spirituality

[Talon The Cyclone]

look upon the stone of adam, Felix, it has turned black with the sins of man......darkness has taken over whether people like it or not.

All the humans want heaven but they cause hell....idiots...everyone is entitled to mistakes but GOD-DAM-MIT! rapist, muderers, druggies, abusers, ect...WTF! i know god gave us free will BUT DAYUM! HAVE A LITTLE COMTROLE OVA' US!!  

[A Touch of Evil]

The bible is an entertaining piece of fiction which can be dangerous in the hands of someone who believes it to be complete true facts.  

[Efstathios]

Agreed.

Actually kind of just said that in another subforum.

The Cogitation for the master debaters one, Religion thread.

Interesting, if circular, debate.  

[Talon The Cyclone]

i agree with you both  

[Iron_Felix]

Im glad to know someone agrees with me. biggrin  

[A Moment In Subtext]

Well, I don't agree with you.
First, on the matter of the Bible: It is fact. There is scientific proof that at least some of it actually happened. And the rest of it is a matter of faith. If you choose not to believe it, thats your problem, you can do whatever you want, but don't ruin it for someone who might one day read it and be saved.
Second, on the matter of Miracles: Just because you're too blind to notice a miracle doesn't mean you haven't seen one.
Third, on the matter of Free Will: God gave us free will in the beginning. Now, you'll notice that we blew that one right away. But it had consequences. Every action has a consequence. That, by the way, is a scientifically proven fact (Newton's Third Law). And God gives us the freedom to worship him or not because when someone loves you without reason or choice its a hollow love. Some people, a lot of people, choose to turn away from God, and while that saddens Him, that doesn't mean he doesn't love them, or give them the choice. I know that if someone walked up to me and declared their love for me only because I TOLD them too, I wouldn't like it.
And as for the war, and the killing, and all the bad things to do. . .well thats one of the consequences: You choose to get angry enough at someone to go after them with a gun, you might get killed. It is written:
" 1 There is a time for everything,
and a season for every activity under heaven:
2 a time to be born and a time to die,
a time to plant and a time to uproot,
3 a time to kill and a time to heal,
a time to tear down and a time to build,
4 a time to weep and a time to laugh,
a time to mourn and a time to dance,
5 a time to scatter stones and a time to gather them,
a time to embrace and a time to refrain,
6 a time to search and a time to give up,
a time to keep and a time to throw away,
7 a time to tear and a time to mend,
a time to be silent and a time to speak,
8 a time to love and a time to hate,
a time for war and a time for peace."
That's Ecclesiastes 3:1-8.  

[Iron_Felix]

And thats your choice. You dont agree with what I know for fact. It doesnt matter to me that people like you choose blind faith over the hard truth. I sind it sad, actually.  

[rgor]

Wanna hear some food for thought?

If you believe in heaven and hell, and hell has the rings

going upon crime and injustice done in your life, then

what is heaven to be better, what a honest bum get the

part of the immaculate land that has gone to scrap, then

if you think about it even our lord and savior will force us into ghettos

(Def.:ghetto: an alloted area of a region specifacally allotted for

a race/social class)

Well how bout dem' apples!

Next subject:building on the last section!

More food for thought, if there are different levels and these

area exist only to reward/punish for their lives on earth, and

only those who stand behind a great power get the higher areas,

then the equilibuerum of Yin and Yang would Phaze out,

thus creating reality because all that

would happen is we would rot in the ground,,,duhhhh!  

[Juno Celestial]

"If I were to suggest that between the Earth and Mars there is a china teapot revolving about the sun in an elliptical orbit, nobody would be able to disprove my assertion provided I were careful to add that the teapot is too small to be revealed even by our most powerful telescopes. But if I were to go on to say that, since my assertion cannot be disproved, it is an intolerable presumption on the part of human reason to doubt it, I should rightly be thought to be talking nonsense. If, however, the existence of such a teapot were affirmed in ancient books, taught as the sacred truth every Sunday, and instilled into the minds of children at school, hesitation to believe in its existence would become a mark of eccentricity and entitle the doubter to the attentions of the psychiatrist in an enlightened age or of the Inquisitor in an earlier time."

