The Concept of God

KC138045 · May 2017

I did not come from a very religious family but we did attend church when I was little. I never felt comfortable in church and I think I only believed in god then because that was what I was taught to believe.

As I've gotten older I've gone from questioning religion to agnostic to now full atheist. I personally find it silly that in today's world that people can truly believe that there is some deity upstairs pulling all the strings. Religion was created to control the masses, to put the fear of god/gods in them to keep the people in line. So many religions were created because someone had a different opinion than what was being taught. Some believe in this god or that god and think this event did or didn't happen.

I didn't read this entire thread but I did see where the story of Noah came up. There is scientific proof that this event could not of happened on a global scale. This and other bible stories are just silly folk tales in my opinion.

With all that being said if you are religious and your beliefs help you get through life and give you an understanding of the universe then good for you. I don't like it when someones religious beliefs or non-beliefs are pressured onto others.

chadwick · May 2017

comical are the

PJ_Soul · May 2017

KC138045 said:

I did not come from a very religious family but we did attend church when I was little. I never felt comfortable in church and I think I only believed in god then because that was what I was taught to believe.

As I've gotten older I've gone from questioning religion to agnostic to now full atheist. I personally find it silly that in today's world that people can truly believe that there is some deity upstairs pulling all the strings. Religion was created to control the masses, to put the fear of god/gods in them to keep the people in line. So many religions were created because someone had a different opinion than what was being taught. Some believe in this god or that god and think this event did or didn't happen.

I didn't read this entire thread but I did see where the story of Noah came up. There is scientific proof that this event could not of happened on a global scale. This and other bible stories are just silly folk tales in my opinion.

With all that being said if you are religious and your beliefs help you get through life and give you an understanding of the universe then good for you. I don't like it when someones religious beliefs or non-beliefs are pressured onto others.

I wasn't raised to be religious either - never went to Church with my family unless it was kind of a point of interest, i.e., we went and watched a group Baptism in the ocean in Hawaii once, I went in London with my Grandmother once, etc. My mom once tried to make me go to Sunday school, and I hated it so much she didn't make me go again, lol. But I was raised from a young age to understand religion. My mom made sure that I knew all about it in the intellectual sense. I learned all the Biblical stories (which I LOVED btw), learned about the different religions and the different denominations within each faith, etc. My mother understood that religion is an important topic in the world and basically just didn't want me to be ignorant to the whole thing. She completely left it up to me whether or not I wanted to believe in anything or not. And, since I live in society, when I was younger I kind of took it for granted that God existed I guess. I didn't think about my belief in God much - I was more interested in the facts of religion even then - but I just had a vague kind of belief in it, like it was a given. But then I found the topic really interesting in an academic sense by the time I was a teenager. I was really into literature, and found that a lot of it included religion and whatnot, so I developed a keen interest in the subject. So that is when I took it upon myself to learn more about the real life part of religion. I got my mom to send me to various religious camps, I attended different churches and temples and whatnot with different friends, I read the Bible, I learned the history of the various organizations to some extent, and eventually enrolled in humanities and philosophy courses about it in university, and of course dealt with the topic a lot while doing an English Lit degree.

Well, the more I learned about it, the more I was around the actual practices at those camps and in those churches, the less I believed. I was a full blown Atheist by the time I graduated high school. Every bit of experience and info that I picked up from all those sources throughout my adolescence just convinced me more and more that the whole concept of God was completely ridiculous, and that organized religion is a crock of shit, and that most of those people I mingled with just believed all of it because they were either scared, brainwashed, guilty, or simply couldn't conceive of another option because they were born into belief. So many hypocrisies, so many contradictions, so much silly bullshit, so many people who told me I was going to hell, lol. On one level, the whole thing pissed me off. It all seemed to damned manipulative to me. I did and do find something inherently unseemly about organized religion. And I became unalterably convinced that the concept of God, which lay behind it all, was simply a manmade concept that man used as leverage throughout history as a way to get money and obedience out of populations.

KC138045 · May 2017

PJ_Soul said:

KC138045 said:

I did not come from a very religious family but we did attend church when I was little. I never felt comfortable in church and I think I only believed in god then because that was what I was taught to believe.

