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I like how everybody has the answers.
Please don't compare science and religion - they are anathema to one another.
The scientific method is about observable phenomena, whereas religion is about the exact opposite - faith, belief without observation. That is why I have a problem with Bible literalism - there are a million observable phenomena which prove that the world is not as the Bible contends it is (ie. 6000 years old, the Great Flood, etc).
Also, Bible literalism is tending towards fundamentalism - it leaves no room for reasonable human judgement because the Bible must then be interpreted as a literal text rather than the moral guide that it is.
Have your faith, whatever it may be, but to tell me as a scientists that the Bible is literal and not a metaphorical, religious and philosophical text insults my intelligence.
I like how everybody has the answers.
Why should it matter? Karma is a Buddhist/Toaist concept, so that would make it heathen, right?
There are people all over the world helping these people, spreading their word. You're choosing to see things through a jaded eye.
8 Missionary Groups in Ethiopia
Hudson English Missionary-English Missions in China
Missionary Work in Iraq (from Time)
Global UMC Missions
Global Ministries in Afganistan
Global Missions UMC Sudan
I couldn't find one for Iran, my bad.
And as far as praising God in different languages and countries, I just dare you to look at every single one of those links throughly and in depth and get back to me. If you really understood Christianity you would understand that believing isn't just a happy time thing, it's a sad time thing. When you're in a tough position, as these people are, they give it up to God, they know they are supposed to be there for a reason, if they understand things correctly. (As I see it). They use their experiences for the good, not for the bad. Being Christian isn't about fearing and being selective. God doesn't love or hate based on where you live. Just because you have less food or less whatever doesn't mean you don't have as much faith as I do. One starving child in Africa has as much love of Jesus, even this crazy Emo Jesus, as I do. No one is more or less than in a Christian community.
And while I'm at this point, it would be fair to make the comparison with what I do on a daily basis. These children come from a community of 97% poverty. Would you call that a selective community or environment? Some of my kids have two, count them, two t-shirts and one pair of pants. There's nothing I can do about it because I work at a non-profit and am in 48,000 of debt because of school. These kids are also "at-risk". Some of them come in big clusters and some are even abused, neglected, and mentally challenged. What I do, as a Christian is show them unconditional love, the same type of love God and his son would show them. How can you argue with that?
So, explain to me how there aren't any parallels, please. I'd like to hear your opinion.
Why should Christians push their beliefs on others? They make it seem like their way is the only way. That's bull .
Riddle me this - why are the Christians the right ones? Well before Christianity there was Buddhism, Hinduism, Toaism, the Greek and Roman pantheons - why does Christianity usurp all of those belief systems? Why is Christianity the RIGHT one? Because you believe it, that's why, no other reason.
Religion is a very clever way of controlling human behaviour. People need something to live for, so give them something they can neither prove nor disprove then tell the way they behave will affect their afterlife. Surprise, surprise, most people are scared less by that idea and will do whatever they are told, whether it be go on a Holy war, hunt down witches or give up 10% of their income.
As I have said time and again, I have no objection to anyone else having faith, but I don't, I'd rather rely on my reason. And if God/the Gods, whatever faith they may belong to, want to send me to " " for being true to my own conscience, then what sort of Deities are they??? Vengeful, petty ones I say, if they'd rather I sacrifice my integrity and lie that i believe something I don't.
Answer that, roc5.
I wasn't pushing ideas (as I see it, maybe others were). I was trying to understand his. If I can see his point of view I will let it be.
Christians have killed more people throughout History than all the empires combined . . . or very close to it.
There is so much blood running through Christian hands.
And, now that they have it good they want to get all righteous.
Whatever.
Last I heard, SpursTalk isn't a church.
So, take your propaganda to someone who gives a .
Notice also that roc5 completely ignored my post about the load of crap that is "intelligent design" (proven to be a sham and in no way scientific in a court of law), and the mul udes of evidence that prove that the earth is billions of years old.
I bet his answer would be "God put that there to test your faith". So, God gave us minds to inquire, the tools to test our inquiry, then set down a natural world which is clearly billions of years old (all you need to know that is geology, although you can add the fossil record, phylogenetics and astronomy if you want more evidence) to trick us, to see who would still have faith even when their reason contradicted it. Does that make sense to anyone
Not at all.
I will not disagree with the bloodshed, but look at all the blood the other religions have shed as well. They're all pretty bloody. The key to any religion is ministry and outreach. That sometimes is done through war. So, even if you're talking about present day causalities, or ancient causalities it's a part of religion, which, RNR mentioned is needed because people need something to help explain the world, whether it is the truth, the way, or the purpose. It'll always be there. Or if there is another higher being that isn't Christian. There's something there a lot of people think of.
