I hope you wouldn't mind me putting me input in. It is not my intent to cram anything down anyones throat. I myself am a christian but I am not the perfect christian. I will admit that. I at least try my best to be one who practices what he preaches, although I have faults of my own. Dictionaries define religion as "reaching out to God". By that rationale, I don't consider myself religious. True christianity is defined as "God reaching out to man". I have experienced that. In my personal opinion, I don't think there is any such thing as a true atheist, agnostics maybe ,but not atheists because I believe deep down inside we all feel there is something larger than us .whether we want to admit it or not.
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Ignatz
3rd Level Red Feather
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Ignatz, Licensed Theological Mahout
There is an old fable about six blind men who went to see an elephant. The first man went up to the creature and felt of its trunk. He exclaimed, "Ah ha! The elephant is very like a serpent!" One of his companions, however, fetched up against the side of the beast and cried, "No, no, it is like a wall!" The blind man who chanced to catch hold of an ear announced that an elephant is like a fan, and the one who found a tusk compared it to a spear. The blind man who grabbed the tail thought the elephant was rope-like and the one with his arms wrapped around a leg insisted that elephants are like trees.
This has been used as a metaphor for many things, but mostly as a parable of Man's search for God. Jews, Christians, Muslims, Hindus, Buddhists...each has a death grip on a different part of the Elephant. None is wrong about what he grasps, but neither does any of them see the whole creature. As a Christian, though, I necessarily believe that we understand more of the whole picture than the others do. (I like to think of an atheist as being the guy who got hold of the tail just as the elephant took a dump. He quits the scene in disgust, not realizing that he just had his nose rubbed in something strong, fertile and vital to the continuance of Life. But maybe I'm pushing the analogy too far.)
I was brought up as a Christian, fell away and was a practicing heathen for the better part of two decades, and then returned to the fold. I had no blinding Damascus-road experience; I simply wore out much of my youthful arrogance (and ignorance) and, largely through the reading of certain authors, became convinced of the truth of Christianity.
My reasons are many and varied, ranging from the metaphysical to the practical to the purely emotional.
I believe in God because...
*Big Bang and Steady State theories of the universe demand it.
*Human civilization's explosion on the timeline of Earth's history has "miracle" written all over it.
*Our conscience cannot be explained by any other means. As Dostoevsky put it, "If there is no God, then everything is permissible."
*Babies have a sense of humor.
*Nothing else can account for the music of Johann Sebastian Bach.
I believe in Christ because the Gospels have the ring of truth about them. This Jesus was either a madman or a liar (neither of which is tenable when you consider what he said and did)...or he was exactly what he said he was.
There are inconsistencies and contradictions in the Scriptures, but they are about relatively insignificant things...and they are the sort of mistakes you would expect to find in any accounts of something that actually happened. If it all fit and dovetailed perfectly, then I would suspect that it was something somebody made up.
The Old Testament is a collection of religious literature handed down by our spiritual fathers, the Jews. It is myth, parable, history, geneology, prophecy, poetry and proverb. Some of it is arguably satirical, like the Book of Jonah. This idea will outrage many of my fellow Christians, who do not understand that myth and satire are used to convey profound truths. Whatever is not literally true is still there to teach us a lesson about life and God.
To anyone who wishes to investigate the claims of Christianity, I would recommend one book, "Mere Christianity," by C. S. Lewis. Lewis builds up the case for, first, the existence of God, and then the divinity of Christ. He explains the doctrines that are common to all sects and denominations (hence, the title..."mere" as in "pure," not as in "paltry.") He does not gush or rhapsodize or holler "Hosanna." He writes a crystal clear prose that is a pleasure to read.
Anyone who would rather investigate the metaphysical reasons for believing in God, without involving Christianity or any other specific creed, should read "How To Think About God," by the late Mortimer J. Adler.
There is an old fable about six blind men who went to see an elephant. The first man went up to the creature and felt of its trunk. He exclaimed, "Ah ha! The elephant is very like a serpent!" One of his companions, however, fetched up against the side of the beast and cried, "No, no, it is like a wall!" The blind man who chanced to catch hold of an ear announced that an elephant is like a fan, and the one who found a tusk compared it to a spear. The blind man who grabbed the tail thought the elephant was rope-like and the one with his arms wrapped around a leg insisted that elephants are like trees.
This has been used as a metaphor for many things, but mostly as a parable of Man's search for God. Jews, Christians, Muslims, Hindus, Buddhists...each has a death grip on a different part of the Elephant. None is wrong about what he grasps, but neither does any of them see the whole creature. As a Christian, though, I necessarily believe that we understand more of the whole picture than the others do. (I like to think of an atheist as being the guy who got hold of the tail just as the elephant took a dump. He quits the scene in disgust, not realizing that he just had his nose rubbed in something strong, fertile and vital to the continuance of Life. But maybe I'm pushing the analogy too far.)
