Religious choices

[Gabriella84]

Does anyone believe there is one religion that best represents the true teachings of God and whose basic tenets should accepted above all others?

I don't think so. I respect all religious views throughout the world. I joined the church that I felt the most comfortable with.

 

[nosarcasm]

between the hundreds of Gods out there statistics are against you.

 

[nakedemperor]

Does anyone believe there is one religion that best represents the true teachings of God and whose basic tenets should accepted above all others?

I don't think so. I respect all religious views throughout the world. I joined the church that I felt the most comfortable with.

You'll find a bunch of people on this board who believe their religion is the religion and people who don't follow their religion are going to burn. I think this is the wrong way to think about religion, but that's a significantly pervasive opinion 'round these here parts.

P.S. I'm from NYC and residing in Berkeley this summer, and working San Fran.. care to recommend any must-see's or must-do's?

 

[Avatar4321]

Does anyone believe there is one religion that best represents the true teachings of God and whose basic tenets should accepted above all others?

Yes, of course. Do you think God who organized the universe is the author of Confusion? Do you honestly believe that religions that teach things that contradict both reflect God's teachings?

I don't think so. I respect all religious views throughout the world. I joined the church that I felt the most comfortable with

That's because you are looking for a religion to suit you rather than looking for the one that teaches what God wants. You see you want to be taught what you want to hear rather than what God wants you to hear. And so you will be given what you want, but it wont benefit you. God will stretch you, help you to become greater than you are now if you let Him. But if youd rather settle into your comfort zone rather than reach out to something higher thats fine too. God tends to give us what we want.

 

[rtwngAvngr]

You'll find a bunch of people on this board who believe their religion is the religion and people who don't follow their religion are going to burn. I think this is the wrong way to think about religion, but that's a significantly pervasive opinion 'round these here parts.

P.S. I'm from NYC and residing in Berkeley this summer, and working San Fran.. care to recommend any must-see's or must-do's?

It's more diverse here than on du or other liberal boards. They must maintain their feeling of superiority by refusing to have an open dialog with real conservatives; we maintain ours by whipping lib ass daily.

 

[dmp]

Does anyone believe there is one religion that best represents the true teachings of God and whose basic tenets should accepted above all others?

What good would my faith be, if I allowed that it could be wrong?

 

[Nienna]

Isn't this the basic meaning of the word "believe"? To believe something means that you hold it to be more true than other things. There is a difference between believing and respecting. I can still respect others' right to believe as they wish, by not belittling their views. However, this doesn't mean that I must claim their beliefs are equally as true as mine. What would be the point in saying I believe if I held that opposite beliefs were equally true?

 

[dmp]

Isn't this the basic meaning of the word "believe"? To believe something means that you hold it to be more true than other things. There is a difference between believing and respecting. I can still respect others' right to believe as they wish, by not belittling their views. However, this doesn't mean that I must claim their beliefs are equally as true as mine. What would be the point in saying I believe if I held that opposite beliefs were equally true?

Liberals confuse the two. To a Liberal, believers of one faith are biggots when they don't 'embrace' the teachings of another's faith. To pacify liberals, I'd have to not only accept a muslim, but convert to show my 'tolerance' of their faith.

 

[Gabriella84]

It is not a matter of "choosing beliefs." It is a matter of being someplace where God speaks to you, where you feel as one with the Holy Spirit.
I was raised in a non-religious family. My dad said it was a personal choice and that I could believe whatever I wished.
When I left to attend Cal, my roommate for the first two years was an Italian citizen. She was a Roman Catholic believed deeply. I didn't want to have to attend services by herself, so I went with her a few times. The services left me cold. Catholicism reminded me of some secret organization where you either belonged or you didn't. My roommate agreed, saying it was difficult to "become" a Catholic. Most Catholics were born and raised that way.
I got dressed to go to church one Sunday, but my roommate was ill and didn't wish to go. My suitemates, who were black, invited me to go to their church. A non-denomination full gospel church.
I went and was immediately impressed by how lively and energetic the services were. You didn't just sit there and listen to the message of God. You were part of it. It was the first time I ever felt God speaking directly to me.
The church was really open as well. You would think a congregation that was close to 100 percent ethnic would feel uncomfortable to suddenly have a short, blonde-headed girl in their midst, but they weren't.

It is not enough for God to speak to you. You have to feel as though you can speak back.

