Do you believe in god?

[Edgar]

If a single all-powerful creator/god exists, I want his/her/its head on a stake...

I dont believe there is any way to justify the suffering that occurs constantly.

[Torog]

Howdy Ousted,

You state the following things:

"Being a parent doesn't prove or disprove anything about one's character nor does it reinforce that one has life-experience, or that one has learned to be selfless. Not being a parent doesn't discredit one's worldliness, character or ability to be selfless either. I can offer numerous examples if needed...but you're smart enough I dont think thats necessary. Lemme know if it is, however."

You're just plain wrong..if all you do-is spend yer time and effort on looking out only for yerself,your character will be lacking..if the only one you spend yer paycheck on ,is yourself..then you are missing out on a whole slice of Life,your experience..is therefore less. It takes a really good person to have both good character and be single and berift of children,the folks in that situation are not as well-rounded as folks who've had children.

You go on to say:

"Thats a really sad position my friend, Christian or not. Man is fallible, but man is capable and has proven itself as a species extremely capable of great things. You see this everyday. Right in front of your eyes, everyday, proof of man's greatness is all around you. And you openly reject the greatness of man out of some bizarre loyalty to your faith, like the 2 thoughts cant co-exist.
If you dont allow yourself to trust your fellow man, and to appreciate your fellow man, you have a lonely, miserable life ahead of you. Sure you have that whole superiority thing to nurture that ego of yours from time to time, but you'll be alone and people wont like you. People dont like not being appreciated, and you being as open as you are with your disrespect of your fellow man's ability is incredibly unappealing, and those who hear your vocal disrespect will think of you as a contemptuous fool not worth being around."

Man is capable of greatness,because we were created in God's Image..we did not create God..God created us..it is foolish to place our trust in our fellow man,as no man is perfect..that don't make me 'superior' to anyone..it just means that I'm wise enough to realize that. Trust..but verify ! I ain't into being superior to others or feeding my ego,I seek humilty and denial of ego,and I thank God everyday,for my many blessings..when was the last time that you were grateful for anything ? I seek to raise others up-not bring em down..I'm an optimist-not a pessimist.

You go on to say:

"And, like it seems to always end up being the case, it all really just boils down to this:

"My mind is at ease now that Ive found the Lord. I dont have those unanswered questions that have plagued man for centuries tormenting me and inconveniencing me anymore!! I am content because I have put my faith in something that is easier for me to swallow than if I had not. If Im wrong, I got nothing to lose, I'll be dead and it wont matter anyway. As long as I dont have to think real hard or worry while Im on this planet, the effort put into a faith that might just be a bunch of hogwash will be more than worth the time spent as long as I dont have that incessant fear of the unknown bothering me from time to time.
Bonus: I get a sense of superiority over others! Rock on!!!"

Fear-motivated and self-serving.

I swear religions were tailor-made to appeal to man's deep desire to feel important. I find it so hilarious and almost predictable that even with the possibility that God, Jesus, and the whole bit are a lie - its easier for people to accept a lie than the dreaded alternative of not having an answer.

Being faithful to God,requires much more thinking and work,than being a self-serving humanist,I ain't a Christian because I wanted to stop thinking,rather,I seek the Truth and am interested and dedicated to my spiritual evolution..those who deny God,are the ones who've decided to stop thinking..and join the parade of debaucherers and sinners. Being a Christian,ain't about being superior to others,rather-it's about being humble and grateful.

Have a good one ...

[GHoSToKeR]

**yaaaaaaaaaaaaaawns**

Morning Torog, how's it going?

I was wondering.. In your eyes, or in the collective eyes of your religion, is it possible to not believe in God, or not be a Christian, but to still not be considered a sinner? It's just that alot of people, myself included, live a life free of what you would consider sins, but yet we would still be doomed to an eternity in Hell.

That doesn't seem fair at all. It tells me that God doesn't care how people behave, he just wants us all grovelling at his feet.. What kind of God is that?

