Do you believe in a higher power/God?

[CaptainClown]

Ah ha, makes sense.



OT God is a hard God to get behind. Idk how Jews do it. It's hard enough having faith in God after his NT retcon.

I actually laughed out loud at this bit

 

[Colossal Spoons]

This is the first time I've come in here and had the conversation maintain civility.

It's nice isn't it?

I actually laughed out loud at this bit

I like to refer everything to comic books

haha

 

[Bill]

you keep repeating stuff but not answering i think that an omnipotent being created the universe you or at least majikwalrus does not believe in anything in regards to how the universe was created

so explain to me the scientific processes and theories of how the universe was created and then we can discuss the differences in the two and not just hear some people bash one and not have an explanation for the other.

Here is a link explaining the Big Bang theory and the evidence that supports it. Now, it's quite intensive and there is going to be much you don't understand, but remember one thing; you asked for it.

As for the differences between the two, it should be quite obvious. The Big Bang theory is a scientific construct supported by evidence. Creation is an idea supported by an argument from incredulity(logical fallacy), ignorance, and dogma.

At the very least, you'll have a nice reference for the BBT.

 

[The Senator]

I sure am claiming that the Bible is outdated. I most definitely believe in questioning. I don't believe every word of the Bible at this point. If you did that in a 3rd world country, I think it'd go over better; but you can't do that in America.

But in order to be a true Christian, you have to believe every word that the Bible says. It is the word of God and to go against it is blasphemy. So while America and the developed world has abolished slavery, it technically goes against the word of God.

A lot of people dislike Bible literalists. But I actually think they have more integrity than those who pick and choose which Biblical laws they are going to abide by. The whole concept of Christianity is that we are powerless to make decisions for ourselves, so we have to rely on the word of God as a spiritual and life guide. But if you blatantly disregard entire chapters in the Bible and claim that you think it is wrong, then how can you truthfully call yourself a Christian?

 

[Bill]

Actually from over protective to almost non caring. It proves to me though that this god is human.

No, just invented by them.

 

[Colossal Spoons]

But in order to be a true Christian, you have to believe every word that the Bible says. It is the word of God and to go against it is blasphemy. So while America and the developed world has abolished slavery, it technically goes against the word of God.

A lot of people dislike Bible literalists. But I actually think they have more integrity than those who pick and choose which Biblical laws they are going to abide by. The whole concept of Christianity is that we are powerless to make decisions for ourselves, so we have to rely on the word of God as a spiritual and life guide. But if you blatantly disregard entire chapters in the Bible and claim that you think it is wrong, then how can you truthfully call yourself a Christian?

Which is why I laugh when I hear people call America a Christian nation lol. I'd be a literalist but too many things just make too little sense for me to get behind. Spoons is no zombie

 

[The Senator]

Not sure why God would "choose" a people.

Because he loves us all so much, Saint, that the only way he could express it is by damning most of us. I think modernists call it "tough love."

 

[Bill]

But in order to be a true Christian, you have to believe every word that the Bible says. It is the word of God and to go against it is blasphemy. So while America and the developed world has abolished slavery, it technically goes against the word of God.

A lot of people dislike Bible literalists. But I actually think they have more integrity than those who pick and choose which Biblical laws they are going to abide by. The whole concept of Christianity is that we are powerless to make decisions for ourselves, so we have to rely on the word of God as a spiritual and life guide. But if you blatantly disregard entire chapters in the Bible and claim that you think it is wrong, then how can you truthfully call yourself a Christian?

I have to agree with you.

 

[The Senator]

This is the first time I've come in here and had the conversation maintain civility.

That's because no one is arguing that giant ice canopies once hovered over the earth, that evolution only exists among animal kinds, that homosexuality is comparable to murder and devil worship, that dinosaurs were on the Ark with Noah, and that mountains are made of dried up mud...

 

[AndThePickles]

But in order to be a true Christian, you have to believe every word that the Bible says. It is the word of God and to go against it is blasphemy. So while America and the developed world has abolished slavery, it technically goes against the word of God.

