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| Belief in god: Simply a matter of not accepting reality?
Posted: 5/12/2008 11:12:16 PM | You seem to be a bit confused, which is understandable. The following statements contradict each other, hence the confusion. Perhaps you can tell us which one you meant?
God is reality and reality is God. There is no reality but God.
or
You create your own reality.
If we create our own reality & that reality doesn't have a god in it, then god doesn't exist. 2/3rds of the people on this planet don't believe in the christian god so apparently their reality out ranks yours... | |
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| Belief in god: Simply a matter of not excepting reality?
Posted: 5/13/2008 7:27:11 PM | | Guess what!? That's it. The purpose for your life is to pass on your genes... to better the next generation, to live n such... just like animals... cause we are animals.. seriously right... And we do not turn into dust, we turn into dead meat... which feeds other animals and makes flowers grown n such... its a really interesting process... which kinda sucks too... Isn't it horrible that we only have a few years to live and all we live to do is work and be herded like cattle or sheep or somethin? hmmm | |
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| Belief in god: Simply a matter of not excepting reality?
Posted: 5/14/2008 12:50:49 AM | Isn't it horrible that we only have a few years to live and all we live to do is work and be herded like cattle or sheep or somethin? hmmm
Not really horrible - for some, yes, but some have been blessed with a good life... and I don't believe that we're nothing but our bodies - our spirits will live on after our body dies
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| Belief in god: Simply a matter of not excepting reality?
Posted: 5/14/2008 1:08:48 AM | Life is about experience. If you die, your experience ends. Yes, you want to pass on your genes, which is the basic goal of life, but do you think it matters to you when you're dead? I don't like how you turned this thread into a "What's the point of living if we're all going to perish" thread. It doesn't follow your subject. We live 100 years if we're lucky, not 100 million.
In terms of religion, religion is a faith. Atheism is a faith. Christianity is a faith. A hardcore Atheist will get into a car accident and say "wow I screwed up". A hardcore Christian will say "Did you see what God just did man... it was his will that this accident happened." Personally, I like the stance of admitting your mistake instead of passing your mistake off as the will of a higher power. Either way, the end result is the same, you screwed up and got into an accident. I guarantee that both people won't pull a Uee (or however you spell it) in the middle of the road again. It's called learning from ones mistakes, not "It's God's will that I not make this Uee". Right, it was also God's will that you learn from your mistake right?
You can attribute everything to God's will, but why do you need to say it all the time? It's God's will that I'm writing this. It's God's will that I wrote it's God's will that I'm writing this. It's God's will that I wrote it's God's will that I wrote it's God's will that I'm writing this... etc. If God's will is everything, at the beginning of the year, say "God's will is everything" and then leave it at that. Do you really need to reiterate it to yourself, as well as the people around you, everytimg anything happens that you find interesting enough to praise the lord or deem it as his will? Whatever happened to free will, as in it being your doing that cause the events to unfold.
People, you make decisions based on your own experience. EXPERIENCE IS THE MEANING OF LIFE. You know to skip making the Uee because you'll get into an accident and possibly kill yourself and others. When you get into an accident, you learn the right and the wrong thing to do.
On a side note: The bible was written by quite a few different people. It was originally created in times of turmoil to force people into line, to gather a force of soldiers, to put fear into man, to describe history and to attempt to keep history from repeating itself. The bible didn't just magically come together. It was filtered by people with agendas. They added and removed content as they saw fit. If you don't think the Pope has an agenda, then why is he making rulings in terms of what is acceptable and what isn't?
I've gone to a church... it was full of recovering addicts and people who have lived a hard life. Go figure. People who need some meaning to life. People who get so unmotivated that they need someone to tell them what to do. They can't commit suicide because it's a cardinal sin. They become God addicts in order to replace their other addictions. How can they take another sip when God keeps telling them not to. They need someone to tell them what to do, and God is their scapegoat of strength.
...Or they could just say "I'm never going to drink again" and everytime a tasty beverage passes their way they could re-iterate "I'm never going to drink again". Or even better, they could get over their addiction and control themselves.
