Zone1 Is religion only for people over, say, 50 who are afraid of what'll happen after death?

[nomadic5]

It seems a lot of people think this

but let me tell you young people out there this very important lesson I learned in my years on this planet:

I wish to God someone had told me about Jesus when I was young. I did find Him when young, but not because of anything my parents told me. A priest at a Sunday Mass said something about God's love that stuck in my head and then later, when I was in need of love and acceptance (long story why and all), I remembered the priest's words and.. well I had this great experience with Jesus.. words cannot describe it.

However, an experience w/ Jesus is not enough..

it's not enough to ensure that you have a good life (objectively speaking). No, a young person needs to be GUIDED by older and wiser people. That is true in every generation (human nature does not change from one generation to hte next).

I wish my parents had taught me... well, anything. One of my siblings once angrily said to me "They didn't teach us a damn thing" and when I thought about it... that was true.

So parents: Teach your chldren "all" you know.. about how the crazy world is... how to turn to Jesus.. what "church" is acceptable and which ones are not.. etc... etc..

Others can add their own advice to young people here... (I don't think leftists can contribute but they will "contribute" regardless...) sigh

 

[Donald H]

It seems a lot of people think this

but let me tell you young people out there this very important lesson I learned in my years on this planet:

I wish to God someone had told me about Jesus when I was young. I did find Him when young, but not because of anything my parents told me. A priest at a Sunday Mass said something about God's love that stuck in my head and then later, when I was in need of love and acceptance (long story why and all), I remembered the priest's words and.. well I had this great experience with Jesus.. words cannot describe it.

You've answered your own question with an example for why you needed religion. You had a crisis situation that caused you to believe there was no love or acceptance in your life.

That and fearing death keeps religious beliefs alive.

There's nothing else but variations of that.

 

[Auld Phart]

Heaven/Hell?

Not concerned.

I have a DNR,

when it's time, I'm gone,

 

[luiza]

You overlook the terrible effects of early indoctrination that produces conditioned unthinking kids who develop into conditioned unthinking adult looking kids .

 

[shockedcanadian]

It seems a lot of people think this

but let me tell you young people out there this very important lesson I learned in my years on this planet:

I wish to God someone had told me about Jesus when I was young. I did find Him when young, but not because of anything my parents told me. A priest at a Sunday Mass said something about God's love that stuck in my head and then later, when I was in need of love and acceptance (long story why and all), I remembered the priest's words and.. well I had this great experience with Jesus.. words cannot describe it.

However, an experience w/ Jesus is not enough..

it's not enough to ensure that you have a good life (objectively speaking). No, a young person needs to be GUIDED by older and wiser people. That is true in every generation (human nature does not change from one generation to hte next).

I wish my parents had taught me... well, anything. One of my siblings once angrily said to me "They didn't teach us a damn thing" and when I thought about it... that was true.

So parents: Teach your chldren "all" you know.. about how the crazy world is... how to turn to Jesus.. what "church" is acceptable and which ones are not.. etc... etc..

Others can add their own advice to young people here... (I don't think leftists can contribute but they will "contribute" regardless...) sigh

I've been a believer in God since I was a kid. Would refrain from taking the Lords name in vain etc. It isn't just for 50+ year old people, but with age comes wisdom.

 

[JustAGuy1]

I am not afraid of death at all.

 

[Cougarbear]

You've answered your own question with an example for why you needed religion. You had a crisis situation that caused you to believe there was no love or acceptance in your life.

That and fearing death keeps religious beliefs alive.

There's nothing else but variations of that.

