He's got a better one, but I'll wait until someone starts a post about how we should "save the planet." Until then, RLB
you've got a basic misunderstanding, thats all. You think God is there to serve us, to serve humanity, when really God created us to serve him. Those who don't want to serve Him get to live in the world of duality - pleasure and pain. AS YOU SOW, SO SHALL YOU REAP. Cause and effect. Those who are serving God are not trapped in the cycle of birth, death, disease, etc. They are not governed by 'karma'. Hell is not a permanent place. It's a place to burn off bad karma, thats all. You always have the freedom of choice to love and serve God. Don't mistake what fanaticism for religion. For those that deny the existence of God, lonely is their existence, lonely are they as death approaches. The reason why so many people are somewhat religious, is because they experience their own weakness, and find comfort in the All Mighty God. They also find comfort in God's unconditional love. edit: you are equating people who say they represent God, and need money, with God Himself. People aren't perfect. There are lots of scammers out there. However, because there are lots of phonies doesn't mean God, religion, or religious people do not exist. You will find that most of these guys on TV aren't living by the word of God to begin with. You have to have a little common sense. God is always your friend.
you've got a basic misunderstanding, thats all. You think God is there to serve us, to serve humanity, when really God created us to serve him. If God needs service He should have created willing servants, and maybe He did - but what are all us extras for? Then again, if He is an all-pwerful, all-knowing, etc. creator - what in Allah's name does He need a servant for? Those who don't want to serve Him get to live in the world of duality - pleasure and pain. AS YOU SOW, SO SHALL YOU REAP. Yeah, duality. And all that grey area, too. But do I have to be a farmer? Cause and effect. Those who are serving God are not trapped in the cycle of birth, death, disease, etc. They are not governed by 'karma'. God's servants don't die because their soul continues on, I get it now. Spooky. How many souls have you met? This is probably another faith thing. Only works if you believe, only find out when you die. Sounds like a good way to get people to kill one another. Hell is not a permanent place. It's a place to burn off bad karma, thats all. You always have the freedom of choice to love and serve God. Don't mistake what fanaticism for religion. When was Karma sanctioned by the church (God's "mouthpiece")? Anyway, purgutory is great. But then so is casting off a goat (scapegoat, that is), post-mortem indulgences (thankyou Pope Sixtus IV), and burning witches. For those that deny the existence of God, lonely is their existence, lonely are they as death approaches. The reason why so many people are somewhat religious, is because they experience their own weakness, and find comfort in the All Mighty God. They also find comfort in God's unconditional love. You've got a point, but only if you're the last of your friends to die. Otherwise, unless you were an absolute prick, your frieds/family will comfort you as you near your final hours. I experience weakness, true, how else would I explain the constant stream of puss flowing from my a$$, but to find comfort in God's love? Maybe. Maybe comfort in the idea that God loves you, but not His love. When my wife shows me as much love as my God does I'll start re-reading the ol' pre-nup. edit: you are equating people who say they represent God, and need money, with God Himself. People aren't perfect. There are lots of scammers out there. However, because there are lots of phonies doesn't mean God, religion, or religious people do not exist. You will find that most of these guys on TV aren't living by the word of God to begin with. You have to have a little common sense. We definitely agree here. Phonies, and lots of them. So how does one distinguish? And the word of God? You must mean the Bible, or Koran, or some other very, very old book - written by men. Of course, back then very few could read or write. So you could have written anything and said God did this, I mean shit, who would question? Maybe the Romans, but fuck them anyway, right? Damn centurions trouncing on my crops. What? The meek shall inheret - SIGN ME UP, I'm as meek as anyone else here, more meek. Yes excuse me, what percentage of meekness must I attain, want me some of that inherit stuff. God is always your friend. You know, if you are to believe in one imaginary being, why discriminate? I kinda like angels and archangels and seraphins and... wait, where did all the Zombies go? That's the thing about zombies, you can't ever rely on the undead. p.s. Blessed are the cheese-makers
In order to believe & observe my people's Jewish tradition, we are supposed to believe that Christianity is just some bullshit people made up 2000 years ago. Islam, Hinduism, Buddhism- all just bullshit false beliefs invented by people, and all their prayers and religious efforts go unanswered. ...BUT OUR RELIGION, MAN THAT'S THE REAL ONE! Our holy books our different, God really wrote those, and he really has this thing against pork chops. Looking at the issue objectively, that's pretty hard to swallow, isn't it? It is obviously basic human nature to desire mysticism & spirituality- every single culture in the world has some form of it. I'm supposed to believe that everybody else just invented some false bullshit beliefs, but ours is the real deal? I say that just beacuse you were aggressively taught something as a child, does not make it true.
Dudes I love it when people try to use their brains to determine whether there is a God or not. All I can say is you are not going to reason him away until you make an attempt to see what the best arguments are for his existence. Now in short answer. If the God did not exist and the universe was not designed how the heck do you think you would even live in this super hostile universe. Man you want to talk about screwed up--- study a little biology and see how unbelievable small the odds of life are. Imagine if John Lennon's utopia was here. How evil would the world be. Now most people think that the Jewish Testament or the New testament is a about being a good person and some wishy washy crap about who knows what crap is poured on top some other crap. If you were to study the bible, and realize what God was saying in the old testament and about why there are Jews, and why there is suffering and why 100s of promises and 1000s of predictions were made and kept you might have something to argue with religious people about. Until you study the books and meet the challenge head on your rationalizations are seen as the contrived arguments of people yearning for the truth but without the balls to confront it. Now if you already have dug in and really studiedthe bible and still take your stance I respect your postion and wish you nothing but the best.
Dude, I see where you are coming from, but it doesn't surprise me at all. Smart people can definitely be brainwashed. I DO NOT think all religious people are stupid just because they believe in an obvious bunch of BS. There are undoubtedly people smarter than me who are religious. Just think of the Elizabeth Smart case. Look how she was brainwashed in like a year, starting when she was like 15 or whatever! Now think of how religion works. As soon as you pop out of your mother you're suggested religion. You get baptized very early on. You are probably sent to church every Sunday throughout your childhood. Your family and friends all believe the same thing. If you don't believe, you go to hell! If you believe, you get to see your dead loved ones in heaven! This cycle repeats throughout history. IT IS THE BIGGEST SCAM GOING ON PLANET EARTH! For you religious people that are offended by this, too bad. You probably think suicide bombers are brainwashed, don't you? If you were to walk up to a suicide bomber and tell him he's not getting 72 virgins, do you think he'd accept your statement? Of course not. He's been brainwashed and won't accept the truth JUST LIKE YOU DON'T ACCEPT THE TRUTH I AND OTHERS HAVE SAID IN THIS THREAD! Before people reply with nitpicks, I'm not saying the above is the case for ALL religious people. Some people do turn to religion by their own doing. I actually respect that, since it was a choice they made and was not forced upon them by their parents. I HATE, HATE, HATE how people raise their kids with religion. Let them grow up with an open mind and believe what they want on their own!!!! F. P.