I think it can, depending on the religion of course. The problem is, most people don't apply religious morals correctly and alter the values behind what they "believe" to fit their own agendas.
I think it can, but not necessarily. It depends on if the church or temple etc. is teaching the right thing. Obviously some dont. But I still say, talk to God first. If you want He'll find you the right place, teach you the right things, maybe through a pastor or even just a book. Just ask him to lead you to the right place.
I figured there would be a good amount of people against going to church on this board, but I'm surprised to see how many of you actually go. I'm going to look into this a little more, I might as well form my own opinion on the subject.
I believe that all religions are the right religons... for the person who follows them. If you are a Catholic and find peace and comfort in their teachings... then, it is the right religion. The same goes for the Christian that finds salvation in his/her Church... or the Muslim that finds his peace in Islam. It also works for the Jew, the Buddhist, the Scientologist and the Atheist. If it works for you... then, it is the right religion.
Me? I go to church... but, not every Sunday. I don't think that God is like a clock you need to wind up in order to keep Him going. I go to church... it all depends on where I'm at and how I feel... where my head is at... or how my heart is feeling. And although I love the Gothic Architecture of the grand cathedrals of the world (Notre Dame in Paris and St. Paul's Cathedral and Westminister Cathedral in London)... I find my peace and comfort at the beach. For me, I seek God while sitting on the sand, watching the Sun set over the Pacific... or on the banks of one of those crystal clear Sierra lakes... or under that blanket of stars that cover us at night. The sermons I understand are the sounds of the surf... the wind through the pine trees... the silence of the desert sky. I like to call it God's church. It welcomes and accepts everyone (even the homeless person who lives on Fairfax and is always carrying a conversation with God... I'm not sure if he'd be allowed a seat in the pews of other churches during Sunday Services... would he be welcomed in your church?).
Yeah, I know... hippie/surfer bullshit, but like I said.. it works for me.
Allen Fieldhouse, home of the 2008 NCAA men's Basketball Champions! Go Jayhawks!
Hail, Hail!!!
I too was brought up a Catholic. Now going back lets say 15 years or so most Irish people went to mass. We then had the scandals and the church lost its vice gripe on society . People were free to choose to attend or not go. Alot of the later is down to laziness rather than lack of faith. People would still get their children baptized but they won't go to mass themselves.
IMHO I believe that there is something there. I go to mass every Sunday( I'm 26) . I think would have it on my mind if I didn't and just WON'T FEEL RIGHT if I didn't.
IF the church is to survive it needs to update the rules of priesthood rapid. Let the women in and get rid of chasity. IT was only bought in before when married priests left there wives..
I was brought up a Catholic, baptised and confirmed, dragged to mass every sunday until I was about 13. It's something that I've not thought too much of since, though there's a cemetary that I sometimes pass by on the tube, I'll always then make the sign of the cross as I was told to do many years ago, but kinda without being fully aware of the act myself. I feel I could express a lot of feelings on the subject of faith as I see it, or have seen it should I say, but'd just go off on the wrong tangent and spew irrelevance.
I went to church this morning for the first time in a LONG time. I just felt the need to go. Can't say that I'll start going every week. But it was nice and I felt good that I went.
I believe that all religions are the right religons... for the person who follows them. If you are a Catholic and find peace and comfort in their teachings... then, it is the right religion. The same goes for the Christian that finds salvation in his/her Church... or the Muslim that finds his peace in Islam. It also works for the Jew, the Buddhist, the Scientologist and the Atheist. If it works for you... then, it is the right religion.
Me? I go to church... but, not every Sunday. I don't think that God is like a clock you need to wind up in order to keep Him going. I go to church... it all depends on where I'm at and how I feel... where my head is at... or how my heart is feeling. And although I love the Gothic Architecture of the grand cathedrals of the world (Notre Dame in Paris and St. Paul's Cathedral and Westminister Cathedral in London)... I find my peace and comfort at the beach. For me, I seek God while sitting on the sand, watching the Sun set over the Pacific... or on the banks of one of those crystal clear Sierra lakes... or under that blanket of stars that cover us at night. The sermons I understand are the sounds of the surf... the wind through the pine trees... the silence of the desert sky. I like to call it God's church. It welcomes and accepts everyone (even the homeless person who lives on Fairfax and is always carrying a conversation with God... I'm not sure if he'd be allowed a seat in the pews of other churches during Sunday Services... would he be welcomed in your church?).