As I've gotten older I've gone from questioning religion to agnostic to now full atheist. I personally find it silly that in today's world that people can truly believe that there is some deity upstairs pulling all the strings. Religion was created to control the masses, to put the fear of god/gods in them to keep the people in line. So many religions were created because someone had a different opinion than what was being taught. Some believe in this god or that god and think this event did or didn't happen.

I didn't read this entire thread but I did see where the story of Noah came up. There is scientific proof that this event could not of happened on a global scale. This and other bible stories are just silly folk tales in my opinion.

With all that being said if you are religious and your beliefs help you get through life and give you an understanding of the universe then good for you. I don't like it when someones religious beliefs or non-beliefs are pressured onto others.

I wasn't raised to be religious either - never went to Church with my family unless it was kind of a point of interest, i.e., we went and watched a group Baptism in the ocean in Hawaii once, I went in London with my Grandmother once, etc. My mom once tried to make me go to Sunday school, and I hated it so much she didn't make me go again, lol. But I was raised from a young age to understand religion. My mom made sure that I knew all about it in the intellectual sense. I learned all the Biblical stories (which I LOVED btw), learned about the different religions and the different denominations within each faith, etc. My mother understood that religion is an important topic in the world and basically just didn't want me to be ignorant to the whole thing. She completely left it up to me whether or not I wanted to believe in anything or not. And, since I live in society, when I was younger I kind of took it for granted that God existed I guess. I didn't think about my belief in God much - I was more interested in the facts of religion even then - but I just had a vague kind of belief in it, like it was a given. But then I found the topic really interesting in an academic sense by the time I was a teenager. I was really into literature, and found that a lot of it included religion and whatnot, so I developed a keen interest in the subject. So that is when I took it upon myself to learn more about the real life part of religion. I got my mom to send me to various religious camps, I attended different churches and temples and whatnot with different friends, I read the Bible, I learned the history of the various organizations to some extent, and eventually enrolled in humanities and philosophy courses about it in university, and of course dealt with the topic a lot while doing an English Lit degree.

Well, the more I learned about it, the more I was around the actual practices at those camps and in those churches, the less I believed. I was a full blown Atheist by the time I graduated high school. Every bit of experience and info that I picked up from all those sources throughout my adolescence just convinced me more and more that the whole concept of God was completely ridiculous, and that organized religion is a crock of shit, and that most of those people I mingled with just believed all of it because they were either scared, brainwashed, guilty, or simply couldn't conceive of another option because they were born into belief. So many hypocrisies, so many contradictions, so much silly bullshit, so many people who told me I was going to hell, lol.

My ex-wife was raised Catholic and came from a very religious family. I was originally gong to convert for her but never did once I started going to church with her and being around those people. I'm not saying all Catholics are like this but I have never met more judgmental assholes in my life than I did in the Catholic church. My ex's Mother told her our son would go to hell if we didn't get him baptized. Neither of my children are baptized. I don't discuss religion with my kids. They do go to church on occasion with their mom usually at Christmas and I think my son knows my views. I will leave it up to them if they want to get involved in a religion or raise their kids catholic or whatever.

HughFreakingDillon · May 2017

KC138045 said:

PJ_Soul said:

KC138045 said:

I did not come from a very religious family but we did attend church when I was little. I never felt comfortable in church and I think I only believed in god then because that was what I was taught to believe.

As I've gotten older I've gone from questioning religion to agnostic to now full atheist. I personally find it silly that in today's world that people can truly believe that there is some deity upstairs pulling all the strings. Religion was created to control the masses, to put the fear of god/gods in them to keep the people in line. So many religions were created because someone had a different opinion than what was being taught. Some believe in this god or that god and think this event did or didn't happen.

I didn't read this entire thread but I did see where the story of Noah came up. There is scientific proof that this event could not of happened on a global scale. This and other bible stories are just silly folk tales in my opinion.

With all that being said if you are religious and your beliefs help you get through life and give you an understanding of the universe then good for you. I don't like it when someones religious beliefs or non-beliefs are pressured onto others.