- (Russell, 1952)  

[NOCTVRNVS]

Zurianne

chessiejo

Zurianne

chessiejo

in my personal opinion

not binding on anyone of course

there is a real turning toward these questions of depth and substance, where do i come from, where am i going...

but the problem is that the usual avenues for answering these questions, churches (me), synagogues, mosques, whatever, have sold out to the rich and powerful and are unable to reply, other than to tell us to be patient and keep making money for them.

I halfway disagree with you....There are churches who have sold out and have turned to solely to pleasing everybody. But there are some who haven't. For example, at my church, the head Pastor will say things that will make you think and that will give you a spiritual 'shake up', if you will. He won't pull punches. But then our Youth Pastor is a people pleaser, he will say something deep and then immediately say something to make people laugh.

And I just realized that I might have gone a bit off course with all that....lol, I'm a rambler. xp
Back to your subject, I think that sometimes the searchers are looking in all the wrong places. And when they find the right place to look, they just don't listen.

but when i look around at the people who tell the honest truth, which should be a healthful tonic, they seem to get puniushed for it.

again it's just anecdotal evidence, my own experience.

but a young pastor helped us out and was really great, but then began preaching against adultery which wqas a serious problem in our congregation, and he got fired for it.

and there are many more examples.

Jesus said that we would get persecuted for standing and speaking the truth. Heck! He was!! We do get punished for speaking the truth, the is just the way that it is. It doesn't seem right, but that is life.

I understand what you are saying....but there is no real way around that except to keep standing up and telling the striaght out truth in a loving way. Keep on doing it and one day someone will listen.
~Z~

Wow, there's real Christians in here. Cool!  

[candyripper]

My spirituality? I believe in God, but I don't believe in heaven or hell. I don't believe anything exists after death. I believe this life is all you're gonna get~ lol.

I do believe in human's inherent ability to transcend base human needs.

I do believe in spiritual gifts.

I don't belong to any organized religion, but I'll do my best to respect them and many other people. If you don't share my beliefs, that's cool- diversity is always good because I believe all God wants for believers and non-believers is to just be themselves.

My spirituality? I can pray.  

[AgentPingoX69Oo]

I believe that no matter what religious or spirituality belief someone has, it always differs, even slightly, from anyone else. Two people, highly religious in Christianity, may have completely different interpretations of certain parts of the bible. When I realised this, I decided there was no right religion and I'd just explore until I found what "felt" right. I'm still searching but I'm definitely getting to where I want to be.  

[koolgirlblue RIP 07_15_08]

It's sad, when you close your mind, body, and spirit to true spirituality. I am a christian, and proud of it. I would not impose on others who don't want to hear. But when I read that some think the Bible is fiction, I just want to yell, go read people, not the Bible, but what is said about it. Also many of the prophecies have been fullfilled. And you can't argue with history. That is my belief. Not imposing. Just stating do your homework before you condemn another's religion. Thank you. You chose to read or not to read, that is your choice. But don't give an opinion when you are not qualified. Thank You.  

[Star HighPriestess Cherry]

"I am a christian, not by choice but because I was forced to be. At a young age, I had already formed an opinion about that, but because of everyone that surrounded me, I couldn't speak up. I had friends who, when they told their parents and people around them they were atheists, they were punished. That was the mentality of older people at that time. And still is, even if not so much. I've read the bible and found it extremely amusing. And one, if there's heaven and hell, then heaven doesn't have many people. Most of us sin throughout our lives. One way or another, we do. I've never known someone who had not sinned. I respect those who are religious, but I find all the preaching and stuff a bit...I don't know...stupid."  

[M0IRA]

Not here to say yea or nay to anyones chosen religion, but, think there are many ways to reach your inner spirit and spiritual plain. We all must find our own way to that place of peace.

I only disagree with those who wish to force their particular view down my throat whether I want it or not. They are right and all else wrong. That is evil in my point of view. A great deal of evil has been perpetuated in this world by those who claimed to be acting on God's will or in the name of whatever.

Just be true to your inner voice, don't put other's down for their choice. Live and let live. The world will be a much better place.