Thalia Posted September 5, 2013 Report Share Posted September 5, 2013 (edited) Obliged. This is the way most religious people should see things. Evolutionists will argue that since the universe is theoretically infinite, an infinite number of circumstances may happen at any given place. This is entirely possible, but I think there is too much out there, unexplained, for there not to be a driving hand. Now, how beneficial and human-loving this hand is, is where most of religion lies. Trust me, if there was something - an instance of God speaking to me - I would love to throw myself wholeheartedly into religion. Unfortunately, no such event has occurred to me; and I also question everything. Faith is not my strong point, but I respect you and Kika for having it. FB, what you have is cool, too, but don't try to argue with a religious person. They have their own beliefs, you have your own. Neither is provable or disprovable, it's simply a matter of our own individuality giving us either the ability to be strong enough to have faith, or the ability to be strong enough to QUESTION faith. One of my teachers has suggested that faith/being religious is genetic. Not faith in a specific religion but in general. I don't know that much about genetics so I have no clue whether that's true or not. I wouldn't say questioning what you believe is a bad thing. Sometimes, what you find in the end just makes your faith stronger. Having faith doesn't mean you don't question it and never have/will. You may not come to the same conclusion that I did but at least you're thinking. If you never questioned or thought about your beliefs at some point, I'd be a little concerned. . . Edited September 5, 2013 by Thalia Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kestrelknight Posted September 8, 2013 Report Share Posted September 8, 2013 Mais, bien sur, how can you have true convictions if they are simply what you've believed since you were a child? Or something that someone else has forced upon you? I sort of went on some "religious adventuring" not so long ago. I was pretty much just questioning what I'd been brought up with. I didn't go into Buddhism or Islam or any of that stuff. Probably the one other belief system that I thought could have been right was a variation of Pantheism. Unfortunately, Science told me that this could not be so, and I was left with the Christian God. My faith is still shaky, and I don't really have as strong a personal relationship with Christ as I'd like to have, but I've found something I can genuinely believe in. I may randomly speak in French. Just warning you. Call it practice. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BMAD Posted September 9, 2013 Report Share Posted September 9, 2013 My christian friends: Do you believe that sentient alien life exists? If you do, do you believe they have souls? If you do, do you believe Christ died for their sins or is he only a human sacrifice? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thalia Posted September 9, 2013 Report Share Posted September 9, 2013 Kestrel, any relationship takes time. No one goes from meeting their boyfriend/girlfriend to having a strong relationship over night. As for the French, thank God for Google translate. BMAD, I tend to lean towards believing there is no sentient alien life. Wouldn't say that I'm completely sure of that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
phaze Posted September 9, 2013 Report Share Posted September 9, 2013 My christian friends: Do you believe that sentient alien life exists? If you do, do you believe they have souls? If you do, do you believe Christ died for their sins or is he only a human sacrifice? I too would lean towards the possible non existence of sentient alien life. As it is hard to differentiate between the notions of sentience and possessing a soul I have ignored your second question. However I'd like to point out that if we believe sin was introduced into this universe by humans (via Adam) then surely it has been fully dealt with by a human sacrifice (Romans 5:17-18) What this mean is if there is alien life that mankinds sin has affected then Christ died for them. If however they have fallen into sin of their own accord (a distinct possibility) then it depends entirely on if there has been already an arrangement made between them and the Almighty. It may be difficult for us to recognise this arrangement. If they have fallen into their own sin and no arrangement has been made the record of how God has dealt with mankind would be instructive. It could be that God has purposed them to cross our paths so that we may explain Gods grace. What this means is that the message of Christs death and resurrection would be relevant to any aliens understanding of the nature of the designer and creator of the universe. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BMAD Posted September 10, 2013 Report Share Posted September 10, 2013 Thank you Thalia and Phaze. I find your answers fascinating. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kestrelknight Posted September 11, 2013 Report Share Posted September 11, 2013 (edited) Kestrel, any relationship takes time. No one goes from meeting their boyfriend/girlfriend to having a strong relationship over night. Je sais... I just miss having a stronger relationship. EDIT: Just switching languages. Edited September 11, 2013 by kestrelknight Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kikacat123 Posted November 9, 2013 Report Share Posted November 9, 2013 I have a question for all you atheists and agnostics out there: Why do you believe what you believe? I'd just like to know. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OmegaScales Posted November 10, 2013 Report Share Posted November 10, 2013 A lot of the time, how someone is raised will lead them to believe or disbelieve. Science has proven this. However, science is not 100% accurate. This is perhaps due to divine (or otherwise) powers. Some people are born good, and stay good even through experiences that would normally corrupt people. Some are born evil... does that make sense to you? