Let's have a nice, long discussion about religion

topic. If you were raised following a certain religion, do you still agree with it or just follow it to make your parents happy?

if you chose to follow a different religion, which one did you choose and why?

if you are atheist, why did you choose to go that way?

I personally am agnostic. I just believe something bigger than all of us must exist out there. Also I figure no super-religious/atheists can really get on you for being agnostic. It's kind of the neutral position.

'Let's have a nice, long discussion about religion'

My prayers were heard.

if you are atheist, why did you choose to go that way?

fluffy_kins

Makes the most sense to me. The more I learn about dogmas, the more I want to distance myself from them.

[QUOTE="fluffy_kins"]

if you are atheist, why did you choose to go that way?

dracula_16

Makes the most sense to me. The more I learn about dogmas, the more I want to distance myself from them.

[QUOTE="super_mario_128"][QUOTE="Lto_thaG"]Let's have a nice, long discussion about religion' My prayers were heard.Lto_thaG

yeah the 'nice' part was kind of included to set the tone. keep it clean. ....ish. :)

[QUOTE="Lto_thaG"][QUOTE="super_mario_128"] 'Nice' is impossible, and 'long' goes without saying in regards to these threads... fluffy_kins

yeah the 'nice' part was kind of included to set the tone. keep it clean. ....ish. :)

If you were raised following a certain religion, do you still agree with it or just follow it to make your parents happy?fluffy_kins

If you chose to follow a different religion, which one did you choose and why?fluffy_kins

[QUOTE="dracula_16"][QUOTE="fluffy_kins"]

if you are atheist, why did you choose to go that way?

Tiefster

Makes the most sense to me. The more I learn about dogmas, the more I want to distance myself from them.

I guess you were saying that I should respect people more, or something like that. I don't think so-- faith is not deserving of special treatment. I respect someone's faith in the same way I respect someone's willingness to poke themselves in the eye.

[QUOTE="fluffy_kins"]

[QUOTE="Lto_thaG"] So true :(Lto_thaG

yeah the 'nice' part was kind of included to set the tone. keep it clean. ....ish. :)

Lol, that was a message to everyone. Im just quote-happy. See, I even quoted your last message. quote quote quote

topic. If you were raised following a certain religion, do you still agree with it or just follow it to make your parents happy?

if you chose to follow a different religion, which one did you choose and why?

if you are atheist, why did you choose to go that way?

I personally am agnostic. I just believe something bigger than all of us must exist out there. Also I figure no super-religious/atheists can really get on you for being agnostic. It's kind of the neutral position.

fluffy_kins

I was raised in a Christian family and taught in a private Christian school for the majority of my life. However, I strayed from my former beliefs and now lack any sort of religious beliefs overall.

I was always interested in science throughout life and, after learning more about the fundamental elements of science, I applied critical thinking to every area of my life. I soon began to question my own religious beliefs after learning about other explanations of the origins of life and the universe that seemed more plausible than faith alone.

I'm an atheist simply because I began to view religion as irrational. Do I hate religion or religious people? Absolutely not. What puts me off, however, is when people assume they know the "ultimate truth" in life and forcefully assert such opinions on the lives of others around them, it being through government, education, etc.

[QUOTE="fluffy_kins"]If you were raised following a certain religion, do you still agree with it or just follow it to make your parents happy?nirvana563

If you chose to follow a different religion, which one did you choose and why?fluffy_kins

I've noticed that people who don't follow religion have a void in their life; they are unhappy, cynical and mockingly blasphemous.vlin1108

I choose to be a Christian because God's word is the only way. I've noticed that people who don't follow religion have a void in their life; they are unhappy, cynical and mockingly blasphemous. Seeing such sadness only strengthens my faith in God, but I fear for those lost souls that call themselves atheists/agnostics.vlin1108

Why couldn't the universe just always have existed?gobo212

[QUOTE="gobo212"]Why couldn't the universe just always have existed?super_mario_128

I've noticed that people who don't follow religion have a void in their life; they are unhappy, cynical and mockingly blasphemous. Seeing such sadness only strengthens my faith in God, but I fear for those lost souls that call themselves atheists/agnostics.vlin1108

[QUOTE="vlin1108"]I've noticed that people who don't follow religion have a void in their life; they are unhappy, cynical and mockingly blasphemous.super_mario_128

How is mocking religion good?

