Religion

[Meade's Ball]

Faith is God given

Mine isn't. As i don't have any. My faith must be God-concealed. Unless it's that pesky satan again, walking backwards and messing with my tenet's super.

 

[Raphael Meade]

Religion is manmade
Faith is God given

and also, (sorry forgot to put it in the last post) if some people have faith given by 'god' then does that make those of us that he didn't give it to bad people?

an interesting point me thinks..

 

[CHAPPERS]

It's pretty obviously who most people would rate isn't it ? Still if you say the 'M' word the PC brigade will get on their high horses. Personally I find various sects within the Christain religion disgusting trhat's to their double standards and sheer hypocracy.

I take it you are talking about Islamic Extremists?

My question is, although these guys are clearly the most 'active' of the religions at the moment it is quite clear that they aren't in the majority of the Islamic race. Why should a few of them spoil it for everyone else. That's not fair.

 

[ben andrews' girlfriend]

if "God" existed, then why isn't there peace?? thats where religion becomes unbelieveable imho

 

[Locky]

Frankly I regard religion as nothing more than folk lore (and that's being polite) and am fed up with the hypocracy that seems to pervade all religions and it's practioners.

Bit of a sweeping statement wouldn't you say.
To generalise in this way is very closed minded.

personally I do believe in God and an afterlife, and although I don't follow any religion........regard myself as religious.

 

[Titanic]

if "God" existed, then why isn't there peace?? thats where religion becomes unbelieveable imho

We have freewill - we can chose what we do. Unsurprisingly sometimes that leads to greed, injustice, poverty, violence, war.

Other times it leads to inspirational acts of kindness, self-sacrifice, humanity, or love.

Either way does not prove or disprove the existence of God.

 

[Juan Albion]

I would suggest that most of the negative comments on here seem to be based on some kind of vague tabloid-based understanding of religion that bears absolutely no resemblance to the everyday religious beliefs of the people that I know.

I've said it before - most of the negative comments on here are about as intelligent as those who say that all football fans are hooligans because they saw it on the news.

 

[Raphael Meade]

but juan, the bit i don't get is that if faith is god given, why don't some of us have it?

or am i missing something?

 

[CHAPPERS]

Bit of a sweeping statement wouldn't you say.
To generalise in this way is very closed minded.

personally I do believe in God and an afterlife, and although I don't follow any religion........regard myself as religious.

But then what God do you worship?

That's like saying you believe in Santa but don't celebrate Christmas.

Innit?

 

[Yorkie]

but juan, the bit i don't get is that if faith is god given, why don't some of us have it?

or am i missing something?

Like any gift you have to accept it and use it.

 

[On the Left Wing]

I am a Christian with immense faith in Good and God, but deeply doubt the need for organised religion.

During his Born Again period Bob Dylan summed it up well often quoting Tom Paine during raps between songs:

“All national institutions of churches, whether Jewish, Christian, or Turkish, appear to me no other than human inventions, set up to terrify and enslave mankind, and monopolize power and profit.”

To live outside the law, you must be honest

 

[Raphael Meade]

Like any gift you have to accept it and use it.

but what if i've never been offered the gift in the first place?!!!

 

[On the Left Wing]

The world as we know it now is being destroyed. I'm sorry to say this, but it's the truth. I don't think there's anyone alive today who doesn't feel this in his or her heart.

People will mess you up in all kinds of ways so that you don't even know which way to believe. But it's become clear to me over time, there's only one way to believe, there's only one solid way - the Truth and the Life. It took me a long time to figure that out, but finally it became clear to me. I hope it doesn't take you as long. I do truly believe that Jesus is going to return to this world and set up new kingdom. I know it's not the kind of thing you read it in the newspapers, but I believe that it's the truth!

 

[Juan Albion]

but juan, the bit i don't get is that if faith is god given, why don't some of us have it?

or am i missing something?

If faith was forced upon you, you would hardly have free will would you? The God I know is rather keen on free will.

You already have faith in many things. Did you check the chair you are sitting in before you sat in it? Probably not. From past experience you have developed a faith in the chairs you use as being fairly trustworthy. You just need to learn to have a similar trust in God - and only you can do that.

 

[CHAPPERS]

I am a Christian with immense faith in Good and God, but deeply doubt the need for organised religion.

During his Born Again period Bob Dylan summed it up well often quoting Tom Paine during raps between songs:

“All national institutions of churches, whether Jewish, Christian, or Turkish, appear to me no other than human inventions, set up to terrify and enslave mankind, and monopolize power and profit.”

To live outside the law, you must be honest

So Church is evil?

I knew it.

 

[rool]

I don't believe in it, I didn't like the way i was made to go to church when I was a lad (when I also didn't believe it), I can't stand the way my children have it force fed to them all day long, although I live in a catholic country and will fit in with their ways (the correct way to live in someone elses country IMO). I have found some church goers to be the most unchristian, exclusive people I know but I suppose that is just reflective of people in general.

Ultimately I believe no one really knows either way so live and let live and as long as 'religious people' don't take the moral high ground over me I'll tolerate their religion as long as it doesn't promote harming others in the name of god.

But what if they're right?

 

[bhaexpress]

I take it you are talking about Islamic Extremists?

My question is, although these guys are clearly the most 'active' of the religions at the moment it is quite clear that they aren't in the majority of the Islamic race. Why should a few of them spoil it for everyone else. That's not fair.

I agree, after all, during the Crusades it was the Christian (the supposed good guys at my Catholic schools) who were the people committing atrocities.

 

[Titanic]

it's become clear to me over time, there's only one way to believe, there's only one solid way - the Truth and the Life. It took me a long time to figure that out, but finally it became clear to me. I hope it doesn't take you as long. I do truly believe that Jesus is going to return to this world and set up new kingdom. I know it's not the kind of thing you read it in the newspapers, but I believe that it's the truth!

 

[Yorkie]

but what if i've never been offered the gift in the first place?!!!

Like Juan says, you have.

You have chosen not to use it. It's there if you want it.

Just a scenario but if someone you knew very well was dangerously ill and you thought that a prayer would help, you then have a choice of whether to pray or not.

 

[Raphael Meade]

If faith was forced upon you, you would hardly have free will would you? The God I know is rather keen on free will.

You already have faith in many things. Did you check the chair you are sitting in before you sat in it? Probably not. From past experience you have developed a faith in the chairs you use as being fairly trustworthy. You just need to learn to have a similar trust in God - and only you can do that.

but the problem herein lies that some people don't know if there is a god, etc.. how can you learn to trust in one if he aint there!?