[Goldenwolf]

Anyway, I don't follow my pastor as a senseless sheep, I just do the things that I know are right. For example, I don't steal because the pastor said so, I do it because God said so through the bible, And anyway, the bible isn't just One book, its loads of books together. Its true that I haven't read the bible cover to cover, but Ive read most of it, and one of my new year resolutions is to read it at least 1 time (my father reads it like 3 times a year).

[Wondergirl]

Anyway, I dont follow my pastor as a senseless sheep, I just do the things that I know are right. For example, I dont steal because the pastor said so, I do it because God said so through the bible, And anyway, the bible isn't just One book, its loads of books together. Its true that I havent read the bible cover to cover, but Ive read most of it, and one of my new year resolutions is to read it at least 1 time (my father reads it like 3 times a year).

I hope no Christian follows his pastor "like a senseless sheep" (even though Jesus is called the Good Shepherd and we are his sheep... hmmm... ). And I hope you don't steal simply because God says so (Law), but because God says to show love (Gospel), and stealing from someone is not showing love to that person.

[tiggerella]

Ah. And what did you conclude about Christianity when you read it cover to cover?

I concluded that the Catholic religion, which I was heavily involved in at the time because my parents were Catholics, was a bit false in what they were promoting as "God's Laws". It started as little things - such as being told "we don't question such things" when asking about where Cain went after killing Abel if Adam and Eve were the only ones on the planet... *grin* Of course, the BIG break with the church came after my Dad died of cancer and one of the girls I grew up with made the comment "If you were a really GOOD Catholic, your Dad wouldn't have died!" (Quite frankly, this girl was going out drinking and carousing every Saturday night, then acting all angelic every Sunday morning... )

[Skell]

I don't believe in God. To me its inconceivable!

[Fr_Chuck]

I don't believe in God. To me its inconceivable!

And to me it is just unbelievable that anyone can not believe in at lease some level of God. There is just no possibility to things just happening into the creation we have now.

[Skell]

And to me it is just unbeleivable that anyone can not beleive in at lease some level of God. There is just no possiblity to things just happening into the creation we have now.

I was simply responding to the OP, not looking for a debate on the existence of god v creationism.

I suppose it is similar to children who can't believe that anyone else other than santa could have left those presents under the tree and drank the glass of milk and eat the cookies left for him. Similarly a religious person can not believe that someone else can not believe in a god.

The difference is I can understand why you believe in God, however to ME it is simply not plausible. To YOU, understandable.

[De Maria]

I don't believe in God. To me its inconceivable!

Why?

I'm not looking for a debate. Just a friendly exchange of ideas.

[De Maria]

I concluded that the Catholic religion, which I was heavily involved in at the time because my parents were Catholics, was a bit false in what they were promoting as "God's Laws". It started off as little things - such as being told "we don't question such things" when asking about where Cain went after killing Abel if Adam and Eve were the only ones on the planet....*grin* Of course, the BIG break with the church came after my Dad died of cancer and one of the girls I grew up with made the comment "If you were a really GOOD Catholic, your Dad wouldn't have died!" (Quite frankly, this girl was going out drinking and carousing every Saturday night, then acting all angelic every Sunday morning....)

So you broke with the Church because a nonpracticing Catholic made a dumb statement?

[tiggerella]

So you broke with the Church because a nonpracticing Catholic made a dumb statement?

No - I broke with the church because the hypocrisy of this one practicing Catholic was reflected by over half of the congregation. In short, the very people who were always sitting in the pews in front of me, beside me and behind me all treated my family like we had the plague after my Dad died of cancer. (He was a very good man who would have given the shirt off his back to any of these individuals if they had a need, even when we were struggling financially because of all the medical bills, but they saw his cancer as a "punishment" for some imagined evil deed... )

I tried going to a different churches in different cities and I tried all the different religions over the years - and met the same hypocritical behaviors in all of them. Despite the Ten Commandments and The Golden Rule that all of these people spouted at their church services, very few actually lived by what they were preaching. Although I call myself a Wiccan and pray to the Lord and Lady within my own home, I still live by the Ten Commandments and The Golden Rule.

[De Maria]

No - I broke with the church because the hypocrisy of this one practicing Catholic was reflected by over half of the congregation. In short, the very people who were always sitting in the pews in front of me, beside me and behind me all treated my family like we had the plague after my Dad died of cancer. (He was a very good man who would have given the shirt off his back to any of these individuals if they had a need, even when we were struggling financially because of all the medical bills, but they saw his cancer as a "punishment" for some imagined evil deed... )

That is sad.

I tried going to a different churches in different cities and I tried all the different religions over the years - and met the same hypocritical behaviors in all of them. Despite the Ten Commandments and The Golden Rule that all of these people spouted at their church services, very few actually lived by what they were preaching.

I understand the feeling. I guess I responded the same or in a similar way when I was young. I became atheist however.

Although I call myself a Wiccan and pray to the Lord and Lady within my own home, I still live by the Ten Commandments and The Golden Rule.

God bless you for keeping the Commandments and the Golden Rule.

Sincerely,

De Maria

[excon]

I became atheist however.

