Are you an Atheist/Believer?

[Shancloudy]

Life is too short to not open our eyes and to not listen to our heart. Have a blessed Wednesday.

Edited January 8, 2014 by Shancloudy

[greytown]

Morals pre-date religion! And christianity (and other religions) doesn't just teach love and not to sin etc, you also have to accept it encourages a lot of discrimination, bigotry, mysogyny and general judgemental, self-righteous behavior...Like I've said, people can be good without gods especially as they don't have a book of nonsensical fairy tales telling them what to do.

Sent from my GT-I9300 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

Discrimination, bigotry, misogyny or self righteousness are all exactly contrary to what Christ speaks about. Any "Christian" church that would preach or encourage those things are clearly corrupt and deeply misguided, and yes, there are countless misguided, ignorant, hateful, intolerant so called Christians out there. These are not Christians they are hypocrites and are as far from righteousness as the worst criminals.

Edited January 8, 2014 by greytown

[nidieunimaitre]

Pastafarians have recently split up in Tomato Sauce and Cheese Sauce addepts.

Not unlike catholics/protestants, sunnie/shiite, budddhists etc.

This proves that Pastafarianism is now a well established religion - I can't wait for the spaghetti wars to begin.

We carbonaraists are the only true followers; all others are heretics!

I have just finished praying to Our Holy Monster (rama rama), and He made it clear to me that He will send Salmonella to the raw eggs that you so blasfemously mix in your pasta.

Enjoy your Last Supper, heretic!

[greytown]

What is Christ trying to teach us? That we should love one another and should not sin. What is so objectionable about that? Let's even suppose that Christ was only a mythical figure that never existed. Wouldn't living by those rules make our world a better place? Of course this would mean sacrificing all the selfish indulgences that are so hard to resist. Much easier to reject the whole idea and carry on with our own selfish little lives where we make our own rules to suit ourselves.

Greed, lust, envy, pride, wrath, sloth, gluttony are the roots of all evil.

What is objectionable, is any religeon becomes a hate group sooner rather than later. You may recall good Christians burning their fellow men alive just few hundred years ago.

You asked what is objectionable? I say burning people Christians disagreed with, and countless other crimes and atrocities Christians have committed.

Christian hAte groups like Westboro Baptist Church are operating out in the open, taking cover and being protected by US Constitution freedom of speech amendment.

That is what is objectionable.

In broder terms, this whole cult is a hate group. Something like this can operate only in USA, in any other Western nation all members would be charged with hate crimes.

None of those things are thought by Christ. Any church that preaches hate is certainly not Christian in any form (Christ says love your enemies!) Your issue is with organized religion or churches, and they are indeed all vulnerable to corruption and can and have been used to manipulate and corrupt populations. The good news though is that we don't need the churches. We can go directly to the source if we have the sincere desire to listen.

[canman]

Pastafarians have recently split up in Tomato Sauce and Cheese Sauce addepts.

Not unlike catholics/protestants, sunnie/shiite, budddhists etc.

This proves that Pastafarianism is now a well established religion - I can't wait for the spaghetti wars to begin.

We carbonaraists are the only true followers; all others are heretics!

I have just finished praying to Our Holy Monster (rama rama), and He made it clear to me that He will send Salmonella to the raw eggs that you so blasfemously mix in your pasta.

Enjoy your Last Supper, heretic!

Such blasphemy cannot go unpunished; may you pasta always be overcooked and your sauces available only from a can.

[pastafarian]

Surprising how many women are religious

[greytown]

None of those things are thought by Christ.

Correction, this should read: None of those things are taught by Christ.

[nidieunimaitre]

Pastafarians have recently split up in Tomato Sauce and Cheese Sauce addepts.

Not unlike catholics/protestants, sunnie/shiite, budddhists etc.

This proves that Pastafarianism is now a well established religion - I can't wait for the spaghetti wars to begin.

We carbonaraists are the only true followers; all others are heretics!

I have just finished praying to Our Holy Monster (rama rama), and He made it clear to me that He will send Salmonella to the raw eggs that you so blasfemously mix in your pasta.

Enjoy your Last Supper, heretic!

