Before I get started, I am going to say with all respect, I do not know anything about many religions, outside of my own. So, when I speak and try and reply to the best of my knowledge, it is mostly coming from The Bible itself, and I cannot speak on behalf of anyother relgion, as I do not belong to any other religion. I'm not necassarily defending my religion alone, but am defending all religions, using mine as the main example.
Yeah, I was addressing the mega churches.
Don't knock us all, because theres some in it simply for the money.
Steyotyper! But in all seriousness, there are some good mega churches. While everyone may not know everyone, and there may be big bucks in it, you can't deny the fact that they have that many vistors for a reason. There may be tons of compromising, and tons of contraversy throughout the church, but you have to respect those incharge of the church. (Pastor//7 deacons) because they have a load and a half on them.
Small communal gatherings are fine.
Glad to hear your aproval. While I enjoy small communal gatherings a lot more than a mega church, the mega churches in my hometown (theres two, each have about 10,000+ each) are both very respectable churches, its just impossible for everyone to be in one mind and accord as the bible says, so I choose not to go to such churches. While money is a much bigger object than it should be at these churches, they have A LOT more to upkeep than my little old church as well.
People from a shared community getting together to praise whoever they prey to is erfectly fine in my opinion.
Glad for your approval once again.
But let's not forget that everything in this world is about money.
My pastor preaches "Money is the root of all evil" quite often himself. The entire world is about money, because you have to have it to survive. Without it the church would die off, the bills wouldn't be made, the pastor might not get fed, families in need wouldn't have anywhere to go to. Money is needed to keep the church stiving and for it to be able to survive. Its silly to believe otherwise, because as you said the entire world is about money. As, its what we buy with.
Speaking of families in need I'd like to share with you a lot about a church. My church usually comes out with a gain of about 1000-2000 dollars more than what it had. Most of this money goes to families in need. Theres shelters my church has donated food to, theres all kinds of fund raisers going around from the mega churches for these fund raises, we just recently had one for a day agaisnt meth, hosted by about 6 churches. Money is very much needed, for the simple fact of a lot of people rely on a church. I'm fairly certain 20% of all money taken in, goes out to people in need.
I like the environment in a church. Although I am atheist, I have been inside a few on rare occassions and I have to say that sometimes they can be great.
Thats one of the many reasons I attend church. Granted, I've not went in about a month myself (if you really want the reasons, I don't mind sharing, just ask), my church is my family I'd trade my real family, for my church family anyday of the week. They've always been there for me, along with God.
Knowing that you share something in common with your neighbour is a great feeling and the work that some churches do is amazing.
Agreed.
The charitable nature of churches, especially Christian churches cannot be denied and for that reason I have no qualms about community outreach in churches.
Thats great that the churches, mosques, tabernacles, and temples do that around your parts too. Its a crying shame, becuase I've been to places that don't do such things. They just glutten their money, and do nothing to help no one with it. Thats not what religion is about, and thats not what God is about. Whatever religion you may be, in almost everyone of them that I've studied, the overall feeling is love and mercy. The more, the better.
Also, when I say that churches do not care about their followers, I believe that there is some truth to that. Not in the churches that you go to. Those kind of churches are community based and have helped hundres of people I am sure. What I am talking about is that huge religions and churches have no idea who you are. As long as you are paying your fees every week then they couldn't give a shit.
Well my church is considered to be Baptist. We belong to no association, in that the one we did belong to had a huge scandle, they switched up the beliefs, etc. Our church didn't want to be assocciated with it, so we just broke off and we are now an independant church. Overall, the church associations are to benifit one another. From my understanding most of them give a bit of money into the association itself, as an insurance type thing as to if your church was needing a pastor, they could send people by until you find the right guy. If your church gets into financial situations, they'd stop making you send money, and they'd send money to you. That type of stuff. Its benificial for everyone in some shape form or fasion. They may not know me, but they do care about me.
It is my opinion that if you believe in a "God", then you should be allowed to praise wherever you like. You shouldn't need to go to church/mosque/temple every week to prove that you are a follower.