I bring this up because it's important to understand why religion is so powerful.
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Now you think racist's are prejudicial. Go to match.com and look at how many insist on how important it is for their man to be a practicing Christian. They filter out 80% of people from their life with that statement alone! Why, because the decided to close their minds off to the world around them, and don't give people of a different faith, or no faith at all, the time of day. The throw their beliefs in the faces of others and insist how right they are at all times. Can you blame them when preachers teach their congregation that if they don't live by the words of the bible that they're going to go to hell? | |
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| Belief in god: Simply a matter of not excepting reality?
Posted: 5/14/2008 1:49:29 AM |
A hardcore Christian will say "Did you see what God just did man... it was his will that this accident happened."
Actually they don't. what they say is some meaningless crap such as "it was gods will that I didn't die in that accident!"... while ignoring the fact they just mowed down a half dozen people in a crosswalk.... | |
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| Belief in god: Simply a matter of not excepting reality?
Posted: 5/14/2008 3:19:30 AM |
I sometimes believe that all religions came into being from a certain process.
A number of people experienced enough to see truths in relationships between things.
These observations lead to a belief that mankind's presence should change for the better.
There were still many unanswered questions created from only having limited observations to go by, and so internalization lead them into creating answers based on the ideals their life's experiences helped to create.
That every religion as a result has truths.
The goal was a betterment according to unanimous ideals.
They were only based on localized understandings proven to be true.
They had limited knowledge and many unanswered questions at the time.
The unanswered questions, have been answered through internalization.
Although I believe there is truth to each religion, there is also a great deal of misdirection and a need to further it's accuracy through continued learning and understanding. I also think we have to stop relating everything to ourselves.
the law of non contradiction states that no two things can be true at the same time, so if one thing claims truth and one does not, how can they both be true?
Christianity claims that Jesus is the only way to God, Judaism deny's Jesus as the Messiah and Islam claims he was a mere prophet.
If you blindfold a couple people and put them close to an elephant and ask them to touch an object and ask them what it is without telling them it is an elephant you will get some pretty mixed reviews. Standing by the ear you may think it is a fan, the trunk, a snake, it's legs a tree, etc, etc, but at the same time, it is one objective under different perspectives.
Jesus claimed to be the only way when he said what he said in John 14:6, "I am the way, the truth and the life, no one comes to the Father except through me." There is nothing else like that in any religion that you may choose to seek and Christianity is not even classified as a religion, only to what the masses label it as, rather, it is a relationship with our Creator. | |
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| Belief in god: Simply a matter of not excepting reality?
Posted: 5/14/2008 3:35:23 AM |
You can attribute everything to God's will, but why do you need to say it all the time? It's God's will that I'm writing this. It's God's will that I wrote it's God's will that I'm writing this. It's God's will that I wrote it's God's will that I wrote it's God's will that I'm writing this... etc. If God's will is everything, at the beginning of the year, say "God's will is everything" and then leave it at that. Do you really need to reiterate it to yourself, as well as the people around you, everytimg anything happens that you find interesting enough to praise the lord or deem it as his will? Whatever happened to free will, as in it being your doing that cause the events to unfold.
We do have free will. If God forced us to love him, we would not understand the choice that it takes to love him, having a choice yields higher results and in turn we are able to find out what it really means to love with our heart. God does not force someone to love him, we choose to. Forced love is rape and God is not a divine rapist.
On a side note: The bible was written by quite a few different people. It was originally created in times of turmoil to force people into line, to gather a force of soldiers, to put fear into man, to describe history and to attempt to keep history from repeating itself. The bible didn't just magically come together. It was filtered by people with agendas. They added and removed content as they saw fit. If you don't think the Pope has an agenda, then why is he making rulings in terms of what is acceptable and what isn't?