A lot of people dislike Bible literalists. But I actually think they have more integrity than those who pick and choose which Biblical laws they are going to abide by. The whole concept of Christianity is that we are powerless to make decisions for ourselves, so we have to rely on the word of God as a spiritual and life guide. But if you blatantly disregard entire chapters in the Bible and claim that you think it is wrong, then how can you truthfully call yourself a Christian?

This is a key problem in my spirituality quest. I used to consider myself a Christian but then stopped when I realized I did NOT agree with everything in the Bible. And now, although I still believe in some Christian principles and definitely still believe in God, I also know, who am I to pick and choose what to believe in the Bible? However, I have studied enough that I will never believe that the entire Bible is true again. When I was younger, I became what's termed a born-again Christian. Is that made null and void now that I don't believe in all of the Bible? (not asking anyone in particular, just voicing everything that goes along with my spiritual questions and doubts, ha) I also stopped going to church because I felt that mine was full of hypocrites, and I didn't want to end up being one of them with my lack of "full Christian faith."

 

[Kelly]

Jesus questioned the Jewish Leaders...
Jesus questioned their writings....
Jesus ate with prostitutes, and was a good friend of one....
Jesus hung out with people who were looked upon by the majority as lower than the ants.....

My relationship is between me and my God.......and Jesus is the centerpoint of that....

If people want to disagree with that, not believe as I do, etc....etc....etc.....that's fine, it is personal for me.....and it has nothing to do with a book, a building or a priest.

 

[Kelly]

Jesus questioned the Jewish Leaders...
Jesus questioned their writings....
Jesus ate with prostitutes, and was a good friend of one....
Jesus hung out with people who were looked upon by the majority as lower than the ants.....

My relationship is between me and my God.......and Jesus is the centerpoint of that....

If people want to disagree with that, not believe as I do, etc....etc....etc.....that's fine, it is personal for me.....and it has nothing to do with a book, a building or a priest.

 

[CaptainClown]

No, just invented by them.

well I mean something else concerning my theory. The real theory means it was created by humans and controlled my humans.

 

[Bill]

Jesus questioned the Jewish Leaders...
Jesus questioned their writings....
Jesus ate with prostitutes, and was a good friend of one....
Jesus hung out with people who were looked upon by the majority as lower than the ants.....

My relationship is between me and my God.......and Jesus is the centerpoint of that....

If people want to disagree with that, not believe as I do, etc....etc....etc.....that's fine, it is personal for me.....and it has nothing to do with a book, a building or a priest.

Without the book, you wouldn't have the building, the priest, or the relationship.

 

[Bill]

well I mean something else concerning my theory. The real theory means it was created by humans and controlled my humans.

I see what you're saying. I don't think that was the aim of the ancient Hebrews. I think they merely wanted to write their version of history, and used a lot of myths and stories from what was the past to them to enhance their writings. Once the Romans took control of the Bible and found out how docile people were who came under its influence, then it was used as a method of control and spread throughout Western society until it got to us.

 

[The Battousai]

Without the book, you wouldn't have the building, the priest, or the relationship.

That's what I was about to say...

 

[squeekness]

I'm not going to share with you my beliefs, because frankly, I have been re-evaluating them over the past few months. But I will say that I do not believe that Christianity is the truth. I believe it, like most religions, was created by an empire looking for a control mechanism to inflict on its citizens. So a few monks were commissioned to write the Bible, which then became the law of various empires throughout history, and anyone who didn't adhere to the standards set by the Bible were tortured, mutilated, and murdered in the name of God.

I'm also not going to get into scientifics because 1) that is not my specialty, and there are many other posters here who could relay that information to you without me butchering it, and 2) you are going to look for a hole in my argument and try to fill it with Christian principles which I believe are false.

The Bible wasn't written by monks, it is older than monks. Most of it was written by Jews, actually. The Christians just took it over at a certain point. The first five books of the Bible are also the Jewish Torah.

So, if I kidnapped a school bus full of children and turned them into slaves and forced them to break rocks on my farm for the rest of their lives, would the children have to consider me Christlike and obey every command I give unconditionally?

No Christian has answered this yet.

