What's Your Religion?

[hendyzero2]

well i'm a baptist. Of course i believe in god and i guess i have a reason to too.
I don't really pray that much, (only over my food) and yes i go to church when i can.
I guess i believe in GOD because i know he's real and there are some things i do that kinda proves it. Like when I don't have any money for lunch and i'm really hungry i let someone borrow a dollar and later i find 5 dollars on the ground. that really made me happy. Or like when the doctors said my mom had lupus some disese that can make you die or whatever and she went back for more tests and they said she had arthritis
instead. I think it changed because we prayed.


well thats my little part in this.

 

[Axeman]

I'll never pray to a god I can't look in the face

And for 'god's sake, sam, it's "atheist". That goes double for you kknd since you were so proud of being one. Learn to spell your own belief system.

Shite
@spray Yeah most the Christians I've met are total twats. I used to go a lot to this youth club (I do every now and again) and at the end they gave you all the Christian BS which they cleverly incorporate how "This day wouldn't have happened if it wasn't for God". Anyway......
There's this woman there that annoys the living shite out of everyone. In the annoying speech she nods her head all the way through it and says "yes" "that's true" and puts her hand on her heart like she's having an orgasm! It's annoying as shit! :angry:
Also one of the youth leaders there is a Christian and is (well he should be since he is Christian...) into all that "Be kind to your fellow man" which is a great idea but of course like most Christians he doesn't follow it, he's the most horrible twat I've ever met in my life! He treats everyone like shit. That's yet another part of Christianity that pisses me off. Rules that are clearly impossible to follow. How the fuck can you not feel jealousy, how can you deny the way you feel! What complete and utter Bullshit! You get these little catholic kids shitting themselves that they might have to go through purgatory for not denying a feeling!
All that can be said is:
WTF

I gotta say that I dont agree with you there...

Most of the Christians I've met have been cool people. Yeah, there are some asses in amongst them, but in general, they are good people who look out for others. That's why I generally agree with the Christian way of life. I would also never try to disprove the existance of a God, as I do believe that it is very possible there is something going on that could be explaine by such an existance. I also respect the views of others on this, no matter what they believe. What I cant stand is insulting religeous intolerance by either camp. If you dont believe, then dont insult others for doing so. Also the other way around.

 

[Sadako]

My opnion, I am not religious, there is no god, I think, we are all made of tiny little atoms, and we were not made in "god's human making machine", it is a load of bullshit.

I don't really see how stupid someone can be by actually believing in any religion, it is just something to keep you in line, that's all. Science rules over religion, any day!

 

[Sadako]

Maybe my last post was a little harsh, but meh. What a paradox, religion does not exist, yet there is a religious topic in the forum, who thought of this?

I am really annoyed at school that they force christ on us, I mean, is'nt it a 'sin' to force people to do things? We are not slaves, those bastards.

 

[Dozer]

The way I look at it is that I think there's something going on that we cant explain, but I'm not arrogant enough to presume I know what it is....

I'm a spiritual person - I've seen to much unexplainable stuff not to be, but I dont necessarily subscribe to any doctorine.

If others decide to, then so be it, as long as they see my point of view too. Like I said - for all I know, there may be a God, but neither I, nor anyone else, can provide proof, so there is no way I could blindly accept that as fact.

But I'm very open minded....

As for the Bible - it's an interesting book, full of symbolism and signs of the time in which it was written. It is, unfortunately, not all relevant in todays world. It was written in a time where we understood much less of the world around us, and as always, human nature dictated that we provide those explanations, no matter how bigoted or outlandish. The majority of the Bible suggests living a life in which you help others live in harmony with each other. Unfortunately, there are parts which do not, and it is those parts that have been twisted to meet people's needs and hunger for power for the last several thousand years.

Also, the translation from Hebrew and Aramaic to Latin and English is so increadibly open to interpretation that the whole thing could be translated to mean a whole new set of things if taken in different context and so forth.

The terrable trush about the bible and many other religeous texts is that it has been sculpted to further the opinions and beliefs of the ages in which it has been interperated and translated. This has usually ended up with an outcome that the original authors would definitely not have approved of.

I do, however, agree with a Chrstian outlook on life - that you should do all you can to help others and live your life well and productively...

Ah well...!

It's nice to see someones thoughts so logical and thoughout rather than just having beliefs just because people have heard rogue passages or whatever. You seem to believe what you do for a good, thought through, non stereotypical reason .

 

[Dozer]

My opnion, I am not religious, there is no god, I think, we are all made of tiny little atoms, and we were not made in "god's human making machine", it is a load of bullshit.

