Question for christians

[Beangirl]

What about "The Unicorn" song? It explains it clearly. As Noah was building the Ark, the unicorns were out playing in the rain .Noah says to God. " Hey Lord, I got your green alligators and long neck geese, some humpy back camels and some chimpanzees. I got cats and rats and elephants but lord I'm so forlorn. I just can find your unicorns." ;D

[Classicblast]

Mainstream religion has lasted an awful long time. Judaism is at least four thousand years older than Christianity for that matter. Obviously belief in Christianity is over 2000 years old. We are taught that the world waited 4000 years for the promised Son of God.

Obviously I don't know what measuring device was used a calendar as we use was not invented but man always had ways to measure time. By the sun or the earth's position to the stars is a way to figure out passage of time.

That would be some spell to brainwash the millions of believers in Christ, and not even to mention the believers who are deceased in a two thousand year period.

The fact that there are hundreds of different denominations of Christianity too.

Catholicism has a few chapters. The Roman Right is the most known that would be following the Pope. There are other variations of Catholic that believe identically but do not follow the orders of the Pope.

All Christians that are not Catholic are Protestant. That would be Lutheran, Episcopal, Baptist, Presbyterian, Methodist, and any other Christian denomination.

The fact that there are variations of Christian belief proves that Christians are not entirely brainwashed or they would all worship the same way. There's proof at least that enough groups of people have their own judgment enough to approach their worship differently.

If it was do it this way or be permanently damned there would be no change of methods.

[Slayzie]

I found it rather hilarious recently when a friend of my parents' was talking about a trip he went on, where he was "converting Catholics to Christianity". Obviously each side of the issue believes it is "do it this way or be permanently damned" or they wouldn't bother trying to convert someone with nearly identical beliefs.

I think what I meant to say was basically that superstitions such as Christianity are taught, not inherent. Anyone with a neutral viewpoint can clearly detect the sheer amount of fallacy and contradiction withing the Christian bible for example, which really casts some doubt on its ability to function as an ultimate guide to life sort of thing.

[Phil]

Doesn't he know Catholics are Christian? That's a condescending term a few tv ministers say that too.

You're right about beliefs being taught or inherent but like Classic said eventually you do have your own judgment when you choose not to believe, or become a believer after not being raised in a faith, or you continue to believe but you modify what you wish to embrace.

Most decisions are taught though. I quit smoking in 2002 therefore my kids are less likely to pick up smoking than if I still smoked. That's not to say habits can't be learned other places but the home example comes 1st most of the time.

If I see something broken I address it right away if I can. I also have taught and am still teaching kids the approach that take care of something right away and have more time for yourself later.

That is not a flawless belief but you are under less pressure if you start right away. Save money now for bills due this month and pay them as quickly as possible.

Hopefully my example will rub off on them. They are 3 individuals though there's no way to be sure that different habits and methods can't come from this.

[thunderbird]

When I was in the army my drill sergeant said "give your heart to Jesus boys because your a s s belongs to me!"

If he had said "give your heart to Charlie the Unicorn" I might be unsure which to believe. But a big bad career soldier who could shoot an orange being thrown in the air from 150 feet away is someone I prefer to listen to.

[fartinggurl]

I was born Catholic, but my parents and I hardly ever go to church. Don't get me wrong, I do believe in God and Jesus, I just don't think that you have to go to church to believe in God and Jesus. While I respect it if a person says that they're an Atheiest or a born-again Christian, I do not want them to push their beliefs on me, saying their belief is more important than mine. I'm sorry, but someone telling me that I'm going to go to hell if I'm not saved or don't believe in whatever is not going to make me want to be a part of your religion.

[Demona]

Jul 7, 2010 14:02:09 GMT -5 fartinggurl said:

I was born Catholic, but my parents and I hardly ever go to church. Don't get me wrong, I do believe in God and Jesus, I just don't think that you have to go to church to believe in God and Jesus. While I respect it if a person says that they're an Atheiest or a born-again Christian, I do not want them to push their beliefs on me, saying their belief is more important than mine. I'm sorry, but someone telling me that I'm going to go to hell if I'm not saved or don't believe in whatever is not going to make me want to be a part of your religion.[/quote
Anybody who says they're born again automatically becomes the kind of turd who shoves their beliefs down your throat while not following it themselves. Basically they use it as an excuse to justify their bad behavior. By the way, at the 4th of July parade we went to, some loser was walking around with a big sign saying "All sinners will be destroyed." What the hell does that have to do with a national holiday? I hope somebody punched him in the face. Other than that I have no problem with different people's ideas and opinions, as long as they're cool with mine.