I was brought up as a Christian, fell away and was a practicing heathen for the better part of two decades, and then returned to the fold. I had no blinding Damascus-road experience; I simply wore out much of my youthful arrogance (and ignorance) and, largely through the reading of certain authors, became convinced of the truth of Christianity.
My reasons are many and varied, ranging from the metaphysical to the practical to the purely emotional.
I believe in God because...
*Big Bang and Steady State theories of the universe demand it.
*Human civilization's explosion on the timeline of Earth's history has "miracle" written all over it.
*Our conscience cannot be explained by any other means. As Dostoevsky put it, "If there is no God, then everything is permissible."
*Babies have a sense of humor.
*Nothing else can account for the music of Johann Sebastian Bach.
I believe in Christ because the Gospels have the ring of truth about them. This Jesus was either a madman or a liar (neither of which is tenable when you consider what he said and did)...or he was exactly what he said he was.
There are inconsistencies and contradictions in the Scriptures, but they are about relatively insignificant things...and they are the sort of mistakes you would expect to find in any accounts of something that actually happened. If it all fit and dovetailed perfectly, then I would suspect that it was something somebody made up.
The Old Testament is a collection of religious literature handed down by our spiritual fathers, the Jews. It is myth, parable, history, geneology, prophecy, poetry and proverb. Some of it is arguably satirical, like the Book of Jonah. This idea will outrage many of my fellow Christians, who do not understand that myth and satire are used to convey profound truths. Whatever is not literally true is still there to teach us a lesson about life and God.
To anyone who wishes to investigate the claims of Christianity, I would recommend one book, "Mere Christianity," by C. S. Lewis. Lewis builds up the case for, first, the existence of God, and then the divinity of Christ. He explains the doctrines that are common to all sects and denominations (hence, the title..."mere" as in "pure," not as in "paltry.") He does not gush or rhapsodize or holler "Hosanna." He writes a crystal clear prose that is a pleasure to read.
Anyone who would rather investigate the metaphysical reasons for believing in God, without involving Christianity or any other specific creed, should read "How To Think About God," by the late Mortimer J. Adler.
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Melissa666
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Another favorite of mine about ol Christianity is that "Christ died to save us from death and torment." Really? People die and suffer everyday immeasurably. Good people too while rich scumbags are banging their blonde, mini-skirted secretaries! So its easy to conclude that Christ died for absolutely nothing at all. Also aint one of the 10 commandments "thou shall not kill" yet the bible instructs us to kill witches,homosexuals,enemies of our country,etc. I guess when killing suits the church its becomes negotiable whether its right or wrong. People still believe in this hokey stuff too thats the scary part. The Nazis killed about a 10th of the people the catholic church has.
I wonder if Science will ever try to do the impossible and try to classify and catelog a complete and definate understanding of the human soul. I suppose if they did that they could bio-engineer a human being. I dunno. I think Science without morality is not a thing to be happy about.
I do believe in God and his son Jesus and I do believe Jesus and Mary were married and I do believe in the Holy Grail being the bloodline of the son of god. I don't know how that is going to play in the overall scheme of things though. What disturbs me is that many people make a common mistake.
Whenever they hear about a baby performing miracles the first thing that pops out of their mouths is, "He's jesus reborn". Ugh! The bible SAYS SPECIFICALLY the anti-christ comes first damit! Well, as far as revelations goes, I dunno. I hope it doesn't happen. I hope god is kind and merciful.
By saying that I mean I hope he doesn't send people to hell just because people don't believe in him. Damning people to eternal torment just because they don't believe in you isn't the act of kind and merciful god. It's the act of a tyrant. I hope god isn't like that. I don't think he is.
I think God places more emphasis on act than belief. If I'm wrong though then I don't want to be apart of his realm. I also don't want to be in heaven is my Mother, Brother, or Father aren't all there. My mom was date raped and had an abortion. I don't believe it was her fault. She's a good person.
If god sends her to hell for circumstances she couldn't control then I'm gonna spit in his face and tell him to send me to where my Mom is.
I do believe in God and his son Jesus and I do believe Jesus and Mary were married and I do believe in the Holy Grail being the bloodline of the son of god. I don't know how that is going to play in the overall scheme of things though. What disturbs me is that many people make a common mistake.
Whenever they hear about a baby performing miracles the first thing that pops out of their mouths is, "He's jesus reborn". Ugh! The bible SAYS SPECIFICALLY the anti-christ comes first damit! Well, as far as revelations goes, I dunno. I hope it doesn't happen. I hope god is kind and merciful.
By saying that I mean I hope he doesn't send people to hell just because people don't believe in him. Damning people to eternal torment just because they don't believe in you isn't the act of kind and merciful god. It's the act of a tyrant. I hope god isn't like that. I don't think he is.
I think God places more emphasis on act than belief. If I'm wrong though then I don't want to be apart of his realm. I also don't want to be in heaven is my Mother, Brother, or Father aren't all there. My mom was date raped and had an abortion. I don't believe it was her fault. She's a good person.
