How many members here are Christians?

[Gothamite]

I believe. I achieve.

I go to Mass every Sunday and I feel the better for it. There I things I don't like about Catholicism. There are things I don't believe in, there are many, many times when I question the Church. But I like having faith and I believe that it has had a positive effect on me. I don't try to force my belief on anyone else as long as they don't try to force theirs on me.

 

[Bass]

i'm atheist. When it comes to the afterlife i believe once your dead your dead that's it. No heaven/hell , No reincarnation No coming back to suck young girls in to the tv. Just dead.

But i have no problem with people who do believe as long as they don't force it upon me (no one here does that but you know the type I mean)

that's exactly my beleif

BURN THE HERETICS!

Spoiler

God did it

SPARE THIS HERETIC FOR ONE LUNAR CYCLE!

I believe. I achieve.

BURN THIS HERETIC! RHYMING HAS NO PLACE IN GOD'S PLAN!

... Wait. If that's true, why did he invent it? Hmm.

BURN THIS HERETIC! MY BRAIN HURTS BECAUSE OF HIM!

 

[SSJmole]

BURN THE HERETICS!



SPARE THIS HERETIC FOR ONE LUNAR CYCLE!

I'm not a Heretic , I believe in Bass! , I even have a "W.W.B.D" bracelet

 

[Bass]

:sure:

WWBD?

 

[SSJmole]

:sure:

WWBD?

What Would Bass Do

 

[Bass]

Of course!

 

[Planet-man]

The title should've been changed to something along the lines of "How many members here are religious" a long time ago.

Anyway, here's mine...

My beliefs came together because of my need for an answer to the question of why wouldn't God create a perfect Universe? The answer: that's exactly what he's doing.

In other words, us asking that question would be equivelent to the chaotic cake ingredients in a mixing bowl asking why the chef didn't just bake a cake instead of creating this mess.

We are somewhere in the process of creating a that perfect world we yearn for, through trial and error and a million other things, both deliberate and serendipitous on our part, with every atrocious thing happening either to show us what not to do and create a brighter and brighter future, or even for another butterfly-effect-like purpose. Everything happens for a reason - no matter how far removed through time. Someone's parent being killed in a car accident has made many people lose faith in God.... but how do they know it hasn't caused a series of a million reactions that lead to a new President being elected and preventing a nuclear war?

Know what I mean?

Everything happens like this, for this purpose, and was set in motion at the "beginning of time" by God in his benevolence. That's what I believe.

I'm also firmly against any sort of organized religion, or anything that involves one human telling another human what to believe, or how to pray, or what to pray for, or what not to do without explaination(note: I don't count "because the Bible says so" as an actual explaination, mainly because the Bible was again written by other humans, and not God).

Most religions, like UC Dreamcasts, have some good points and other bad ones, and so I think having to pick one and cut your losses is completely unecessary and even destructive. Pick and choose what makes sense to you. I guess my only real commandment would be to attempt to preserve as much life and happiness as you can(this includes the lives and happiness of non-human animals).

And that's my take on that.

 

[SSJmole]

The title should've been changed to something along the lines of "How many members here are religious" a long time ago.

Agreed

 

[ourchair]

The title should've been changed to something along the lines of "How many members here are religious" a long time ago.

Hardcore Christians would tell you that "Christian" and "religious" are the same thing.

 

[Hibiki]

The title should've been changed to something along the lines of "How many members here are religious" a long time ago.

Anyway, here's mine...

My beliefs came together because of my need for an answer to the question of why wouldn't God create a perfect Universe? The answer: that's exactly what he's doing.

In other words, us asking that question would be equivelent to the chaotic cake ingredients in a mixing bowl asking why the chef didn't just bake a cake instead of creating this mess.

We are somewhere in the process of creating a that perfect world we yearn for, through trial and error and a million other things, both deliberate and serendipitous on our part, with every atrocious thing happening either to show us what not to do and create a brighter and brighter future, or even for another butterfly-effect-like purpose. Everything happens for a reason - no matter how far removed through time. Someone's parent being killed in a car accident has made many people lose faith in God.... but how do they know it hasn't caused a series of a million reactions that lead to a new President being elected and preventing a nuclear war?

Know what I mean?

Everything happens like this, for this purpose, and was set in motion at the "beginning of time" by God in his benevolence. That's what I believe.

I'm also firmly against any sort of organized religion, or anything that involves one human telling another human what to believe, or how to pray, or what to pray for, or what not to do without explaination(note: I don't count "because the Bible says so" as an actual explaination, mainly because the Bible was again written by other humans, and not God).

