Religion

[TLSothe]

Anybody who is a Christian, pray for my friend, God knows who you mean. She has a terrible life, and left God just recently.

[uguu]

Well, Shadrach said he wasn't happy that God watched countless people die. That's how. Even though it wasn't really Him who did it to begin with. I honestly do know where he's coming from because a lot of shit goes on in this world of ours and a lot of people blame God for it. Even though it's us as a race who do all this to ourselves. God chose us to have the dominant brain power in this world. But with intellectual potential comes complexity. With complexity comes a lot of mixed feelings instead of such simple thoughts of a dog. Honestly, I can't say why some people have such evil minds. A lot that has to do with Christianity is hope. Simply hope. The reason not everything is scientifically explained is because God wants us to choose Him on our own accord. Not out of fear, which would be the case if God made his existence clear. Just my thoughts (no flame)

Something about this has bothered me for a while. And I just figured out what.

Usually people don't get to choose their religion. Their parents raise them to believe in a certain religion and don't let them choose for themself. They're forced to believe and they may fight but they can't fight against their parents for eternity and they're eventually forced into believing it and eventually they forget that they were forced to believe, if that didn't happen they probably wouldn't believe in that religion, and they become unknowingly forced to believe something that they don't want to believe, but they don't realize it.

I know that if God's real it wouldn't be his fault, but I'm just saying is all.

[Mufasa]

Something about this has bothered me for a while. And I just figured out what.

Usually people don't get to choose their religion. Their parents raise them to believe in a certain religion and don't let them choose for themself. They're forced to believe and they may fight but they can't fight against their parents for eternity and they're eventually forced into believing it and eventually they forget that they were forced to believe, if that didn't happen they probably wouldn't believe in that religion, and they become unknowingly forced to believe something that they don't want to believe, but they don't realize it.

I know that if God's real it wouldn't be his fault, but I'm just saying is all.

That's actually quite insightful Hika. I'm impressed.

It's an existential belief that you should go beyond what is written for you and defy what those around you tell you and decide for yourself what you should or should not believe in. I personally choose to believe that there is a God even after taking all the evidence around me in favor of his existence and not in favor of his existence.

While I think it's important to go against what people define for you in life, going down the path that says "God must not exist" is the same situation, just a different path. People need to decide for themselves what they want to believe. Not a church, not a friend, just thier own observations.

[uguu]

That's actually quite insightful Hika. I'm impressed.

It's an existential belief that you should go beyond what is written for you and defy what those around you tell you and decide for yourself what you should or should not believe in. I personally choose to believe that there is a God even after taking all the evidence around me in favor of his existence and not in favor of his existence.

While I think it's important to go against what people define for you in life, going down the path that says "God must not exist" is the same situation, just a different path. People need to decide for themselves what they want to believe. Not a church, not a friend, just thier own observations.

As "widely believed" as it is not many people seem to follow it...

As for the "going down the path that says 'god must not exist' is the same situation", that is true. People of all religions are guilty of the same thing. However, I never stated that I was only talking about God existing, it's just that the post I was quoting was coincidentally about God wanting us to choose our own path.

[CGV]

Usually people don't get to choose their religion. Their parents raise them to believe in a certain religion and don't let them choose for themself. They're forced to believe and they may fight but they can't fight against their parents for eternity and they're eventually forced into believing it

thats my entire family right there. Freedom of religion doesn't exist in my house...

[Higgins Von Higgings]

I don't believe in a god. I believe everything can be explained with science, we even have facts to support a lot of things..

[Rehab]

Anybody who is a Christian, pray for my friend, God knows who you mean. She has a terrible life, and left God just recently.

What do you mean by "leave God?" Is that possible as far as Christianity goes?

Edited July 18, 2008 by Dr.Dorian

[Inactive Account]

Not leave so much as ignore, I think he means.

[Higgins Von Higgings]

I assume he means she doesn't believe in god anymore. Not like it's a bad thing, it's her choice.

[Serene]

I don't believe in a god. I believe everything can be explained with science, we even have facts to support a lot of things..

Yeah that is true, and I believe you in that

[Inactive Account]

I think we can explain a lot with science, but I don't think that we'll ever find a scientific explanation to the beginning of existence. No, I believe God set the universe in motion-looking at the simple beauty of how things work, I think it's easy to see.

[Mufasa]

I think we can explain a lot with science, but I don't think that we'll ever find a scientific explanation to the beginning of existence. No, I believe God set the universe in motion-looking at the simple beauty of how things work, I think it's easy to see.

Exactly. I feel like people who don't believe in God are under the misconception that people who do believe have no free will of their own. Like they couldn't survive if there was proof that there was no God. Of course such proof will never come to fruition, but just because we believe in something doesn't mean we follow it blindly.

"Whether he stopped the bullets or not, or I won the lotto, or he found my damn car keys this morning, it's irrelivant. What's important is: I felt the touch of God." - Samuel Jackson in Pulp Fiction

[Inactive Account]

It also annoys me when people point to evolution and try to use that as proof that God doesn't exist.

