Thanks for your post, it really made me think! I know you aren't bashing me, and I appreciate you saying that. I'm glad this is keeping to a formal level of discussion.
Originally Posted by Talon
Before you read the following please know that I am not bashing you or any other for your beliefs
I agree with you, to a point. I don't agree with you on the fact that you say the big bang theory and pre-cell are an easy way out. I'm sure that a scientist didn't just wake up one day and say, "You know what... I think that we just poofed from thin air.". I am sure that he/she took plenty of time to go over everything and study everything out before they presented it before a council of other scientists. There has been many studies that have been done to prove that the big bang and pre-cell theories are probable, just as Christian scientists have done the same with the Creation theory. Either theory is not the"easy way out".
Your definition of heaven may be different from that of a Buddhist, Taoist, or any other religion/way of life. I don't think that it is very fair to say that Christians will stand above those who sucumb to the temptations of the world.
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If I worded anything wrong, forgive me. I meant to say that God left enough evidence that people could eventually find a way to how the world could have been created. He left enough evidence to see who, in the presence of this material, would still believe that the world was made by God. I still think Biology and many things are very interesting and I love how scientists have found this information, but I still believe that this is only evidence and an easy way out. THE REASON I SAY its an easy way out is because its logical and its right in our faces.
About Christians standing above the others: Earlier I said how the ancestors of people sort of decided their fate in our beliefs (I'm not trying to demand that what I am saying is true, but this is the beliefs of the Christians and myself). Some of those people still have the option to go to Christianity as it is presented to them, (some do not) but still ignore it. IF THEY HAD the opportunity to believe and learn about God and they chose to not believe for SELFISH REASONS, then yes, Christians stand above. However, in the case that they don't even know about God or don't have enough knowledge or understanding to, I must say I'm not sure what happens to them. I don't feel it is FAIR if they go to Hell, but we still have no idea the EXACT criteria of Hell and Heaven.
Originally Posted by Talon
My aunt is a very religious woman. For nearly 20 years she was not able to go to church because my uncle had a brain anurism and was bed ridden. That did not push her away from her faith. She faithfully read her Bible and watched sermons on her television. This in fact made her a stronger Christian. The Bible does say that in the last days believers will be few and every hear will have heard the Word of God. The fact of the matter is, is that people's definition of a miracle will differ so you cannot say that people are walking away from miracles. A classic and great example of this is seen on Pulp Fiction (lol) where Pitt and Vincent were arguing about their opion on a miracle.
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About your aunt; that is very good. It warms my heart to know there are people out there like her. My Pap is so sick he can not go to church either, but my Grandma does. After mass, she preaches to him and brings him communion (its a community church, so sometimes the Priest even comes down to do so). There are many reasons people can't go to church, but if they CAN and they blow it off for selfish or lazy reasons, then that is the example I was aiming for.
Originally Posted by Talon
Once again Hades is the god of the underworld in Greek mythology and Satan is the ruler of hell in Christianity... opinions differ depending on religion.
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Yup. However, as I talk, I am saying this from a Christian point of view.
Originally Posted by Talon
We are also brought into the world curious and wanting to find answers for ourselves. Someone who has went to church and prayed and prayed and saw no answer to their prayers, start looking for other ways to solve their problems. Too many people rely soley on their god to answer their prayers and make no effort to help themselves. Eventually some people figure out that they cannot simply wait and actually make efforts themselves, Some continue to do so with the aid of their prayers and others leave their faith behind.
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Curiosity is fine. It is one of the great things of being alive. I, for one, love to study things that are unnecessary to be a religious person, such as the deep involvement of physics and the creation of the first cells...stuff like that. God left a lot for us to discover, and that is the glory of it all. However, one who explores yet still believes it all derived from God is the model that others should look up to (if Christian...I'm not trying to get at other religions). Another thing is that God acts in mysterious ways. Trying to identify what and when that is, then recognizing it, saves many people. He will most likely never act obviously in pure view. You have to LOOK around his world and search and KNOW his is always with you.
Originally Posted by Talon
You are 100% correct in saying that every religion has a reason to believe over the others. That is why there are so many conversions going on from one religion to the next. However it's not just Christianity that holds the world together, I think that is is that fact that many more people nowadays are A LOT more open minded rather than the way it used to be. People can accept the fact that not everyone can be converted to their own religion. I have a lot of Christian friends as well as Pagans, Wiccans, Buddhists, and Taoists as well. We all accept the fact that to each their own and don't go around bashing each other on our beliefs or punching each other in the face because one or the other doesn't believe that Jesus was the son of God. I really hope that you also take into mind that Christianity also pulls people from other religions to join their faith. If not, explain to me what missionaries are doing in foriegn countries risking their lives to convert people to their faith.
Like I said, I am not bashing ANY religions, just making a couple different points. I was raised a Christian and now don't claim any religion. I guess you can say that I am undecided.
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Other religions keep the world together too. A great thing is that religions can come together and form a united earth, something I'm sure God would love to see. However, I don't know much about other religions. When the Pope died two years ago or so, it was emotional and was a sensation to almost everyone I talked to, even those who weren't Christian. That is why/where I pulled my example from when I said that Christianity ties together the world.
Missionaries (from what I learned about 10 minutes ago by chance) go to countries who are out there and unaware of the religions of the world. This includes those in Africa, who don't even know there is a religion or a God. I have to run for a touch, but please find me other examples (that i know are out there) of missionaries going to countries who have strong beliefs already present.
Thanks for the thinking and the post!
-Dynamo
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