Alpha Course

[Jude123]

Has anybody been on an Alpha Course? What did you get out of it if anything?

[cliffsdoll]

jude are you a christian?  i have been to 3 alpha course in the past, not really sure if it did me any good, i sort of went through phases of feeling really great and all christian -like then falling away again, at the moment i,ve not attended church for five years, so am not sure if i,m still a christian or not, perhaps i am stiil a christian but a really bad one, dont know if all this rambling is any good to you,  sorry. 

[Jude123]

Hiya cliffsdoll. I wouldn't say I am a practising Christian but I think I have some chrisitian values. Like trying to live a good life and doing the right thing etc. This is the first course I've been on and I'm into my 5th week. They are nice people but I feel a bit odd because I'm the only one who keeps putting 'my oar' in about things like 'you dont have to be a Christian to know the difference between right and wrong and I dont have to read the Bible to get inspiration on how to live my life. I don't know how I'm coming across to you but I don't think I'm paritcularly a bad person just because I'm not religious. I'm rambling a bit now but anyway I think I will complete the course and see how I feel at the end but I don't think I will be making any definite decision even then. We shall see!

Thanks for your reply. 

[cliffsdoll]

hi jude whatever happens i wish you well in the course

[Madison68]

Friend of mine went on the course, and it totally changed her.  (For the better!)

She's a Christian now, and she's kind of peaceful and I don't know, really calming to be around.  (Rubbish at explaining this!)  We've all noticed how she's changed.  She's incredibly happy and content with her life and it's an amazing transformation really.  She's almost talked me into going.  I'm not an atheist, by the way.

[ursula62]

I went on one a few years back - trouble was because I've studied the bible extensively (from an intellectual rather than spiritual point) in the past I didn't learn anything new -  apart from the fact that the vicar leading the course was a narrow minded bigot who didn't want to answer questionts that weren't on his list.  For example, he was an anglican and talked about marriage, saying that he was often quite lenient about remarrying divorced people in his church, but when I asked questions about whether he had that right he said the alpha course wasn't the place to discuss the fact that the CofE  came into being because the pope wouldn't give Henry VIII a divorce or anulment.

He also spent a lot of time slagging off other religions - e.g. Christian Scientists and Jehovah's Witnesses claiming they were no better than cults.

He didn't know his bible - he said that all of the gospels told the christmas story - and refused to discuss with me even when I opened it at Mark's gospel to prove that he was incorrect, he said I had the wrong type of bible!

He also said that anyone who didn't believe the bible literally was a heretic!

I guess i picked the wrong course to go on huh?

[Jude123]

Thanks Madison and Ursula for your replies. I haven't chosen to become a Christian yet as I haven't had any feelings that make me want to. The people at the course are all very nice and the Vicar I must say is really good at accepting me as I am at present. Yes Madison there are people there who are giving us talks and they say that they have been changed by the course and really do believe. And then there are the ones who have been brought up in a Christian family and have always been believers but feel a discussion with people about their faith helps them to understand more and see that there are different ways of being a Christian even. Some people read the Bible for answers to their problems and some for inspiration. I have to admit with tongue in cheek and no offence meant to anybody I do read my Bible but usually to get answers to General Knowledge Crosswords. Whoops! Anyway I will keep going and we will see what happens at the end of it.

Thank you all for answering.

[Jude123]

Ursula sorry I didn't comment on your reply. That Vicar sounded awful.  There is no give and take with some people even vicars.Sound like one of the old school. I don't mind what people believe in if it helps them get through their lives in peace and I certainly wouldn't slag them off even if I didn't agree with them.

Thanks anyway and all the best to you.