Religion?

[Tinkerbell94]

I think I've made a decision on my faith
I think God answered alot of my prayers yesterday and I just feel he real
I'm going to small groups an hour early tonight since they encourage people to come early
I'm hoping to speak with the person who runs it and get last bit of info of what I mentioned to her I needed and hopefully then
redo it and let him into my heart without any questions
I want to get her opinon on it before and I feel like since she is the one who convince me there maybe something out there I'm pretty confident I should accept him back in here
Wish me luck

That is WONDERFUL!!!!! I'm am so happy to hear that! You are making a really good choice. Oh and if you have any questions about anything you can PM me.

 

[notokay]

I wasn't raised it (I don't beliebe in being raised in a religious way, but thats going off topic haha). Like all people who follow in the religion it just connects with you I guess is a way to put it (My mind is abit today).

Its the admiration of nature and the cycle of the natural world. Its also a spiritual connection with The Goddess and God, the understanding of duality (think Ying and Yang type thing). Its also the belief of the Rule of Three (whatever energy a person sends out (positive or negative) will return to that person three times) and the Wiccan rede "An it harm none do what ye will".

I can't really explain it well today as my mind is abit all over the place haha.

If I ever had to choose a religion, I'm pretty sure it would be a pagan one, because they're not totally out there with the beliefs and you never hear of pagan religions starting wars.

And just like that, we could be ignoring you and not even giving you well wishes. Yes, I don't like that society has to say "Happy Holidays". Are you going to tell me to ---- off?

... since when does society have to say happy holidays? And I don't know what you really mean by your first sentence but I said that I like it whenever anyone tells me merry christmas... even though I don't celebrate it.

I was telling that one person that I think it's stupid that they're OFFENDED when someone wishes them happy holidays, and that they should be glad they're not being told to f*** off. But if she's so small minded that she is offended by being wished happy holidays, she deserves to be told to f*** off.

 

[notokay]

Good grief that was in the 1700's!!!
And money isn't a Christian's idol. The money goes to the people who need it. You know, poor people who live a life 10x worse than ours?
And times have changed since the Bible was written, so obviously some things have changed. However, most things in the Bible still apply to our life. And if itweren't for the rules of Judism in the old testament, i would say that everything in the Bible applies to Christians.

Then why do churches have pretty stained glass windows? Reclining chairs and a chuck-e-cheese like play area (two baptist churches around me have those)? If churches were really putting their money where it needed to be, they'd have their church in a cheap, ware-house like building that didn't have any extra, unneeded decorations.

 

[life of the party]

This whole "happy holidays" thing has to be a joke, you guys.

I really dont get what your bickering about.

Happy holidays, can in no way be taken as an insult.

Is the person suppost to apologize if they say that & your an atheist?
Take the kind words.


Also, if someone says merry christmas and you dont celebrate christmas its really not a big deal.

 

[tinkerbell12]

I kind of take Katie's side of this. Granted I skimmed through this.

Happy holidays is a greeting.
You can say it whenever. St. Patrick's day could be considered a holiday. You can say it then, too. Not just around this time of year...

I think it's very polite to say Happy Holidays.
Not everyone celebrates Christmas and it's respectful to those who don't to say Happy Holidays.

 

[Captain Brain]

This past argument (which stayed pretty tame, IMO, which is very good)
reminded me of a Dane Cook joke when he tells someone "God bless you" out of habit, and the person scoffs and says "I'm an atheist"
^Doesn't have anything against either religion, but to just accepted well wishes when given, as said before on this thread.
Don't look for the bad in "Happy Holidays" instead, accept it as a strangers or friends blessing on your life during the next month, whatever you celebrate.

ITA.

 

[ephra*m]

im 99% christian protestant and less than 1% agnostic

because i think its human to doubt
but theres gotta be something out there
that made us
so that makes me 1% agnostic

 

[pigletgirl]

Then why do churches have pretty stained glass windows? Reclining chairs and a chuck-e-cheese like play area (two baptist churches around me have those)? If churches were really putting their money where it needed to be, they'd have their church in a cheap, ware-house like building that didn't have any extra, unneeded decorations.

