Religion & Spirituality - 30 November 2006

"Belief is based on faith, it has nothing to do with reason". Somehow I understand that statement.

The problem I have with it is this: We have a lot more 'reason' now than a couple of thousand years ago. Back then they knew less than we know now. The earth was still flat in those days and only a few thousand years old. We have a lot more answers now to many questions. Not all, but we are on our way.

Did the people 2000 years ago also say "I believe out of faith, not out of reason"? Or is it safe to say that in those days the Bible provided them with "reason and answers"?

No offense to believers intended, but I do think it's harder these days to fight against reason than 2000 years ago. I know most believers embrace science and reason, but my real question is about how you deal with this.

Do you think you have to do a harder job at 'keeping the faith' than a person had 2000 years ago, simply because your own mind has to beat a lot more reason nowadays?

2006-11-30 12:07:55 · 9 answers · asked by Thinx 5

Do you think Jesus would approve of a holiday that is often about greed and usually nothing about him?

2006-11-30 12:05:33 · 11 answers · asked by Anonymous

Don't get me wrong, I'm not a believer, and I get just as irritated with bible thumpers knocking on my door trying to convert me partly because they care but mostly because God said they had to. However, I really DON'T see why other non believers are so worked up about Christmas. Wha'ts all this "I'm offended by Nativity scenes" stuff? I know so many people who get really upset when people wish them "Merry Christmas." Why are we not supposed to call them "Christmas trees" anymore?
I don't get offended when people wish me Merry Christmas instead of Happy Hollidays. I kind of like it that a Christian can wish me good will and good cheer. I don't feel like a Nativity scene is "shoving religion down my throat" any more than I think that people who wear pagan symbols are trying to shove their religion on everyone else. I don't agree with every one of the 10 commandments, but I'm not exactly pro murder/lying/stealing either. Why are people so offended?

2006-11-30 12:05:19 · 22 answers · asked by Gothic Shadow 3

If God created all things and He is all good how is there still evil and pain on this earth?

2006-11-30 12:03:14 · 16 answers · asked by west17lake 2

Pain and every emotion is simply electrical signal created in a brain made of flesh. How can you just make up a magical world where air rises out of a dead body and has the ability to be burned and tortured? It cant play sports or talk, but it can be burned without oxygen and fuel? hum..... scary story to keep people christian and giving 10% of their income or all loving god doing some phucked up $h.it?

2006-11-30 12:03:01 · 13 answers · asked by Good S 1

I find it strange that people that don't believe in jesus believe in christmas??? What do you think?

2006-11-30 12:01:58 · 28 answers · asked by Anonymous

2006-11-30 12:01:16 · 7 answers · asked by Myaloo 5

Any reputable geologist will tell you that the earth is beyond 6,000 or 10,000 years. The earth is actually about 4.5 billion years old. Do you honestly think that these THOUSANDS of men and women who study geology for 4 to 10 years of their life (bachelors, masters, doctorate) are all wrong, lying, and a part of some conspiracy against you? Or worse yet, do you believe they are too stupid to notice their own flaws? What does a geologist have to gain over lying? It seems a lot better NOT to lie because you'd win a Nobel Prize with its money reward. It just baffles me to think that you believe an entire field of science is wrong. Finally, what are YOUR qualifications to be able to make this claim? high school degree? college degree (in what field)?

2006-11-30 12:00:35 · 19 answers · asked by Alucard 4

what if you woke up one day, and you found out that everything that you were told...WAS WRONG- that you had your belief system programmed, and it was all an illusion.

2006-11-30 12:00:31 · 8 answers · asked by zentrinity 4

2006-11-30 11:59:29 · 9 answers · asked by SarahJane 3

How can we trust what is written?

2006-11-30 11:57:36 · 27 answers · asked by Jelmer v 1

Difference between twin soul and sister soul ?

2006-11-30 11:56:30 · 8 answers · asked by Norm V 1

My son was murdered 10/20/06. Are there any phychic detectives in the area that could help me? Can a psychic tell me about my sons passing over or his last moments

2006-11-30 11:55:55 · 16 answers · asked by Kellykel 1

some ppl say the stars that the 3 wise men follow would suggest that christmas should be in August, is it true?

2006-11-30 11:55:25 · 17 answers · asked by andy c 1

Gave Rock'n'Roll to us

2006-11-30 11:54:36 · 23 answers · asked by colin050659 6

Earlie today I posted a question, or rather an idea - can someone without a sin be tempted. Almost all answers were the same - Jesus struggled with temptetion but did not give in. I agree 100%. It makes him exactly like other sinful people who resist temptations. If I was born without sin, without any desire for power, money etc - you would not be able to tempt me with neither money, nor power, I would not even have a struggle with it - no sin, no needs, no temptations.