Yeah, I know... hippie/surfer bullshit, but like I said.. it works for me.
wow, (Eddie is that YOU????) lol, kidding...........
anyway, you said it so awesomely right. I feel the same way although I have not been to all the places you have mentioned--not by far; truthfully. But I was thinking last week how church is not to be just this little place where we all high five each other for being so awesome or where we just go to talk about the "damned". And it sure shouldn't be the place where we hide behind as reasons for someone to be a certain way. I think humans are innately good by nature. And yeah, while God sure has a part in it as well as Jesus' teachings, I don't think I want to use that as a reason for my actions. Bad or good. I feel like, He came, He taught, He left; now it is MY thing. Fuck it up or not. He left me the goods what I do is my fuck up or blessings.
Baby, You Wouldn't Last a Minute on The Creek......
Together we will float like angels.........
In the moment that you left the room, the album started skipping, goodbye to beauty shared with the ones that you love.........
hehe, Im an athiest, so its all pretty much giggles to me.....
and, see that is YOUR right; although not my belief. What is fucked up is I asked the ladies in my Bible study if they thought Angelina and Brad were going to Heaven because I read of all these awesome things that they were doing for people and I thought that they should. Well, they said that they did not know if they were "saved"??????!!!!!!!!!!! I love those women in my study but I just thought, "shit......"
you know??
Baby, You Wouldn't Last a Minute on The Creek......
Together we will float like angels.........
In the moment that you left the room, the album started skipping, goodbye to beauty shared with the ones that you love.........
Growing up I was raised as a Methodist, my Mum's a local preacher so it seemed the natural thing to go to church every week. I went on bible camp and even took part in sermons for my Mum. When I turned 12, I attended a Catholic secondary school. My folks figured that it was better I had a religious education (and an extra GCSE due to theology study) than a normal, comprehensive one.
I enjoyed Catholic school, joined the choir and even discovered I have a real love for their imagery and dogma... unfortunately I didn't feel anything for their attitude towards faith.
When I reached my later teenage years I investigated the 'darker' side of religion. I read the Satanic Bible and The Satanic Rituals by Anton LaVey. I really did find parallels with my own life and found that I identified with the sacraments at the time. I found that the religion of Satanism isn't as dark as people would think and that actually it's quite a positive way to look at life, all be it ruthless. The Satanic philosophy got me through some hard times and I believe, even made me a stronger person, but I always felt there was something else...
From the age of about 16 to 22 I was very angry at God. Some revelations in my life and some difficulties I went through just added to that... I felt that God had given me those hard times for no reason. I felt God didn't love me in the way I expected to be loved, that's probably why I sought solice in Satanism. Although I no longer consider myself a Satanist, I still respect the religion. In the same way I respect Judaism, Sikhism, Buddism, Islam etc etc. I'm even considering a Theology degree.
Now i'm 24 and 'been round the block' a bit in life terms, I'm finally at peace with my faith. I know that God gave me those life choices to create the person I am now, God can't live your life for you or tell you the path to choose but God can present you with the decisions to make. I never stopped believing in God, I was just angry and very confused. Just like how teenagers don't listen to their parents and then realise, as they get older, that their parents were only strict for the teenager's wellbeing, I realised that God feels the same about me. I know that God loves me and listens. I'm not a church goer and probably never will be. As much as I love religious imagery and the concept of dogma, it's not for me. I love the world around me and appreciate it everyday... God and Myself have an understanding, I love God and God loves me... no church necessary.
Been to this many PJ shows: Reading 2006 London 2007 Manchester & London 2009 Dublin, Belfast, London, Nijmegen & Berlin 2010 Manchester 1 & Manchester 2 2012...
... and I still think Drive-By Truckers are better.
but I do so get what you mean about the way you feel about God and the way you felt before......