 

[dmp]

It is not a matter of "choosing beliefs." It is a matter of being someplace where God speaks to you, where you feel as one with the Holy Spirit.
I was raised in a non-religious family. My dad said it was a personal choice and that I could believe whatever I wished.
When I left to attend Cal, my roommate for the first two years was an Italian citizen. She was a Roman Catholic believed deeply. I didn't want to have to attend services by herself, so I went with her a few times. The services left me cold. Catholicism reminded me of some secret organization where you either belonged or you didn't. My roommate agreed, saying it was difficult to "become" a Catholic. Most Catholics were born and raised that way.
I got dressed to go to church one Sunday, but my roommate was ill and didn't wish to go. My suitemates, who were black, invited me to go to their church. A non-denomination full gospel church.
I went and was immediately impressed by how lively and energetic the services were. You didn't just sit there and listen to the message of God. You were part of it. It was the first time I ever felt God speaking directly to me.
The church was really open as well. You would think a congregation that was close to 100 percent ethnic would feel uncomfortable to suddenly have a short, blonde-headed girl in their midst, but they weren't.

It is not enough for God to speak to you. You have to feel as though you can speak back.

...but how does your faith conflict with your political views? It's nearly impossible to be a political liberal AND a follower of Christ...assuming you claim to follow Christ.

 

[Markainion]

It is not a matter of "choosing beliefs." It is a matter of being someplace where God speaks to you, where you feel as one with the Holy Spirit.
I was raised in a non-religious family. My dad said it was a personal choice and that I could believe whatever I wished.
When I left to attend Cal, my roommate for the first two years was an Italian citizen. She was a Roman Catholic believed deeply. I didn't want to have to attend services by herself, so I went with her a few times. The services left me cold. Catholicism reminded me of some secret organization where you either belonged or you didn't. My roommate agreed, saying it was difficult to "become" a Catholic. Most Catholics were born and raised that way.
I got dressed to go to church one Sunday, but my roommate was ill and didn't wish to go. My suitemates, who were black, invited me to go to their church. A non-denomination full gospel church.
I went and was immediately impressed by how lively and energetic the services were. You didn't just sit there and listen to the message of God. You were part of it. It was the first time I ever felt God speaking directly to me.
The church was really open as well. You would think a congregation that was close to 100 percent ethnic would feel uncomfortable to suddenly have a short, blonde-headed girl in their midst, but they weren't.

It is not enough for God to speak to you. You have to feel as though you can speak back.

The African-American community does seem to add flavor to religion. My brother served a mission in Richmond Virginian, and afterwards some of my family and myself went to visit the area that he served. The regional church was close to being 100% Black, being from a white family that many whites consider white. We should have stuck out more than we did, but we really didn’t.

 

[Gabriella84]

It's nearly impossible to be a political liberal AND a follower of Christ...assuming you claim to follow Christ.

This is an impossibly ridiculous statement that is not even worthy of rebuttal.

 

[dmp]

This is an impossibly ridiculous statement that is not even worthy of rebuttal.

Which part? The 'assuming you claim to follow Christ'?

 

[GotZoom]

This is an impossibly ridiculous statement that is not even worthy of rebuttal.

But you just did.

 

[no1tovote4]

It is not a matter of "choosing beliefs." It is a matter of being someplace where God speaks to you, where you feel as one with the Holy Spirit.
I was raised in a non-religious family. My dad said it was a personal choice and that I could believe whatever I wished.
When I left to attend Cal, my roommate for the first two years was an Italian citizen. She was a Roman Catholic believed deeply. I didn't want to have to attend services by herself, so I went with her a few times. The services left me cold. Catholicism reminded me of some secret organization where you either belonged or you didn't. My roommate agreed, saying it was difficult to "become" a Catholic. Most Catholics were born and raised that way.
I got dressed to go to church one Sunday, but my roommate was ill and didn't wish to go. My suitemates, who were black, invited me to go to their church. A non-denomination full gospel church.
I went and was immediately impressed by how lively and energetic the services were. You didn't just sit there and listen to the message of God. You were part of it. It was the first time I ever felt God speaking directly to me.
The church was really open as well. You would think a congregation that was close to 100 percent ethnic would feel uncomfortable to suddenly have a short, blonde-headed girl in their midst, but they weren't.

It is not enough for God to speak to you. You have to feel as though you can speak back.

