Good morals, that's it? If that's all it was then every good person would go to Heaven based on works and not the grace which Jesus died to give us through the cross.
Well you know, I don't really believe in all that stuff...
Maybe it's because my life has been such that I find it very hard to believe that there is some higher power who cares for me up there...
Mainly I don't really know what I am being punished for since I do my best to be a nice, positive compassionate person...
Also I don't like the idea of someone else controlling my life, I'd rather do that myself.... it seems to work better anyway...
What seems to be correct can often not be. But you're not alone, a lot of people feel that way too. Doesn't make it correct either. God's not really in the business of punishing good, compassionate people as you claim to be. In fact he rewards them.
I still, though, find it rather hard to believe in the bible.
Maybe it comes from being proved wrong in what you believe to be true enough times... I dunno...
I don't hate the book though, and I don't hate Christians.... the only religious people I dislike are fundamentalists/fanatics.. and that's because they creep me out...
I still, though, find it rather hard to believe in the bible.
Maybe it comes from being proved wrong in what you believe to be true enough times... I dunno...
I don't hate the book though, and I don't hate Christians.... the only religious people I dislike are fundamentalists/fanatics.. and that's because they creep me out...
I gotcha. Yeah fanatics and extreme fundies tick me off too. And often it's science that the Bible proves wrong, just scientists in their humanity are to proud to admit something they can't comprehend could possibly be valid. Therefore they try to use what seems sensible and 'logical' to try slander God's word. "Though the foolishness of God confounds the wise."
And often it's science that the Bible proves wrong, just scientists in their humanity are to proud to admit something they can't comprehend could possibly be valid. Therefore they try to use what seems sensible and 'logical' to try slander God's word. "Though the foolishness of God confounds the wise."
While it's true science cannot explain everything; it explains most things, so I lean towards science and am more likley to trust medicine than prayer if you know what I mean.
But really, hypocritical arguments make the Llama chuckle
I once read through the bible a long time ago. At the time I was reading my way though any sort of mythology books that I could get my hands on. There are some nice things in it and some not so nice things. I prefer to take what it says as philosophy rather then religion, as I find it kind of hard to take something written by man a couple of thousand years ago as the word of god.
On the whole religion vs. science thing: Science can't explain everything, but neither can religion. They both look at the world in very different ways, so it really isn't fair to look at them as if they are the same.
Well, I know how I feel about God and the bible. I believe in Him and I enjoy reading and learning from the bible. Thinking back on it, this month marks a year since I started going back to church with my boys. As for if religion and science can or cannot explain everything, I do feel that there is some truth to that. But only because, as humans, we can understand only so much regardless of if it's what is in the Bible or in a science book.
Also, I hate no one. But I do dislike those who try to push their beliefs (religious or not) on to others forcefully. Sure, I would love for everyone to feel the same way I do but it's not going to happen. A lot of people are set in their ways about if they believe in God and I think, even if there was proof either way, they would stick to their beliefs.
Yeah, I tend to get a wee bit carried away sometimes. For that I apologize. But I just think it's sad that if science can't put something categorized, analyzed, labeled, and put in it's own little jar that it's able to be written off as untrue or implausible.
There've been some interesting arguments and theories in here.
I myself ..... well, I guess I count myself a simply spiritual.
My storyX
I've read the Bible, keep my copy of KJV on my bedside table, and once in a while make a visit to biblegateway.
I was raised Christian - Presbyterian, mostly. My earliest years, thanks to Dad, were spent among Mormons. Then when my mom's brother moved here with his children and my grandmother, I started going to various Korean churches: Presbyterian, as stated earlier, Baptist, probably Methodist thrown in there somewhere.
I've been to Baptist churches populated entirely by caucasians as well.
Then, when I was twelve, my mom finally got tired of going to the Mormon church, and Dad didn't want to go to any other church, so we all stopped going to church, period.
That was when I began explorations into pagan beliefs. My sister somewhat followed along, more out of general curiosity than any religious insecurity.
But after a while, that didn't feel right either.
Today, I find the most peace, if not happiness, out of simply living as good a life as I can.
I still try to read the Bible when I can, to try and see if any more of it makes sense to me, but there are times when I find inconsistencies, or contradictions, that still make it hard for me.
I believe in a God.
I believe there are spirits of the elements.
After all, didn't Jesus speak to the storm, and tell it to be at peace? And didn't it respond? I firmly believe that there were elemental spirits at work, and that it was they that he commanded, and that they obeyed.
I also believe that it's entirely possible that maybe evolution has happened, and continues to.
As someone stated earlier in this thread: It only serves to show just how powerful God is, to believe that he had the genius not only to create, but to plan ahead.
If God has a plan for each of us, why is it a sin to believe that he had a plan for each species, each animal, each animal kingdom?
Maybe evolution is also a part of his greater plan.
Hm.
I'm getting long-winded now.
Making a long story short:
I believe, as nature-worshippers do, that elemental spirits exist. But I don't worship them, simply respect them as fellow creations of a greater God. I also believe that they owe alliegance to God (and perchance, by default, to Jesus as well?). Surely there's no sin in this belief?
I believe, as the skeptical do, in evolution. I believe that it was intended to happen, created and set in motion by God.
I believe in protective and harmful spirits. Angels and demons, if you will.
But the sum total of my beliefs cannot be accepted by any one particular religion.
Thus I am outcast.
I will end with a small story.
One night recently . . .X
Maybe about a year or two ago, I was up late, here on the computer.
As I shut off the computer and wandered through the house, up to my bed, I had the feeling of something watching me, something which, while not outright malicious, did not mean me well. The closer I got to my room, the more urgency I felt, as if something ... not nice was about to take action.
I reached my room, still feeling uneasy, went about getting into bed, and fell into an uneasy sleep with a fearful plea repeating itself through my mind, "Please protect me. Please keep the bad away from me. Please keep me safe," all the while not even knowing - or caring - to whom I was sending this plea.
Later on in the night, I woke up, somewhat. Enough to open my eyes a little bit.
To this day, I don't know whether I was just dreaming, or if, in the fear in which I'd fallen asleep, my mind had conjured some delusion in which to seek solace. At the foot of my bed, I saw a white shape, vaguely humanoid, simply standing there, not moving.
And I felt peace. The fear was gone, and with it the feeling of menace which had pursued me to bed.
I choose to believe there was someone guarding me.
I choose to believe that whoever - whatever - it was, was sent by someone of higher authority.
While I cannot follow all the established Christian tennets, I choose to believe that there is a God who watches over us, and who does his or her best to care for us.
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Whew!
:sweat: If you've read this far, thanks for lending an ear (eye?)
Getting ready for Halloween, one of my fave days of the year. To dress however you like etc thanks very much. It's real cute you decide to judge me when I haven't you ^_^ Smell. And another tid bit, one of my favorite superhero's is Spawn. Yes Tod McFarlane's Spawn.
That's not why I celebrate it. I enjoy the freedom of dressing up as something I'm not normally for my own enjoyment. Who doesn't love dressing up as Batman right? (Irl)
I've read the Bible along with other religious literature during my obsession with world religion stage. I am not religious but still find literature interesting.
Yep, I believe that people have a right to think what they want. It still also has some good guidelines for life in general even if you don't apply the religious aspects of it to your life.