I was raised in a Christian family. Even in the Christian faith there are so many ways to worship and ways to interpret the Bible. For example, some believe in a strict and plain dress code while others don't even address it. Some treat Sunday as a day of worship only and others go to church and then to the grocery store and on home to catch up on laundry and get ready for the next week's work schedule. Because we pull out the scripture that we want to adhere to, how do I know that I'm not missing something? There are so many differences in our own faith. It troubles me to think where I would be or what I would believe if I were raised in a Mormon family or a Jewish family. Would I think that this religion was the correct one? If I gave my child up for adoption and he were raised by a faithful J. Witness family, wouldn't he grow to be a faithful J.Witness? Would he go to hell at death because he was raised in the wrong family?

Most religions answer your questions by saying that "god reveals the truth to all people and gives you the free will to follow him or not." Meaning that even if you are not born into a particular religion god has told you which one is the correct one and if you didn't choose theirs you choose wrong and it's your fault because you denied the truth that was revealed to you by god. So according to the major religions even if you were born into the wrong faith it's no excuse because god told you which was the right one.

So where does that leave you? That's up to you. I recommend you do what you can to make the world a better place than when you arrived and not worry if you happen to believe the right brand of religion or not.

Yes our salvation depends on us, we will all answer to God for our own deeds, not someone else's that weren't our fault. Each will carry his own load

I think that just like you are questioning your faith, if you gave your son up hypothetically, he would eventually do the same and make his own decisions, the same as everyone. I do not think that it is only certain RELIGIONS that are going to heaven... I think we will all be considered by our own sins and our own life. Religion is a man made thing, a grouping of sort. I have studied religion in college as it is interesting to me. I have come to the conclusion that you have to do what is right and be the best person you can and God will know. So, no worries hon, and I also applaud you on actually thinking about it in a non biased way. Its nice to see people with a mind of their own out there.

That would all depend on the child. They would be raised with all the principles of a JW but it will ultimately be up to the individual whether they follow that path or not. Christians are encouraged by the apostle Paul to "Keep testing whether we are in the faith and keep proving what we are." (2 Cor 13:5)
So if the issue is that you are worried a child may be raised in the wrong faith, if their parents follow Paul's advice and pass it on to the child, as he grows he can check the teachings of his church speakers/instructors to see if they in fact come from the bible or are from "church traditions" or have perhaps been "tweaked" to to suit peoples lives, I'm pretty sure they will realise what is truth and what is not.
But basically the decision is that of the child once they reach an age of proper understanding.
BTW Jehovah's Witnesses do not believe that hell is a literal place but that once dead, they stay that way with no spirit floating round somewhere or being tormented, rather waiting for Jesus to resurrect them in a new system on earth.
So what if this is true? This is one teaching that most other "christians" don't believe... so maybe it's worth testing this one out.. At least that way you wouldn't worry so much about your child suffering forever... if it turned out to be true.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by SpringCity

I was raised in a Christian family. Even in the Christian faith there are so many ways to worship and ways to interpret the Bible.

---

Logical result of so many unclearities within a religion. Fascinating, isn't it ?

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by SpringCity

Some treat Sunday as a day of worship only and others go to church and then to the grocery store and on home to catch up on laundry and get ready for the next week's work schedule.

---

Some even have to work on Sunday : the result of the 24 hours society !

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by SpringCity

Would I think that this religion was the correct one?

---

The big question for every theist... Oh that darned Pascals Wager!!

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by SpringCity

Would he go to hell at death because he was raised in the wrong family?

---

That suggests that it is more the nitty gritty of the small print in the belief in a "God" deity that counts. What about the Ten Commandments as core reference ? And all that besides the lack of OSE in the existence of a deity in the first place...

:>)

.

Well I would urge you to disregard that response, since it's not too helpful. But Credendovis' life story is a lot like yours. Anyway, once a child becomes an adult, reaches the age of reason, he is free to make his own choice. There is a lot of stories about twins separated at birth later meeting up and still being similar in a lot of ways even though they were unaware of each other. Before he's an adult, well his parents would answer for his actions, just like they can be held financially responsible for a crime committed by a juvenile

[QUOTE=wildandblue]well I would urge you to disregard that response, since it's not too helpful.]
This board is NOT in the question, but in the a discussions section (as the name of the board implies). Reactions here are not supposed to be answers to some question, but a reply to what is stated here.

:>)

.

[QUOTE=wildandblue]well I would urge you to disregard that response
Thank you. I have disregarded it!

Thank you for letting us all know that, SpringCity !