I understand your sentiment here, but oringinally you spoke of the validity of all religions and presumed youself more tolerant than others because you believed that they are all valid. Yet this view is entirely intolerant of people who actually believe in their religion, understanding that a person's view is different and respecting them anyway is tolerance not simply accepting whatever may be thrown your way.

Personally I am not a Christian, my religion actually specifically teaches that other religions that teach a respect for life are all different paths towards the same goal. I, however, do understand that Christianity teaches that Christ is the only path and expect a Christian to believe that way. I understand that they will attempt to convert me especially if they care for me personally and that their belief gives them a different aspect on life.

If you are expecting others to simply believe the way you do because you believe that it is more tolerant it is simply hypocrisy, and attempting to describe somebody as intolerant because they do have a specific belief is fundamentally missing the actual meaning of tolerance.

As to this specific post, this is how I became a Buddhist. I grew up in a Pentecostal household. I had many, many questions that were never satisfactorily answered and the spiritual aspect of my life floundered while in that church. They had fun much like the church you went to then, many people found God there, but for me it was a silent place spiritually.

It was many years later while I was in the Navy. I volunteered at Bethesda in the Psych Ward and met a young gentleman who had gotten AIDS from a shared needle, he introduced me to a Buddhist Priest that would come there to help him learn. As he spoke to me and I to him I found the song that sang to my soul, the Voice was heard, and I finally understood the excitement that all those newly made Christians had when they first converted.

I firmly believe that if you come to religion later in life, this is how it happens the religion will find you and when you hear the Voice you will know. Others who were born into that place have heard the quiet Voice all of their lives and are comfortable with it already.

 

[dmp]

I understand your sentiment here, but oringinally you spoke of the validity of all religions and presumed youself more tolerant than others because you believed that they are all valid. Yet this view is entirely intolerant of people who actually believe in their religion, understanding that a person's view is different and respecting them anyway is tolerance not simply accepting whatever may be thrown your way.

Personally I am not a Christian, my religion actually specifically teaches that other religions that teach a respect for life are all different paths towards the same goal. I, however, do understand that Christianity teaches that Christ is the only path and expect a Christian to believe that way. I understand that they will attempt to convert me especially if they care for me personally and that their belief gives them a different aspect on life.

If you are expecting others to simply believe the way you do because you believe that it is more tolerant it is simply hypocrisy, and attempting to describe somebody as intolerant because they do have a specific belief is fundamentally missing the actual meaning of tolerance.

I'm amazed sometimes - how in this little corner of the internet is clustered SO many people who 'get it'. You, my friend, top the list of those who 'get it'. What you replied with just now is EXACTLY spot-on. You nailed it.

 

[no1tovote4]

I'm amazed sometimes - how in this little corner of the internet is clustered SO many people who 'get it'. You, my friend, top the list of those who 'get it'. What you replied with just now is EXACTLY spot-on. You nailed it.

Gawrsh!

Thank you.

 

[Gabriella84]

It is not a matter of "tolerance." It is a matter of how you feel inside your soul. I never intended to become a Christian. When I moved away to attend college, finding religion was not on my list of things to do. I did not go "church shopping."
I don't attend services to impress anyone, or to attempt to deceive anyone. I go because I have accepted God into my heart.
I grew up with a lot of kids who were forced to go to church. It was seen as a duty and an obligation. Some eventually accepted it. Some remained miserable and grew to despise it.
My sister never accepted religion. She wasn't even married in a church. I never attended a service until I went to college.
God doesn't care when you come to him. As long as you come. A faithful follower is better than one who does it for show.

 

[Mr. P]

....
God doesn't care when you come to him. As long as you come. A faithful follower is better than one who does it for show.

We call em thumpers where I live...I've gotten lots of flack on this board from some of em too..

 

[Avatar4321]

It is not a matter of "tolerance." It is a matter of how you feel inside your soul.

It's not even how you feel inside, although living the Gospel will bring joy and happiness into your life. Its what is right, what is just that matters. Its about truth and true understanding. Whats the point of feeling good if you remain in ignorance?

God doesn't care when you come to him. As long as you come. A faithful follower is better than one who does it for show.

One thing i can agree with. God doesnt care when you come to Him. He will always have his arms open to us. but be careful not to judge people. Dont pretend you are a faithful follower and others do it for show. you dont know people's hearts. Who are we to judge the servants of another?