LOCKED TOPIC

God

Who here believes in God?

Kararu, I think that's quite wise.

I think that the best way for us all to "win" in this situation is learn as much as possible.

this is an intersting topic. a very much debated topic. i wonder how long this topic will go on? well i have to go for 20 minutes. my mom has asked me to do a chore. jaa matta ne.

After dating a hard-core athiest, you begin to think lol.

I consider myself a "realistic Moravian".  I love my church community.  Do I believe in a god?  no.

Life itself is a miracle.  How the universe formed is a miracle.  I don't personally  believe a god needs to be present to have miracles.

I take a lot of science-based college classes, and have learned a lot from those too.  Very fascinating things.

In regards to religion, organized religion has caused so many problems. Too many.  Personal religion I think is a good thing.  Many people need something to believe in, to create miracles, to talk to and pray to, to give meaning to life, and to strive for an afterlife.

As others have said, it's a pointless topic to debate.  There are no answers

I am back, and ty hg. i agree with the " I think that the best way for us all to "win" in this situation is learn as much as possible." that seems to be the best alternative, but the thing is, there are many out there who just have very stubborn minds and won't change or learn because they believe it is not the right way and that instead they should preach to the others with a different belief and change them. Yet they won't change themselves. so in essence, a great deal of us are hypocrits in our own religion and mind set. it's a complicated thing to sort out and may take many more centuries probably to get in an orderly fashion. it has taken us to even reach 1k-2k years to get to where we are now, with in america saying in the first B.O.R. to have the freedom to do as we wish as long as it keeps us in a good relationship with one another. *The freedom of speech, religion, etc.'can't remember the rest'* yet we have people in the government who are against certain religions and other races and won't grant certain rights to those people for not liking their origin in spirit or where they come from. 

As others have said, it's a pointless topic to debate.  There are no answers

there are answers, just not the ones, we as humans of cerain beliefs and teachings don't want to listen to. or the answer is too complicated that we lose ourselves in them. but others may not htink the same thing, so if someone believes that there are no answers, then so be it in their mind. in my min there is an answer, just not the one that is most wanted to know. what i believe to be the answer is, that the stories in the bible(s) are just stories that have over time been changed to teach and make life better, but some seem to "corrupt" others. and i think we call it corrupt because we don't want to believe that that may just be the nature of being a human. so we use a word to give an excuse so we can pardon ourselves and others. to give a reason to fight and hurt. i think the way's of the buddha and wiccan/pagan are the most natural ones because though buddha may not beliece in god, they do however believe in everyone's well being and even the other creaters on this earth. and the wiccan's have a saying "harm none". they do believe in god, but they believe that since we are made in gods image, and have his soul inside of us, we are god. so they pray to eachother, bleass eachother, help eachother and even allow others to have their own thoughts knowing that everyone has their own way of thinking. but because christians and jews are taught in the bible that wicca is bad because of the craft, they don't bother to realize that they only use craft on themselves to help make themselves better people and only use it on eachother with the other persons permission. There are many things that keep those who are so dependent on their religion that they won't accept others and become hostile towards them.

By the way. I think this is a fantastic topic. I love that it is mostly unheated and respectful. Wouldn't the best spiritual journey be the one that allows us to come to some understanding of a personal faith or conclusion concerning faith while still keeping an open mind and learning about the religions and beliefs of this world? We can never know enough.

tay, that is sooo true. we can never learn enough. and this is nice that everyone here is being respectful to one another about this topic which many have fights over with. 

i do.  just my 2 cents worth :D happy easter :D

I think it's interesting that Einstein, late in his life, "reluctantly admitted" that there must be a God. He was raised Jewish but most of his life, didn't believe in God, only science. I've always liked that his study of science eventually led him to a belief in God.

I also like that Stephen Hawking readily includes God in his teachings ("A Brief History of the Time").

Endorsement by two of the world's greatest minds.

As for me, personally, I believe. There are instances, unexplainable events beyohnd coincidence in my life, that I look back to whenever doubts begin to crowd in.

I believe in God as absolute as you believe in the water that you drink out of a cup.  God is more real to me than this computer and the key board I am typing on.  I also believe in Universal Principles which means the Universe has a law to it.  I am a Metaphysical Christian that does believe in the Trinity but not like a fundamentalist.  I believe the Word of God is Truth; however, I also believe that Western Religion has changed what Jesus came to teach to fit an agenda.  A true walk with God is first personal and has no agenda to it.  All works we do should come out of our spirit because when it is ego driven there is vengance and all the rest. 

Some really good books are Science of the Mind by Ernest Holmes, no not scientology, and The Course in Miracles.  I love the Bible and think it is really the only book one ever really needs to understand Universal principles and our part of co-creating.  Of course, many people have an aversion to the Bible because of how it has been used and abused.  If one can read it on his/her own, the words and lessons are invaluable. 

 I don't believe one needs to believe in Jesus to go to Heaven.  I find that teaching offensive and has nothing to do with what Jesus came to teach.  One must understand historical Jesus along with faith based Jesus.  All the finger pointing and judging has nothing to do with The Christ.  Really,  if each one of us focused daily on loving and not judging we would all have full time jobs. I believe the walk is how you keep your back yard clean not looking over the fence at someone elses. 


I believe we are all human and have all made the same mistakes to one degree or another.  I believe what you hate in someone else you carry inside yourself.  I believe we live in an ego created world and as The Course says the ego's rules are vicious!

I believe we are Spirits in bodies but this life is not eternal.  What we see will fade and really isn't even here to begin with.  Check out the movie what the bleep do we know and the secret. 

