is religion real ?

[Napalmbrain]

I believe everyone is entitled their own opinion about religion. We don't know if religion is true or if there isn't a God or not.

But, wouldn't you rather believe in God and find out he isn't real, or not believe in God and find out he is real?

As I said before, I figure that if God is truly benevolant, he won't care if you believed in him:

That's kind of my philosophy- sort of a reverse Pascal's Wager. If I'm right and God doesn't exist, then obviously it doesn't matter if I believe in him. If he exists, and is a benelovant deity who doesn't care if you believed in him or not as long as you try to be a good person, then that's great. If God exists and demands you follow the right religion without telling you which one it is, then well, I wouldn't want to hang around with someone like that for eternity anyway.

 

[navarre]

I think its funny how so many people force themselves to go to church when the bible says nothing about church.

Really it says you are supposed to relax on the sabath day, so if you hate going to church the more christian-like thing to do is to not go.

I think if you want to believe in a religion then you shouldn't only listen to what other people preach about it. You should read the bible. Interpret it for yourself. Chances are your beliefs won't fully follow that of any of the variations of the religion.

What? Are you deliberately making a rash, false statement just to annoy people? Of course the Bible mentions Church. It appears in nearly every single one of the Epistles, Pauline or otherwise.

That's kind of my philosophy- sort of a reverse Pascal's Wager. If I'm right and God doesn't exist, then obviously it doesn't matter if I believe in him. If he exists, and is a benelovant deity who doesn't care if you believed in him or not as long as you try to be a good person, then that's great. If God exists and demands you follow the right religion without telling you which one it is, then well, I wouldn't want to hang around with someone like that for eternity anyway.

I agree, and I'm a Christian. Another strong example is if God is real, and he is omnipotent, why would he need, let alone want humanity to worship him? Should there be any need to worship an omnipotent God? Surely, just acknowledging his existence would be enough? I guess we can never understand him, if he does exist.

One thing I've noticed is that many theists will tack on "God did it" to proper Science. For example, " Evolution is real, but God created Evolution"

I personally believe God was transcendent during evolution, and only became immanent in the form of Jesus. That would mean that God isn't the cause of evolution and just left life on earth to get on with it.

 

[Chewy]

Sorry, I meant that the bible says nothing about having to go to church.
My source is from my pastor at church.

I'm not trying to piss people off I'm just saying don't be a blind follower, and I'm not directing it at anyone specifically(many of you are quite educated on the religion). There are too many Christians who haven't even read the bible, and if you are a Christian you should.

 

[hicks31]

I believe everyone is entitled their own opinion about religion. We don't know if religion is true or if there isn't a God or not.

But, wouldn't you rather believe in God and find out he isn't real, or not believe in God and find out he is real?

My thoughts exactly. However, according to the Bible(I'll find the scripture later), just believing in God won't get you to heaven. You must believe and obey him. I think that it's called obedient faith.

 

[AndThen?]

My thoughts exactly. However, according to the Bible(I'll find the scripture later), just believing in God won't get you to heaven. You must believe and obey him. I think that it's called obedient faith.

Like Napalm's been saying (albeit a little more nicely), any god who denies someone like Mahatma Gandhi a ticket into heaven's a dick anyway.

I do find it interesting that the Christianity drive for some people works of a "But what if..." idea nowadays.

 

[navarre]

My thoughts exactly. However, according to the Bible(I'll find the scripture later), just believing in God won't get you to heaven. You must believe and obey him. I think that it's called obedient faith.

Indeed. Paul emphasises that fact, in particularly to follow Jesus and to 'love thy neighbour', in his Epistles.

 

[Sixty]

what domination are you exactly, sixty??

Catholic?

 

[rukus]

Sorry, I meant that the bible says nothing about having to go to church.
My source is from my pastor at church.

your pastor then needs to keep reading and studying. yes, it doesnt talk of holding services on sunday morning for an hour and a half, but it does talk of communing with other christians and spending time learning together. and that is church.
who is your pastor, and what church do you attned?

 

[Chewy]

your pastor then needs to keep reading and studying. yes, it doesnt talk of holding services on sunday morning for an hour and a half, but it does talk of communing with other christians and spending time learning together. and that is church.
who is your pastor, and what church do you attned?

I don't really want to give out my pastors personal information but I went to a Lutheran church.

His point was that you shouldn't treat church like a chore. Simple as that really, I just worded it poorly before.

 

[Skippy]

I think its funny how so many people force themselves to go to church when the bible says nothing about church.

Really it says you are supposed to relax on the sabath day, so if you hate going to church the more christian-like thing to do is to not go.

The Sabbath is sundown Friday to sundown Saturday. Most church services are Sunday. However, the Sabbath law was given to the nation of Israel, it was not a regulation on the whole world and did not carry forward into the Christian system.

