live for yourself and not some book.. if you have to search your book for the answers then you don't know what you believe in for yourself, man.. you have to research it just to be in accordance with the doctrine and the book.. think for yourself and realise what may be a harsh reality.. for all you know they may be no god or heaven or hell.. you most probably only got those ideas by going to church.. you didn't come up with those ideas and so now you have to go along with what people have written in one book? is that even enough sources to confirm something you cannot even perceive? errrr.. no..
I am currently studying some theology and have not come close to any kind of understanding. What i think is that religion and faith and god is completely different for everyone. Everyone has an independent relationship with god and thats fine. What i dont like is exclusivist, closed minded christians who hide behind their walls of faith, im sorry to say that faith does not deal with the large glaring contradiction of christianity. take the story of job. Job was a good god fearing man and was put through horrible trials seemingly at the whim of god and satan. So what i ask is for god to be all powerful, which it clearly states in the bible and for god to be good which it also states int he bible and also that evil exsists which is obvious in the story of job how can god exist. If he is good and all powerful would he not abolish evil? If he were all powerful and evil existed how could he be a good god and let these things happen? and finally if he is good and evil exsisted then how can he be all powerful? not even faith can deal with a such a fundamentle contradiction. So heres my take. The Bible written thousands of years ago, translated hundreds of times by different empires through out the ages was altered, certain rulers, like the romans, or english, or spanish or french wanted people to conform to their rule or justify a war, what better way then re-writting the most important book to those people in the world. For example take the king james bible, funy coincidence that jesus is portrayed as a white anglo-saxon with red hair, yet he was born deep in the middle east. What im trying to say is that the entire christianity doesnt appeal to me because of some of these reason but i do accept parts, like there is a god and his son did walk the earth. be open minded about things, just because some believes something doesnt mean they're wrong and just because some doest believe something doesnt mean they're right.
Phenomenon??? Don't mind me... I'm just a bit envious... I'm the exact opposite... I used to be a Christian and I lost my faith... Although no event comparable to yours was what made me change my mind...
cottons, i have to say your the only christian ive ever heard speak of christianity in a way that keeps you looking smart. ive heard some people speak so blindly out of their ass i could of slapped them. example. "How did the universe start?" "God" "And why do you say this" "How else could it have happened..." blind faith is one thing, but you actually have a grip on reality, and i find your opinions very interesting. I still have to say its too much for me to believe, but i wouldnt entirely cut the idea out either. i dont believe for a second that the bible is a book of fact, but as far as metaphors go id say it is a brilliant text, one that should be read by the religious and non religious alike. i mean, you should have an idea what these people are all about and where they are comming from, before you just say god is fake your an idiot shut up there is no heaven. The fact is, you wont know till you die. and sadly, youll probably be too dead by then to tell anyone. talking to a non religious person about god is about the same as me saying the planet Pluto is full of gold. You can say its not all you want, but neither of us REALLY know for sure. (tho im sure scientists are pretty sure.. because thats just absurd, but thats not my point) anyways, this is long, drug out, and no really on topic. post more Cottons, i like hearing what you have to say.