My Take on Religion

[DanWS]

I want to start out saying that I'm not against religion and I believe in God. I just don't believe that there is only one religion that's true. Any religion that teaches positive morals should be fine. I don't believe that God himself wrote all the religious texts. Though If something is written that preaches good morals and serves the greater good it coincides with his will and might as well have been.

There are two problems with religion. One is the fact that people take the stories too literally. Though the morals are true people didn't know much about science when most religions were being created. One can go an entire life without knowing why or how things work but morals and karma have played a part in everyone's lives since the dawn of civilization. The second problem is intolerance. Of course, the obvious example is the Muslim terrorists. But even other religions feel theirs is the truth and everyone else is wrong, they just don't kill over it. The way I see it is if God is benevolent he would judge us on our morals not just our beliefs. There are Christians that go to places where people haven't even heard of Jesus believing that if they don't spread the word and these people don't convert to Christianity god will send them to hell for sheer ignorance.

I was raised Christian and didn't question God until I became a teenager. I didn't believe God was some bearded guy sitting on a cloud. At the time I came up with the idea that God and Satan represent what you do and Heaven and Hell how you feal. I still believe this though I now believe in God. What had me believe in God was something my sister brought home from her church. It said that God was omnipotent, omniscient, and omnipresent. It was the last one that got me. It wasn't someone sitting on a cloud. It was a God that existed within the fabric of everything.

While I believe in God I'm not sure about the afterlife. I'm not saying there's no heaven or hell but I don't think it'd be so black and white. Should someone just bad enough to go to hell have to suffer as bad as someone like Hitler? I think if there is an afterlife it would reflect the life you lived.

 

[Audie]

I want to start out saying that I'm not against religion and I believe in God. I just don't believe that there is only one religion that's true. Any religion that teaches positive morals should be fine. I don't believe that God himself wrote all the religious texts. Though If something is written that preaches good morals and serves the greater good it coincides with his will and might as well have been.

There are two problems with religion. One is the fact that people take the stories too literally. Though the morals are true people didn't know much about science when most religions were being created. One can go an entire life without knowing why or how things work but morals and karma have played a part in everyone's lives since the dawn of civilization. The second problem is intolerance. Of course, the obvious example is the Muslim terrorists. But even other religions feel theirs is the truth and everyone else is wrong, they just don't kill over it. The way I see it is if God is benevolent he would judge us on our morals not just our beliefs. There are Christians that go to places where people haven't even heard of Jesus believing that if they don't spread the word and these people don't convert to Christianity god will send them to hell for sheer ignorance.

I was raised Christian and didn't question God until I became a teenager. I didn't believe God was some bearded guy sitting on a cloud. At the time I came up with the idea that God and Satan represent what you do and Heaven and Hell how you feal. I still believe this though I now believe in God. What had me believe in God was something my sister brought home from her church. It said that God was omnipotent, omniscient, and omnipresent. It was the last one that got me. It wasn't someone sitting on a cloud. It was a God that existed within the fabric of everything.

While I believe in God I'm not sure about the afterlife. I'm not saying there's no heaven or hell but I don't think it'd be so black and white. Should someone just bad enough to go to hell have to suffer as bad as someone like Hitler? I think if there is an afterlife it would reflect the life you lived.

I guess it is all the moldy superstition that bothers me
about religion. Ran across this this morning...


‎South China Morning Post‎ to Old Hong Kong
14 hrs ·


On May 19, 1963, a group of 90 Buddhist monks carried out exorcism ceremonies lasting 10 hours at Murray House.

The building had been occupied by the Japanese during WWII and used as a detention centre. It was reported that several people had been tortured and died there, while others committed suicide.

So convinced were government employees that the building was haunted that they sought permission to exorcise the spirits. It was later reported that the employees no longer complained of ghostly goings-on

 

[Spirit of Light]

I want to start out saying that I'm not against religion and I believe in God. I just don't believe that there is only one religion that's true. Any religion that teaches positive morals should be fine. I don't believe that God himself wrote all the religious texts. Though If something is written that preaches good morals and serves the greater good it coincides with his will and might as well have been.

There are two problems with religion. One is the fact that people take the stories too literally. Though the morals are true people didn't know much about science when most religions were being created. One can go an entire life without knowing why or how things work but morals and karma have played a part in everyone's lives since the dawn of civilization. The second problem is intolerance. Of course, the obvious example is the Muslim terrorists. But even other religions feel theirs is the truth and everyone else is wrong, they just don't kill over it. The way I see it is if God is benevolent he would judge us on our morals not just our beliefs. There are Christians that go to places where people haven't even heard of Jesus believing that if they don't spread the word and these people don't convert to Christianity god will send them to hell for sheer ignorance.