Such blasphemy cannot go unpunished; may you pasta always be overcooked and your sauces available only from a can.

......from a can? FROM A CAN???!!!!!

You dare to use the C word???

That does it.

Crusade. Purge. Holy war. Jihad. Rocky (the 27th sequel). Heineken. Pla Ra. You have it all coming to you!

Together with My god, I will teach you a lesson.

[nidieunimaitre]

What is Christ trying to teach us? That we should love one another and should not sin. What is so objectionable about that? Let's even suppose that Christ was only a mythical figure that never existed. Wouldn't living by those rules make our world a better place? Of course this would mean sacrificing all the selfish indulgences that are so hard to resist. Much easier to reject the whole idea and carry on with our own selfish little lives where we make our own rules to suit ourselves.

Greed, lust, envy, pride, wrath, sloth, gluttony are the roots of all evil.

What is objectionable, is any religeon becomes a hate group sooner rather than later. You may recall good Christians burning their fellow men alive just few hundred years ago.

You asked what is objectionable? I say burning people Christians disagreed with, and countless other crimes and atrocities Christians have committed.

Christian hAte groups like Westboro Baptist Church are operating out in the open, taking cover and being protected by US Constitution freedom of speech amendment.

That is what is objectionable.

In broder terms, this whole cult is a hate group. Something like this can operate only in USA, in any other Western nation all members would be charged with hate crimes.

None of those things are thought by Christ. Any church that preaches hate is certainly not Christian in any form (Christ says love your enemies!) Your issue is with organized religion or churches, and they are indeed all vulnerable to corruption and can and have been used to manipulate and corrupt populations. The good news though is that we don't need the churches. We can go directly to the source if we have the sincere desire to listen.

Sure, Christ says love your enemies.....

How about "an eye for an eye"?

How about "slave, obey your master"?

How about destroying Pataya, oeps, sorry I meant Sodoma and Gomorra?

As a True Believer, you are surely familiar with those quotes?

[daoyai]

As I see this thread is being followed by a number of Pastafarians.... I want to ask, Is it a sin to cover my liguini with sugo puttanesca ?

Edited January 8, 2014 by daoyai

[canman]

As I see this thread is being followed by a number of Pastafarians.... I want to ask, Is it a sin to cover my liguini with sugo puttanesca ?

Prositutes sauce is allowed, some would say encouraged.

[nidieunimaitre]

As I see this thread is being followed by a number of Pastafarians.... I want to ask, Is it a sin to cover my liguini with sugo puttanesca ?

Prositutes sauce is allowed, some would say encouraged.

Google 'linguini with white clam sauce'.

Or if you are into Thai, you could google 'linguini with brown clam sauce'.

But never on sunday!

[Dimpys Dad]

What is Christ trying to teach us? That we should love one another and should not sin. What is so objectionable about that? Let's even suppose that Christ was only a mythical figure that never existed. Wouldn't living by those rules make our world a better place? Of course this would mean sacrificing all the selfish indulgences that are so hard to resist. Much easier to reject the whole idea and carry on with our own selfish little lives where we make our own rules to suit ourselves.

Greed, lust, envy, pride, wrath, sloth, gluttony are the roots of all evil.

What is objectionable, is any religeon becomes a hate group sooner rather than later. You may recall good Christians burning their fellow men alive just few hundred years ago.

You asked what is objectionable? I say burning people Christians disagreed with, and countless other crimes and atrocities Christians have committed.

Christian hAte groups like Westboro Baptist Church are operating out in the open, taking cover and being protected by US Constitution freedom of speech amendment.

That is what is objectionable.

In broder terms, this whole cult is a hate group. Something like this can operate only in USA, in any other Western nation all members would be charged with hate crimes.

None of those things are thought by Christ. Any church that preaches hate is certainly not Christian in any form (Christ says love your enemies!) Your issue is with organized religion or churches, and they are indeed all vulnerable to corruption and can and have been used to manipulate and corrupt populations. The good news though is that we don't need the churches. We can go directly to the source if we have the sincere desire to listen.

Sure, Christ says love your enemies.....

How about "an eye for an eye"?

How about "slave, obey your master"?

How about destroying Pataya, oeps, sorry I meant Sodoma and Gomorra?

