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XxAnGelXxx
writes:Lately iv been having a discussion/debate with a woman on here about religion, she's a muslim and im not really anything, more of an athiest with a hint of scientologist id say, and as you could imagine our opinions on religion are at complete opposites, yet i think we've both so far, learned something off one another. And it has been extremely interesting. So guys, i want your opinions on religion, what do you follow? What are your beliefs? I think we could all learn something here, so get typing!
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male
reader, flspy  +, writes (11 August 2008):
There are actually 612 Commandments, they just showed non-Jews 10 because they thought we were too dumb to remember any more.
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reader, anonymous, writes (5 August 2008): I definitely believe in God.I'm a Christian,but feel like it has no influence on me and I hardly know anything about the religion.I feel the Bible is too complicated and says
what it says in an nonunderstandable way.
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reader, Oceania  +, writes (4 August 2008):
 well my opinion about religion:
I DO believe in GOD or something superior to us but I dont believe in the bible or the church whatsoever. What's going to happen in 2012? i dont know, nobody knows, I dont think is going to be the end of the world, this planet will survive along with the people who needs to survive. My theories about this date is that something BIG is going to happen, something that will change history. The earth is going to change and the people who lives in it too. That's what i think.
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reader, LazyGuy  + ♥, writes (1 August 2008):
 A scientoligst? The ones who believe that there was a space faring race ages ago whose spacecraft just happened to look EXACTLY like early jet airliners.
Scientology is a valuable religion because it is so recent we can see its origins clearly. No question who wrote the books, we know it. A third-rate sci-fi writer.
Trekdom has better writers. Just imagine what would have happened if Gene Roddenberry had delusions of granduer.
Hell, some people apparently list their religions as Jedi. With three "religons" made by sci-fi writers (Futurama wasn't the first idea of Star Trek inspiring a religion) it certainly becomes question where other religions based on books came from.
The bible as a piece of slashfic, oh I am going to burn for that one.
The thing where religious discussion often breaks down is when you try to reason with belief. For instance, the end of the world came up in this thread. One poster asks, why should god want to destroy everything, apparently rather handidly forgetting about the great flood. The merciful god who kills million of babies for the sins of their parents.
Be very careful with what you believe in because sooner or later you might have to defend something you don't believe in at all.
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reader, Annalisa + ♥, writes (1 August 2008):
 I think it's impossible to say when the world's going to end. My world will end when I die, that's why I make the most of life.
As for God destroying life, He will only destroy death, war and evil.
As the Virgin Mary has communicated through Medjugorjie's visionaries, we're close to really scary times, but as evil is what gets the ball rolling, only reconciliation with God will save us.
What I think? Talk to God through the prayer. Listen and watch for His reply. If He answers, there you go, there's more to this than just theory! If not, you can either keep trying or draw your conclusions.
But why not try?
P.S.
Phil, the original phrasing of the start of Genesis says that the world was created in "6 periods of time, then God rested on the Sabbath". This is traditionally translated as 6 days plus a say of rest.
It is widely accepted that the old testament is our tradition, a bit like legends and fairy tales from which we learn about life.
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reader, anonymous, writes (1 August 2008): I beleive that Jesus Christ is the one true son of God. He is my personal Lord and Savior, and that anyone to calles apon his Name shall be saved. All that they have to do Is Admit that they are sinners, And confess that Jesus is there Lord and savior. I beleive that he was crusified, and arose 3 day later and was alive. He is alive today, and VERY real to me and my family. Thanks for the opertunity to share my faith. It is very refreshing!!
In Christ Love,
The GabberJack and Family
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reader, DiovanLestat + ♥, writes (1 August 2008):
 World ends in 2012.. great just our luck.. That's the date we've scheduled in London for the Olympics.. We finally get them and the world ends.. well that's just great... What did I expect, the day after they announced the olympics were coming to London Town somebody decided to try to blow us up... I think somebody hates us really bad... What did we do to deserve such bad luck.. :(
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reader, Jamer70 +, writes (1 August 2008):
 Personally my parents are both non practicing Jevohs Witness's, my mother more so nowdays.
I went to a roman catholic school and for a couple of years was an agnostic, but after a while through certain events in mine and the worlds life decided there was no highr being
I find it hard to believe someone over us watches us would allow some of the horrors that happen to the innocent and just say its all part of a bigger plan, i cant.
Like Dr Pete said im ontent at this moment in time saying "i just dont know" i mean a thousand years ago we didnt know half the scientific stuff we know today (DNA, Genes, Biology)
[Personally i dont mind if someone is religous, but personally i find religon is too often used as a excuse for too many evils in the world and in the past, but in the right hands it can be used for alot of good.
