Daemon_Rising

Feb 18 2014, 01:05 AM

I can resoect your path to faith so long as you respect mine. I followed Christianity as was taught me, which was less a set of absolutes and more a guideline. However, my family openly gave the children the option to create our belief as we desired. Faith cannot be forced and it be legitimate at the same time.

Personally I am polytheistic, believing in something akin to the old pantheons on the ancient world. It fits my belief better.

Frankly, I have no problem with anyone who believes different. Even Atheists. While they may not believe in a higher being, they do believe themselves correct for not believing in one. And while it may be differing, it is still valid.

So let me wrap this up as politely as I can: you are allowed to be overtly Christian as befits your faith, but please attempt to limit any comment that could be seen as a slight against another's faith. It doesn't aid in your arguement at all and can instead be a lightning rod for sympathetic comments in turn. And that derails these debates too much.

Ketchupis Ultionis

Feb 17 2014, 10:34 PM

The one thing that I find wrong with that argument is if the laws of our realm don't apply to him, than how can we assume that he is a "He", and even if there is a "Him" to begin with?

If you believe in "God", than you'd realize that God gave us five means of gathering information of the world around us. We can't physically perceive the existence of something that isn't obvious to one of those senses, or all of them simultaneously.

Even a cartoonist can make a cartoon know he exists. I don't understand why an all powerful benevolent God would choose not to.
This either means that he's not all-powerful, isn't benevolent, or simply doesn't exist.

I either opt for a combination of the first two, or accept the third as a likely answer.

ObsessiveFanGirl

 

You can say the same for any god, deity, queen of the universe, whatever supernatural being you believe in.

I'm not going to claim that there is no deity because I'm not educated enough on the matter to discount the possibility completely. There could very well be a "god" or "omniscient being" in existence. I do, however, firmly believe that this god is in no way present in our lives, nor does he/she interfere with them.

I wonder why Christians/Muslims/Hindus/whatever choose to whole-heartedly believe in whatever religion it is that they believe in when there are hundreds of religions out there, all of which are contradicted by science and by each other.

Tensa Zangetsu

Feb 17 2014, 02:46 PM

Mitas

 

Firstly, why it happened, and what caused it to happen, are two completely different things. There has to be a how, there doesn't have to be a why.

Sometimes people question themselves as to why something happens. That's the nature of man.

And this is what leads many to God because they think God knows the answer to why he created the universe.

Quote:

 

My counter to "the universe couldn't have simply come into existence from nothing" would be this: if that's the case, why do you accept that God came into existence from nothing? Going with your train of thought, what created God? Religious people always use the 'what came before the Big Bang theory?' argument, but are more than happy to accept that God came from nothing.

God is a supernatural being. His existence is beyond our understanding and doesn't have to follow the laws of science. The universe is not. There has to be something that created it.

Hence God not having a creator is more logical than the universe not having a creator.

ObsessiveFanGirl

Feb 18 2014, 01:42 AM

Yeah, I have no idea what he/she is talking about either. Doesn't sound at all like Protestant Christianity to me (or even Catholic Christianity, for that matter.)

Messiah

Feb 18 2014, 09:18 PM

ObsessiveFanGirl

Feb 18 2014, 01:42 AM

Yeah, I have no idea what he/she is talking about either. Doesn't sound at all like Protestant Christianity to me (or even Catholic Christianity, for that matter.)

I am Pentecostal Christian.

In the end doe's it matter? We all believe in the same man.

I have studied Religion, from the day God created light till the day where it is told that he shall come again and we all face tribulation.

If you do not know the powers of the Holy Spirit, then the question is, what Christian are you?

http://www.whatchristianswanttoknow.com/what-are-gifts-of-the-spirit-a-bible-study/

ObsessiveFanGirl

Feb 18 2014, 11:49 PM

Messiah

Feb 18 2014, 09:18 PM

ObsessiveFanGirl

Feb 18 2014, 01:42 AM

Yeah, I have no idea what he/she is talking about either. Doesn't sound at all like Protestant Christianity to me (or even Catholic Christianity, for that matter.)

I am Pentecostal Christian.

In the end doe's it matter? We all believe in the same man.

I have studied Religion, from the day God created light till the day where it is told that he shall come again and we all face tribulation.