:>)

.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by SpringCity

I was raised in a Christian family. Even in the Christian faith there are so many ways to worship and ways to interpret the Bible. For example, some believe in a strict and plain dress code while others dont even address it. Some treat Sunday as a day of worship only and others go to church and then to the grocery store and on home to catch up on laundry and get ready for the next week's work schedule. Because we pull out the scripture that we want to adhere to, how do I know that I'm not missing something? There are so many differences in our own faith. It troubles me to think where I would be or what I would believe if I were raised in a Mormon family or a Jewish family. Would I think that this religion was the correct one? If I gave my child up for adoption and he were raised by a faithful J. Witness family, wouldn't he grow to be a faithful J.Witness? Would he go to hell at death because he was raised in the wrong family?

---

According to Catholic teaching, no. People go to hell who reject God.

1033 We cannot be united with God unless we freely choose to love him. But we cannot love God if we sin gravely against him, against our neighbor or against ourselves: "He who does not love remains in death. Anyone who hates his brother is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life abiding in him." Our Lord warns us that we shall be separated from him if we fail to meet the serious needs of the poor and the little ones who are his brethren. To die in mortal sin without repenting and accepting God's merciful love means remaining separated from him for ever by our own free choice. This state of definitive self-exclusion from communion with God and the blessed is called "hell."

Correct me if I'm wrong, but I think the gist of your question is, "Why doesn't God reveal Himself to us and thus reveal which is the true religion?

The answer is because of "free will". God wants us to love Him and thus to search for Him because we love Him. But if He revealed Himself to us, His Omnipotent presence would overwhelm us and we would have to believe in Him whether we love Him or not.

Thats the same thing as holding a gun to someone's head and saying "Marry me!"

Obviously, love is not coerced.

So, if we love God and we don't believe that God is adequately represented by the Church or religion which we attend, then we must search for Him elsewhere.

But God is just, so be at peace:

Hebrews 11 6 But without faith it is impossible to please God. For he that cometh to God, must believe that he is, and is a rewarder to them that seek him.

Sincerely,

De Maria

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by deMaria

The answer is because of "free will".

---

"Free will" : another dogmatic claim that carries not one single iota of OSE for it's existence.
The "answer" is therefore without any value and validity : it is a wild religious claim, completely based on what one believes.

:>)

.

In my opinion I believe in science. But sometime I like to create things up. Right now there is no proof that there is a place called Hell after death that you did something bad. Even if is there a place where dead people are the dead people have no way to tell you it and which they turn to spirits . They could trying to tell you there is no such place as Heaven or Hell but only a place where spirits lives like normal people but like a spirit world. So my advice do what you think is right live you life the fullest. Be happy!

Goodluck!

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by De Maria

According to Catholic teaching, no. People go to hell who reject God.

1033 We cannot be united with God unless we freely choose to love him. But we cannot love God if we sin gravely against him, against our neighbor or against ourselves: "He who does not love remains in death. Anyone who hates his brother is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life abiding in him." Our Lord warns us that we shall be separated from him if we fail to meet the serious needs of the poor and the little ones who are his brethren. To die in mortal sin without repenting and accepting God's merciful love means remaining separated from him for ever by our own free choice. This state of definitive self-exclusion from communion with God and the blessed is called "hell."

Correct me if I'm wrong, but I think the gist of your question is, "Why doesn't God reveal Himself to us and thus reveal which is the true religion?

The answer is because of "free will". God wants us to love Him and thus to search for Him because we love Him. But if He revealed Himself to us, His Omnipotent presence would overwhelm us and we would have to believe in Him whether we love Him or not.

Thats the same thing as holding a gun to someone's head and saying "Marry me!"

Obviously, love is not coerced.

So, if we love God and we don't believe that God is adequately represented by the Church or religion which we attend, then we must search for Him elsewhere.

But God is just, so be at peace:

Hebrews 11 6 But without faith it is impossible to please God. For he that cometh to God, must believe that he is, and is a rewarder to them that seek him.

Sincerely,

De Maria

---

Well no offense, In my opinion "People go to hell who reject God." is not in my dictionary... And if god or jesus is born from this world they are just like us. "The Solar system started as a huge cloud of dust and gas called a nebula. This nebula was very cold. Then something happened. Just what is a matter of debate. However, something caused this nebula to start collapsing under its own gravity. As it collapsed, 99% of the material collected into the center where the Sun would eventually form. The rest of the material collapsed down into a disk of material that swirled around the forming Sun. As the Sun began form, the temperature at the center of our forming solar system rose. This controlled what materials were available to for the formation of planets. Here in the inner solar system, the temperatures we too high for anything but rocky materials, iron, and nickel to form solids. As a result of this, these are the materials from which the inner planets were built. In the outer solar system, it was cold enough for water, methane, and ammonia to form solids. So, the planets of the outer solar system were built from these materials as were as the rocky and metallic solids. With the addition of these ices to the mix, the planets of the outer solar system were able to grow big enough to grab and hold onto even the hydrogen and helium gas that was present in the solar nebula. Thus these planets grew into the gas giants. Comets from this part of the nebula also came into the inner solar system. It is from these comets that the inner planets (Earth included) got what volatiles they did. In Earth's case, it was enough to produce our rather thin atmosphere (when compared to those of the gas giants) and our oceans." Then some species start evolving which become human. What the religious people are relies too much on text and what people says or think too much. The only truth are you see it with your own two eyes. Well what you believe is your own belief. Probably think about what if there earth don't have any religion what will happen? I think probably nothing will change everybody just have the same life... school, work, and fun and nothing to worry about.

