Non-religious

[Jaimecbr900]

i have my own ideas of which i don't assume anyone shares,

I'll bite. What's your God like? What are his/her qualities? Where'd he/she come from? What is his/her purpose?

though there may be something else a god, a force, something we can't put a name too... but i do not praise it nor will i bow before it. i don't see my self as anything but equal in essense.

How can you be it's "equal" when you can't even explain what "it" is?

What did this "god" of yours do? Did he or she create anything? If so, what did YOU create that it's equal to what he/she created? IF you can't do the same things he/she can, then there is no possible way you could be it's "equal".

i can create and destroy life just as the gods once talked about. the difference between me and a christian is i will not look for truth of my exsistence in word of man.

Where do you look for that truth then?

i think your crazy for idolizing anything over yourself. NO GODS NO MASTERS CHOOSE YOUR HEAVEN.

You've placed your bet, and I mine.

[4dmin]

The main proglem w/ religion is the basis of FEAR... FEAR what you don't know!

If you want to live your life that why thats your business I think that if there was a creator or a god of sort that it's intentions for our exsistence is more then enslavement.

[Jaimecbr900]

The main proglem w/ religion is the basis of FEAR... FEAR what you don't know!

I actually sort of agree with you on this.

This is one of the biggest turn-offs that I had when Joan and I were looking for a church to join. As some of yall know, I was raised Catholic and she Baptist....not the easiest mix to say the least. So we decided that we'd have to go and visit all kinds of different "churches" to see which one we both felt would follow down the same path for US. We must have visited 10 different places from atleast 10 different denominations. The one we belong to now is the one that we both literally looked at each other during a sermon and said, "this is the one"....and we've been members since.

One thing I noticed while visiting different churches was that sometimes the leader, even with good intentions, would turn people off by shouting and pushing their fire and brimstone type of sermons and messages. You didn't feel welcomed to learn, you felt OBLIGATED. I didn't like that at all. If I give, I give out of my own accord...my own will. If I have a question, I don't want you to have to shout and sweat to give me the answer.

So I agree that FEAR is not a proper way to get a religious point across. I do however see how sometimes the truth or reality can be construed as "fear" because it is in fact scary.

Kinda like the day you give your kids the car keys when they're 16 yrs old. You may tell them that if he/she does this or that they may end up DEAD. That's a fact. Scary fact, but a fact.

Same with churches. Sometimes in their effort to convey the message that there is a right side and a wrong side of the fence......they think they have to yell at you and scare the crap out of you into believing it. That to me is not the way it was ever meant to be broadcast. But that's just me.

[4dmin]

I actually sort of agree with you on this.

This is one of the biggest turn-offs that I had when Joan and I were looking for a church to join. As some of yall know, I was raised Catholic and she Baptist....not the easiest mix to say the least. So we decided that we'd have to go and visit all kinds of different "churches" to see which one we both felt would follow down the same path for US. We must have visited 10 different places from atleast 10 different denominations. The one we belong to now is the one that we both literally looked at each other during a sermon and said, "this is the one"....and we've been members since.

One thing I noticed while visiting different churches was that sometimes the leader, even with good intentions, would turn people off by shouting and pushing their fire and brimstone type of sermons and messages. You didn't feel welcomed to learn, you felt OBLIGATED. I didn't like that at all. If I give, I give out of my own accord...my own will. If I have a question, I don't want you to have to shout and sweat to give me the answer.

So I agree that FEAR is not a proper way to get a religious point across. I do however see how sometimes the truth or reality can be construed as "fear" because it is in fact scary.

Kinda like the day you give your kids the car keys when they're 16 yrs old. You may tell them that if he/she does this or that they may end up DEAD. That's a fact. Scary fact, but a fact.

Same with churches. Sometimes in their effort to convey the message that there is a right side and a wrong side of the fence......they think they have to yell at you and scare the crap out of you into believing it. That to me is not the way it was ever meant to be broadcast. But that's just me.

ya FEAR kinda died this century when we finally started exercising FREEDOM OF SPEECH AND THOUGHT... its easy to say you don't agree w/ the church today; 200 years ago you would be burned on the cross

this is why you see alot of southern churches move the the whole YOUR GOING TO HELL stance which was still very popular in the 80's to hey come to church and have FUN!!!