I wasn't raised to be religious either - never went to Church with my family unless it was kind of a point of interest, i.e., we went and watched a group Baptism in the ocean in Hawaii once, I went in London with my Grandmother once, etc. My mom once tried to make me go to Sunday school, and I hated it so much she didn't make me go again, lol. But I was raised from a young age to understand religion. My mom made sure that I knew all about it in the intellectual sense. I learned all the Biblical stories (which I LOVED btw), learned about the different religions and the different denominations within each faith, etc. My mother understood that religion is an important topic in the world and basically just didn't want me to be ignorant to the whole thing. She completely left it up to me whether or not I wanted to believe in anything or not. And, since I live in society, when I was younger I kind of took it for granted that God existed I guess. I didn't think about my belief in God much - I was more interested in the facts of religion even then - but I just had a vague kind of belief in it, like it was a given. But then I found the topic really interesting in an academic sense by the time I was a teenager. I was really into literature, and found that a lot of it included religion and whatnot, so I developed a keen interest in the subject. So that is when I took it upon myself to learn more about the real life part of religion. I got my mom to send me to various religious camps, I attended different churches and temples and whatnot with different friends, I read the Bible, I learned the history of the various organizations to some extent, and eventually enrolled in humanities and philosophy courses about it in university, and of course dealt with the topic a lot while doing an English Lit degree.

Well, the more I learned about it, the more I was around the actual practices at those camps and in those churches, the less I believed. I was a full blown Atheist by the time I graduated high school. Every bit of experience and info that I picked up from all those sources throughout my adolescence just convinced me more and more that the whole concept of God was completely ridiculous, and that organized religion is a crock of shit, and that most of those people I mingled with just believed all of it because they were either scared, brainwashed, guilty, or simply couldn't conceive of another option because they were born into belief. So many hypocrisies, so many contradictions, so much silly bullshit, so many people who told me I was going to hell, lol.

My ex-wife was raised Catholic and came from a very religious family. I was originally gong to convert for her but never did once I started going to church with her and being around those people. I'm not saying all Catholics are like this but I have never met more judgmental assholes in my life than I did in the Catholic church. My ex's Mother told her our son would go to hell if we didn't get him baptized. Neither of my children are baptized. I don't discuss religion with my kids. They do go to church on occasion with their mom usually at Christmas and I think my son knows my views. I will leave it up to them if they want to get involved in a religion or raise their kids catholic or whatever.

conversely, my wife's devout catholic parents are less judgmental than most non-catholics or christians I know. He is a knight of columbus, nearly 80 (for context). his wife has 3 sisters who are nuns, and she almost become one herself. my parents, who are not religious, are anti-same sex marriage, for example, while my in-laws just say "just let them get married and live already, what difference does it make in your life?".

I realize, however, they are most likely an anomaly.

KC138045 · May 2017

HughFreakingDillon said:

KC138045 said:

PJ_Soul said:

KC138045 said:

I did not come from a very religious family but we did attend church when I was little. I never felt comfortable in church and I think I only believed in god then because that was what I was taught to believe.

As I've gotten older I've gone from questioning religion to agnostic to now full atheist. I personally find it silly that in today's world that people can truly believe that there is some deity upstairs pulling all the strings. Religion was created to control the masses, to put the fear of god/gods in them to keep the people in line. So many religions were created because someone had a different opinion than what was being taught. Some believe in this god or that god and think this event did or didn't happen.

I didn't read this entire thread but I did see where the story of Noah came up. There is scientific proof that this event could not of happened on a global scale. This and other bible stories are just silly folk tales in my opinion.

With all that being said if you are religious and your beliefs help you get through life and give you an understanding of the universe then good for you. I don't like it when someones religious beliefs or non-beliefs are pressured onto others.

I wasn't raised to be religious either - never went to Church with my family unless it was kind of a point of interest, i.e., we went and watched a group Baptism in the ocean in Hawaii once, I went in London with my Grandmother once, etc. My mom once tried to make me go to Sunday school, and I hated it so much she didn't make me go again, lol. But I was raised from a young age to understand religion. My mom made sure that I knew all about it in the intellectual sense. I learned all the Biblical stories (which I LOVED btw), learned about the different religions and the different denominations within each faith, etc. My mother understood that religion is an important topic in the world and basically just didn't want me to be ignorant to the whole thing. She completely left it up to me whether or not I wanted to believe in anything or not. And, since I live in society, when I was younger I kind of took it for granted that God existed I guess. I didn't think about my belief in God much - I was more interested in the facts of religion even then - but I just had a vague kind of belief in it, like it was a given. But then I found the topic really interesting in an academic sense by the time I was a teenager. I was really into literature, and found that a lot of it included religion and whatnot, so I developed a keen interest in the subject. So that is when I took it upon myself to learn more about the real life part of religion. I got my mom to send me to various religious camps, I attended different churches and temples and whatnot with different friends, I read the Bible, I learned the history of the various organizations to some extent, and eventually enrolled in humanities and philosophy courses about it in university, and of course dealt with the topic a lot while doing an English Lit degree.

