Too much for my heart to bear...

[PRED]

Believe it or not, Pred was once a choirboy? :yes:
Yep, church every Sunday, sunday school, all the bollocks.
Then i got abducted by aliens, took a shuttle to south america, got dropped off in a jungle, & well..the rest is history

 

[olebean]

Believe it or not, Pred was once a choirboy? :yes:
Yep, church every Sunday, sunday school, all the bollocks.
Then i got abducted by aliens, took a shuttle to south america, got dropped off in a jungle, & well..the rest is history

A 1980's throw back!

Three times on a sunday! and a chocolate lolly from my gran.. I was so blessed!

 

[jberryhilljberryhill is verified member.]

What? No Wednesday evening Bible Study?

Heathens.

 

[Duckinla]

Believe it or not, there is an oddball religion which advances a doctrine that their God allowed precisely that - the slaughter of his own innocent child - precisely for the reason of providing forgiveness.

If you believe in God and and afterlife, you have to also believe that what happens to us here on earth is pretty much irellevant fromt the perspective of something that is infinite. If there is an afterlife that is eternal, why would God care if we died at 5, 50 or 100? Wouldn't it be more important to maintain freewill by not meddling?

I'm not 100% sure on my complete beliefs but I do believe that freewill exists. No matter what reason/religion people use for killing, it is still the people doing the killing and not some God or creator. When bank robbers put on the masks of ex-presidents, no one actually believes the ex-presidents are robbing the bank.

 

[olebean]

What? No Wednesday evening Bible Study?

Heathens.

Well now you say it..

I went on Tuesdays Thursdays Fridays and Saturdays... :rockon:

 

[BostonDomainer]

I used to lead a bible study on campus on Tuesdays, had a mid-week service on Wednesdays, Friday night devotionals, and service on Sundays.

Thanks God for meth, pot, and Johnny Walker.

 

[olebean]

Perhaps a new section: Confessions of a reformed religious fanatic?

 

[PRED]

I used to lead a bible study on campus on Tuesdays, had a mid-week service on Wednesdays, Friday night devotionals, and service on Sundays.

Thanks God for meth, pot, and Johnny Walker.

LMAO :lol:

 

[Gerry]

Believe it or not, Pred was once a choirboy?

...and the roof did not fall upon thee nor were thee smitten with bolts of lightning.

There is hope and salvation for us all! :angel:

YEE HAW!

Perhaps a new section: Confessions of a reformed religious fanatic?

Curious...would it be a long thread or a short thread, and if we are reformed religious fanatics would it be nothing but lies.

...and Johnny Walker.

Red label?

 

[copper]

Gentleman,

Thank you so much for such wonderful debate/discussion.
This thread is THE best example of how one can debate/discuss about anything
without flaming each other and I've been online since 1992 using text only bulletin board.

Only if everyone can learn from this thread...

 

[jberryhilljberryhill is verified member.]

If you believe in God and and afterlife, you have to also believe that what happens to us here on earth is pretty much irellevant fromt the perspective of something that is infinite.

Why, do you mean that in eternal unbounded infinite existence, the Almighty Creator of the Universe and Everything In It isn't going to be forever upset that Billy touched his private parts when he was 13 years old?

I always enjoy statements of this form. I tell my kids, "If you want to know what Catholics believe, then get it from Catholics. If you want to know what Protestants believe, then get it from Protestants." And so on.

For example, when the creationists assert things along the lines of, "If you believe we are descended from animals, then you believe that we are no better than animals, and that we can therefore behave immorally."

I dunno. Shouldn't I be just as wary of people who think they can do whatever they please, and then be completely forgiven?

But getting back to Billy and his eternal damnation for touching his private parts, there must be, and I must have missed it, the Lord of Mundane Things. This is the deity to whom we must loudly and publicly pray:

"Oh Lord, please bless our high school basketball game tonight and help us to have a fair contest of sportsmanship. Keep us safe from injury during the game, and don't let something bad happen like, say, those 100K people who got wiped out by a tsunami or all of the people who are going to die of starvation during the time it takes us to finish this basketball game."

I have this image of God in utter revulsion at all of the violence, war, and killing going on down here and then.... "urgent bulletin... this just in... the Jones family is driving their SUV to visit granny, and they want to make sure you keep them safe during the trip."

"Oh, okay, I'll get right on that!"