Christian churches aren't the only ones who do this. Look at synogoges and mosks. They are beautiful! Along with the mormon cathedral.

When people tithe, they are giving money to the church, to pay pastors, utilities, ect. It is a blessing if someone gives them a chunk of money. They expect to do something worth while with it. Why not make a place, nice and inviting?

As long as we're all focused on God, why does it truly matter? It isn't like your giving your money to a church.

 

[chisnpeke]

im 99% christian protestant and less than 1% agnostic

because i think its human to doubt
but theres gotta be something out there
that made us
so that makes me 1% agnostic

It's definitely human to doubt, my faith is just much stronger than any doubts.

 

[disneydance]

That is WONDERFUL!!!!! I'm am so happy to hear that! You are making a really good choice. Oh and if you have any questions about anything you can PM me.

I ended up not doing it just yet
I talked to here for about a hour and a half last night and I feel like I need to wait
So in 2 of my classes were learning about 2 other sides to the story
I just wonder if the Jewish side may be right since Jesus was Jewish
I mean he believed it so what about us so shouldnt we be Jewish?
I just dont know it just like lots of the story we have heard our Jewish stories
I'm one step back in making a decision
I'm meeting with the person on Monday after school most likely and hopefully I will have a decision before the Holiday

 

[Axel]

Christian churches aren't the only ones who do this. Look at synogoges and mosks. They are beautiful! Along with the mormon cathedral.

When people tithe, they are giving money to the church, to pay pastors, utilities, ect. It is a blessing if someone gives them a chunk of money. They expect to do something worth while with it. Why not make a place, nice and inviting?

As long as we're all focused on God, why does it truly matter? It isn't like your giving your money to a church.

That's what I sorta disagree with. While, yes I agree that a place of worship should be nice, I don't think it needs to be extravagant like most modern churches, basillicas, synagogues, mosques, etc. I also don't believe that pastors should be paid. Thay have chosen to devote their life to god and thus should have no need for many material possesions. Money should go to utilities, I agree with that, but it should also go to food banks, homeless shelters, and the needy people in the community.

I, personally, hate seeing TV evangelists with rings that would make some celebrity engagement bands seem tiny. I think that is a disgrace to the church.

So if I do ever donate, it's usually to communal nunneries and such. Places where people actually focus on the religon and not the money they could make from it.

 

[notokay]

That's what I sorta disagree with. While, yes I agree that a place of worship should be nice, I don't think it needs to be extravagant like most modern churches, basillicas, synagogues, mosques, etc. I also don't believe that pastors should be paid. Thay have chosen to devote their life to god and thus should have no need for many material possesions. Money should go to utilities, I agree with that, but it should also go to food banks, homeless shelters, and the needy people in the community.
I, personally, hate seeing TV evangelists with rings that would make some celebrity engagement bands seem tiny. I think that is a disgrace to the church.

So if I do ever donate, it's usually to communal nunneries and such. Places where people actually focus on the religon and not the money they could make from it.

Exactly. A pastor at a local church recently died (sucks), but you know how he died? He was flying his own personal plane!!! Why does a pastor have a plane?

 

[chisnpeke]

That's what I sorta disagree with. While, yes I agree that a place of worship should be nice, I don't think it needs to be extravagant like most modern churches, basillicas, synagogues, mosques, etc. I also don't believe that pastors should be paid. Thay have chosen to devote their life to god and thus should have no need for many material possesions. Money should go to utilities, I agree with that, but it should also go to food banks, homeless shelters, and the needy people in the community.

I, personally, hate seeing TV evangelists with rings that would make some celebrity engagement bands seem tiny. I think that is a disgrace to the church.

So if I do ever donate, it's usually to communal nunneries and such. Places where people actually focus on the religon and not the money they could make from it.

This reminded me of my neighbor (he died young of strep attacking his heart) that was a minister. He got kicked out of his church because he stole money from it. Their house was about to be sold yet his good pastor friend leased him a MERCEDES!

That's a real great example of a true Christian right there.