[Jaimecbr900]

ya FEAR kinda died this century when we finally started exercising FREEDOM OF SPEECH AND THOUGHT... its easy to say you don't agree w/ the church today; 200 years ago you would be burned on the cross

this is why you see alot of southern churches move the the whole YOUR GOING TO HELL stance which was still very popular in the 80's to hey come to church and have FUN!!!

Well, don't go too far.....you still get lynched and dragged thru the streets in SOME parts of the world for being a Christian.....White.....Brown....American....all sorts of reasons.....

But I understand what you're saying.

BTW, just so yall know....."church" is far more than the brick and mortar that is seen from the street. A lot of churches do a ton of humanitarian and community aid out of those big brick and mortar buildings. They just don't call the AJC to publish it like a corporation would. So just because you don't always hear about it or read about doesn't mean it doesn't happen. Trust me, I've been involved and still do quite a few "community projects" and different things to help people I don't even know and we do it for our own well being, satisfaction, and purpose. Again, just because the masses don't see people out there building homes for the homeless or serving at a soup kitchen (we do both out of my church BTW ), it doesn't mean that it doesn't happen. It most certainly does.

[4dmin]

Well, don't go too far.....you still get lynched and dragged thru the streets in SOME parts of the world for being a Christian.....White.....Brown....American....all sorts of reasons.....

But I understand what you're saying.

BTW, just so yall know....."church" is far more than the brick and mortar that is seen from the street. A lot of churches do a ton of humanitarian and community aid out of those big brick and mortar buildings. They just don't call the AJC to publish it like a corporation would. So just because you don't always hear about it or read about doesn't mean it doesn't happen. Trust me, I've been involved and still do quite a few "community projects" and different things to help people I don't even know and we do it for our own well being, satisfaction, and purpose. Again, just because the masses don't see people out there building homes for the homeless or serving at a soup kitchen (we do both out of my church BTW ), it doesn't mean that it doesn't happen. It most certainly does.

Though this is true i will go to say churches do alot more for their church/members then outside community. Sorry but multi million dollar facilities and salary employees make it very hard for me to see that this is a TAX FREE enviroment of worship only

If i was christian my family would study the bible at home and interpet it for ourselves; we do send our children to school to read there is no reason not to use our public education.

[AtifSajid]

I really didnt want to post in these threads anymore, but since I have nothing else to do...

i mean if there was a god why would he let the holocaust happen, or the crusades, or what the egyptians did to the jews?

Many of the questions posted on IA are from guys/girls that arent into religion that much, so there level of thought/existence of the unseen hasnt hit that level yet. Like I can explain some things to you here, but everyone will be like wtf is this guy talking about, and some will be like true. Its almost where you have to start with basic beliefs and then let it soak in before you go more in depth, but even then if you dont want to belief you will not.

Most of the things that go on in your daily lives are like tests that God puts you threw(and always remember, when I write GOD it means the most powerful, unkown being on the world, not anything else. To me God has no siblings, nor has he given any of his powers to anyone)(Prophets are different and a different subject)

So back to the tests...if you follow the good path and in a personal way you pass these tests with the help of God then you will succeed in life. I can start listing examples, but it will be long..

For many religion isnt even somewhere to be or follow. Its a way to calm your mind and your spirit, that way you live a more peaceful life. But when you get into your religion where it starts calming you and gives you peace, then the other aspects of your religion fall into play automatically..thats how beautiful God made religion.

In Islam it say something similiar to this..if you a take a step towards God, he runs towards you. If you ask for forgiveness, he will forgive you.

You all know all this. I shouldnt even have to preach this. This is written in the Bible, Quran, Torah.

Im just talking to you guys that dont believe in religion..what harm is it going to do if you did? Really ask yourself...what will happen if I believe in God??

You know what your answer will be?? Nothing..aight then, why dont you try. Just try. I mean most people are afraid because they think they are so bad, that it scares them to turn towards God. Honestly, try it, and I bet it will feel scary at first, and then you will LOVE THE SHIT OUT OF IT.

Aight I could go on, but Im done here..

Islam turned me off, b/c of it's leaders/beliefs/killing/terrorism/etc.

This dude is a fucken dumbass, like I have always stated.

ps. if i ever convert to anything becoming Muslim sounds the most appealing.

That was funny you said that, because while I was reading your response that ran across my mind. And there you go and post it.