Religion & Spirituality - 21 August 2006

Have you read the Bible? What about books about religion? Have you read different perspectives? What about athiests - usually you've read Bart Erhman or Elaine Pagels... have you ever read any Christian scholars? John Frame? D.A. Carson? Cornelius Van Til? Do you consider youself balanced and educated? Christians, have you read non-Christian scholars? Are you aware of text criticism issues and apologetics? DO you know what the Jesus seminar is all about? Do you get any deeper than Max Lucado?

2006-08-21 02:30:40 · 15 answers · asked by breadloaf76 2

What do insults prove except ignorance, bigotry, and insecurity? Why can't we just respect each other and agree to disagree? Insulting a believer of any faith isn't going to change them and neither is insulting an atheist or agnostic going to convince them of God.

2006-08-21 02:27:30 · 34 answers · asked by Debra M. Wishing Peace To All 7

Can we assume that god is OK with children being sexually abused? He seems to be inordinately concerned with mixed fibres and picking up sticks on the wrong day but never thinks to condemn one of the most abhorrent things that a human being can possibly do.

2006-08-21 02:26:40 · 12 answers · asked by Anonymous

2006-08-21 02:26:13 · 60 answers · asked by tom science 4

Can any body tell me about Hindu ism...Is it true that Hindus worship statues of their Gods like ancient Rome? are there more than one God to worship in Hinduism???

2006-08-21 02:25:52 · 9 answers · asked by raja pakistani 1

One day there were 10 would-be Catholic priests, going through the tests that would make them ministers.

The final test required them to all strip butt-naked and stand
in a row with little bells attached to their ding-dongs, facing a beautiful naked woman.

Well, lo and behold one of the bells went off, but when
it did, it fell to the ground. As soon as its owner bent over to pick it up, all the 9 remaining bells sounded at once.

Yup. Nine more ordained priests added to the Catholic Church.

2006-08-21 02:25:49 · 21 answers · asked by Anonymous

How is evil different than bad?

For instance was Hurricane Katrina evil or bad? Is Bush an evil President or just a bad President? ;-) (Sorry couldn’t resist.)

2006-08-21 02:24:24 · 16 answers · asked by Pablito 5

Please answer my question cuz i really want to know what people think on this topic.

The real reason is actually because... I have been goin to church for a long time with my family and I love it. The atmosphere is just the best. It's almost impossible not to feel like you belong. And well I guess it is just soo exciting.

But I want to know what u think!!!

2006-08-21 02:21:58 · 21 answers · asked by //*Sami*// 2

I was just asked why I believe in God..ok.
When I was a kid I went to church with neighbors that asked me to go..I did and believed in God. As time went on I gave up the idea that God loved me and that he was real.
I left my home when I was 16, an abusive alcholic father was more than I could take, I lived in the back seat of a 1970 Nova for 2 years. Bt this time I thought if there was a God he didn't like me..that was obvious. I put myself through school and had my own apartment and a friend who was a believer in God but who also smoked pot came into my life. I told him of my hate for God, Jesus & Christians...because of my life. He challenged me to ask God for evidence..ask him to make him known to me. I took the challenge..just to see. I asked God if he was real to show me...I'M OPEN I told him.
That started it all, countless things started to happen, little things at first..for about 2 Month's.
Then one morning he spoke and said "I AM THE LORD GOD" everything that has happened

2006-08-21 02:20:20 · 13 answers · asked by Anonymous

Before I met my boyfriend I prayed to God for a long time and finally God sent him to me. He gave me the best time in my life. Then he went back to the States and I planned to visit him this Christmas. We miss each other like crazy and we've been counting the days since the day he left. But today I was told that the America Embassy won't issue me a visa!

Why does God give me a goal in my life and then put obstacles between us? Why?

2006-08-21 02:20:18 · 23 answers · asked by angela 2

he kept this woman as a sex slave and tormented her. she took her revenge on old mo one day and poisoned him and he suffered and died.
on his death bed mohomed prayed to allah to save him. it did not work. then he consulted the people who practiced witchcraft. that failed too.
how come a woman poisoned islam's holy prophet for been a cad?

2006-08-21 02:18:18 · 16 answers · asked by ahmed 1

Encyclopedia says that it came from Greece as mother worship.
with ceremonies to Cybele, or Rhea, The Great Mother of the God's. Not smashing Mothers day. We are learning in Social Studies about holidays. Why we celebrate them and where did that custom come from. the teacher said find out from the people.
Why do they celebrate it? From me: I think mothers who keep their children and love them should be celebrated every day not just one day a year.

2006-08-21 02:15:10 · 9 answers · asked by Anonymous

Hebrews 6:4-6, [4] "For in the case of those who have once been enlightened and have tasted of the heavenly gift and have been made partakers of the Holy Spirit, [5] and have tasted the good scripture and the powers of the age to come, [6] and then have fallen away, it is impossible to renew them again to repentance, since they crucify to themselves the Son of God, and put Him to open shame.

2006-08-21 02:12:53 · 31 answers · asked by Anonymous

I mean when I go for a sanger at Subway, I don't feel the need to prostrate myself and bow and scrape so I can get a meatball marinara. Why should it be any different? It's not like I'm a bad person in the first place.

2006-08-21 02:10:57 · 23 answers · asked by Scousebuster Bill 2

2006-08-21 02:08:22 · 13 answers · asked by Anonymous

I have seen many claim that athiests are more intelligent than those with religious beliefs - can you provide any support for this?

