Questions from a non-religious person

I'm not a religious person, I've never read any religious book, but I'm here to share my thoughts.

There are a few questions that keep me from looking deeper into any religion.

How does one even choose a religion in the first place? It seems to me that it is mostly dictated by geological factors. e.g if you're born in Israel, you're probably Jewish, if Saudi Arabia probably Muslim, if India probably Hindi and if North America you're probably Christian. Every race seems to have it's own religion or more.

Additionally most religions believe that their belief will grant them a pleasant afterlife and non-believers will be tortured for all eternity. It's like some kind of divine supremacy. One person believes a book written 2000 years ago and lives a virtuous life. Another person believes a different book and also leads a virtuous life. Only one of those people might get an after life, how is that fair or just?

For me there's no one religion that stands out, I would think if there was a one true religion it would be distinguishable from others. Yet many religions have hundreds of millions of followers. No matter which way you slice it 75-99% of the world is wrong.

It is my current understanding that all religions are man made. It is obvious that religions can be man made, they can't all be right. They were made to give peoples lives a glimmer of hope and to ease the fear of dying. People created religion only to feel superior and to have a license to kill. A tool used by kings of ancient civilizations to enslave their people.

Even the concept of an all powerful omnipotent creator raises many questions all on it's own. If one knows everything and also creates everything, then how does free will exist? Without free will how does good or evil exist? Without good or evil, why do some go to heaven and others don't. Doesn't both good and evil people both walk the line their creator set out for them, doing exactly what their creator expected them to do/created them to do.

Thoughts?

Originally posted by KnightStalker47
I'm not a religious person, I've never read any religious book, but I'm here to share my thoughts.

There are a few questions that keep me from looking deeper into any religion.

How does one even choose a religion in the first place? It seems to me that it is mostly dictated by geological factors. e.g if you're born in Israel, you're probably J ...[text shortened]... for them, doing exactly what their creator expected them to do/created them to do.

Thoughts?

I agree that all religions are man-made. However, most all of them are based on some truth. I believe the main truth is that there is a Creator that is responsible for creating the universe and life on Earth. I believe the Holy Bible is the true history of the Creators interaction with mankind and what is wanted from us. The conflict between the main religions of the world is in what writings by men that should be included as inspired of the Creator and their interpretation. I believe some form of Christianity is closest to the truth because of my personal studies.

Originally posted by RJHinds
I agree that all religions are man-made. However, most all of them are based on some truth. I believe the main truth is that there is a Creator that is responsible for creating the universe and life on Earth. I believe the Holy Bible is the true history of the Creators interaction with mankind and what is wanted from us. The conflict between the main rel ...[text shortened]... on. I believe some form of Christianity is closest to the truth because of my personal studies.

Rec'd. Posts like this are much more effective for your 'ministry' here than the ones where you are trying to make people "hate" you so as to "draw hate away from Jesus", as you have admitted in the past!

Originally posted by KnightStalker47
I'm not a religious person, I've never read any religious book, but I'm here to share my thoughts.

There are a few questions that keep me from looking deeper into any religion.

How does one even choose a religion in the first place? It seems to me that it is mostly dictated by geological factors. e.g if you're born in Israel, you're probably J ...[text shortened]... for them, doing exactly what their creator expected them to do/created them to do.

Thoughts?

What makes you think that free will DOES in fact exist...

And what makes you think good and evil exist... or are dependent on the existence of free will?

Originally posted by googlefudge
What makes you think that free will DOES in fact exist...

And what makes you think good and evil exist... or are dependent on the existence of free will?

I never claimed to think free will exists, I was just stating that if there was an omnipotent creator then it's impossible for free will to exist.

Again, I'm not claiming that good or evil exist, but for a religious person they would have to in order for there to be a heaven or hell.

Without free will, good or evil cannot exist, because you are merely doing what you were made to do/expected to do by your creator. Without choice a person cannot be good or evil.

Originally posted by KnightStalker47
Without choice a person cannot be good or evil.

Sure you can. You just aren't accountable for it.