Well, the Bible itself say forsake not the assembling of thy brethern. Its really as simple as that when people say you should keep going to church etc. Once I can get my sleeping patterns back to normal, and I'm not going to bed at 2pm and waking up at 11pm, like I did today. Then I will certainly be back into my church myself, I feel guilty not going in the first place. As for your "you should be able to worship anywhere" thing, you're correct. You can worship anywhere. But the Bible clearly says Faith come by hearing of the word, and how might they hear without a Preacher. The church is a simple way for you to be able to hear the word of God, from someone that should be more knowledgable than you in the word of God.
I know that you believe in God making things possible but I could not be more against that idea.
Well, The Bible does say All things are possible by him. Him being God of course. I believe every word the book says. To throw you an example, I'll use something that really sealed the deal on me believing in God in my life.
I have a little sister, who is now three. I would consider her my little girl when shes around me, as she is like my shadow. What I'm getting at though is simple, when she was born she had a huge heart murmur, the doctor she was currently attending gave her medicine, that said it should allow her heart murmur to close up on its own. Well after a few months of that, nothing happened, and my little sister stopped growing for the most part. Her heart was being overworked, etc. I remember my church I attend to prayed over her to become better. To make a very long story short. At 6 months old she had heart surgery. It turned out she had 3 holes in her heart, and shouldn't have made it past 2 week old as the doctors say. Now, if a doctor tells someone they are going to die, doesn't necassarilly mean they are going to die. But, from what I've heard and researched thats a mirical in itself that she lived. And, well this is my little girl today.
(The image isn't the best, as it was taken on a cell phone)
No traces whatsoever of her heart ever being bad. The scar from her surgery is nearly cleared up, and theres no scaring on her heart whatsoever. Call it a coincidence all you want, I call it an act of God.
For me, I will believe what is put in front of me. I have time to study "The Origin of the Species" and I have to say that it offered me a lot of answers in terms of evolution.
Aren't those the same people that say we come from monkies?
Those are theories, they could be correct. But, I fail to see where, or why, this would just magically happen in that a species just dies out. Why didn't the mamoth evolve into something greater? Why didn't the sabertooth tiger do the same? Same for the dinosoars, same for anything else extinct really. It makes absolutely no sense to me as to why some can do it, and others can't. Call it survival of the fittest, call it whatever you want. I just don't get it myself.
The same goes for Photosynthesis and the Big Bang. There are many theories as to why these things happened and the evidence is just too strong to deny.
Theres no evidence that the Big Bang ever happened. Its a simple theory. But to quote a very knowledgable posted on this site alone, if thats what happened, why did it magically happen magicall? I call it God. Photosynthesis has happened since the beggening of time, its a vital point in our life, why did the plants just magically start doing such a thing? I call it God.
I realise that religion is all about faith but science has just given me more to believe in. If there was some evidence for Intelligent design then I would be more open to the theory but right now I can't.
I can't deny some of the things science says either. Science is taking the mysteries of the universe, and slowly trying to unwravvle them using evidence they find, in their findings. No one can deny concrete evidence, but the fact of the matter, why did all these things just magicall happen? What magicall created earth, shot the Big Bang off, and cause photosynthesis to happen? I call it God.
That's a very good argument and I think that you have hit something there. The problem with it is that we all know that wrestling is fake and we come here in the knowledge that it is so.
Well, it was just a metaphor to put in more simple terms, as I've thought this out, and have said it to other people before in my lifetime.
Religion is completely different because the mystery regarding whether a higher being is still not solved.
Its all about Faith, and it will never be solved here in this world. Simple as that.
I personally do not believe in a "God" for many reasons. All the usual ones aminly, like disability, death, war. Why would a "God" who loves his people allow this to happen.
God may be with us daily, and he may try and guide us to do the right thing in the end, but just as hes doing that, the devil, or whatever evil being out there is right there with us, telling us to do the wrong thing. Some call it concious, I call it God, and Satan. As to why would he continue letting these things go on is simple, its out of love. Everything going on, isn't so much apart of his plan, but he has to give each and every person on the face of the earth a chance to really grasp, and understand who he is, and what hes about.
If you are right and it is a Christian God why does he not interven and stop wars?
The bible speaks of everything coming to pass in Revelations. I've read Revelations many times, and still only understand like, 2 of the chapters fully, but still, if you read Rev, and then you read your newspaper, it matches up. One world Gov, war after war, the battles over Isreal, etc. God created us, and he allows us to make our own choices, it will only be a matter of time before God intervenes.