2006-11-30 11:53:18 · 13 answers · asked by big head 2

We can assume that if you were born in the middle east you would have a 99% chance of being muslim or jewish.- and in turn you would have your flesh burned off for eternity. Is weird how an all loving god is so much easier on people depending on where in the world they were concieved. Do you christians believe that you deserve heaven more, or do you think that middle easterners are just really really unlucky?

2006-11-30 11:52:39 · 8 answers · asked by Anonymous

Compelled to constantly hide him from the murderous King Herod, the parents of Jesus could not allow their son to go out, and he, no doubt, spent all his time in studying the sacred Scriptures, so that his knowledge was sufficiently beyond what would naturally have been expected of a boy of his age. He had in his thirteenth year attained an age when, according to Jewish law, the boy becomes an adult, has the right to marry, and incurs obligations for the discharge of the religious duties of a man.
There exists still, in our times, among the Israelites, an ancient religious custom that fixes the majority of a youth at the accomplished thirteenth year. From this epoch the youth becomes a member of the congregation and enjoys all the rights of an adult. Hence, his marriage at this age is regarded as having legal force, and is even required in the tropical countries. In Europe, however, owing to the influence of local laws and to nature, which does not contribute here so powerfully as in warm climates to the physical development, this custom is no more in force and has lost all its former importance.
The royal lineage of Jesus, his rare intelligence and his learning, caused him to be looked upon as an excellent match, and the wealthiest and most respected Hebrews would fain have had him for a son-in-law, just as even nowadays the Israelites are very desirous of the honor of marrying their daughters to the sons of Rabbis or scholars.

2006-11-30 11:50:36 · 13 answers · asked by Anonymous

I am looking for specific answers, I hope you can help me.

2006-11-30 11:49:07 · 24 answers · asked by Jelmer v 1

What i don't understand is why are some people on here asking questions about God and Christmas if they can't handle the answers. If you don't want to know what other people think then maybe they should just leave it alone. Then when people do answer they get thumbs down and why is that. Is it becasue that can't handle the answers that are givin? Well if so then maybe they shouldn't read them. I hope that i can get honest answers and what people really think.

2006-11-30 11:48:54 · 9 answers · asked by hope/love/faith 1

Do you ever think, even for a fraction of a second, that you might be wrong?

2006-11-30 11:46:05 · 27 answers · asked by Eleventy 6

In my opinion: religon requires belivers to suspend reason and logic and therefor when faced with an opposing view neither reason nor logic is used. People, when the subject of "'''god"''' is brought up, are simpily so brainwashed that no evaluation of the other point of view enters their minds. The get defensive and resort to insults and irational rants...

Your thoughts on this please.

2006-11-30 11:45:47 · 13 answers · asked by Anonymous

I don't see him doing anything for humanity. On a individual basis i can see him working but this world is jacked. Are we to blame?

2006-11-30 11:44:44 · 16 answers · asked by Anonymous

2006-11-30 11:43:21 · 16 answers · asked by Fish <>< 7

just wanting to learn and hear about more

2006-11-30 11:41:28 · 25 answers · asked by Anonymous

Some of mine are :
"The Oath" by Frank Peretti
"House" by Frank Peretti and Ted Dekker

and right now I am reading:
"Mere Christianity" by C.S. Lewis
"The Screwtape Letters" by C.S. Lewis and
"This Present Darkness" by Frank P.

Thank you for your input, I'm looking for some more books to put on my reading list, thanks.

2006-11-30 11:41:17 · 22 answers · asked by SarahJane 3

what a stupid story. If you die and dont believe what the nutty christians tell you than god will take you dead body into a pit of fire, give you new flesh and a brain (so you can experience pain, of course) then burn you until your eyeballs explode in your head, over and over until the end of time. Yeah, sure. But I guess if you believe that humans came from a magical garden with an apple tree of sin growing in it, then you can belive anything i suppose.

2006-11-30 11:39:41 · 25 answers · asked by Anonymous

--or else what?---
Would you demand your children to worship you?

2006-11-30 11:39:03 · 17 answers · asked by big j 5

When asked what he wanted, he said "Make me one with everything."

2006-11-30 11:38:13 · 8 answers · asked by michaelsan 6

Let's assume the following things:

1. God is omniscient
2. God has a plan for everyone's existence, destiny if you will.

Now, that means that everything that happens to a person is a result of God, it is his plan after all. So any transgression on the part of a person is their weak faith when God gives them a test of sorts. However, God already knew the outcome of said test, so by giving the test in the first place he is directly responsible for pushing a person in the direction of good or evil.

Thoughts on this from fundamentalists? Anyone? (Don't bother quoting scripture, someone rejecting God for the sake of argument will not let God's "word" convince them otherwise)

2006-11-30 11:37:30 · 10 answers · asked by parrotsandgrog 3