Choosing a Religion

[Hugh Januss]

I am truly happy that the vicar handled it that way. I find trying to shove ones beliefs down the throat of another to be a despicable form of violence.

I will say that I have seen things in churches that make that baptism look like child's play though. I actually enjoy all of that stuff from an anthropological standpoint. Hell, there are churches pretty close to here that still handle rattle snakes.

OK, now that would be cool.

 

[Dr. Maserati]

Hmmm... looks like I'm an atheist with a tendency to believe in the magic inherent in underwear. I need a label.

We could start our own religion - how about Hugo Boss?

I'm an Atheist too, thank God.

 

[Hugh Januss]

We could start our own religion - how about Hugo Boss?

I'm an Atheist too, thank God.

I am a dyslexic agnostic, I don't believe in dogs.

 

[CentralCaliBike]

I don't "need" religion. I sincerely believe that the most logical conclusion, looking at the universe and life, is that there is a God. I am a Christian, but not like most picture. I actually don't believe that God put those dinosaur bones in the ground to test my faith. I don't believe that anyone is the judge of the another's life but God. I believe that prayer should be taught in church and not school. I believe God should be a practical part of someone's life and not some guy that keeps a list of sins so that he can justify you burning in hell for eternity. I believe that to think anyone is going to hell is to assume a deity of self that clearly does not exist. I believe the surest sign of Gods love for us is the absolute free will we have, and I believe free will to be absolute in the strictest sense of the word.

But I don't "need" religion. It is just what happened. I was an atheist at 16. I have personally experienced a life in which God has clearly taken part. I can no more deny what has happened to me as I can deny that I have feet, but that is my life. My true struggle is that many days I live an agnostic existence though I am a believer. Faith is a difficult thing, and anyone who says differently isn't looking at the world hard enough.

Now, I respect your beliefs or lack thereof. All I ask is that you not do what many religious people do and put anyone who differs from you in the same basket.

I find this hard to believe but I am agreeing with you on pretty much all counts about this particular subject.

 

[CentralCaliBike]

We ALL go off track with those things at some point. It has nothing to do with being a Christian, and everything to do with being human.

I always laugh a bit when it is pointed out that most of the wars have been fought over religion as if humans wouldn't find another reason to act out their personal hate and kill others if they didn't believe in God.

Agreed - but I do find it interesting that Christ gave the rules mentioned and within a few decades were at war with each other, within a couple of centuries with most of Europe - all in the name of promoting "christian" principles.

 

[CentralCaliBike]

Maybe you just need to have a pair of these guys set you back on the righteous path.

They do have an appreciation for bicycles.

 

[CentralCaliBike]

I wouldn't say they teach hate. I would say that in their teaching of exclusivity, many people internalize that belief and act in hatred because of it. I actually believe that hatred is a human characteristic and will find an outlet regardless of the beliefs of the practitioner. I think religion is organized because people tend to organize for various reasons, but mostly to help create a self identity using shared values that validate ones idea that they are not alone and are correct in their beliefs and thoughts. Me, I don't really need that too much.

I believe what I actually believe, and don't need anyone to tell me how to believe it. I enjoy hearing the path others take and their experiences on that path, but I don't need anyone to act as a go between.

I tend to think that God and Evil (or what ever you call it) are opposites. If God is love that would mean that Evil is hate. Evil tries very hard to subvert whatever appreciates God - once it gets a person to hating (which I tend to think is a condition that resulted from a choice in the past - a long an impossible subject to cover in a forum) then Evil wins the battle. Evil likes to win battles and has done very well on this planet, but I do believe God will win in the end.

 

[BroDeal]

I tend to think that God and Evil (or what ever you call it) are opposites. If God is love that would mean that Evil is hate. Evil tries very hard to subvert whatever appreciates God - once it gets a person to hating (which I tend to think is a condition that resulted from a choice in the past - a long an impossible subject to cover in a forum) then Evil wins the battle. Evil likes to win battles and has done very well on this planet, but I do believe God will win in the end.

He needs to step up his game. His track record over the last ten thousand years leaves a lot to be desired. In fact the game looks to be a real blowout. The ref might step in at any moment and put an end to it.

 

[CentralCaliBike]

He needs to step up his game. His track record over the last ten thousand years leaves a lot to be desired. In fact the game looks to be a real blowout. The ref might step in at any moment and put an end to it.

In my opinion God is the opposite of organized Religion - he could step in and force things but has chosen to allow people to make their own choices. Free will means that people can choose to commit evil.

However, I really do not have a good answer for why he waited for the last couple of thousand years since the point that evil has no redeeming value has been made pretty clear.

When it comes to religion I figure there is a lot more that I do not know than what I think I do (of course I also believe that is the case for all of humanity).

