Another Big Big Thread of Religious Discussion

[P-Sleazy]

Originally Posted by Bob the Mercenary

And B_real, no sins warrant more forgiveness than others. You lie, that means you're not perfect, that means you should go to hell. You murder someone, you're not perfect, going to hell...etc.... And there's no difference between really sorry and really really sorry. If you know it's wrong, and you ask for forgiveness, you'll get it.

I was actually pointing out that for some sins you don't have to feel sorry for to still eventually get to heaven. But for others, feeling sorry for them is a must if heaven is your final goal.

[Bob The Mercenary]

Originally Posted by ZAKtheGeek

But doesn't that mean that ever having disbelief is irreversibly damning?

I think it's hinting more at the fact that while you are in disbelief you are damning yourself. So if you continue this way forever than you create the mortal sin yourself.

And sorry, didn't realise B_real's catholic. >_<

[Roy_D_Mylote]

Originally Posted by Bob the Mercenary

And sorry, didn't realise B_real's catholic. >_<

I don't know if that's sarcasm or not.

[P-Sleazy]

Yea I know. Dem crazy Catholics. What will they think of next. Original Sin?

[ZAKtheGeek]

I think it's hinting more at the fact that while you are in disbelief you are damning yourself. So if you continue this way forever than you create the mortal sin yourself.

Well, that's a funny way of putting it. I mean, if you disbelieve, and then you start believing, and then eventually you die and go to heaven, isn't that being forgiven for blasphemy?

[Bob The Mercenary]

Originally Posted by Roy_D_Mylote

I don't know if that's sarcasm or not.

It's sincere. I don't make fun of people for their religion.

[Funka Genocide]

I wonder, on a completely unrelated note to the pevasive conversation going on here, if anyone has ever had their religious convictions (or lack thereof) seriously affect their life.

I can't stand religion, the very idea of it repulses me, any and all religions, I can't see them as anyhting more than interesting historic footnotes and monumental wastes of time, but that's irrespective of my troubles, you see I know a girl, I've known this girl for a few years, and I'd have to admit that she's probably the only girl I know that I could definitely fall in love with, but she can't accept the fact that I'm an atheist.

I mean wow, that sucks.

ha, so I was just wondering if anyone's had an experience like that, where your faith caused you to lose out on something very important in your life.

[I_Like_Swordchucks]

Originally Posted by ZAKtheGeek

Well, that's a funny way of putting it. I mean, if you disbelieve, and then you start believing, and then eventually you die and go to heaven, isn't that being forgiven for blasphemy?

On a tangent, I always assumed the whole 'blaspheming the Holy Spirit" meant rejecting God once you've completely and totally felt his power. Like if Billy Graham suddenly with super-atheist I think it would be a lot harder for him to come back to God than it would a person who never ever experienced God the way Billy Graham did to begin with.

Does that make sense at all?

And to Funka, no I've never really lost anything I've really wanted because of my faith, but it did help me through a time back when I was 18 and I had a tumor in my colon, almost died, and then ended up losing a massive scholarship due to my inability to go to school for a year.

[P-Sleazy]

Originally Posted by Funka Genocide

I wonder, on a completely unrelated note to the pevasive conversation going on here, if anyone has ever had their religious convictions (or lack thereof) seriously affect their life.

Well, to put it simply, I live by my religion, and although my being Catholic did put off a few people (Mostly cause half the stuff I do doesn't really sit well with southern baptists), they usually come around. The one thing its really helped me do is live a celibate life (so far, I'm only 18). Hell, I don't even Masterbate because of my relgion. Never even attempted at it. Fear of being stricken by God and all that jazz the church keeps talking about.

So really, I use my religion as a means of, how to say it best, living a fairly good life without being a religious prick to people. Hell, I'm not even that religious. People don't usually take me as a religious guy when they meet me. So I use it as a justification. It was on of those mathematicians that had a gamble. We can live a good life and not worry if theres a god, or we can do whatever the hell we want and hope there isn't a god.

[Toast]

Originally Posted by Funka Genocide

I wonder, on a completely unrelated note to the pevasive conversation going on here, if anyone has ever had their religious convictions (or lack thereof) seriously affect their life.

ha, so I was just wondering if anyone's had an experience like that, where your faith caused you to lose out on something very important in your life.

yeah, about three years of my life. I'm being mostly serious here. I didn't think or act the same way, that part of my Self has died away as it should. I'm much more introspective now than I ever was then, much more real. My creativity suffered (I hope no one ever reads my first two books seeing what I can do now).

In some ways it's like I can't even fathom how I could be such a person considering who I am now. It was the most important growth of my Self that I had up to that point and the new awareness that went with it allowed me to continue to grow and change.

It's almost funny, in some ways. In highschool, my best friend was an atheist and we had a lot of friendly debates about god and similar subjects. Five years later, I'm an agnostic that's doing very well in college and he's flunked out due to drug problems and is seeking god. Last I heard, though, he was doing pretty well about getting back into school and staying clean.

I guess what I'm wanting to say is, it may have been a time I look back on and semi-regret, but at the same time, I wouldn't be the same person I am without having experienced religion for what it was, and then found my own way to something better.