I was raised Christian and didn't question God until I became a teenager. I didn't believe God was some bearded guy sitting on a cloud. At the time I came up with the idea that God and Satan represent what you do and Heaven and Hell how you feal. I still believe this though I now believe in God. What had me believe in God was something my sister brought home from her church. It said that God was omnipotent, omniscient, and omnipresent. It was the last one that got me. It wasn't someone sitting on a cloud. It was a God that existed within the fabric of everything.

While I believe in God I'm not sure about the afterlife. I'm not saying there's no heaven or hell but I don't think it'd be so black and white. Should someone just bad enough to go to hell have to suffer as bad as someone like Hitler? I think if there is an afterlife it would reflect the life you lived.

A very good view of religion

 

[dybmh]

I guess it is all the moldy superstition that bothers me
about religion. Ran across this this morning...


‎South China Morning Post‎ to Old Hong Kong
14 hrs ·


On May 19, 1963, a group of 90 Buddhist monks carried out exorcism ceremonies lasting 10 hours at Murray House.

The building had been occupied by the Japanese during WWII and used as a detention centre. It was reported that several people had been tortured and died there, while others committed suicide.

So convinced were government employees that the building was haunted that they sought permission to exorcise the spirits. It was later reported that the employees no longer complained of ghostly goings-on

Audie: Seems harmless...

 

[dybmh]

I want to start out saying that I'm not against religion and I believe in God. I just don't believe that there is only one religion that's true. Any religion that teaches positive morals should be fine. I don't believe that God himself wrote all the religious texts. Though If something is written that preaches good morals and serves the greater good it coincides with his will and might as well have been.

There are two problems with religion. One is the fact that people take the stories too literally. Though the morals are true people didn't know much about science when most religions were being created. One can go an entire life without knowing why or how things work but morals and karma have played a part in everyone's lives since the dawn of civilization. The second problem is intolerance. Of course, the obvious example is the Muslim terrorists. But even other religions feel theirs is the truth and everyone else is wrong, they just don't kill over it. The way I see it is if God is benevolent he would judge us on our morals not just our beliefs. There are Christians that go to places where people haven't even heard of Jesus believing that if they don't spread the word and these people don't convert to Christianity god will send them to hell for sheer ignorance.

I was raised Christian and didn't question God until I became a teenager. I didn't believe God was some bearded guy sitting on a cloud. At the time I came up with the idea that God and Satan represent what you do and Heaven and Hell how you feal. I still believe this though I now believe in God. What had me believe in God was something my sister brought home from her church. It said that God was omnipotent, omniscient, and omnipresent. It was the last one that got me. It wasn't someone sitting on a cloud. It was a God that existed within the fabric of everything.

While I believe in God I'm not sure about the afterlife. I'm not saying there's no heaven or hell but I don't think it'd be so black and white. Should someone just bad enough to go to hell have to suffer as bad as someone like Hitler? I think if there is an afterlife it would reflect the life you lived.

Hi Dan, Nice to meet you and welcome.

There's so much here that I agree with. ( Virtually all of it ). So I very much appreciate that you are here.

Specifically on the idea of Omnipotent, Omniscient, and Omnipresent God:

I believe this too, and when I came here I took it for granted that it was something that is easy to find in scripture. When asked to provide the verses that I felt were valuable for this idea, turns out, that many people felt they were irrelevant. It's not something that I have pursued recently. But, If you have time, maybe in the future, I would like to see more on this topic. Maybe start a thread on it, or PM me?

Sincerely,

 

[Epic Beard Man]

I want to start out saying that I'm not against religion and I believe in God. I just don't believe that there is only one religion that's true. Any religion that teaches positive morals should be fine. I don't believe that God himself wrote all the religious texts. Though If something is written that preaches good morals and serves the greater good it coincides with his will and might as well have been.

There are two problems with religion. One is the fact that people take the stories too literally. Though the morals are true people didn't know much about science when most religions were being created. One can go an entire life without knowing why or how things work but morals and karma have played a part in everyone's lives since the dawn of civilization. The second problem is intolerance. Of course, the obvious example is the Muslim terrorists. But even other religions feel theirs is the truth and everyone else is wrong, they just don't kill over it. The way I see it is if God is benevolent he would judge us on our morals not just our beliefs. There are Christians that go to places where people haven't even heard of Jesus believing that if they don't spread the word and these people don't convert to Christianity god will send them to hell for sheer ignorance.