You are truly clueless.
We have many young families that attend our Church weekly. We focus on personal growth in relationship to positive living in the present and future. This includes moral and physical health and social issues to positive living. We focus on strengthening families, the backbone of any successful civilization. We answer 3 questions:
Why am I here?
Where did I come from?
Where am I going after this life?
We have 4 missions for members and non-members:
1. Proclaim the Gospel
2. Salvation for the living
3. Redeeming the dead
4. Helping the poor and needy

 

[Donald H]

You are truly clueless.
We have many young families that attend our Church weekly. We focus on personal growth in relationship to positive living in the present and future. This includes moral and physical health and social issues to positive living. We focus on strengthening families, the backbone of any successful civilization. We answer 3 questions:
Why am I here?
Where did I come from?
Where am I going after this life?
We have 4 missions for members and non-members:
1. Proclaim the Gospel
2. Salvation for the living
3. Redeeming the dead
4. Helping the poor and needy

All of the churches have come to understand that they have to become more than just pushing superstitious and supernatural beliefs. Thus the activities you related to here.

But the church's big problem is that everybody can get that somewhere else where they don't have to listen to the religious distractions

Why am I here?
Where did I come from?
Where am I going after this life?

Do you want answers from science or do you want superstitious beliefs?

The Catholic church has accepted Darwinian Evolution.

 

[buttercup]

I wish to God someone had told me about Jesus when I was young.

Same here. Because based on my own experience and everything I've learned throughout my life, I've concluded that life doesn't truly begin until one comes to God.

So when a person gives their heart to Jesus earlier in their life, they have that many more years of being a child of God, gaining true wisdom, living their God-given purpose and doing meaningful things… As opposed to wasting years of life doing stupid or meaningless things, and missing out on the very reason we were created.

To be clear, namely for the nonbelievers here, I'm not talking about mere religion. That's an entirely different thing than actually getting saved and becoming a new creation. (2 Corinthians 5:17)

 

[Donald H]

Same here. Because based on my own experience and everything I've learned throughout my life, I've concluded that life doesn't truly begin until one comes to God.

So when a person gives their heart to Jesus earlier in their life, they have that many more years of being a child of God, gaining true wisdom, living their God-given purpose and doing meaningful things… As opposed to wasting years of life doing stupid or meaningless things, and missing out on the very reason we were created.

To be clear, namely for the nonbelievers here, I'm not talking about mere religion. That's an entirely different thing than actually getting saved and becoming a new creation. (2 Corinthians 5:17)

I think that there is no meaning to life, other than what one brings to his/her life.

Richard Dawkins for example!

Who has experienced a more meaningful life, for his own benefit as well as to the wellbeing of many millions of others?

Who in the world has brought more meaning to life than Charles Darwin.

What is meaning to a Christian? Worshipping a fictional god?

 

[citygator]

Nothing wrong with being religious at any age as long as you aren’t a tool about it to other people. Been a believer and churchgoer my whole life despite the unpleasant judgmental patrons. It’s a giant leap to be a believer but, who cares, it’s better than the alternative.

 

[Donald H]

Nothing wrong with being religious at any age as long as you aren’t a tool about it to other people. Been a believer and churchgoer my whole life despite the unpleasant judgmental patrons. It’s a giant leap to be a believer but, who cares, it’s better than the alternative.

You don't know that it's better than the alternative.

The alternative begins with facing life head-on without depending on the crutch offered by religion.

What is it that you don't want to face?

 

[Cougarbear]

All of the churches have come to understand that they have to become more than just pushing superstitious and supernatural beliefs. Thus the activities you related to here.

But the church's big problem is that everybody can get that somewhere else where they don't have to listen to the religious distractions

Why am I here?
Where did I come from?
Where am I going after this life?

Do you want answers from science or do you want superstitious beliefs?

The Catholic church has accepted Darwinian Evolution.

Good segway into a conversation.
If we look at just the OT, we find that the laws and commandments have nothing to do with fear of dying. It's all about good clean living. The NT continues this through Jesus teachings. What the NT does is moves the clean living laws into the reason for doing so. The "Where am I going" question. Not fear of just dying. But, that life continues beyond our physical death in the resurrection that Christ gave to us as part of his atonement. So, I don't see atheistic teachings can give any of us a glimpse into the future beyond the veil of death. Hope is a great motivating factor for clean living that causes progression in civilization. Love thy neighbor as thy self, don't steal, honor your parents in righteousness, don't covet what others have, get what you want on your own efforts. Capitalism without these will devolve into pride, self-righteous behaviors, tyranny and eventually the destruction of families and human existence as we have seen many civilizations disappear.