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reader, Dr Pete + ♥, writes (31 July 2008):
 People have always put dates forward about the end of the world. When 2012 comes and goes, suddenly it will be a new date. It's a sign you're getting on in the world when you're on your forth or fifth date, seriously :)
About the whole origin of the universe, I don't know why most people aren't just content with saying "I don't know" about a subject and get on with their humble life. Humans are absolutely obsessed with having an explanation for everything, even if they know nothing about a subject.
It is human nature for us to experience an event and to draw truth from what we see, but our greatest weakness as a species is that we confuse truth with inference. We see two things in our life happen, and we infer truth from it. A woman who has had a long succession of violent relationships can understandably draw a truth that men are violent and out to hurt her. 10 million Christians go to sleep on one particular night praying to Jesus. For 0.1% of them, the next day some event happens for the positive. This is nothing miraculous, it is statistical average that you'd find for jews, muslims, athiests or convicted felons that went to sleep that same night not praying to jesus. But for those 10,000 christians, they've had their faith re-affirmed because they've inferred a causality between their act during the night of praying and the event the next day.
From their perspective, from their "experience" it's a truth, but when you look at it in a greater context, their power of prayer had no power in it whatsoever.
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reader, BigSis + ♥, writes (31 July 2008):
 Anyone know of any Mediums? Perhaps they could call up Nostradamus.
Where are these guys when you need them, eh?
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reader, XxAnGelXxx +, writes (31 July 2008):
XxAnGelXxx is verified as being by the original poster of the questionDr.pete im loving what your saying there, and i what i mean by athiest with a hint of scientologist is that the odd bit here and there makes more sense to me personally than any other religion. So what i was gonna write anyway.. Whats everyone's views on 2012? I mean, the worlds meant to end, and supposedly not even a cockroach is gonna survive that. So to those who believe in 'god' why would he destroy all that he's created and kill off all his devout followers?
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reader, Uncle_Phil + ♥, writes (31 July 2008):
 The Bible starts with God making the universe in a week. How anyone remembers this event is very questionable. Nice story, but the theory, or rather the fact, of evolution wins over Adam and Eve and the Garden of Eden.
I go for the Big Bang theory over the Creation theory every time. Modern science has proved that the universe is still expanding from that massive explosion even after all these billions of years. So going back to day one - and remembering that a day is the time it takes a little planet to go round its sun, and in the beginning there was no planet or sun - what was there previous to that day?
Maybe there was a God that created the big bang? That would make a lot more sense to me.
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reader, WizardOfWaz +, writes (31 July 2008):
 I have also found The Bible to be a book of historic interest. But it is completely unreliable as a source for Christian aggression as there is not a single word in the Testaments of Mathew, Mark, Luke or John that supports the idea of any moral and ethically offensive religion such as “Christianity” being approved by that Jesus guy.
The Bible clearly shows evidence that Jesus would be angered and hurt by the ignorant and often violent doctrines of those who adopt the “Christian” label as a very poor substitute for the basic human ethics that Jesus was attempting to teach.
Regards
Waz
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reader, Annalisa + ♥, writes (31 July 2008):
In reference to Dr Pete's comment about teaching religion to children... Do you know that it is through children that Catholicism is kept alive? I mean the Virgin Mary, Jesus and angels have appeared to many children throughout history, to communicate with us all.
The most recent phenomenon was the six children of Medjugorjie, back in the 1980s, they still see Mary every day, but were given important messages when the youngest was about 6 years old!
I don't think it necessary to teach my 18 month old about religion, as I'd think her too young to understand, yet she instinctly kisses pictures of the Madonna (none of us kiss immages, in case you're wandering). When we go to church on Sundays (and can't leave her at home, can we!) she is at her most ecstatic! She gets really excited about communion time and actually shouted "Jesus!" when the priest lifted the Host, last time...
My husband is actually becoming a stronger believer thanks to her!
I understand where you're coming from, but just as you believe air exists without beeing able to see it, why not accept that people have different experiences?
You don't have to believe, but please, have some respect and don't mock.
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reader, DiovanLestat + ♥, writes (31 July 2008):
Born and raised as a protestant Christian, I was very devout untill the age of 12, and then I had questions that no preacher could answer. I spent the next three years talking to every religious person I could find. I used to have a private bible study at my house every Sunday. Jehover's Witness, Mormons, Church of England, I talked to them all. Then I became agnostic, and finally an atheist. But something was lacking for me with a stance of no belief at all, so I've been looking into buddhism for the last four years. It works for me, because there is no need to believe in a invisible, alien being, created by man and called God. Buddhism for me is logical, and it helps with life in a practical way. I still love the bible, it's a very beautiful book, with tons of poetry and some great stories. I supposed my views are similar to PsyCookie. Scientology makes me laugh, I still remember when their leader, wrote science fiction for a living, and the religion seems to me to be pure science ficiton itself. Anyway live and let live, unless people start sticking their religion in my face, let everyone prosper in their own individual faith.
PS: All my friends and family are committed Christians, good luck to them, as long as they accept me and my beliefs, we do ok.
