Do you belive in God? why?

[shais_mom]

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.

Given the tone of previous posts by her, I think that is exactly what she was saying.

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

[JenBKR]

Given the tone of previous posts by her, I think that is exactly what she was saying.

Do you mean me?

[shais_mom]

Do you mean me?

absolutely NOT!
pm'ing you - if you'll accept it

[dragonfly]

Myself, I certainly believe in a higher power not necessarily one labeled with the word God. I feel spirituality is a wonderful thing but religion tends to leave a bad taste in my mouth. Far too many people abuse religion and twist the teachings to fit their own agendas. I've also met way too many religious people who are hypocritical and just down right nasty. I also just don't believe there is only one true religion.

[trayi52]

Myself? Yes, I believe in God, because he loved me enough to send his son to die on the cross for me, to wipe away my sins. I love him very much.

Willie

[catnapper]

I haven't had time to read all the responses but it seems interesting so I will go back and read.

I am Catholic but stopped attending mass years ago. Why? I don't know. I think I became disillusioned when after a prayer meeting the other 20-somethings and I would try to figure out which diner to go to, and half of them would say "no, not that one, thats where the Jews hang out".... "not that one, thats where the Ricans hang out." It felt soooo phoney to be praising God and promise to be good Christians then to be condemning others and labeling them.

I was married in my back yard by a non-Catholic minister. I was adamant he marry us because he was my neighbor whom I adored... I wanted to be married by a friend not a starnger. My Catholic friends had SUCH a hard time about it. I don't understand why people make distininctions (sp?) about priests vs. ministers, etc. They are all reading from the same book, right?

Now I'm in the hard spot I'm in. I've been praying to God for guidance and help. Been thanking Him for what good things I encounter. I thought about going to church around here.... I can't bear to step into another Catholic church after my last experience, and I just don't identify with the other churches that don't recognise Mary since I always felt a strong connection to her.

My SIL is a devout Catholic. Her father was Schizophrenic and seriously, honestly thought he was Jesus. I'm am serious. My father was also Schizophrenic and my brother exhbits tendencies. My brother is a complete atheist. His take is that back n the day there were prophets. Today there are Schizophrenics. He goes to mass every Sunday with his devout wife and children. He listens to what the priest has to say and his wife hopes one day God will touch him, but it remains that he's atheist and believes what he believes. I think its amazing that two people with such vastly different opinions of God have such a loving and strong marriage.

[JenBKR]

Now I'm in the hard spot I'm in. I've been praying to God for guidance and help. Been thanking Him for what good things I encounter. I thought about going to church around here.... I can't bear to step into another Catholic church after my last experience, and I just don't identify with the other churches that don't recognise Mary since I always felt a strong connection to her.

Have you considered trying a Lutheran church? I have heard that they are very similar to Catholic churches. I don't know their stand on Mary, but it may be something to look into.

I understand why you would feel that way after what happened in that church...those people don't sound like they were acting very Christian

[VTJess03]

1. For CathyBogart: You stated that pagans believe in multiple deities; I am curious, do all pagans believe in the same deities? Are they deities with names and particular responsibilities (like the ancient Greek or Roman pantheon?).



2. For popcornbird: You asked some questions about Jesus before, and I would like to return with a question about Abraham, since he is the common ancestor to all 3 'major' religions. I have a very minimal knowledge of Islam, and most of that comes from a National Geographic documentary, as I could never convince my 1 Muslim college friend to discuss religion with me.

Anyway, here's the issue I struggle with in Islam: the Jewish/Old Testament Christian Scripture claims that Abraham's legitimate wife was Sarah, and Hagar was only a servant in the household. Sarah doubted God's word that she would bear a son to Abraham, due to her old age, so encouraged Abraham to father a child by Hagar. This happened (Ishmael), but then Sarah also conceived (Isaac). As the first son to the legitimate wife, Jews and Christians believe that all the inheritance rights went to Isaac. It's my understanding that Islam considered Hagar the legitimate wife and therefore Ishmael was the legitimate son who should have received inheritance of all the promises God made. However, according to Islam, God commanded Abraham to leave Hagar in the wilderness, though he visited her (which is the symbolism represented by Islamic pilgrimage to Mecca). The video claimed that Abraham actually divorced Hagar (which according to Jewish/Christian believers, there was never a marriage, so why divorce?), but Islam also frowns on divorce. Why would God ask someone to break His own rules? Would that not be out of character for God? He makes the rules, but He does not break His own rules...we break the rules all the time, being made of flesh and bone, of course.

