To Stop Us From Hijacking The Other Thread...

[SplshMtnLvr28]

What is your opinion on other religions?
They are intriguing... Very fake looking to me, and (I mean no offense), frightening in that I can see Satan's hand plainly in many of them.

Wow...

I'm speechless.

 

[Dragonlord11_7]

I didn't mean that literally - I don't see the literal hand of Satan.. doing things in the actions/peoples of other religions. I mean... eh, it's hard to explain...
The Bible outlines ways to distinguish false teachers (/false prophets, false religions, etc) from the truth. So, using that/those... 'tests', I can see where religions, individuals, groups, etc, go wrong.
Does that explain it a little better? I am not entirely sure I understand your question in the first place.

Let me try and clarify. I didn't mean literally that Satan's hand was lying in the middle of the church. I meant did you mean that their rituals/ceremonies deal with something false or fake?

I'd love to get my hands on a copy of the bible, pre king james translation. Supposedly there are a lot of discrepancies that King James messed up translating. (red sea v. reed sea) I think it would be interesting to see the change from pre-translation to translation.

Same here. It fascinates me that some parts of the Bible the translators could have twisted into their needs. Also, there are lots of different Gospels and books out there that weren't admitted into the canon of the Bible.

 

[Mara]

Let me try and clarify. I didn't mean literally that Satan's hand was lying in the middle of the church. I meant did you mean that their rituals/ceremonies deal with something false or fake?

By fake, I meant that, to me, the basis (and I guess the rituals/ceremonies, too, now that you mention it) for many religions looks very empty and contrived.

 

[TheBellhop]

Alrighty... I generally try to avoid discussions on religion, as it almost always dissolves into flame wars. But you guys seem to be discussing things pretty maturely, so I'll give it a whirl...

What do you believe?
That God is the Creator of.. well, life, the universe, and everything. =) That God is the Trinity - Father God, Jesus the Son, and the Holy Spirit. That every human is inherently born with the nature of/to sin. That the Earth is young. That Jesus was born a man, lived a sinless life, and literally died with the sins of the world (past, present, and future). That Jesus, having been dead and in Hell for three days, rose to life again, and ascended into Heaven (after appearing again as flesh several times). That Satan is real, bitter, and trying to keep as many people from God as possible (his time is limited). That our days are truely limited. That Jesus will return (rapture). That the world will end in fire. That God's children will live on the new Earth (or rather, the renewed Earth) for a thousand years - in that time, Jesus will reign from the New Jerusalem, and we will be fulfilled (like as in, anything left unfinished when the end comes will be finished. In my case, that may entail working with horses; for a woman who longed during her lifetime for love, she would likely find it there)... That angels and demons are real...

Why?
It's hard to explain. I know that is all truth for several different reasons - the testimonies of friends and family, historical fact matching up with biblical fact, testimonies of notable persons, and of my own conviction.

Have you ever thought about changing your faith?
No. Unless you mean in the context of improving one's faith and assurance. In that, I would say yes.

Have you ever changed your faith?
No.

What is your opinion on other religions?
They are intriguing... Very fake looking to me, and (I mean no offense), frightening in that I can see Satan's hand plainly in many of them.

Would you marry someone of a different religion?
Well, I am not supposed to. Not allowed to be "unequally yoked". That rule/command does make sense... Nonetheless, I do not, honestly, deep inside, feel it is inherently wrong it marry someone of a different religion.
Then again, I am just not interested in marriage at all. So my feelings on that subject are rather vague.

Ritual? You want to talk about empty rituals? Look no further than the modern-day Christian church. You think half of those people want to be there? People are sitting, praying in church and they don't even know why. They think that because they sit in the pews that immediately they are going to have their place in heaven. They think that if they say the Hail Mary and the Our Father repeatedly, that they will be washed clean of sin and ready for heaven. THIS is fake, empty, shallow. If they eat of the body of Christ, man, save a spot for them up there!