I have always had a hard time with what I call the God of the Old Testament, (the wrath filled vengeful God), the Santa Claus God,(sorry for the spin of title there; I truly thought of that before the Christmas single---but the God who can do anything for you; so why is HE NOT??) , the feel good God of the New Testament, (Jesus hippie love God
sorry Jesus but I think you were a cool hippie dude myself---aka Jesus Christ Superstar kind of God----the love all for all God) and the "I like the other people better than you God", (where everyone else is blessed and you are sitting there fucked over).
I once described it as like when I was a little Greek Orthodox kid who was sent to a Catholic school where little pent up sexually tense nuns went off on kids, that the Catholic kids were going to hell; so I didn't know where I was going to go----I wasn't even Catholic.......
right?
Baby, You Wouldn't Last a Minute on The Creek......
Together we will float like angels.........
In the moment that you left the room, the album started skipping, goodbye to beauty shared with the ones that you love.........
Once my mind started exploring the subject and applying common sense, religion didn't stand a chance...
When it comes to religion, I just have faith and try not to overdo the whole "common sense" thingy. After all, if the God I'm believing in can be understood by plain, human common sense, then that God is a fake.
I have the strong conviction that no matter how hard we try, we won't be able to "understand" God. That being said, many people just give up on religion because they "don't get it" and can't come to terms with following or believing in something they don't understand.
When it comes to religion, I just have faith and try not to overdo the whole "common sense" thingy. After all, if the God I'm believing in can be understood by plain, human common sense, then that God is a fake.
I have the strong conviction that no matter how hard we try, we won't be able to "understand" God. That being said, many people just give up on religion because they "don't get it" and can't come to terms with following or believing in something they don't understand.
Myself, on the other hand... I just believe.
yeah, and I kind of think it is WE who made up "religion" all God asks for is faith......
Baby, You Wouldn't Last a Minute on The Creek......
Together we will float like angels.........
In the moment that you left the room, the album started skipping, goodbye to beauty shared with the ones that you love.........
yeah, and the "faith" I was thinking just now is like not only faith in Him but also faith in everything that we encounter that for some reason, Godly, cosmically, or whatever else we can attribute to it all, faith that it is all spinning as it should no matter if we grasp it or not.
cause a lot of times I cannot "grasp" it all, you know?
Baby, You Wouldn't Last a Minute on The Creek......
Together we will float like angels.........
In the moment that you left the room, the album started skipping, goodbye to beauty shared with the ones that you love.........
yeah, and the "faith" I was thinking just now is like not only faith in Him but also faith in everything that we encounter that for some reason, Godly, cosmically, or whatever else we can attribute to it all, faith that it is all spinning as it should no matter if we grasp it or not.
cause a lot of times I cannot "grasp" it all, you know?
Yea man, thats it! You've got enough awareness that you realize that your not as aware as you thought. Thats the way I see it.
I am jumping into this discussion a little late but never the less I was born and raised Catholic and made all the sacraments. I was even married in a Catholic church but only because my wife and her family are pretty religious. I just don't buy it. I can't see any way in believing in an invisible guy that lives in the sky. HA, There are so many reason why I am not a believer but one reason is this.
When my wife and I were engaged and had to go to the church to prepare for our Pre-Cana the priest was asking us various questions like have we been married before, do we have kids, are we related, that sort of stuff. So when he asked if we were related I asked him a question, I asked: If Adam and Eve were the first 2 people put on earth by god then in some crazy way isn't every single person on earth related in one way or another? And he took a minute to respond and said "God also created other visions that the bible doesn't talk about". I was so dumbfounded by his answer I didn't even reply.
I am sure this has been sent around in this message board before but just in case, here is a link to a great movie about Religion. It also goes into 9/11 and the USA but Part 1 about Religion is what pertains to this topic.
Hey, you wouldn't hire a clown to fix a leak in the jon so why do you let these hooligans tear down the biz? YEEAAHHH. I don't care if he is Mr. Notorious BIG, can he croon?
I believe that all religions are the right religons... for the person who follows them. If you are a Catholic and find peace and comfort in their teachings... then, it is the right religion. The same goes for the Christian that finds salvation in his/her Church... or the Muslim that finds his peace in Islam. It also works for the Jew, the Buddhist, the Scientologist and the Atheist. If it works for you... then, it is the right religion.
Atheism is not a religion. I just thought (as I'm an atheist) I would point that out.
You see me empty, Sir, do not pause and inquire, simply assume and refill.