Most religions, like UC Dreamcasts, have some good points and other bad ones, and so I think having to pick one and cut your losses is completely unecessary and even destructive. Pick and choose what makes sense to you. I guess my only real commandment would be to attempt to preserve as much life and happiness as you can(this includes the lives and happiness of non-human animals).

And that's my take on that.

I would argue that the world was perfect and that adam and eve ruined it for everyone. God DID create a perfect world. Lions played in the same fields as lambs and the world was good. Something like that written in exodus. Oh and the chicken did come before the egg. It evens says so in the bible. 8) and the whole reason for organized religion was for people of the same mindset like oh i don't know, say comic book readers finding a website to talke about **** and discuss their beliefs and praise their creator almighty. I'm nowhere against organized religion as it is helpful some to clear their thoughts and feel better, having wiser ones guide them and teach them on their path to enlightenment and salvation. Nowadays, it's just a sad sight. All these crazy haried fanatics running around preaching from a book they shat all over one time too many for their own betterment of success, fame and money. That's the one reason i don't go to church and i could understand why someone would be against going. I don't blame you and in all honesty, there isn't one good reason to for you to actually go. You can do the same from your home and as long as you know you do good and follow the path, then you get rewarded in life.

Another thing is that I feel that our choices are not preordained. If that was the case then we've been living in 1984 all our lives. Our choices are our own and to believe otherwise imo is just irresponsible. If you're of clear mind and concious you are responsible for every decision you make. No one is puppeteering you to go to work or date a certain person or controlling your free will do as they please. Whatever the situation, you always have a choice.

no one truly knows if there is a heaven or not. it's your belief. it's your faith that will guide you. I choose to believe there is because that gives me something to live for everyday. A lifelong goal that I will see to fruition. YOu can call me crazy or whatever, you can insult me, hate me, hit me or kill me. I'm still gonna loves ya baby. cept mole, he's creepy. JK 8)

 

[compound]

YOu can call me crazy or whatever, you can insult me, hate me, hit me or kill me.

I can think of *somebody* on this board who'd gladly hit you :twisted:

 

[Gemini]

you know i don't hate the idea of a god, or an afterlife, faith is not a bad thing

IMHO religon as a fait-based-organization is an inherintly terrible idea

 

[ourchair]

I can think of *somebody* on this board who'd gladly hit you :twisted:

Or hit a truck for you.

 

[Planet-man]

I would argue that the world was perfect and that adam and eve ruined it for everyone. God DID create a perfect world. Lions played in the same fields as lambs and the world was good. Something like that written in exodus.

My problem with this is that a God who would punish trillions of unrelated beings because of two others(that he created, for that matter) doesn't really sound like such a good guy. He sounds like kind of an usually petty substitute teacher. I wouldn't do something that mean and irrational, which means I'm.... greater than God?

Something about that doesn't add up.

Oh and the chicken did come before the egg. It evens says so in the bible. 8) and the whole reason for organized religion was for people of the same mindset like oh i don't know, say comic book readers finding a website to talke about **** and discuss their beliefs and praise their creator almighty.

But that's not what organized religion is, or has been for millenia. A place for discussion and clarification isn't the same as a place for instruction.

I'm nowhere against organized religion as it is helpful some to clear their thoughts and feel better, having wiser ones guide them and teach them on their path to enlightenment and salvation. Nowadays, it's just a sad sight. All these crazy haried fanatics running around preaching from a book they shat all over one time too many for their own betterment of success, fame and money. That's the one reason i don't go to church and i could understand why someone would be against going. I don't blame you and in all honesty, there isn't one good reason to for you to actually go. You can do the same from your home and as long as you know you do good and follow the path, then you get rewarded in life.

Agreed, I guess.

Another thing is that I feel that our choices are not preordained. If that was the case then we've been living in 1984 all our lives. Our choices are our own and to believe otherwise imo is just irresponsible. If you're of clear mind and concious you are responsible for every decision you make. No one is puppeteering you to go to work or date a certain person or controlling your free will do as they please. Whatever the situation, you always have a choice.

See, I disagree mainly because I'm a believer in the unity between God and science. I'm a pretty adamant determinist, because scientifically, logically, and empirically..... it just makes sense by definition.

Yes, everything you do is by choice, but every choice you make is influenced by a million things and the effect they had on you, and each of them by a million other things and so on back to the beginning of time.