I choose to be a Christian because God's word is the only way. I've noticed that people who don't follow religion have a void in their life; they are unhappy, cynical and mockingly blasphemous. Seeing such sadness only strengthens my faith in God, but I fear for those lost souls that call themselves atheists/agnostics.vlin1108

I do not believe in any religion, but I'm also a very positive and mentally-stable individual. I reside in a small-yet-cozy home in the United States, live under the guidance of my caring parents and am currently deep in love with a beauitful woman I am proud to call my girlfriend--this is something not everybody can boast about across the world, whether they believe in a specific religion or not. I am thankful every day for the wonderful life I've been given, and I'm much happier now than I ever was when I was younger (and religious at the time).

[QUOTE="super_mario_128"][QUOTE="gobo212"]Why couldn't the universe just always have existed?gobo212

Religion throughout history has been used as an excuse for genocide, torture, murder, and oppression, I have little interest in aligning myself with such awful principals, and am therefore athiest.Andrew_Xavier

Religion isn't at fault here, though--humans yearning for power are.

[QUOTE="vlin1108"]I choose to be a Christian because God's word is the only way. I've noticed that people who don't follow religion have a void in their life; they are unhappy, cynical and mockingly blasphemous. Seeing such sadness only strengthens my faith in God, but I fear for those lost souls that call themselves atheists/agnostics.Tiefster

No, I am referring specifically to people who don't follow a religion. It is unfortunate, however, that you may only enter Purgatory even if you are virtuous, since if you were not led astray you could live a complete life and enjoy the afterlife without getting judged in Purgatory. Are you certain that one life is not enough to get judged?

Religion throughout history has been used as an excuse for genocide, torture, murder, and oppression, I have little interest in aligning myself with such awful principals, and am therefore athiest.Andrew_Xavier

[QUOTE="super_mario_128"][QUOTE="vlin1108"]I've noticed that people who don't follow religion have a void in their life; they are unhappy, cynical and mockingly blasphemous.vlin1108

i do believe in god but i think its wrong to judge people who are not church goers. i dont go to church but i do believe religion is the definition to are extinction.

alot of believers say one man spread a sea but me personaly i believe that god may be extraterestrial. when you hear the word heaven you think of space maybe hell is us as humans at total war leading to our demise. its been recorded that many people are prophets are we gona say nostrodamus is god because he had visions? and the bible has no author to indicate who created it. maybe the bible is a map for us to realise what can happen and who is watching us

[QUOTE="vlin1108"]I've noticed that people who don't follow religion have a void in their life; they are unhappy, cynical and mockingly blasphemous. Seeing such sadness only strengthens my faith in God, but I fear for those lost souls that call themselves atheists/agnostics.Rocky32189

I remember a quote saying that "atheists are like a closed door" or something along those lines, in the sense that you cannot reason with them when it comes to religious subjects. A religious person has no reason to fear eternal damnation; the sin of not believing in God is the greatest that a man can do, but there is still time. I will leave it at that.

[QUOTE="vlin1108"]

[QUOTE="super_mario_128"] Unhappiness isn't caused by a lack of belief in God. Cynicism is a bad thing? :o 'Mockingly blasphemous' - wait, how is this 'bad' for atheists/agnostics? :?super_mario_128

I frown upon anyone's decision to force someone to join their faith by instilling fear into their hearts; it's barbaric.

[QUOTE="vlin1108"]I choose to be a Christian because God's word is the only way. I've noticed that people who don't follow religion have a void in their life; they are unhappy, cynical and mockingly blasphemous. Seeing such sadness only strengthens my faith in God, but I fear for those lost souls that call themselves atheists/agnostics.-Jiggles-

I do not believe in any religion, but I'm also a very positive and mentally-stable individual. I reside in a small-yet-cozy home in the United States, live under the guidance of my caring parents and am currently deep in love with a beauitful woman I am proud to call my girlfriend--this is something not everybody can boast about across the world, whether they believe in a specific religion or not. I am thankful every day for the wonderful life I've been given, and I'm much happier now than I ever was when I was younger (and religious at the time).

Don't you perhaps feel as if something is lacking in your life? I will leave you to your decision in the hope that time will change your perspective; when growing old (or older) people start thinking more deeply about things, about an afterlife.

[QUOTE="Andrew_Xavier"]Religion throughout history has been used as an excuse for genocide, torture, murder, and oppression, I have little interest in aligning myself with such awful principals, and am therefore athiest.nirvana563

[QUOTE="super_mario_128"][QUOTE="vlin1108"] How is mocking religion good?vlin1108

[QUOTE="-Jiggles-"]

[QUOTE="vlin1108"]I choose to be a Christian because God's word is the only way. I've noticed that people who don't follow religion have a void in their life; they are unhappy, cynical and mockingly blasphemous. Seeing such sadness only strengthens my faith in God, but I fear for those lost souls that call themselves atheists/agnostics.vlin1108

I do not believe in any religion, but I'm also a very positive and mentally-stable individual. I reside in a small-yet-cozy home in the United States, live under the guidance of my caring parents and am currently deep in love with a beauitful woman I am proud to call my girlfriend--this is something not everybody can boast about across the world, whether they believe in a specific religion or not. I am thankful every day for the wonderful life I've been given, and I'm much happier now than I ever was when I was younger (and religious at the time).