Hello again, De Maria:

How does one become an atheist and then STOP being one? I don't think you can do that. It's against the code.

excon

[De Maria]

Hello again, De Maria:

How does one become an atheist and then STOP being one? I don't think you can do that. It's against the code.

excon

The code? Its more what you'd call guidelines than actual rules... ;)

[NeedKarma]

The Golden Rule transcends all religions:
Versions of the Golden Rule in 21 world religions
Ethic of reciprocity - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

[Dark_crow]

What you are asking is why, when there are hundreds of belief systems in the world, should Christianity be deemed "better" or "more important" than any other? That's easy… “The Ransom,” which no other belief system has.

[tiggerella]

The code? Its more what you'd call guidelines than actual rules...;)

I think I've heard this somewhere before... *evil grin*

[s_cianci]

I'll start by saying that any kind of belief system (or lack thereof) is based on faith. There may not always be concrete evidence to support it but that doesn't make it invalid. Not being able to prove that something exists doesn't automatically prove that it doesn't exist. I've never seen God but I still believe in him. Just like I've never seen oxygen but I still believe that it exists. Now, with that said, I also believe that the Holy Bible is the complete, infallible and inspired Word of God. Although it was written by mortal humans, those mortal humans wrote what God inspired them to write. And I also believe that, if we all lived our lives by the Bible as the rule and guide for our faith and practice. Then our lives would be much, much easier. Now I know a lot of people will snicker and sneer at me for saying that and that's OK. But since it is human nature (i.e. sin nature) to follow our own drives and desires and not what someone else wants, even if that someone else is the almighty God himself, we'll just keep on going shooting ourselves in the foot, so to speak. Just as one example, I'll use the issue of extra-marital sex. The bible states that sexual relations belong within the confines of marriage. I'm sure that this is one of the most widespread violations of scripture and I was just as guilty as anyone else, much to my shame. But think about it for a moment ; if people only had sex with their spouses and nobody else, think about all of the emotional damage we'd spare ourselves. If you don't believe that, just check out the Relationships section of this forum. Also, consider that there'd be no cheating and all of the fallout that results, no STD's, AIDS would be practically non-existent instead of an epidemic, very few abused, neglected and unwanted children, family court judges and family lawyers would be starving. Even in my own case ; I have an illegitimate child that I've been paying child support for, to the tune of $140 per week, for the last 10 years and will be continuing to do so for at least the next 8 years. Do the math ; $140 per week, 52 weeks a year, for 18 years ; enough to buy a house with! Enough to send my other 2 daughters, who were born legitimately in wedlock, to college debt-free and their own cars to boot! Now, if I had done like the bible says and kept it in my pants I could have avoided all of the legal hassles and financial fallout (My wife and I eventually had to file bankruptcy due to the expense of paying child support and the accompanying legal fees) that went with this one little "accident", with a woman who was very angry and vindictive no less and not at all rational and cooperative about the situation. Now, again, check out the relationships, parenting, family law and other related sections of this forum. Check out the many threads that consist of a man complaining about how he feels shafted by the system after accidentally impregnating a woman and dealing with all the resulting fallout. What response does he get? You should have kept it in your pants! Well, guess what folks? That's exactly what the bible says! Not worded exactly that way but the same idea! And that's just one little admonition. Now again, I know that the majority of you will scoff at all of this and that's OK. But the point is that God doesn't tell us what he tells us to frustrate or punish us but to protect us. And yes, Christ died for our sins (that's what Christians believe) and therefore we are forgiven if we believe and profess that belief. But being forgiven doesn't preclude us from facing the consequences of our sins. My adultery is forgiven but I still have to deal with the consequences of it. So that's why I believe what I believe.

[NeedKarma]

Just as one example, I'll use the issue of extra-marital sex. The bible states that sexual relations belong within the confines of marriage. I'm sure that this is one of the most widespread violations of scripture and I was just as guilty as anyone else, much to my shame.

I agree with you that infidelity is a scourge that should be fixed but as you correctly stated it isn't relegated to the non-christian crowd. I don't follow the bible, have been married for 12 years and have never cheated. Fidelity is a concept based on social living. It's nice that the bible took time to write it down but it can be boiled down to the Golden Rule I mentioned above. Having sensible loving parents that raise you by showing a good example will take you further than reading the bible IMH.

[Galveston1]

In answer to the original question: 1. I believe the Bible on an intellectual level because of its internal proofs. 2. I believe in the Bible because of its elevating teachings (as illuminated by Jesus Christ). 4. I believe in the Bible because of what it has done for me personally. 5. I believe in the Christian religion because it works. I have personally witnessed alcoholics set free immediately in answer to prayer, sick people healed of various diseases, independently of medical science, and onery people changed into godly people. That is the short answer of why I am a believer in Jesus Christ.

[Skell]

, sick people healed of various diseases, independently of medical science, and onery people changed into godly people. That is the short answer of why I am a believer in Jesus Christ.

Send him this way then. Maybe he can rid of this nasty case of the shingles I have. Can you believe that. A 24 year old with shingles. If he fixes me ill believe. But don't tell me I need to believe before I can be fixed. That is ar$e about and not how the world works!

[Skell]

And he must have skipped by my aunt who was a believer when she was dying of bone cancer in her early 30's. It's a shame he picks and chooses who to heal!