To the 3 questions: Science and atheistism has yet to answer why are we here. Let alone, how did this all come from? Where did the universe come from? Where did the materials to make our universe come from? Are we in a black hole within another bigger universe? But, ultimately, why are you here with a conscience that all other animals don't have? What makes us separate from the other natural life on earth to create or organize the amazing things of life we have, understand them and know why right is right and wrong is wrong? When we reject what right is right, make good evil and evil good, we lose that conscience and become carnal and devilish. The natural man is one without a conscience. So, where did your conscience come from if not God?

As far as where are you going, science says nowhere. No hope. So, it really doesn't matter what I do to others. I can lie, cheat, steal, kill, molest and rape women and children, deny God and condemn mankind to tyranny.
Let me answer your continued use of the word of "superstitious" belief. While you would use only partial definitions like a practice resulting from fear, trust in magic or chance and things like that, superstition is an obsessive-compulsive disorder to bring to pass the beliefs one has without understanding or in ignorance. Some "fear" is actually good because it can cause one to focus better on the important issues we may be involved with. Too much fear can cause one to be tunnel visioned and therefore paralyzed to what is going on around us and reality. I would say there are those people who fall into this category. But, I would also say most Jews and Christians do not fall into this at all. If a Christian is concerned with the judgment day of God, and it causes positive changes in the way he or she lives their lives, then the fear or focus is just right and strengthens the conscience in oneself. And, I would say that is the majority of Christians today. Same with Jews. Most Muslims as well. Those that are Jihadis most likely are superstitiously obsessive with their fear of not having 72 virgins upon death and they kill and hate.

The fact is, where we live also has an effect on our control of how we observe our faith in God as well. In the U.S., where unemployment is very low right now, most religious persons spend very few minutes or hours each week in their studies and works within their various churches, synagogues, mosques and temples. Even fewer on their knees praying or reading their scriptures. Much time is spent working in their jobs, time with their families, using technology, exercise, TV and so on. The obsession thing really doesn't exist. Instead, people of faith have a testimony of their beliefs and not superstitious activities of obsessive compulsions. I personally have witnessed events that have me conclude that God lives and Jesus Christ is the Son of God. I can see what happens when people deny Christ and live a godless life in their behaviors, their words, their acts of vile living. I can see when people put into practice the knowledge of Christ into their lives and how their families, friends and neighbors are blesses as well. I can see today how our country is devolving into a cesspool of Sodom and Gomorrah as fewer people hear and follow God and lust after their flesh and carnal things of the world.

As far at the Catholic Church goes, it doesn't affect me because I'm not Catholic. However, I worked at a Catholic high school for 16 years and know that some members accept evolution and some don't. Same with other Christian Churches and faiths as well. And, for those Catholics who claim their church is the only true church of Jesus Christ, how untrue that is.

 

[Donald H]

Good segway into a conversation.
If we look at just the OT, we find that the laws and commandments have nothing to do with fear of dying. It's all about good clean living. The NT continues this through Jesus teachings. What the NT does is moves the clean living laws into the reason for doing so. The "Where am I going" question. Not fear of just dying. But, that life continues beyond our physical death in the resurrection that Christ gave to us as part of his atonement. So, I don't see atheistic teachings can give any of us a glimpse into the future beyond the veil of death. Hope is a great motivating factor for clean living that causes progression in civilization. Love thy neighbor as thy self, don't steal, honor your parents in righteousness, don't covet what others have, get what you want on your own efforts. Capitalism without these will devolve into pride, self-righteous behaviors, tyranny and eventually the destruction of families and human existence as we have seen many civilizations disappear.

To the 3 questions: Science and atheistism has yet to answer why are we here. Let alone, how did this all come from? Where did the universe come from? Where did the materials to make our universe come from? Are we in a black hole within another bigger universe? But, ultimately, why are you here with a conscience that all other animals don't have? What makes us separate from the other natural life on earth to create or organize the amazing things of life we have, understand them and know why right is right and wrong is wrong? When we reject what right is right, make good evil and evil good, we lose that conscience and become carnal and devilish. The natural man is one without a conscience. So, where did your conscience come from if not God?