[Classicblast]

hahaha.

There used to be this guy, well there is probably still this guy who would pass out literature at the ball park downtown. I am not longer with the team but I'm sure he still does this. He would be there each day. Remembering that baseball is played daily for those of you who are not baseball fans. The team may be away for a week or ten days but during a home stretch there's 6 to 10 games in a row on consecutive days.

That would make it so this guy could choose a different gate at the end of each game and cover them all during a homestand.

He would chant as you come out "you can live again." Once or twice I shouted back "I didn't know I had died."

[Phil]

Jul 8, 2010 0:57:11 GMT -5 Classicblast said:

He would chant as you come out "you can live again." Once or twice I shouted back "I didn't know I had died."

Lol
I do think over selling something has the opposite result most of the time. Churches all have ways to be contacted if you're interested you seek them. They should not be coming to you by knocking on your door or whatever. There's televised programs that give you the information that you would want if you're interested.

I am strongly routed in my Catholic faith but I dont think its my job to teach it to others that way. If asked I think its my obligation to attempt to accurately answer the questions.

When a non believer asks questions and you can't sell the reality of your beliefs on them they think you can't be right. Sometimes you can't describe it, most of the time they don't want to see it your way they're just seeing if you can appear to choke. You can disclaim anything if you want to.

[Nitro God]

Jun 29, 2010 6:41:22 GMT -5 Slayzie said:

Jun 24, 2010 2:23:51 GMT -5 Classicblast said:

I can't imagine how anybody can think that unicorns and God have equal background or equal proof but you are entitled to your opinion.

But they do.

The only reason why people find a god more believable is that they are taught from birth that it exists.

If we taught our kids that unicorns are real and that if they don't believe in them they have to suffer eternal torment, people would start believing in the glitter-farting gently caressers.

And kids are brought up to believe that Santa Clause is real and I don't know about you but I found out on my own that this grey, fatman did not exist. Terrible comparison you make really.

To answer why Christians find Christianity more believable than Unicorns, I will give a cheeky little answer. Because Jesus is actually recorded several times by many different people. We know a man named Jesus existed, believing what he did, well that's a little harder but it has foundation. Unlike the unicorn. Thread/

[Slayzie]

I found out on my own that the christian god didn't exist too, so I don't see that it's such a bad comparison at all.

And sure, Jesus existed. So did Achilles, but I highly doubt 99% of his body was magically armoured as the Greek myth states. Believing what Jesus allegedly did is a lot harder, because the only primary source reports we have of this come from his closest followers. This is like saying that Scientology is legitimate because Tom Cruise said so.

[Kimm]

How did you find out on your own there is no Christian God? You decided one day you didnt believe what you have been taught.

When you reached an age to figure out the tooth fairy wasnt real your parents or an adult you confirmed it with agreed you had figured it out. Easter Bunny and whatever else.

Did your priest or other clergy or parents tell you that you were right and they were putting you on? I would say they still believe in whatever you have changed your mind about.

Eventually Greek Literature even accepted their writings to be just literature. Some doubt the validity of religious leaders and I agree some do not live up to what they preach.

Most though are sincere in their beliefs. And youd be amazed how many organizations are founded by church based groups to help others. All cities have Catholic hospitals some other religious organizations have hospitals too. How about city missions. Some are public based but most are operated by church based outfits.

You hear the story about the minister who had a fund raiser and kept the money sometimes and that does happen at times. Cast off that minority and look what the religious leaders to to feed the hungry, cloth the poor and educate people who are in 3rd world countries or even in first world countries but in poverty conditions and cant be self helped.

Does any Greek Mythological group have Apollo Hospital? Or Peter Cottontail City mission?

Believer or not we should all take a step back and look at what Christian based groups have done and do everyday to try to do good for others. Its rooted in belief that a superior being (GOD) guides or inspires them to help those in greater need than themselves.

So if you do or dont believe in God or Christianity or Jesus being the son of God if you look at all that is done in the name of God for humanity it certainly has some good that comes from this.

PS
You might see a St Nicholas hospital but thats not reference to Santa Claus ;D

[Beangirl]

Jul 16, 2010 19:13:11 GMT -5 Kimm said:

How did you find out on your own there is no Christian God? You decided one day you didnt believe what you have been taught.

When you reached an age to figure out the tooth fairy wasnt real your parents or an adult you confirmed it with agreed you had figured it out. Easter Bunny and whatever else.

Did your priest or other clergy or parents tell you that you were right and they were putting you on? I would say they still believe in whatever you have changed your mind about.

Eventually Greek Literature even accepted their writings to be just literature. Some doubt the validity of religious leaders and I agree some do not live up to what they preach.