Well, the more I learned about it, the more I was around the actual practices at those camps and in those churches, the less I believed. I was a full blown Atheist by the time I graduated high school. Every bit of experience and info that I picked up from all those sources throughout my adolescence just convinced me more and more that the whole concept of God was completely ridiculous, and that organized religion is a crock of shit, and that most of those people I mingled with just believed all of it because they were either scared, brainwashed, guilty, or simply couldn't conceive of another option because they were born into belief. So many hypocrisies, so many contradictions, so much silly bullshit, so many people who told me I was going to hell, lol.

My ex-wife was raised Catholic and came from a very religious family. I was originally gong to convert for her but never did once I started going to church with her and being around those people. I'm not saying all Catholics are like this but I have never met more judgmental assholes in my life than I did in the Catholic church. My ex's Mother told her our son would go to hell if we didn't get him baptized. Neither of my children are baptized. I don't discuss religion with my kids. They do go to church on occasion with their mom usually at Christmas and I think my son knows my views. I will leave it up to them if they want to get involved in a religion or raise their kids catholic or whatever.

conversely, my wife's devout catholic parents are less judgmental than most non-catholics or christians I know. He is a knight of columbus, nearly 80 (for context). his wife has 3 sisters who are nuns, and she almost become one herself. my parents, who are not religious, are anti-same sex marriage, for example, while my in-laws just say "just let them get married and live already, what difference does it make in your life?".

I realize, however, they are most likely an anomaly.

Going with my experience your in-laws do seem like an anomaly lol.

Gern Blansten · May 2017

KC138045 said:

I did not come from a very religious family but we did attend church when I was little. I never felt comfortable in church and I think I only believed in god then because that was what I was taught to believe.

As I've gotten older I've gone from questioning religion to agnostic to now full atheist. I personally find it silly that in today's world that people can truly believe that there is some deity upstairs pulling all the strings. Religion was created to control the masses, to put the fear of god/gods in them to keep the people in line. So many religions were created because someone had a different opinion than what was being taught. Some believe in this god or that god and think this event did or didn't happen.

I didn't read this entire thread but I did see where the story of Noah came up. There is scientific proof that this event could not of happened on a global scale. This and other bible stories are just silly folk tales in my opinion.

With all that being said if you are religious and your beliefs help you get through life and give you an understanding of the universe then good for you. I don't like it when someones religious beliefs or non-beliefs are pressured onto others.

We weren't real religious either but we did attend church. I quit going in high school because I made my mom and dad so miserable if I had to go with them. Dad didn't like being late so I learned that the key to skipping church was to take as long as I possibly could to get ready. If I could stretch it out to the point where dad would get fed up and leave....I won. Sometimes we would get to church and there wouldn't be a convenient place to park....Dad hated going in once services started so that presented good opportunities to avoid church as well.

We went to a Methodist church that only did communion a few times a year. I used to go to a christian church with my grandma where they would do communion every week so I guess our church might have been a little more laid back then some.

None of it makes logical sense if you devote much thought to it.

PJ_Soul · May 2017

I've found people on both sides of that fence. My cousin actually became a Born Again (ugh). In a lot of ways it's kooky as fuck, and it has definitely alienated her from us and vice versa. Her husband, who drew her into it in the first place, is pretty judgey and has even lectured her about her totally normal behaviour in front of us. Not cool. Then again, the cousin herself is extremely accepting of others. In fact, their "rule" is supposedly not to judge anyone ever. Well, a lot of these folks ignore that rule, lol. But my cousin actually seems to stick to it. So that's something. And throughout my 'religious travels', haha, I have come across both kinds of religious folks in every single religion and denomination. It just depends on the person and/or on their particular family or church. At the end of the day, this observation weakens their case for their religion a lot. As far as I can tell, everyone just picks and chooses which rules to follow within their religion and which to ignore. This seems to be a universal phenomenon, even among the fanatics. It's pretty damn flakey if you ask me.

