Religion & Spirituality - 1 May 2007

Mormonism today is a beign (non-violent) religious movement but it wasnt always this way and its history holds some interesting lessons when applied against Islam.

Joseph Smith, like Muhammad, claimed to have a divine visit, one that demanded a new religion and gave a new holy book. The selling point was that this religion was meant for America, and American born religion.

Intial growth in MS eventually brought backlash and the Mormons moved to IL. In IL Mormons were recieved with sympathy based on their problems in MS. Overtime however, Mormons took over and Joseph Smith became Major of the city of Navoo (IL), eventually declaring his candidacy for President of the US.

Mormon cultural dominance created tension which reached critical mass when Mormons destroyed a local newspaper critical of Smith. Americans back then saw supression speech in favor of theocratic rule as the ultimate affront and the ensuing mob killed Smith.

2007-05-01 13:54:53 · 12 answers · asked by PragmaticMan 1

Somebody in another post mention this "Hurricane Katrina was God's punishment on New Orleans because of all the gays, blacks, and sinfulness there" and it brought back memories of myself being told this by alot of Christians at the time. Do you as a Christian believe this to be true also?

2007-05-01 13:48:54 · 28 answers · asked by me 6

I see many people on this site (mostly Christians) answering questions with a "better safe than sorry" response. I thought that the purpose of religion was to believe in its teachings not because of its promised rewards or consequences, but because of genuine loyalty to the deity.
Have people really become this self-centered and greedy?

2007-05-01 13:48:51 · 14 answers · asked by Gordon Freeman 4

2007-05-01 13:48:11 · 8 answers · asked by nkirshman 2

I'm writing a religion paper, and my topic is sin. Does anyone know how many types of sin there are?

2007-05-01 13:47:43 · 11 answers · asked by skrewhead21@sbcglobal.net 2

It doesn't make any sense to me. Why couldn't he just forgive us? How does sending his son to be killed by us make him forgive us? I don't get it.

2007-05-01 13:47:35 · 23 answers · asked by nunovyorebiznis 4

I am just wondering because it says in the Old Testament that you should not eat pork, or to mix meat with cheese, or to not eat specific animals, or to eat their blood.

2007-05-01 13:42:58 · 12 answers · asked by nkirshman 2

The poor kids ... How sad ... ohhhhh ...

2007-05-01 13:42:23 · 15 answers · asked by Anonymous

It hasn't happened to me for many years and I wasn't interested in religion at the time... I think it might be fun to have a discussion with JWs or someone like that at the door. I suspect they would move on rather quickly, to someone (they hope) more receptive.

2007-05-01 13:38:37 · 18 answers · asked by Anonymous

Yes. All you need to do is look at our DNA. Our DNA has patterns, are you really going to tell me that happened by chance? 4 nucleotides arranged in specific ways and multiple times through a single DNA strand to get totally different people. I'd love to see the Big Bang explain that one. Here's the bottom line, God does exist. Even if a Big Bang did happen, God made it happen. I believe there is animal evolution based on the biblical words in Genesis of "Let the earth bring forth." That being said, there is a completely different process by which God created humans.

- There is a God
- There is NO human evolution
- There IS animal evolution
- If the Big Bang did happen, God started it
- When reading the Bible, at least we have the Holy Spirit to clarify what God meant or to clarify if there is an error in the translation. There's no such fail-safe in science other than peer-review. If all the peers are wrong and the writer is also wrong, the truth won't be present in the report.

2007-05-01 13:37:53 · 26 answers · asked by Emily G 2

if god was a nice person why did he let his son die, and go through all that pain. He could have easy magic him off the cross.

2007-05-01 13:37:30 · 23 answers · asked by Anonymous

Why do we believe in these Mayan people so much? I don't understand...what makes us believe them more than anyone else in the past for future...Is it going to turn out to be just another Y2K like thing? Is there any evidence to this day that something bad is going to happen on December 21-23 2012? Please im kind of scared.

2007-05-01 13:32:01 · 21 answers · asked by Anonymous

One asked me who the rich people are in this world. I answered based on published data from Forbs. I could sense, they had no idea about the 3rd guy. Makes you wonder, them handing me a magazine called "Awake!". I wonder if they are half-full or half-empty? That is the question.