He has the power to do so. Or any other God for that matter, why would they allow people to die in their names?
Thats not a question I can answer you. I've often questioned why God would let certain things happen during certain time periods, but I believe everything is happening for a reason. He allowed his own son die for us, honestly, it would be my honor to die in his name in the first place.
Agreed.
It's true that there is nothing that rational people can do about it but are you telling me there is nothing that a God can do against it.
As I've allready said about three times now. God will interven one day, but as for it being today, I don't know if it'll be so. God can do anything he wants, its all going by his plan anyways. If someone dies in his name, then I'm certain that person will be honored in Heaven for it, for eternity. Its not about down here on Earth that counts. As the bible says, lay your treasures in Heaven.
It really annoys me that people will die in the name of something that has no factual evidence to support it.
I gave you my factual evidence above about my little sister.
I think that people should be free to believe whatever they want but to die for it!? Some people pity me because I have no faith. They would say that I am pitiful for not believing in a higher power. I might be going to Hell or wherever but why!? I have been a good person for my entire life. I never upset people and I live a good, meaningful life. Are you telling me that I have no right to go to paradise because I do not see any factual evidence for a God?
According to the Bible, and according to what Jesus himself said. Then yes, you are going to hell. As I do not want to sound like an ass, and I don't wanna try and stuff it down your throat, I will not expand much more. But the book of James, says its not about the works that you down in the world, but its about faith. Works can not get you into heaven, paradise, etc. Only faith can.
That, for me is the fundamental flaw in religion. It os so exclusionist and that's what I don't like.
I'm sorry that you feel such a way, but as I said above. Jesus, and the apostles said otherwise, and thats all we have to go by here in this world.
You have, in a very respectable manner, I might add.
It annoys me that two identical people who have lived the exact same life, done the exact same things, been without sin and helped thier neghbours are treated differently in the eyes of a God simply because of their beliefs.
Well first off, everyone has sin in their life. If anyone tells you otherwise, then the bible says they are liars. And as I allready told you, God himself said it was about faith, not works. As did James, and the apostle Paul preached the same himself. We cannot deny the fact that these were the men of God, and thats what they wrote in the Bible. Its what the Bible says, and thats all we have to go by. In this world.
One will rot in Hell, whilst the other one gets to live in paradise. That annoys me more than anything. They have been equally good but just because one of them believes in a supreme power, that gives them prominence over the other. If so, that is completely flawed.
As I do not want to continually repeat myself. I'll just repeat the word Faith, and Works.
I think that people telling others about religion when they are in times of misfortune or desperation is wrong. A lot of people have found God this way and I think that they have been taken advantage of. I think that no matter how bad a problem gets, it will always get better through a good attitude and a willingness to beat the problem. People do not need a higher power to beat it for them. All the problems I have encountered in my life have been solved by me and my friends. Not once have I went to God in search of answers and I don't feel as if I need to. People who have found God in this way have every right to believe in it but I would warn them to believe in it for the right reasons and not just coincidence. If you know what I mean. People's situation will always improve and some may see it is because of devine intervention when it could just be because they have worked at remedying it themselves.
I can't tell you anything to alter your decision. But, using myself again, I haven't really had the best of life myself. This past year being the hardest in quite sometime. My mother kicked me out twice, for various reasons. My step mother kicked me out, into going to stay with my mother again, who presumally hated me for quite some time. My dad did nothing to stop such things. During these times, I never felt safe, I never felt at home, except at one place. In church, with my God, with my real family. With my mamaw, papaw, Pastor, and God. Without these people, honestly I would have commited suicide a long time ago. I believe God put these people in my life for a reason, and he took care of me a lot himself during these times I never once went hungry, and I never once didn't have a bed to sleep in that night. God took care of me.
I am not a radical. I just believe what I do. I personally cannot see how people can believ in things that, in my opinion, have no scientific fact or theory behind them. Just my opinion though.
I'm not trying to disprove science, as I allready told you. But, I just fail to see the begenning of it all. They can explain the processes and give me names for it, but the overall beggening and the end, lies in Gods hand. For the bible says "I am Alpha and Omega, the beggening and the end, the first and the last" (That could be a little missworded as I did it off memory)