As a True Believer, you are surely familiar with those quotes?

I know your post was to greytown, but if I may offer a response...

"An eye for an eye" was concerning punishment in Old Testament times for an offense and the punishment was to fit the crime. People didn't go to jail in those days but were to pay restitution for an offense and it was meant to be as equitable as possible.

"Slave, obey your master" is loaded with modern social and political perspectives. It is often used by those opposed to Christianity to refute its teachings. And unfortunately, slaveowners during the 17th and 18th centuries used those scriptures to rationalize its practice. But the practice of slavery 2,000 years ago was accepted as part of life of nearly every civilization. The purpose of the Christian teachings at that time were intended to teach and instruct everyone, slave and free, how they were to act toward each other as Christians. In quoting the part about slaves obeying their masters, one must also quote the part where it tells the master to treat slaves with fairness and justice. Both were supposed to act in accordance with Christ's teachings.

And God destroyed Sodom and Gomorah because they were completely given over to sin, debauchery, arrogance, filled with every kind of wickedness abhorrent to God.

Jesus taught us that we were to love God with all our mind, heart and strength and our neighbors as ourselves, and yes, love our enemies and pray for them. We do have a hard time with that, don't we?

[Maggusoil]

It is interesting to observe that those who dispute the existence of God, love to sound God like

That's right, change the subject.

Take any god outside of your own that you do not believe in and use the same argument why you do not believe in that one with your own.

I am not arguing anything. That is your apprehension . . . and I reject your assumptions about what I am doing and you have fallen short of understanding anything. As far as I can see.

I realise it is important to you to be right about something, however you have not communicated what it is sufficiently for me to respond in kind and it certainly falls short of how it relates to the topic, outside of your assumptions.

[Maggusoil]

You die ,end of road ,there is nothing .

Speak for yourself.

I think more accurately, you could say. "I die, end of the road, there is nothing."

That leaves others untrammelled by the objectification of their experiences by the assumptions of yours.

[1BkkGirl]

I personally think that Jesus, Buddha, Allah or whoever so called "God" are just a person whose back in the day when people try to search for the answers of human being, were very influence as soul leaders who can describe the aspects of life for the people back then. I think they were just great phylosophers / instructors who taught people how to live their lives in a certain way related to an eternal soul. I beleive whatever they taught, all religious are based on the same goal which is to guild the way how to be good, how to live in a peace mind for truely happiness.

I don't believe in those magical or any supernatural activities that occurred in Bible/Tripitaka, etc. They are just the make up stories and mechanism to help build up faith/belief system for their god in each religions.

[nidieunimaitre]

None of those things are thought by Christ. Any church that preaches hate is certainly not Christian in any form (Christ says love your enemies!) Your issue is with organized religion or churches, and they are indeed all vulnerable to corruption and can and have been used to manipulate and corrupt populations. The good news though is that we don't need the churches. We can go directly to the source if we have the sincere desire to listen.

Sure, Christ says love your enemies.....

How about "an eye for an eye"?

How about "slave, obey your master"?

How about destroying Pataya, oeps, sorry I meant Sodoma and Gomorra?

As a True Believer, you are surely familiar with those quotes?

I know your post was to greytown, but if I may offer a response...

"An eye for an eye" was concerning punishment in Old Testament times for an offense and the punishment was to fit the crime. People didn't go to jail in those days but were to pay restitution for an offense and it was meant to be as equitable as possible.

"Slave, obey your master" is loaded with modern social and political perspectives. It is often used by those opposed to Christianity to refute its teachings. And unfortunately, slaveowners during the 17th and 18th centuries used those scriptures to rationalize its practice. But the practice of slavery 2,000 years ago was accepted as part of life of nearly every civilization. The purpose of the Christian teachings at that time were intended to teach and instruct everyone, slave and free, how they were to act toward each other as Christians. In quoting the part about slaves obeying their masters, one must also quote the part where it tells the master to treat slaves with fairness and justice. Both were supposed to act in accordance with Christ's teachings.

And God destroyed Sodom and Gomorah because they were completely given over to sin, debauchery, arrogance, filled with every kind of wickedness abhorrent to God.

