Religion & Spirituality - 21 December 2007

http://www.abetterhope.com/hope/birthday.html

I thought it was common knowledge that he wasn't born on te 25th of december. Here, however, people are saying his birth is the reason we celebrate.

I celebrate the solcstice, not in a religious way. I get heckled for saying the holiday wasn't originally a Christian one. Well, it wasn't.

2007-12-21 02:25:47 · 10 answers · asked by Anonymous

i have been to psychologists, on pills, to the doctor, and more.
i really want to know why, if god supposedly loves me so much, that he makes me want to kill myself so much.

everyday is just more pain, it never ends. i just want this pain to go away.

since god has a plan for all of us, does this mean he wants me to die?

2007-12-21 02:24:04 · 13 answers · asked by Anonymous

Do churches have a responsibility to humanity to really provide charity, or just pretend that they do?

There are 2.1 Billion Christians in the world. Each of them gives offerings or tithes weekly. If only $1 per person actually went towards helping the hungry, there would be an additional $109 Billion per year to combat world hunger.

That is larger than all but 23 of the worlds country's production and yearly wealth.

Do you feel shame that your offering and tithes don't end up in the hands of the needy, or is it OK that your church gives less than a typical golf club? My club gave more than 100,000 to charities and our community last year. If 1/3rd of the churches in the us counsel of churches would do the same, there would be $3,689,910,000 to help the needy.

Are churches, tax free country clubs that don't do charity?

2007-12-21 02:23:14 · 8 answers · asked by ɹɐǝɟsuɐs Blessed Cheese Maker 7

if there is such a thing as a god what would they care about a humans thoughts or what one said?

any thoughts-thanks for any answers---smile and enjoy the day

2007-12-21 02:22:07 · 23 answers · asked by lazaruslong138 6

2007-12-21 02:20:47 · 64 answers · asked by zsq 1

i am having ritual and feast with my family

Wishing you all a very blessed holiday season, no matter what you celebrate (if anything)!

xoxo

Riegan :)

**offers a glass of holiday cheer**

2007-12-21 02:12:56 · 36 answers · asked by Anonymous

(I am one of them.)

What are your thoughts on art, music, and literature? Evolutionarily speaking, aren't they wasteful if not communicating a necessary message?

The transcendent (for lack of a better term) feeling I get in the presence/partaking of great art is one of the things that leads me to question the idea that we are just meat that will eventually be fertilizer.

I could go on--but I don't want to narrow it down too much. I'd love to know your thoughts.

2007-12-21 02:12:05 · 25 answers · asked by Anonymous

If you're not, please don't waste our time. Nothing personal - it's just a Jewish question is all. I can't help but notice that the missionaries on here address questions to Jews, and when they receive an overwhelming number of Jewish replies (most of them decent, some of them excellent - mine always are), they go and select one of the answers that bears no connection to Judaism, written by a fellow evangelist who's basically saying "amen, brother!"

Okay, so my question is, what do you think of this?: I'm Jewish, and visibly so. ...on account of my kipah. Yeah, so anyone who can identify a yarmulke will know I'm Jewish the first time they see me. Still, many will wish me a Merry X-Mas. I'm not bothered by it (clueless goodwill beats "educated" hatred), but sometimes I want to come back with "Io, Saturnalia!" as a joke. Should I be worried about avodah zara issues, even though no one today worships Saturn? I figure "Merry Christmas" is technically more problematic. No?

2007-12-21 02:11:11 · 10 answers · asked by Daniel 5

In the July/August Annals of Family Medicine it was reported that 35% of atheist physicians donate time to help the poor while only 31% of Christian physicians do this. This study is consistent with many other studies that show the atheist population to be more charitable and kind and less violent and criminal than the Christain population. When education and socioeconomic background is controlled the differences are less but still slightly in favor of the atheists.

I am interested in thoughtful responses on what you think are the causative, or perhaps salient correlated factors for this difference in morality.

Please no denials from Christians; no accusations of "liberal scientists." To be published a study must have double blind controls to eliminate researcher bias. This is your chance to be reflective on the shortcomings of your faith.