Think about it- there's so many mutations that could occur over the course of evolution. So many that would completely void existence. So many that would be survivable, but that would either lead us to function poorly or go down an entirely different evolutionary path.

If the probablility of our evolving properly was so low, we obviously had some help.

[Mufasa]

It also annoys me when people point to evolution and try to use that as proof that God doesn't exist.

Think about it- there's so many mutations that could occur over the course of evolution. So many that would completely void existence. So many that would be survivable, but that would either lead us to function poorly or go down an entirely different evolutionary path.

If the probablility of our evolving properly was so low, we obviously had some help.

This is what I believe in short:

God set us up. Now he sits and watches how we grow and change, every now and then tossing in a miracle to mix things around a bit.

[Shadrach]

I think by the time a person gets into high school they've usually started to think on their own enough to make their own decisions. It's not true in all cases; I'm talking about people who are close to what we define as normal. They're not fragile mentally/spiritually. In high school you're exposed to people from all kinds of different backgrounds and religions, and taught from a very objective standpoint. At that point, with a variety of opinions, thoughts, teachings, and philosophy presented to you, you are forced to make a choice. Whether that choice is to just go with the flow around you created by your family, commit yourself to a religion, go against it, or just avoid the issue completely is entirely up to that person. As long as we have free will, it cannot be said that our parents, family, or friends decide our beliefs for us. They can force you to learn the doctrine of their religion, make you go to their place of worship, and make you learn their religion's teachings, but the decision is ultimately still the individual's. Nothing anyone can do can change that.

[Higgins Von Higgings]

Exactly. I feel like people who don't believe in God are under the misconception that people who do believe have no free will of their own. Like they couldn't survive if there was proof that there was no God. Of course such proof will never come to fruition, but just because we believe in something doesn't mean we follow it blindly.

"Whether he stopped the bullets or not, or I won the lotto, or he found my damn car keys this morning, it's irrelivant. What's important is: I felt the touch of God." - Samuel Jackson in Pulp Fiction

Not really, Assuming people think something like that is a bit close minded in itself. In my former school I was attacked a lot just for not thinking god exist and such.

It also annoys me when people point to evolution and try to use that as proof that God doesn't exist.

Think about it- there's so many mutations that could occur over the course of evolution. So many that would completely void existence. So many that would be survivable, but that would either lead us to function poorly or go down an entirely different evolutionary path.

If the probablility of our evolving properly was so low, we obviously had some help.

Evolution is evolving to meet your Situation. Lions Growing claws, sharp teeth, and running speed help them survive for instance. While Beavers build dams and homes which help them get away from many predators. Humans themselves Have built buildings to help them survive. The fact that we have all of the tech we have is proof that we've evolved over time.

And yes, there are "Mutations" that lead down various paths, hence the different species. We can see a mouse and go "oh look a mouse" but there are millions of different mouse species out there are the result of different mutations. Even today we see mutations, such as people being born with extra limbs.

On top of that, as I mentioned before, Human tech over the years is proof alone that evolution happens. Evolution isn't Just something going right from one animal to another like you seem to assume.

And if we are going to bother to point out problems with others info. We can take the "Noah's Arc" story as an example. This man some how was able to gather 2 of every animal in the world in what, a few days? Yet there are billions of species that, do to different claimants (or however spelled) could not even SURVIVE together, without dieing. Or even be able to be gathered together.

ALSO wasn't the whole thing about fixing the world because Humans have become corrupt? Why not do that again then? There is not only tons of bad in this world, but more weapons to hurt them.

EDIT: I also find problems in the whole story of how god won't come prove that he/she/whatever exist because he can't meddle in human affairs, however, the whole Jesus coming down shows other wise. Not just that. But as an "all knowing being" he would know that this would be the cause of billions of wars over religion, meaning he knew that humans would all fight about it and actually encouraged it.

And then people sing how god loves us all, and then apparently god created a Thunderstorm because he was mad when gay Marriage was legal.

Topics like these never last long. Someone always gets offended or starts spewing a bunch of thier self-important Atheist beliefs. (Oh. There I go flaming Atheists. My bad....)

-_-

Edited July 19, 2008 by Higgins Von Higgings

[Mufasa]

I personally don't believe the stories the bible talks about. I think they are just that. Stories. They have a specific lesson to be learned to each of them and it's guidlines more than a set base of rules.

(Lol. Sorry bout the atheist comment. XD)

Though just because the stories aren't real doesn't mean that God may not be real. I guess I just find it hard to believe that we're all here just because we're here. I think there's more to it then just chemicals and atoms and shtuff.

[Not Changed by VASM :(]

Like I said before, I believe in God. NOT organized religon.

[Shadrach]

@Higgins: That is called adaptation, not evolution. Evolution is a change in a species over time (genetic, not with behavior) that makes that species better suited to survive and reproduce. Humans, as a species, haven't really evolved that much, if at all since we became Homo sapiens.

