Question (Morals)
- Thread starter Ashlea
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The phrase "can't see the forest for the trees" keeps running through my head. 
I grew up Christian, and still hold to my faith, despite what some may think. Many people get so caught up in the little variations of Christianity (the trees) that they can't see the overall picture of Someone watching out for us (the forest).
I just re-read Heidi by Johanna Spyri the other night, and it has a very nice view of religion and why God lets bad things happen. A wonderful story to begin with.
I grew up Christian, and still hold to my faith, despite what some may think. Many people get so caught up in the little variations of Christianity (the trees) that they can't see the overall picture of Someone watching out for us (the forest).
I just re-read Heidi by Johanna Spyri the other night, and it has a very nice view of religion and why God lets bad things happen. A wonderful story to begin with.
It is my understanding that each religion has a 'book' that has the answers in it for them, in the instance of Christianity, it would be the Bible. Those books would have to be studied, I guess, to really understand what each religion is based on.
Even then, everyone doesn't interpret their 'book' the same way, hence, the different denominations in Christianity.
Even then, everyone doesn't interpret their 'book' the same way, hence, the different denominations in Christianity.
T
The phrase "can't see the forest for the trees" keeps running through my head.
I grew up Christian, and still hold to my faith, despite what some may think. Many people get so caught up in the little variations of Christianity (the trees) that they can't see the overall picture of Someone watching out for us (the forest).
I just re-read Heidi by Johanna Spyri the other night, and it has a very nice view of religion and why God lets bad things happen. A wonderful story to begin with.
I grew up Christian, and still hold to my faith, despite what some may think. Many people get so caught up in the little variations of Christianity (the trees) that they can't see the overall picture of Someone watching out for us (the forest).
I just re-read Heidi by Johanna Spyri the other night, and it has a very nice view of religion and why God lets bad things happen. A wonderful story to begin with.
Which takes me slap bang back to creationism and dinosaurs....
Questions, questions, questions.
I can't be expected to just roll over and believe. I honestly honestly don't understand what part of my brain is open and seeing something others don't (and vice versa I am sure).
I wonder why people put so much faith into something, why they don't question... It's healthy to question, it's healthy to want to know, who, why, what, when and how.
Why just roll over and accept that that is your fate, end of?
There is more to THIS life than waiting for the next.
I just hope people don't kick themselves when it all goes blank.......
Keep talking - I love hearing it all, like I said before, I have SOOO many questions I'd love to know the answers to
Questions, questions, questions.
I can't be expected to just roll over and believe. I honestly honestly don't understand what part of my brain is open and seeing something others don't (and vice versa I am sure).
I wonder why people put so much faith into something, why they don't question... It's healthy to question, it's healthy to want to know, who, why, what, when and how.
Why just roll over and accept that that is your fate, end of?
There is more to THIS life than waiting for the next.
I just hope people don't kick themselves when it all goes blank.......
Keep talking - I love hearing it all, like I said before, I have SOOO many questions I'd love to know the answers to
Same here...though I do have a bit of Mennonite influence from childhood and summers spent up in Amish country with my Grandma. Really though, it was just like a nice country church version of what I was going to here at home. The dress was more formal and many of the women had the box bonnet hair coverings.
I'm not doing this to pick on you Tessa - but if you're non-denominational, doesn't that make your church a denomination by standing separate from the other denominations? (one of those rhetorical questions).
Seriously though, you've done a good job of answering everyones questions about your beliefs. Thanks for putting yourself out there....and same to the others who have answered questions directed towards their specific beliefs - whether others agree with them or not.
I think it's pretty easy to question what other people believe. It's a lot harder to state what you believe and get questioned for it. Just a little food for thought!
- but if you're non-denominational, doesn't that make your church a denomination by standing separate from the other denominations? (one of those rhetorical questions).Seriously though, you've done a good job of answering everyones questions about your beliefs. Thanks for putting yourself out there....and same to the others who have answered questions directed towards their specific beliefs - whether others agree with them or not.
I think it's pretty easy to question what other people believe. It's a lot harder to state what you believe and get questioned for it. Just a little food for thought!
I have so many questions I'd love to know the answers to also
The reason I don't question my belief in God is purely because of the experience I had sitting in that church that night.
When they offered me to say the prayer you say when you want to accept Jesus into your life I remember saying I would say it in my head. I didn't want to read a prayer out loud in front of strangers. I only agreed at that time to say it in my head because I wanted them to leave me alone.
