eternity. As if life is not hard enough for these people, they also have to be feeling guilty for stupid reasons and be afraid of even more punishement after death.
I was a child when a pastor told me my mom was going to hell. I had nightmares all my childhood and I went to church by myself from the age of 5. Scared that If I didn't god would never reveal himself to my mom. This endocrination is horrible, it took be more than twenty years to break free from all this brainwashing and it was the best thing that ever happened to me!
@@laneantunes4059 No it depends on us. We all live together yet we can't helped them. A lot of these countries are suffering because of poor judgements of some of their top leaders. That's selfishness and greed
I feel most of us have forgotten the evil our culture has suprpassed and now we live in a sheltered community. We dont know how to practice forgiveness or appreciation. My culture for example is well known for tardy and cheap labor because we cant measure time.
Jon I am worried about you and the effect you will have on the souls of thousands of people. You and I will stand before the Righteous Judge Jesus. You have fallen under strong delusion. What about your spirit and where will it go? I searched to and found Christ as the TRUTH. There is NO DOUBT in my mind that Jesus is Real. I will pray for you..And Jon you are the spiritual head of your family. Yikes your influence on your kids.
A god who does not manifest itself in our reality is indistinguishable from one who doesn't exist.
He just doesn't represent a grieving, life turned upside down guy. I mean do you go get your hair painted when everything you have based your life on ends? God is supposed to conceal Himself so we can operate above our own ability to help this hurting world he noticed
I’m really glad Jon found his way to freedom of thought and away from guilt trips and narrow mindedness.
The New Testament teaches a 5 fold ministry in the church. One of the 5 fold ministries are teachers. Churches today lost sight of the teachers. There are no good teachers in churches that teach the Bible in context of the Bible itself or other ancient texts that correspond with our scripture. Pastors and churches today only teach the scriptures on how it relates to the matters of life. Therefore there are a lot of people who don’t know the full story of what’s going on in scripture, and I blame the church. There needs to be more teachings of what actually happened in the Old Testament. The different bloodlines, The fallen angels, the giants, the human animal hybrids, these are all missing pieces to the puzzle. Whoever decided to leave books out of the Bible did a major disservice to mankind. At the end of the day God is real and he loves you. And the little children in those indigenous tribes that Jon spoke of. This world is not the final destination. There is a heaven. Our only prerequisite to salvation is believing in our hearts that Jesus died on the cross for our sin.
Dear Soul. May GOD have Mercy on you and your Family. Don’t you know your Adversary the devil hates MUSICIANS, you played right into his hand!. Filled with the ‘Ranch Ha Kodesh in and through Yeshua Jesus we ask The FATHER that HE keep you! and for you to fulfil your Calling and be Witness to His GLORY and WHO HE IS.
yep satan of this material world got you. I am scared for you. Yep your kids will grow up faithless. God works thru people so starving kids are OUR FAULT NOT GOD's. It's a fallen world and you weren't listening.
Who knows why evil, why corona, why earthquakes. Just because we don’t know the answers to these hard questions, does not mean God does not exist. Who knows all the answers to these questions?
As the story Jesus told about the seeds, only 25% make it.
Like Joseph, he didnt have cell groups, pastors or bible apps, but he believed.
"nobody has theological debates about lettuce" ok that's pretty fucking funny 😆
Thanks Jon. How does your wife feel about this?
God is real and good and sent Jesus to die for us the bible is correct 🙏❤
this guy was babied and pampered too long.
Hey believers, read all the comments and see how many different (and contradictory) ways this guy can "come back to Jesus". What might explain this: You happen to have the answer, the correct interpretation of the Bible - the correct denominational affiliation - the true theology OR might you just making up a story based on your own biases?
Hmm... the world may never know...
Well done Jon for asking the hard questions. I celebrate your newly found freedom.