Running "ask a zealot" thread

Since I tend to show up on any thread that mentions religion and thread-jack, I figured I'd just start one where we can discuss religious topics.
I know this could turn ugly, but I hope not. The intent is to have a place for these things to be debated, not argued -- and I consider that an important distinction.
I'll be happy to (at least attempt to) answer any questions anyone might have about my own beliefs or the Christian faith.
I'm no theologian, but I am very serious about what I believe and love apologetics and the study of all religions.

 

Just have to say that if a poster with the handle "RepubChristian" started this thread, it would not begin, end or middle well. Carry on.

 

Is religion a real thing or is it a way for man to blame his problems and short-comings on an institution that was made up by other men?

 

My religion is a real thing and the only blame assigned by it falls upon myself and my own shortcomings.

 

So with a name like DemoChristian, you're not much for separation of church and state, eh?

 

So you never curse God or a higher power for messing up a situation or cursing you with wrong fates? Then why do athletes say that God was not with them during a certain loss or with them during a certain win?

 

I see the wink at the end, but for the record, I am a strong proponent of the separation for the protection of both the church and the state.

 

They never say God wasn't with them. Their mentions of God are always in the positive.

 

I don't curse God for messing anything up. I have found that the times I was in a tough situation were almost always because of my own mistakes or the decisions made by my fellow man -- usually the former.
Even if that weren't the case, I believe God created this world and gave me life, then died on a cross to give me eternal life. It would be pretty silly of me to curse Him for just about anything.
As for the athletes you mention, I'm not of that variety so I can't say for sure, but my guess is they aren't very advanced in their faith.
The Bible talks of advancing from milk to meat. Too many Christians never get past the milk stage and spend their lives as spiritual babies. That is where a lot of the bad name we get comes from.

 

I seriously doubt God is spending his time working on the outcome of a sporting event when people are dying throughout the world.

 

Not my point at all. No athlete ever said, after missing a game-winning shot or dropping the winning touchdown, "I'd like to thank God for my performance, except he abandoned me in my time of need." The original question was dumb, the answer irrelevant.

 

Can God make a rock so big that even He can't move it?