remember, god is a loaded word. full of emotion, ideas and other stuff people think of.

what I am trying to do is separate the god that is the universe that makes up everything 9key word is thing) and the God that people have faith in that actually thinks and feels (like a human being or a person)


the funny thing is that whether you have faith or not the 'god' still made you. as an essembaly of this universe you are part of it and fall under the laws within it. the point is if you believe in a god that she thinks and feels and changes with what happens to you that is Faith. (because you really don't know if it is true or not)

Knowing that the universe is your god because you are made of it and fall under its laws is how allot of people live evryday. it doesn't mean anythin because it is 'normal'.

It is normal to walk outside and know that your not going to fly away into outerspace. or 2 + 2 = 4

it is faith that make you believe that you could fly into outerspace (and live) because God wanted you to.

I'd agree entirely with the idea that we are all made out of the same matter, and that we are governed by the laws of the universe, but to call the universe God is a little off-centre. You can't just say 'I'll call this thing God, and that proves that God exists.'

The whole concept of God is that he is an omnipotent being with the power to affect the universe beyond the simple laws of physics. It's that concept that I find laughable, and that concept is the basis for the majority of the world's major religions in one form or another.

I've said it before and I'll say it again; religion is the creation of mankind to offer some purpose to what is otherwise a simple fluke of science. As a species, we seem to find it hard to believe that we weren't created for a particular purpose.

The word "Christian" has less meaning than it used to...ie...Back in the middle ages, (Before Luther's 'Reformation') everyone was Catholic. There were no Methodists, Baptists, Lutherans, Mormans (The politically correct name: 'Church of Jesus Christ and Latter-day Saints') or the so-called 'Non-Denominational' churches...So, if you say 'Christian', you could state exactly which type of Christian. (Or to which church you belong or whatever) Also to DM...I dont think the is the right place for posting Bible-quotes...Especially 'anti-gay' stuff...Yes this is a religious 'Debate' (I just love quotes) but IMHO, you're getting slightly off-topic.

Its not the path, but the Journey upon the one you choose that matters in my book. If one takes the stance that GOD (in whatever name you choose) is everywhere then any path you choose he will be there and its what you do while following your path for which you may be judged. Live your life as best you can and with compasion and care for others and I do not see how you can be condemmed. Take your path and bring wreck and ruin along for the ride and then you must answer for that. The Soul, Ka, or Spirit devlopes by our actions and thoughts, harbor darkness and you become it, harbor love and care and thus you become that as well.

Basically no matter what the "Golden Rule" is the best way to live. Do unto others as you would have them do unto you

It seems to me that most of the stuff people post here is just the result of indoctrination from a very young age. I'm kind of glad that I wasn't subjected to that kind of cruelty, and allowed to be a free thinker and reach my own conclusions about life, the universe, and everything. I believe religion is a kind of cruelty, as it stifles people. And I only have to look at the atrocities performed in the name of religion to know that it's not something I want to be involved in. I'm too intelligent to be hoodwinked into believing all that god nonsense.

Do unto others as you would have them do unto you. That's what I teach my kids. That's how I life my life. It pretty much covers everything.

Amen BoXXi

lotta bible talk hmmm

ahhhh ha... maybe it is how I am writing it but I to said religion is not faith. religion is practiced acts in repetition possibily to help with your faith, but it is not a replacement of it or the basis.


I'm telling you guys, god is a very loaded word. it brings on allot of feeling and emotion. so when you think about how little we know about the universe and what it can do, it is funny how we can say I know it is or it isn't a thining being who is doing this.


I don'tknow either. what I do know is that we belong in this universe. what ever effects us is by the laws of this universe. this universe is our god. Not god in a person, but god in a thing. Just regular laws that we all fall under, whether it was on perpose or not.


THEN... if you have faith that od is not a thing that just happened to excist, that is when you have faith.

/me sees the eyes open of all who visit the message board and if joetheblow was very religist and people didn't follow then death would rain from the skies


Religion... follow me or die

Faith... gee I hope I am right about this.

One is aggressive and another is passive.

think of it this way. if you were talking to another culture and they said god is the physical laws of nature and God was a being of all mighty power.

you would say there is no god. but they are taking about 2 different meanins.

/me is bored with all this religion junk.....can't we talk about something interesting?.....like, Skinning, maybe.

Besides, I always thought the creation of life on this planet was just a lucky accident. A few thousand miles nearer the sun, we burn up and die, a few thousand miles further away, we freeze and die.

Laws of the Universe and The Gods (for most of you just GOD)are one in the same. They are everywhere, in everthing, in everyone of us.
thus in a sense the cosmic universe is the gods. I think I get where joe is going with this...

methinks BoXXi is trying to hijack the thread, or at least derail it!

one of the best quotes in the Bible for me and other Christians:
"With the mouth you lift up praise to God, and with the same mouth you curse man, who was created in the image of God". says a great deal.

/me is hijacking this thread....Nobody move!! I want 50 Treetog skins, and a helicopter on the roof in 15 minutes or I start deleting stuff! (not my stuff though!) O.k.... everybody in the corner... I've got an exile button and I ain't afraid to use it!

deleting stuff
delete if you have to but could please ummm leave my stuff

/me joings grayhaze's religion

I never cease to be amused by people quoting nonsensical religious stuff. Religion is for people who are unable to deal with reality and belongs back in the dark ages.