The Bible is God's word, and when saying that it is hard for people to understand. God has always worked through us to do many things on earth and the Bible is perfect evidence. The Old Testament is written by nearly 20 writiers but it doesnt take away the reliability of all that is within it. The dead sea scrolls contained the book of Isaiah which is dated around 600 BC and when found in the caves of Qumran the same exact book of Isaiah that we have in our Bible's today was the same exact thing found in the dead sea scrolls, pretty amazing that after so long the Word of God has stood the test of time. You say it is filtered by people with agenda's, I, then, ask for the proof that you have for such a claim, i'd love for you to show me such a thing.
As for the Pope, nothing revolving the Pope is Biblical, the Papacy does not exist in Scripture, rather, Jesus is the head of the church, we are the body, not a fallable man like the pope. You are confusion "religion" with a relationship which is what Christianity can offer.
I've gone to a church... it was full of recovering addicts and people who have lived a hard life. Go figure. People who need some meaning to life. People who get so unmotivated that they need someone to tell them what to do. They can't commit suicide because it's a cardinal sin. They become God addicts in order to replace their other addictions. How can they take another sip when God keeps telling them not to. They need someone to tell them what to do, and God is their scapegoat of strength.
God a scapegoat of strength? Who else would you rather put your trust in? The creator of heavens and earth, the creator of our bodies with all the dynamic things inside of us or our own thoughts? We were not created by pure random chance.
Romans 3:23 states, "for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God." Once we realize that, that is when we understand how long we have been yearning for God and God alone, only God can fill that gaping hole that exists in our heart, ive tried without and millions of others have but it is when we put all our pride and pre conceived notions to the side and just come to him as we are and that is when lives become changed. As much as you would like to think it, we cannot save ourselves from ourselves, we may think we can but we did not create ourselves so how can we save ourselves? | |
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| Belief in god: Simply a matter of not excepting reality?
Posted: 5/14/2008 8:41:23 AM | the law of non contradiction states that no two things can be true at the same time, so if one thing claims truth and one does not, how can they both be true?
it is quite likely that the lord created many ways to follow his word.all of us decifer the bible as it applies to our lives.only people of faith can know its truth.its evident in how it molds our lives.common threads abound in all beliefs in the scripture.to look for the truth without surrendering to the lord will be a very frustrating process.love,peace,and forgivness is what most people strive to find.the lord provides it.all you have to do is give yourself to the spirit.no use argueing about it.how will it hurt you to try? | |
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| Belief in god: Simply a matter of not excepting reality?
Posted: 5/14/2008 8:55:11 AM |
I've gone to a church... it was full of recovering addicts and people who have lived a hard life. Go figure. People who need some meaning to life. People who get so unmotivated that they need someone to tell them what to do. They can't commit suicide because it's a cardinal sin. They become God addicts in order to replace their other addictions. How can they take another sip when God keeps telling them not to. They need someone to tell them what to do, and God is their scapegoat of strength.
I have to take a disagreement on your theology being considered christian. Christianity is not about being strong, christianity is about being weak and seeing our need for Christ's grace in our hopeless weaknesses towards our sinful nature. Paul confessed that he was strong in the faith when he was weak in his flesh. If a person is strong in thier flesh then they will not see thier need for Christ's grace.
So while you diss those who have been captivated by thier addictions and human weaknesses, as far as being under an enforcement of the church's rules, and them getting thier strength from God...I don't see it. We don't get strength from God to overcome our weaknessess, we get strength from God to trust in His faith and grace because of our weaknesses, in order that we will glory in our weaknesses.
Only when we are weak, can we be strong in faith and grace. Christianity is not for those who are strong and have no need for a physician, never has been...it is for those who are weak and enslaved, in order that they may glory in grace and appreciate God for what He has done to rectify the situation. | |
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| Belief in god: Simply a matter of not excepting reality?
Posted: 5/14/2008 9:15:46 AM | Only when we are weak, can we be strong in faith and grace. Christianity is not for those who are strong and have no need for a physician, never has been...it is for those who are weak and enslaved, in order that they may glory in grace and appreciate God for what He has done to rectify the situation.
the ability to love those who feel hate is a strenght that god provides.understanding that takes a faith that human impowerment alone can hardly understand .this why we as humans are weak.the lord shows you a way that is just not part of human thought.than gives you the strength to have faith in its beauty. | |
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| Belief in god: Simply a matter of not excepting reality?