Gern Blansten · May 2017

I remember when I was in high school (this was probably 1984 or so) we got a new youth minister...it was actually him and his wife working in tandem. They were super nice. Our youth group used to meet at their house and play dungeons and dragons on sunday afternoon. The church people didn't like that at all...

Looking back I think they were ahead of their time...instead of preaching D&D as a devil worshiping tool (this was back when we used to play Led Zeppelin and Ozzy records backwards to hear SATAN) they were embracing it since so many of us were into it.

HughFreakingDillon · May 2017

Gern Blansten said:

I remember when I was in high school (this was probably 1984 or so) we got a new youth minister...it was actually him and his wife working in tandem. They were super nice. Our youth group used to meet at their house and play dungeons and dragons on sunday afternoon. The church people didn't like that at all...

Looking back I think they were ahead of their time...instead of preaching D&D as a devil worshiping tool (this was back when we used to play Led Zeppelin and Ozzy records backwards to hear SATAN) they were embracing it since so many of us were into it.

the church, in most respects, still has not caught on with how to engage today's youth. if they want kids to pay attention, they need to get with the times. and that's a LOT of catching up. churches are slowly emptying where I am. it's nothing but old people and young kids. And it's doubtful many of those young kids will go to church after they are no longer forced to.

PJ_Soul · May 2017

Gern Blansten said:

I remember when I was in high school (this was probably 1984 or so) we got a new youth minister...it was actually him and his wife working in tandem. They were super nice. Our youth group used to meet at their house and play dungeons and dragons on sunday afternoon. The church people didn't like that at all...

Looking back I think they were ahead of their time...instead of preaching D&D as a devil worshiping tool (this was back when we used to play Led Zeppelin and Ozzy records backwards to hear SATAN) they were embracing it since so many of us were into it.

I had a youth minister at a Baptist camp who lost his damn mind in front of us, lol. They had this graduate party thing for the oldest campers who couldn't come back the next year, so this youth minister asked them what song they'd like to use for the stupid ceremony. They wanted Bohemian Rhapsody (this was around the time Wayne's World came out of course, lol). Well, the guy really didn't like that idea at all. I guess the "nothing really matters" part is what got to him most. Anyway, he gathered the entire camp into the room where we had daily chapel (daily torture was more like it), and he proceeded to flip the fuck out. He had this huge enviable cassette collection that we all knew about and which made us think he was cool. Not so much. He brought his entire music collection out and started smashing every single fucking tape in front of us, one at a time, while he ranted and raved about the sins of modern music and how he'd been walking down the wrong path, listening to all this devil's music. We had to sit there for 3 hours watching this go on and on and on and on and on. All I could think about was 1) this guy is fucking CRAZY, and 2) Oh NOOOOOOOO!!!!! Someone save the tapes!!!!!!! It really sucked for a music fan to witness. And it was infuriating. He was warping the minds of young people right in front of my eyes, turning them against all the great music in the world. It really pissed me off! And this was a guy who seemed NORMAL before this complete mental breakdown, lol.

ponytd · May 2017

I believe and God and have grown up in the church. I went to a Church of Christ school and university. I've been to more Sunday schools, bible classes and chapels than I can count. Like many of you have said, growing up, I think I believed because I was told to or pushed into it. But over time, I've questioned my faith and I still believe in God, but not the same way I previously did. I also agree with a lot of what you've said. I have some problems with organized religion. Like, why does this denomination believe in this, but this one over here doesn't. It doesn't make much sense, and you're right. It is like they're picking just what is convenient for them. And there are a lot of judgey people in the church. Trust me, Church of Christ as some of the most judgey there are. I think that's what started giving me the most problems with organized religion. I would sit in church and listen to them preach forgiveness and love one another, but then turn around and see them do the exact opposite. It just didn't sit right with me.

