Do you believe in God

Well, if you believe, then you probably think the Nats don't have a prayer to finish with fewer than 100 losses.

 

On the other hand, there are those Padres uniforms. Would a merciful god permit that?

The Nats will take care of themselves, but those uniforms... Think of the children!

 

I see your point but I believe that my mother is wrong. I would never tell her that because what would be the point? She doesn't have the same respect for my beliefs but hey, that's my Mom - it's part of the package that my mother will constantly pray for me to return to 'the one true Church' and make sure to tell me about it. For her not to do that would be inconsistent with what she believes.

Me, I don't believe that there is a God so it only follows that I think that people who don't believe in God are wrong. After all, people who do believe that there is a supreme being who rules all of this believe that I'm wrong. This has to be true if we're consistent in our beliefs.

 

I'm going to take this another direction if I can....

Asking those of you who ran from the church you once were a part of. I can see some just going through the college thing and trying to rationalize faith with reason, and that's not easy. But some were just soured by the doctrine, atmosphere, hypocritical stuff. I'd be interested in knowing what denominations did the chasing. This in light of what HC's mom describes as the "one true church. I've seen Churches of Christ do that. I've seen pentecostal/charismatic churches blow it with the name it claim it theology. I have respect for charismatics and have seen many who demonstrate the fruits of the Spirit, meaning they are every bit the person of faith you'd want to see. But I've also seen some really fake crap come from people in that category..barking like dogs is not a spiritual utterance. If healing meetings did what Benny Hinn or Oral Roberts says they do, we wouldn't need to worry about having or not having health insurance. I do believe God can heal, but it's in the random mix of factors that would govern such a miracle, including lifestyle, environment, physical condition and sheer determination along with a lot of people praying for you. Magic Johnson has HIV but you'd never know it. That kind of thing. Watching my dad have 24 hours the first time he had a major heart attack, then 72 hours later, be released from the hospital. 40 people held a prayer vigil at the hospital that night. I think when miracles do occur, there's more than just the healing of an individual that would motivate a miracle. Calling massive attention to something, reaching others through it. That is reason for a miracle.

But back to the original thought: What chased you away (if applicable)?

 

christians.

 

All that matters is what YOU are, Simon.
If there is a God, it's you and Him, one-on-one.

 

I wasn't chased away by anything but reason. I was raised Roman Catholic and have explored other faiths. I was never able to reconcile faith and reason but I struggled to do so for a long time. I have heard all the arguments (and still read books on biblical history, arguments in favour of God, etc.) but none of them have convinced me.

And I was asking these questions at the age of five, according to everyone in my family.

 

Typical for you.

So why not check out some of the radical Muslim groups? They hate Christians too.

 

Jesus, get a hobby.

 

taking a line from mert only slightly different: religion is a hobby? just jump from one to another wily nily? surely the baby jesus weeps for you yawn.

 

What chased me away? The sense I got, in virtually every religion, to be involved. To join the church and be a part of the church family. To take part in activities after Sunday services. To do choir, or alter guild, or lay reader, or chalicer, or vestry, or Sunday school or yadayadayadayada.

The problem is not that these social activities are offered. It's that there's always so much emphasis on doing those extras and not enough focus on the faith. It's like those women who spend a billion hours planning their wedding but only one or two planning their marriage. The wedding is just the show, and a largely pointless one at that if the marriage itself isn't worth as much as what mommy and daddy spent on the reception.

For me, faith and church were always supposed to be about getting your soul fed. But I'd go for a feast and leave feeling like I'd gotten a package of stale crackers and some water with a lemon wedge in it.

To me, I'd rather have a one-on-one relationship with God, and live with the consequences if what I believe and what I do don't live up to his expectations.

 

If you're buying Dawkins' crap, you're as religious as the nun who's praying over rosary beads.
Dawkins is selling a religion even more fervently than the Pope is selling Catholicism.
Dawkins' religion is the religion of Dawkins-as-know-it-all.
And you bought into him?
Which is your regular pew now?