Religion: Real or Fake

[Kidlicious]

Indeed

And, of course, each book, while divinely inspired, was written by a person with their own flaws and biases. And I firmly believes that God reveals Himself to people in each era in their own ways to further their understanding of God and not to overwhelm them, which is why even after the crucifixion, God sent the Holy Spirit into the world, to continue revealing His word.

Eh... You can have any point of view that is totally your own and think it's the Holy Spirit. God's Word is all you need brother.

[Kidlicious]

If I believed that we didn't have free will I should believe in life on other planets. I should reason that we just need better technology. No, it's one thing to believe in the possibility it's another thing to believe in the truth.

And what about morality. If I didn't believe in free will I couldn't (with a straight face) believe in morality since I would not be responsible for my actions.

[Kidlicious]

Ming,

It's about realizing that you can't do anything about the suffering in the world because, 1) you are partially responsible for it, and 2) you aren't God.

[giblets]

Why doesn't God get rid of the suffering?

[BeBMan]

Because 1) he is partially responsible for it, and 2) he isn't really God.

[Ming]

Ming,

It's about realizing that you can't do anything about the suffering in the world because, 1) you are partially responsible for it,
and 2) you aren't God.

At least I volunteer my time to help the needy and give money/food/clothes to charity... that's a hell of a lot more than God does. He just let's them die and suffer... And allows others to kill in his name.

[rah]

Ming,

It's about realizing that you can't do anything about the suffering in the world because, 1) you are partially responsible for it, and 2) you aren't God.

This is by far the dumbest thing I've read in this thread. And that took some effort.

How can someone that's religious and believes in god think that they can't do anything about the suffering in the world. It's more likely that you just don't even try. (how very Christian of you)
And please offer some proof as to how I'm personally responsible for that suffering.
And finally please offer some proof that I'm not God.

[Kidlicious]

At least I volunteer my time to help the needy and give money/food/clothes to charity... that's a hell of a lot more than God does. He just let's them die and suffer... And allows others to kill in his name.

Ming,

Would you like to be like you were when you were a child for eternity? God gives us the ability not just to know truth but to become like the truth.

[Kidlicious]

How can someone that's religious and believes in god think that they can't do anything about the suffering in the world. It's more likely that you just don't even try. (how very Christian of you)

If you don't believe in free will how can you believe that you can do anything about the suffering? If it's natural to stop the suffering then why isn't it just done.

I believe there is a purpose for the suffering. Jesus said the poor would always be among us. That's because of the nature of human society. Are you a communist or something?

And please offer some proof as to how I'm personally responsible for that suffering.
And finally please offer some proof that I'm not God.

[rah]

I do believe in free will and I do things to help alleviate some of the suffering. I just don't have the resources to stop all the suffering. If everyone tried, maybe we could.

[Lorizael]

Kidicious, you are the best evidence I have ever encountered for the idea that the human mind creates its own reality. I'm really starting to believe that you actually live in a different universe than the one I live in, and that our two realities only marginally overlap.

For example, if I say, "I do not believe in God," I feel it is quite possible you may see a different - but perhaps distantly related - sentence such as, "The Devil went down to Georgia."

Of course, you may see the sentence, "The Devil went down to Georgia," as, "Oranges and potatoes are not monkeys," which makes this exercise pretty pointless. And, even worse, you may see, "Our two realities only marginally overlap," as, "Progressive taxes are the greatest evil ever visited on man," so you wouldn't even get as far as the concept I'm trying to introduce.

In short, I'm sorry for wasting your time all these years.

[Ming]

Did I ever say I don't believe in free will... Plus, the concept of "free will" is not something limited to religion... and last, some might argue that whole discussion/concept of free will is just all verbal nonsense.

And I don't "believe" that I can do something about suffering... I KNOW I've done things to help those that are suffering. While your all loving God let's them suffer.

And since you "believe" that there is a purpose for suffering, I hope you don't whine or pray to god when you are the one actually doing the suffering... since it must be Gods will.

And no, I'm not a communist or something... and I'm also not some brain washed religious freak either. I don't need a God to tell me I should help the poor or those that are suffering.

You paint a really nasty picture of your all loving God... SUFFER, it's part of my plan for you... and if you don't bow to me and accept me as the devine authority, you will rot and burn forever... Nice God you have there.

The good news is, there are tons of different religions that believe in many different gods... so even if there is one, the odds are, you believe in the wrong one

[Imran Siddiqui]

Eh... You can have any point of view that is totally your own and think it's the Holy Spirit. God's Word is all you need brother.

Stop making the Bible into an idol. The Bible is merely a mirror to God, it isn't God Himself. And besides, it was written by flawed humans.

[Imran Siddiqui]

At least I volunteer my time to help the needy and give money/food/clothes to charity... that's a hell of a lot more than God does.

Obviously Christian charities or people who give their lives in the service of God to help others (Mother Teresa being the most obvious recent example) don't exist. Oh, but right, they are just people acting on their own conscience, not acting according to the calling God has for them .

[Kidlicious]

Stop making the Bible into an idol. The Bible is merely a mirror to God, it isn't God Himself. And besides, it was written by flawed humans.

I've never heard of such reasoning. 'Making the Bible into an idol' indeed, I would be worshiping and idol if I did anything else. He is the Word.