Mexican_Hippie
TGT Addict
I'm in DFW too. I have a great church for you too.
PM me and I'll get you directions, LOL
Help me understand being religious
- Thread starter Ny700
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I'm in DFW too. I have a great church for you too.
PM me and I'll get you directions, LOL
Hey man I may take you up on that. Look I've spent many a day sitting in a house of worship with friends or family. I enjoy the architecture the art sometimes the music and often times the people. 35 years in I just haven't enjoyed a religion. Never know tomorrow could be the day it all comes together. I am open to new things
Heck on Fridays my coworkers an I go and find interesting food. Last week I ate squid. Like whole squid not deep fried or cut up just squid. Guess what it was wonderful there is always a time and place for everything
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Bud, I'd suggest you start working your way through the Bible. If you really seek understand, seek truth, then God won't deny you.
From the desk of a literate squirrel named Leonard.
mikeofcontex
Active Member
Religion is a word that has so many meanings as to almost be meaningless. In American culture, it was a positive term meaning living a good life for a long time. It's used derogatorily as in "all hat and no cattle." In it's purest sense, it has nothing to do with Judaism or Christianity. Again, that was not so for a very long time in America as we were a "Judeo-Christian" nation... that was the dominant view of things.
If one wants to burn down to a short summary of Christianity, we have two great commands: Love God with all your heart, mind, soul, and strength. Love your neighbor as yourself.
As we live this life, we are told to "always be ready to give an account of the hope that is in you." We are also told that we are created for good works which were set before us that we should walk in them.
I don't think these depart much from how the Jews/Hebrews/etc. (my lack of knowledge of how to technically address them) see things.
John the Baptist came preaching REPENT, the kingdom of God is at hand. It was the message to the Jews in preparation for the coming of the Messiah. (and this is where we still see a departure with the Jews). The story of the Messiah (Christ) is that He was conceived in a virgin by the Holy Spirit, lived a remarkable life without sin, was crucified unto death, buried, resurrected, and ascended into heaven. He was surely/completely man AND surely/completely God. His finished work paid the debt that each man owes for sin; death. If and only if a man will put his faith and trust in this finished work will he become a child of the King and a joint heir with Jesus.
This new man with a changed heart will trust in faith and live a life attempting to model Jesus because of the first great command.
You can put "stuff" on it, but that is the essence of Christianity. Most folk today consider the "stuff" to be religion and a person living the stuff, religious.
If one wants to burn down to a short summary of Christianity, we have two great commands: Love God with all your heart, mind, soul, and strength. Love your neighbor as yourself.
As we live this life, we are told to "always be ready to give an account of the hope that is in you." We are also told that we are created for good works which were set before us that we should walk in them.
I don't think these depart much from how the Jews/Hebrews/etc. (my lack of knowledge of how to technically address them) see things.
John the Baptist came preaching REPENT, the kingdom of God is at hand. It was the message to the Jews in preparation for the coming of the Messiah. (and this is where we still see a departure with the Jews). The story of the Messiah (Christ) is that He was conceived in a virgin by the Holy Spirit, lived a remarkable life without sin, was crucified unto death, buried, resurrected, and ascended into heaven. He was surely/completely man AND surely/completely God. His finished work paid the debt that each man owes for sin; death. If and only if a man will put his faith and trust in this finished work will he become a child of the King and a joint heir with Jesus.
This new man with a changed heart will trust in faith and live a life attempting to model Jesus because of the first great command.
You can put "stuff" on it, but that is the essence of Christianity. Most folk today consider the "stuff" to be religion and a person living the stuff, religious.
breakingcontact
TGT Addict
Well said Mike.
Quran is a shorter read, he should start there. I'm kidding, before anyone jumps me.
Just read through 25 pages of this stuff.
I'm someone who left the Catholic Church and has been drifting in the agnostic/deist gray area for a 13+ years but now married to a super religious person.
Ultimately Ny700 you will never believe in a religion if you sit down and try to "prove" a religion to be perfect before you choose to believe it you will never believe in any of them. They all have flaws, there are always holes, no matter how much kicking and screaming the adherents do when they are questioned on them. Being of a religion means having faith in that your beliefs are true. Having faith isn't a requirement if its provable to be true, faith by definition is belief without proof.
At this point in my life I just figure I'm a decent person because I'd like people to be decent to me. If I'm wrong in not choosing a religion or prophet then hopefully what ever is out there sees me to be a decent person and can get over my skepticism. Frankly at this point if a god is that petulant I'd just as soon not want to be in it's presence.
The most wide spread on religion on earth is Christianity. 66% of the earth, 4.62 billion people, are not followers of Christ. That means worst (or best) case scenario 66% of the earth is going to hell, assuming 100% of the people claiming to be Christians get a golden ticket. This goes to 88% if the Muslims have it right, and pretty much the whole world is screwed if the Jews are right.
Ultimately the best thing to do is just be nice to people and let them believe what they want they want to believe. We'll all know soon enough who's right and who's wrong. Best case scenario a diety has pity on you for being decent but not following the "right" path, worst case the world has fewer self righteous assholes in it even if we do burn for not believing anyways.
Kinda late to this thread, but here goes..
I was raised into catholic religion, around my teenage years I started questioning religion. I ask myself why is there so many different religions, if there was 1 god, then why is there many? I lived like that up until I got a new job, and started to speak to some of my co-workers.
Two of them mainly, Matt and Joe, I caught myself asking about God, and they would always tell me parts of the bible and how it relates to what's going on around. Joe asked me to go to his church(a non-denominational), I haven't gone (yet), because I want to go out and buy a bible to have and take.
Speaking with Matt, I explained to him I don't want to be lost(if that makes sense). With stuff going around me it makes me think it's not worth pursuing. One day I went to work, and I asked Matt to pray for me(with a problem I have at home I didn' know what to do). So he asked me right now or later? I answered later, and he just said no let's just do it right now. So he got my hand(like a handshake) and started praying. Within a few words I started to tear up, and I felt like a big weight off my shoulder in a way.
I know religion is about faith, and I don't knock on someone's belief. I catch myself at times holding the cross I have on my cars rear view mirror, when I think about issues in my life. My aunt gave me that rosary to protect me when I got my first car, and so I have kept it since.
I guess I fell off religion when my baby sister past away. I don't even know what I wrote makes any sense at all...
I was raised into catholic religion, around my teenage years I started questioning religion. I ask myself why is there so many different religions, if there was 1 god, then why is there many? I lived like that up until I got a new job, and started to speak to some of my co-workers.
Two of them mainly, Matt and Joe, I caught myself asking about God, and they would always tell me parts of the bible and how it relates to what's going on around. Joe asked me to go to his church(a non-denominational), I haven't gone (yet), because I want to go out and buy a bible to have and take.
Speaking with Matt, I explained to him I don't want to be lost(if that makes sense). With stuff going around me it makes me think it's not worth pursuing. One day I went to work, and I asked Matt to pray for me(with a problem I have at home I didn' know what to do). So he asked me right now or later? I answered later, and he just said no let's just do it right now. So he got my hand(like a handshake) and started praying. Within a few words I started to tear up, and I felt like a big weight off my shoulder in a way.
I know religion is about faith, and I don't knock on someone's belief. I catch myself at times holding the cross I have on my cars rear view mirror, when I think about issues in my life. My aunt gave me that rosary to protect me when I got my first car, and so I have kept it since.
I guess I fell off religion when my baby sister past away. I don't even know what I wrote makes any sense at all...
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