Politics and religion.

[momoffuzzyfaces]

Possible now but not 2000 years ago.

With God, all things are possible.

He's gazillions of times smarter than people. We just took this long to figure this much out. We may never know for sure how the virgin birth happened but then, we aren't supposed to know EVERYTHING. Our tiny brains would probably explode!

[Medusa]

If we aren't supposed to know we wouldn't have been told in the first place. IMO, accepting something as fact w/out question isn't faith, it's gullibility. Also, IMO, God wants us to investigate further; that's how we learn and build our faith.

[lizbud]

IMO, accepting something as fact w/out question isn't faith, it's gullibility.

Oh, but it is. It is the very definition of faith.



Main Entry: 1faith
Pronunciation: \ˈfāth\
Function: noun
Inflected Form(s): plural faiths \ˈfāths, sometimes ˈfāthz\
Etymology: Middle English feith, from Anglo-French feid, fei, from Latin fides; akin to Latin fidere to trust — more at bide
Date: 13th century

1 a: allegiance to duty or a person : loyalty b (1): fidelity to one's promises (2): sincerity of intentions
2 a (1): belief and trust in and loyalty to God (2): belief in the traditional doctrines of a religion b (1): firm belief in something for which there is no proof (2): complete trust
3: something that is believed especially with strong conviction ; especially : a system of religious beliefs <the Protestant faith>
synonyms see belief
— on faith : without question <took everything he said on faith>

[RICHARD]

Here's my acid test.....

No, not THAT kind of acid!

Start out in the morning and look for that flower in your neighborhood.

Then look at a tree.

Walk by a school full of kids.

Have an apple for lunch.

Go check out a pet store and look at the fishes

Watch the sun go down, the stars light up and the moon rise in the sky.

Someone or something has been hard at work putting all that shiat around us.

He might be a brown haired,blue eyed dude, someone who cannot be drawn in any manner, a prophet or the head of a 'pseudo religion' based in Lost Angeles.

They don't have the chops to explain anything about the world came to be.

It's way bigger that you, I, our pets or the internet.

Faith is good, IT's when we start making my god better than yours when we get into problems.

[Medusa]

At one time, people had complete trust that the earth was flat until it could be disproved. IMO, that wasn't faith; it was gullibility. They questioned it and found out differently.

[Medusa]

Faith is good, IT's when we start making my god better than yours when we get into problems.

Amen, RICHARD.

I find, also, that some of what passes as faith is actually fear, fear of what might happen to someone if they don't believe a certain way. Some people act, not out of love, but out of fear and of having to be right, i.e., "Well, that's the way it is because and I don't question it." Look at how many people had put their faith in not eating meat on Fridays, only to be told later that it's ok now. The rule has been rescinded. Questioning is good. Blind acceptance, IMO, is folly and oft times dangerous. If my God can't stand up to a little scrutiny, how powerful can s/he be and why would I put my faith, my trust in a deity like that? The tested quality of our faith works out endurance.

[lizbud]

Amen, RICHARD.

I find, also, that some of what passes as faith is actually fear, fear of what might happen to someone if they don't believe a certain way. Some people act, not out of love, but out of fear and of having to be right, i.e., "Well, that's the way it is because and I don't question it." Look at how many people had put their faith in not eating meat on Fridays, only to be told later that it's ok now. The rule has been rescinded. Questioning is good. Blind acceptance, IMO, is folly and oft times dangerous. If my God can't stand up to a little scrutiny, how powerful can s/he be and why would I put my faith, my trust in a deity like that? The tested quality of our faith works out endurance.

You can question people's reasons for faith, but it doesn't change what
faith is & is not. It is not ignorance,fear or being right.

The eating meat on Friday was not right or wrong, it was a custom that
signified a giving up something of value as an offering to God. It was like
a penance. It is still practiced during Lent by many Catholics out of choice.

[Medusa]

You can question people's reasons for faith, but it doesn't change what
faith is & is not. It is not ignorance,fear or being right.

The eating meat on Friday was not right or wrong, it was a custom that
signified a giving up something of value as an offering to God. It was like
a penance. It is still practiced during Lent by many Catholics out of choice.

I don't disagree w/you. However, it was a custom, as you call it, that people didn't deviate from for fear of going to hell. At least that's what my Catholic friends told me and they were dismayed when they were told that there was a new ruling on the matter. It isn't my intention to find fault w/religion nor to argue. I've made my point.

[Medusa]

You can question people's reasons for faith, but it doesn't change what
faith is & is not. It is not ignorance,fear or being right.

The eating meat on Friday was not right or wrong, it was a custom that
signified a giving up something of value as an offering to God. It was like
a penance. It is still practiced during Lent by many Catholics out of choice.

One last thing, though: (sorry ) Earlier you had asked if the meaning of the word Christian has changed and, in turn, Puckstop asked what being a Christian means to you. W/out scrolling back, I can't recall if you addressed the question and, if so, I guess I missed it. My apologies in advance if you had. (We rather got off topic w/the discussion of faith.)

[Marigold2]

Wish words from a kind and intelligent woman.

Amen, RICHARD.

I find, also, that some of what passes as faith is actually fear, fear of what might happen to someone if they don't believe a certain way. Some people act, not out of love, but out of fear and of having to be right, i.e., "Well, that's the way it is because and I don't question it." Look at how many people had put their faith in not eating meat on Fridays, only to be told later that it's ok now. The rule has been rescinded. Questioning is good. Blind acceptance, IMO, is folly and oft times dangerous. If my God can't stand up to a little scrutiny, how powerful can s/he be and why would I put my faith, my trust in a deity like that? The tested quality of our faith works out endurance.