If you do not know the powers of the Holy Spirit, then the question is, what Christian are you?

http://www.whatchristianswanttoknow.com/what-are-gifts-of-the-spirit-a-bible-study/

I'm not a Christian, nor do I remember ever being taught that in my eighteen years of being a Christian and going to church twice a week.

There are so many differences and contradictions even among different sects of Christianity, it makes it impossible that you would all go to heaven judging by those individual standards.

Messiah

Feb 19 2014, 01:01 AM

ObsessiveFanGirl

Feb 18 2014, 11:49 PM

Messiah

Feb 18 2014, 09:18 PM

ObsessiveFanGirl

Feb 18 2014, 01:42 AM

Yeah, I have no idea what he/she is talking about either. Doesn't sound at all like Protestant Christianity to me (or even Catholic Christianity, for that matter.)

I am Pentecostal Christian.

In the end doe's it matter? We all believe in the same man.

I have studied Religion, from the day God created light till the day where it is told that he shall come again and we all face tribulation.

If you do not know the powers of the Holy Spirit, then the question is, what Christian are you?

http://www.whatchristianswanttoknow.com/what-are-gifts-of-the-spirit-a-bible-study/

I'm not a Christian, nor do I remember ever being taught that in my eighteen years of being a Christian and going to church twice a week.

There are so many differences and contradictions even among different sects of Christianity, it makes it impossible that you would all go to heaven judging by those individual standards.

Which I agree. Christianity is a war within itself. Especially with Catholics/Baptists vs other parts of the congregation.

Don't get me wrong, I was once an Atheist with no moral belief in any type of a higher power, but Christians saved me. A Brotherhood saved me and I will always see it that the Lord took me out of the abyss of darkness and gave me chance of the light of the Earth. But I was grown up with a Christian up-bringing and before being Saved, I aknowledged it but not the way I do now.

Now on the topic of higher powers , I think spirituality is the main concept in believing in anything. If you are spiritual about your faith, it can be anything and lead you to any possibility. Do you know what I mean?

ObsessiveFanGirl

Feb 19 2014, 01:12 AM

Messiah

Feb 19 2014, 01:01 AM

ObsessiveFanGirl

Feb 18 2014, 11:49 PM

Messiah

Feb 18 2014, 09:18 PM

ObsessiveFanGirl

Feb 18 2014, 01:42 AM

Yeah, I have no idea what he/she is talking about either. Doesn't sound at all like Protestant Christianity to me (or even Catholic Christianity, for that matter.)

I am Pentecostal Christian.

In the end doe's it matter? We all believe in the same man.

I have studied Religion, from the day God created light till the day where it is told that he shall come again and we all face tribulation.

If you do not know the powers of the Holy Spirit, then the question is, what Christian are you?

http://www.whatchristianswanttoknow.com/what-are-gifts-of-the-spirit-a-bible-study/

I'm not a Christian, nor do I remember ever being taught that in my eighteen years of being a Christian and going to church twice a week.

There are so many differences and contradictions even among different sects of Christianity, it makes it impossible that you would all go to heaven judging by those individual standards.

Which I agree. Christianity is a war within itself. Especially with Catholics/Baptists vs other parts of the congregation.

Don't get me wrong, I was once an Atheist with no moral belief in any type of a higher power, but Christians saved me. A Brotherhood saved me and I will always see it that the Lord took me out of the abyss of darkness and gave me chance of the light of the Earth. But I was grown up with a Christian up-bringing and before being Saved, I aknowledged it but not the way I do now.

Now on the topic of higher powers , I think spirituality is the main concept in believing in anything. If you are spiritual about your faith, it can be anything and lead you to any possibility. Do you know what I mean?

So why do you think you chose to become a Christian exactly? Did your Christian upbringing impact that decision at all?

I'm not a "spiritual" person, so I suppose I don't really know what you mean, but I do know that achieving peace and acceptance within your own self can lead to happiness and fulfillment. The possibilities are limitless when you reach that level of true peace with yourself and with the world around you.

Zenet

Feb 18 2014, 06:36 PM

The known universe is about thirteen and a half billion light years out, and at the level of subatomic particles in. This is what we can see and understand using current instruments and/or math. The known universe may have a beginning and an end, but the infinite universe does not, cannot. You can never make nothing out of something; it just moves.