And by "I," I mean those who are inquiring about a particular religion among the Abrahamic umbrella. Realizing that all three faiths including their sub sects all relate to the origin of the people in a particular region of the world, where do I the observer belong considering the doctrinal traditions tends to favor the people of those regions? Some Judeo-Christian traditions say the cradle of civilization began in Ur (although scholars have differing criteria for what they determine to be a...

I tried really hard to understand christianity. The conclusion I got is that christianity alone doesn't stand on it's own feet. Christianity needs other religions in order to make sense. I think burning the witches is disgusting. It's high time christianity embrace pagan religions (especially dharmic), in my opinion. When christianity stops saying it's the only ''truth'', the world will be a better place.

NOTE: The discussion in this thread will be based on the video that will be shown below.
This video addresses the arguments usually given by non-believers. It's only about 15 minutes long.

For those who want to discuss, please watch and we'll discuss the points given in this video on why we should trust the Bible.
Honesty test.

Telephone Test.

Corroboration test.

There is a tremendous difference in the two meanings. The diffetence is seen after the birth occurs and into childhood. The politicians are getting closer to the Death Penalty for abortion providers and some states have jail time on the books for the woman getting the abortion.
Look closer at how these states allocate funds for those born into poverty. It pretty much says it all.

The Jewish religious leaders in the time of Jesus who behaved the same way as our Republican politicians of...

Interesting finds that relate to things written in the Bible have been discovered by archeology. And, they're still digging....and still discovering....

Here are some of the discoveries:
King Hezekiah in the Bible: Royal Seal of Hezekiah Comes to Light
The stamped clay seal, also known as a bulla, was discovered in the Ophel excavations led by Dr. Eilat Mazar at the foot of the southern wall of the Temple Mount in Jerusalem.

The bulla, which measures just over a centimeter in diameter,...

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In going over god's (the god of Abraham) interest in sexual matters I discovered that he's quite clear about what he's against: having sex during one's monthly period, sexual immorality, passion, orgies, rape, sensuality, adultery, bestiality, homosexuality, and prostitution. Now, I can sort of understand some of these, but passion and sensuality? And rape is only worthy of capital punishment if the girl is "pledged to be married."

Moreover, god says nothing about Oral sex or Anal...

Often we assume that science and religion are at odds with each other, one states that it is based on reason and logic while the other is said to be based on faith and hope. But we often do not see how similar they are in their false promises and claims. We are told both can be used to make the world a better place. We are told by those that hold them true that they are tools which can create a paradise...of course both parties always promised this "paradise" is somewhere in "the future"...

It was suggested in another thread by one of our Aussie members that Americans use prayer like a magic wand to cure ills, and suggested that prayer doesn't work that way.

What is the purpose of prayer for you? I understand that many use it as a means of worship and reverence, but does prayer work to intervene in matter such as illness, finance, etc? Does a petition to God actually make Him reconsider the path He has laid out for an individual? Or does it work as more of a placebo affect...

As an Ex-JW (left in February... YAY!) I know that JW's pride themselves with the unity that they have vs the multiple denominations among "Christendom".

From what I understand about most Protestant denominations I have come across (as an example) is that they do not dispute what they see as the fundamentals of Christianity, but they choose the denomination depending on what that denomination emphasizes. So they still see each other as united. So, for an example James White will debate...

To follow a spiritual path can sometimes lead a person to be to serious about life ( I been there)
But may it be that we need to stop being afraid of doing wrong, and if we do wrong learn from it, instead of becoming to serious about it and actually fear our own faults?

My newfound joy in life is seeing life in a more happy way (living in the moment). Laugh of my own "stuid" way of being from time to time, and when someone have fun toward me, to smile and have fun back

Life is actually...