I don't really see how stupid someone can be by actually believing in any religion, it is just something to keep you in line, that's all. Science rules over religion, any day!

But can you explain why just a bunch of atoms can make you feel emotion and be aware of your own existance? If just a bunch of atoms makes awareness of yourself (or a 'soul' if you want) then surely rocks, houses and my mum's Martha Stewart also have awareness of themselves and souls. And atoms last forever so why do we die? Does our existance live on in the atoms?

Sorry your explanation just doesn't do it for me.

 

[kknd_cf]

My opnion, I am not religious, there is no god, I think, we are all made of tiny little atoms, and we were not made in "god's human making machine", it is a load of bullshit.

I don't really see how stupid someone can be by actually believing in any religion, it is just something to keep you in line, that's all. Science rules over religion, any day!

But can you explain why just a bunch of atoms can make you feel emotion and be aware of your own existance? If just a bunch of atoms makes awareness of yourself (or a 'soul' if you want) then surely rocks, houses and my mum's Martha Stewart also have awareness of themselves and souls. And atoms last forever so why do we die? Does our existance live on in the atoms?

Sorry your explanation just doesn't do it for me.

Dozer there's a difference between an atom and a bunch of atoms making life a very big difference. That's of course the best part of death because as everyone knows energy can't be lost it can only be transferred just as matter can't be destroyed. Anyway when we die and the electrons stop working together they decompose and release there energy onto other living things. This is the scientific theory of natural reincarnation and it's beautiful. Try no to fear death people because when we die we bring new life, without death life wouldn’t be possible.

Also Dozer I haven't got anything against Christians my friend I was just trying to prove a point that it's an impossible religion to follow as are most sadly.

Also the reason a lot of people feel they have to follow Christianity is because it's a question that's just cropped up. A bit like "is magic real?" and "are ghosts real?". And because it's got such a big name people think "hmmm this looks interesting". I mean I wish I was able to believe in all this bullshit but sadly I can't, it would probably make my life great. But the morals behind Christianity as I've said before could never let me believe in it. To be honest It's the sickest thing I've ever heard of.

@Enslaved Does that actually make you feel you're Christian? I was baptized but I'd never be a part of this disgusting religion. I'm not going to baptize my kids (If I'm lucky enough to get any) because it's their choice. Also do they still teach you to believe in Christianity at infant school? If so that's fucking sick.

Also some good points Sadoko and DaveC .

 

[Sadako]

Well sorry, Dozer, but we have electrons in our brain which send signals etc and make us feel emotion so we don't do the wrong thing. I am sorry if you are christian, go and believe what you want, I'm not stopping you, just laughing.

 

[Rico]

The major problems of Christianity are when the holes appear. E.g. if heaven is just up ahead, why piss about for 70 years? Why not kill yourself now and get PARADISE, the BEST PLACE EVER? It would sure beat the hell of this life.

Of course, that can't happen. Reason 1: suicide is mysteriously banned. Of course, these rules are centuries old, we had to wait until 1960 to get it decriminalised. A religious leftover passed onto the government, who now classes us mentally insane if we attempt to kill ourselves and fail. Well THAT's something to look forward to! You can't do something to your own goddamn body? "Man is born free, and everywhere he is in chains."

Reason 2: 'life is a test'. That's right, God gave you a preconfigured set of genes and mental instincts, left the rest to the lottery of your upbringing, and is 'testing' whether you are good enough to go to Heaven. Of course, it's completely out of your hands. Any will you might have to do good is already within you. The mental strength to resist temptation to do evil is preprogrammed. Not a test. You have no choice in the matter. If you DO change your mind, it'll be because of an external influence. Another thing you can't control. So what is the test? Belief of course. The only thing persuading you to do good 'just cos the Bible says so' is belief in God, so basically you can only go to heaven if you blindly believe some fictional entity. Okay... now you see the picture? God is an excuse for people to blindly obey rules in the hope of a decent afterlife. Never mind the fact that any obedience they have would have been genetically preprogrammed and therefore due to God. The crux of fear is what drives us.

Most people aren't really Christians. They are failures, who don't go to church, who don't pray. They say that they are Christian and put that down on their census form, purely keeping up a mental image of themselves as believers, just so that they have something to cling onto when they're hovering above the depths of hell. An excuse to enter paradise. What kind of sick show is this? The ultimate insult to our race. Controlling us en masse by twisting a belief system and duping millions. Some argue that Christianity does more good than harm, but it still drives many to follow pointless rules or limitations left from a former age when they actually mattered. Who resists 'spilling their seed' now? Who cares about 'stealing your neighbour's ox'? The ten commandments were recently remade by a survey of teenagers, to apply to modern life. The results were far different, a mockery of the original. Get back into your ark and sail home before the flood hits.