I was raised Christian and didn't question God until I became a teenager. I didn't believe God was some bearded guy sitting on a cloud. At the time I came up with the idea that God and Satan represent what you do and Heaven and Hell how you feal. I still believe this though I now believe in God. What had me believe in God was something my sister brought home from her church. It said that God was omnipotent, omniscient, and omnipresent. It was the last one that got me. It wasn't someone sitting on a cloud. It was a God that existed within the fabric of everything.

While I believe in God I'm not sure about the afterlife. I'm not saying there's no heaven or hell but I don't think it'd be so black and white. Should someone just bad enough to go to hell have to suffer as bad as someone like Hitler? I think if there is an afterlife it would reflect the life you lived.

Just as you said the Creator allows us to make our own heaven and hell.

 

[Nakosis]

I guess it is all the moldy superstition that bothers me
about religion. Ran across this this morning...


‎South China Morning Post‎ to Old Hong Kong
14 hrs ·


On May 19, 1963, a group of 90 Buddhist monks carried out exorcism ceremonies lasting 10 hours at Murray House.

The building had been occupied by the Japanese during WWII and used as a detention centre. It was reported that several people had been tortured and died there, while others committed suicide.

So convinced were government employees that the building was haunted that they sought permission to exorcise the spirits. It was later reported that the employees no longer complained of ghostly goings-on

Amazing how ritualistic procedures can calm the mind.

My wife had or house invaded by a group of Catholic women, who basically go through a ritual of blessing the house. Starts with an hour long session of prayer and rosary. Then they go to each room of the house, say a prayer and sprinkle some holy water.

For me, meh, but it made the wife happy so I was fine with the whole thing.

 

[Audie]

Amazing how ritualistic procedures can calm the mind.

My wife had or house invaded by a group of Catholic women, who basically go through a ritual of blessing the house. Starts with an hour long session of prayer and rosary. Then they go to each room of the house, say a prayer and sprinkle some holy water.

For me, meh, but it made the wife happy so I was fine with the whole thing.

Smart move on your part.

I did not know cyclostomes ever got married.

 

[Nakosis]

Smart move on your part.

I did not know cyclostomes ever got married.

How do you suppose little cyclostomes were made?

 

[Audie]

How do you suppose little cyclostomes were made?

Oh, my, I should have known better than to bring it
up but, at least you are no longer in denial.

 

[metis]

I want to start out saying that I'm not against religion and I believe in God. I just don't believe that there is only one religion that's true. Any religion that teaches positive morals should be fine. I don't believe that God himself wrote all the religious texts. Though If something is written that preaches good morals and serves the greater good it coincides with his will and might as well have been.

There are two problems with religion. One is the fact that people take the stories too literally. Though the morals are true people didn't know much about science when most religions were being created. One can go an entire life without knowing why or how things work but morals and karma have played a part in everyone's lives since the dawn of civilization. The second problem is intolerance. Of course, the obvious example is the Muslim terrorists. But even other religions feel theirs is the truth and everyone else is wrong, they just don't kill over it. The way I see it is if God is benevolent he would judge us on our morals not just our beliefs. There are Christians that go to places where people haven't even heard of Jesus believing that if they don't spread the word and these people don't convert to Christianity god will send them to hell for sheer ignorance.

I was raised Christian and didn't question God until I became a teenager. I didn't believe God was some bearded guy sitting on a cloud. At the time I came up with the idea that God and Satan represent what you do and Heaven and Hell how you feal. I still believe this though I now believe in God. What had me believe in God was something my sister brought home from her church. It said that God was omnipotent, omniscient, and omnipresent. It was the last one that got me. It wasn't someone sitting on a cloud. It was a God that existed within the fabric of everything.

While I believe in God I'm not sure about the afterlife. I'm not saying there's no heaven or hell but I don't think it'd be so black and white. Should someone just bad enough to go to hell have to suffer as bad as someone like Hitler? I think if there is an afterlife it would reflect the life you lived.

First of all, welcome here to RF, and I look forward to reading more of your posts.

Secondly, you and I may not be much different in what we believe-- or should I say not believe-- if you read "My Faith Statement" at the bottom of my posts.

 

[Ellen Brown]

Welcome. I am mostly Muslim, and I do not know any terrorist types. The Muslims I know would say that violent, terrorists are not true Muslims.

As to the rest of it, I have no issues. Have a good time here.

 

[URAVIP2ME]

........................................................................................
While I believe in God I'm not sure about the afterlife. I'm not saying there's no heaven or hell but I don't think it'd be so black and white. Should someone just bad enough to go to hell have to suffer as bad as someone like Hitler? I think if there is an afterlife it would reflect the life you lived.