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reader, BigSis + ♥, writes (31 July 2008):
I like your way of thinking Dr Pete, I understand exactly where you're coming from and I agree.
BigSis
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reader, PsyCookie +, writes (31 July 2008):
 I was raised as a Methodist Christian, but I just stopped believing in it when I was around 10.
I'm really not anything, but at the most I would be an agnostic. I do believe of a higher entity (whichever god you may think) but the idea of ANY religion is just pointless to me. I tend to doubt and often point out the mistakes or unjustful things that are said in it.
I've read most versions of bibles and a small part of the Quoran, I know a basic knowledge of most religions and a very strong knowledge on Christianity (since I was raised on it). I don't believe the Bible is 100% true as I believe that it is corrupted (Some people say that the peope who wrote it were "divenely inspired", but how much of there written is divenely inspired? Men are corrupted beings, thus the Bible is corrupted). I have indeed read the Bible and found many things that didn't add up.
Now, in the other hand, I do indeed love reading the Bible but only due because of it's poetry. The Bible has an incredibly beautiful poetry that makes very inspirational tales. I also love the ideology the Bible projects on life. I also love the Budhist way of life and their ideology and they're probably the closest religion I agree on.
Now, I may disagree on religion, but I do know why it exist and it's porpuse on our lives. I also hate those who are dicks about any relgion, specially Christianity. I hate hearing and reading what people say in both spectrums (the ones who love Christianity and those who hate it) because both of their comments are just full of idiocities. Nobody wins because neither of the members of the party will relinquish their believes and will think that the other person's belief is just make-believe.
There's only one religion that I have considered downward ridiculous and their members as well: Scientology. Their believes really make me laugh (and I mean it, I have respected every religion except this one) and are just so silly. I do believe in aliens and I do believe they visit us, but what Scientologist says is just...dumb. It also makes me sad that some great actors are involved on it, specially Jason Lee, David Masterson and Laura Prepon. Now, I have also realized that I do have some scientology in me, but I mean, so does every religion!
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reader, Dr Pete + ♥, writes (30 July 2008):
Despite my parents attempts to indoctrinate me in to Christianity as a child with sunday school etc, thankfully none of it ever felt right with me and I pretty much straight away saw believers as having some kind of pitiful and sad need of being loved by something greater than themselves.
I've never felt any need for a god. The whole idea of inherited sin, creationism, of suffering and evil in the world seems little more than preposterous to me, utter nonsense and it belongs with the tooth fairy, Santa Claus and the Easter bunny.
Organised religion, but Christianity in particular, has stained humanity with a dirty stench that I fear will never be washed away. I can't help but cringe when I hear believers recite who their gods are, who they worship and how their gods change their lives, as if their own particular belief system is an objective truth for all of us, yeah right, you'd be so lucky. Personally I think indoctrinating a child in to a religion is on a par with child abuse. A parents religion should be kept well away from a child until it is old enough to make its own mind up.
And by the way, an atheist and a "hint" of scientologist? An atheist could never be part scientologist. They'd surely put those nonsense crackpot ideas with the rest of them.
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reader, WizardOfWaz +, writes (30 July 2008):
Thankfully we in the UK live in a nation that has been secularist for over 300 years. Although that hasn't prevented the more devout Christian "missionaries" within from trying to force us into their ever-decreasing circle of self-serving cranks.
Whether there is a God or not is a legitmate matter of debate. But to suggest that it could be the man-made Devine Being invented by religion purely to fit political and personal prejudices, is not only nonsense, it is dangerous nonsense.
Regards
Waz
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reader, Annalisa + ♥, writes (30 July 2008):
I was raised by a Roman Catholic dad, a vaguely Christian grandmother and Hindu aunt. Following the death of my mum, I've experienced a few supernatural moments that guided me along the Catholic path, but I lost my faith around the age of 18.
I met a few Buddist friends and took up their practices, in search for peace of mind... But oddly, a vision of a Hindu Guru and a Buddist monk reminded me that I already knew what the truth was, that Jesus had been by my side all my life!
I believe in God the Father of us all, Jesus our Lord and redeemer, the Holy Spirit who gives life and works through us all; I trust in the Virgin Mary, who has appeared to many, urging us to pray for ourselves and humanity, telling us she loves us all as her children;
I believe and trust in guardian angels;
I believe that our entity is our soul and that it never dies, that the body we have is a temporary vessel to help us prove ourselves worthy of eternity...
I believe that life is sacred, that we have no right to kill anyone, especially unborn babies... I believe we deserve better than the way we treat ourselves, that today's society undermines humanity and discourages us from fulfilling our potential as children of a God Whose reign is spiritual...
As any daughter, I trust in the teachings of Mother Church, but do my own thing, although I try to be as good a person as I can be. I believe sex should only happen within marriage, but only because I've experienced the opposite and learned from it!
Sorry for going on a bit, but you did ask!... I've probably missed a few bits too...
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