I believe we create everything we experience.  Jesus said we are him and we are; however, we don't know it.  I believe all sin is seperation from God and we all came to Earth to heal that seperation from God.  When we are healed, we will no longer journey to earth.  Life without God makes no sense because this world isn't even real.  The new paradigm is: we are creating the environment we see not victim to it. 

I could go on and on and on as this is my passion.  God is real and love is eternal all the rest of it is just white noise.  Tully

Very insightful and well written Tully!

I'm glad to see the thread keeps going and is staying civil. 

Religions fascinate me with what I've learned of them.  I haven't had the urge to dive far into any in particular religion and probably don't know enough of my religion either.  What I do know in myself at this point in my life is enough for me.  I feel pretty content in my beliefs. 

Is it ignorant of me to not research other people's religions because I am currently content with my beliefs?  I don't think so, so long as I don't shut them out completely and deny their credibility to those who practice it.  Every religion I have been exposed to has each had their basic teachings and most seem to agree to a certain extent. 

For every action there is a reaction, for every wrong there is a right, for death there is life, for imperfection there is a perfection. Humanity is finite, There must be something else that is immortal that exists. Wether it is a God, spirit, entity, it must be infinite. I dont belive in religion though. I never understood how the bible can be preached and interpreted in so many different ways, and how parts of the bible arent followed. I also dont like it when religion is used to justify cruel things I.E bombing clinics, hurting people, starting wars, protesting with God hates F*g's signs, fraud, and many more. I think that if people need to belive in somthing to help them live there life in a peacefull way, then i dont really see much harm to it. I remember reading in an EASC textbook about how early Christains had dated the earth to be about 2000-4000 years old based on the stories of the bible. When science started to change and disprove this the Church was up in arms, and anyone who thought different wasnt looked favorablly upon.

I love the monologue that the little mormon kid at the end of the mormonism episode of South Park gives:

"Look, maybe us Mormons do believe in crazy stories that make absolutely no sense, and maybe Joseph Smith did make it all up, but I have a great life. and a great family, and I have the Book of Mormon to thank for that.

The truth is, I don't care if Joseph Smith made it all up, because what the church teaches now is loving your family, being nice and helping people. And even though people in this town might think that's stupid, I still choose to believe in it.

All I ever did was try to be your friend, Stan, but you're so high and mighty you couldn't look past my religion and just be my friend back.  You've got a lot of growing up to do, buddy. Suck my balls."

With that said, I don't believe in God.  But it's okay if you do.  (As long as you don't try to control my life through your religion, then we've got problems.)

LOL Paganmist!  I remember that episode...heehee!

i never watched that episode. quite frankly, i don't watch south park anymore. it gives me nightmares. O.o anyway, though, that show has some very good points in it even though they tend to construte things in order to get some type of point across. yet somehow kids who watch it still get a kick out of making fun of people. i think cartman is to blame for that. ;) but that little monologue you showed from the show is very true with some people, but others just don't give it some thought. maybe all of us here should just recruit everyone in the whole world who tinks this way and then protest to everyone else who doesn't and then maybe something good will happen. (protest with love and be kinda hippy without the drugs and clothes. >_<) but that may be too far fetched thinking, ne?

I believe in God, not sure bout Jesus, and don't believe the bible nor in organised religion. But those are just my personal beliefs.

Im back.

 i believe it was hgielrehtaeh who said why would God create imperfect people then punish them in a lake of fire for being the way he created them. well said. Hellfire is all a big lie to get people to fork over there money and keep the people they love out of purgatory--which is also unreal.

In Genesis, Adam and Eve only started to die after they ate from the tree, which was when they became imperfect. Had they not ate from the tree, nor anyone else after them, they would not have died. They would be still living and perfect.

God created humans perfect, to live forever.  He didn't make us to get old, sick, decrepit, and die. or murdered.

Really impressed at the thoughtful and thought provoking discussion going on here!   Ideas and exchange of information and discussion is encouraged.  It is how we all learn and grow.  

Just a friendly reminder ~ Please understand that people may have a different opinion or viewpoint, experience or thought to share which may differ from yours.

We truly appreciate your cooporation and ask that you respect the posting guidelines so people can post without fear of being bashed, ridiculed or flamed for posting their point of view, thought or idea...  Please, NO PERSONAL ATTACKS!

but do feel welcome to share your viewpoint :)

thanks, united (volunteer moderator)

who knows?  we all need to decide for ourselves. It's called faith.  Don't worry about mine.  I won't worry about yours.

What chaps me is when people use "religion" to justify acts of agression and go on the offensive. 

I'm pretty passive - to each his own, but don't expect to make me believe what you do.  Won't happen. 

Although I might yak with ya about it...  might even listen to your side ;)

I'm non-denominational, I study with Pentecostals, I believe in God and His Son. 

I believe the Bible when Jesus is quoted as saying that you can't have access to His father but through Him...and if you deny Him, He will deny you.  I believe in a biblical diet...I believe Dr. Lorraine Day when she describes how changing her diet to the biblical diet cured her of a grapefruit sized tumor on her chest.  I believe her even though there is a ton of agnostics and atheists who try to discredit her. 

For this reason, I don't eat lobster, crab, crawfish, shrimp or pork either, because the Bible says that they were created to cleanse the earth of toxins and they aren't intended to be digested by humans.

I believe that through prayer you can accomplish your weight goals, too! Good religion can really help a family survive in the world and stick together. 

I love being an American.  Isn't it great that we can be religious without be hung for it?