If god sends her to hell for circumstances she couldn't control then I'm gonna spit in his face and tell him to send me to where my Mom is.
emsindahouse
TMF Regular
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religion what a farce some monk in a monestery wrote it and still centurys after people are still reading it when I read a comic book or fiction novel it's just that but the bible huh religion is for the weak minded and that's just my opinion I am not trying to offend anyone but that's what I believe religion is man maded
Ghost_Host_9991
TMF Regular
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Ghandi (hell I probably spelled it wrong) once said that "Christianity is a wonderful idea, it's a shame that nobody has tried it yet." But then Ghandi let his wife die by not allowing her to take a life saving medicine saying that his faith was being tested. However, when his ass was on the line, he took pills to save himself from malaria. Nothing told to us by people should be taken at face value, because all people are flawed.
I think religion was created by man to act as a buffer against the knowledge that the human race is a very small and fragile group of beings in a very large and ultimately deadly universe. This at it's heart is not necessarily a bad thing. It's only when the good ideas get perverted by flawed people that we seem to run into problems. We are self aware, and thus have knowledge of our own mortality. The concept of death has always frightened people, and so as a comfort, the concept of the afterlife was thought up. I think that this was especially necessary for people in ancient times when any little shit thing could lead to death. Couple that with people who feel a need to be led (or comforted if you prefer) and before long you now have groups of people (sometimes large ones) believing in the same idea. Where we run into trouble is when we start believing our idea is the only one worth having.
As people we like to think we have things under control, but bad shit sometimes just happens, and it would not take very much bad shit to wipe the human race off the face of the planet...say a rock from space a couple of miles wide. I often wonder if millions of years from now, some other race of beings will have museums with human remains on display, like we do with the dinosaurs.
If there is a supreme creative being in the universe, I highly doubt that we, the human race are the crowned jewel of creation. If anything we are a grave disapointment. We kill each other over such petty things. We're the only species that does this. Think about that for a second, We kill our own kind over nothing. We do things that poison and destroy our own world, and why? Eh, because there's no money to be made in having a clean environment. For every Mozart, we have thousands of corporate scumbags raping the planet and their workers. For every Michaelangelo, we have a thousand self-serving politicians cloaking themselves in religious dogma, and giving other innocent, good hearted folks a bad name. If you take anything away from this little rant, take this away...If there is a creative supreme being in the universe that put life on this planet WE ARE NOT WHAT WAS INTENDED. And if there is no creative being that means we had better start taking responsibility for ourselves. *Bell Rings* What was that? Oh my god I think I made a point! (it was bound to happen eventually). Without a Supreme creative being...WE HAVE TO TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR OURSELVES. But then again, I, like the rest of the human race am a *very* flawed human being.
Eh, maybe we should just think of religion as a spice rack. It has all different kinds of seasonings, and is always there if you want or need it. You can even offer some to a guest, but let *them* tell you which ones they like, and don't ridicule them for having different taste than you do. 🙂
I think religion was created by man to act as a buffer against the knowledge that the human race is a very small and fragile group of beings in a very large and ultimately deadly universe. This at it's heart is not necessarily a bad thing. It's only when the good ideas get perverted by flawed people that we seem to run into problems. We are self aware, and thus have knowledge of our own mortality. The concept of death has always frightened people, and so as a comfort, the concept of the afterlife was thought up. I think that this was especially necessary for people in ancient times when any little shit thing could lead to death. Couple that with people who feel a need to be led (or comforted if you prefer) and before long you now have groups of people (sometimes large ones) believing in the same idea. Where we run into trouble is when we start believing our idea is the only one worth having.
As people we like to think we have things under control, but bad shit sometimes just happens, and it would not take very much bad shit to wipe the human race off the face of the planet...say a rock from space a couple of miles wide. I often wonder if millions of years from now, some other race of beings will have museums with human remains on display, like we do with the dinosaurs.
If there is a supreme creative being in the universe, I highly doubt that we, the human race are the crowned jewel of creation. If anything we are a grave disapointment. We kill each other over such petty things. We're the only species that does this. Think about that for a second, We kill our own kind over nothing. We do things that poison and destroy our own world, and why? Eh, because there's no money to be made in having a clean environment. For every Mozart, we have thousands of corporate scumbags raping the planet and their workers. For every Michaelangelo, we have a thousand self-serving politicians cloaking themselves in religious dogma, and giving other innocent, good hearted folks a bad name. If you take anything away from this little rant, take this away...If there is a creative supreme being in the universe that put life on this planet WE ARE NOT WHAT WAS INTENDED. And if there is no creative being that means we had better start taking responsibility for ourselves. *Bell Rings* What was that? Oh my god I think I made a point! (it was bound to happen eventually). Without a Supreme creative being...WE HAVE TO TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR OURSELVES. But then again, I, like the rest of the human race am a *very* flawed human being.
Eh, maybe we should just think of religion as a spice rack. It has all different kinds of seasonings, and is always there if you want or need it. You can even offer some to a guest, but let *them* tell you which ones they like, and don't ridicule them for having different taste than you do. 🙂