I look forward to a deeper understanding about each of your beliefs.

[Zippy]

God can do anything he wants he is God if he wants to make earth vanish he can,if he wants to smash us all like bugs he can.The rules are his to make and change if he wants.
Someday people will vanish right out of there clothes.Then one person will get the world to go to a one world government.He will say he is god but he isn't he is the antichrist.He will get people to worship him.If the last days hadn't been shorten no one whould be left on earth.

[CathyBogart]

1. For CathyBogart: You stated that pagans believe in multiple deities; I am curious, do all pagans believe in the same deities? Are they deities with names and particular responsibilities (like the ancient Greek or Roman pantheon?).

No, all pagans do not believe in the same deities. Here's my take on it...

There are many many different panthenons of deities from many different cultures. I think that many of these are the same deities given different names over time by different peoples.

There are pagans who believe in entire panthenons, some who believe only in a mother goddess and father god, and some still who only believe in the mother goddess.

I personally use the names of the Celtic panthenon (with Danu and Dagda being the goddess and god, and other deitied like Diana, Brigit, Morrigan, etc) when I work, because those names come the most easily to my mind and just "feel" right to me. Yes, they are deities with specific responsibilities....for example, if I want help resolving a conflict, I would probably call on Morrigan (Goddess of war) for help.

Hmmm, I hope I explained that well...

[lizbud]

I am Catholic but stopped attending mass years ago. Why? I don't know. I think I became disillusioned when after a prayer meeting the other 20-somethings and I would try to figure out which diner to go to, and half of them would say "no, not that one, thats where the Jews hang out".... "not that one, thats where the Ricans hang out." It felt soooo phoney to be praising God and promise to be good Christians then to be condemning others and labeling them.

Well, you can hardly blame the church for your choice of friends.But then,
maybe you can, since you just did.

[catnapper]

Well, you can hardly blame the church for your choice of friends.But then,
maybe you can, since you just did.

Ah, but thats the thing - this was after I tried several different prayer groups. My best friend was so fed up that she started her own prayer group, which apparently is going super strong and has been what got many couples together leading to marriage.

I just became dis-illusioned with the whole concept.

It wasn't just that, I saw people sitting there with their families showing what wonderful Christians they were and I knew half of them were having affairs, cheating in business, lying to anyone who's listen.... and it seemed so WRONG. Why go to a place where it seemed everything was so staged?

I have found that I am much more spiritual alone than I was in any prayer group. I know myself and I know I'm a good person. I know I live by the values God asks us to live by. I had a real hard time knowing so many people at mass and in prayer groups were pretending ot be the perfect Christians in church but shed the ideas as soon as their weekly donation hit the basket.

[lizbud]

It wasn't just that, I saw people sitting there with their families showing what wonderful Christians they were and I knew half of them were having affairs, cheating in business, lying to anyone who's listen.... and it seemed so WRONG. Why go to a place where it seemed everything was so staged?

Not much different that most protestant Christian churches then huh?
Hypocrites are multi denominational.

[CathyBogart]

Catnapper, your post reminds me so much of why I am a solitary pagan rather than part of any coven or circle. I was interested in being part of a circle for awhile, but I got on their email list and I saw so much bickering and even a bit of bigotry towards members of other religions and I was just aghast. I poked around online and found that it is much the same in a lot of covens or circles, and I decided I didn't want to be a part of that.

There's no pressure when you're being spiritual on your own....the words are yours, the rituals are yours, it comes more from the heart, IMO....

[mugsy]

I think that God gave us free will for a reason....we can choose to worship whichever way we choose. I guess we'll all find out who is "right" when we die eh?

I personally think that most religions have at least 1 or 2 things that are "good" or "right" in them and that everyone should accept what others believe without, necessarily, agreeing with them.

I have friends from every religion known to man I think...except, I don't think any of them are Muslim...I have to think on that one, but, while I don't always agree with their belief system, I am still his/her friend.