Quote:

---

"The Solar system started as a huge cloud of dust and gas called a nebula. This nebula was very cold. Then something happened.

---

If you can believe that, you can believe anything... including the thought of there being a God! :rolleyes:

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Moparbyfar

Quote:

---

"The Solar system started as a huge cloud of dust and gas called a nebula. This nebula was very cold. Then something happened.

---

If you can believe that, you can believe anything... including the thought of there being a God!

---

Seems to me a clear misrepresentation of what was stated by Sunnywootxp, as he also clearly added :

Quote:

---

Just what is a matter of debate. However, something caused this nebula to start collapsing under its own gravity.

---

Today we can witness new stars being born from collapsing gas clouds. NOT belief but fact !
Today we also witness that many stars have planets of different sizes. NOT belief but fact !
Today we also can see that supernova's explode throughout the galaxy. And such events create forces that often lead neighbouring gas clouds to collapse into suns and their solar systems.

So yes: something is happening all the time.

But believing anything? [b]ANYTHING?? [/b[

I don't think so : if there is no OSE at all - not even the tiniest amount of OSE - for the existence of a supra-natural deity with an abnormal interest for every human being's sexual behavior, and the nasty habit to burn non-followers in hell - though he loves you - , why than believe in that myth?

:>)

.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Sunnywootxp

In my opinion I believe in science.

---

Do you mean that you have faith that science can answer every question?

Quote:

---

But sometime I like to create things up.

---

Do you mean that sometimes you believe in that which you make up without evidence?

Quote:

---

Right now there is no proof that there is a place called Hell after death that you did something bad.

---

But there is evidence of that hell exists.

Quote:

---

Even if is there a place where dead people are the dead people have no way to tell you it and which they turn to spirits . They could trying to tell you there is no such place as Heaven or Hell but only a place where spirits lives like normal people but like a spirit world. So my advice do what you think is right live you life the fullest. Be happy!

Goodluck!

---

In other words, you're saying you don't know if hell exists:
Even if is there a place where dead people

And you say imply it doesn't matter whether hell exists or not. That doesn't follow. Because if hell exists and you pretend that it doesn't you have condemned yourself to eternal damnation.

Sincerely,

De Maria

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Sunnywootxp

Well no offense, In my opinion "People go to hell who reject God." is not in my dictionary...

---

In other words, you don't believe in God.

But if God doesn't exist, how did anything get here?

Quote:

---

And if god or jesus is born from this world they are just like us.

---

Jesus is God and man. He is omnipotent God and because He is omnipotent, He became man in order to reveal Himself to us.

Quote:

---

"The Solar system started as a huge cloud of dust and gas called a nebula...

---

Sure. God put it there. Before the Solar System was born, science says that the Universe was born as a result of a Big Bang. Before the Big Bang, science says that there was no time or space. So, nothing existed before the Big Bang.

But nothing from nothing is nothing. Yet something had to make the Big Bang. Otherwise we could have nothing today.

So, logically speaking, only something can come from something else. That means that in order for this universe to exist, an eternal Something had to have created it.

Sincerely,

De Maria

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Credendovidis

Seems to me a clear misrepresentation of what was stated by Sunnywootxp, as he also clearly added :

Today we can witness new stars being born from collapsing gas clouds. NOT belief but fact !
Today we also witness that many stars have planets of different sizes. NOT belief but fact !
Today we also can see that supernova's explode throughout the galaxy. And such events create forces that often lead neighbouring gas clouds to collapse into suns and their solar systems.

So yes: something is happening all the time.

But believing anything? [b]ANYTHING ???[/b[

I don't think so : if there is no OSE at all - not even the tiniest amount of OSE - for the existence of a supra-natural deity with an abnormal interest for every human being's sexual behavior, and the nasty habit to burn non-followers in hell - though he loves you - , why than believe in that myth?

:>)

.

---

Thanks for providing the OSE that God exists.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by De Maria

Thanks for providing the OSE that God exists.

---

I guess you missed the last paragraph I posted :

But believing anything? ANYTHING ??? I don't think so : if there is no OSE at all - not even the tiniest amount of OSE - for the existence of a supra-natural deity with an abnormal interest for every human being's sexual behavior, and the nasty habit to burn non-followers in hell - though he loves you - , why than believe in that myth?

:>)

.