'What religion are you?' poll discussion

adrian_clark

Mr.Harley_Quin wrote: »

I have to say Adrian and Saleem that you are both arguing with a false dilemma.

If A insists that unicorns only eat grass and B is sure they they only eat leaves, you are ignoring the fact that unicorns do not exist.

And neither to oompa loompas exist but I still have yet to meet anyone who gets agitated, angry or frustrated by them and yet I regularly meet non-Christians who are angry at God. Recently on Radio Two people were interviewed who wished to be unchristened because they were so upset at having been Christened before being of an age to give or refuse their consent - is this not all kinda intriguing?

Believe me I know how barking it seems to propose that Jesus Christ is alive and loves them. As a non-Christian I witnessed nonsensical debate raging within Church denominations and the vicious vitriol from other radical religions and had pity on them (to be honest I still do). I knew enough from church attendance to agree with Karl Marx's proposal that Religion was a means of control (interesting how his ideas resulted in such brutalizing control). I also knew that believing Jesus Christ was physically resurrected from death would require me to give up much about what I enjoyed in the modern world; liberal approaches to: sex, fidelity, authority and a do what you want as long as no one gets hurt approach to most issues.

Of course I was ignoring what was to be gained from knowing my purpose through life as a man, how I could love my wife well, my role as a husband and father, the source of wisdom for the teaching of our children and a desire to love and serve my neighbour. I could not see that by being most satisfied in God I could get most joy out of living.

Here's the point; Have you seen something of outstanding beauty, an awe striking spectacle? Have you said "wow" and beckoned a loved one to share the spectacle, to share the wow factor? I am sharing the wow factor of being in a personal relationship with our Father in heaven, who came into human history as a humble blue collar worker to serve and love people, our response was to kill him, his response was to forgive us and conquer death, promising life to all who turn to him.

Mr.Harley_Quin

Ahhh! But the existance of Oompah loompahs does not affect me. The fact that we have religious terrorism, Zionism and loons like the Pope trying to change our laws is all down to the kind of nonsense that people believe. This has a negative affect on my life. Therefore the notion of god causes us all to have a worse life than we need to.

Everything, except the voices in the head, fear of damnation and double-think, is open to atheists too. I love my wife, I adore my child and am a decent person. All without any silly ideas about god.

Salaam

Adrian, "I am sharing the wow factor of being in a personal relationship with our Father in heaven, who came into human history as a humble blue collar worker to serve and love people, our response was to kill him, his response was to forgive us and conquer death, promising life to all who turn to him." Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) went through the same as Jesus (pbuh), along with all the other prophets and messengers, but we do not worship him.

We, Muslims are not the only ones who believe that Jesus (peace be upon him) is mortal and not a god so that means we deny the trinity.
The Jews also reject the trinity, in addition to the very first groups of Christianity such as the Ebonites, the Corinthians, the Basilidians, the Capocratians, and the Hypisistarians never knew about trinity doctrine at all. The Arians, Paulicians and Goths also accepted Jesus (peace be upon him) as a prophet of God and against the trinity.
Even in the modern age there are churches in Asia, in Africa, the Unitarian church, the Jehovah's witnesses, and even the majority of today's Anglican Bishops do not worship Jesus (peace be upon him) as one in three, as what been report by the "Daily News" 25/6/84 under the heading "Shock survey of Anglican Bishops."
Moreover, the 'Socinianism', the 17th-century Christian also rejects such traditional doctrines as the Trinity and original sin, the founder is Socinus, and his Latinized name of Lelio Francesco Maria Sozzini (1525-1562), the Italian Protestant theologian.
Johannes Greber (1874) a former of Catholic priest in his book 'The Communication with the Spirit World of God' in page 371 wrote, "As you see, the doctrine of a triune Godhead is not only contrary to common sense, but is entirely unsupported by the Scriptures". So another priest who was deny the trinity.
A theologians, Edouard Schillebeeckx of the Netherlands in 1979 was writings some article that rejects the doctrine of the Trinity. This caused concern to the Vatican.
Divinity - Not according to Khadijah 'Sue' Watson - Former pastor, missionary, professor. Master's degree in Divinity.

maytaurus

Mr.Harley_Quin wrote: »

I have to say Adrian and Saleem that you are both arguing with a false dilemma.

If A insists that unicorns only eat grass and B is sure they they only eat leaves, you are ignoring the fact that unicorns do not exist.