The Bible does speak of gathering with the congregation and not isolating yourself though. It doesn't lay out the specific schedule or what the buildings would be like, but the overall concept of meeting together regularly in worship in an organized manner is clear.

I think if you want to believe in a religion then you shouldn't only listen to what other people preach about it. You should read the bible. Interpret it for yourself. Chances are your beliefs won't fully follow that of any of the variations of the religion.

This is a good point. A lot of things are taught in churches that are not based in the Bible and sometimes even directly contradict the Bible.

 

[Squall7]

But, wouldn't you rather believe in God and find out he isn't real, or not believe in God and find out he is real?

This pre-supposes that there's a 50-50 chance that he is real. Take into account every different religion there has ever been, and you're looking at a much smaller fraction. And all this is on the basis that each 'belief' system is as likely as the next.

I don't consider the idea of Christianity as being 50% likely to be true. Even covering all the Abrahamic religions, it's still not 50% likely to be true.

If God were real, and he created everyone, why could he hate people such as midgets and the disabled?

As much as I hate to use youtube for a source:
[ame]http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=nmzvfYSp4Dw[/ame]

Of course, if you're a more modorate Christian who chooses which parts of the bible to believe in, I ask how do you decide which parts to follow and why?

And what are the chances that you were born in the right part of the world with just the right belief system that is 100% true? Sounds like a post-code lottery to me, of sorts, to actually get into heaven.

And finally, there are those that believe that people lived much longer lives, or believed that the years were longer. I think these explanations are almost apologetic in nature, and attempt to fit the scientific facts that we know into a religion that doesn't really accomodate it. I mean, some ridiculous things have been claimed about the origins of the earth, such as the water canopy theory. So long as theories are based upon the idea of incorporating facts into beliefs, those won't be accepted. When we get theories based on observations however, is when scientific debate really thrives.

P.S. We should really have a political/religious debate section. I think most of the people on this forum are mature enough to debate these subjects without going into a slanging match.

 

[Dorkfish]

This pre-supposes that there's a 50-50 chance that he is real. Take into account every different religion there has ever been, and you're looking at a much smaller fraction. And all this is on the basis that each 'belief' system is as likely as the next.

I don't consider the idea of Christianity as being 50% likely to be true. Even covering all the Abrahamic religions, it's still not 50% likely to be true.

If God were real, and he created everyone, why could he hate people such as midgets and the disabled?

As much as I hate to use youtube for a source:
http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=nmzvfYSp4Dw

Of course, if you're a more modorate Christian who chooses which parts of the bible to believe in, I ask how do you decide which parts to follow and why?

And what are the chances that you were born in the right part of the world with just the right belief system that is 100% true? Sounds like a post-code lottery to me, of sorts, to actually get into heaven.

And finally, there are those that believe that people lived much longer lives, or believed that the years were longer. I think these explanations are almost apologetic in nature, and attempt to fit the scientific facts that we know into a religion that doesn't really accomodate it. I mean, some ridiculous things have been claimed about the origins of the earth, such as the water canopy theory. So long as theories are based upon the idea of incorporating facts into beliefs, those won't be accepted. When we get theories based on observations however, is when scientific debate really thrives.

P.S. We should really have a political/religious debate section. I think most of the people on this forum are mature enough to debate these subjects without going into a slanging match.

Or you could just limit access to those who have proved themselves mature enough to handle it.

P.S.~Lol slanging

 

[hicks31]

Like Napalm's been saying (albeit a little more nicely), any god who denies someone like Mahatma Gandhi a ticket into heaven's a dick anyway.

I do find it interesting that the Christianity drive for some people works of a "But what if..." idea nowadays.

The thing is, if we sin once, we're not worthy of getting into heaven. That's why God sent his sent his son to die on the cross for our sins. Christ is the atoning sacrifice for us. His death gave us a chance at eternal life(heaven).

 

[Sovieto]

The thing is, if we sin once, we're not worthy of getting into heaven. That's why God sent his sent his son to die on the cross for our sins. Christ is the atoning sacrifice for us. His death gave us a chance at eternal life(heaven).

So without Jesus we would all go to Hell?

And if good Christians know they're going to Heaven why are they so afraid of dying?

 

[Napalmbrain]

The thing is, if we sin once, we're not worthy of getting into heaven. That's why God sent his sent his son to die on the cross for our sins. Christ is the atoning sacrifice for us. His death gave us a chance at eternal life(heaven).

What I don't get is this: If God created the Universe and Heaven, he must have decided the "rules", like what constitutes sin, and how you get into Heaven. So why would God need to sacrifice himself to himself, to satisfy the rules he made up?