- Al Swearengen
yeah, and I kind of think it is WE who made up "religion" all God asks for is faith......
not really, if you believe the bible it says "Faith without works is dead". So while you have to believe, you also have to act on that belief. James 2:26
Atheism is not a religion. I just thought (as I'm an atheist) I would point that out.
sure it is. If you openly profess a specific belief system, that is following a religion. Especially when one is shared by others such as in atheism. If the thought were yours alone you could argue it wasn't a religion. You have faith in the absence of a god. That is your religion.
not really, if you believe the bible it says "Faith without works is dead". So while you have to believe, you also have to act on that belief. James 2:26
yeah, but when I think of religion I think of the seperation of different people who practice different things and believe different doctrines, etc.
When I think of the point you make, "faith without works is dead" I don't think of it as in regards to religion I think of it more as if to say that if we are Christians, following Christ, then our life should reflet that in our actions, doind whatever we can to help others, as He would have done.
Baby, You Wouldn't Last a Minute on The Creek......
Together we will float like angels.........
In the moment that you left the room, the album started skipping, goodbye to beauty shared with the ones that you love.........
sure it is. If you openly profess a specific belief system, that is following a religion. Especially when one is shared by others such as in atheism. If the thought were yours alone you could argue it wasn't a religion. You have faith in the absence of a god. That is your religion.
It's not. If it were we'd all be in millions of religions.
First of all, religion and belief system are not synonymous. And I completely disagree with you.
edit: It's a lack of belief. How can that be a religion? Or even a belief system?
well you believe that there is no God, or deity, or whatever right? And calling it lack of belief first acknowledges that theres something that you dont believe in. There are many religions that dont worship or even acknowledge a god. Its basically up to the individuals interpretation. I see it as the same concept. Though it may not be religion so to speak.
well you believe that there is no God, or deity, or whatever right? And calling it lack of belief first acknowledges that theres something that you dont believe in. There are many religions that dont worship or even acknowledge a god. Its basically up to the individuals interpretation. I see it as the same concept. Though it may not be religion so to speak.
You've got it backwards, imo. To me there is nothing. And some people add something i.e. god or a deity. I don't deny something, there's nothing there.
I'm going to make a silly analogy.
Imagine someone telling you he believes there's a big blue and orange chicken-cow-fish-thing in the air that governs us and watches down on us. And he tells you he prays to this chicken-cow-fish-thing everyday and every Thursday he has to do a special funky chicken dance or the chicken-cow-fish-thing will get mad and send him to the evil cat-shrimp.
I don't believe this and I would be shocked if you did. But would you say our lack of belief in this is a religion?
What religion do you have? Well, I don't believe in the chicken-cow-fish-thing.
See how this doesn't work. It's the same with god or allah or whatever.
To me there is nothing. The only difference between the chicken-cow-fish-thing and god, allah... is that they are common. These religions are common and talked about a lot, so much that one would think that atheism is the denial of god (and in some cases this might be so). But to me atheism isn't the denial of god because there is no god, just like there's not chicken-cow-fish-thing.
My point was... you are given the freedom to choose which faith you wish to follow... including the choice not to believe. And just as we tire of Christians, Mormons and Jehovah's Witnesses trying us to convince us of their religions... we also don't need to be convinced that there is no God.
We all get to make that choice... I just think we do us all a service if we'd all stop trying to convince everyone else that our chouice is the right choice.
Allen Fieldhouse, home of the 2008 NCAA men's Basketball Champions! Go Jayhawks!
Hail, Hail!!!
Comments
Im reading the Tao Te Ching right now. Good book.
"Its a secret to everybody."
Me? I go to church... but, not every Sunday. I don't think that God is like a clock you need to wind up in order to keep Him going. I go to church... it all depends on where I'm at and how I feel... where my head is at... or how my heart is feeling. And although I love the Gothic Architecture of the grand cathedrals of the world (Notre Dame in Paris and St. Paul's Cathedral and Westminister Cathedral in London)... I find my peace and comfort at the beach. For me, I seek God while sitting on the sand, watching the Sun set over the Pacific... or on the banks of one of those crystal clear Sierra lakes... or under that blanket of stars that cover us at night. The sermons I understand are the sounds of the surf... the wind through the pine trees... the silence of the desert sky. I like to call it God's church. It welcomes and accepts everyone (even the homeless person who lives on Fairfax and is always carrying a conversation with God... I'm not sure if he'd be allowed a seat in the pews of other churches during Sunday Services... would he be welcomed in your church?).
