Confused about religion

Hell doesn’t exist.

Well, hell is something that some religions believe in. Other religions don’t believe in hell.

Why choose a religion?

You believe in God, that is enough. Do right in the world and that is all that is needed. All these organized religions who preach about xyz are wrong in that sense.

There are how many religions out there? They can’t all be right.

The Captain speaks correctly. Don't beat yourself up over it, you do not have to be a devout anyhting. Agnostic is a perfectly sound way to go through life:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Agnostic

I was raised in several foster homes, and experienced several different faiths. Then I tried several religions as a young adult too. I'm now an agnostic. Whatever religion or lack of religion you decide upon, don't let anyone rush you or tell you what is best. Do whatever you feel comfortable with and don't feel guilty about it.

I was raised Protestant Christian. Eventually, I got to the point where I needed to question why I believed what I did... And I did. Now, I serve no religion. Religion is a man made ideology that is useless, in my opinion.

My advice... Go out there and learn. If you are interested in it, study every religion and faith you can get yoru hands on. Take from them what you believe to be true. Every religion and faith has a bit of truth in it, hidden underneath the propoganda that the human race has created over thousands of years.

You will find your way.

Well sorry to ring the moral bell here but it really does not matter if you believe in heaven or hell, they exist, if you don't believe, it is still there.

In general it is not religion that saves you, often your religion will get in your way. For a person to find their faith they need to study and this I will agree not merely accept what others say.

And next of course you will disagree with many things in religion, if it merely told you what you wanted to hear, then you are merely creating a religion to please yourself. There are plenty of those out there if you want one of them. They do you little good, but they can make you feel good about yourself, no matter how you wish to live.

Religion sets rules and standards, that we of course may not always want to live by. In that it sets clear standards of morals and gives proper methods of living and interacting with others.

As you go through your journey through life always remember to be a good human being! Be true to the God that you understand and keep your mind open to what he reveals to you,no man can tell you what to believe,but it is very important that you do believe!

That statement is so flawed Fr Chuck. From that statement, you are saying that the Jewish religion has gotten it all wrong. Jews don't believe in hell.

And you made my point. Organized religions do differ from Christians to Jews to Islam to etc. No one knows which one is really right. Although there will be some people who believe that their way is the right way.

I think where many of us will butt heads is in defining the undefinable. First, we have to understand what Heaven and Hell are. I'm sure all of us will have a different idea of this.

I actually agree with Chuck here. I feel that no matter what, Heaven and Hell still exist... However, I am 99% positive that Chuck will not agree with my belief in what Heaven is and what Hell is.

We have to understand that the Bible was written thousands of years ago and has been translated through different languages. Imagine what has happened to the literal meaning of things therein. In a language that only consisted of what? 13 letters? How could a man describe such things? These things were then translated into other languages with other mens interpritations. How did they know what words to use to describe such a thing?

Whats the Hebrew word for Internet? Hmmm... I'll bet there isn't one. But if, by some way, Peter had a revelation of the Internet, and tried to describe it in the Bible, we would have NO IDEA that he was actually talking about THE INTERNET!

Animeluver06, this thread is going to confuse you even more. While it is interesting to hear the different views, you being so young, really need to search what or who you want to believe in. I agree with maybe one point to every post that came up:

[quote]There are how many religions out there? They can