As far as where are you going, science says nowhere. No hope. So, it really doesn't matter what I do to others. I can lie, cheat, steal, kill, molest and rape women and children, deny God and condemn mankind to tyranny.
Let me answer your continued use of the word of "superstitious" belief. While you would use only partial definitions like a practice resulting from fear, trust in magic or chance and things like that, superstition is an obsessive-compulsive disorder to bring to pass the beliefs one has without understanding or in ignorance. Some "fear" is actually good because it can cause one to focus better on the important issues we may be involved with. Too much fear can cause one to be tunnel visioned and therefore paralyzed to what is going on around us and reality. I would say there are those people who fall into this category. But, I would also say most Jews and Christians do not fall into this at all. If a Christian is concerned with the judgment day of God, and it causes positive changes in the way he or she lives their lives, then the fear or focus is just right and strengthens the conscience in oneself. And, I would say that is the majority of Christians today. Same with Jews. Most Muslims as well. Those that are Jihadis most likely are superstitiously obsessive with their fear of not having 72 virgins upon death and they kill and hate.

The fact is, where we live also has an effect on our control of how we observe our faith in God as well. In the U.S., where unemployment is very low right now, most religious persons spend very few minutes or hours each week in their studies and works within their various churches, synagogues, mosques and temples. Even fewer on their knees praying or reading their scriptures. Much time is spent working in their jobs, time with their families, using technology, exercise, TV and so on. The obsession thing really doesn't exist. Instead, people of faith have a testimony of their beliefs and not superstitious activities of obsessive compulsions. I personally have witnessed events that have me conclude that God lives and Jesus Christ is the Son of God. I can see what happens when people deny Christ and live a godless life in their behaviors, their words, their acts of vile living. I can see when people put into practice the knowledge of Christ into their lives and how their families, friends and neighbors are blesses as well. I can see today how our country is devolving into a cesspool of Sodom and Gomorrah as fewer people hear and follow God and lust after their flesh and carnal things of the world.

As far at the Catholic Church goes, it doesn't affect me because I'm not Catholic. However, I worked at a Catholic high school for 16 years and know that some members accept evolution and some don't. Same with other Christian Churches and faiths as well. And, for those Catholics who claim their church is the only true church of Jesus Christ, how untrue that is.

There isn't anything that can be referred to as 'atheistic teaching'. We simply don't believe.

It's not an issue of some Catholics accepting evolution and some not. It's that the Catholic church does accept Darwinian evolution.

There are two issues that you mentioned that are your food for thought. Pursue one of those or choose one of the other issues you've raised. Not more than one!

 

[Mr Natural]

I am not afraid of death at all.

Given the choice between death or spending my last years in a nursing home, I’ll take death.

 

[Cougarbear]

There isn't anything that can be referred to as 'atheistic teaching'. We simply don't believe.

It's not an issue of some Catholics accepting evolution and some not. It's that the Catholic church does accept Darwinian evolution.

There are two issues that you mentioned that are your food for thought. Pursue one of those or choose one of the other issues you've raised. Not more than one!

I did say, atheistic teaching, not belief. It's easy to see that atheists teach against religious believes, the opposite of believing. So, in a way, you do believe in nothing. It's still a belief. However, I'm responding to teachings that call the believes names like being superstitious. Actually, most atheists in here preach against religion as though they know they are right as a preacher of religion sometimes does. Not just preach but make light or belittle believers in God. That certainly doesn't bring people closer together.

So, where do you find the doctrine of Darwism stated in the Catholic Church or any other Church? It's my understanding that many churches, including the RCC, simply acknowledge the possibility of the big bang, natural selection, old universe, old earth theories as theories that can be studied. And, that if a member thinks it's correct, it won't affect affect their church membership. Even studies of these theories is okay to do. But, it is not doctrine within these Churches.