Posted: 5/14/2008 9:40:31 AM |
the ability to love those who feel hate is a strenght that god provides.understanding that takes a faith that human impowerment alone can hardly understand .this why we as humans are weak.the lord shows you a way that is just not part of human thought.than gives you the strength to have faith in its beauty.
Ironically the OP hits the nail on the head for me. My belief in God is that all things will be rconciled in Christ in the fulness of times and at that time we will all be made according to the Spirit and into the image of God. So when I look at the reality that is seen in this earthly existance, I have to not accept it as being the reality. And instead I take the stance of no longer considering my fellow man as the state that he is in now, but I chose to see him in the completed state of being made into Christ';s image. When I chose to see and consider all men as reconciled into God's image of perfection and love, There is no room for judgment.
So the OP is correct in thier assesment of my theology, belief in God as the Savior of the entire world, does require me to not accept the reality of this slavic state of mankind that is visibly present in the now, and instead my theology causes me to look towards the hope of the higher calling that will be revealed in mankind. | |
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| Belief in god: Simply a matter of not excepting reality?
Posted: 5/14/2008 12:24:33 PM | Ironically the OP hits the nail on the head for me. My belief in God is that all things will be rconciled in Christ in the fulness of times and at that time we will all be made according to the Spirit and into the image of God. So when I look at the reality that is seen in this earthly existance, I have to not accept it as being the reality. And instead I take the stance of no longer considering my fellow man as the state that he is in now, but I chose to see him in the completed state of being made into Christ';s image. When I chose to see and consider all men as reconciled into God's image of perfection and love, There is no room for judgment.
So the OP is correct in thier assesment of my theology, belief in God as the Savior of the entire world, does require me to not accept the reality of this slavic state of mankind that is visibly present in the now, and instead my theology causes me to look towards the hope of the higher calling that will be revealed in mankind.
amen. | |
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| Belief in god: Simply a matter of not excepting reality?
Posted: 5/14/2008 4:53:41 PM |
We do have free will. If God forced us to love him, we would not understand the choice that it takes to love him, having a choice yields higher results and in turn we are able to find out what it really means to love with our heart. God does not force someone to love him, we choose to. Forced love is rape and God is not a divine rapist.
There's more to life than just loving a higher being, and obviously I wasn't referring to the free will of loving that higher being. I was referring to the free will of everyday activities. What about my statement deemed it necessary to speak about the love of God? I was referring to the action of writing a sentence. What about the act of writing a generic sentence conforms to the will of God? If God's will is a set of rules to live by, then why do you need to insist on mentioning that it's God's will everytime you do anything? I mean, I took a class in cooking. The teacher told me how to make a great omelette. But do you see me attributing my cooking abilities to this teacher every time I cook something? Not in the slightest. Do I think there were other means for my learning to cook an omelette, such as trial and error? Absolutely. So why do people feel the need to attribute the will of God to the things that they do, or that occur in life? If you feel that doing the right thing is the will of God, and I do the exact same thing and don't attribute it to a God, then where's the difference in the final result?
Oh yes...
You make an interesting statement regarding rape. God gives you free will, but then gives you a choice to worship. Now here's the kicker, you don't know what happens after you die, and the unknown is the most powerful and dangerous tool that someone can use.
"Hey, I have your daughter in the other room, I'm going to cut her fingers off if you don't call me God". Now, let me ask you, are you going to call this man God without seeing proof of your daughter in the other room? You're damn right you will!
This is what religion is. "Here's my set of rules, you can choose to obey them or do your own thing... but if you don't obey, you're going to spend eternity, and by eternity I mean forever, being tortured repeatedly in a place called hell.. and chances are that if you dont' follow my rules, you're not going to teach your kids these rules, and they're going to be tortured as well!" Now, do you have proof that this will happen? No one knows what the unknown has to offer, so you HAVE to follow this rule just in case. Scare tactics 101. Quite the compassionate God.