Jesus taught us that we were to love God with all our mind, heart and strength and our neighbors as ourselves, and yes, love our enemies and pray for them. We do have a hard time with that, don't we?

So your god teaches us to love our enemies, but when he himself has enemies, he kills them?

And the first 2 cases would indicate that people set the rules, and your god followed those rules.

Very confusing at first, but simple to understand realy.

People created gods, people created god's holy rules, people change these rules when it suits them, or they outsmarten their own gods by re-explaining the rules.

And that goes for EVERY religion - it is very simular to the reasoning of communist or free market zealots.

Goes for all "institutionalised thought systems' the sociologists would say.

[canman]

None of those things are thought by Christ. Any church that preaches hate is certainly not Christian in any form (Christ says love your enemies!) Your issue is with organized religion or churches, and they are indeed all vulnerable to corruption and can and have been used to manipulate and corrupt populations. The good news though is that we don't need the churches. We can go directly to the source if we have the sincere desire to listen.

Sure, Christ says love your enemies.....

How about "an eye for an eye"?

How about "slave, obey your master"?

How about destroying Pataya, oeps, sorry I meant Sodoma and Gomorra?

As a True Believer, you are surely familiar with those quotes?

I know your post was to greytown, but if I may offer a response...

"An eye for an eye" was concerning punishment in Old Testament times for an offense and the punishment was to fit the crime. People didn't go to jail in those days but were to pay restitution for an offense and it was meant to be as equitable as possible.

"Slave, obey your master" is loaded with modern social and political perspectives. It is often used by those opposed to Christianity to refute its teachings. And unfortunately, slaveowners during the 17th and 18th centuries used those scriptures to rationalize its practice. But the practice of slavery 2,000 years ago was accepted as part of life of nearly every civilization. The purpose of the Christian teachings at that time were intended to teach and instruct everyone, slave and free, how they were to act toward each other as Christians. In quoting the part about slaves obeying their masters, one must also quote the part where it tells the master to treat slaves with fairness and justice. Both were supposed to act in accordance with Christ's teachings.

And God destroyed Sodom and Gomorah because they were completely given over to sin, debauchery, arrogance, filled with every kind of wickedness abhorrent to God.

Jesus taught us that we were to love God with all our mind, heart and strength and our neighbors as ourselves, and yes, love our enemies and pray for them. We do have a hard time with that, don't we?

So your god teaches us to love our enemies, but when he himself has enemies, he kills them?

And the first 2 cases would indicate that people set the rules, and your god followed those rules.

Very confusing at first, but simple to understand realy.

People created gods, people created god's holy rules, people change these rules when it suits them, or they outsmarten their own gods by re-explaining the rules.

And that goes for EVERY religion - it is very simular to the reasoning of communist or free market zealots.

Goes for all "institutionalised thought systems' the sociologists would say.

Speaking of communists; A Pastafarian march through the streets of St. Petersberg:

[canman]

None of those things are thought by Christ. Any church that preaches hate is certainly not Christian in any form (Christ says love your enemies!) Your issue is with organized religion or churches, and they are indeed all vulnerable to corruption and can and have been used to manipulate and corrupt populations. The good news though is that we don't need the churches. We can go directly to the source if we have the sincere desire to listen.

Sure, Christ says love your enemies.....

How about "an eye for an eye"?

How about "slave, obey your master"?

How about destroying Pataya, oeps, sorry I meant Sodoma and Gomorra?

As a True Believer, you are surely familiar with those quotes?

I know your post was to greytown, but if I may offer a response...

"An eye for an eye" was concerning punishment in Old Testament times for an offense and the punishment was to fit the crime. People didn't go to jail in those days but were to pay restitution for an offense and it was meant to be as equitable as possible.

"Slave, obey your master" is loaded with modern social and political perspectives. It is often used by those opposed to Christianity to refute its teachings. And unfortunately, slaveowners during the 17th and 18th centuries used those scriptures to rationalize its practice. But the practice of slavery 2,000 years ago was accepted as part of life of nearly every civilization. The purpose of the Christian teachings at that time were intended to teach and instruct everyone, slave and free, how they were to act toward each other as Christians. In quoting the part about slaves obeying their masters, one must also quote the part where it tells the master to treat slaves with fairness and justice. Both were supposed to act in accordance with Christ's teachings.