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BMAD Posted November 10, 2013 Report Share Posted November 10, 2013 I love it when Christians ask a question on "why do you have faith?" I believe in my heart and mind (but mostly my mind) that I am right. I have faith in my perceptions and beliefs. I trust the reality as I perceive it and mediate my actions appropriately... just like any Christian. Though, I guess being deist this question may not have been meant for me... sorry Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kikacat123 Posted November 12, 2013 Report Share Posted November 12, 2013 I love it when Christians ask a question on "why do you have faith?" I believe in my heart and mind (but mostly my mind) that I am right. I have faith in my perceptions and beliefs. I trust the reality as I perceive it and mediate my actions appropriately... just like any Christian. Though, I guess being deist this question may not have been meant for me... sorry That's okay. Thank you anyway.A lot of the time, how someone is raised will lead them to believe or disbelieve. Science has proven this. However, science is not 100% accurate. This is perhaps due to divine (or otherwise) powers. Some people are born good, and stay good even through experiences that would normally corrupt people. Some are born evil... does that make sense to you? I don't agree with that, but I can see how someone might think that. Do you know of any particular reason why atheists don't think God exists? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OmegaScales Posted November 13, 2013 Report Share Posted November 13, 2013 I'm sure there are plenty, but here are a few I have heard: Science can [or will eventually] answer any question. If there were a god, the world wouldn't be so messed up. "I just don't." -Several atheists. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flamebirde Posted December 11, 2013 Report Share Posted December 11, 2013 (edited) Frankly, I believe that there may or may not be a God because I have seen no reason to believe otherwise. I go to a Catholic school, will go to another Catholic school, and have a very devout piano teacher with whom I visit every week. Even with all of these influences, I still don't know whether a God exists or not. In fact, how do you know how your God is the right one? Almost all religions say something along the lines of "You need to believe in this religion or you will go to hell" or something of that sort. If I believed in your God, what happens if Zeus or some other god/goddess/mix thereof actually exists? EDIT: spelling. Edited December 11, 2013 by flamebirde Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kikacat123 Posted December 14, 2013 Report Share Posted December 14, 2013 Well, most Christians believe that since the one true God exists, there is no need to worry about going to hell because there are no other gods. As to which god or God to believe in, I took a look at all the major religions (Judaism, Buddhism, Islam, Hinduism, Pantheism, Christianity) and examined their basis for faith. Christianity was the only one that had both evidence for it, and all the others had holes in them or were missing enough support. If it does turn out that some obscure little cult god is the true one, then I (and many others) would be enormously surprised. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aaryan Posted December 15, 2013 Report Share Posted December 15, 2013 Well, most Christians believe that since the one true God exists, there is no need to worry about going to hell because there are no other gods. As to which god or God to believe in, I took a look at all the major religions (Judaism, Buddhism, Islam, Hinduism, Pantheism, Christianity) and examined their basis for faith. Christianity was the only one that had both evidence for it, and all the others had holes in them or were missing enough support. If it does turn out that some obscure little cult god is the true one, then I (and many others) would be enormously surprised. Christianity has evidence and no holes in it and the others do? Wha...? All religions have their problems... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kikacat123 Posted December 16, 2013 Report Share Posted December 16, 2013 What are the problems with Christianity? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BMAD Posted December 17, 2013 Report Share Posted December 17, 2013 Here are a few http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Criticism_of_Christianity Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kikacat123 Posted December 17, 2013 Report Share Posted December 17, 2013 "A few?" Which ones bother you most? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BMAD Posted February 25, 2014 Report Share Posted February 25, 2014 If you ask me if there exists another world [after death], if I thought that there exists another world, would I declare that to you? I don't think so. I don't think in that way. I don't think otherwise. I don't think not. I don't think not not. If you asked me if there isn't another world... both is and isn't... neither is nor isn't... if there are beings who transmigrate... if there aren't... both are and aren't... neither are nor aren't... if the Tathagata exists after death... doesn't... both... neither exists nor exists after death, would I declare that to you? I don't think so. I don't think in that way. I don't think otherwise. I don't think not. I don't think not not. --I do not recall this famous quote's author unfortunately. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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