It was the most awkward moment in my life. I was raised in the church my whole childhood... and felt forced into religion. Therefore, I rebelled and became an atheist as an adult. I turned my back on God many years ago.
But it wasn't until that night in the church that I realized God never turned his back on me. All these years I shamed him and spoke badly of him and even denied he existed on many occasions. I mocked him and ridiculed him. And yet he never stopped loving me or looking after me.
I remember quickly reading the prayer in my head while being surrounded by the people who were still there praying at the church. I remember looking out of the corner of my eye to see my friend just looking at me and she had tears in her eyes.
When I decided I would go ahead and say the prayer in my head like I said I would, it felt weird and I was definately not sincere when I said it. The first time I said it I really didn't mean it. I think they knew .. it was almost like they read my mind or something.. lol. But then I let my guard down and embraced the thought of letting christ into my life. I said it again in my mind and this time I meant every word I said.
This is where I have a hard time... it was such a rush of emotion for me and hard to explain without sounding like a fruit loop.
Once I accepted him into my life I remembered pleading for him to send me a sign to show me he was really in my heart. And no sooner did I get the plea out of my thoughts I had this sensation. The only way I can describe it was feeling like someone was pouring warm water inside me. I felt it enter my upper body and go all the way down and exit my foot. I would have swarn I was literally wet with warm water.
It was such an intense feeling that I began to cry. I didn't cry with fear or sorrow... but of complete happiness. I didn't realize it until much later that the holy spirit had entered me that night and forever changed my life.
How can I question that? I don't say that sarcasticly.. I am just saying that I (personally) could never question what took place that night. It was real for me. I believe things happen for a reason and I was brought to that church on that particular night. There are so many other details that support that for me that I don't want to clog up the thread explaining.
I think those of us that have our faith and beliefs stick to it because it is what we were taught and what we have read about and what we believe in.
The reason I don't question my belief in God is purely because of the experience I had sitting in that church that night.
When they offered me to say the prayer you say when you want to accept Jesus into your life I remember saying I would say it in my head. I didn't want to read a prayer out loud in front of strangers. I only agreed at that time to say it in my head because I wanted them to leave me alone.
It was the most awkward moment in my life. I was raised in the church my whole childhood... and felt forced into religion. Therefore, I rebelled and became an atheist as an adult. I turned my back on God many years ago.
But it wasn't until that night in the church that I realized God never turned his back on me. All these years I shamed him and spoke badly of him and even denied he existed on many occasions. I mocked him and ridiculed him. And yet he never stopped loving me or looking after me.
I remember quickly reading the prayer in my head while being surrounded by the people who were still there praying at the church. I remember looking out of the corner of my eye to see my friend just looking at me and she had tears in her eyes.
When I decided I would go ahead and say the prayer in my head like I said I would, it felt weird and I was definately not sincere when I said it. The first time I said it I really didn't mean it. I think they knew .. it was almost like they read my mind or something.. lol. But then I let my guard down and embraced the thought of letting christ into my life. I said it again in my mind and this time I meant every word I said.
This is where I have a hard time... it was such a rush of emotion for me and hard to explain without sounding like a fruit loop.
Once I accepted him into my life I remembered pleading for him to send me a sign to show me he was really in my heart. And no sooner did I get the plea out of my thoughts I had this sensation. The only way I can describe it was feeling like someone was pouring warm water inside me. I felt it enter my upper body and go all the way down and exit my foot. I would have swarn I was literally wet with warm water.
It was such an intense feeling that I began to cry. I didn't cry with fear or sorrow... but of complete happiness. I didn't realize it until much later that the holy spirit had entered me that night and forever changed my life.
How can I question that? I don't say that sarcasticly.. I am just saying that I (personally) could never question what took place that night. It was real for me. I believe things happen for a reason and I was brought to that church on that particular night. There are so many other details that support that for me that I don't want to clog up the thread explaining.
I think those of us that have our faith and beliefs stick to it because it is what we were taught and what we have read about and what we believe in.
I think a lot of people have a faith in religion X, Y or Z because they are searching for something, and that religion fills that gap...
Once you believe, in anything (god, aliens, self combustion), you fill in the gaps/questions yourself.
It makes people feel strong and purposeful, and give people hope, and noone can knock that.
But it doesn't necessarily mean it is correct, and it doesn't necessarily mean we all go to hell, or that there is even a hell.
It means you have something in your life which fills that hole. You can't get lonely, you can't get sad, because when you do, you just have to think of god, and he has the answers.