And God destroyed Sodom and Gomorah because they were completely given over to sin, debauchery, arrogance, filled with every kind of wickedness abhorrent to God.

Jesus taught us that we were to love God with all our mind, heart and strength and our neighbors as ourselves, and yes, love our enemies and pray for them. We do have a hard time with that, don't we?

So your god teaches us to love our enemies, but when he himself has enemies, he kills them?

And the first 2 cases would indicate that people set the rules, and your god followed those rules.

Very confusing at first, but simple to understand realy.

People created gods, people created god's holy rules, people change these rules when it suits them, or they outsmarten their own gods by re-explaining the rules.

And that goes for EVERY religion - it is very simular to the reasoning of communist or free market zealots.

Goes for all "institutionalised thought systems' the sociologists would say.

Speaking of communists; A Pastafarian march through the streets of St. Petersberg:

[Dimpys Dad]

None of those things are thought by Christ. Any church that preaches hate is certainly not Christian in any form (Christ says love your enemies!) Your issue is with organized religion or churches, and they are indeed all vulnerable to corruption and can and have been used to manipulate and corrupt populations. The good news though is that we don't need the churches. We can go directly to the source if we have the sincere desire to listen.

Sure, Christ says love your enemies.....

How about "an eye for an eye"?

How about "slave, obey your master"?

How about destroying Pataya, oeps, sorry I meant Sodoma and Gomorra?

As a True Believer, you are surely familiar with those quotes?

I know your post was to greytown, but if I may offer a response...

"An eye for an eye" was concerning punishment in Old Testament times for an offense and the punishment was to fit the crime. People didn't go to jail in those days but were to pay restitution for an offense and it was meant to be as equitable as possible.

"Slave, obey your master" is loaded with modern social and political perspectives. It is often used by those opposed to Christianity to refute its teachings. And unfortunately, slaveowners during the 17th and 18th centuries used those scriptures to rationalize its practice. But the practice of slavery 2,000 years ago was accepted as part of life of nearly every civilization. The purpose of the Christian teachings at that time were intended to teach and instruct everyone, slave and free, how they were to act toward each other as Christians. In quoting the part about slaves obeying their masters, one must also quote the part where it tells the master to treat slaves with fairness and justice. Both were supposed to act in accordance with Christ's teachings.

And God destroyed Sodom and Gomorah because they were completely given over to sin, debauchery, arrogance, filled with every kind of wickedness abhorrent to God.

Jesus taught us that we were to love God with all our mind, heart and strength and our neighbors as ourselves, and yes, love our enemies and pray for them. We do have a hard time with that, don't we?

So your god teaches us to love our enemies, but when he himself has enemies, he kills them?

And the first 2 cases would indicate that people set the rules, and your god followed those rules.

Very confusing at first, but simple to understand realy.

People created gods, people created god's holy rules, people change these rules when it suits them, or they outsmarten their own gods by re-explaining the rules.

And that goes for EVERY religion - it is very simular to the reasoning of communist or free market zealots.

Goes for all "institutionalised thought systems' the sociologists would say.

God is sovereign, a concept incomprehensible to those who believe there is nothing higher than themselves or who believe they are sovereign.

Yes, people create gods and assign rules and then change them when it suits them. However, the rule to love one another including enemies is God's rule but men will always worm themselves out from under any rule when it suits them. That does not make the rule or its giver wrong but more aptly demonstrates man's inability to consistently do good.

If you sincerely believe that all religions are the same, I ask that you continue to examine them. They have similarities, but conceptually they are distinct.

[alexviseu]

I'm always amazed to see atheist bash theist for having faith (believing something without reason) in God, but then claiming, many times in the very

same sentence, that there are Absolutely no Gods.

Both statements (there is a God. There aren't any Gods.) have the burden of proof, and yet both are happily stated without anyone meeting it.

The difference is that theists, at least most that I know, don't pretend to be skeptical and rational while spewing dogmatic believes as if it was truth.

[nidieunimaitre]

So your god teaches us to love our enemies, but when he himself has enemies, he kills them?