And what the do you call the fighting in Israel right now? Seriously? Answer that.
This is the first time in a really, really, really long time religion came up, and you were the one that started the thread so next time you want to bring it up, think before you click "Post New Thread."
You are a sinner young lady!!
Ain't that the truth. Since AD, Christians have been the most bloodthirsty mofos on the planet. Read about the Crusades some time:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crusades
And just around the corner we have the holy war to end them all, the Final Crusade, the Christian vs Muslim conflict to end all conflicts... all over which book is the right book, which God the right God. WTF??? Who cares? Live and let live, each to his/her own I say. But you watch, WW III will start over a religious issue and that will be the end of the world (one dirty bomb in a US city and who doesn't think Iran would be on the end of more than a few ICBMs?).
The world is in deep , and fundamentalism on both sides is pushing us deeper...
Take your quattro talk outta here!
why argue about the existence of god? all the dialogue ever amounts to is a giant mountain of air.
one thing i find interesting is that if God created man in his image than he must have a mirror somewhere.
I wasn't arguing about the existence of God, I was arguing about Bible literalism, but no-one ever seems to read my posts, so meh...
Sorry about the misinterpretations.But, as for anything written, we're human..not "God-like" (if can say that in this thread) in that it's this way and only this way. Some Christians will say that, and I don't agree. I choose to interpret the Bible in one way and I know a lot of people that interpret it the same way I do. We come together to read it. If you believe in it another way that's fine. There's no right or wrong, in my opinion. Others will argue differently.
That wasn't aimed at you Ashbeigh, it was for Ronaldo and aimed at roc5 who ignored every one of my posts.Sorry about the misinterpretations.
I have argued that there is a wrong way to read the Bible, and that is to interpret it literally, and I stand by that. The planet/Universe is simply not six thousand years old, and Noah did not load all the animals on the Ark. The Bible is a bunch of parables and metaphors, and to interpret it literally is FUNDAMENTALIST (Muslim Fundamentalists interpret the Koran literally), DANGEROUS (literal reading leaves no room for interpretation), and UTTERLY MORONIC (given the abundant evidence to contradict a literal interpretation).
I hope the Bible and your faith brings you and your friends peace and hope, because the world needs more of both, but it needs less blind literalism (ie. fundamentalism).
You know, this is the greatest mystery of all. Why are we here and how did we originate? Whis is our purpose? Is is as simplistic as a measly ant, to perform our duties until we expire, or is it for some higher purpose? This is a question that pops into my head from time to time, usually when there is a lull in activity and the brain returns back to the question that I wish I had figured out but see no way of doing so. Man, this one gets me in one of those mind blowing moments every time. I can see how religion reduced to it's fundamental core, to the ideal, can be very enlightening and true, but at the same time I see religion used as a tool by the empowered to manipulate the actions and beliefs of the masses. My mind tells me that if people like Bush, Bin Laden, Swaggert, etc. can and willingly use religion to manipulate then it's a definite given that many, many others have done the same throughout time and spanning all of civilization. It seems overwhelmingly obvious that every modern religion in it's current form is man-made and manipulated to the point of irrelevancy by self righteous men over the thousands of years they've been around. If there was any truth to them, anything divine in nature, it has been lost almost completely due to this manipulation. Is anything just? Are there truly consequences for actions outside of our man-made and man imposed consequences? Maybe there isn't and this world is a complete dog-eat-dog world where the cunning and manipulative reap the most rewards.
I don't know.
I started a thread on GOD, you know the troll.
We've been talking to each other for a while.
And, it's been fun.
You whacko Christians started with your bull .
Now, I'm just calling you out on your bull .
Typical fundamentalist Christian . . . all Jews are evil.
, how can you live with yourself thinking that only Christians will gain salvation??
You have a ed up God.
By the way, why would you love god so much when he endowed you with a ed up lazy eye??
I have argued that there is a wrong way to read the Bible, and that is to interpret it literally, and I stand by that. The planet/Universe is simply not six thousand years old, and Noah did not load all the animals on the Ark. The Bible is a bunch of parables and metaphors, and to interpret it literally is FUNDAMENTALIST (Muslim Fundamentalists interpret the Koran literally), DANGEROUS (literal reading leaves no room for interpretation), and UTTERLY MORONIC (given the abundant evidence to contradict a literal interpretation).
exactly my point earlier.
lovechild, you start a troll thread in the club and this is what you'll get. stop your crying.
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