Yeah, I know... hippie/surfer bullshit, but like I said.. it works for me.
Hail, Hail!!!
Are you Catholic?
IMHO I believe that there is something there. I go to mass every Sunday( I'm 26) . I think would have it on my mind if I didn't and just WON'T FEEL RIGHT if I didn't.
IF the church is to survive it needs to update the rules of priesthood rapid. Let the women in and get rid of chasity. IT was only bought in before when married priests left there wives..
wow, (Eddie is that YOU????) lol, kidding...........
anyway, you said it so awesomely right. I feel the same way although I have not been to all the places you have mentioned--not by far; truthfully. But I was thinking last week how church is not to be just this little place where we all high five each other for being so awesome or where we just go to talk about the "damned". And it sure shouldn't be the place where we hide behind as reasons for someone to be a certain way. I think humans are innately good by nature. And yeah, while God sure has a part in it as well as Jesus' teachings, I don't think I want to use that as a reason for my actions. Bad or good. I feel like, He came, He taught, He left; now it is MY thing. Fuck it up or not. He left me the goods what I do is my fuck up or blessings.
Together we will float like angels.........
In the moment that you left the room, the album started skipping, goodbye to beauty shared with the ones that you love.........
and, see that is YOUR right; although not my belief. What is fucked up is I asked the ladies in my Bible study if they thought Angelina and Brad were going to Heaven because I read of all these awesome things that they were doing for people and I thought that they should. Well, they said that they did not know if they were "saved"??????!!!!!!!!!!! I love those women in my study but I just thought, "shit......"
you know??
Together we will float like angels.........
In the moment that you left the room, the album started skipping, goodbye to beauty shared with the ones that you love.........
I enjoyed Catholic school, joined the choir and even discovered I have a real love for their imagery and dogma... unfortunately I didn't feel anything for their attitude towards faith.
When I reached my later teenage years I investigated the 'darker' side of religion. I read the Satanic Bible and The Satanic Rituals by Anton LaVey. I really did find parallels with my own life and found that I identified with the sacraments at the time. I found that the religion of Satanism isn't as dark as people would think and that actually it's quite a positive way to look at life, all be it ruthless. The Satanic philosophy got me through some hard times and I believe, even made me a stronger person, but I always felt there was something else...
From the age of about 16 to 22 I was very angry at God. Some revelations in my life and some difficulties I went through just added to that... I felt that God had given me those hard times for no reason. I felt God didn't love me in the way I expected to be loved, that's probably why I sought solice in Satanism. Although I no longer consider myself a Satanist, I still respect the religion. In the same way I respect Judaism, Sikhism, Buddism, Islam etc etc. I'm even considering a Theology degree.
Now i'm 24 and 'been round the block' a bit in life terms, I'm finally at peace with my faith. I know that God gave me those life choices to create the person I am now, God can't live your life for you or tell you the path to choose but God can present you with the decisions to make. I never stopped believing in God, I was just angry and very confused. Just like how teenagers don't listen to their parents and then realise, as they get older, that their parents were only strict for the teenager's wellbeing, I realised that God feels the same about me. I know that God loves me and listens. I'm not a church goer and probably never will be. As much as I love religious imagery and the concept of dogma, it's not for me. I love the world around me and appreciate it everyday... God and Myself have an understanding, I love God and God loves me... no church necessary.
... and I still think Drive-By Truckers are better.
but I do so get what you mean about the way you feel about God and the way you felt before......
I have always had a hard time with what I call the God of the Old Testament, (the wrath filled vengeful God), the Santa Claus God,(sorry for the spin of title there; I truly thought of that before the Christmas single---but the God who can do anything for you; so why is HE NOT??) , the feel good God of the New Testament, (Jesus hippie love God
sorry Jesus but I think you were a cool hippie dude myself---aka Jesus Christ Superstar kind of God----the love all for all God) and the "I like the other people better than you God", (where everyone else is blessed and you are sitting there fucked over).