[Higgins Von Higgings]

Yah, sorry, I was really tired when I wrote that XD. My human point my be mostly void, but a lot of the other parts still stand. and we CAN still see Humans evolving today, there have been reports of people born with extra limbs and stuff which would, in truth help our species. But Humans are kinda stopping that and remove limbs when that happens.

EDIT: Still, adaptation and Evolution seem to walk hand n hand sometimes. As evolving to survive and Adapting to survive can be similar.

Edited July 19, 2008 by Higgins Von Higgings

[Inactive Account]

And if we are going to bother to point out problems with others info. We can take the "Noah's Arc" story as an example. This man some how was able to gather 2 of every animal in the world in what, a few days? Yet there are billions of species that, do to different claimants (or however spelled) could not even SURVIVE together, without dieing. Or even be able to be gathered together.

Much of the Bible, and many churches agree on this, is not to be taken as literal or scientific evidence. I think some sort of great flood could have been possible, especially if it was limited to the region where the religion was practiced at the time (people saw the world as a lot smaller then), but it wouldn't have happened exactly as the Bible related. At any rate you can't take the Bible and argue that because some of its stories are not scientifically feasible then God can't exist.

ALSO wasn't the whole thing about fixing the world because Humans have become corrupt? Why not do that again then? There is not only tons of bad in this world, but more weapons to hurt them.

After the flood, God promised to not act in anger again-such was the covenant He made with the people.

EDIT: I also find problems in the whole story of how god won't come prove that he/she/whatever exist because he can't meddle in human affairs, however, the whole Jesus coming down shows other wise. Not just that. But as an "all knowing being" he would know that this would be the cause of billions of wars over religion, meaning he knew that humans would all fight about it and actually encouraged it.

Jesus' time on Earth was necessary in order for humanity to be saved. As for "can't meddle in human affairs", God gave us free will. Free will that means people can do as they want- and God will not keep them from it, even if it goes against Him.

I also don't believe God ever encouraged a religious war.

And then people sing how God loves us all, and then apparently God created a Thunderstorm because he was mad when gay Marriage was legal.

Some would say God sent the storm. The only one who really knows if He did is God himself.

[CGV]

I just have to ask. Why are there stars in the blank area of this topic when you're viewing all the topics?

[Higgins Von Higgings]

Much of the Bible, and many churches agree on this, is not to be taken as literal or scientific evidence. I think some sort of great flood could have been possible, especially if it was limited to the region where the religion was practiced at the time (people saw the world as a lot smaller then), but it wouldn't have happened exactly as the Bible related. At any rate you can't take the Bible and argue that because some of its stories are not scientifically feasible then God can't exist.

I'm not saying it's scientific evidence. I'm saying it's impossible to happen BECAUSE of science. You can't HONESTLY say that this is even remotely possible. There's TONS of reasons why it can't happen, and I've said some before. Just saying "it can happen" doesn't mean it did or really can happen.

Jesus' time on Earth was necessary in order for humanity to be saved. As for "can't meddle in human affairs", God gave us free will. Free will that means people can do as they want- and God will not keep them from it, even if it goes against Him.

I also don't believe God ever encouraged a religious war.

That's still god telling people to believe in one certain thing. Voiding the whole free will thing in the first place. If it was necessary to save humanity back then, why don't we have someone like Jesus now, when there's tons of religion wars?

People have called god an All knowing being. If that is true than he should be able to figure out that not all humans are going to bow down to him. More than one religion was forming back then, there's many other ones out there. An all knowing being would know that sending his child down and such would just add fuel to the fire of religious wars.

Aren't there tons of stories in the bible showing god having humans do this or that? Sure in the end it might be for some greater (which to me is a fictional) good, but he still made people do what happened. He still told someone to write those ten commandments, or lead the people to freedom. Their choice or not he seems to always get his way.

Some would say God sent the storm. The only one who really knows if He did is God himself.

Millions of people say this is gods fury or god hates gays. And now you'll just push it off? Even if you don't believe it. Lots of others do. And this seems to be another problem, which I am to hungry to go into right now to go into, so I'm ending my post.

[Shadrach]

........I don't think you understand Christianity.

Christianity teaches that life on Earth is going to suck. War, plague, famine, drought, disease, murder, rape, deceit are all things they say will exist until the end of the world. The point of Jesus dying on the cross was so that those who follow him would be forgiven and be allowed to enter paradise. It had nothing to do with being given a more comfortable life here. In fact, it was the opposite. It's said in the Bible that Christians will have a more difficult life than others.

God didn't send his son down to stop religious wars. He did it, according to Christian theology, to save those who chose him.

[Higgins Von Higgings]

So killing his son means he can let people in? Why can't he just let people in?

Edit: Again, doesn't the whole "Follow me or go to hell" thing kinda void free will?

Edited July 19, 2008 by Higgins Von Higgings