I mean, I guess that seems pretty free willish to me... I mean there's not like there's a penalty or anything if you choose to do your own thing *sarcasm*.
The Bible is God's word, and when saying that it is hard for people to understand. God has always worked through us to do many things on earth and the Bible is perfect evidence. The Old Testament is written by nearly 20 writiers but it doesnt take away the reliability of all that is within it. The dead sea scrolls contained the book of Isaiah which is dated around 600 BC and when found in the caves of Qumran the same exact book of Isaiah that we have in our Bible's today was the same exact thing found in the dead sea scrolls, pretty amazing that after so long the Word of God has stood the test of time. You say it is filtered by people with agenda's, I, then, ask for the proof that you have for such a claim, i'd love for you to show me such a thing.
As for the Pope, nothing revolving the Pope is Biblical, the Papacy does not exist in Scripture, rather, Jesus is the head of the church, we are the body, not a fallable man like the pope. You are confusion "religion" with a relationship which is what Christianity can offer.
How do you KNOW the writers were right? They could have just been good writers. They could have made things up. They could have stated the obvious. I'm not religious and I know killing is wrong. No religious teaching was needed to teach me that. My own experience has taught me that, and it is my own experience that becomes my will. A writer stating that killing is wrong, telling a story about it, then saying that it was God speaking through him comes off as a little bit insane if you ask me. People weren't crazy psychotic murderers before religion was born, and before Judaism and Christianity were born. Yes, they were born, and there is a timeline.
When you put a pen in the hand of a man with free will, that man has the free will to write whatever he pleases. If he pleases to state his own values, then attribute those values as being the teachings of a higher being, then what's the difference between that and saying that it's just what he learned from his own experience.
I'll tell you exactly what it is. What's more important, words coming from a higher being, that we can't prove the existance of, but we are required to worship or else we will be punished? Or the words coming from the ordinary solitary man, who has done nothing but good in the world and has no reason to be disrespected. Let's call him a sheep farmer!
Now add to this the lack of an advanced communication system, other than hand written books (this was Far before the printing press), and the fact that people care about the unknown, and are questioning the meaning to life... and here you have it, the bible. The perfect instrument. A book of laws that must be followed. A way to bring a society together. A way to justify the attacking people that think differently than you. It's a joining point amongst people, and a damn good one at that.
The dead sea scrolls may very well have been part of the original bible, and once that bible went into publication, there isn't much you can do to turn back time and remove what is already written. However, when those dead sea scrolls were written (either copied from the bible, or the basis for what the bible text was written from), it is at that time that the filtering occurs.
To add this, the bible wasn't written in a day. It was written over time by many people. It was written as a documentary to the history of those times. One king took over, one king was dead. One king took over, one king was dead. This is a time of war, and a time of controlling people. What better way to control than to use faith? Now, had this bible been written at the beginning of time, I could see your point. But we're talking about a text, admittedly written by men, during a chaotic period of self discovery and war, where the written word could be used as a controlling device. The unknown is the most fierce tool. Do you honestly believe that the old testament wasn't written in a biased fashion?
God a scapegoat of strength? Who else would you rather put your trust in? The creator of heavens and earth, the creator of our bodies with all the dynamic things inside of us or our own thoughts? We were not created by pure random chance.
I would rather put my trust into myself and my experience. If there's one thing that doesn't lie, it's a mistake. We as humans try to make as few mistakes as possible in our lifetime. However, the best way of learning and understanding is to make those mistakes. You not only understand the right way of doing something, you also understand the wrong way, and you probably understand that there's a gray area.
Now, from my experience, I know for a FACT that it's very easy to let someone else run your life. "You, go take out the trash, you don't have a choice.".. "You, do this work, you don't have a choice"... "You, you're not allowed to drink that alcohol, you don't have a choice". There is strength in removing all accountability. If worst comes to worst, you can always say "well he told me to do it so I did it".