Don't you perhaps feel as if something is lacking in your life? I will leave you to your decision in the hope that time will change your perspective; when growing old (or older) people start thinking more deeply about things, about an afterlife.

[QUOTE="vlin1108"][QUOTE="super_mario_128"] It isn't, you weren't specific enough. Now tell me: how is scaring people into joining your faith righteous? super_mario_128

I'ver never known any religious person in this day threatening someone to believe in God; a fair warning to those who are not Christians I find acceptable however. If they don't believe in God, then they don't believe in Hell - thus they have nothing to fear.

[QUOTE="vlin1108"][QUOTE="-Jiggles-"]

I do not believe in any religion, but I'm also a very positive and mentally-stable individual. I reside in a small-yet-cozy home in the United States, live under the guidance of my caring parents and am currently deep in love with a beauitful woman I am proud to call my girlfriend--this is something not everybody can boast about across the world, whether they believe in a specific religion or not. I am thankful every day for the wonderful life I've been given, and I'm much happier now than I ever was when I was younger (and religious at the time).

Tazzmission187

Don't you perhaps feel as if something is lacking in your life? I will leave you to your decision in the hope that time will change your perspective; when growing old (or older) people start thinking more deeply about things, about an afterlife.

There is. How can you know that there isn't? Can you die and come back to life to tell us that there isn't an afterlife?

I'ver never known any religious person in this day threatening someone to believe in God; a fair warning to those who are not Christians I find acceptable however. If they don't believe in God, then they don't believe in Hell - thus they have nothing to fear.vlin1108

[QUOTE="Rocky32189"][QUOTE="vlin1108"]I've noticed that people who don't follow religion have a void in their life; they are unhappy, cynical and mockingly blasphemous. Seeing such sadness only strengthens my faith in God, but I fear for those lost souls that call themselves atheists/agnostics.vlin1108

A religious person has no reason to fear eternal damnation.

I have a question for you: I assume you believe that god is a reasonable being and he gave us the right to make our own decisions based on factual evidence. Why would he torture us for eternity simply for using the reasoning that he gave us? Why does he teach that a good atheist goes to hell but a bad Christian goes to heaven (if they repent)?

[QUOTE="vlin1108"]I'ver never known any religious person in this day threatening someone to believe in God; a fair warning to those who are not Christians I find acceptable however. If they don't believe in God, then they don't believe in Hell - thus they have nothing to fear.super_mario_128

It's a warning, not a threath. Every Christian knows that he can't judge whether a person may join God or not.

[QUOTE="Tazzmission187"][QUOTE="vlin1108"]

Don't you perhaps feel as if something is lacking in your life? I will leave you to your decision in the hope that time will change your perspective; when growing old (or older) people start thinking more deeply about things, about an afterlife.

vlin1108

There is. How can you know that there isn't? Can you die and come back to life to tell us that there isn't an afterlife?

ever here the phrase when a person dies a new life begins? maybe just maybe reincarnation wich can be anything. for instance if i was to die today what if i got reincarnated into a animal? who knows maybe if just if a afterlife exists it could be a parrelel dimension. to me its odd that the first (what we know of) creatures on this planet were dinosaurs then all of a sudden there gone and here we are. the thing about life in my mind is theres always a higher speacies above us. what i do find sad is that religios believers beleive one person seperated a seas but does not believe in extraterestrial life. now keep in mind these are just theroys. i do believe in my heart we are decendits of aliens

Translation: let's create a topic that's going to turn into a flame war. For the record, I am an agnostic.chessmaster1989

notice I said let's have a NICE discussion. Don't blame the TC for the content of other peoples' posts.

[QUOTE="vlin1108"]

[QUOTE="Rocky32189"] Please don't make assumptions. I was much more happy after I "broke free" from religion. It meant that I no longer had to believe concepts with blind faith in fear of eternal damnation. It was a huge weight off my shoulders.Rocky32189

A religious person has no reason to fear eternal damnation.

I don't believe anything. A belief implies that you don't know if something is true or not. I know that God is real on the other hand. I have faith that whatever God decides to do is just and good, however.

God gave you all these gifts hoping that you, out of your own free will shall decide to follow him.

There are no "bad Christians" - only bad people who may consider themselves to be Christians.