OhI don't believe that people who worship a God have stopped thinking, I just think they're misinformed. Why is it that you have to insult us because we believe differently to you? I know people do it to you, but they're just being stupid and immature; do you have to lower yourself to that level and insult everyone who doesn't believe in a God by saying that they have "decided to stop thinking..and join the parade of debaucherers and sinners". That doesn't seem very fair either, Torog.

Peace and Parachutes

GHoST

[likemclever]

I would venture to guess that over ¾ of the worlds population believe in some type of God. (that number is probably greater)

So to say that people who believe in God are children or have just stopped thinking doesnâ??t quite pan out.

Iâ??m not asking anyone to believe in Godâ?¦..people are going to do as they choose.



I think believing in good encourages thoughtâ?¦â?¦if you donâ??t believe in Godâ?¦than you donâ??t waste your time thinking about the nature of God.

People should learn all they can about the word��intellectually and spiritually.

[GHoSToKeR]

Good morning, likemclever!

I never said that people who believe in God are children or have stopped thinking. In fact, I was defending myself and others because Torog said that people who don't believe in God are children or have stopped thinking.

And it is possible to believe in good without believing in God.

-GHoST-

[nomadherbman]

too many contradictions in religion.....

and to say we've stopped thinking is the biggest load of shit ive heard so far....we decided to think outside the box and not what everyone else thinks...we think what we believe not what we were told to believe.....and just because i dont beleive in religion and god doesnt mean im not constantly thinking of what there could be out there...

torog im going to take this opportunity to call you an arrogant self righteous old fart who is stuck on his old ways and refuses to open up his mind...i feel bad for your daughter because tho you smoke you must be a handful...

[ermitonto]

I have a hard time believing that an infinite, all-powerful, all-knowing, all-loving, all-forgiving entity would need its ego boosted so desperately that anyone that refuses to boost his ego by worshipping him is punished forever, just because they failed to believe in something for which there is no conclusive proof.

[likemclever]

All Iâ??m saying isâ?¦. that people are spiritual beings. And to simply cross your arms and shake your head and say â??nope no Godâ?� so Iâ??m not even gonna think about it. Is a bit like cutting off your leg. While you can still have a happy productive life it somehow limits ones possibilities and potential.

Morning Gost....

and your sexy vibes last night sucked........

[GHoSToKeR]

All Iâ??m saying isâ?¦. that people are spiritual beings. And to simply cross your arms and shake your head and say â??nope no Godâ?� so Iâ??m not even gonna think about it. Is a bit like cutting off your leg. While you can still have a happy productive life it somehow limits ones possibilities and potential.

Likewise I think that, in a universe that we know relatively nothing about, with endless possibilities and things we couldn't even imagine, to say "God is The Answer" and then to not even consider that there may even be other alternatives is exactly like cutting off your own leg. To quote you; ""While you can still have a happy productive life it somehow limits ones possibilities and potential". When we know so little about the universe in which we live I think it utterly foolish that you can even begin to think that you may know the beginnings of even a part of The Answer..... and if you do realise that the idea of God is just one possibility in an infinite sea of possibilities then why just stick with one Answer when it has just as much chance as every other Answer of being wrong?

and your sexy vibes last night sucked........

Hmm.. i'm sure there's an innuendo in there somewhere but I can't put my finger on it...

So why did they suck?

[Breukelen advocaat]

The mistaken notion that Christ is in favor of "nurturing" with regard to family life is negated with these verses:

For I am come to set a man at variance against his father, and the daughter against her mother, and the daughter in law against her mother in law. Mat 10:35

Luk 12:51
Suppose ye that I am come to give peace on earth? I tell you, Nay; but rather division:

For from henceforth there shall be five in one house divided, three against two, and two against three. Luk 12:52

The father shall be divided against the son, and the son against the father; the mother against the daughter, and the daughter against the mother; the mother in law against her daughter in law, and the daughter in law against her mother in law. Luk 12:53

Sounds like a pretty dismal model for a happy family. There is nothing in the New Testament in support of family - it is all about instilling blind obedience to a fictitious, malevolent god through fear and ignorance.