the right religion

[metis]

And for 30 years I was convinced that I was a Christian. I believe it all to be true. I believed Jesus existed and was the son of God. I believe all the things a Christian should believe. Now I don't. Was I believing wrong? Some Christians actually claim that I was deceived by the devil to believe wrong. How is that possible? God allowing me to be wrong about my beliefs about Jesus and the Christian tenets for 30 years? That would put a lot of blame on God and not me. I wanted it and tried with all my strength and heart to follow the right faith, but God let Satan deceive me? What a horrible thought.

I also learned recently that some Christians suggests that speaking in tongues is from the devil. I can speak in tongues, unrecognizable and a language not of this world, but that somehow isn't a sign of God now but rather a sign of demon possession?

Hey, I hear ya. :yes:

 

[Ouroboros]

Hey, I hear ya. :yes:

And I've learned over the years that true understanding of how it is to lose faith only comes through experience. Those who never lost it try to figure out why but constantly fail to explain it.

I remember times when I refused to read certain books because I was afraid satan would take my faith away. Now, I don't have the fear. It's pretty amazing to realize that losing faith was what really set me free.

 

[kjw47]

Why do you think that Hebrews speaks truly of God?

Could you rephrase this so I know what to answer back?

 

[metis]

It's pretty amazing to realize that losing faith was what really set me free.

Ditto here. Some have theorized that I must have been in the dumps when I moved into my agnostic position with my "default setting" on Spinoza's/Einstein's pantheism/panentheism, but the opposite is the case as I no longer have to try and force myself to believe in deities and miracles. If they exist, fine, so I now more take the position of whatever is, is.

 

[psychoslice]

The right religion to me is no organized but the religion that is found within each one of us. Organized religion can point us to ourselves but that is how far it can go, to follow an organized religion all your life is a waste of time, and a waste of life.

 

[metis]

The right religion to me is no organized but the religion that is found within each one of us. Organized religion can point us to ourselves but that is how far it can go, to follow an organized religion all your life is a waste of time, and a waste of life.

I tend to take the opposite view but my situation is probably different than yours. Even though I'm non-theistic, I have chosen to remain active within my synagogue, largely because there's a lot of positive things happening there, including helping others.

 

[AmbiguousGuy]

Could you rephrase this so I know what to answer back?

Sorry. I should have italicized Hebrews (the name of a Bible book).

You quoted Hebrews 13:17.

I didn't really understand what you were trying to say by quoting Hebrews, so I just asked why you think that Hebrews speaks truly about God.

Whenever I want to tell people what God thinks, I quote my own writings to them, not someone else's writings.

 

[AmbiguousGuy]

I tend to take the opposite view but my situation is probably different than yours. Even though I'm non-theistic, I have chosen to remain active within my synagogue, largely because there's a lot of positive things happening there, including helping others.

I wanted to do that -- to keep the social aspects of church life. But I came out of a fundamentalist tradition. There was no way I could sit through a church service or speak to the other congregants truthfully about my thoughts. Some of them made me feel pretty creepy, just being around them.

Later in life I found myself unable to even attend UU functions -- the most liberal of churches. Just too much touchy-feeliness for me.

 

[Benoni]

I don't believe so although I do agree that Heaven provides eternal life.

I already have eternal life because I have Jesus as Lord and Savior.

I believe eternal life is a spiritual condition jsut as I believe the second death is also a spiritual condition. I believe that having eternal life means that I will have it no matter where I go or in what state I am in (physical or separated from the body).

The second death is a spiritual condition that distroys hell and spiritual and physical death

 

[kjw47]

Sorry. I should have italicized Hebrews (the name of a Bible book).

You quoted Hebrews 13:17.

I didn't really understand what you were trying to say by quoting Hebrews, so I just asked why you think that Hebrews speaks truly about God.

Whenever I want to tell people what God thinks, I quote my own writings to them, not someone else's writings.

32,999 different religions claiming to be Christian and being lead by the HS = a disunified mass of confusion--not of God-1 cor 1:10)

so I guess by your statement--you think you have truth over Gods written words? Hebrews 13:17--= Gods will--be submissive to teachers---which means one has to be taught truth by Jesus' teachers.