Well, I thought you would want to pursue one or the other. Which one do you want to pursue? I actually think they do overlap in areas. If I say that it's true that if you have no beliefs, then it's appropriate to lie, cheat, steal or break the laws concerning loving our neighbors as thyself. That his sort of "pride" cycle will eventually destroy a civilization is true as it has in the past history of the world. So, take the concept of conscience. What is it? Why do people have it to a point as to treat others with love and respect? And, why do others not have this conscience and end up desiring to hurt others for self gratifications? In my belief, our conscience is evidence of the "Light of Christ" that can be in all people. Many have put a lampshade over the Light or truth of the Good Gospel. Some have blacked it out all together. So, as an atheist, what makes it important to you to not steal, lie, kill humans and other aspects of God's laws? What causes you to not participate in what I'd call immorality? Or, if you do participate in what I call immorality, what justifies your actions? I ask that because I just had a conversation with a "Christian" or believer in the Bible and he has no problem having sexual relations outside the bounds of marriage. But, he doesn't cheat, steal or do other things that is against the laws and commandments of God.

 

[kjw47]

Nothing wrong with being religious at any age as long as you aren’t a tool about it to other people. Been a believer and churchgoer my whole life despite the unpleasant judgmental patrons. It’s a giant leap to be a believer but, who cares, it’s better than the alternative.

Gods word has already judged. If one shares those truths out of concern for another that is not judging.

 

[Cougarbear]

Gods word has already judged. If one shares those truths out of concern for another that is not judging.

Ummm...no. God has not judged anyone at this time. We all have the opportunity to repent and be forgiven because of the atonement of Jesus Christ. The Bible is a book, an inanimate object so it can't judge.
I agree with your next statement. Sharing our religion is not judging anymore than you sharing a great restaurant you went to for me to try out. Our missionaries get doors slammed in their faces like yours. That's why I don't slam a door in your missionaries faces either. I'll even invite them in to share their message. Being nice and sharing is not a sin. Yet, your church teaches you to not invite our missionaries in or even go into another's church for any reason. Even though Jesus went into the house of ill repute. Do you have that still in your version of the Bible? The one that you took out many pages and changed the wording around?

 

[kjw47]

Ummm...no. God has not judged anyone at this time. We all have the opportunity to repent and be forgiven because of the atonement of Jesus Christ. The Bible is a book, an inanimate object so it can't judge.
I agree with your next statement. Sharing our religion is not judging anymore than you sharing a great restaurant you went to for me to try out. Our missionaries get doors slammed in their faces like yours. That's why I don't slam a door in your missionaries faces either. I'll even invite them in to share their message. Being nice and sharing is not a sin. Yet, your church teaches you to not invite our missionaries in or even go into another's church for any reason. Even though Jesus went into the house of ill repute. Do you have that still in your version of the Bible? The one that you took out many pages and changed the wording around?

You best read the bible-1 Cor 6:9-11, Gal 5:19-21-2 lists of unacceptable sins. Both spots say--Will not inherit Gods kingdom if they practice one of them= Already judged to destruction if one practices one of those sins. Along with all the false God worship and those 2 lists=99% minimum on this earth.

 

[Cougarbear]

You best read the bible-1 Cor 6:9-11, Gal 5:19-21-2 lists of unacceptable sins. Both spots say--Will not inherit Gods kingdom if they practice one of them= Already judged to destruction if one practices one of those sins. Along with all the false God worship and those 2 lists=99% minimum on this earth.

You have bad reading abilities and comprehension. Just look at 1Cor 6:11, "And such were some of you: (Notice the word, "WERE?") but ye are washed (Baptized for the remission of sins), but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God." As long as fornicators continue to be unrepentant, they will not inherit the Kingdom of God. But, when they repent, they will. Take the prostitute who Jesus saved from the men who were going to stone her. She was forgiven and told to go and sin no more. So, had God judged them? No. They sinned but the judgment day had not happened yet. Still hasn't. You have time to repent and be baptized still.
By the way, what does the word "inherit" mean? It means that after one dies, you get what ever that person wanted you to have. Now, since God will not die, what does it mean to inherit the Kingdom of God?