Faithful? Or weak?

[uknowyouloveme83]

I do not devote myself to any certain religion because I find religion overall, very interesting and to devote myself would inhabit learning. However, something I do not understand about those who do devote themselves completely to a "God" or a higher power, is; what do they do it for?

I do not understand the faith concept. I do not understand putting your trust in something you cannot see, or feel, or even really know in your heart.

Religion has caused people to do many great things and I'm not knocking it as a whole. So what I am asking of all of you is merely your opinion. Is man too weak to trust in himself, therefore putting his trust in something, anything, that is larger, smarter, and greater than he?

[greatness]

I forget who said it, maybe Mandela, but he said somethin along the lines that our greatest fear was not that we are inadequate but that we are all-powerful.

I believe the reason ppl default to religion is either

A) They have been brought up to believe in a particular way. When everyone u know is brought up on the same religion, you have no other perspective and abide.

B) The individual is running away from something in his or herself and feels that religion will fix it, but really standardized religion only serves to mask it.

Like Jung said, "Religion serves only to prevent a religious experience."

Now people that reach a state of harmony or enlightenment do so in themselves and transcend the limitations of their religion and thought in general.

That is why I like the Persian word for God, Khoda (meaning of the self) over Allah (meaning that which u must submit to).

[uknowyouloveme83]

That makes tons of sense.

I think that if there is a "god" than I feel sorry for him. Because whenever things go the way people want them to go, it's always something they did to make that happen. But whenever something bad happens, it's "why would god do this." And theres just something corrupt about the whole chruch thing. I mean, why do people only go to church on the holidays? You would think that any day is as good as the next to worship, if you are truly devout.

I think the world is just full of posers. Lying to themselves that they are good people. Because they know in their hearts they are not. But by their religion of choice's rules, they are immaculate.

Take the Catholics. All you have to do for most things is confess and your slate is wiped clean. Doesn't that seem like the polititions way out?

[blueskygod]

I am a secularist! I am against Islamic Fundamentalism and Anglo-Saxon(Catholic) aggressivness. God is the great mass of energy that was needed to create all matter. Therefore we are all part of God. God is not an old handsome dude with a beard. There I said it

[uknowyouloveme83]

Blue, you'll have to explain that a little better. I don't really understand your reasoning.

So do you believe in God or not?

You sound as if you don't yet you do think that a "god" created the earth?

[greatness]

yeah I feel sorry for god cuz no matter how hard he tries we always resort to our "sin"ful behaviors.

But you'd think if he was all-powerful he would put an end to this? And why did he make our only way to reproduce, sex that is, original sin? hmm...

[uknowyouloveme83]

It's funny because most of this goes back to Greek Mythology. Which is very interesting, I suggest everyone read up on it. But yea, they say that human error comes from one box, Pandora's box. BUT, where did that error come from which Pandora felt compelled to open the box? Hmmm... I wonder...

It all conflicts. Any religion conflicts and one point or the other. Or at least the ones I've studied. Perhaps I'm too much of an analyst.

[greatness]

blueskygod said:

I am a secularist! I am against Islamic Fundamentalism and Anglo-Saxon(Catholic) aggressivness. God is the great mass of energy that was needed to create all matter. Therefore we are all part of God. God is not an old handsome dude with a beard. There I said it

I agree, the concept of God being a dude with a beard is the same thing as paganism, but with one deity instead of a pantheon.

And when u factor in the fact that angels and saints can be prayed to as well, that makes it no different from a Pantheon where Zeus is the top "God" figure and the rest can also be prayed to but are domains of different things.

Actually paganism is really more than just random creatures and gods, they each represent certain aspects and forces in human psyche and psychology. But over time they lose their spiritual meaning and become figures.

[blueskygod]

Aight listen. We are all a big clump of existence. We are made up of particles of the same nature(atoms). That indicates a common descent. Therefore everything in the universe must come from a single point of descent. The common point of descent must have come from a single entity. That First Entity was God. There must have been an enormous release of energy in order to create the Universe. That complies with the Big bang theory. Since it is impossible to speculate on how there was that first entity in the very beginning we must assume that this first entity had always existed. If the Big bang or enormous release of energy created the universe, then everything in the universe is simply a part of this Primary Entity I keep mentioning. That is what i believe is God. Therefore every single particle in the universe is GOD, if everything is descended from one single primary source.

This theory of mine shows that I believe that something created the universe and i call that something GOD. however i cannot accept the idea that there is a GOD in the way the majority of humans portray "him" as. Religion is a device concoted to explain complex intellectual questions to the masses. GOD cannot have any human characterisitcs the way hes portrayed by the great faiths. GOD cannot care about morals since it is not a thinking entity, because it is not a living thing by itwself, unless all the atoms in the universe constitute some kind of brain.

Also, sin is a classification thought up by humans.Look at this example, Why is it sinful for me to sleep with someones. After all I am a living being and I want to pass on my genes, why should it be wrong for me to do something which is natural. All the Great Faiths were devised and evolved from other faiths in order to gain political influence. All religions were no more than modern Cults seeking converts or members am I not right? Religion is helpful in the way that it can keep order in society,but I frown at people who become fanatical. We as human being should have choice and im afraid that religious people somketimes try to tend and enforce their opinions on others, which is what im doing . f*ck YOU USAMA BIN LADEN!

so basically i believe in a god, just not in a god that humans tend to think of. and im tolerant of religion, but not too much of it. Religiion is just a part of a persons culture/etnicituy and a passport to your identity. but dont take it too far. therefore i also think that ultra-religious people are plain stupid if they still believe ardently in something which is primarily composed of metaphorical messages, and blindly ignore the many faults in the reasoning of the religion. also im a genius, 156 on the stanford binet. so im right

[uknowyouloveme83]

Well Blue, I'm not disagreeing with you. But all that seems a little far fetched and crazy. And that's hard for me to say seeing as I'm extremely open-minded and have some out there ideas as well.

You would be a horrible speaker. Because first rule is do not make your audience feel inferior. And that's what you did. There is a fine line between insanity and genius, and you flirt with it.

IQ has nothing to do with this matter and I could care less if you think you have authority to tell me what is right. Sounds to me like you were trying to convince yourself rather than convince me by telling me that.

However, you did make some good points but I tend to lead toward the evolution idea.

[greatness]

LOL

I gotta agree ur a little incoherent for a 156! I guess verbal just isn't ur area, a visual spatial maybe?

[uknowyouloveme83]

Hahaha... that was good.

[blueskygod]

LOOOOL im a great speaker. i usually simplify what im going to say in order to explain to the audience, who are usually composed of dimwits. im not calling u a dimwit. and im a wanker not insane. you're right i doubt alot of things when it comes to religion. and i have to come clean. i believe that there very well may be a guy sitting in the clouds looking like Jesus but its unlikely.

and i also believe in evolution and my "common descent" theory can cater for the evolution idea. and i would say something of a sexist nature in response to ur sudden anger explosion and show of jealousy at my giftedness, but id be no worse than the gaybashers in the Dodona Forums. Also i love women so something of a sexist nature would contradict my lovge for women. Damn. I'm paranoid right now. I smoked 5 zoots today.

[blueskygod]

Yea I scored better in the Visual and Spatial sections. My verbal scores dropped me down coz im excellent at pattern recognition and reason. English isnt my first language tho

[blueskygod]

156 is nothing compared to Kasparov's 190. It's about as worthless on the world level, as Manchester City is compared to Milan. however it makes me 1 in about 3000 people. hahaha.