Having the will of God as your instructions for life is much easier than figuring it out yourself and making your own choices. However, since religion is a faith, it's open to interpretation, and you still do have to make your own assumptions to what something means, what the best way of doing things is, what is right and what is wrong. The bible doesn't tell you how to take a piss. Use one hand, make sure you shake twice, with a nice follow up jiggle. You learn this from trial and error.
If you're not sure if you're doing something right, there's strength in saying "Well in church, the pastor said that it's God's will that I worship, and he basically said I have to or else I'll go to hell... so it's pretty obvious that I need to worship now... I don't need to, but he said it's the right thing to do". This is very weak minded for the individual, but makes for a very strong choice. I have to pray because I was told to.
Romans 3:23 states, "for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God." Once we realize that, that is when we understand how long we have been yearning for God and God alone, only God can fill that gaping hole that exists in our heart, ive tried without and millions of others have but it is when we put all our pride and pre conceived notions to the side and just come to him as we are and that is when lives become changed. As much as you would like to think it, we cannot save ourselves from ourselves, we may think we can but we did not create ourselves so how can we save ourselves?
There's more to life than talking in quotes. Why does falling short mean we have to yearn for God? Why not yearn to better ourselves so as to not fall so short next time? Everyone has holes, and filling that hole with a guess that you don't have to think about is very simple. Here's an example, you have a hole in your drywall. What's easier, sanding the wall, patching the hole and re-painting... maybe 2 days of work. Or putting a painting over the hole? In my opinion, sometimes a hole needs to be analyzed, it needs to be understood, it needs to be fixed... not just covered with the first thing that comes along.
I say the first thing that comes along because look at how many religious people are out there. Look at how many people KNOW they're right and you're wrong. Look at Christians who know they're better than Muslims. Look at Muslims who know they're better than Jews. Look at Jews who know they're better than Atheists. Look at Atheists who know they're better than Christians. Wow, Look at ALL THE PREJUDICE! Now look at the agnostic who questions each belief. Who doesn't know what is right and what is wrong. The person who treats everyone with the respect that they would like to be treated with.
But I guess you're right. Get it? I guess you're right? haha. .. In your mind, you're right and everyone else is wrong. Just like a racist is white and he's right, and everyone who isn't white is wrong.
Some closing words:
I'm not religious, have never been. I've been open minded my entire life. I've learned a great deal from other people my entire life. Life is about experience. Our pre-programmed sense tells us to have children and continue our bloodline. However, is that all there is to life? Isn't the idea of having children about the experience of raising those children?
Yes, someone said that religious is weakness. If you ask me, I'm starting to understand that. It's about people who don't believe that life is worth living without some higher being 'basically' telling them what they have to do to live a good life. It's about about people who don't think they should change, because God is happy with them how they are. I feel pity for people who know they have weaknesses and don't try to strengthen them. Look at all the squishy people on this website. They could easily exercise, feel better about themselves, feel healthier and more alive, but they guilt trip themselves into believing that they are fine just how they are. Instead, they eat at Mickey D's and sit on the couch watching TV all day. There are people that have no choice, they were born with a fat disorder. These people give up just as easily. Instead of at least trying to control the problem, which they DO have the ability to do, they decide to give up.
I mentioned alcoholics to make a point. Instead of trying to understand what alcohol does for them, or understand how to control themselves when drinking, or try to find ways to not drive drunk... they turn to God... someone who can tell them what to do.
Isn't it obvious what to do? Stop drinking so damned much!
Well that's all I've got.... and please oh please do not quote the bible to me. Speak for yourselves for crying out loud. Don't give me some vague cases about how God is always there, God is always everywhere. In the sky or in your eye. In the pool, or on the Stool. God is love and love is God. God is my finger and he's smiling right now. When I'm weak I turn to God, and when I'm strong I turn to God, and when I'm sleeping, I turn to God, and when I'm showering I turn to God.... etc...etc..etc.
