My Take on Christianity and Religion (My Epiphany)
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My Take on Christianity and Religion (My Epiphany)
I've been a Catholic all my life, but Several Years ago, (I think I was in 7th Grade then) I Began to question the Legitimacy of the Bible, the credibility and Integrity of the Pope and his underlings. I was constantly reinforced with contradictory concepts of God and how things were from my Mom. (well I can't Blame her, she meant well). Concept such as God being this All forgiving being but she warned me from commiting mortal sins (sins that cannot be forgiven ). I also got the idea that God was a being that is the manifestation of all that is good in the Universe, but God is also a vengeful. I was pretty disillusioned about Catholicism at that point. The Bible was even worse, I found it hard to find the Bible as a religious source because of a the bias toward women, the contradiction that are soo bad and silly that I was just disgusted with Christianity, as a religion. Most people would have become agnostic or atheist at that point, but I still had many unanswered questions about God and personal opinions. To a degree I would say I'm agnostic, but the fact that there so many unsolved mysteries in the world, I do have a vague belief in God. Which Leads to what I think God is really about.
My Epiphany Is (this is solely my opinion) that God is the manifestation of of all Good, God is not vengeful, nor does God share any other negative Human characteristics. God created humans to be imperfect as a test, to see if imperfect beings can strive to be more than what they started out as. Think about it wouldn't it be silly if God made humans to be perfect??
Second is that God doesn't play favorites and he doesn't interfere with human affairs. As for Hell, I personally don't really think it exists, It seem more like a scare tactic that the fundies of the past concieved to get people in line. If it does exist then I'd think you'd have to have been a very very nasty pric to get there, on Hitler's level.
Don't mean to preach to anybody, but just share my view on Religion. Seeing that's it's a touchy subject I thought it would be good to put up my views of Religion so there'sa general understanding on this thread. Perhap other can do the same.
My Epiphany Is (this is solely my opinion) that God is the manifestation of of all Good, God is not vengeful, nor does God share any other negative Human characteristics. God created humans to be imperfect as a test, to see if imperfect beings can strive to be more than what they started out as. Think about it wouldn't it be silly if God made humans to be perfect??
Second is that God doesn't play favorites and he doesn't interfere with human affairs. As for Hell, I personally don't really think it exists, It seem more like a scare tactic that the fundies of the past concieved to get people in line. If it does exist then I'd think you'd have to have been a very very nasty pric to get there, on Hitler's level.
Don't mean to preach to anybody, but just share my view on Religion. Seeing that's it's a touchy subject I thought it would be good to put up my views of Religion so there'sa general understanding on this thread. Perhap other can do the same.
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I rather like the concept of God not interfering with humans at all.
It's a lot better than that line of bull they feed you from the Bible about "God giving man free will" while saying that "He has a great plan for you".
It's a lot better than that line of bull they feed you from the Bible about "God giving man free will" while saying that "He has a great plan for you".
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A deist perspective, and a good one. I always wondered that, if God was alone in the universe, he'd create being to observe and try to figure himself out.
Humans thrive on conflict; and we need ot constantly overcome our imperfections in order to fulfill ourselves. For those of us that believe in God, this is makes sense...
Humans thrive on conflict; and we need ot constantly overcome our imperfections in order to fulfill ourselves. For those of us that believe in God, this is makes sense...
Something about Libertarianism always bothered me. Then one day, I realized what it was:
Libertarian philosophy can be boiled down to the phrase, "Work Will Make You Free."
In Libertarianism, there is no Government, so the Bosses are free to exploit the Workers.
In Communism, there is no Government, so the Workers are free to exploit the Bosses.
So in Libertarianism, man exploits man, but in Communism, its the other way around!
If all you want to do is have some harmless, mindless fun, go H3RE INST3ADZ0RZ!!
Grrr! Fight my Brute, you pansy!
Libertarian philosophy can be boiled down to the phrase, "Work Will Make You Free."
In Libertarianism, there is no Government, so the Bosses are free to exploit the Workers.
In Communism, there is no Government, so the Workers are free to exploit the Bosses.
So in Libertarianism, man exploits man, but in Communism, its the other way around!
If all you want to do is have some harmless, mindless fun, go H3RE INST3ADZ0RZ!!
Grrr! Fight my Brute, you pansy!
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Deism is good.
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Deism?HemlockGrey wrote:Deism is good.
Stupid risks are what make life worth living.-Homer Simpson
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Did you think you were the first person to think of this? Hehe.
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Re: My Take on Christianity and Religion (My Epiphany)
You define God as "the manifestation of of all Good" with no "negative human characteristcs". By definition, these negative human characteristics must therefore be evill.THEHOOLIGANJEDI wrote: My Epiphany Is (this is solely my opinion) that God is the manifestation of of all Good, God is not vengeful, nor does God share any other negative Human characteristics. God created humans to be imperfect as a test, to see if imperfect beings can strive to be more than what they started out as. Think about it wouldn't it be silly if God made humans to be perfect??
