Let’s Talk Religion

[butimnottired]

personally i just love Jesus. all any one person can really say is their own experience.  my experience is that i have been through 28 years of life, i was introduced to Jesus in my early childhood.  i have chosen to follow Him and the Bible (not forced, my own choice).  throughout my life i have been able to stand strong against the peer pressures of adolecense (sorry i hate when i spell things wrong i really have no idea how to spell that word...could get a dictionary, i'll just apologize and move on haha) and young adulthood.  i'm an independent individual who can make choices without needing the approval of people.  i seek the approval of God.  i have been through situations that i know i would not have been able to make it through without Jesus.

Jesus lived a perfect life on earth, God yet human....and He showed us the perfect example of how to live, love, forgive, and experience life.

Jesus came to give us abundant life.  I have abundant life.  I hope you will too.

that's my thoughts for the moment.
I love Jesus.

[steeda07]

i believe in god and I love god even though i dont go to church, i know that everything happens for a reson!

[pshah1991]

I lean towards the agnostic side, but I do spring some of my beliefs from Hinduism, as my parents are hindu. I believe that the religious debate will never end, and it is impossbile to know whether a god, or some other form of higher being exists. I also personally feel that beacuse it is impossible to be 100% sure, we shouldn't spend our time trying to prove one religion right over another.

I also personally believe that "God" is a gracious and loving being, and will accept anyone, regardless of we express our faith in "him" (through different religions). "He" would love us despite our imperfections, and our mistakes. As a result, it is our job as humans to not break this trust "god" has in us by being good people.

As for the hindu portions of my beliefs (some of this is not actually hindu, just my interpertation), I believe that "god" made every living creature an equal soul.  Animals, Bugs and Human we are all created equal. I am vegetarian beacuse of this belief.

Beacuse we are all creted equal, I believe that when we die, "god" judges us based on our actions in our lives. If we were "good", did not sin, (ect.) we get reincarnated into something good, (big and strong with a long lifespan). If we were sinful in our past life, then we get reincarnated into something not-so good (bugs, small animals, ect.) to learn our lesson about sinning. But beacuse "god" is so loving, and caring, bugs have to shortest life-span, and aren't punish for long amounts of time (ie: eternal hell).

I should also state that I believe in one god, or higher being, not the multiple gods of hinduism. Not sure why, but when I imagine "god" I really only see ONE "god."

There are parts of the bible that make sense (most religions do talk about the great flood), so I don't knock anything I haven't totally given thought to. However, the bible was written by man, and I do understand that the bible is not perfect, just as man is not perfect. However, I believe the bible's message is a positive one. I do understand why people are christian, and why Christianity appeals to them, however, I am a person who has always been reason and logic driven, and agnosticism feeds to that part of me.


I personally have  no issue with the whole "in God we Trust" on the coin. Many people do trust in god, and who I am to knock down what they believe? But I do understand the other side of this arguement. The whole "seperation of Church and state"

[home_teachin]

If someone asks me what religion I am I usually respond with "Freethinker". I live in the south and Atheist is such a loaded word to these people. So in order to keep my car windows intact and allow my son some kids to play with, I don't announce my lack of beliefs.
It pisses me off, to have to feel like I'm hiding something that I am basically proud of. I have spent more time researching, reading mythology, studying science and history, to arrive at what I believe. I was taught that a god exists when I was little just like most people. I was threatened with hell like most people. But I also realized ( once I was older) that the stories just don't add up. They go against too much of what we know is true about the world.

If a book says the Sun revolves around the Earth and we know that isn't true, how can I believe the rest of it? In my opinion its no different than believing that the Greek Gods caused lightning and thunder, despite what we know about that.

Another fact that should give people pause is the list of past gods with the same attributes as jesus. There were quite a few before him that claimed to be born of a virgin, perform miracles, come back to life etc. Why not believe in those gods? Because you weren't threatened into it before you were too old to be logical?

I think because christian has become synonymous with good, people think they have to believe to be thought of as good people. However, which is more moral, to do good because you want to or because you are worried about punishment versus reward?
And morally I can't understand why people would want to believe in the bible. I couldn't proudly announce I believe in a book that not only has so many facts wrong, but says that you can kill your kids for talking back, sell your daughter into slavery, and kill those who worship other gods. Most people wouldn't let their child read a book so full of violence, sex, and incest. But they will teach them from this one.

I have learned that it does little good to tell religious people what I believe, however. For one, "spreading the word" or converting others is not my goal. I don't knock on doors to explain evolution or science to believers. I could never be that arrogant. Also, I've found that no matter what you tell most believers, they close their mind, and get defensive. As if you have attacked them personally.

I figure it's a matter of time before we catch up to other developed nations. We will eventually have more of the population understanding science and the laws of nature and this god will go the way of the many before him. I just hate to see the damage caused us in the meantime.
Just the opinion of another heathen. 

[trop8cana]

I believe in God but I don't claim a church nor a religion. I believe that I am a child of God. I don't believe in these buildings that they call a church. I do believe that we have church everytime that we discuss God.I believe in alot of things and could go on but I'd rather not......so yes I believe in God and no to church and religion.