 

[Tinkerbell94]

I ended up not doing it just yet
I talked to here for about a hour and a half last night and I feel like I need to wait
So in 2 of my classes were learning about 2 other sides to the story
I just wonder if the Jewish side may be right since Jesus was Jewish
I mean he believed it so what about us so shouldnt we be Jewish?
I just dont know it just like lots of the story we have heard our Jewish stories
I'm one step back in making a decision
I'm meeting with the person on Monday after school most likely and hopefully I will have a decision before the Holiday

Well, Jesus was King of the Jews but he was that because he beleived that he could help them become Christians, and he did that for soo many people.

 

[KidGoofy]

Well, Jesus was King of the Jews but he was that because he beleived that he could help them become Christians, and he did that for soo many people.

No Jesus had no intention of creating them into Christians because there were no Christians back then. If the Jews would believe he was the Savior Christians wouldn't be here. Christians were formed because Jews believed he was just another phony pretending to be the savior

 

[notokay]

I think it was rather presumptuous for Jesus to be a Christian.

 

[AliceinHalloweentown]

No Jesus had no intention of creating them into Christians because there were no Christians back then. If the Jews would believe he was the Savior Christians wouldn't be here. Christians were formed because Jews believed he was just another phony pretending to be the savior

Yep.. Jewish people don't accept Jesus as the Messiah. They accept him as a great prophet, and mostly acknowledge his existence.
Jesus was a Jew, simple as that, the followers after were still Jews until they realized they believed he was Christ, and not all the others did. It took a while until they considered themselves "Christians".

 

[disneydance]

Yep.. Jewish people don't accept Jesus as the Messiah. They accept him as a great prophet, and mostly acknowledge his existence.
Jesus was a Jew, simple as that, the followers after were still Jews until they realized they believed he was Christ, and not all the others did. It took a while until they considered themselves "Christians".

Thank you for informing me of this now I wont look as stupid on Monday
I feel stupid I'm in this posistion
My moms chewing me out since I quit believing in him
She feels like I'm being dumb and everything else
I want to say Guess what mom your partially the reason I quit believing in him was you
I mean you never gave me a choice for myself you just expected I would be the perfect Christian
I mean I want freedom to believe what I want to thats probally the reason why I quit believing
Because of you have tried to influence my life for so long and it just got old
I guess once I started leaving the shell of my parents my life changed
I just have so many questions since I was thought to be the perfect "christian"
Yes I go to Church but did you ever notice I only went because you forced me to
Ok rant over
Now I want to make this decision for me and not for my parents
I know lots of amazing atheist people I just dont know
There lifes are happy and everything else
Heck when I was younger I used to believe in reincarnation
Before my mom told me off and told me to never say that again
It just seems like she has really forced my decision and now I want to choose for myself
I dont know I'm being weird here
I know this I do believe there is some god out there
I dont believe that he was able to heal people just like that
I dont get how he is everywhere at once
I dont get how he would have time to run the world
I mean so many prayers get happened every second so how would he be able to do that
He hears everyones thoughts at every second seems kinda messed up
I just dont get it all
I know you have to have belief and I've had hard times believing in the simplest of things like Santa Claus(Like 3) at a young age so no suprise here
I mean I just dont get it at all
Everyone in my family is a follower of Christ other than me and its really awkward
I mean they think I am but I'm not
I used to be but not anymore
So yeah I'll stop talking

 

[I Am What I Am]

I'm Christan and proud of it.

This thing about Pastor's not getting paid. Umm....HELLO! That's their JOB. It's no different then a doctor getting paid. And some of them have families to support and bills to pay! It's a full time job just like a 9 to 5 in an office!!

Sorry, if I came on a little strong. I feel strongly about this cause my Papa is a pastor.

 

[disneydance]

I'm Christan and proud of it.

This thing about Pastor's not getting paid. Umm....HELLO! That's their JOB. It's no different then a doctor getting paid. And some of them have families to support and bills to pay! It's a full time job just like a 9 to 5 in an office!!

Sorry, if I came on a little strong. I feel strongly about this cause my Papa is a pastor.

I agree on this
Most of the pastors at my church are married and have children and need at least a little $$ to support them
Yes there doing it for god and all but they still have familys
How would they survive without $$?
Ok just my feeling about it