Is there a GOD? - ding! ding! ding ding geeeeet reaaaaaady toooooo rummmmble!!!!

[BigSky]

uh ... I believe in God. I just told Sandman to post that because I thought the relevance of the Bible relating to actual places in the world proves .. bah forget it ...


Yeah .. I believe in God. So who else does?

I believe in a Creator but I do have doubt about some religions version of events shall we say.

[Ohio Buckeye]

I certainly believe there is a God.
He is so alive and real to me that you just could not prove to
me that there is not. 

[Bajanne]

I certainly believe there is a God.
He is so alive and real to me that you just could not prove to
me that there is not. 

AMEN and AMEN!!!

[needlebearer]

I believe that Jesus is my Lord and Savior.  I believe he died so that I may live.  I have no doubt in my mind that He exists and that He has my back.  I also believe that He has given me the intelligence to not get into heated debates such as this.  I cannot PROVE to any of you that God exists.  You cannot PROVE to me that He does not.   
Case closed.

[Bajanne]

I believe that Jesus is my Lord and Savior.  I believe he died so that I may live.  I have no doubt in my mind that He exists and that He has my back.  I also believe that He has given me the intelligence to not get into heated debates such as this.  I cannot PROVE to any of you that God exists.  You cannot PROVE to me that He does not.   
Case closed.

AMEN and AMEN!!

[goofynina]

nicely said needlebearer,  nicely said

[Deacon]

I find my faith in God has little to do with any organized religion.  I have noticed that most religions are run by humans, and hence the problem.  As witmessed in this post, ppl that believe Jesus came to save us  inserting their egos into who is really the most Christian, and it seems to me that Jesus was about no ego.

As for Evangelicals.. I find their take on abortion good but their eagerness for the death penalty and rush to war make it hard for me to understand there relationship with God.

As for the Catholic church, I wonder if the millions they spend protecting their ministry would be much more effective feeding the poor..
(not going to mention the sex abuse)

One question I have is: When Jesus was here on earth and saw the trouble ppl were having understanding the old testament, why didn't he write a book or two?


Happy Holiday Everyone

Deacon

[hephziba]

He didn't write a book or two, because He himself is the perfect revelation of who God is, when they saw Him, His kindness, compassion, mercy, miracles, they saw the father.

which is why in the new testament it says, Looking unto Jesus the author and the finisher of our faith.

Hes the beggining and the end to everything.  thats my take on it anyhow 

[Sara]

As for the Catholic church, I wonder if the millions they spend protecting their ministry would be much more effective feeding the poor..
(not going to mention the sex abuse)

 

How do you think they "spread their ministry"?  By doing good works...feeding and clothing the poor, educating the uneducated, relocating families to safe areas, providing spiritual guidance for millions of people, millions of dollars going to provide for others in need. 

[Deacon]

Millions to pay for Vatican city... lawsuits... which I agree COULD have been used to help the needy

Deacon

[Sara]

Millions to pay for Vatican city... lawsuits... which I agree COULD have been used to help the needy

Deacon

Whatever.  This just shows me you either really don't know how much good the Catholic Church does, or you don't care to open your eyes to see it.

[BigSky]

Whatever.  This just shows me you either really don't know how much good the Catholic Church does, or you don't care to open your eyes to see it.

The church does do a great deal of good.

However I believe he is pointing to the fact that the church spends millions on trying to cover up their sins against the innocent children instead of  openly admitting it, settling lawsuits and throwing the child molesters out instead of transferring them around to commit more sins against the innocent.

[Sara]

I'm not saying they've handled that issue perfectly, but I believe there was some sort of document written by JPII about this, condemning it, etc.  I'll see if I can dig it up.

[Deacon]

A document written saying child molestation is bad... progressive stance...

Deacon

[Epoman]

 

[paris]

Is there a God?  Hold a newborn baby, stand at the edge of the ocean, walk thru the stillness of the forest, look upward on a starry night, look at all the wonders of our world and be awed. Yes, their is suffering and pain in our world. But, this all wasn't an accident. Evolution, yes that is also part of our world. Organized religions do the best they can, but they are run by man and there will be mistakes. I can't imagine where you turn to if you do not believe there is a higher power. 

[goofynina]

Is there a God?  Hold a newborn baby, stand at the edge of the ocean, walk thru the stillness of the forest, look upward on a starry night, look at all the wonders of our world and be awed. Yes, their is suffering and pain in our world. But, this all wasn't an accident. Evolution, yes that is also part of our world. Organized religions do the best they can, but they are run by man and there will be mistakes. I can't imagine where you turn to if you do not believe there is a higher power. 

Nicely put Paris...

[Sara]

Must you?

[goofynina]

Must you?

I'm with you Sara,  i really wish we could let this one go now...

[Bill Peckham]

I've gone back and forth in my life. I read the Life of Pi and so these days I say its a better story with the tiger.

As far as a personal God and reveled truth in sacred texts, not so much. Too exclusionary. However I really enjoy http://meaningoflife.tv/ I try to understand what people are saying.