/me sees he was just at page 1 with reading.... damn, i thougth this was religion stuff...
/me crawls toward the corner afraid of boxxi's button.
hurry treetog

grayhaze ... Aafuss . Like how you threw that in there. Excellent stuff by the way.

late

I think most things in life are pretty simple, ppl just like to make things hard trying to "think" too much, to know God is to have "Faith" and to "Trust" that is the "Truth" it's very simple...
when ppl begin to look beyond that they lose God...

T-man I can't believe you stuck such a thread out here!? (specially here?)
but nevertheless it's gonna get me to go to Church, He's been chasing me anyways and you would not believe me if I told you all the things he does! (you would never believe me)

anyways these debates are very entertaining to watch... hehe

/me has to interject again. As a Christian I believe that someone did go to slugworld(Hell) and did come back to tell people about it. That person was Jesus. Some of his disciples saw him die. They also saw him when he returned from death and came back to them. They wrote about it and told people who went on to tell other people as Jesus had commisioned them to do. It is down to each person whether to believe those who pass on the Gospel (Good News) or not. Nobody is forcing anybody to believe. I have not been indoctrinated, I made the choice of my own free will. My parents (both of whom are Christians and have worked as missionaries in India) told me from an early age about Jesus and what they believed he had done for them. But they didn't say 'And you have to believe it too because we say so'. They said 'it is up to you to decide for yourself'. And I did and I really couldn't be happier.

As for the name Christian, yes I believe it probably was used as a derogatory term by people to describe the followers of Jesus. However I like the name. It means follower of Christ. And that is indeed what I am.

"I never cease to be amused by people quoting nonsensical religious stuff. Religion is for people who are unable to deal with reality and belongs back in the dark ages" - Fuzzy L

agree with you to a point: the degeneration of Christianity into state controlled mindless religion plunged europe into the dark ages. the beginning reemergence of Christianity post-reformation was the overwhelming social force which drug europe kicking and screaming out of the dark ages toward the modern light (with a few really big hiccups along the way).

amusement is a much more physically health-producing reaction than anger, which bodes well for you.

Well said pjpowell.

weather you beleive or not, personally doesnt matter, but i cant help but think that, we as a population we need to beleive and fear god (or something/one) just look at the state the world is in, people dont fear god anymore, and thats the only thing that makes people 'good' if a pet does not fear the angry you, it will not behave, so if a human does not fear the angry god, then he/she will not behave, there will be no punishment for his/her wrongs, jail doesnt work because people in power are to soft and are not feared.

i think i drifted there, sorry if i didnt actually say anything.

your close Lady Akasha.

My theory is just that... a theory.

others have there's. I don't think they are ignorant because they do or that they are going to 'hell' if they don't agree with me.

I do believe that religion has been used to control the masses.

Lets back step here

Religion = set of practiced believes made to intergrate scriptures ot ideals into your mind.

Sort of a self brain washing. Telling yourself you have to go to church and pray 7 days a week is religion


Faith = Believe in something that is unseen or/and unfelt. The ability to act and behave in a manner that follows your Faith.

So you can believe in a way of being or dogma BUT. it does not mean I have to go to chuirch every Sunday or pray 7 days a week.


Religion has been used to control the masses. Seculr laws a somewhat based off of that, of which do the same thing; control the masses.

Faith is hard to control by a leader or a group and tends to be far less violent.

__________________________

So religion is another loaded word, much like God is.

Yes Lady Akasha, I do believe that the 2 'gods' are the same enity, but that is my faith that says so.

I feel the bottom line is though, that even if I am wrong about a living, thinking God with feelings and perpose and emotion... even if I am wrong... and that type of God does not excist, guess what?

The Universe as it is, with all the laws that govern it, whether purposely done or not, controls, created, and destroys us all. In a sense, the laws of physics, calulus, gravity, physical properties becomes the god. That god controls the universe, randomly, in such a way that is not fully understandable. In this case God is a sort of living one cell organizm beyound the scope of what we call organism that holds us all.

An aomeba as far as we know, does not think. It is living though, but not a thinking being. WE are part of the smallest parts of the 'aomeba'. Which still makes the 'aomeba' our God.



So as far as I am conserned... have your faith, your religion, your dogma or just believe we are just here, we still have a god.

Is it a god (lower case 'g') or is it God (upper case 'G')? Is it a thinking, living, passionite, emotional creater? Or is it just alive without any direction? (A running program if you will)

That is what I ask Doreen, T-man, greyhaze, Bangkokboy, pjpowell, EventHorizon.

I think that is the real question. There will always be a god. The question is what is it?


___________________________

Did I mention that religion is a loaded word? I would state that there is no such thing as religion in noun form. Or if it is, it is not a person, it is a thing; unliving, repeativive action. Faith is living thing or person.


comments?
Remember be nice other wise Frogboy will get us. I will also destroy all of you for not following in my thoughts. Sinners!!!!


hmmmmm.....
/me gets the holy gun that will only kill yuo if you are evil. If I shoot you and you die, then youe Evil.


Done.