You choose to do something like get up and go outside. Could you have not made that choice? No, you couldn't have. What would have made you something else? What would have made that happen? And that happen? And so on.

As science suggests, I firmly believe the Universe and everything and everyone in it is just one big physical/chemical reaction. I just think God was the one who devised it and set it off, and that it's purpose is a perfect place.

I have a belief in heaven(or mainly, what gets there and why) that I'm pretty proud of too, but we'll get to that later.

 

[moonmaster]

My problem with this is that a God who would punish trillions of unrelated beings because of two others(that he created, for that matter) doesn't really sound like such a good guy. He sounds like kind of an usually petty substitute teacher. I wouldn't do something that mean and irrational, which means I'm.... greater than God?

Something about that doesn't add up.

I have my own take on that particular story.

As simply as possible: The Garden of Eden is a place of perfect bliss and therefore, utter stupidity. The Devil - who, remember, was only turned into a force of evil and darkness by later Christians - tells Adam and Eve that if they wish to escape their ignorance, they can eat from the tree of knowledge. They agree, but their choice comes at a price. They can no longer live in the Garden of Eden.

And so all must make the choice: Be stupid and be happy, or take the more rewarding and more difficult route of intelligence and inquisitiveness.

And as far as Predestination goes, everything that ever has been done or ever will be done has been done in one particular way. The universe follows a set series of events. Maybe we'll never know this order and maybe we shouldn't, but it does.

 

[Planet-man]

I have my own take on that particular story.

As simply as possible: The Garden of Eden is a place of perfect bliss and therefore, utter stupidity. The Devil - who, remember, was only turned into a force of evil and darkness by later Christians - tells Adam and Eve that if they wish to escape their ignorance, they can eat from the tree of knowledge. They agree, but their choice comes at a price. They can no longer live in the Garden of Eden.

And so all must make the choice: Be stupid and be happy, or take the more rewarding and more difficult route of intelligence and inquisitiveness.

Now that's an interpretation I can get behind. Very, very different meaning.

To clarify, you're saying that the "Garden" wasn't actually a good place, but only one that appeared good because everyone ignored the bad stuff, correct?

And as far as Predestination goes, everything that ever has been done or ever will be done has been done in one particular way. The universe follows a set series of events. Maybe we'll never know this order and maybe we shouldn't, but it does.

Yep. That's what Determinism is. Honestly, I don't really see how anybody with a good knowledge of science can not be a Determinist.

 

[E]

Or hit a truck for you.

In case it needs to be said, most references to that incident like this will earn Post of the Day.

So, Post of the Day.

Also - I've had to delete a few posts out of this thread today. This is a pretty serious and touchy subject and for the most part is being handled extremely well. Blaspheming has no place here, no matter what it is reference to or how mild you think it is. So think carefully before making a joke in this thread.

 

[moonmaster]

Now that's an interpretation I can get behind. Very, very different meaning.

To clarify, you're saying that the "Garden" wasn't actually a good place, but only one that appeared good because everyone ignored the bad stuff, correct?

Not necessarily. The Garden of Eden is a great place because no one bothers to question anything or seek to know anything beyond what they already know. Ignorance = Bliss.

Yep. That's what Determinism is. Honestly, I don't really see how anybody with a good knowledge of science can not be a Determinist.

Though I should point out that scientists think there is most likely an infinite number of alternate universes, meaning that any deviation or combination of deviations from our universe must be contained in some other place. So yes, every fictional story you've ever read and every what if? you've ever wondered about is currently happening somewhere outside of our own universe.

 

[Planet-man]

Not necessarily. The Garden of Eden is a great place because no one bothers to question anything or seek to know anything beyond what they already know. Ignorance = Bliss.

But only if you're ignorant of bad things. If there were bad things that they were ignorant of, then it wasn't really a great place. It only appeared that way.

If there were no bad things, where's the ignorance?

Though I should point out that scientists think there is most likely an infinite number of alternate universes, meaning that any deviation or combination of deviations from our universe must be contained in some other place. So yes, every fictional story you've ever read and every what if? you've ever wondered about is currently happening somewhere outside of our own universe.

Yes, but each of those would still follow all the rules of Determinism, just with a different starting point.

Assuming one believes this.

 

[ourchair]

Also - I've had to delete a few posts out of this thread today. This is a pretty serious and touchy subject and for the most part is being handled extremely well. Blaspheming has no place here, no matter what it is reference to or how mild you think it is. So think carefully before making a joke in this thread.

*blushes*

I wonder who that could be?