Do you belive in God? why?

[lbaker]

I think it's pretty darn egotistical for someone to declare to know "The Truth" or "The Way". I believe one should rather say they know "A Truth" or "A Way". If how you are living works for you without harming others you are lucky. Perhaps at a different time you may live differently. Not better. Not worse... just different than how you did. So be it.

[Pam]

Laurie, the words *The Truth* and *The Way* came from the lips of Jesus. In John's Gospel chapter 14 verse 6 Jesus says, "I am the way, the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me." (Look it up for yourself ) If us Christians sound narrowminded that is why. Jesus himself claims He and He alone is the way. It is for everyone to chose for themselves of course, however I choose Him.

What always baffles me is that other religions refer to him as a great man. This is a man who claimed to be God. If He isn't God then he must be, as C.S. Lewis once said when trying to explain his conversion to Christianity, a raving lunatic. You can't have it both ways. He is either who he said He is or He is crazy. I believe Him and He is my Lord.

[slick]

My parents are Athiests. My Mom doesn't believe in Heaven or Hell or some Supreme Being....she says when you die, you just die. That's the way I was brought up, but I've been talking to God since I was a little girl. Yes I believe, yes He's been with me through thick and thin and yes He will be with me when I leave this world and yes, I can hardly wait to the see the Kingdom of Heaven, that is, if I'm worthy of going to Heaven. "No pain in Heaven."

I don't need to see proof. I feel Him around me every day and He gives me the strength to beat any challenges that cross my path. He blesses me every day and not a day goes by that I don't thank Him for His love and the love of my friends and family.

...and that's all I've got to say about that.

[Pawsitive Thinking]

My parents are Athiests. My Mom doesn't believe in Heaven or Hell or some Supreme Being....she says when you die, you just die. That's the way I was brought up, but I've been talking to God since I was a little girl. Yes I believe, yes He's been with me through thick and thin and yes He will be with me when I leave this world and yes, I can hardly wait to the see the Kingdom of Heaven, that is, if I'm worthy of going to Heaven. "No pain in Heaven."

I don't need to see proof. I feel Him around me every day and He gives me the strength to beat any challenges that cross my path. He blesses me every day and not a day goes by that I don't thank Him for His love and the love of my friends and family.

...and that's all I've got to say about that.

your faith is enviable and wonderful

[CathyBogart]

What always baffles me is that other religions refer to him as a great man. This is a man who claimed to be God. If He isn't God then he must be, as C.S. Lewis once said when trying to explain his conversion to Christianity, a raving lunatic. You can't have it both ways. He is either who he said He is or He is crazy. I believe Him and He is my Lord.

I thought he claimed to be the son of god, not actually god?

Anywho, I was taught, and I believe, that his powers are the same ones that pagans use when practicing magic. We (or at least, some pagans) use the laying of the hands and many of the same energy-focusing magic that Jesus, and other christians use in the name of their one god. At least, I think it's the same magic, I could be completely wrong.

[Pam]

I thought he claimed to be the son of god, not actually god?

The Trinity is composed of God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit. All are separate but all are God. The way that is easiest for me to understand the Trinity is that it is like the three parts of an egg - the shell, the yolk and the white. They are all the egg, but have three parts. Hope this helps.

[Pawsitive Thinking]

Can I go for the "not sure" option? Would like to think that there may be something but not necessarily God

[JenBKR]

The Trinity is composed of God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit. All are separate but all are God. The way that is easiest for me to understand the Trinity is that it is like the three parts of an egg - the shell, the yolk and the white. They are all the egg, but have three parts. Hope this helps.

Ooh great analagy - I have tried to explain the Trinity before but it's hard to do...I will certainly remember the egg now!

My parents are Athiests. My Mom doesn't believe in Heaven or Hell or some Supreme Being....she says when you die, you just die. That's the way I was brought up, but I've been talking to God since I was a little girl. Yes I believe, yes He's been with me through thick and thin and yes He will be with me when I leave this world and yes, I can hardly wait to the see the Kingdom of Heaven, that is, if I'm worthy of going to Heaven. "No pain in Heaven."

I don't need to see proof. I feel Him around me every day and He gives me the strength to beat any challenges that cross my path. He blesses me every day and not a day goes by that I don't thank Him for His love and the love of my friends and family.

...and that's all I've got to say about that.

Slick that's awesome, God has certainly touched your life and you are blessed. Your post brought tears to my eyes

[Christiansmommy]

I believe in God, absolutely. I have not read thru the other posts, but wanted to just give my answer as to why, or the best way I know how to explain why.