 

[AmbiguousGuy]

32,999 different religions claiming to be Christian and being lead by the HS = a disunified mass of confusion--not of God-1 cor 1:10)

So we agree that Christianity isn't the best way to find God?

But then why do you quote a verse from the Christian Bible?

so I guess by your statement--you think you have truth over Gods written words?

Huh? I just told you that I write God's Words myself, as He gives them to me. How could I have truth different from God's written words'? My words are His words.

Hebrews 13:17--= Gods will--be submissive to teachers---which means one has to be taught truth by Jesus' teachers.

Oh, I don't think a man named Jesus ever existed in the flesh. I think the gospels were written by mere men, and I don't follow the truth of mere men.

It's just me and God... the only right religion there can be, I think.

 

[1robin]

The second death is a spiritual condition that distroys hell and spiritual and physical death

The second death is eternal separation from God. You are correct in suggesting Hell and death are destroyed but I am pretty sure that is not true of the second death as it is defined biblically. The first death is our universal physical death. The second death is a spiritual death that takes place for the lost on judgment day. The destruction of Satan and hell is an independent event.

 

[1robin]

32,999 different religions claiming to be Christian and being lead by the HS = a disunified mass of confusion--not of God-1 cor 1:10)

so I guess by your statement--you think you have truth over Gods written words? Hebrews 13:17--= Gods will--be submissive to teachers---which means one has to be taught truth by Jesus' teachers.

There are not 32,999 different Christian religions. There are many denominations that agree on 95% of the Christian doctrine but differ on the 5% that is left. I do not see how it could be any different. There is not universal agreement about anything, much less 750,000 words contained in the most sophisticated and complex theological narrative ever written.

 

[1robin]

I don't understand the question. I already told you what I'm doing. I'm shaking my shiney hiney in the face of all false gods. That's how sure I am that my own God is the actual One True God.

You're welcome to hop onboard my GodTrain, but only if you really wanna.

That is pretty much what I would have expected was your motivation.

 

[1robin]

At the beginning of the BB, there was both matter and anti-matter, and since one cancels out the other, obviously there could not have been equal amounts of each. Therefore, it appears that matter had a slight (very slightly according to mathematical models) edge, and the quantum physicists say that had there been much more of a difference in percentage, our universe would either not exist or would not exist as we know it.

And this produces what conclusion? No one has the slightest idea what the singularity did or was composed of. Even our hyperbolic arrogance leaves the first micro second of creation a complete unknowable.

 

[AmbiguousGuy]

That is pretty much what I would have expected was your motivation.

Thanks. I appreciate that. You'd be surprised how many folks just can't seem to appreciate my motivation to spread the Truth!

 

[metis]

And this produces what conclusion? No one has the slightest idea what the singularity did or was composed of. Even our hyperbolic arrogance leaves the first micro second of creation a complete unknowable.

You have just checkmated yourself because then there simply is no reason for anyone to assume that Goddidit. If we don't know, then we don't know, and jumping to conclusions, such as you have done over and over again, makes not one iota of sense. Remember, I'm the one who says "I don't know", but you have continually insisted you do know, but then you write the above and apparently can't see your own inconsistency.

 

[Sees]

You have just checkmated yourself because then there simply is no reason for anyone to assume that Goddidit. If we don't know, then we don't know, and jumping to conclusions, such as you have done over and over again, makes not one iota of sense. Remember, I'm the one who says "I don't know", but you have continually insisted you do know, but then you write the above and apparently can't see your own inconsistency.

If we don't know, Goddidit, is the foundation of argument for majority of traditional theists. I'm waiting for the cool cat who can present a remarkably fresh and different argument...and I don't even see myself as atheist to begin with lol

 

[kjw47]

There are not 32,999 different Christian religions. There are many denominations that agree on 95% of the Christian doctrine but differ on the 5% that is left. I do not see how it could be any different. There is not universal agreement about anything, much less 750,000 words contained in the most sophisticated and complex theological narrative ever written.

They agree on 95% of Catholicism council teachings) all bad teachings.

 

[Valkyrie]

There is no such thing as a "right" religion . For every person the right religion is the one that makes him happy and content and is closer to his beliefs.