The problem I have with mass ritual and faith is that people don't understand WHY they are doing it. Many people's faiths are so shallow and empty because of this. You need to dig into your faith, question what you are told, and try to find God by yourself. Only then, by finding Him yourself, only then can you feel whole. This is why I will not call myself a Christian, I do not follow any typical religion. Christianity to me, it's got excellent ideals. The 10 Commandments, the Beatitudes, etc.; those are solid values. But do people care about these at all anymore? "Love your neighbor as yourself"? What happened to this?

No, I am not saying that every person who attends church is a hypocrite. Not at all, because I know many fantastic people who attend our church. But most people never FOLLOW the message! Do most people who exit those big doors of church remember the sermon halfway through the week? Do they even care anymore? This is the biggest problem with organized religion with me. Some can say they follow a certain religion, others can label themselves to their religion, but it's all so hypocritical! You must find in yourself what brings you closer to that higher power, and THEN can you participate in religion. For then, the rituals aren't empty anymore.

For you to judge people based on their religion, what they were brought up on, is hypocritical. For you to say that they are fake, and that Satan is present in them is just plain wrong. That would be like somebody from a different religion, let's say Islam, preaching to you that they find your rituals satanistic and untrue. It's not anyone's right to judge.

 

[MyHappyEnding_]

Ritual? You want to talk about empty rituals? Look no further than the modern-day Christian church. You think half of those people want to be there? People are sitting, praying in church and they don't even know why. They think that because they sit in the pews that immediately they are going to have their place in heaven. They think that if they say the Hail Mary and the Our Father repeatedly, that they will be washed clean of sin and ready for heaven. THIS is fake, empty, shallow. If they eat of the body of Christ, man, save a spot for them up there!

The problem I have with mass ritual and faith is that people don't understand WHY they are doing it. Many people's faiths are so shallow and empty because of this. You need to dig into your faith, question what you are told, and try to find God by yourself. Only then, by finding Him yourself, only then can you feel whole. This is why I will not call myself a Christian, I do not follow any typical religion. Christianity to me, it's got excellent ideals. The 10 Commandments, the Beatitudes, etc.; those are solid values. But do people care about these at all anymore? "Love your neighbor as yourself"? What happened to this?

No, I am not saying that every person who attends church is a hypocrite. Not at all, because I know many fantastic people who attend our church. But most people never FOLLOW the message! Do most people who exit those big doors of church remember the sermon halfway through the week? Do they even care anymore? This is the biggest problem with organized religion with me. Some can say they follow a certain religion, others can label themselves to their religion, but it's all so hypocritical! You must find in yourself what brings you closer to that higher power, and THEN can you participate in religion. For then, the rituals aren't empty anymore.

For you to judge people based on their religion, what they were brought up on, is hypocritical. For you to say that they are fake, and that Satan is present in them is just plain wrong. That would be like somebody from a different religion, let's say Islam, preaching to you that they find your rituals satanistic and untrue. It's not anyone's right to judge.

Hallelujah!

 

[IrishTink]

i am catholic and will never never never change my religeon.

 

[minniesBFF]

Im a christian. actually Im a baptist.
I wouldnt change my religion right now. If I got married to someone who was jewish or something, I might change it, but probably not.
My opinions on other religions, I respect them. some of them might have the wrong ideas, but everyone has a right to believe what they want, so I dont complain.

 

[Babyjustrun]

Ritual? You want to talk about empty rituals? Look no further than the modern-day Christian church. You think half of those people want to be there? People are sitting, praying in church and they don't even know why. They think that because they sit in the pews that immediately they are going to have their place in heaven. They think that if they say the Hail Mary and the Our Father repeatedly, that they will be washed clean of sin and ready for heaven. THIS is fake, empty, shallow. If they eat of the body of Christ, man, save a spot for them up there!

