What's your religion?

[Powerman]

well i prayed for my wife son and daughter when they were all dying in the opperating room and they are all here....so are you telling me that i was sill for doing so?

i prayed for my mom when she had cancer.

my dad when he was dying.

my favourite uncle when he had bone canccer and both his legs snapped in half has he got up to hug me.

i prayed for each of them and each of my prayers was answered.

are you just here to take the piss? if so piss off

With all due respect I don't think they are here because of divine intervention. If they would have died would you have blamed God for not answering your prayers? I doubt it.

 

[Gabriella84]

I am Church of the Holy Spirit, a small, non-denominational black church in the Bay Area.

My friend Katie here is unaffiliated.

 

[manu1959]

With all due respect I don't think they are here because of divine intervention. If they would have died would you have blamed God for not answering your prayers? I doubt it.

i prayed that some of them died and they did...all the ones that i prayed to live did.

do you trivialize and disprespect everyone beliefs like this or is this just your brave internet badass superhero disguse?

 

[manu1959]

I am Church of the Holy Spirit, a small, non-denominational black church in the Bay Area.

My friend Katie here is unaffiliated.

you said black church like that is somehow important....strange that

 

[Powerman]

i prayed that some of them died and they did...all the ones that i prayed to live did.

do you trivialize and disprespect everyone beliefs like this or is this just your brave internet badass superhero disguse?

No, I'm just trying to figure out why people think that God is micromanaging things here on earth. I don't think God answers prayers pertaining to earthly things. That's just what I believe. If you are praying for souls then fine, that makes sense.

 

[Gabriella84]

you said black church like that is somehow important....strange that

Not important, merely relevent to the conversation. The spectrum of religion extends a lot further than many people think.

 

[manu1959]

No, I'm just trying to figure out why people think that God is micromanaging things here on earth. I don't think God answers prayers pertaining to earthly things. That's just what I believe. If you are praying for souls then fine, that makes sense.

why do you belive that god is not micro managing things on earth? are you saying the creator of the entire gig can not multi task?

anyway god is infinitly big and encompases and embodies all things so to answer individual prayers is not a stretch...multi tasking on an infinite scale if you will.....and yes sometimes the answer is no.

 

[manu1959]

Not important, merely relevent to the conversation. The spectrum of religion extends a lot further than many people thing.

ok fair enough ... i belong to a church that does not discriminate against other coloured people by calling itself a black church ... we just call ourself a church

 

[Powerman]

why do you belive that god is not micro managing things on earth? are you saying the creator of the entire gig can not multi task?

anyway god is infinitly big and encompases and embodies all things so to answer individual prayers is not a stretch...multi tasking on an infinite scale if you will.....and yes sometimes the answer is no.

I believe that God is not in control as many people do. I don't think he intervenes with earhtly matters. That's just me.

 

[kurtsprincess]

I believe that God is not in control as many people do. I don't think he intervenes with earhtly matters. That's just me.

Powerman.....then what do you think "He" does do?

 

[Powerman]

Powerman.....then what do you think "He" does do?

Well I don't know. Maybe he doesn't do shit. Maybe he doesn't exist. Why pretend to know what he does. Most people here are either Christian or atheist/agnostic. I'm agnostic. From my research on the matter Christianity is no more than a plagerised faith. Why should anyone believe it as the inspired word of God?

 

[manu1959]

Well I don't know. Maybe he doesn't do shit. Maybe he doesn't exist. Why pretend to know what he does. Most people here are either Christian or atheist/agnostic. I'm agnostic. From my research on the matter Christianity is no more than a plagerised faith. Why should anyone believe it as the inspired word of God?

you don't know .... yet you have an opinion and say that god can't possible be micromanaging issues on earth....that possible god doesn't do shit...you seem awful certain that god is a he and ..... why do you pretend to know what he doesn't do? and after all that.... agnostic....what a joke.... at least pick a side...make a decision....but don't piss up a rope and tell me what to think if you can't even pick a side...for fucks sake you must be one of those people that is the margin of error in a poll and are constantly undecided or i don't know....agnostic...what are you waitning for god to show up so you can become a bandwagon christian?

 

[Nienna]

I'm an Evangelical Protestant, although, I put it under the Fundamentalist choice. I do believe the Bible is "fundamentally" true as written--- hermeneutically literally (literally within the context). So that's why I agreed with the "Fundamental" label.

But I don't believe we are roped into trivial rules, like "women must not wear pants or make-up," and "women must OBEY men in everything." Those rules aren't Biblical, and if you read the entire Bible, and also consider the who-what-when-where-why of the verses that most people quote, that is not the spirit in which the verses were written. Also, anyone ever notice how most of those "rules" are imposed upon women?
***End Feminist Rant***

 

[Powerman]

you don't know .... yet you have an opinion and say that god can't possible be micromanaging issues on earth....that possible god doesn't do shit...you seem awful certain that god is a he and ..... why do you pretend to know what he doesn't do? and after all that.... agnostic....what a joke.... at least pick a side...make a decision....but don't piss up a rope and tell me what to think if you can't even pick a side...for fucks sake you must be one of those people that is the margin of error in a poll and are constantly undecided or i don't know....agnostic...what are you waitning for god to show up so you can become a bandwagon christian?