The thing is that slavery then isn't the same as slavery now so it's hard to make the comparison. I think the point that Paul was trying to make about obeying your master is that in those times, the master was also your host if you will. You worked off your room and board and whatever you might owe the guy. It was more like indentured servitude. Many slaves chose to stay when their term of service was over. The thing is that if you accept your lot in life, it can be freeing. It can reduce stress. The deal was amongst Christians that the slave would accept his place but also that the master was supposed to treat his slaves well. It wasn't a one sided deal. If you owned a person, you had the same obligation to treat them decently, something modern slave owners, even Chrsitians ones. failed to do. In this modern age, I don't think slavery should be allowed no matter what the Bible says since we clearly can't handle the concept.

No, I don't. However, many Christians feel that gays choose to be gay. So, if gay is a choice, would straight be a choice as well?

I am not one of those Christians. I think you are gay because God wanted you that way and wants you to live that way in a moral fashion. Clearly resisting that results in more harm than good so why fight it?

 

[CaptainClown]

I see what you're saying. I don't think that was the aim of the ancient Hebrews. I think they merely wanted to write their version of history, and used a lot of myths and stories from what was the past to them to enhance their writings. Once the Romans took control of the Bible and found out how docile people were who came under its influence, then it was used as a method of control and spread throughout Western society until it got to us.

Oh no, I don't think that was the intention at all but it is what it became. You can see all the influences of the bible around the globe with different characteristics taken and used to influence beliefs.

also I agree

 

[ShadowBoxing]

But in order to be a true Christian, you have to believe every word that the Bible says. It is the word of God and to go against it is blasphemy. So while America and the developed world has abolished slavery, it technically goes against the word of God.

A lot of people dislike Bible literalists. But I actually think they have more integrity than those who pick and choose which Biblical laws they are going to abide by.

I don't. There is no proof the Bible is 'literalist'. I actually find the notion that it is insulting to my intelligence. We have this cultural arrogance that people who came before us were just too stupid to realize what they were doing. Bullsh**. They had historians chronicling events in those times, Jewish ones, and the stories they told often -- more than not --didn't line up with what was in the Bible. I sincerely doubt the Jewish group of refugees who were adapting myths from other cultures to their own had no idea the stories were mythological in nature when they heard them the first time. I'm sure they weren't aware of Evolution or how old the Earth was, they probably even bought into geocentric theory, all very valid conclusions at the time, there is no evidence to suggest, however they thought those myths were 'truth' in the way we define it.

Furthermore, when you get to the heart of the matter, the stories gained the most traction after the Jews had been forced from their homeland. It seems more that they were trying to preserve laws and stories they felt uniquely represented them and their experience, than tell any definitive story of the universe.

 

[Kelly]

Without the book, you wouldn't have the building, the priest, or the relationship.

True....all of those things, brought me to this relationship.....what I'm saying is....those things are not what hold me to this relationship.

I enjoy home worship services, prayer and music.

I feel closer to God hiking in the mountains by myself, much more than I do in a church service.

That's just me.......

 

[squeekness]

Here's a thought: There have been hundreds of prophecies in the Old Testament detailing the coming of the Messiah. Yet, the chosen people did not recognize his coming… if you are a Christian. Given that Christians cherish the teaching of the New Testament more, would they recognize the Second Coming?

That's the point I wanted to make with this post... how would one know, given if one believe what Christians says, the Jews totally missed the ball... and he was suppose to be their Messiah.

The thing is, with all the various prophacies, people got to having a specific idea of who that messiah was going to be. God, having something of sense of humor it seems, did what he said he was going to do, only just not in the way people expected. It wouldn't surprise me if he does it again.

At some time in the Bible God goes from being an Abusive father to a loving fun uncle.

That's because so many different people from so many different perspectives and time periods contributed to the book we know as the Bible. It wasn't written by one guy. Have ten people sit down and write about a car accident they witnessed, you'll get ten different angles on the same thing.

Here is a link explaining the Big Bang theory and the evidence that supports it. Now, it's quite intensive and there is going to be much you don't understand, but remember one thing; you asked for it.

As for the differences between the two, it should be quite obvious. The Big Bang theory is a scientific construct supported by evidence. Creation is an idea supported by an argument from incredulity(logical fallacy), ignorance, and dogma.

