Do you belive in God? why?

[*iluvskipper*]

yep. a lutheran christian... there are many things that i don't understand yet but im learning a lot in church and confirmation

[ROXY1507]

I am a praticing pagan, so neither of these answers really suits me. I believe in many deities, not just one, and I do not worship them.

Awhile back, we had a really great thread where a lot of people told us about their various religions without fighting. It was a very educational thread for me.

I dont see why you dont have anything to belive in I think that it great that you are lookig into other stuff, and what other people belive in but you should realy belive in something your self because you never know something mite happen and you will have to choes you cant just say i dont know try beliveing in god roxy1507

[shais_mom]

Lots of questions - I don't really have the time to answer all of them because I am *supposed* to be working but I'll try a little here:




The people before Jesus, such as those in the Old Testament, made sacrifices to God. Jesus sacrificed Himself, so we don't need to make the sacrifices to God anymore. The believers who followed God's word before Jesus were still able to go to heaven, it was just a lot more difficult. Jesus made it a lot easier.



Just want to address this real quick. NOt sure what religion you are talking about, or just religion in general, so I am just answering for Christianity. There *should be* NO hatred in Christianity. Jesus taught us to love everyone. Is homosexuality considered a sin? Yes. But then again, so is stealing a tube of lipstick from Wal Mart. Both are on the same level in God's eyes. All sins are equal. I know plenty of gay people that are Christians. If they ask God for forgiveness, just as the person who stole paper clips from work or murdered someone, they can be forgiven. I know that's a tough concept, because here we classify those 'sins' as completely different, but they are not in God's eyes. We are to love our neighbors, and not hate anyone. A favorite quote of mine: "Love the sinner, hate the Sin." We are ALL sinners, every one of us. No one is 'above' anyone else, not in the least.

exactly -
and if someone is killed b/c of what they are - Jew - or gay or has blue eyes or brown hair - that is no different then the sin they were killed for.

[CathyBogart]

I dont see why you dont have anything to belive in I think that it great that you are lookig into other stuff, and what other people belive in but you should realy belive in something your self because you never know something mite happen and you will have to choes you cant just say i dont know try beliveing in god roxy1507

Excuse me? I'm a practicing pagan, that hardly means I have nothing to believe in. I don't think you read my post....I said "I believe in many deities".

I find it insulting that you would imply that I don't believe in anything because I don't believe in your god. My deities have been there for me when I needed them most, and that is what should matter.

[shais_mom]

I didn't quite get what she was saying either.
This was a civilized discussion I thought.

[CathyBogart]

Oof, didn't mean to react so strongly. I'm still shaken from my BF crashing last night.

[lbaker]

Really Roxy, where was THAT coming from?? Have you ever heard of "spell checker" by the way

[Suki Wingy]

Nope. Never have seen a reason to. A lot of people can't do one good thing for themselves and beleive in themselves, they have to say god did it. Also the way lots of different people come up with lots of different religions. For me, I feel like the world works on pure chance.

ILoveReptiles, I agree with you. Christianity has change so much over history.

I would classify myself as an Agnostic Atheist. So, no. I don't believe in God. Nor do I believe in Satan.

It's my feeling that religion was created as a method for the strong to maintain control over the weak, by threatening the wrath of a diety if they did not obey.

As a result of this, I just can't bring myself to believe in any higher power. I live by my own set of morals, which I may add are much better than the morals (or lack thereof) of some people I know directly involved in my life (I.E. my supervisor, who touts himself off to be a good Christian, but in reality has absolutely no integrity, no moral fibre, and is the biggest hypocrite I've ever met in my life.)

MY own oppinion and please don't be offended by this, is that god is everyone's personal imaginary friend

[momoffuzzyfaces]

Nope. Never have seen a reason to. A lot of people can't do one good thing for themselves and beleive in themselves, they have to say god did it. Also the way lots of different people come up with lots of different religions. For me, I feel like the world works on pure chance.

ILoveReptiles, I agree with you. Christianity has change so much over history.

MY own oppinion and please don't be offended by this, is that god is everyone's personal imaginary friend

Oh, PAAALEASE!!!
I had an imaginary horse when I was a kid. I well know the difference!!!

A lot of us can do "one good thing (or more) for ourselves" but still believe in God. I know for a fact that I would never have been able to get out of the slum I was living in with no money and into a nice clean well built home with out God's help. So, while you are surley intitled to your own opinions, please don't tell me I was just imagining things!!!

PS, I still love you no matter what you believe!!!

[GreyhoundGirl]

I said "no" because untill recentally I didn't even know who he is. I never really got into religeon, so I wouldn't say I belive in any religeous things ( because I don't have a religeon ). Except for Karma, but that was because I read about it on the internet.

[JenBKR]

Nope. Never have seen a reason to. A lot of people can't do one good thing for themselves and beleive in themselves, they have to say god did it. Also the way lots of different people come up with lots of different religions. For me, I feel like the world works on pure chance.

ILoveReptiles, I agree with you. Christianity has change so much over history.

MY own oppinion and please don't be offended by this, is that god is everyone's personal imaginary friend

Wow. Ouch. At least I respect other opinions, thank God for that.

[Suki Wingy]

I DO respect other's oppinions. That is my heartfealt oppinion and I've held back from saying it on PT for a long time. I felt like in a wonderful place like PT I should be able to share that. Notice I said is like, not is. There is a difference. Since when is my own oppinion after hearing many people state how they feel, wrong or taken offensivley? I think religion is a wonderful thing for lots of people, it gives hope and meaning. I just don't see the need for MYSELF to believe in anything, I'm happy on my own. No one can really prove the existance of or apsence of a god anyway so oppinions are all there will ever be in religion, and we must learn to respect others' oppinions and be able to speak what we truley believe and not beome offended by other's oppinions. I truley love you guys and I never wanted to hurt anyone, that's why I refrained from speaking my whole mind at first. It doesn't mean I think any less of you. One of my good friends is storngly Muslim, I belong to a UU group, so I'm not trying to prove anyone wrong or anything.

[lbaker]

I don't get it either. Your god in your mind is better than my god in my mind. And if I don't have a "god" I don't have a mind?? Or if I have several I'm mindless?? Too much for this simple mind to deal with.

[JenBKR]

I DO respect other's oppinions. That is my heartfealt oppinion and I've held back from saying it on PT for a long time. I felt like in a wonderful place like PT I should be able to share that. Notice I said is like, not is. There is a difference. Since when is my own oppinion after hearing many people state how they feel, wrong or taken offensivley? I think religion is a wonderful thing for lots of people, it gives hope and meaning. I just don't see the need for MYSELF to believe in anything, I'm happy on my own. No one can really prove the existance of or apsence of a god anyway so oppinions are all there will ever be in religion, and we must learn to respect others' oppinions and be able to speak what we truley believe and not beome offended by other's oppinions. I truley love you guys and I never wanted to hurt anyone, that's why I refrained from speaking my whole mind at first. It doesn't mean I think any less of you. One of my good friends is storngly Muslim, I belong to a UU group, so I'm not trying to prove anyone wrong or anything.

Oh no no, I apologize, that came out wrong, I wasn't saying that you don't respect other opinions, I meant that your last statement stung me a little but I'm ok because I can respect other opinions. Does that make sense? I wasn't trying to say anything about you.

[JenBKR]

I don't get it either. Your god in your mind is better than my god in my mind. And if I don't have a "god" I don't have a mind?? Or if I have several I'm mindless?? Too much for this simple mind to deal with.

huh? Or....who were you talking to?