There is nothing wrong with being agnostic. I used to be a Christian but that is now irrelevant. There is one thing I do know however. The bible is not a factual book. It is no less mythical than any other fantasy story you have ever read. I will never be a bandwagon Christian as you suggest because I know the story of Christ is a fabrication based on a cultic myth that predates Christ by 1400 years. I truly don't believe that God exists but I'm not cocky enough to pretend that I know for sure that a higher power doesn't exist. But if a God does exist, then why would you think that this God micromanages things on earth or gives a shit about earthly matters? Wouldn't that violate the idea that God gave men free will? If you pray for something to happen that involves the action of another person then you are either wasting your time or you believe that God does not grant us free will. That is why I say that if there is a God, then God doesn't micromanage earthly matters and is only involved in the judgement of souls. Honestly, whey would God give a shit about things that happen on earth?

 

[Bonnie]

I thought you were praying for souls. Why would anyone pray for someone who is ill?

Because with my free will I pray that the illness is not deadly, for a speedy recovery. I also pray for many other things as I believe that if you put your faith and trust in God he will intervene on your behalf.

I used to be a non believer, but we/I was given a very powerful wakeup call which left no doubt in my mind that God is very real and very active in our lives if we just ask.

If you used to be Catholic you would know all this already. Obviously you have made a choice to not believe and that is what it is, however there is one thing that puzzles me?

Why is it that non-believers seem to have this overwhelming need to convince themselves by trying to convince others that God doesn't exist, or if God does exist then it is a malevolent God who is bent on hurting or ignoring it's own????

 

[Bonnie]

There is nothing wrong with being agnostic. I used to be a Christian but that is now irrelevant. There is one thing I do know however. The bible is not a factual book. It is no less mythical than any other fantasy story you have ever read. I will never be a bandwagon Christian as you suggest because I know the story of Christ is a fabrication based on a cultic myth that predates Christ by 1400 years. I truly don't believe that God exists but I'm not cocky enough to pretend that I know for sure that a higher power doesn't exist. But if a God does exist, then why would you think that this God micromanages things on earth or gives a shit about earthly matters? Wouldn't that violate the idea that God gave men free will? If you pray for something to happen that involves the action of another person then you are either wasting your time or you believe that God does not grant us free will. That is why I say that if there is a God, then God doesn't micromanage earthly matters and is only involved in the judgement of souls. Honestly, whey would God give a shit about things that happen on earth?

The Old Testament may indeed be mostly parables, but The New Testament is undoubtedly a factual book based on actual events. God puts us here to not only get to heaven, but to help along the way IF we ask for it, that's where free will comes into it. God micrmanages earthly matters because that's why we were created.

People ask the question "why am I here" the answer is To get to Heaven by doing good things in this life, by being charitable to others, for praying and living the best life you can with God's help and in using the gifts you were given in this life. It's really very simple.

 

[no1tovote4]

At some point in time almost every new member posts this thread...

I am still a Buddhist.

 

[Bonnie]

At some point in time almost every new member posts this thread...

I am still a Buddhist.

Curious Doug as to what led you to become a Buddhist? If it's not too personal a question?

 

[JOKER96BRAVO]

So many posts about religion and so many posts dragging religion in where it's off topic. What's your religion?

You forgot to include NONE

 

[no1tovote4]

Curious Doug as to what led you to become a Buddhist? If it's not too personal a question?

No, it isn't. I grew up in a strict Pentacostal house and went to church up to 5 days a week for different things. When I was about 8, after an episode at the church where we watched an "End Times" movie in the church where children had been left behind after their Parents who believed were taken to Heaven, I began asking questions that began a path where I found I did not believe in the religion. Among such things the Church population was not fond of children of Divorce and we were often treated as second class members of the congregation as well. It built a relationship that was not conducive to religious advancement and promoted anger in my young mind.

It was around 11 when I was openly non-Christian, the only one I knew in our Sunday School sessions that would admit to such a state of being. They would often ask me to bring in my record collection to teach about the evils of music, what was funny about that is I knew of many of the kids in those same classes that had worse music than mine.

Even with all that I was still, at my mother's request, a member of the Art Ministry (I helped to create many Holocaust memorials and scenes during the Church's annual Isreal Awareness Day), the Prison Ministry, the Israeli Dance Team, A ASL translator, and took part in many of the church's plays and musicals. I was amazed, they all knew that I was not a Christian yet took me into each of these things and expected me to promote their teachings...

It was depressing for a non-Christian to be among so many strong believers, they had found something that I had not found. Their anchor was secure, yet I was continually being pushed toward something that didn't "sing" or "speak" to my soul.

When I joined the military I volunteered at the Psych Ward at Bethesda and met a young gentleman who had AIDS (needle sharing not homosexuality) who had become a Buddhist. I met and spoke with his Priest on several occassions and found that I had been a Buddhist long before I knew what it meant. Almost all of my personal beliefs were not only spoken of by Buddha but were promoted by him as well. The excitement was electrifying!

I finally knew what it was that those new Christians had found, that feeling they had the excitement of finding the place where The Architect spoke within! Like them I wanted to spread this feeling, but knew that I simply hadn't yet the knowledge I needed to become a teacher in this particular religion. Instead I have learned to promote each persons right to their central belief and speak about Buddhism only with those who ask...

Well, that is the short version of the story...

(Sorry all about the length of the post).