I don't believe that, and I take pride in that my happiness, and my soul searching and questions are answered by me, and me as a living human being.
I feel connected to people and my earth without help. I am in AWE of my world and it's beauty, perhaps MORE so, because I don't think, oh yeah, some fella made that.
I don't have to worry about what I do, and yet i STILL know I am a good person, even though I make my own rules up.
I feel liberated, and I don't need religion to do that for me
It's a wonderful world, and if religion helps people - go for your life. I personally believe that we should savour what earth we have NOW, rather than live this life in preparation for the "next".. That is just wasting what little time we have anyway..
Once people stop getting SO hung up on you're wrong, and we're right, and thinking other people are going to hell for not thinking the same way as you (which must put a downer on the day), we can move forward as the human race and LOVE each other freely, without boundary, and as ONE.
There. Those are some of MY beliefs.
It's really that simple.
If only everyone loved their earth and themselves and each other as much as their god, we might actually get somewhere in life.
Once you believe, in anything (god, aliens, self combustion), you fill in the gaps/questions yourself.
It makes people feel strong and purposeful, and give people hope, and noone can knock that.
But it doesn't necessarily mean it is correct, and it doesn't necessarily mean we all go to hell, or that there is even a hell.
It means you have something in your life which fills that hole. You can't get lonely, you can't get sad, because when you do, you just have to think of god, and he has the answers.
I don't believe that, and I take pride in that my happiness, and my soul searching and questions are answered by me, and me as a living human being.
I feel connected to people and my earth without help. I am in AWE of my world and it's beauty, perhaps MORE so, because I don't think, oh yeah, some fella made that.
I don't have to worry about what I do, and yet i STILL know I am a good person, even though I make my own rules up.
I feel liberated, and I don't need religion to do that for me
It's a wonderful world, and if religion helps people - go for your life. I personally believe that we should savour what earth we have NOW, rather than live this life in preparation for the "next".. That is just wasting what little time we have anyway..
Once people stop getting SO hung up on you're wrong, and we're right, and thinking other people are going to hell for not thinking the same way as you (which must put a downer on the day), we can move forward as the human race and LOVE each other freely, without boundary, and as ONE.
There. Those are some of MY beliefs.
It's really that simple.
If only everyone loved their earth and themselves and each other as much as their god, we might actually get somewhere in life.
Since I always been...an inquiring mind wants to know kinda person...I have driven my parents nuts through the years concerning the bible. There are too many gaps, and too many different human interpretations. There are the Lost Books of the Bible, the Dead Sea Scrolls, The Book of Mormon, the King James Version... and the list goes on and on. All are interesting in their own way. Each have good guidelines to live by and raise some interesting questions in my mind.
My problem is not with God, Allah, whatever you want to call the omnipotent spirit, but with the gaps, rewrites and different versions.
I was raised the King James Version...is the correct version. But how do we know this? It is a version of the bible, it states version in the title. I believe the original bible was written in Hebrew. Thus it has been translated. How many times???? And by how many different people? We do not know.
Why does the bible not have the Lost Books of the Bible in it? Why are the Dead Sea Scrolls not included? Who had the right to pick and choose which parts we should live by and what should or should not be included?
I want to know how and where the wives of Adam and Eve's sons came from? Anyone ever wonder about that? Was there more to the world than just the Garden of Eden at that time? It doesn't tell us that in the Bible.
How much time elapsed before Adam and Eve appeared? We have all of the Era's to go through that are missing in the bible...Paleozoic, Mesozoic etc. Where was caveman? Was he in Gods plan? Did God create him? There is proof he did exist. Is he in heaven or hell?
My problem is not with God, Allah, whatever you want to call the omnipotent spirit, but with the gaps, rewrites and different versions.
I was raised the King James Version...is the correct version. But how do we know this? It is a version of the bible, it states version in the title. I believe the original bible was written in Hebrew. Thus it has been translated. How many times???? And by how many different people? We do not know.
Why does the bible not have the Lost Books of the Bible in it? Why are the Dead Sea Scrolls not included? Who had the right to pick and choose which parts we should live by and what should or should not be included?
I want to know how and where the wives of Adam and Eve's sons came from? Anyone ever wonder about that? Was there more to the world than just the Garden of Eden at that time? It doesn't tell us that in the Bible.
How much time elapsed before Adam and Eve appeared? We have all of the Era's to go through that are missing in the bible...Paleozoic, Mesozoic etc. Where was caveman? Was he in Gods plan? Did God create him? There is proof he did exist. Is he in heaven or hell?