 

[pedaling squares]

Maybe you just need to have a pair of these guys set you back on the righteous path.

We could start our own religion - how about Hugo Boss?

I'm an Atheist too, thank God.

Hugo Boss it is, but only if these two guys can join. They look like they really know how to party. I hope we can agree to wear short sleeve shirts and ties.

Nice to hear that Dim's Vicar made the wedding fit the couple. My wife and I really wanted our Roman Catholic priest to marry us, but the church forbade it because we were getting married in a small country chapel instead of a Catholic church. What did Jesus say about religion not being confined to any particular building... anyway, the cool priest was also Chaplain for my regiment and was able to marry us in a non-denominational ceremony. It was an example of what is right and what is wrong with religion in my very humble opinion. Helluva great day though.

 

[Andrichuk]

Although I understand why people choose to believe in god under certain circumstances, I still don't think its justified. To me its just the easy way to say "Hey I know its looking bad right now but don't worry, god will watch over us".

Why would you trust that god will help you through anything when he let you get in the position to suffer? I really hope that I don't get the response thats some where along the lines of "hes trying to teach you to be a stronger person, blah blah blah." I could see some one saying that but can you really not doing anything for yourself? Can you not take responsibility for making a mistake? Can you not take the credit for doing something good? Do you really think people wouldn't know the difference between right and wrong if god or jesus didn't tell us? Is the world any better since religion was introduced to us?

I'll leave you with one quote from Epicurus,

Is God willing to prevent evil, but not able? Then he is not omnipotent.
Is he able, but not willing? Then he is malevolent.
Is he both able and willing? Then whence cometh evil?
Is he neither able nor willing? Then why call him God?

 

[rhubroma]

It is a pretty simple process here:

http://scienceblogs.com/grrlscientist/2009/10/a_flowchart_to_determine_what.php

Marx was right, it is the people's opiate.

Man is a coward and can't accept his own mortality.

 

[Shaane]

Good stuff.

Hey i ust the chart is really nice but one should have faith in himself and not trust someone else.and choose his own relegion.

 

[craig1985]

Maybe you just need to have a pair of these guys set you back on the righteous path.

The guy on the look very similar to a Mormon I saw on the subway in Barcelona once.

 

[Anonymous]

Although I understand why people choose to believe in god under certain circumstances, I still don't think its justified. To me its just the easy way to say "Hey I know its looking bad right now but don't worry, god will watch over us".

I do not just look to God for help through the hard stuff.

Why would you trust that god will help you through anything when he let you get in the position to suffer?

He didn't let anyone do anything. We have free will, we choose our poison and pleasure.

I really hope that I don't get the response thats some where along the lines of "hes trying to teach you to be a stronger person, blah blah blah." I could see some one saying that but can you really not doing anything for yourself?

There are many things that happen in this universe for which I have no answer, but believe at some point in infinity, I might know. Just like science.

Can you not take responsibility for making a mistake?

I take responsibility for all of my actions.

Can you not take the credit for doing something good?

If I do something good so that I can get credit for it, then I did it for the wrong reason. However, if it was something "good" then someone else benefited, and that is the most important part anyway.

Do you really think people wouldn't know the difference between right and wrong if god or jesus didn't tell us?

Of course we know, most people have a conscience regardless of what they believe. My personal belief is that very thing points to a soul or a part of us that is infinite.

Is the world any better since religion was introduced to us?

Would people be that much different if it hadn't? Just because people believe religion makes them better does not mean it does. Just because people believe atheism makes them better does not mean it does. People, regardless of belief or lack thereof, are people.

I'll leave you with one quote from Epicurus,

Is God willing to prevent evil, but not able? Then he is not omnipotent.
Is he able, but not willing? Then he is malevolent.
Is he both able and willing? Then whence cometh evil?
Is he neither able nor willing? Then why call him God?

I simply wonder this: Why do we worry so much about the state of evil in the world and so much less about the state of evil in our own minds? And I have that question for anyone, religious or no, who seeks to point out the evil of anyone else.

God has impacted my life profoundly. I don't have to justify that to anyone. I don't care what anyone thinks about that. I promise you, many of your external questions are internal ones for me. What I cannot deny is the power of God in my life that I have experienced by ceding my will. I don't have all of the answers. I used to think I had to have them. I decided the good God has brought to my life is good, and that I didn't think my way into it. All I did was ask for help one time when I had nothing and nobody else to turn to. I received help. I still receive help because I ask for it. That help is not always what I think it should be, and sometimes comes much more slowly than I desire. However, it always comes in some form. I just accept it, and hold onto the glimpses of Him I have.

Sometimes, I ask for help in keeping in perspective the good things in my life, and doing with them what is wise and helpful to others.

Sometimes, I am just content. Those are the best times.

