What are your religious beliefs?

[JWG223]

So, you are an atheist, with no end of comments concerning the life, nature and teachings of Jesus. I see why you are so often off track.

Off track...in your opinion. Because your interpretation of the book I don't believe in is different than my interpretation of it? Just because I don't think it depicts a deity doesn't mean I don't have a very solid understanding of what lives between those two leather covers (However, like everyone who reads the Bible, I am always learning more/revising that opinion).

Why do you think I am an atheist/agnostic? because I woke up and decided that God just couldn't be?
No, it came from hundreds of hours in various bible classes taught by people who could actually read fluently the languages that the Bible was written in before King James' scribes got hold of it, going to church for a good portion of my short life, and hearing all of the arguments for/against.

After all the evidence presented to me thus far; no thank-you.

 

[Leonidas]

I don't care why you are atheist. And no, you do not "have a solid understanding of what lives between those two leather covers." Sorry to pop your bubble, I am not impressed by who you went to bible class with. You missed a major lesson. "In all thy getting, get understanding." You are not interested in acquiring knowledge; you are interested in displaying it.

 

[JWG223]

I don't care why you are atheist. And no, you do not "have a solid understanding of what lives between those two leather covers." Sorry to pop your bubble, I am not impressed by who you went to bible class with. You missed a major lesson. "In all thy getting, get understanding." You are not interested in acquiring knowledge; you are interested in displaying it.

I acquired enough knowledge for me to make my decision based on, whether it impresses you or not does not factor.

 

[Leonidas]

Why then did you work so hard at trying to impress me?

 

[JWG223]

Why then did you work so hard at trying to impress me?

If you do not care about/are not impressed with my argument why try to entice me for more of the same?

To answer your question, I debate with you because it's something to do at 3am and sometimes if you approach a debate over something with an open mind, you learn something. I have. Anyway, last post for a while. It's gym time.

 

[greenhornet]

Agnostic/Athiest depending on my mood. It all just sounds crazy to me.

 

[Jester]

God, thank you for stirring our hearts.
Thank you for giving us a need to find some meaning to our lives and to our existence.
I pray that you would continue to encourage those who have found truth and comfort in you.
Thank you for your love, and for the way in which you watch, like the father of the prodigal son.
Thank you Lord, for loving us even when we are unlovable.


I've lived my half on both sides of this question.
All I can really say is, and I'm not much for witty debate on an internet forum, that I know without a shadow of a doubt where the truth is.
I understand how the "facts" don't appear to make any sense, they baffled me for years, and actually is was inability to understand things that pushed me away because the lack of 'logic' left me thinking that there could be no truth in the religion of my youth. If you feel a passion in your heart on this poll, regardless of how you answer, I'd suggest you chase it and see where it goes.
CS Lewis set out trying to disprove the falseness he felt was inherent in Christianity. By virtue of proximity to this question, he became one of the most passionate and compelling christian authors.

So there's that.
Thanks for a good poll - i thought this was a pretty interesting read, and i think i am going to be late for work now!

 

[CEHollier]

God, thank you for stirring our hearts.
Thank you for giving us a need to find some meaning to our lives and to our existence.
I pray that you would continue to encourage those who have found truth and comfort in you.
Thank you for your love, and for the way in which you watch, like the father of the prodigal son.
Thank you Lord, for loving us even when we are unlovable.


I've lived my half on both sides of this question.
All I can really say is, and I'm not much for witty debate on an internet forum, that I know without a shadow of a doubt where the truth is.
I understand how the "facts" don't appear to make any sense, they baffled me for years, and actually is was inability to understand things that pushed me away because the lack of 'logic' left me thinking that there could be no truth in the religion of my youth. If you feel a passion in your heart on this poll, regardless of how you answer, I'd suggest you chase it and see where it goes.
CS Lewis set out trying to disprove the falseness he felt was inherent in Christianity. By virtue of proximity to this question, he became one of the most passionate and compelling christian authors.

So there's that.
Thanks for a good poll - i thought this was a pretty interesting read, and i think i am going to be late for work now!

Amen Jester. Anything that promotes discussion towards truth is beneficial to it's members. I can only speak for myself and my life. I have had several spiritual experiences in my life which have made me a better man. They have also brought me closer to God. I would not so much say that I found God but that he found me. I have two college degrees with a strong foundation is science and to me this knowledge more proves the existance of a higher power than disproves it. This kinda reminds me of the joke where a scientist was telling God how much advancement man has made and science can even create life as God did. As the scientist demonstrates how it is done God interrupts and explains to impress him the scientist must also create all of the matter that brings that life forth.

 

[JWG223]

Amen Jester. Anything that promotes discussion towards truth is beneficial to it's members. I can only speak for myself and my life. I have had several spiritual experiences in my life which have made me a better man. They have also brought me closer to God. I would not so much say that I found God but that he found me. I have two college degrees with a strong foundation is science and to me this knowledge more proves the existance of a higher power than disproves it. This kinda reminds me of the joke where a scientist was telling God how much advancement man has made and science can even create life as God did. As the scientist demonstrates how it is done God interrupts and explains to impress him the scientist must also create all of the matter that brings that life forth.