 

[Sadako]

Well said, Rico! I could not of said better. (En masse is french for mass is it not?)
Let's just stop it at one setence.
I am who I am!

 

[Mosch]

well i'm a baptist. Of course i believe in god and i guess i have a reason to too.
I don't really pray that much, (only over my food) and yes i go to church when i can.
I guess i believe in GOD because i know he's real and there are some things i do that kinda proves it. Like when I don't have any money for lunch and i'm really hungry i let someone borrow a dollar and later i find 5 dollars on the ground. that really made me happy. Or like when the doctors said my mom had lupus some disese that can make you die or whatever and she went back for more tests and they said she had arthritis
instead. I think it changed because we prayed.


well thats my little part in this.

If you find 5 dollar, that means that someone lost 5 dollar. Shouldn't you try to find that person and give his money back?
And also, if you can prove he is real (and I sincerely doubt that you can), you can not believe in him. I can prove that the chair I am currently sitting on exists. Oh great chair, without whom we are nothing.... doesn't work. Believe means you don't know but you think it is so anyway.

Personally, I am agnostic, and I simply can not believe in god. And I don't look forward to my death, no matter about energy or paradise. Death means I don't exist anymore and that scares the shit out of me.
The easy way out would be to submit to believing in the afterlife, but I don't believe in it, so why should I try to.

I do not believe in a god. That is because I live my life by logic. I can prove that many stories in the bible are wrong, and if some are wrong, why should others be right? Why should the god-part be correct?

Also, most christians I know are absolutely cool people, just for the record

Well, I'll just stop here. If you could read German, I could give you a link to a board where I discussed about religion with someone, it's a good read but I had to stop because my doctor said my blood pressure seems critical (no joke).

 

[kknd_cf]

well i'm a baptist. Of course i believe in god and i guess i have a reason to too.
I don't really pray that much, (only over my food) and yes i go to church when i can.
I guess i believe in GOD because i know he's real and there are some things i do that kinda proves it. Like when I don't have any money for lunch and i'm really hungry i let someone borrow a dollar and later i find 5 dollars on the ground. that really made me happy. Or like when the doctors said my mom had lupus some disese that can make you die or whatever and she went back for more tests and they said she had arthritis
instead. I think it changed because we prayed.


well thats my little part in this.

Personally, I am agnostic, and I simply can not believe in god. And I don't look forward to my death, no matter about energy or paradise. Death means I don't exist anymore and that scares the shit out of me.

Same here but I was just trying to find a more positive way of looking at it lol.

 

[pubjoe]

Sadly, a lot of what I've read above, and I have read every single argument: (for and against) is completely missing the point of christianity and what it stands for.

I really don't want to sound patronising, but I have a feeling a lot of the angry posts that are an attempt to disprove God, are from children who are very impressionable by their peers, teachers, media and fasion.

This is exactly the attitude I had when I was at school, mostly because I thought me and my mates know everything and some spiritual bollocks being preached by 'wierdos' and 'stupid' people was trying to force a particular belief on someone.

Now, 9 years after leaving school, I have been thinking A LOT about this kind of thing. And these are thoughts that have had no bias or influence from anyone else.

I admit, I have had a lot of difficult times and seen a lot of suffering from people around me. And this may have caused me, in darker times, to look elsewhere for "salvation" so to speak.

I would probably still consider myself a "weak atheist" because of my developed understanding and belief in science, and my ignorence to religions in general but I'm beginning to find clarity in understanding what (I think) "God" really means.

The Christian values are everything I want to live by, and I'm beginning to realise that God is undefinable and unexplainable. The image of a "Supreme being" or even a "Man" is just a symbol to depict God. Just like the word "god" is just a word to explain a great deal.

This is the beauty of Christianity, it does not need to be proved or disproved. It is afterall known as "faith". I too have thought of every augument you can possibly throw against the religion. Yes, they all seem very clever and obvious, but until you have had an extremely close look at life (whether this is caused by unhappy times or happy times), it is impossible to understand the subject enough to really give a proper augument.

Ignorence will always be present on both sides of any augument.

Now I'm thinking of religion in a true spiritual sense, and not as a physical explanation, I am really starting to see a Clarity in the meaning of the word "faith".

Still, I am not a Christian, because I don't know where my views fit into christianity, some more traditional christians seem to have fundamental views about the Bible that I can't agree with.

Yet, I admit, I am still ignorent to the different types of Christianity.

