I'm thinking of giving up being religious

Originally posted by bbarr
And the best solution was to prevent whole groups of people from understanding each other and scattering them across the globe? Your God sounds like a petty tyrant.

The lesser of evils.

Originally posted by daniel58
The lesser of evils.

In what way?

Originally posted by bbarr
In what way?

God knows ask Him.

Originally posted by generalissimo
[b] If Christians want to convert people, they should do so by example alone. They should live their lives so as to inspire people to want to emulate them

I agree with you on that.[/b]

Me too. Cant be stressed enough.

Originally posted by bbarr
And the best solution was to prevent whole groups of people from understanding each other and scattering them across the globe? Your God sounds like a petty tyrant.

As I was saying ealier!
anyone can say they are religious....anyone can claim to teach religion.
just because someone teaches religion doesnt mean he obeys the word of god.
Read your bible and gain some knowledge....only one who makes himeslf to be enemy would call the creator of Heaven and Earth and all we see a tyrant.

So we have Millions of people on this planet, all with their own little opinions, all claiming that their opinion is the right one, and they will argue the point that their opinion is right....and on earth we also have christians who simply accepted the truth and who all believe the same thing, the christians belief in god doesnt differ like the opinionated, christians dont argue about what they believe god wants because then the opinion would be interferring with our faith, Believing in god isnt about a difference of opinion.

If opinions were correct then all the opinionated peoples opinions would never differ from one another and we would never have disagreements or a difference of opinion....because our opinions would always be right.

but guess what....neither religion nor your opinions or anyone elses run the universe.

Just accept that God does run the universe and the rest doesnt matter.

You will never know the truth until you stop disputing it and start seeking it.

Originally posted by daniel58
God knows ask Him.

I am asking you, not God. But if you don't know, then a simple "I don't know" is the proper answer. If, as you say, God provides us with language to help each other, then you would expect him not to punish us by preventing us from speaking the same language and thereby being unable to help each other. But, of course, you have no idea about any of this because it is an article of faith on your part that if God did X, then there must be a good reason for X.

Originally posted by barstudd
As I was saying ealier!
anyone can say they are religious....anyone can claim to teach religion.
just because someone teaches religion doesnt mean he obeys the word of god.
Read your bible and gain some knowledge....only one who makes himeslf to be enemy would call the creator of Heaven and Earth and all we see a tyrant.

So we have Millions of peopl ...[text shortened]... oesnt matter.

You will never know the truth until you stop disputing it and start seeking it.

If something is really true, then shouldn't it be able to withstand dispute?

If we don't think critically about belief systems, then what stops us from adopting a bad one?

Isn't is just being gullible to accept stuff without really thinking about it?

Originally posted by barstudd
As I was saying ealier!
anyone can say they are religious....anyone can claim to teach religion.
just because someone teaches religion doesnt mean he obeys the word of god.
Read your bible and gain some knowledge....only one who makes himeslf to be enemy would call the creator of Heaven and Earth and all we see a tyrant.

So we have Millions of peopl ...[text shortened]... oesnt matter.

You will never know the truth until you stop disputing it and start seeking it.

The problem is that I can't accept things as true without having sufficient evidence. I guess that's just the way God made me.

Originally posted by bbarr
The problem is that I can't accept things as true without having sufficient evidence. I guess that's just the way God made me.

We all have to seek the truth to find it,
You want someone to open the door then knock on it first, if it doesnt open keep knocking until it does, Because You know someone lives there because of what you do see, The evidence is everywhere but its creator is hidden from your view....You see the earth and everything on it dont you?
the same as you dont see the other person who writes on this message board, all you do see is the message board.....so your not going to believe because you didnt actually see that person write it, but you wouldnt have known it was here without seeking it first..If you go to the right place, look in the right direction then you will find what it is that you are looking for.

Create an account with god the same as you would a bank account, if you dont go there and open the account first then the bank is not going to do it for you, so without the account the bank have no where to deposit your cheque, or cant give you money if you request a withdrawal...

I guess that's just the way God made me thats a start, but the I can't accept things as true without having sufficient evidence is because you havent yet done any seeking, you my friend have made no effort, so you dont have faith....I can point it out to you but only you can make the appropriate steps to accepting it.

God Is No tyrant, he is a loving god and he made the kingdom of heaven possible to us all when he sent jesus to us to save us from our sins.
Evidence is everywhere but you still can't see it because your opinions are still in the way, move them aside as only you can....

have a good day and god bless

Originally posted by barstudd
We all have to seek the truth to find it,
You want someone to open the door then knock on it first, if it doesnt open keep knocking until it does, Because You know someone lives there because of what you do see, The evidence is everywhere but its creator is hidden from your view....You see the earth and everything on it dont you?
the same as you dont se ...[text shortened]... ns are still in the way, move them aside as only you can....

have a good day and god bless

My sincere search for the truth has lead me to philosophy and meditation. Neither form of inquiry has given me any reason to think believe God exists. In fact, both of these forms of inquiry have given me reason to think that theistic belief is intellectually impoverished at best, and perniciously childish at worst. I do, however, appreciate your concern. I fervently hope that one day you will seek the truth with both your heart and mind; with empathy for those from different traditions and with sustained intellectual rigor, so that you can free yourself of myth and superstition.

Originally posted by bbarr
My sincere search for the truth has lead me to philosophy and meditation. Neither form of inquiry has given me any reason to think believe God exists. In fact, both of these forms of inquiry have given me reason to think that theistic belief is intellectually impoverished at best, and perniciously childish at worst. I do, however, appreciate your concern. I ...[text shortened]... s and with sustained intellectual rigor, so that you can free yourself of myth and superstition.

"The Truth shall set you free"

Originally posted by daniel58
"The Truth shall set you free"

You're like the Spirituality Forum's very own fortune cookie.

Originally posted by SwissGambit
If something is really true, then shouldn't it be able to withstand dispute?

If we don't think critically about belief systems, then what stops us from adopting a bad one?

Isn't is just being gullible to accept stuff without really thinking about it?

If we don't think critically about belief systems, then what stops us from adopting a bad one? Thinking critically is a bad one.

Isn't is just being gullible to accept stuff without really thinking about it?how many different ways would you like to think about it, millions of different opinions, but only gods way is the right way.

Originally posted by barstudd
As I was saying ealier!
anyone can say they are religious....anyone can claim to teach religion.
just because someone teaches religion doesnt mean he obeys the word of god.
Read your bible and gain some knowledge....only one who makes himeslf to be enemy would call the creator of Heaven and Earth and all we see a tyrant.

So we have Millions of peopl ...[text shortened]... oesnt matter.

You will never know the truth until you stop disputing it and start seeking it.

"...and on earth we also have christians who simply accepted the truth and who all believe the same thing, the christians belief in god doesnt differ like the opinionated, christians dont argue about what they believe god wants because then the opinion would be interferring with our faith, Believing in god isnt about a difference of opinion.

I hope you realize that actually Christians don't "believe the same thing" as evidenced by the multitude of denominations. Christians do "argue about what they believe god wants" even within the various denominations.

You don't really believe this, do you?

Originally posted by ThinkOfOne
[b]"...and on earth we also have christians who simply accepted the truth and who all believe the same thing, the christians belief in god doesnt differ like the opinionated, christians dont argue about what they believe god wants because then the opinion would be interferring with our faith, Believing in god isnt about a difference of opinion.

I ...[text shortened]... wants" even within the various denominations.

You don't really believe this, do you?[/b]

are you a christian