The problem I have with mass ritual and faith is that people don't understand WHY they are doing it. Many people's faiths are so shallow and empty because of this. You need to dig into your faith, question what you are told, and try to find God by yourself. Only then, by finding Him yourself, only then can you feel whole. This is why I will not call myself a Christian, I do not follow any typical religion. Christianity to me, it's got excellent ideals. The 10 Commandments, the Beatitudes, etc.; those are solid values. But do people care about these at all anymore? "Love your neighbor as yourself"? What happened to this?

No, I am not saying that every person who attends church is a hypocrite. Not at all, because I know many fantastic people who attend our church. But most people never FOLLOW the message! Do most people who exit those big doors of church remember the sermon halfway through the week? Do they even care anymore? This is the biggest problem with organized religion with me. Some can say they follow a certain religion, others can label themselves to their religion, but it's all so hypocritical! You must find in yourself what brings you closer to that higher power, and THEN can you participate in religion. For then, the rituals aren't empty anymore.

For you to judge people based on their religion, what they were brought up on, is hypocritical. For you to say that they are fake, and that Satan is present in them is just plain wrong. That would be like somebody from a different religion, let's say Islam, preaching to you that they find your rituals satanistic and untrue. It's not anyone's right to judge.

Church is a club.
It's a bunch of old ladies who gather, sit in the pews and then drink coffee and gossip about church ministers.
Like you said, they don't really follow their religion. Their mothers told them that going to church is a must. Heaven forbid they miss church. I see old ladies in wheel chairs with something like an iv poked into them, practically on death row, going to church because they just couldn't miss it.

 

[Dragonlord11_7]

Ritual? You want to talk about empty rituals? Look no further than the modern-day Christian church. You think half of those people want to be there? People are sitting, praying in church and they don't even know why. They think that because they sit in the pews that immediately they are going to have their place in heaven. They think that if they say the Hail Mary and the Our Father repeatedly, that they will be washed clean of sin and ready for heaven. THIS is fake, empty, shallow. If they eat of the body of Christ, man, save a spot for them up there!

The problem I have with mass ritual and faith is that people don't understand WHY they are doing it. Many people's faiths are so shallow and empty because of this. You need to dig into your faith, question what you are told, and try to find God by yourself. Only then, by finding Him yourself, only then can you feel whole. This is why I will not call myself a Christian, I do not follow any typical religion. Christianity to me, it's got excellent ideals. The 10 Commandments, the Beatitudes, etc.; those are solid values. But do people care about these at all anymore? "Love your neighbor as yourself"? What happened to this?

No, I am not saying that every person who attends church is a hypocrite. Not at all, because I know many fantastic people who attend our church. But most people never FOLLOW the message! Do most people who exit those big doors of church remember the sermon halfway through the week? Do they even care anymore? This is the biggest problem with organized religion with me. Some can say they follow a certain religion, others can label themselves to their religion, but it's all so hypocritical! You must find in yourself what brings you closer to that higher power, and THEN can you participate in religion. For then, the rituals aren't empty anymore.

For you to judge people based on their religion, what they were brought up on, is hypocritical. For you to say that they are fake, and that Satan is present in them is just plain wrong. That would be like somebody from a different religion, let's say Islam, preaching to you that they find your rituals satanistic and untrue. It's not anyone's right to judge.

Yes, exactly, would anyone care to list the 10 Commandments in order off the top of their heads? Reconciliation, the concept is great. You tell the priest your sins, and he tries to forgive you. BUT, I doubt anyone does those service penances. Could you explain why devout "helpers of the poor" ignore a poor homeless person who's looking for a bit of money? Or, did you contribute enough money for the week? "Hey, sorry homeless guy, but I've donated (insert amount here) to the Church. Expect relief soon." I'm not saying all Christians are hypocritical. I know some really faithful people, and I admire their devotion. Especially since they're not as old as some of us here. Most of my grade calls going to mass on Tuesday an ordeal. Why? Has Church lost (or did it even have) its appeal, its importance to your daily life?