Also, I am currently living in sin. As I am living with my unmarried partner and child. This is really because I have a great respect for Christianity and don't want to take part in a ceromany when I do not fully understand it's meanings.

Well, I could go on forever, but I'd better stop there for now. But please, could people try to broaden there minds and except different viewpoints. Why do people always feel the need to force their views onto others????

It has taken me a long difficult time, to even try to broaden my views this much. I am fairly intelligent but it is extremely hard to really look at what you think you know, and what you REALLY know..... .....if you know what I mean

 

[pubjoe]

Any will you might have to do good is already within you. The mental strength to resist temptation to do evil is preprogrammed. Not a test. You have no choice in the matter.

It is this kind of preprogramming, that displays a true beauty in life around us.

Yes, I believe in Darwin's theory, and we have evolved into a succesful species because of our want to do GOOD for others, and have thefefore been able to live very well in a community because of our unselfish intentions. Causing good relationships, sex, babies, evolution etc etc etc.

This as a whole is such a wonderful system. Life follows such perfect rules. Some people might call it "Mother nature".

There is no need in trying to prove a point. It can't be done.

What I want to try to do is open people eyes to accept that. And that it doesn't matter if people differ from yourselves.

 

[pubjoe]

Sorry for the multiple posts (forgive me christians ) but I started thinking about what "God" might mean and I thought I'd share some of these thoughts:

"God" is science, it (to avoid any defining misinterpretation by the term "he") is the beauty and reason and underlining simplicity of all the gathered individual complications of scientific theories.

"God" is the concience that we feel close to in our minds, when there is know one else able to physically be there for us.

"God" is our friends, strangers and all living things, it is the spirit of life itself.

"God" gives us overwhelming emotion, caused by fear or happiness, it is always a positive feeling.

"God" is love.

The "devil" is a little less complicated. It is only selfish temptation.



This is kinda what got me thinking about religion. I believe that all the above exist and to say that any of them actually can disprove God is very difficult.

But then I don't know if this is really a Christian view. Is it?

 

[unlucky]

You must be mad 2 take any bit of the bible literally : / thats all we were taught in re at my secondary ( A catholic school aswell ) its just a set of guide lines and nothing else. It basically gave me a conscience and one that causes me so much anger in some situations everything just tends to convey what we all already know if you just filter out the crap. Really most of st marks gospel is jsut straightforward and written first so it doesn't have loads + loads of exagerations. I guess i'm not really a full catholic at all as i dont really believe a bit of it i just more or less agree with its main aims. Most of the time praying i feel has a subconscious affect on how you see a bad situation which is all that really needs 2 happen.

So really pub joe has it right in my opinion

 

[Rico]

Well said, Rico! I could not of said better. (En masse is french for mass is it not?)

Thanks -- en masse means 'in a large amount' or in the context I used it 'all together as one mass'

pubjoe: I understand, but please don't think I'm attacking Christian values. I said that they help in my post, and they can bring values to many people's life. However a LOT of it is arcane, pointless and left over from back when religion was used more as a method of control and creating fear.

"God" is a silly word. Don't use it to describe the innate magic, or love, of friendship in us. Get it straight: God is the diety who controls us all and we should kneel before in return for eternal salvation. If you're not praying to God, but instead worshipping 'love' or something, then you're not a Christian. You're not a theist, you're a humanist. Don't twist the word to mean something it's not. (And I'm using a captial G for a reason, 'god' is obviously something quite different)

 

[Rico]

Most of the time praying i feel has a subconscious affect on how you see a bad situation which is all that really needs 2 happen.

This is exactly what I mean. If you need to be reassured by a non-existent entity you have problems. If you are just praying to a 'God' you don't think exists, but think 'oh well, it really helps me concentrate and get through the problem' you are abusing religion. You're meditating, not praying. Painting it with the same brush as Christianity only ends up promoting a religion for an benefit it isn't actually providing.

 

[pubjoe]

I used to work as a graphic designer for several Christian clients. All of whom I met were excellent people. None of them judged me for what I believed or tried to preach even a little bit.

I worked for some of the more modern christians I suppose. Like christian rock bands (very cheesy, I know) and their views were not the old fasioned ideals that most atheists use to attack christian values.

But then again, there are Christians who do believe in the bible stories and say that you have to in order to be a christian.

This is what confuses me. I would like to think my views fit in somewhere as I am sure they are shared by many others.

I am keeping a VERY open mind at the moment.

 

[Mosch]

Like christian rock bands (very cheesy, I know) and their views were not the old fasioned ideals that most atheists use to attack christian values.

You know what is really strange? Christian Death Metal. It exists.