Because the post was so long I would like to comment about the final part.
I find the definition of ' afterlife ' means being more alive after death than before death.
That is Not a Bible teaching, but resurrection is - Acts of the Apostles 24:15; Revelation 1:18.
The teachings about hell are often Not ' black and white ' because there is more than one hell teaching.
A religious-myth hell is often taught as being Scripture.
It is between the pages of Scripture that we learn what really is the Bible's hell.
We find the day righteous Jesus died he went to hell as per Acts of the Apostles 2:27.
If biblical hell was a permanent place then Jesus would still be in hell.
Plus, Jesus and the OT both teach ' sleep ' (Not pain) in death.
- Psalms 6:5; Psalms 13:3; Psalms 115:17; Isaiah 38:18; Ecclesiastes 9:5; John 11:11-14.
Thus, the Bible's hell is simply mankind's temporary stone-cold grave until Resurrection Day.
( Resurrection Day meaning Jesus' coming millennium-long day of governing over Earth for a thousand years )
The King James translated the word Gehenna into English as hell fire.
Gehenna was just a garbage pit outside of Jerusalem where things were destroyed forever Not burning forever.
The Bible's hell ( grave ) comes to a final end according to Revelation 20:13-14.
After everyone in biblical hell is ' delivered up' (meaning resurrected out of hell/grave) then emptied-out hell is cast vacant into that symbolic ' second death ' for vacated biblical hell.
As far as the wicked are concerned they will be destroyed forever - Psalms 92:7; Revelation 21:8
This is why we are all asked to ' repent ' if we do not want to ' perish ' (Be destroyed) - 2 Peter 3:9.

 

[URAVIP2ME]

Welcome. I am mostly Muslim, and I do not know any terrorist types. The Muslims I know would say that violent, terrorists are not true Muslims...................

I have only met one Muslim to which I had a conversation, and she was the most lovely soft-spoken person.
Her father had a position ( I can't recall ) in the city about 40 miles away.
As I recall we had a good conversation about belief in father Abraham.
Shortly afterwards she move away.
As I also recall, I liked that we both had hope because of father Abraham.

 

[URAVIP2ME]

Just as you said the Creator allows us to make our own heaven and hell.

I notice you mention heaven and hell but Nothing about 'the Creator allows us to make our own earth'.
After all, it was the Creator who gifted 'earth' to us as per Psalms 115:16.
Even Jesus said that humble meek people will inherit (Not heaven) but inherit the earth - Psalms 37:9-11; Matthew 5:5
So, the Creator originally gave us a 'blueprint', a sample paradisical Garden of Eden to expand earth wide.
So, to me we are to make our own paradise right here on 'earth' forever and ever.
True, Jesus does call some to heavenly life who have a first or earlier resurrection - Revelation 20:6; 2:10.
But the majority of mankind (John 3:13) can have a happy-and-healthy physical resurrection back to live life on earth.
This is why the ' future tense ' is used at Acts of the Apostles 24:15 that ' there is going to be ' a resurrection.....
That earthly resurrection takes place during Jesus' coming millennium-long day of governing over earth for a thousand years.

 

[Epic Beard Man]

I notice you mention heaven and hell but Nothing about 'the Creator allows us to make our own earth'.

when you can physically show me that you can design an Earth of your own I'll believe you. Everything else you said I'm not going to bother interpreting. Unless you're a Biblical scholar I cannot take your interpretation on Bible passages.

 

[Maponos]

The best possible way to learn about religion and mythology is to look towards the ancient religions before real organized religion became a thing.

The commonalities between two different religions/mythologies from far flung corners of the earth are shocking.

 

[URAVIP2ME]

when you can physically show me that you can design an Earth of your own I'll believe you. Everything else you said I'm not going to bother interpreting. Unless you're a Biblical scholar I cannot take your interpretation on Bible passages.

When I said ' make' I was Not talking about physically creating Earth, but to make Earth a paradisical Earth by choice.
In other words, take care to make Earth a beautiful unpolluted place to live.
We all have the free-will voluntary choice to pollute, to litter, etc. or Not.
Not sure what you mean by a Biblical scholar. Jesus is the Teacher. Jesus is the Scholar to learn from.
Jesus taught that humble meek people will inherit the Earth. Earth that his God has gifted us - Psalms 115:16.
Earth would have to be here in order to inherit the Earth as Jesus promised - Matthew 5:5; Psalms 37:9-11.