/rant off. | |
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| Belief in god: Simply a matter of not excepting reality?
Posted: 5/14/2008 4:58:29 PM | | oops... mispelled a bunch of crap, and lots of typos!... and I referred to the 'Bible' in many spots that I meant to say the old testament. In the end, it's still the bible, but I just thought I would clarify. | |
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| Belief in god: Simply a matter of not excepting reality?
Posted: 5/14/2008 5:16:30 PM |
oops... mispelled a bunch of crap, and lots of typos!... and I referred to the 'Bible' in many spots that I meant to say the old testament. In the end, it's still the bible, but I just thought I would clarify
I wouldn't worry about it - I doubt anybody will actually read it - it's a forum you should try to get your point across in a hell of a lot less words | |
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| Belief in god: Simply a matter of not excepting reality?
Posted: 5/14/2008 6:56:34 PM | I mentioned alcoholics to make a point. Instead of trying to understand what alcohol does for them, or understand how to control themselves when drinking, or try to find ways to not drive drunk... they turn to God... someone who can tell them what to do.
i turned to god when i quit drinking.i quit drinking.i also found a way to not be weak.i also realized that life is not about me. | |
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| Belief in god: Simply a matter of not excepting reality?
Posted: 5/14/2008 7:37:17 PM | Just an aside, Tilt is Saved said:
As for the Pope, nothing revolving the Pope is Biblical, the Papacy does not exist in Scripture, rather, Jesus is the head of the church, we are the body, not a fallable man like the pope. You are confusion "religion" with a relationship which is what Christianity can offer.
That's your opinion. However, I and many millions of Christians believe that the Papacy is rather explicit in Scripture, that Jesus appointed St. Peter as the first prime minister of the Church. However, that does not mean that we don't believe Jesus is the head of the Church. Obviously, He is.
Also, the "religion vs. relationship" line is a false dichotomy. I believe Christ, having been both a compassionate man who cared for the individual and emphasized a personal relationship with God as well as someone who carefully observed Jewish law and ritual custom and someone who instituted further religious rituals such as Baptism and the Eucharist, intended to fuse the two concepts together in harmony. Traditional Christianity has always emphasized both aspects of faith as being important. | |
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| Belief in god: Simply a matter of not excepting reality?
Posted: 5/15/2008 11:07:53 AM | Ironman and vindicator.....
Reason is the language of the head
Fath is the language of the heart.
You don't actually 'get' faith thru reason. Rather like the concept of "love'.
Be blessed
OH and I believe Science is eventually going to prove the existance of God. | |
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| Belief in god: Simply a matter of not excepting reality?
Posted: 5/17/2008 12:51:12 PM | | hi... I understand the reasons for your question and I all too well understand disbelief.... if I told you that I know, without a single speck of doubt, that there is God and that He did send His Son to give mankind another chance, you may politely listen then brush me off ... or you may consider that this may be worth your time to see for yourself... the way that I came to know God personally is by Living Truth, each day that I study and pray God proves to me that I am not imagining the wisdom and joy and peace and health that I am experiencing through knowing Him and submitting to HisPerfect Loving Plan... for most people it takes more that just a say so from a stranger to even ~consider~ let alone to accept that God exists but this in fact is the key to becoming sure, each person has to delve into it with an open mind and a searching heart to reap the immeasurable rewards for themself...much the same rewards as study in any field, eventually you become knowledgable and even an expert on the subject.... pls consider this, it is no surprise to me that you and others doubt Gods existance, a force with evil intent is putting up the smoke screen... ponder on this for a sec, God exists therefore an evil foe exists, both want your soul, One for your greater good, the other for destruction.... this foe lived with God for yrs, he too is an expert, an expert to fool the masses and to make what is real seem very very unreal .. no my brother, it is not out of fear that I worship God and His Son, it is out of Living Truth that I thankfully and sincerely submit my life to His Loving Care and Guidance... I pray for all mankind to come to know Him Truly as He Is, warmly Mona | |
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