I once described it as like when I was a little Greek Orthodox kid who was sent to a Catholic school where little pent up sexually tense nuns went off on kids, that the Catholic kids were going to hell; so I didn't know where I was going to go----I wasn't even Catholic.......
right?
Together we will float like angels.........
In the moment that you left the room, the album started skipping, goodbye to beauty shared with the ones that you love.........
When it comes to religion, I just have faith and try not to overdo the whole "common sense" thingy. After all, if the God I'm believing in can be understood by plain, human common sense, then that God is a fake.
I have the strong conviction that no matter how hard we try, we won't be able to "understand" God. That being said, many people just give up on religion because they "don't get it" and can't come to terms with following or believing in something they don't understand.
Myself, on the other hand... I just believe.
yeah, and I kind of think it is WE who made up "religion" all God asks for is faith......
Together we will float like angels.........
In the moment that you left the room, the album started skipping, goodbye to beauty shared with the ones that you love.........
All that other stuff doesnt matter.
"Its a secret to everybody."
yeah, and the "faith" I was thinking just now is like not only faith in Him but also faith in everything that we encounter that for some reason, Godly, cosmically, or whatever else we can attribute to it all, faith that it is all spinning as it should no matter if we grasp it or not.
cause a lot of times I cannot "grasp" it all, you know?
Together we will float like angels.........
In the moment that you left the room, the album started skipping, goodbye to beauty shared with the ones that you love.........
"Its a secret to everybody."
When my wife and I were engaged and had to go to the church to prepare for our Pre-Cana the priest was asking us various questions like have we been married before, do we have kids, are we related, that sort of stuff. So when he asked if we were related I asked him a question, I asked: If Adam and Eve were the first 2 people put on earth by god then in some crazy way isn't every single person on earth related in one way or another? And he took a minute to respond and said "God also created other visions that the bible doesn't talk about". I was so dumbfounded by his answer I didn't even reply.
I am sure this has been sent around in this message board before but just in case, here is a link to a great movie about Religion. It also goes into 9/11 and the USA but Part 1 about Religion is what pertains to this topic.
http://www.zeitgeistmovie.com/
it's great anti-christian propaganda.
Atheism is not a religion. I just thought (as I'm an atheist) I would point that out.
- Al Swearengen
http://www.cantstoptheserenity.com
yeah, but when I think of religion I think of the seperation of different people who practice different things and believe different doctrines, etc.
When I think of the point you make, "faith without works is dead" I don't think of it as in regards to religion I think of it more as if to say that if we are Christians, following Christ, then our life should reflet that in our actions, doind whatever we can to help others, as He would have done.
Together we will float like angels.........
In the moment that you left the room, the album started skipping, goodbye to beauty shared with the ones that you love.........
It's not. If it were we'd all be in millions of religions.
naděje umírá poslední
"Its a secret to everybody."
First of all, religion and belief system are not synonymous. And I completely disagree with you.
edit: It's a lack of belief. How can that be a religion? Or even a belief system?
naděje umírá poslední
"Its a secret to everybody."
You've got it backwards, imo. To me there is nothing. And some people add something i.e. god or a deity. I don't deny something, there's nothing there.
I'm going to make a silly analogy.
Imagine someone telling you he believes there's a big blue and orange chicken-cow-fish-thing in the air that governs us and watches down on us. And he tells you he prays to this chicken-cow-fish-thing everyday and every Thursday he has to do a special funky chicken dance or the chicken-cow-fish-thing will get mad and send him to the evil cat-shrimp.
I don't believe this and I would be shocked if you did. But would you say our lack of belief in this is a religion?
What religion do you have? Well, I don't believe in the chicken-cow-fish-thing.
See how this doesn't work. It's the same with god or allah or whatever.
To me there is nothing. The only difference between the chicken-cow-fish-thing and god, allah... is that they are common. These religions are common and talked about a lot, so much that one would think that atheism is the denial of god (and in some cases this might be so). But to me atheism isn't the denial of god because there is no god, just like there's not chicken-cow-fish-thing.
Was helpful at all?
naděje umírá poslední
We all get to make that choice... I just think we do us all a service if we'd all stop trying to convince everyone else that our chouice is the right choice.
Hail, Hail!!!