At what age did you come to realize that God/Devil/Heaven/Hell/Angels/Demons are all man-made fairy tales?

[BishopM 114]

Speaking of tumors...I always thought this was a great flick

[BishopM 114]

It's testimony. Whether you choose to accept it as evidence is your choice.

I personally can't put much trust in anybody's personal testimony. I respect it, but that experience belongs only to them, not to me. When I was going to my non-secular university the professors of some of my beginning religion classes wanted/required for all of us to write our 'personal testimony' of 'how we came to God'. Some of the students read their testimony to the class. They all sounded the same...along these lines..."I was a POS, I was almost dead, I wanted to kill myself, I was a drunkard/drug addict,etc, and then I 'saw the light' and became this beacon of God."...ugh...it was like I was in theater class specializing in drama...great 'daytime TV'

The prof asked if I would like to read my testimony and I told him I didn't have one. I've always loved God and believed in God, period. And, for at least me personally this had nothing to do with the Bible. Do I believe the Bible is inspired...absolutely. Can I have God without the Bible, absolutely. I still read the Bible daily because I love it dearly and it helps me in my faith. I guess my point is that if you're expecting to experience God by reading the Bible only, you might have a long wait, because reaading the Bible in this manner does reduce it to being 'just a book'. God must be experienced directly in one's life...and when that does happen it cannot adequately be explained because the experience, like I said earlier, belongs only to you. It won't make sense to others...

Blessings

[Ken y Leidys 20]

This proves that

a) ocean currents are dangerous .. be careful out there

b) currents and tides can be unpredictable, the water can drag you out to sea, and the water (not God) can drop you back on a sand bar.

c) Mexico has too many drug dealers and not enough life guards.

Where is the proof of god or any kind of divine intervention in this story?

Glad you came out of it ok Ken

Ocean currents are indeed dangerous. I only swim in my backyard pool now.

Currents and tides prevent me from swimming in the Pacific. The Sea of Cortez is still a great place to swim!

No lifeguards on duty! Mexico is still a great place to visit - I was there in July with my wife after she received her Green Card!

Camping on the sand

Tijuana isn't as dangerous as the media makes it sound.

[I AM NOT THAT GUY 5,715]

That is your proof that witches can indeed turn themselves into cats?

Cats are familiars. You really need to bone up on your witchcraft.

[one...two...tree 2,762]

The problem is to make this analogy accurate, none of the three can see the door. One claims it is there, the second says not sure but understands the first claims there is a door, the third sees no door, no evidence of a door and logically concludes there is indeed no door.

Which one is the Christian?

In the analogy I used, the door represents our limitations of knowledge. If we can agree that there are things about life and the universe that are beyond our comprehension - that represents the other side of that locked door. The Theist claims there is something beyond that door and even names it. The Atheist claims there is absolutely nothing beyond that door - human logic and knowledge are potentially infinite. The Agnostic says he doesn't know.

While the Theist's claim requires having faith in something unprovable, so does the Atheist. They are no different in that respect.

[웃 910]

The Theist claims there is something beyond that door and even names it.

And that something is a 3 foot monster that sends people either to a land of paradise or burns you alive for eternity in his basement when you die.

[one...two...tree 2,762]

And that something is a 3 foot monster that sends people either to a land of paradise or burns you alive for eternity in his basement when you die.

Joseph, not everyone who believes in God, believes in the same rigid views that you were taught growing up. There's a whole world out there of spiritual truth for you to find on your own. Why not take some religion courses at a local college or university where you'd be able to vent, rant and ask the kinds of questions that seem to be eating at you? It would be safe as it wouldn't be anyone in your family.

[BishopM 114]

And that something is a 3 foot monster that sends people either to a land of paradise or burns you alive for eternity in his basement when you die.

In my opinion, it is a true shame and travesty that much of Christianity today does indeed paint this very limited and completely underdeveloped theological view of God. I, personally, don't have this view at all and never have...and hope that others don't either. Unfortunately, for a lot of people who are new to Christianity, or who have rejected it already, this is the limited exposure they receive. In this extremely limited view of God, it is all sin/shame/punishment/forgiveness...lather rinse and repeat. God is much greater than this!

[웃 910]

Joseph, not everyone who believes in God, believes in the same rigid views that you were taught growing up. There's a whole world out there of spiritual truth for you to find on your own. Why not take some religion courses at a local college or university where you'd be able to vent, rant and ask the kinds of questions that seem to be eating at you? It would be safe as it wouldn't be anyone in your family.

Jaberwacky, do you not believe in heaven and hell as 99.9999% of Christians do? If not, blabberwacky, what is the point? For guidance in your life? U believe something out there is actually watching u, guiding u, intervening with u blabberwacky?

[Dakine10 5,452]

if people are offended then don't look

Good advice.

By that same token, I would suggest that all the people who have faith in their religion and who opened this thread and were offended could follow the same advice. The topic was clearly asking a question of those who DO NOT believe.

[one...two...tree 2,762]

Jaberwacky, do you not believe in heaven and hell as 99.9999% of Christians do?

Believing in heaven and hell and defining what they are, are not one and the same. You, unfortunately, were indoctrinated as a young child, with a very rigid fundamentalist viewpoint which claims to have all the answers. Heaven, as I believe in, means total union with God - the rest is mystery, beyond our comprehension. Some people don't like that kind of spirituality. They want to know all the answers. You seem hellbent on challenging the answers that not every religion pretends to know.

Edited November 24, 2010 by 8TBVBN

[tmma 467]

IMO -Most religious myths/prophecies/whatever have their distant roots in fact.

I also find it intriguing that although most religions distance themselves from eachother-they are more alike and share roughly the same tenents, stories, phrophecies and myths-than the fanatics ( from most religions) care to admit.

Respect my beliefs-I'll respect yours. That's what I live by.

[s&c1 3]

Good advice.

By that same token, I would suggest that all the people who have faith in their religion and who opened this thread and were offended could follow the same advice. The topic was clearly asking a question of those who DO NOT believe.

Point well taken. I am not so ridgid I can't see others view point.

[ready4ONE 5,400]

If I make up a story about a door and a story about what is beyond the door and lots of people believe my story although there is nothing in evidence to corroborate my story those who choose to disbelieve aren't obliged to disprove my story. It's up to me and my followers.

[Peikko 1,575]

Believing in heaven and hell and defining what they are, are not one and the same. You, unfortunately, were indoctrinated as a young child, with a very rigid fundamentalist viewpoint which claims to have all the answers. Heaven, as I believe in, means total union with God - the rest is mystery, beyond our comprehension. Some people don't like that kind of spirituality. They want to know all the answers. You seem hellbent on challenging the answers that not every religion pretends to know.

It's only a matter of time before you come out Steven

Serious question, what does 'total union with god' mean to you? It means nothing meaningful to me, certainly nothing that demands fidelity to an omnipotent being that has the 'bliss' of humankind as its focus. All you seem to be saying is that we are part of the universe we inhabit and will always remain part of it, at least in the sense that the atoms and particles that make up our physical mass will remain part of it. Great, that's what I believe as well.