Now is it "good" to take two creatures and have one inflict needless suffering (evil) on another when you have the ability to stop it.. and all for the self-serving purpose of figuring out "if imperfect beings can strive to be more than what they started out as."
So basically: humans are lab mice. All the evils that are inflicted on us, all the suffering, is to satisfy God's own self-serving curiosity.
I don't think this is particularly good God...
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Personly i have my own beliefs despite coming from a Protestant family. My belief is that i only need to be true to myself my soul contain light (god) and dark (satan). If you deny either one then you deny yourself. This is why christians are so flawed, they deny themselves.
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Free will has got to be the most inane thing ever said.
If anyone has a reconciliation for Original Sin (i.e.- man is sinful and there's nothing you can do to change that) and man chooses to sin and God's not responsible for it. I'd love to hear it.
If anyone has a reconciliation for Original Sin (i.e.- man is sinful and there's nothing you can do to change that) and man chooses to sin and God's not responsible for it. I'd love to hear it.
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The concept of God makes perfect sense ... as long as you don't think about it.
"It's not evil for God to do it. Or for someone to do it at God's command."- Jonathan Boyd on baby-killing
"you guys are fascinated with the use of those "rules of logic" to the extent that you don't really want to discussus anything."- GC
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"you guys are fascinated with the use of those "rules of logic" to the extent that you don't really want to discussus anything."- GC
"I do not believe Russian Roulette is a stupid act" - Embracer of Darkness
"Viagra commercials appear to save lives" - tharkûn on US health care.
http://www.stardestroyer.net/Mike/RantMode/Blurbs.html
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Nope.GrandAdmiralPrawn wrote:Did you think you were the first person to think of this? Hehe.
Stupid risks are what make life worth living.-Homer Simpson
-PC Load Letter?! What the Fuck does that mean!?!?!- Micheal Bolton
-Bullshit! I'll bet you can suck a golf ball through a garden hose! - Sgt. Hartman
-I'll bet your the kind of guy who would fuck a person in the ass and not even have the Goddamn common courtesy to give him a reacharound!- Sgt. Hartman
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Re: My Take on Christianity and Religion (My Epiphany)
I think you might have me misunderstood.Zoink wrote:THEHOOLIGANJEDI wrote: My Epiphany Is (this is solely my opinion) that God is the manifestation of of all Good, God is not vengeful, nor does God share any other negative Human characteristics. God created humans to be imperfect as a test, to see if imperfect beings can strive to be more than what they started out as. Think about it wouldn't it be silly if God made humans to be perfect??No not all of them. Some are unpleasant, others are pure evil.You define God as "the manifestation of of all Good" with no "negative human characteristcs". By definition, these negative human characteristics must therefore be evill.
Would you rather work for peace, or just have it handed to you. It's like giving your children a million dollars (if you are rich) and they never really earned it. While God gave us special talents and abilities, he put us in an imperfect world where we have to work to achieve our goals. While I am a realist, I do keep up optimism: In some ways we are on our way to achieving peace, while in others we are not.Now is it "good" to take two creatures and have one inflict needless suffering (evil) on another when you have the ability to stop it.. and all for the self-serving purpose of figuring out "if imperfect beings can strive to be more than what they started out as."
Not So much that. Why would God just give us perfection and bliss. I personally think that God is testing us, He gave us some positive traits and negative ones to balance things out. Personally I have no problem with being an imperfect being living in an imperfect world. Eventually we will overcome it. (more of my optimistic grandstanding)So basically: humans are lab mice. All the evils that are inflicted on us, all the suffering, is to satisfy God's own self-serving curiosity.
I don't think this is particularly good God...
Stupid risks are what make life worth living.-Homer Simpson
-PC Load Letter?! What the Fuck does that mean!?!?!- Micheal Bolton
-Bullshit! I'll bet you can suck a golf ball through a garden hose! - Sgt. Hartman
-I'll bet your the kind of guy who would fuck a person in the ass and not even have the Goddamn common courtesy to give him a reacharound!- Sgt. Hartman
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I took a little time to look it up. But thanks anyway.Setzer wrote:The belief that god exists, but is not actively involved in human affairs.THEHOOLIGANJEDI wrote:Deism?HemlockGrey wrote:Deism is good.
Stupid risks are what make life worth living.-Homer Simpson
-PC Load Letter?! What the Fuck does that mean!?!?!- Micheal Bolton
-Bullshit! I'll bet you can suck a golf ball through a garden hose! - Sgt. Hartman
-I'll bet your the kind of guy who would fuck a person in the ass and not even have the Goddamn common courtesy to give him a reacharound!- Sgt. Hartman
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The concept of a God only makes sense to me if you look at God as the highest form of human art. Christians always say God made us in his image, but I think it's the other way around. We made God in OUR image. And when you look at God as more of a reflection of humanity, than an actual being, God makes alot more sense, and does pick up a touch of beauty in my opinion. In many ways, God does reflect human nature very well.
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