2007-05-01 13:31:36 · 13 answers · asked by HumanWhisperer 1

I have recently lost a friend to suicide. I am fearful for his soul and mine as well. I have been a non practicing Christian for several years and do not have set beliefs. I fear for myself due to the fact that I have been suicidal in the past and now I wonder if there was anything that I could have done to change his mind and I question why I would want to kill myself. I have seen how many lives he touched and how his family hurt because his death. After he left us, I started wondering if his soul was transferred to another being, or if he is in a purgatory state. Due to the fact that I had these feelings myself, I am having pain, mostly in the head (he shot himself in the head), I cry more often, and no words offer comfort to me. I am seeking answers to my fears and I wonder which belief structure suits me. Does anyone have an idea? As much, does anyone know any books that may offer comfort to my ideas and fears? Thank you

2007-05-01 13:29:35 · 21 answers · asked by Atropos1020 2

If it's OK to kill under some circumstances (self-defence or whatever) it must be OK to lie under some circumstances, because lying is not as bad as killing. When is it right to lie?

2007-05-01 13:29:31 · 23 answers · asked by 2kool4u 5

2007-05-01 13:29:23 · 21 answers · asked by Anonymous

2007-05-01 13:28:48 · 5 answers · asked by Anonymous

So, the Jehovah's witnesses would be all alone at a corporation tapping away at the keyboard along with the crickets. churp. tap-tap. churp. churp. tap-tap. churp. Sounds fun ...

2007-05-01 13:27:10 · 12 answers · asked by HumanWhisperer 1

2007-05-01 13:26:06 · 6 answers · asked by ernsalvar 1

or did christ have it wrong?

2007-05-01 13:26:03 · 2 answers · asked by karl k 6

2007-05-01 13:25:07 · 5 answers · asked by Anonymous

I believe there are far more than 144,000 Jehovah's witnesses in this world. Why can't all of them be resurrected?

2007-05-01 13:23:24 · 7 answers · asked by HumanWhisperer 1

If we are the product of our genetic inheritance and the sum total of all the environmental influences and experiences in life, then what freedom do we have to be anything else?

I know this isn't strictly a religious question but... well I feel kind of at home in this section, so there :-)

2007-05-01 13:22:07 · 10 answers · asked by Anonymous

"And if there were a God, I think it very unlikely that He would have such an uneasy vanity as to be offended by those who doubt His existence." - Bertrand Russell

In my opinion, if there is a god, and he doesn't give us a shred of proof that he exists... and he gives us brains.. I think he would be delighted that we are putting our brains to use and coming to the only intelligent conclusion that there is no god.
What do you think?

2007-05-01 13:22:02 · 5 answers · asked by DanCorb 3

So, let's say, you ge in a car accident. You lose a lot of blood. You will only survive if you have a blood transfusion. No blood transfusion means death. Is this correct?

2007-05-01 13:20:57 · 7 answers · asked by HumanWhisperer 1

According to Christian doctrine, Christians are no longer under the Levitical law, and so are not bound by dietary laws against eating swine products and crustaceans, abominations to Yahweh. But are non-Christians still under the law?

I would assume that Jews who keep kosher would not be eating bacon-wrapped shrimp. But what about other non-Christians? I know of course that Christians assert those who don't have Jesus as their savior will go to hell regardless. But more specifically, isn't a plate of bacon-wrapped shrimp grounds for damnation for those without Christ?

Grey area or clear cut? If so, how and why? Support your position please. If you think it's stupid to worry about it, point taken, thanks, move on. You're not the audience for this question. I'm interested in the viewpoints of those for whom this issue has religious relevance. Basically I am interested to know the basis for believing the law is or is not done away with, and for whom?

2007-05-01 13:18:03 · 3 answers · asked by Anonymous

Is anyone here a scientologist? i am wondering what scientologists believe

2007-05-01 13:16:31 · 4 answers · asked by Anonymous

As I said I'm only 17 right now, and when 2012 happens I will be about 23. So I'm scared that the world might end and it's just been stressing me out for so long...i don't know how to get it out of my head. So I want to know what the experts think will happen, and if there are any new developments in this subject. I just want to be able to not think about it, and forget about it.

Also what type of people believe in this 2012 Mayan Calender?

2007-05-01 13:11:52 · 27 answers · asked by Anonymous

no for real im serious there are pplpe who claim they hv gotton married over the phone

2007-05-01 13:10:52 · 18 answers · asked by Anonymous

Guides you in your everyday life???
I know we "all" have free will, but don't you feel his presence?

2007-05-01 13:09:18 · 19 answers · asked by Kerilyn 7