Do you belive in God? why?

[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.

[My Peanuts]

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.

Hating Jews was never taught to me. I think you know that, but jus tthought I should clarify. There are probably 100 examples I could have used.

[momoffuzzyfaces]

Hating Jews was never taught to me. I think you know that, but jus tthought I should clarify. There are probably 100 examples I could have used.

Sorry, I didn't mean to imply I was talking about you. You just mentioned it and I ran with it. It's just always puzzled me that some Christians dislike Jewish peope so much. We share the same Bible but Christians just have more to theirs.

[Christiansmommy]

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.

Very well said. It is God's job to change what He doesn't want for His children...and not ours to argue over it... ( not pointing the finger at any one person,really, but this subject always comes up and there will always be disagreements on it)...

There are some very judgemental people in this world, Christian and non-chrisitian alike. It is no one's place to ever put down someone's life or lifestyle. We are to love our neighbor. Christianity and Christian's beleive what the Bible teaches and not just parts of it, but all of it. And while we should not put down someone's lifestyle...it does not mean that we agree with it either. Homosexuality is a topic that will never ever be agreed upon, by Christians, Non-Christians, Jews, Muslims, etc. Christian's believe in the Bible and the words of the Bible in it's entirety....that includes both loving your neighbor, even if that neighbor is gay. I have had many gay friends in the 29 years that I have been living...do I believe this lifestyle exemplifies what Christ intended for his children, no, I do not, does Christ love gay people, yes, He loves everyone, does he love the fact that they are gay, no, it is not what he intended and it is stated so in the Bible. That is something that can only ever be judged by God. And we can argue our points on this until we are blue in the face, but we will never agree on it. That is something that we have to truely, let go and let God take care of...

I have never walked in the shoes of a gay man or woman....so I can not say what it is like. Nor can a gay man or woman say they have walked in my shoes as a born again christian woman...and so they in the same turn, can not understand why I believe like I do. Somethings will have to be left to God to judge...we can certainly discuss the issues at hand, but when it all comes down to it, you won't get the same response from one Christian to another on the topic of homosexuality...b/c even just the word "Christian" is a term used very loosely...many denominations fall into the "Christian" catagory and we infact can believe very different things. It basically comes down to mans heart and God is the only one who can truely know it....

[popcornbird]

Very well said. It is God's job to change what He doesn't want for His children...and not ours to argue over it...

I don't understand this...

God has already made things the way He wanted. God gave mankind the freedom of choice, and God gave us guidance, and the choice to take it, or disbelieve in it. I don't know why this is going into a homosexual discussion, but...since everyone's talking about it now,...

Love is something that comes from the heart and love for a person is not something that can really be controlled, HOWEVER, love can also JUST be love, without anything sexual.

Sex is a CHOICE, a pure CHOICE, and nothing but a CHOICE. We are all human beings and all have cravings and fantasies...its in our nature, but its when cravings and fantasies are allowed to rule us, without us ruling them, that it leads to sin. Adultery is a sin. Adultery is committed between a man and woman that were married to someone else. They fell in love with each other (perhaps they could not control those feelings?) Then, they commit the act with each other. Then, they get accused of cheating by the entire world. No one says, "Oh...they couldn't control their feelings...", like people say about gays. Its because they COULD control their feelings and COULD have refrained from that act. They just chose not to.

My point is...whether a man and a woman 'crave' for each other, if they are married to someone else, committing adultery is a sin, period. It IS a choice. It IS a choice to go and have sex with someone you love. Your body doesn't run automatically. If you have cheese and omelett in front of you, are hungry and craving for both, but only have the option for one, you have the CHOICE to pick and eat the food you want.

God MADE man and woman, two genders, to be mates to one another. It goes no other way. If someone does it some other way...well...to some of you, it may not be a sin, but God Almighty said its a sin, and that's that. He also said adultery is a sin, and He said fornication is a sin, and He said murder is a sin, and while a person can repent and be forgiven for all of these sins, repentence is in order. God will not change gays because he didn't make them that way. He made them male and female just like us. He gave them the same body parts and body shapes as everyone else. Its their mind that takes them in that direction...just like an adulterous' mind takes him in that direction. At that moment, he's not thinking, "I'm married", but that, "I love this woman...I can't help it..."

Why do we encourage kids to abstain in their youth then? Why don't we just say, "They can't help it...They're made that way...blah blah blah..." Its because they CAN help it. Our sexual actions are in OUR control. It makes no sense to say, "They were made that way..." No one is compelled to commit sexual acts with their own gender. They do it because they WANT to. Because they CHOOSE to. The sinful aspect of homosexuality is committing sexual acts with a person of the same sex. That is the SIN. Feeling love for a person is not a sin. Its actually a good thing to love our friends, family, neighbors, etc. Just not in that way.

Satan tries to make us justify ourselves for whatever wrong we do, be it homosexuality, or anything else. That doesn't take the sin aspect out of it. JMHO

Remember...this is a 'do you believe in God' thread, so everyone will be voicing their opinions in the way THEY see things.

[Christiansmommy]

I don't understand this...

God has already made things the way He wanted. God gave mankind the freedom of choice, and God gave us guidance, and the choice to take it, or disbelieve in it.

By saying it is up to God to change what He doesn't want for His children, I guess would be explained more clearly as....When we repent for something that the Holy Spirit convicted us of...the Holy Spirit makes that change within us, when we repent of our sins (and are convicted of them)...we can no longer be like our old self, that is why we are called "born again"...the Holy Spirit now dwells within us and makes us a new person...a murderer who is convicted of his ways and truely repents to the Lord for forgiveness, the Holy Spirit changes him and becoming a born again Christian means that you are aware of your sinful nature and you are changed, will you still sin, yes...but the Holy Spirit living within you, gives you that desire to live for God.

[lbaker]

Most people here appear to be speaking in absolutes. I do not believe in absolutes. THIS is absolutely wrong. THIS is absolutely The Way. THIS is an absolute "sin". Sorry, I love you all but humanity is not made of absolutes, in my opinion. "Absolute 1. Perfect in quality or nature; complete. 2. Not mixed; pure. Total. I simply do not agree with absolutes. Again, no offense.

[lizbud]

This is strange but I was raised Catholic & went to Catholic schools right
through college, but find myself agreeing with everything said here by both Pam and Christiansmommy.

Maybe most Christians are more alike than they are different.

[Zippy]

I belive Jesus died on the cross for my sins then after three days he rose form the dead and went to heaven to be with God.That Jesus saved me is what i belive he saved me form hell so i could go to Heaven with him.

[JenBKR]

I am learning a lot here and love hearing different opinions! I know we talked a lot about homosexuality already, just wanted to add one thing...I believe that homosexuality is/was considered a sin because a homosexual relationship cannot produce children. I could be wrong, but that's how I believed it to be.

critter crazy: I understand why you are confused, it's a difficult topic. There are SO MANY different beliefs, and it's easy to get all mixed up in it. I guess what's important is whatever you feel in your heart, and if you don't know what that is yet, keep searching, you will find it.

lizbud: I know what you mean, sometimes it seems like Catholic beliefs are pretty different than other types of Christians, but I think it all boils down to the same ideas. I myself am not Catholic, but i have lots of Catholic friends and in discussions we have some disagreements about certain things but mostly agree, especially on the 'important' stuff (hope that made sense)