Originally posted by KnightStalker47
I'm not a religious person, I've never read any religious book, but I'm here to share my thoughts.

There are a few questions that keep me from looking deeper into any religion.

How does one even choose a religion in the first place? It seems to me that it is mostly dictated by geological factors. e.g if you're born in Israel, you're probably J ...[text shortened]... for them, doing exactly what their creator expected them to do/created them to do.

Thoughts?

Nice post, but I think you may have mean "geographic" reasons rather than "geologic" reasons.

Originally posted by KnightStalker47
I'm not a religious person, I've never read any religious book, but I'm here to share my thoughts.

There are a few questions that keep me from looking deeper into any religion.

How does one even choose a religion in the first place? It seems to me that it is mostly dictated by geological factors. e.g if you're born in Israel, you're probably J ...[text shortened]... for them, doing exactly what their creator expected them to do/created them to do.

Thoughts?

On the other hand, even if all religions are there to give people a "glimmer of hope and ease the fear of dying", what's the problem with that?

Originally posted by KnightStalker47
I'm not a religious person, I've never read any religious book, but I'm here to share my thoughts.

There are a few questions that keep me from looking deeper into any religion.

How does one even choose a religion in the first place? It seems to me that it is mostly dictated by geological factors. e.g if you're born in Israel, you're probably J ...[text shortened]... for them, doing exactly what their creator expected them to do/created them to do.

Thoughts?

"Without good or evil, why do some go to heaven and others don't. Doesn't both good and evil people both walk the line their creator set out for them, doing exactly what their creator expected them to do/created them to do.

Thoughts?" - KnightStalker47

Welcome to this online public forum, KS. Though you may not have "read any religious book..." your site chess rating does suggest you've read and assimilated a number of books dealing with chess strategy and tactics as a serious student of the game. Your profile discloses your age which indicates that you're decades younger than many contributors to this spirituality forum. I vividly remember my own engrossing visits to the Boylston Chess Club in Boston and earnest search for absolute spiritual truth when I was the age you are now. Further to your post, I too was totally intolerant of fictitious fluff.

Questions: What is the intellectual frame of reference for your questions and which if any on topic books have you read?

Originally posted by Grampy Bobby
"Without good or evil, why do some go to heaven and others don't. Doesn't both good and evil people both walk the line their creator set out for them, doing exactly what their creator expected them to do/created them to do.

Thoughts?" - KnightStalker47

Welcome to this online public forum, KS. Though you may not have "read any religious book..." y ...[text shortened]... ntellectual frame of reference for your questions and which if any on topic books have you read?

"which if any on topic books have you read?"

As I said in my original post I have not read any books on the subject.

"Further to your post, I too was totally intolerant of fictitious fluff."

So what changed GB? How did you choose one?

Originally posted by KnightStalker47
I'm not a religious person, I've never read any religious book, but I'm here to share my thoughts.

There are a few questions that keep me from looking deeper into any religion.

How does one even choose a religion in the first place? It seems to me that it is mostly dictated by geological factors. e.g if you're born in Israel, you're probably J ...[text shortened]... for them, doing exactly what their creator expected them to do/created them to do.

Thoughts?

I can save you 10 or 20 years of wandering around guessing.

The reason God is not real to you is because of your sins.
The reason ... God is not real to you .... IS BECAUSE OF YOUR SINS.

He does not want you to promise to change yourself. He wants you to agree with Him and receive Jesus as the provision to remove the guilt.

Your sins have made a separation between you and God.

I am sorry that it is not something more intriguing, more intellectually stimulating. But it is nonetheless the truth.

It is your sins, your sins that have caused an insulation cutting the enjoyment of God OFF from you. It is the actual guilt of your actual sinning that has made God not real so that you have no fellowship with Him.

Go into the privacy of your room and agree with God. Confess that you realize now that it is your sins which have cut off the avenue between Himself and your enjoyment of His presence.

And THEN ... call on the Lord Jesus Christ by name believing that Christ is the provision to remove the barrier of the obstacle of your sins. Then coming to Jesus for redemption there will be no problem with your enjoyment of communion with the presence of God.