And the first 2 cases would indicate that people set the rules, and your god followed those rules.

Very confusing at first, but simple to understand realy.

People created gods, people created god's holy rules, people change these rules when it suits them, or they outsmarten their own gods by re-explaining the rules.

And that goes for EVERY religion - it is very simular to the reasoning of communist or free market zealots.

Goes for all "institutionalised thought systems' the sociologists would say.

God is sovereign, a concept incomprehensible to those who believe there is nothing higher than themselves or who believe they are sovereign.

Yes, people create gods and assign rules and then change them when it suits them. However, the rule to love one another including enemies is God's rule but men will always worm themselves out from under any rule when it suits them. That does not make the rule or its giver wrong but more aptly demonstrates man's inability to consistently do good.

If you sincerely believe that all religions are the same, I ask that you continue to examine them. They have similarities, but conceptually they are distinct.

Your last sentence makes me think that you believe you have found the only true religion & god.

[nidieunimaitre]

I'm always amazed to see atheist bash theist for having faith (believing something without reason) in God, but then claiming, many times in the very

same sentence, that there are Absolutely no Gods.

Both statements (there is a God. There aren't any Gods.) have the burden of proof, and yet both are happily stated without anyone meeting it.

The difference is that theists, at least most that I know, don't pretend to be skeptical and rational while spewing dogmatic believes as if it was truth.

So if I say that I am god, you will reply 'maybe yes maybe no', because of the burdon of proof eitherwise?

[Dimpys Dad]

So your god teaches us to love our enemies, but when he himself has enemies, he kills them?

And the first 2 cases would indicate that people set the rules, and your god followed those rules.

Very confusing at first, but simple to understand realy.

People created gods, people created god's holy rules, people change these rules when it suits them, or they outsmarten their own gods by re-explaining the rules.

And that goes for EVERY religion - it is very simular to the reasoning of communist or free market zealots.

Goes for all "institutionalised thought systems' the sociologists would say.

God is sovereign, a concept incomprehensible to those who believe there is nothing higher than themselves or who believe they are sovereign.

Yes, people create gods and assign rules and then change them when it suits them. However, the rule to love one another including enemies is God's rule but men will always worm themselves out from under any rule when it suits them. That does not make the rule or its giver wrong but more aptly demonstrates man's inability to consistently do good.

If you sincerely believe that all religions are the same, I ask that you continue to examine them. They have similarities, but conceptually they are distinct.

Your last sentence makes me think that you believe you have found the only true religion & god.

I hope your comment is a serious one. Obviously from this thread and from information I see and hear almost everywhere, there are those who believe either there are many true religions and gods or none at all. So for anyone to state unequivocally that there is, and they have found, the one true religion and one true God, opens them up to much controversy.

If you seriously want to know what I think in this matter, it would be far better and more productive to verbally discuss.

That said, I have had all the same doubts as anyone. As long as I live the only thing I am interested in is the truth. So many deceivers, charlatans and con-men abound that I am carefully skeptical of anyone who professes to have an inside track to it. What is most valuable in the search for truth is consistency of action and how closely actions align with the tenets of ones beliefs. I will say, and have said before on this thread, that I believe in Jesus Christ. Whenever I begin to doubt what Christianity is about, I go back and read the story of Jesus' life, his words and his actions. They were all consistent. Did he answer every question man has about life? No, nor was it necessary for Him to do that. But he was consistent and lived according to what he taught. Can we be like Him? Yes, but only imperfectly. But that does not mean we should not attempt it. But He did say that he was the truth, the way and the life. It makes sense to me to know Him.

I believe what sets people off about Christianity (or religion) is that whenever someone says they are a Christian and then falls short by acting, say, un-Christian, then they are denounced as hypocrites and Christianity is chalked up to being just another religion, no better than any others.

I appreciate your comment sir and hope I have answered constructively.

[nidieunimaitre]

So your god teaches us to love our enemies, but when he himself has enemies, he kills them?

And the first 2 cases would indicate that people set the rules, and your god followed those rules.

Very confusing at first, but simple to understand realy.

People created gods, people created god's holy rules, people change these rules when it suits them, or they outsmarten their own gods by re-explaining the rules.