I have faith in Him. He has given me this faith. I have faith that He lives, that He died on the cross, that He will return one day, and that I will meet Him and live with Him in eternity. Those are some pretty big statements, and you may probably wonder how I can feel so absolutely sure that they did/will happen someday... it is b/c He has given me this faith... how did He give me this faith and how do I know it is coming from Him? B/c of all of the times that I have had messes going on in my life and I have been at my absolute wits end, and I call out to Him, and I am comforted and I know, out of my faith for Him, that it was He who heard my cries and comforted me. He is the only answer to giving me peace....in every trial that I have encountered, He makes Himself known to me...prayer has brought me close to Him and helps me to feel Him so strongly in my life, everyday. He says in the Bible, "Knock and the door shall open"... All you have to do is call upon His name and He will hear you and comfort you. I am truely blessed to have the growing relationship that I do have with him, unfortunate trials that have happened in my life have brought me closer to Him, and for that reason, I wouldn't change a thing...even the tears that I have cried...they all had purpose and He brought me through it, just how and when is for His deciding...that is where I rely on Him thru faith. If you ever feel absolutely like you can't go on and you can't find answers as to how to cope with your daily trials, try it, just pray to Him, cry out to Him, and wait, He will bring you out of the situation in HIs good timing, and you will feel your burdons lesson. He will NEVER leave me or forsake me, NEVER...and to know a God and a religion that can say that, why would I want to look anywhere else or question it, ya know? He is my answer.

[CathyBogart]

I think it's pretty darn egotistical for someone to declare to know "The Truth" or "The Way". I believe one should rather say they know "A Truth" or "A Way". If how you are living works for you without harming others you are lucky. Perhaps at a different time you may live differently. Not better. Not worse... just different than how you did. So be it.

I couldn't agree with you more.

[Laura's Babies]

Yes, I do believe because He has always taken care of me and blessed me in so many ways. I also believe that it was the power of prayer that saved my sons life when he was burned on 82% of his body, he should have died from those burns. God brought him through!

[Christiansmommy]

Yes, I do believe because He has always taken care of me and blessed me in so many ways. I also believe that it was the power of prayer that saved my sons life when he was burned on 82% of his body, he should have died from those burns. God brought him through!

I beleive that for sure! I have a quote on my fridge that says,

"Trials are not enemies of faith, but are opportunities to prove God's faithfulness."

Your son is living proof that God was faithful and brought him through.

[popcornbird]

I just want to clarify one thing...

I believe in God. ONE God. Almighty God. One God. One Creator. I do not, by any means, believe in trinity. So...my belief in God would be different than the belief some of you here have. I believe God is ONE, supreme, far above having a son or any associates. My religion (Islam)'s main teachings are about the One-ness of God. In our faith, God has no partners, and no associates. When we pray to God, we pray directly to HIM, without going through anyone else.

I have a question about those who believe in trinity. This is out of complete curiosity, as trinity has always been something far from my understanding.

If you believe God is 3 in 1, and you believe all 3 parts (God, Jesus, Holy Ghost) are a part of God...and you believe God is supreme and exalted, yet, at the same time, you believe Jesus died on the cross...........Are you saying its possible for a part of God to DIE??? God cannot die. WE die. Not God. Not any part of God. I really need someone to explain this to me.

As to saying Christianity is THE way.....

I know that Christianity has MANY sects, and MANY different versions of the Bible which are very different. Which one is THE word of God, and which one is altered? How can you know? I have 3 different Bibles at home, and each one is different.

Also...if Jesus died for our sins...what about the people before Jesus? They had no one to die for their sins, so what happened to them? What about the people of Noah, Abraham, Jonah, Moses? They were believers...but Jesus didn't die for their sins. He wasn't even born then. What happened to the believers who existed for centuries before Jesus?

[My Peanuts]

I just wanted to say one other thing. I don't care what anyone's religion is or lack of religion, but I do have one strong opinion. If ANYTHING in ANY religion makes ANYONE hurt or feel bad it should just be taken out. It seems simple enough, but obviously it's not. If your religion tells you being gay is wrong and gays should die or be shunned, take it out. If your religion has hatred for Jews, take it out, and so on. I know it would never happen, but think if it did. There would be so much more peace on earth.

I had a teacher in HS say that religion is not a buffet; you can’t pick and choose what you want. I don’t buy into that at all. There are a lot of rules and situations made by man and we all know that mankind has screwed a lot of stuff up in the world. Also, think about it. When certain words of Christ or whoever you believe in were actually written down there was like one guy in the village that could read and write. That guy could have added anything he wanted and most people wouldn’t have known until it had gotten passed on. I know it sounds silly, but I’m not ready to believe what that one guy added. It’s kind of like playing the telephone game, information gets changed.

Region should make you feel good and make you want to be good and not make others feel bad. I guess that would be called the ultimate utopia.

[momoffuzzyfaces]

I just wanted to say one other thing. I don't care what anyone's religion is or lack of religion, but I do have one strong opinion. If ANYTHING in ANY religion makes ANYONE hurt or feel bad it should just be taken out. It seems simple enough, but obviously it's not. If your religion tells you being gay is wrong and gays should die or be shunned, take it out. If your religion has hatred for Jews, take it out, and so on. I know it would never happen, but think if it did. There would be so much more peace on earth.

I think a lot of confusion, at least in the Christian religion, is we get confused as to what is our respoisibility and what is God's. If God doesn't like someone's sexuality, it's HIS job to change it not ours. We are to love others: period. Jesus said Love your neighbor as yourself. He did not say, love your neighbor only if he is straight or white or a Christian.

How some Christians can dislike Jewish people is beyond me. My lord is Jewish. To hate them would be to hate HIM. I just can't do that.
Just my opinions, of course.