[okarol]

I choose Jesus, but I still think these T-shirts printed in the 90's were funny:

Top 10 Reasons Why Jesus is Better than Beer

10. You don’t have to be 21 to have Jesus.

9. You can drive under the influence of Jesus.

8. You can give Jesus to minors.

7. You can enjoy Jesus at any temperature.

6. Jesus doesn’t kill brain cells.

5. You won’t worship a porcelain god.

4. Jesus won’t slur your speech.

3. Jesus is always on tap and never goes flat.

2. Jesus: proud died to be your bud.

1. "When you say Jesus, you've said it all."

-- equal time -- here is the rebuttal ---

Top Ten Reasons Why Beer is Better than Jesus

10. No one will kill you for not drinking Beer.

9. Beer doesn't tell you how to have sex.

8. Beer has never caused a major war.

7. They don't force Beer on minors who can't think for themselves.

6. When you have a Beer, you don't knock on people's doors trying to give it away.

5. Nobody's ever been burned at the stake, hanged, or tortured over his brand of Beer.

4. You don't have to wait 2000+ years for a second Beer.

3. There are laws saying Beer labels can't lie to you.

2. You can prove you have a Beer.

1. If you've devoted your life to Beer, there are groups to help you stop.
   

[BigSky]

Beer makes you smarter.  It kills off the slow brain cells thus making your brain work faster.

Much the same as wolves go after the slow and weak Buffalo thus making the herd healthier and faster.

The Buffalo Effect as spelled out by Cliff Clavin.

[George Jung]

After reading the majority of the post in this thread I have to say we are all the same.  All human life is shared.  We all want the same basic things.

We all simply want happiness.  I have been reading about Buddhism recently and I am finding that those involved with such ideas and beliefs are truly happy people.

I like to believe in a higher power.  Like when you take the morning paper and a cup of coffee with you to have a seat on the porch and read and relax.  A easy wind blows through yard causing you to lift your eyes for a moment.  Then something happens, maybe the wind has blown some of the paper you were reading.  Well you gather the papper and while doing so you noticed the clear morning sky, the dew on the grass, a smell of opportunity creating a feeling of pure comfort in the moment.  Maybe there is a baby playing on the swing set nearby.  I gain a sense of a greater being has been involve in making this a wonderful place. (with evolution also contributing.) 

Some days all I have to do is walk out my front door and stand there for a minute to gain a sense of a higher power.  I will stand and meditate for a few moments while the Sun is shining, birds are singing, wet grass whispers in the comforting breeze.  It is all so pleasent and I feel grateful to be a part of it.  This has been a gift from a supreme being. 

Another place I like to go and search for peace and the powers of a supreme being is to the top of a mountain.  I can automatically feel something that tells me there is a supreme being even though we cannot see or touch it.  I just feel like it is there.  Try standing on the shore of the ocean with your shoes in your hands and open yourself to all that sourrounds you.  I have also had reassuring feelings of a greater existence from standing in the middle of a well cared for baseball field.  The feeling from that is extraordinary.  The feeling like this has to be credited to a higher being, it's not the groundskeeper, although he does play a small part.  We all do, in everything we do. 

I am no angle but I have no fear for a life of suffering after death.  I am to be recycled back into the circle of life that is neverending.  The dust from my body will en-richen the ocean and my soul will continue to live in another form and work on bringing happiness to those  surrounding me. 
 
A problem with religion and politics is that they tend to be selfish.  Each cares more about themselves than they care about the whole or the many. They want to prove something to the world.  They want what is best for their particular group and they want you to be a part of it. Groups of beliefs being pushed around as their belief is the right one.  The original pourpose was good and somewhere along the line it just got lost.   Man has manipulated the power he posses through the church.  In America, we have religious freedom.  So why would one denomination have a problem/conflict with another.  Shouldn't a person worry about themselves and not push their beliefs or fault their friends beliefs.  Is there only one path to get where we want to go?  Why do we have to argue about a Catholic being a Christian and vice versa?  How stupid is that?  I'm right, your wrong......yea, I'm sure thats what "The Man" had in mind.  Why would anyone feel good about a particular group not making it to their next destination?  Just because someone doesn't worship my box of salt I should pass judgment on them and tell them they are going to hell? 

Don't let religion p*ck you up.  Be a good citizen, love your family and those who love you, and let people believe what they will.

Maybe we as humans are scared of religions that we have not been taught and out of fear, we look for fault and ways to denounce them and their beliefs.

If I believed that if I worshiped a box of salt and I really believed my loyalty to that salt would bring me to a happier place, then why wouldn't it.

Depending on what part of the world you are from your beliefs may differ from mine.  Who is right is not a legit question.  We both would be in our own respects.

Organized religion in my meaningless opinion is man's interpation of a powerful idea.   I am catholic by default but I follow my own beliefs because I am able to find what is necessary without being instructed.  I pose no harm to anything living, I judge not for/against what I do not know.

I fault no one for any religious stance they choose to take.  If they want to worship a rabbits foot because that is what they believe, Well, I also believe that is what they should do.  It seems to come down to believing in what makes you feel good.  It is that good feeling that does most of the work, not a miracle.  We call miracles happenings of improbable happenings.  If you believe in something so much and you put all of your willpower into that belief you will have made it possible.

[kitkatz]

If you are going to throw rocks at God, make sure you throw the pretty ones!

[goofynina]

If you are going to throw rocks at God, make sure you throw the pretty ones!

Awww Kit, you remembered,  your one special lady my friend