And that goes for EVERY religion - it is very simular to the reasoning of communist or free market zealots.

Goes for all "institutionalised thought systems' the sociologists would say.

God is sovereign, a concept incomprehensible to those who believe there is nothing higher than themselves or who believe they are sovereign.

Yes, people create gods and assign rules and then change them when it suits them. However, the rule to love one another including enemies is God's rule but men will always worm themselves out from under any rule when it suits them. That does not make the rule or its giver wrong but more aptly demonstrates man's inability to consistently do good.

If you sincerely believe that all religions are the same, I ask that you continue to examine them. They have similarities, but conceptually they are distinct.

Your last sentence makes me think that you believe you have found the only true religion & god.

I hope your comment is a serious one. Obviously from this thread and from information I see and hear almost everywhere, there are those who believe either there are many true religions and gods or none at all. So for anyone to state unequivocally that there is, and they have found, the one true religion and one true God, opens them up to much controversy.

If you seriously want to know what I think in this matter, it would be far better and more productive to verbally discuss.

That said, I have had all the same doubts as anyone. As long as I live the only thing I am interested in is the truth. So many deceivers, charlatans and con-men abound that I am carefully skeptical of anyone who professes to have an inside track to it. What is most valuable in the search for truth is consistency of action and how closely actions align with the tenets of ones beliefs. I will say, and have said before on this thread, that I believe in Jesus Christ. Whenever I begin to doubt what Christianity is about, I go back and read the story of Jesus' life, his words and his actions. They were all consistent. Did he answer every question man has about life? No, nor was it necessary for Him to do that. But he was consistent and lived according to what he taught. Can we be like Him? Yes, but only imperfectly. But that does not mean we should not attempt it. But He did say that he was the truth, the way and the life. It makes sense to me to know Him.

I believe what sets people off about Christianity (or religion) is that whenever someone says they are a Christian and then falls short by acting, say, un-Christian, then they are denounced as hypocrites and Christianity is chalked up to being just another religion, no better than any others.

I appreciate your comment sir and hope I have answered constructively.

I do not reject christianity because of "christian" mass murderers such as Bush, Blair, the crusaders.

I do not reject christianity because of billions of unperfect followers, I even admit that I am not perfect myself.

I reject christianity because of fundamental flaws in its principles.

Such as slaves obey your masters, an eye for an eye, the biblical extermination of bad people, and more fundamentally:

The allmighty benevolent god created people who are capable of the most horrible deeds, people with terrible deformations, diseases, natural disasters, undescribable suffering.

Your god gave people a free will to go against his wishes? Then who is to blame when they do so?

A thousand years ago, this was the reason for the first schism.

The cathars - a thousand years ago!!! - already understood that a perfect god could not have created the world, with all its evil. Therefore they deduced that the world was created by the devil. A simplistic thought, but 1.000 years ago they were far ahead of todays christians.

The first crusade was directed against the cathars, not against the muslims....

But if believing in jesus helps you to be a good man, I will not condemn you for that.

Why would I care where your motivation comes from?

My motivation to try to be a good man comes from within me, others can find it elsewhere.

[Bakeman]

There once was a great quote "There are no atheists in fox-holes"

I am a Theist----Theism, in the broadest sense, is the belief that at least one deity exists.

I just dont know which one is out there and on many days if anyone is out there?????

Is anybody out there????

[Rajab Al Zarahni]

Beer is proof that god loves us and wants us to be happy.

[nidieunimaitre]

There once was a great quote "There are no atheists in fox-holes"

I am a Theist----Theism, in the broadest sense, is the belief that at least one deity exists.

I just dont know which one is out there and on many days if anyone is out there?????

Is anybody out there????

Ah.... my dream is about a world in peace, therefore no fox holes, and therefore no religions.

Time to listen to John Lennon's Imagine, again!

[nidieunimaitre]

Beer is proof that god loves us and wants us to be happy.

If you mean "belgian beer", I agree.

If you mean Heineken, I would rather think god hates us.

[thailiketoo]

Beer is proof that god loves us and wants us to be happy.

If you mean "belgian beer", I agree.

If you mean Heineken, I would rather think god hates us.

Heineken is proof of the existence of the Devil!