I don't go to church that much anymore. I was told growing up you had to go to church every Sunday, but if God is loving and forgiving, I don't think he's going to hold it against you because you didn't go church every single Sunday. I try to live my life by respecting others, helping those who need it and just being a good person. What I've come to believe over the years is that God wants us to try and be the best person we can be, not some mindless drone who just does whatever they're told. Maybe he does want that, I don't know, but I feel like man has perverted the image of God with all the denominations and rules that they've made up. I know the Bible is God's inspired word, but it was still written by man and who is to say man didn't change things?

ponytd · May 2017

PJ_Soul said:

Gern Blansten said:

I remember when I was in high school (this was probably 1984 or so) we got a new youth minister...it was actually him and his wife working in tandem. They were super nice. Our youth group used to meet at their house and play dungeons and dragons on sunday afternoon. The church people didn't like that at all...

Looking back I think they were ahead of their time...instead of preaching D&D as a devil worshiping tool (this was back when we used to play Led Zeppelin and Ozzy records backwards to hear SATAN) they were embracing it since so many of us were into it.

I had a youth minister at a Baptist camp who lost his damn mind in front of us, lol. They had this graduate party thing for the oldest campers who couldn't come back the next year, so this youth minister asked them what song they'd like to use for the stupid ceremony. They wanted Bohemian Rhapsody (this was around the time Wayne's World came out of course, lol). Well, the guy really didn't like that idea at all. I guess the "nothing really matters" part is what got to him most. Anyway, he gathered the entire camp into the room where we had daily chapel (daily torture was more like it), and he proceeded to flip the fuck out. He had this huge enviable cassette collection that we all knew about and which made us think he was cool. Not so much. He brought his entire music collection out and started smashing every single fucking tape in front of us, one at a time, while he ranted and raved about the sins of modern music and how he'd been walking down the wrong path, listening to all this devil's music. We had to sit there for 3 hours watching this go on and on and on and on and on. All I could think about was 1) this guy is fucking CRAZY, and 2) Oh NOOOOOOOO!!!!! Someone save the tapes!!!!!!! It really sucked for a music fan to witness. And it was infuriating. He was warping the minds of young people right in front of my eyes, turning them against all the great music in the world. It really pissed me off! And this was a guy who seemed NORMAL before this complete mental breakdown, lol.

I've never understood those types of people. I've luckily never encountered anything like that. That would probably turn me off of religion too lol

HughFreakingDillon · June 2017

i always find it so ridiculous how religious groups think they need these grand castles to worship their god in, where the money could be obviously spent on things a little less, i don't know, modest?

oftenreading · June 2017

HughFreakingDillon said:

i always find it so ridiculous how religious groups think they need these grand castles to worship their god in, where the money could be obviously spent on things a little less, i don't know, modest?

" To the Greater Glory of God", they say.

To me, the greater glory would be to use that money to feed the hungry and house the homeless and clothe those who can't afford warm clothing. Seems to me that that is what the putative Christ would have preferred, so those who call themselves Christians might want to as well.

hedonist · June 2017

My dad worshiped - well, gave thanks to and acknowledged - his (own) god in synagogues, at home with us, in music, in nature. For what it's worth, he was a humble and dry-humored man who lived quite the modest yet generous life. Not gonna rehash his decency as a man, even religion aside, but that did play a huge part in his life, history and outlook - and as such, played a huge part in mine.

ponytd · June 2017

oftenreading said:

HughFreakingDillon said:

i always find it so ridiculous how religious groups think they need these grand castles to worship their god in, where the money could be obviously spent on things a little less, i don't know, modest?

" To the Greater Glory of God", they say.

To me, the greater glory would be to use that money to feed the hungry and house the homeless and clothe those who can't afford warm clothing. Seems to me that that is what the putative Christ would have preferred, so those who call themselves Christians might want to as well.

Most every church I know does do this to some extent. The church I went to when I was growing up would go downtown with a bus and pick up homeless people and bring them back to the church during the winter. We'd make them dinner and breakfast and set up cots for them to sleep in and we'd have a clothing drive beforehand to give them coats and new clothes. We'd also have fundraisers for families in need and participate in the meals on wheels program.