[butimnottired]

I believe in God but I don't claim a church nor a religion. I believe that I am a child of God. I don't believe in these buildings that they call a church. I do believe that we have church everytime that we discuss God.I believe in alot of things and could go on but I'd rather not......so yes I believe in God and no to church and religion.

i find your statements interesting, because although i grew up "in church"- meaning attending a congregation in a building that we call a church.....my husband and i recently have felt God tell us to stop attending "church" (in the building sense).  The church is the body of Christ- not a building.  People who are part of the body of Christ are in "church" all the time, my husband and I "go to church" every day together in our home, reading the Bible, studying, praying together, and as you mentioned, discussing and learning about God.  We are supposed to live and be the church, and for those who do go to a building, that is all fine and good and your choice, i'm not saying you shouldn't -- i can only do what God tells me to do and i can only hope you will do what God tells you to do also-- but for me i am seeing there is so much more to "being" the church than just "going" to a building....

 

[Stealth3si]

If a book says the Sun revolves around the Earth and we know that isn't true, how can I believe the rest of it?

By not interpreting Scripture through the lens of science.

Another fact that should give people pause is the list of past gods with the same attributes as jesus. There were quite a few before him that claimed to be born of a virgin, perform miracles, come back to life etc.

If you read the stories you'll probably actually start laughing at these claims.

I think because christian has become synonymous with good, people think they have to believe to be thought of as good people. However, which is more moral, to do good because you want to or because you are worried about punishment versus reward?

I agree completely that this is what's going on. Of course, it's not a descriptive term of a christian; it's just a sentimental fancy of the complimentor himself. No helpful information about a Christian can come about from this moral dichotomy. See Jude.

And morally I can't understand why people would want to believe in the bible. I couldn't proudly announce I believe in a book that not only has so many facts wrong, but says that you can kill your kids for talking back, sell your daughter into slavery, and kill those who worship other gods. Most people wouldn't let their child read a book so full of violence, sex, and incest. But they will teach them from this one.

This seems more like a Deistic view of the bible than it is showing the actual Torah.

[acurtsinger2]

I beleive in God, and I used to claim to be christian, but now it seems that I'm really not any religion.  No way is the right or wrong way.  I think that we are all just trying to get to the same place(heaven) and trying to be good and happy people.  All religion can be debated for facts.  There isn't any.  We just have to have faith and beleive.

[davidlazaro714]

I dont have a religion

[home_teachin]

Another fact that should give people pause is the list of past gods with the same attributes as jesus. There were quite a few before him that claimed to be born of a virgin, perform miracles, come back to life etc.

If you read the stories you'll probably actually start laughing at these claims.




[/quote]

I do laugh at them, as I laugh at the thought of a talking snake, a man surviving in the belly of a whale (or fish  I know , I know) and the stories of countless other religions. Frankly it amazes me that some christians know these stories, can see the parallels, but insist their myth is true.
The difference between myth and religion? What you believe in is religion what others believe are myths.
At some point I hope people will make the reasonable deduction that it is all mythology.

[aswise]

I'm Christian and serve as the director of a Christian group, but I don't necessarily agree with everything that my home church teaches.  I grew up in a pretty conservative church but with liberal parents, so I've always been a little torn between the two.  Ultimately though, I think it's God's duty to judge us - not our right to judge each other... after all, God's the only one who completely knows us anyway.

[bldrdev]

So everyone has an opinion about religion, of course starting with, “is there a god?” The real fact is that all religions go on faith, and no fact. Don’t get me wrong, I am a believer, but I don’t claim a church- I’m nondenominational, and haven’t been to church in years. I find most of them hypocritical, so I do my own believing and studying at home. Many people, like myself, have always been a bit skeptical about the different religions, how they are formed, and why there isn’t just one if we are all worshiping the same God, or gods. So tell me what you think, but keep it civil…
Do you believe in a higher being?
Do you claim a church or religion?
Do you think your beliefs are superior to others?
Keep the questions coming.. I’ll keep tabs on this and answer to the best of my being.
Thanks, Krisie

  I don't think you are old enough to be able to answer these questions, but I do agree that you have a right to your opinion.

[Stealth3si]

Another fact that should give people pause is the list of past gods with the same attributes as jesus. There were quite a few before him that claimed to be born of a virgin, perform miracles, come back to life etc.

If you read the stories you'll probably actually start laughing at these claims.

I do laugh at them, as I laugh at the thought of a talking snake, a man surviving in the belly of a whale (or fish  I know , I know) and the stories of countless other religions. Frankly it amazes me that some christians know these stories, can see the parallels, but insist their myth is true.
The difference between myth and religion? What you believe in is religion what others believe are myths.
At some point I hope people will make the reasonable deduction that it is all mythology.

haha

Don't hope for anything.

Anyhow, I highly recommend you actually read the stories. To describe these things in terms of "virgin births" and "resurrection" makes it sound like there is a "parallell," sure, but if you were just reading the stories it would never ever occur to you to use those terms. E.g., somebody goes to the Greeks' Land of the Dead, does some stuff down there, and then leaves -- would you call this "resurrection"? Only if you were trying to make it sound like the story of Jesus.

So it is not the stories I am directly talking about as much as I'm attacking your assumption that they are the same.