Sometimes, I am a potty mouthed *** who shows few if any redeeming values, and yet He still loves me.

I fully understand that one day, I may face something that may take my life painfully, or be subjected to a pain that so devastating that my anguish may not cease in this life. Tragic things happen, and many people in them pray for deliverance. The deliverance for which they pray does not come, and maybe mine won't either. I hope that I will then touch the solace of the belief I have that there is something beyond this.

I will end with this. I think that maybe, your soul moves on to a better place after death regardless of the life you have lived or what you have believed. I actually hope that was Christ's message.

 

[CentralCaliBike]

Although I understand why people choose to believe in god under certain circumstances, I still don't think its justified. To me its just the easy way to say "Hey I know its looking bad right now but don't worry, god will watch over us".

Actually my belief in God mostly comes out of nature and science - you tell me how complex systems like a cell, DNA, or photosynthesis can result out of chaos? Time does not change disorder into order and in the world we currently live in, time tends to make matter degenerate rather than the opposite.

From the basic thought that there is "intelligent design" I looked at the various religions. Of course it requires faith to believe in God but to believe in a chaos origin of the world requires I set aside reality as well IMO.

 

[BroDeal]

Actually my belief in God mostly comes out of nature and science - you tell me how complex systems like a cell, DNA, or photosynthesis can result out of chaos? Time does not change disorder into order and in the world we currently live in, time tends to make matter degenerate rather than the opposite.

From the basic thought that there is "intelligent design" I looked at the various religions. Of course it requires faith to believe in God but to believe in a chaos origin of the world requires I set aside reality as well IMO.

Oh, Jeebus! Not intelligent design. Are you sure your name should not be CentralKansasBike?

Facepalm

 

[Anonymous]

im just confused as to why there are no dinosaurs in the old testament

 

[pedaling squares]

im just confused as to why there are no dinosaurs in the old testament

Ok, that's very funny. And it would have made Jonah's story a lot more interesting.

 

[RDV4ROUBAIX]

According to the chart I'm a bacon eating Jew. Could never be a Jehovah's Witness because they still haven't forgave me from pulling a loaded shotgun on one of their own back when I was 17, plus I can never find their churches since they all look like unmarked electrical substations.

 

[BroDeal]

im just confused as to why there are no dinosaurs in the old testament

Not being able to eat pulled pork sandwiches forced the jews to look for other sources of meat. There used to be rockin' BBQ joint on the edge of the Dead Sea that specialized in wood smoked triceratops slathered with honey barbecue sauce but it went out of business when the Philistines overhunted the animals to exinction. The last one died in what is now Syria in 3103 BCE, and was made into sausages.

As for the other dinosaurs, they died in the Great Flood. Noah was supposed to make room for them in the ark but his wife had a thing about scaly creatures, plus it would have been an immense chore to clean up after a Brontosaurus. Noah already had some wicked back problems. Doctor Goldberg would not give him the okay to shovel all that crap, and Noah Jr. was too small to handle the shovel. After a family meeting it was decided to give the dinosaurs a wrong address and hope they could swim.

 

[Anonymous]

Not being able to eat pulled pork sandwiches forced the jews to look for other sources of meat. There used to be rockin' BBQ joint on the edge of the Dead Sea that specialized in wood smoked triceratops slathered with honey barbecue sauce but it went out of business when the Philistines overhunted the animals to exinction. The last one died in what is now Syria in 3103 BCE, and was made into sausages.

As for the other dinosaurs, they died in the Great Flood. Noah was supposed to make room for them in the ark but his wife had a thing about scaly creatures, plus it would have been an immense chore to clean up after a Brontosaurus. Noah already had some wicked back problems. Doctor Goldberg would not give him the okay to shovel all that crap, and Noah Jr. was too small to handle the shovel. After a family meeting it was decided to give the dinosaurs a wrong address and hope they could swim.

oh theres nothing like a a bit of humorous blasphemy

 

[titan_90]

Actually my belief in God mostly comes out of nature and science - you tell me how complex systems like a cell, DNA, or photosynthesis can result out of chaos? Time does not change disorder into order and in the world we currently live in, time tends to make matter degenerate rather than the opposite.

From the basic thought that there is "intelligent design" I looked at the various religions. Of course it requires faith to believe in God but to believe in a chaos origin of the world requires I set aside reality as well IMO.

"Intelligent Design" is nothing more than Pseudoscience being pushed by the Creationists at the Discovery Institute. Just because science doesn't have all the answers yet, doesn't mean that a god or gods did it.

 

[TheNJDevil]

Church of Riding Bikes at Racing Day Pace


Enough Said

 

[Race Radio]

I think we all know there is only one true god.....the spaghetti monster

http://www.veganza.org