At the very least, you'll have a nice reference for the BBT.

Why can't it be God himself that caused the Big Bang? How is that not an act of Creationism? Why do they have to be opposing ideas? They certainly aren't to me.

But in order to be a true Christian, you have to believe every word that the Bible says. It is the word of God and to go against it is blasphemy. So while America and the developed world has abolished slavery, it technically goes against the word of God.

A lot of people dislike Bible literalists. But I actually think they have more integrity than those who pick and choose which Biblical laws they are going to abide by. The whole concept of Christianity is that we are powerless to make decisions for ourselves, so we have to rely on the word of God as a spiritual and life guide. But if you blatantly disregard entire chapters in the Bible and claim that you think it is wrong, then how can you truthfully call yourself a Christian?

Because we know more now than we did then. There is a difference between a book being God "inspired" and one writen by God himself through a human host. Things are goign to get a bit wonky in the translation. Just because the old timers mighta been wrong about gravity and the sun doesn't mean they are wrong about God loving us and wanting us to be decent creatures to one another.

We've also grown up a lot in the past 2,000 years. I don't know of any Christian who thinks it's okay to own another person and abuse the hell out of them, or that it is okay to sell your kids, or that it's okay to rape the women in a town that was taken over. We've evolved a bit mentally since then. We can change without having to throw the whole book out.

 

[Team Andino]

I'm agnostic. Sadly my girlfriend and I recently separated although on good terms cause she recently realized how important religion is to her and how she wanted to be with someone who could love it as much as she did.

 

[Lunar_Wolf]

Originally Posted by CaptainClown

At some time in the Bible God goes from being an Abusive father to a loving fun uncle.

This cracked me up lol

 

[squeekness]

This is a key problem in my spirituality quest. I used to consider myself a Christian but then stopped when I realized I did NOT agree with everything in the Bible. And now, although I still believe in some Christian principles and definitely still believe in God, I also know, who am I to pick and choose what to believe in the Bible? However, I have studied enough that I will never believe that the entire Bible is true again. When I was younger, I became what's termed a born-again Christian. Is that made null and void now that I don't believe in all of the Bible? (not asking anyone in particular, just voicing everything that goes along with my spiritual questions and doubts, ha) I also stopped going to church because I felt that mine was full of hypocrites, and I didn't want to end up being one of them with my lack of "full Christian faith."

Seeking God is a journey not a destination. I think it may be bad to be fixed solidly to any one thing. If you are always seeking, you will discover new things about God all the time. The Bible has its place, but I am not sure it is the only tool that should be used. I think it is important to read as much as you can and talk to a lot of people. The more you explore as I have, it becomes difficult to adhere to any one denomination. I don't sweat it. Your relationship with God is between you and Him, not you and your Bible. Pray and the truth will find you where ever you are.

Jesus questioned the Jewish Leaders...
Jesus questioned their writings....
Jesus ate with prostitutes, and was a good friend of one....
Jesus hung out with people who were looked upon by the majority as lower than the ants.....

My relationship is between me and my God.......and Jesus is the centerpoint of that....

If people want to disagree with that, not believe as I do, etc....etc....etc.....that's fine, it is personal for me.....and it has nothing to do with a book, a building or a priest.

Exactly.

True....all of those things, brought me to this relationship.....what I'm saying is....those things are not what hold me to this relationship.

I enjoy home worship services, prayer and music.

I feel closer to God hiking in the mountains by myself, much more than I do in a church service.

That's just me.......

Sometimes I think it is good to get away from the clutter of the expectations and definitions from others. Again, the relationship is between you and God. He wants to be sought out. If you find him in the mountains or in the small spaces so be it. I think God and Jesus were less concerned about you being in a specific place like a church or temple, than you being able to find him anywhere at any time. What is the saying from Thomas -- Bend a blade of grass and find me, split a peice of wood and I'll be there? Truer words could not have been spoken.

 

[squeekness]

I'm agnostic. Sadly my girlfriend and I recently separated although on good terms cause she recently realized how important religion is to her and how she wanted to be with someone who could love it as much as she did.

It's probably better than fighting about it though I am sorry for your loss.