I would have to say that for me.. I was not searching for anything. It found me. And Dizzy... just because I have God in my life does not mean I can't be lonely, sad, angry..etc. I still feel all those emotions anyone would feel.
And here's a thought... I gave this challenge to my dad who believes in the theory of evolution.
Where did the first ape come from? How about the earth, the grass, the trees... the ocean and all it's habitat. How about adam and eve.. where did they come from? All these things didn't fall out of the sky. They were created by someone. And in MY belief.. that someone was God.
My dad chuckled and said "you got me on that one" He still stands firm on his belief that we all evolved from apes. That years ago we had tails..etc. I then threw out the question to him "if we evolved, then how come we're not still evolving?" I have yet to get a real answer from him on that one...lol
And here's a thought... I gave this challenge to my dad who believes in the theory of evolution.
Where did the first ape come from? How about the earth, the grass, the trees... the ocean and all it's habitat. How about adam and eve.. where did they come from? All these things didn't fall out of the sky. They were created by someone. And in MY belief.. that someone was God.
My dad chuckled and said "you got me on that one" He still stands firm on his belief that we all evolved from apes. That years ago we had tails..etc. I then threw out the question to him "if we evolved, then how come we're not still evolving?" I have yet to get a real answer from him on that one...lol
Hi Filarotten,
Just regarding the bible, there's some process involved in terms of authenticating the content thats in there. If I have a few minutes, I'll see if I can find the site which outlines the 4 steps (IIRC) for determining if content makes the 'biblical' cut.
IIRC, the original books that make up the bible are in more than just on language, including greek, hebrew and latin - but don't quote me on that.
As for the various versions of the bible - I don't know what the logic is behind that....except that wading though a KJ version is a slow and painful process
Just regarding the bible, there's some process involved in terms of authenticating the content thats in there. If I have a few minutes, I'll see if I can find the site which outlines the 4 steps (IIRC) for determining if content makes the 'biblical' cut.
IIRC, the original books that make up the bible are in more than just on language, including greek, hebrew and latin - but don't quote me on that.
As for the various versions of the bible - I don't know what the logic is behind that....except that wading though a KJ version is a slow and painful process
I would imagine that a lot of things didn't make it into the bible for whatever reasons. I don't know why some things were cut. But like any good book... there has to be an end. Maybe if they included EVERYTHING it would be a never ends... instead of the song that never ends. It just goes on and on my friends.. la, la, la.. Oh great, now I got that stupid song in my brain!
The King James Version was put forth by the rather not-so sane King James I of England, who felt he was so important that he needed to have a Bible named after him. There are quite a few variations in it from NIV or any other version, and the language was a backstep of at least 50 years. No one by that time spoke like that, nor did they write like it. But apparently it sounded more formal and formal means important, which brings us back to the beginning of why James made the KJV.
andrew... how did you just quote part of my reply?? I have been trying to figure that out and have yet to discover the trick.
and as far as the evolution thing.. well, all I can say is that for generation after generation nothing has changed as far as us getting or losing more body parts. The skeletal structure of humans has been the same for many many years.
My argument with my dad was that if he really thinks we were all apes way back and that we evolved to humans.. tell me why we aren't showing signs of continuing to evolve. Why would we go from apes and evolve to humans and stop there? These are real questions I have. That is why I rely on my faith to answer them for me.
If a tail bone was named something other than a tail bone.. would the thought of evolving still be there? We have a lot of the same skeletal structure as other animals too... why are we considered evolved from an ape? Is it because they are the closest skeletal structure to us?? I have always wondered these questions.
And just for the record... I am still singing that stupid song in my head... the song that never ends... someone shoot me now..lol
and as far as the evolution thing.. well, all I can say is that for generation after generation nothing has changed as far as us getting or losing more body parts. The skeletal structure of humans has been the same for many many years.
My argument with my dad was that if he really thinks we were all apes way back and that we evolved to humans.. tell me why we aren't showing signs of continuing to evolve. Why would we go from apes and evolve to humans and stop there? These are real questions I have. That is why I rely on my faith to answer them for me.
If a tail bone was named something other than a tail bone.. would the thought of evolving still be there? We have a lot of the same skeletal structure as other animals too... why are we considered evolved from an ape? Is it because they are the closest skeletal structure to us?? I have always wondered these questions.
And just for the record... I am still singing that stupid song in my head... the song that never ends... someone shoot me now..lol