It would be interesting if everybody volunteerd what they believed and what (if any) standardized test scores they have (not that they are that accurate for testing intelligence), just to see.

2006-08-21 02:06:40 · 31 answers · asked by bregweidd 6

We learned it came from Rome Julius Caesar.
He established January as the first day of the year. Because of his religion. His God was Janus, the god of gates, doors and beginnings. He had two faces one that looked forward and one that looked back. Everyone got smashed and had an orgie.
We are learning what our holidays are and why we celebrate them.
But since the Romans killed Jesus. Should we celebrate to their pagan god. In our social studies class.

2006-08-21 02:05:54 · 20 answers · asked by Anonymous

2006-08-21 02:05:41 · 10 answers · asked by Brittany 3

Okay . as personally I believe in a Supreme Being (but do not describe it with either gender or anthropomorphic[ humanlike ] traits .. and do not subscribe to any orthodox conceptions of "deity" ... My arguments for why a scientific atheism or agnosticism will never be realised ( In a John Lennon 'Imagine' sense) is this :

Personally I think there is both a tendency to animism and a 1)theurgic part of the brain ... that is impossible to suppress .. such that 2)humanity as we know it will always create these things ...

1)theurgic part of the brain: There is a helmet in experiment in labs that sends theta waves to a part of the brain ... painless .. no injections .. just waves to stimulate .. some people report bliss .. some cry ecstatically .. some see light ... and all outside of any religious contexts .. so my assertion is that it is "wired" into us .. such that some will always have "theurgic experiences" ..

2006-08-21 02:03:42 · 11 answers · asked by gmonkai 4

We enjoyed learning about easter, so where did they get the idea for Valentines day. Didn't know there was so many knowledeable people out there on holidays.

2006-08-21 01:59:01 · 8 answers · asked by Anonymous

I know some say it's just an illusion, it's just your imagination..I know. When I first asked God if he was real...he proved it to me, that was 1981.
Since that time have I seen phoney Christians..yes I have, have I seen bad one's yes. Am I sorry for following God...no. Have I seen miracles..yes, has my life been changed fro the better..yes. Have I seen the countless web-sites from atheist groups...yes, am I impressed..no. Have you heard the objections why I shouldn't give my life to Jesus....yes, do you think those are good reasons...no. Do I understand all the ways of God...no....do I know who I am in Jesus...yes. Do I understand the bible perfectly...no...do I understand God's message to man...yes. Do I hate or dislike everyone who doesn't agree with me...no, I like everyone and I love spending time with people who have different ideas than me. Do I hate or dislike people who say God doesn't exist..no not at all. Do I believe when I die that I'll see God...yes...how sure..100%

2006-08-21 01:56:54 · 25 answers · asked by Anonymous

The following are forbidden in islam:
- singing
-listening or playing music
-Internet unless for valid purposes
-watching television because of women or bad programms/films
-going to the cinema/pub/night club
-taking photographs
-putting on display pictures/photographs of human creatures or people
-putting on display statues or objects depicting people
-reading newspapers or magazines because they are pictures of people.
-drawing animals or people
-working in a shop where alcohol is sold
-eating food cooked from non muslims people
and more...

2006-08-21 01:53:30 · 23 answers · asked by Goldfish" 1

2006-08-21 01:51:39 · 64 answers · asked by vincegill 3

I'm sure every religion wishes for world peace.
Your prayers have been answered. Science is the answer to world peace.
Since most religion gets things wrong about what God wants from us.
Maybe thats why he gave us science to exlpain the universe and everything in it.
He did create science did he not?
I think God gave us the answer to world peace, what do you think?

2006-08-21 01:50:55 · 24 answers · asked by psych0bug 5

Theists like to say, rather perversely, that if you don't believe in any gods, then you must believe *yourself* to be a god. Quite apart from the blatantly self-refuting nature of such a claim, when did you ever see a non-believer claim to be a god? To the contrary - Non-believers (in my experience) recognise our true place in the universe, which the monstrous ego of theists will not allow them to accept. You only have to see the response of those who deny evolution, to understand this - "YOU may be descended from a monkey, but I'm not!".

2006-08-21 01:49:34 · 15 answers · asked by Anonymous

Many of the smart freethinker create more lies. So how to prevent this from happen in myself?

I always think about RELIGION, and create my own definition, so how to prevent from doing more lies?

I think it's happen to you too.

2006-08-21 01:48:01 · 4 answers · asked by Answer 4

Just a question...and state why either way please :)

2006-08-21 01:44:02 · 14 answers · asked by Southpaw 7

2006-08-21 01:43:52 · 1 answers · asked by Anonymous

What we can see in the universe, and what reason tells us, is that intelligence is something that develops very slowly - On the wider scale, 4 billion years or so of evolution and on the personal scale, years of growth and development and learning to get from a single cell to a fully mature and functional adult.

How, then, can anyone believe that intelligence can exist fully formed from nothing? We wouldn't give any credence to the idea that a fully formed human being could just exist for no reason, with no history, no development, no learning, so how can anyone believe that something infinitely more amazing - an intelligent entity capable of designing and creating an entire universe - can just exist for no reason?

We don't know why the universe exists, and may never know, but it takes far more faith than I could ever have to believe that intelligence existed without a universe for it to evolve and develop in.

Which seems more reasonable to you?

2006-08-21 01:43:42 · 9 answers · asked by Anonymous

2006-08-21 01:39:03 · 13 answers · asked by carl 4