Someone on here told me to read the Bible for a month and pray. What can it hurt? I think we can all agree that taken in context, the Bible is a good guide for how to live a moral life, so at the very least I will fill my mind with good suggestions once a day and have a bit of meditation. I'm down. Here in a bit before I go to bed, will pull up John and knock out a chapter or two.

 

[TomTerrific]

Up to 11 pages! Why not keep 'er goin'? Lots of doctrinal disputes yet to be revisited:

Gnosticism
Docetism
Origenism
Arianism
Pelagianism
Nestorianism
Monophysitism

And we're only up the the 5th Century... enough for another 50 pages at least!

Then we could take up theodicy.

One thing that bothers me about this thread is we have a lot of people making what they feel are statements of facts yet they don't tell us what is in their background that qualifies them to do so.

It appears to me the more the set of books that became the Christian Bible is studied, the less apparent their sources are. You only have to look at the conclusions of the Jesus Seminar or read some of Ehrman's books. Scripture is scripture because it won a vote at a conference. Textual analysis is a fascinating field.

Part of the conflicts today is we have people interpreting scripture that are hardly qualified to do so. There is a big difference between "This is the way I see it" and "This is The Truth."


When reality conflicts with your delusions, what do you do? Rethink your delusions, or try to edit the facts?

 

[Takuan]

Theodicy... oh, dear, that would be evil!

 

[Moondew]

Amberwood, Zarathushtra, Hammer of Thor Kindred, Mithraism, Religio Romana

 

[RustyHammer]

Waste of time. What's the point - Christian poll only? Interesting ...

 

[RyanW]

NB4TL!!!!!!!

Just to give a little evidence of other people's misguided opinions on literature ask yourself this, also ask others if you want to see how people interpret things;
"If you had to organize a video store, what section would William Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet go in?" This is a very basic story that pretty much everyone in the US is familiar with, so the answer should be easy.














Most people will say romance, when it is in fact a tragedy. A tragedy based on a teenage suicide pact between families whose lives revolve around power and violence. I just hope some people don;t base their thoughts and beliefs around a love story, when in reality it may be a tragedy, or vise versa.

 

[Jed]

Entertaining thread, if only because Leo and the hitman are so disarmed by the rational intelligent posts of a newbie.
JWG223, thanks for joining us.

 

[Leonidas]

What alternate universe are you occupying? I'd like some of the mushrooms you obviously discovered there.
I don't find it necessary to phone an old pastor to tell me what my opinion is.

 

[JWG223]

What alternate universe are you occupying? I'd like some of the mushrooms you obviously discovered there.
I don't find it necessary to phone an old pastor to tell me what my opinion is.

Well, I don't know about yourself, but i do not have a degree in theology. I can read the bible as well as anyone else, but it appears that interpretation is what is in question, not the words themselves. When it comes to that, I find that those of use who have studied the scripture and disected it for years attaining their ordination, they have some valuable insite to offer. If you have it all figured out, though, I digress. Anyone who thinks the word of an alleged god is subject to their opinion on the matter will always be "right". You win.

 

[Hitman]

Entertaining thread, if only because Leo and the hitman are so disarmed by the rational intelligent posts of a newbie.
JWG223, thanks for joining us.

Did you bring your pom pom's?

You've obviously missed a few pages of reading. Thanks for trolling though.

I can see still nothing's being accomplished here. Like all the other threads. I too wonder why we even bother trying to discuss something like this over the internet. That's why there's no need to post Jed. It's pointless and accomplished nothing. No one walks away thinking differently than when it started. Everyone just continues to reiterate their own opinions and then wonders why the other doesn't get it.

So Cheer On! silly......


What's sad on my part is I told myself ..do not click on the thread...don't do it, just let it go.... Clicked it anyway

Maybe this time I'll just let the idiocy run.

 

[JWG223]

Did you bring your pom pom's?

You've obviously missed a few pages of reading. Thanks for trolling though.

I can see still nothing's being accomplished here. Like all the other threads. I too wonder why we even bother trying to discuss something like this over the internet. That's why there's no need to post Jed. It's pointless and accomplished nothing. No one walks away thinking differently than when it started. Everyone just continues to reiterate their own opinions and then wonders why the other doesn't get it.

So Cheer On! silly......


What's sad on my part is I told myself ..do not click on the thread...don't do it, just let it go.... Clicked it anyway

Maybe this time I'll just let the idiocy run.

NOW...are you out? :P
Seriously though, you made a great point on diet, as well as day of worship. I'm still following up on it. Thank-you.

 

[Hitman]

NOW...are you out? :P
Seriously though, you made a great point on diet, as well as day of worship. I'm still following up on it. Thank-you.

Wait you didn't see the post above? You're being welcomed into the Jed Family for disarming Leo and I. We shouldn't be talking so politely....

BTW What denomination is your Christian Elder?