Truly hypocritical people call themselves Christians and seek the Lord only in times of "need". Why does it seem that Christians fall upon the Lord for help during times of hardship? Why can't you keep the enthusiasm in prayer that you had when so and so was sick or dying? Couldn't you confer with God your happy times of the day? How about thanking him for another day lived? People never realize the importance of life until their life is over. Then what happens? Does God send angels with a chariot to lead you into heaven? Or should you be unfortunate and be sent to purgatory or hell?

I think questioning your religion builds upon your faith. Because you then get a chance to experience it for yourself, without somebody thrusting it at you and saying "This is the truth. Believe it and you're going to heaven." People are afraid to question their faith, why is that? I'm sorry if that seemed completely focused at degrading Christianity or anybody.

 

[HSMndLKfan92]

Reconciliation, the concept is great. You tell the priest your sins, and he tries to forgive you.

I don't like the concept of reconciliation. A man I barely know does not need to know my mistakes.

 

[Dragonlord11_7]

I don't like the concept of reconciliation. A man I barely know does not need to know my mistakes.

I like the idea that you can be forgiven. Not the telling the priest. But they have their ethics :|

 

[HSMndLKfan92]

I like the idea that you can be forgiven. Not the telling the priest. But they have their ethics :|

Last time I went for penance, I was so nervous, I could barely breathe. The priest was like, "calm down." I'm like, "I can't."

 

[Captain Brain]

Church is a club.
It's a bunch of old ladies who gather, sit in the pews and then drink coffee and gossip about church ministers.
Like you said, they don't really follow their religion. Their mothers told them that going to church is a must. Heaven forbid they miss church. I see old ladies in wheel chairs with something like an iv poked into them, practically on death row, going to church because they just couldn't miss it.

So now I'm an old lady? *gasp*

 

[GirlWithSpunk]

Hmmm, Does anybody pray to the Virgin Mary?

[Just to change things up a bit]

 

[Captain Brain]

Yes, exactly, would anyone care to list the 10 Commandments in order off the top of their heads?

The Ten Commandments:

Thou Shalt not have any gods before me
Thou shalt not covet
Thou shalt not kill
Thou shalt not steal
Thou shall keep the Sabbath day holy *Gets out Bible* Ok I can do five with out looking..
Thou shall not commit adultery
Thou shalt not give false testimony
Thou shalt not misuse the name of the Lord (Ex: Oh My God!)
Honor thy father and thy mother
Thou shalt not worship false idols.

 

[Babyjustrun]

So now I'm an old lady? *gasp*

ahah no.
just generally, most people who go to church are ladies who grew up in a time where church was important, and skirts shouldn't go past the knees.
my church is all old people, the only kids that show up go to sunday school. I refuse to do that. I'll sit through the sermon thanks.

 

[GirlWithSpunk]

I've only been inside a church twice and never want to go back in.

 

[Captain Brain]

I actually like church. The preacher preaches on a level that I can understand, and he doesn't talk in King James. (Thou, Thy, Shall) I go to the early church service and this is our schedule of events:

8:00: Get there, announcements
8:05 - 8:15: Singing.
8:15 - 9:00: Sermon
Then we go to the back and have breakfast, then at 9:30 we go to Sunday School. When Sunday School ends, I go home.

 

[Babyjustrun]

I actually like church. The preacher preaches on a level that I can understand, and he doesn't talk in King James. (Thou, Thy, Shall) I go to the early church service and this is our schedule of events:

8:00: Get there, announcements
8:05 - 8:15: Singing.
8:15 - 9:00: Sermon
Then we go to the back and have breakfast, then at 9:30 we go to Sunday School. When Sunday School ends, I go home.

That is really early to go to church.
If I do go to church, I don't go until like 11. and then when it's over, I'm forced to stay because my mother has a comitment with UCW.

 

[GirlWithSpunk]

I dont go to church. I go to my temple, room, meeting, whatever I dont know how to say it in Enlgish. [Spanish=salon]

Anyways, its Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday from 7:00-9:00 or 10:00. Most of us stay there talking and catching up about things; I dont go alot anymore...I feel bad.