I know not every church does these types of things, and you're right, they should. One of the biggest things about being a Christian is giving back and looking out for your neighbor. Churches and it's members that don't help out, are pretty much just lip service "Christians"

Gern Blansten · June 2017

ponytd said:

I believe and God and have grown up in the church. I went to a Church of Christ school and university. I've been to more Sunday schools, bible classes and chapels than I can count. Like many of you have said, growing up, I think I believed because I was told to or pushed into it. But over time, I've questioned my faith and I still believe in God, but not the same way I previously did. I also agree with a lot of what you've said. I have some problems with organized religion. Like, why does this denomination believe in this, but this one over here doesn't. It doesn't make much sense, and you're right. It is like they're picking just what is convenient for them. And there are a lot of judgey people in the church. Trust me, Church of Christ as some of the most judgey there are. I think that's what started giving me the most problems with organized religion. I would sit in church and listen to them preach forgiveness and love one another, but then turn around and see them do the exact opposite. It just didn't sit right with me.

I don't go to church that much anymore. I was told growing up you had to go to church every Sunday, but if God is loving and forgiving, I don't think he's going to hold it against you because you didn't go church every single Sunday. I try to live my life by respecting others, helping those who need it and just being a good person. What I've come to believe over the years is that God wants us to try and be the best person we can be, not some mindless drone who just does whatever they're told. Maybe he does want that, I don't know, but I feel like man has perverted the image of God with all the denominations and rules that they've made up. I know the Bible is God's inspired word, but it was still written by man and who is to say man didn't change things?

I don't disagree. I used to say the same thing....why is it necessary to dress up and go to church for an hour in order to guarantee a spot in heaven?

There is some interesting info on how the bible was translated too. I read "Losing Faith in Faith" by Dan Barker (former evangelist) and it opened my mind to how we have changed the bible over time. He went on a quest to determine if what he believed was true and ended up leaving the church and forming the Freedom from Religion Foundation.

ponytd · June 2017

Gern Blansten said:

ponytd said:

I believe and God and have grown up in the church. I went to a Church of Christ school and university. I've been to more Sunday schools, bible classes and chapels than I can count. Like many of you have said, growing up, I think I believed because I was told to or pushed into it. But over time, I've questioned my faith and I still believe in God, but not the same way I previously did. I also agree with a lot of what you've said. I have some problems with organized religion. Like, why does this denomination believe in this, but this one over here doesn't. It doesn't make much sense, and you're right. It is like they're picking just what is convenient for them. And there are a lot of judgey people in the church. Trust me, Church of Christ as some of the most judgey there are. I think that's what started giving me the most problems with organized religion. I would sit in church and listen to them preach forgiveness and love one another, but then turn around and see them do the exact opposite. It just didn't sit right with me.

I don't go to church that much anymore. I was told growing up you had to go to church every Sunday, but if God is loving and forgiving, I don't think he's going to hold it against you because you didn't go church every single Sunday. I try to live my life by respecting others, helping those who need it and just being a good person. What I've come to believe over the years is that God wants us to try and be the best person we can be, not some mindless drone who just does whatever they're told. Maybe he does want that, I don't know, but I feel like man has perverted the image of God with all the denominations and rules that they've made up. I know the Bible is God's inspired word, but it was still written by man and who is to say man didn't change things?

I don't disagree. I used to say the same thing....why is it necessary to dress up and go to church for an hour in order to guarantee a spot in heaven?

There is some interesting info on how the bible was translated too. I read "Losing Faith in Faith" by Dan Barker (former evangelist) and it opened my mind to how we have changed the bible over time. He went on a quest to determine if what he believed was true and ended up leaving the church and forming the Freedom from Religion Foundation.

Interesting, I may have to read that book to check it out.

PJ_Soul · June 2017

I think there are things that specifically tell Christians and Jews that they really don't have to go to Church, and maybe even shouldn't go:

Matthew 6:5

“And when you pray, you must not be like the hypocrites. For they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and at the street corners, that they may be seen by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward"

Acts 17:24

"The God who made the world and everything in it, being Lord of heaven and earth, does not live in temples made by man"

Matthew 6:6

"But when you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you."

...... On the other hand, there are other passages that say Christians and Jews should gather together so they can encourage each other and that they shouldn't isolate themselves because it is essentially selfish and self-serving. As is standard for the Bible, the issue is wrought with contradiction, which renders the whole thing moot.

The Concept of God

Comments

Matthew 6:5

Acts 17:24

Matthew 6:6

Categories