It is nothing else that is the problem separating you from the experience of God in a vital and living way. It is your sins.

"No, the Lord's hand is not so short that it cannot save; Nor is His ear so heavy that it cannot hear.

But your iniquities have become a separation between you and your God, and your sins have hidden His face from you so that He does not hear." (Isaiah 59:1,2)

"If we say that we do not have sin, we are deceiving ourselves, and the truth is not in us.

If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness. " (1 John 1:8,9)

You do not have to beg. You simply confess and ask Jesus Christ to remove the obstacle of your sins which cut off the flow of the Spirit of God into your innermost being. He is eager, willing, wanting to come into you tonight.

The Father is like running to meet the prodigal son who comes to himself and comes home to the Father.

Originally posted by KnightStalker47
I'm not a religious person, I've never read any religious book, but I'm here to share my thoughts.

There are a few questions that keep me from looking deeper into any religion.

How does one even choose a religion in the first place? It seems to me that it is mostly dictated by geological factors. e.g if you're born in Israel, you're probably J ...[text shortened]... for them, doing exactly what their creator expected them to do/created them to do.

Thoughts?

My brother walks in your shoes. He once told me after studing a multitude of religions, that Jesus said it best. "Love your neighbor as yourself"

Originally posted by KnightStalker47
"which if any on topic books have you read?"

As I said in my original post I have not read any books on the subject.

"Further to your post, I too was totally intolerant of fictitious fluff."

So what changed GB? How did you choose one?

Originally posted by KnightStalker47
"I'm not a religious person, I've never read any religious book, but I'm here to share my thoughts."

> “It seems to me that it is mostly dictated by geological factors…”

> “Additionally most religions believe that their belief will grant them a pleasant afterlife and non-believers will be tortured for all eternity."

> "It's like some kind of divine supremacy."

> "One person believes a book written 2000 years ago and lives a virtuous life. Another person believes a different book and also leads a virtuous life. Only one of those people might get an after life, how is that fair or just?”

> “For me there's no one religion that stands out, I would think if there was a one true religion it would be distinguishable from others…”.

> "It is my current understanding that all religions are man made."

> "It is obvious that religions can be man made, they can't all be right."

> "They were made to give peoples lives a glimmer of hope and to ease the fear of dying."

> "People created religion only to feel superior and to have a license to kill. A tool used by kings of ancient civilizations to enslave their people.”

> "Even the concept of an all powerful omnipotent creator raises many questions all on it's own. If one knows everything and also creates everything, then how does free will exist?”

KS, these verbatim excerpts from your original post seem to indicate a considerable awareness of the topic issues. Since you haven't "read any books on the subject.", this came as a surprise. Purpose in asking was simply to understand your frame of reference. While I do welcome this opportunity to give you accurate information (along with several relevant personal references) I have no desire to waste your time by presenting accurate information you may have already rejected.

Later on Friday afternoon I'll go directly to these ten initial observations and conclusions with summary answers which we can then further develop in whichever direction your new questions lead us to go. I trust that you appreciate the objectivity and collegial tone of John Locke's "We arrive at the truth through the honest disagreement among friends". Regards, Bob

Originally posted by KnightStalker47
I'm not a religious person, I've never read any religious book, but I'm here to share my thoughts.

There are a few questions that keep me from looking deeper into any religion.

How does one even choose a religion in the first place? It seems to me that it is mostly dictated by geological factors. e.g if you're born in Israel, you're probably J ...[text shortened]... for them, doing exactly what their creator expected them to do/created them to do.

Thoughts?

Personally, I'd start asking God for clues to show you. After all, it isn't the
opinion of man that really matters as much as God Himself. As a Christian
I'd point you to Jesus Christ, and ask God in His name to show you what
you need to know. The rest will work itself out since God is alive and well
and does indeed answer those that call upon Him honestly.
Kelly

KS does bring up a great point...why is the choice of God you worship so dependent on where you were born?..... why are there isolated tribes that have not ever heard of christianity?..... luck of the draw?