Most though are sincere in their beliefs. And youd be amazed how many organizations are founded by church based groups to help others. All cities have Catholic hospitals some other religious organizations have hospitals too. How about city missions. Some are public based but most are operated by church based outfits.

You hear the story about the minister who had a fund raiser and kept the money sometimes and that does happen at times. Cast off that minority and look what the religious leaders to to feed the hungry, cloth the poor and educate people who are in 3rd world countries or even in first world countries but in poverty conditions and cant be self helped.

Does any Greek Mythological group have Apollo Hospital? Or Peter Cottontail City mission?

Believer or not we should all take a step back and look at what Christian based groups have done and do everyday to try to do good for others. Its rooted in belief that a superior being (GOD) guides or inspires them to help those in greater need than themselves.

So if you do or dont believe in God or Christianity or Jesus being the son of God if you look at all that is done in the name of God for humanity it certainly has some good that comes from this.

PS
You might see a St Nicholas hospital but thats not reference to Santa Claus ;D

Geeze Kimm, I could have not said it any better. you are right on!

[Peon]

In a way, most of you are atheists; you've denounced every god but one. I just took it one step farther.

[Blastgirl]

Or one step too far.

[Slayzie]

Blastgirl, no, not at all. Why do you reject the thousands of other gods worshipped around the world? What's wrong with Ahura Mazda, Xenu, Allah, Vishnu, and all the rest? Why is Jesus the only one you're prepared to accept?

Kimm, in case you didn't notice, the ancient Greek civilisation was ever so slightly assimilated by the Romans a couple of thousand years ago. There is no Apollo hospital because nobody worships Apollo anymore because the religion of which Apollo was a part was wiped out. It was replaced by first the Roman pantheon and then Christianity.

The same is true of the ancient Egyptian religion, which was replaced first in part by the Greek pantheon, then the Roman pantheon, and finally Islam. Which is why we don't have the Sekhmet hospital either.

Sure, christians' belief, or rather the belief of theists in general in a higher power leads them to do some good things. But who's to say that they wouldn't do these things without the belief in a higher power. If the only reason you feel like you should work to benefit those around you is because God expects you to, then I feel sorry for you. I'm an atheist, and I believe I should work to benefit those around me. And unlike theists, I don't need some glorified fairy godmother to tell me that.

And unlike theists, I don't have some glorified fairy godmother to tell me that GOD HATES FAGS/MUSLIMS/NIGGERS/JEWS/LIBERALS/MUSICIANS and everything else under the sun. As a result, I'm reasonably free of hatred. Which is nice.

One final thing. I didn't just spontaneously decide to drop my religion. It was a conscious process, and not a decision I made lightly. But once I did, it was like a weight just dropped off my shoulders. I was free of all the guilt that religion had brought into my life. And it was great.

Best decision I ever made.

[Kimm]

"Nobody worships Apollo anymore" is indicative of Apollo being a literary figure.

Some 2010 plus years later Jesus is still very widely believed to be the Son of God. Not just because I said so.

I believe I touched on non religious hospitals and missions. I said very explicitly there are some secular groups that do similar things. I hardly suggested that non religious practitioners are not helpful to humanity. I dont really want to spend a month typing when all sides really have their minds made up already.

Not always can a question be answered fast and in print. I have had students think that if you cant answer the missing part of a puzzle how do I know Christopher Columbus really sailed the ocean? Other things like that too. There is not always hard ground below the turf.

There have been numerous believers that different Gods serve needs. I think Hindu religion practices that a God can be almighty for solving some problems but not others.

I am Catholic and do not believe in multiple Gods
However to touch on part of this, the foundations of different overall beliefs often has common ground. The Muslim God Allah would be the same being as our God the Father and the Hebrew Yahweh. Witnesses call him Jehovah but again Jehovah is the same being as God the Father.

I do not know enough about the other religions to be sure of their routes but this I do know. It can show us that the religions arent as different as others may think.


I am not pointing this at you but there are some people who have renounced their religious upbringing and saying it took burden off them. But that can also mean it means not having to live responsibly. I will admit believing in a proverbial judgment day does put some pressure on everybody.

[Slayzie]

The Hindu religion worships hundreds of individual gods. Also cattle. Overwhelming logic, right there. ^^

I suppose then the question that I should be asking, then, is - if they worship your god, does that mean Muslims and Jews will go to heaven if your god is real? That's an interesting concept.

Not having to live responsibly? Again, I'm sorry for anyone who needs a magical supervisor to keep them from acting like an idiot, because really, that's a sad situation.