Says who?
Unicorns are real, the Bible says so, Job 39:9-12, KJV, http://www.unicornmuseum.org/

ashleypride

adrian_clark wrote: »

And neither to oompa loompas exist but I still have yet to meet anyone who gets agitated, angry or frustrated by them and yet I regularly meet non-Christians who are angry at God. Recently on Radio Two people were interviewed who wished to be unchristened because they were so upset at having been Christened before being of an age to give or refuse their consent - is this not all kinda intriguing?.

Think it through - them being angry at God makes no sense. They are angry at their parents.

Whether oompa loompas exist or not, doesn't have any impact. But whether or not you have faith, Religion makes an impact. Religion makes it acceptable to chop off a babies foreskin or use a inhumane method to kill animals.

adrian_clark

ashleypride wrote: »

Think it through - them being angry at God makes no sense. They are angry at their parents.

Whether oompa loompas exist or not, doesn't have any impact. But whether or not you have faith, Religion makes an impact. Religion makes it acceptable to chop off a babies foreskin or use a inhumane method to kill animals.

You are right mankind's religions have a devastating impact; female circumcision is abhorrent, expecting men to remain unmarried and celibate if they are to be your clergy is a demonic rule and has had terrifying consequence on children when those men's wicked proclivities surface, and 9/11 offered an incredible insight, amongst many others, of the destructive power of man's allegiance with forces of evil.

That's the point mankind is cruel, thoughtless, and selfish and he doesn't just need false religions to be that way. Look at the atheistic regimes of Pol Pot in Cambodia, Mau in China, Stalin's Soviet Empire or Germany's Nazis, all sought to stamp out religion by replacing it with another. Religion is simply a worldview through which you find your fundamental set of beliefs and values. For atheists this is sometimes democratic politics, a set of moral values, a philosophical line of reasoning. For others it is less palatable mindsets like addictions to sex through !!!!!! or adultery, drugs, alcohol or gambling. Your religion can be identified by where you invest your time, treasure, talents, emotions and energies.

That's why Jesus Christ came, God entered into human history to save us from our pathetic, ridiculous and foolish religions. Now many rejected him, most noticeably the religious crowd who had him murdered, but upon His resurrection many understood that He was who He said He was. And you are gifted the free will to reject him today. Some of our church clergy, who are educated beyond their intelligence, still reject Jesus as God so you are in intriguing company. I rejected him until 2007 so I know where you are.

We are more then flesh and bones, an accidental chemical mix, a group chromosomes that scientific theories will one day fully explain. You have a soul. You are able to love, feel shame, discern the difference between right and wrong and see the beauty of creation all around; you have a soul. These characteristics are gifts of common grace all you have to do is determine if Jesus Christ is who He said He was.

If he isn't God, then there is no God and we came from nothing and are going to nothing, from goo to zoo to you then so be it. I have great joy living with the risen Lord as my personal saviour. If on the other hand, the God I pray to each day, whose presence I feel, whose Word I trust for wisdom and whose people I gather with on Sunday to celebrate his resurrection is real, then you are facing an eternal fate of abject emptiness, loneliness and pain separated from the source of life, love and peace through the power of your own free will. Life is a weighty responsibility and I pray with all my heart you choose well.

TBagpuss

Look at the atheistic regimes of Pol Pot in Cambodia, Mau in China, Stalin's Soviet Empire or Germany's Nazis, all sought to stamp out religion by replacing it with another.

Well, except that Germany's Nazi's identified as Chrsitians - thei Nazi Parties own version of the constitution stated:-

24. We demand liberty for all religious denominations in the State, so far as they are not a danger to it and do not militate against the morality and moral sense of the German race. The Party, as such, stands for positive Christianity

Red_Doe

To answer the original question, I`m pagan.

adrian_clark

Red_Doe wrote: »

To answer the original question, I`m pagan.

Of course you are pagan for we live in a pagan culture. A culture that celebrates the flesh and material things, driven by the desire to consume. Paganism comes in many guises but it puts the material world at the centre, preeminent and prominent.

The Bible says that you are not an animal but the glory of God. You are his image bearer more loved by your father in heaven than you could possibly imagine. Given that abiding truth your life has real meaning and purpose, you have opportunities to lean into the future as a devoted spouse, a faithful and wise parent and a generous and compassionate neighbour.

God came into human history as the man Jesus Christ, to pay the price for you sins through his torture and death and the cross and conquered death, and hell so that you might live a new life through Him (John 3:16). This is the good news, through your struggles, pain and frustrations with life he loves. have a great day.

Red_Doe

Please don`t preach at me. I was born pagan and will die pagan and my afterlife will have nothing to do with christianity. Please don`t waste your time...It`s the last resort of the desperate and frightened, to try to convert.