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Finding a new church or worship center

Subduction Zone

Subduction Zone

Veteran Member
samtonga43 said:
No, I did not refute myself. The reason I did not refute myself is that I don't believe that believing in God is the same as believing in magic.
You do, and I understand why you do, since I have been there.
Click to expand...

So what does your God do? You claim to be a Christian and there are all sorts of tales of magic in the Bible.
 
Riders

Riders

Well-Known Member
samtonga43 said:
Hi Riders
I haven't read the entire thread so I may have missed this, but why do you want to be a member of a church?
Click to expand...

Well, I am not a Christian. But both the liberal Lutherans and United Methodists have told me I am welcome regardless of my religion and they won't try to push me into Christianity. It is ok if I just want to go and visit without joining the church.

I have been to both churches enough that I know they are both so soft-spoken and openly accepting of Gays and Lesbians that I know they are telling the truth.

I would like to have a place where I can serve God, I just believe in one God. Also, I need to be able to get out and socialize. But I agree with them on some things politically so I don't believe I would be using them.

However, I can go to my local Libertarian meetup which meets once a month in my area and I can go to OA meetings. So I may change my mind and not go.

But whether I believe in Jesus or not having a place to go worship God would be nice. I am living on my sister's property and she is Christian. So I can't go to the UU church while I am here.
 
paarsurrey

paarsurrey

Veteran Member
Riders said:
How do you do it, if you move? I am including all religions here but mostly Christian churches because there are more Christian churches than any other religion in America.

I watched the Hillsong special where people said they went there, visiting with a friend who led them to believe they were very liberal because they accepted everyone dressed in any way they want and accepted people who dressed in different ways.

But after they went for a while realized they were a conservative evangelical church with lots of rules after.

I know what church I am going to visit so it's not for me. But since I saw the special on Hillsong, I would like to know if anyone has an opinion on the best way of finding a church that works, that is good, and what are your requirements.

I think knowing who the Pastor is, some of the leadership, and knowing the beliefs is a good start. My sister made a comment on the nondenominational churches being good again, the goody guys.

I disagree. I want to know the tenants, doctrines, beliefs, and teachings of the church first. To me Nondenominational churches can mean anything, just saying you are Christian doesn't mean anything.

If I am happy with my church there is no reason to visit anyone's church anyways. But anyways, so what's your opinion?
Click to expand...
" the tenants, doctrines, beliefs, and teachings of the church first."

Has one tried visiting an Ahmadiyya (peaceful Muslims') Mosque, near you; the tenants, doctrines, beliefs, and teachings of which could be known from the link* given below, please? Right?
Regards
_____________
*Ahmadiyya Muslim Community - Al Islam Online - Official Website
 
paarsurrey

paarsurrey

Veteran Member
paarsurrey said: ↑
" the tenants, doctrines, beliefs, and teachings of the church first."

Has one tried visiting an Ahmadiyya (peaceful Muslims') Mosque, near you; the tenants, doctrines, beliefs, and teachings of which could be known from the link* given below, please? Right?
Regards
_____________
*Ahmadiyya Muslim Community - Al Islam Online - Official Website
Riders said:
No but that's an interesting idea.
Click to expand...
Mirza Ghulam Ahmad 1838-1908 is the Promised Messiah in Second Coming, one gets to know, please. Right?
Regards
 
samtonga43

samtonga43

Well-Known Member
Subduction Zone said:
You did not like or did not understand the answer. That is not my problem. You may not be letting yourself understand the answer; That happens a lot with theists.
Click to expand...

"Because I have the ability to demonstrate the difference" .
is not a rational answer to
"What makes you think that I don't understand the difference between knowledge and belief?"
 
samtonga43

samtonga43

Well-Known Member
Riders said:
Well, I am not a Christian. But both the liberal Lutherans and United Methodists have told me I am welcome regardless of my religion and they won't try to push me into Christianity. It is ok if I just want to go and visit without joining the church.

I have been to both churches enough that I know they are both so soft-spoken and openly accepting of Gays and Lesbians that I know they are telling the truth.

I would like to have a place where I can serve God, I just believe in one God. Also, I need to be able to get out and socialize. But I agree with them on some things politically so I don't believe I would be using them.

However, I can go to my local Libertarian meetup which meets once a month in my area and I can go to OA meetings. So I may change my mind and not go.

But whether I believe in Jesus or not having a place to go worship God would be nice. I am living on my sister's property and she is Christian. So I can't go to the UU church while I am here.
Click to expand...
Can you put into words the reason you want to worship God?
 
Subduction Zone

Subduction Zone

Veteran Member
samtonga43 said:
Where did I tell you that I don't know what magic is?
Which post?
What do you think is magical about Noah's boat?
Click to expand...
Really? Wow. It is a pure myth. The boat would not have been seaworthy. It is a story that never happened. What about the story is not magic is the question.
 
Subduction Zone

Subduction Zone

Veteran Member
samtonga43 said:
"Because I have the ability to demonstrate the difference" .
is not a rational answer to
"What makes you think that I don't understand the difference between knowledge and belief?"
Click to expand...
Having the ability to demonstrate the difference is no guarantee, as you just demonstrated in your last post, that the person that one is talking with will be able to understand.

A mathematician may be able to demonstrate some very advanced concepts. That would not guarantee that I could understand them.
 
samtonga43

samtonga43

Well-Known Member
Subduction Zone said:
Having the ability to demonstrate the difference is no guarantee, as you just demonstrated in your last post, that the person that one is talking with will be able to understand.
A mathematician may be able to demonstrate some very advanced concepts. That would not guarantee that I could understand them.
Click to expand...

Unbelievable! You still haven't answered my question.
Equivocation, thy name is SZ. :rolleyes:

Once again:
"What makes you think that I don't understand the difference between knowledge and belief?"

By the way, you are absolutely correct when you say that, if you did demonstrate the difference, there is no guarantee that I will understand.
But if you continue to refuse to demonstrate the difference, we'll never know if I understand. So go on, SZ -- give it a go! ;)
 
Subduction Zone

Subduction Zone

Veteran Member
samtonga43 said:
Unbelievable! You still haven't answered my question.
Equivocation, thy name is SZ. :rolleyes:

Once again:
"What makes you think that I don't understand the difference between knowledge and belief?"

By the way, you are absolutely correct when you say that, if you did demonstrate the difference, there is no guarantee that I will understand.
But if you continue to refuse to demonstrate the difference, we'll never know if I understand. So go on, SZ -- give it a go! ;)
Click to expand...
I did answer it. Just because you do not like the answer does not make it equivocation. Do you even understand what that word means?
 
mikkel_the_dane

mikkel_the_dane

My own religion
Subduction Zone said:
Yes, I know it never happened. Could you understand how I know? I doubt it. And though myths often employ magic that does not make them automatically magical.
Click to expand...

Well, aren't you an absolutist. What about that science is never absolute and never claims absolutes.
And I doubt that you wrote it, therefore you didn't wrote it. I.e. my doubt causes the effect that something else than you wrote the post. :D
 
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