The Big Big Thread of Religious Discussion

[42PETUNIAS]

So really, when you say lacking religon, do you think of yourself more agnostically? Because when you say you're lacking religon, that really seems to be what makes more sense. Atheism is really a belief, not just a lack of other beliefs.

[ZAKtheGeek]

No, no, what I mean is, for the purposes of that particular post, the only thing I meant to point out was that I did not subscribe to any religion. In general, though, I do have a specific nonreligious belief, like I said.

[Demetrius]

Wow, the conviction in your beliefs astounds me you guys... convenient world view? I mean come on, you believe something because it means something to you. If it is just something done or said by rote that is shit. Figuring out your own beliefs is a major part of defining who you are, not something you do to meet people or to comfort someone.

I have had many times throughout my life where I would have broken if not for the knowedge that my faith in GOD is justified, that He is by my side, that everything, every trial and every fall is for a reason and purpose. The knowledge that I have something to strive for, that when I fall there is always someone who will love me no matter what, and to know that He has seen my heart through it all. I have no doubt that GOD is with me, and you, through every second of every day no matter how we may be off the course we should be on.

You need to have convictions or you are empty.

[ZAKtheGeek]

Hm. So why do you believe in God? I mean, this...

I have had many times throughout my life where I would have broken if not for the knowedge that my faith in GOD is justified, that He is by my side, that everything, every trial and every fall is for a reason and purpose. The knowledge that I have something to strive for, that when I fall there is always someone who will love me no matter what, and to know that He has seen my heart through it all. I have no doubt that GOD is with me, and you, through every second of every day no matter how we may be off the course we should be on.

...sounds an awful lot like a "convenience" belief, to comfort yourself.

[Demetrius]

I'm not following the convenience bit; I have decided to place my faith in GOD and have had that tested over the years and have found it to be justified. This is something I take seriously, it is not something I use as an excuse to say, "Meh, GOD'll forgive me so I can go do what I want", or to use as a shield to allow me to be ignorant of other's views, it is not a convenient thing to tell someone when I do not believe in it myself.

[ZAKtheGeek]

Well, that certainly gives me many reasons why you don't have your faith. But can you tell me why you do? Possibly by explaining the various parts of this very vague statement:

I have decided to place my faith in GOD and have had that tested over the years and have found it to be justified.

[Demetrius]

ZAK, have you ever had to decided to believe in something that cannot be proved to another person? How do you explain something that is deeply personal to you? My faith is my own. My experiences are mine, I have lived them. I can't explain the peace that I felt when I went into surgery with Doctors telling me I may wake up without a leg or not at all, I can't tell how I have felt strength to continue on when all of my own had dried up. Finding a belief and having a conviction is something that isn't necessarily rational or explainable.

[Nique]

Is this thread for serious? I mean... really? This isn't like ban-bait or anything?

I'm torn on wether or not it's a good idea. I guess my leary step forward will be as non-loaded, non-argumentative, of a statement as I can muster.

Well, then, I've got a question for anybody religious. I'm an atheist, because I've yet to find any reason to believe any religious claims. Far be it from me to assume I know everything, so I ask: why do you believe in your religion?

1. An organized universe that was created with intent makes more sense to me than one that developed a stable set of functions without an inteligence behind it.
2. Bible phrophesy. It seems that only becuase the bible says that it is telling things in advance, that critics have claimed that it must have been written after the events occured. Maybe a skeptical attitude is good to have, but I haven't seen any compelling arguments against bible phrophesy beyond that doubt. I dunno... You'd think someone in biblical times would have said 'oh, hey. that happened to us like 30 years ago' when reading the works of Isaiah or another phrophet.
3. Even if you want to exclude accounts of miracles, bible history is accurate.

[ZAKtheGeek]

ZAK, have you ever had to decided to believe in something that cannot be proved to another person? How do you explain something that is deeply personal to you? My faith is my own. My experiences are mine, I have lived them. I can't explain the peace that I felt when I went into surgery with Doctors telling me I may wake up without a leg or not at all, I can't tell how I have felt strength to continue on when all of my own had dried up.

Okay, I understand what you're saying. It still seems to me like a convenience/comfort thing, but that's just from one outside perspective.

1. An organized universe that was created with intent makes more sense to me than one that developed a stable set of functions without an inteligence behind it.

What do you mean by, "functions?"

2. Bible phrophesy. It seems that only becuase the bible says that it is telling things in advance, that critics have claimed that it must have been written after the events occured. Maybe a skeptical attitude is good to have, but I haven't seen any compelling arguments against bible phrophesy beyond that doubt. I dunno... You'd think someone in biblical times would have said 'oh, hey. that happened to us like 30 years ago' when reading the works of Isaiah or another phrophet.

It seems like kind of a leap of faith to go from "some people predicted some events" to God, Christ, divine interference and the afterlife. But I could be misunderstanding what you wrote.

3. Even if you want to exclude accounts of miracles, bible history is accurate.

I'm assuming this isn't exactly a main point. I mean, there's probably some accurate real-world information in Harry Potter books, but that doesn't validate anything else written in them.

[RaiRai]

Originally Posted by Nique

Is this thread for serious? I mean... really? This isn't like ban-bait or anything?

No Sir. It's a basic religion free-for-all. Just that if we see religion discussions taken outside of this thread, bannination happens. And no one really wants that.