 

[Seraphim]

A lot of intelligent people believe in God. I think the hinging factor, is what concept of God do you believe in, and what are your expectations towards that concept. Is the concept of God disappointing because it isn't a cure all for all of mankind's suffering, or is it a believable concept because it represents simple things, like joy, hope, or a time in your life that you are thankful for. Is the God glass half full or half empty? If your concept of God doesn't bridge every theological or philosophical question that life presents to you, do you set that concept aside and label it meaningless, or do you redefine your concept of God? A Gandalf looking guy floating around on a cloud somewhere is inevitably going to let most of us down.

Some of the comments in this thread seem laced with more than just ordinary balanced dislike of religion. They seem to originate from someone who was extremely let down by the concept itself, and really read as vented frustration. I point this out, because I sometimes get weary of listening to people complain about how twisted and meaningless the concept of religion is, when it is merely their own concept of religion that is flawed.

When you think about the infinite mathematical variables that had to occur to put all of this in motion, the "here now concept", it's mind blowing. What force put that all in motion, I don't believe a human being will ever have that answer. For all I know, the universe only exists inside the sensory systems of our own minds. I never came to the conclusion that religion was about finding all of the answers, and shielding yourself from any misfortune. It always seemed to me merely a way of making the best of the time that you have on this earth, and if there is something beyond that, it will obviously be revealed in due time.

Food for thought anyways...

 

[NavySeals91]

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/17362738/

18 Iraqi children killed by car bomb
The victims, all boys, were on soccer field in Ramadi

I don't care who you are, what you believe, what group you represent.

To say that you do such horrific acts in the name of a religion or any god is eternal damnation.

Innocent children.

This is beyond a criminal act.

This is beyond humanity.

This is beyond forgiving.

My God, my Bible, my teaching say to forgive and forget. Not this act. This is unforgivable. This is unforgetable.

No God would forgive such cowardness to slaughter children.

'Tis not beyond forgiving if the person(s) who did it repent. Personally you may believe that, but all who seek forgiveness shall be forgiven.

Please don't attack me for just correcting something about our religion.

Yes it is terrible, but unforgivable in Christ, no. If they are truly sorry and repent through Christ then they shall be forgiven. Will it happen...probably not. Islam, Judaism, and Christianity worship the same God, it differs at the birth of Jesus.

 

[olebean]

Try this

Which religion is the right one for you?

http://quizfarm.com/test.php?q_id=10907

You scored as agnosticism. You are an agnostic. Though it is generally taken that agnostics neither believe nor disbelieve in God, it is possible to be a theist or atheist in addition to an agnostic. Agnostics don't believe it is possible to prove the existence of God (nor lack thereof).

Agnosticism is a philosophy that God's existence cannot be proven. Some say it is possible to be agnostic and follow a religion; however, one cannot be a devout believer if he or she does not truly believe.

 

[Duckinla]

Some of the comments in this thread seem laced with more than just ordinary balanced dislike of religion. They seem to originate from someone who was extremely let down by the concept itself, and really read as vented frustration.

A few of the comments seem to come from a desperate need to overcome the authors intuitive belief in a creator.
People need to stop confusing God with religion. When I try to figure out what I believe, I don't start with an understanding of what Catholics believe or what Protestants believe. Maybe that's made it easier for me to not be such a skeptic.

 

[Seraphim]

You scored as Christianity.



Your views are most similar to those of Christianity. Do more research on Christianity and possibly consider being baptized and accepting Jesus, if you aren't already Christian. Christianity is the second of the Abrahamic faiths; it follows Judaism and is followed by Islam. It differs in its belief of Jesus, as not a prophet nor historical figure, but as God in human form. The Holy Trinity is the concept that God takes three forms: the Father, the Son (Jesus), and the Holy Ghost (sometimes called Holy Spirit). Jesus taught the idea of instead of seeking revenge, one should love his or her neighbors and enemies. Christians believe that Jesus died on the cross to save humankind and forgive people's sins.

I rushed the quiz...

 

[GAMEFINEST]

i sense tension in this thread.....loll

 

[Seraphim]

i sense tension in this thread.....loll

Tension is a myth my friend, it only exists in your own mind.

 

[olebean]

I tried it twice (cheated the second time) first time I was a satanist... That had me worried until I read this

To be a Satanist, you don't actually have to believe in Satan. Satanism generally focuses upon the spiritual advancement of the self, rather than upon submission to a deity or a set of moral codes.

I'm an anarchist

 

[Duckinla]

http://quizfarm.com/test.php?q_id=10907

Couldn't complete the quiz. Found that I wanted "I don't know" response for most of the questions. A lot of it was about the shape, size, and quantity of god. Which just seems so incomprehensible to me. Are there such things as shape, size and quantity in an infinite realm? I would guess not.