For atheists please no bragging about your moral superiority...the differences in morality are only very modestly in your favor.

2007-12-21 02:10:36 · 35 answers · asked by Dendronbat Crocoduck 6

... when the word for soul in Genesis, nephesh, is used for animals?

"And God created great whales, and every living creature (nephesh, psuche) that moveth, which the waters brought forth abundantly, after their kind, and every winged fowl after his kind: and God saw that it was good" (Gen. 1:21).

"And God said, Let the earth bring forth the living creature (nephesh, psuche) after his kind, cattle, and creeping thing, and beast of the earth after his kind: and it was so" (Gen. 1:24).

"And the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul (nephesh, psuche)" (Gen. 2:7).

2007-12-21 02:10:29 · 21 answers · asked by Aspurtaime Dog Sneeze 6

I think if I make New Years resolution it will be to try doing little things that make God happy. I'm often stretched for time, so adding little things to my every day routine would be good.

2007-12-21 02:09:47 · 18 answers · asked by Tanya Pants 2

2007-12-21 02:09:28 · 12 answers · asked by ' 4

If we all report the GAP ad as not being a question or an answer, will GAP get a violation notice, and will the ad then be removed?

2007-12-21 02:08:17 · 20 answers · asked by batgirl2good 7

If there was an entity that was infinitely more powerful and infinitely wiser than we are, what could we be certain about it's character?

That it would be loving? That it would desire a relationship with humans? That it would communicate via a book or spiritual revelation?

2007-12-21 02:05:40 · 11 answers · asked by Eleventy 6

We are talking about many billions of dollars here folks, maybe many trillions.

2007-12-21 02:05:37 · 19 answers · asked by Buke 4

If you don't like it you can leave they say, so here is the same R&S down under where they don't worship Gap
http://au.answers.yahoo.com/dir/;_ylt=ApafAsZws1gCma9wYRmrjaUFEBV.;_ylv=3?link=list&sid=396545163

I don't know how it is going on the UK and CA (Canada) versions, but for now there is no Gap down here.

Think of this as more of a public service announcement and any time there is an annoying ad just type au. before the address.

2007-12-21 02:04:10 · 9 answers · asked by Anonymous

2007-12-21 02:04:05 · 23 answers · asked by Seeing B 1

Do you think being away from R&S for 2 weeks will get the report trolls off my trail?

I'll have not access to the net for the next couple weeks, so I'm hoping they will forget about me. They are sinking even lower - they reported my attempt to wish a fellow R&S regular a happy birthday (posted yesterday).

2007-12-21 02:00:47 · 22 answers · asked by bregweidd 6

Last night, my family and I were looking at Christmas lights. As we approached a corner, I saw a man on the ground, in the mud with a bike. He was hit by a car and was there for around 15 minutes and no one stopped. Even after we stopped, cars went by, some slowed and looked but kept going. It was a fairly busy corner. One other car stopped about 5 minutes after we did. The good news is that he wasn't hurt too badly, probably a broken leg but no head injuries or anything life threatening. It's just sad that he was laying there alone and hurt. Whoever hit him didn't care if he lived or died.

Where is the Christmas spirit, the Holiday cheer and good will towards man?

2007-12-21 02:00:41 · 15 answers · asked by Anonymous

A lot of Atheists I know just talk about how they're not Christian and they don't believe in God. Atheist means that you don't believe in ANYTHING. Their are other religions out there, so why do they just talk about not believing in Christianity?

By the way, I'm not making a generalization. I'm just talking about the people I know.

2007-12-21 02:00:38 · 19 answers · asked by kdolley 1

Do you believe that animals have souls? Why or why not? What is your faith? Does your belief line up with the doctrine of the religion you identify with? To what extent would you protect an animal's rights?

Oh, and if you answered "yes" to the belief that animals can have souls, would you say ALL animals have them? If not, what would the "criteria" be?

2007-12-21 01:57:13 · 46 answers · asked by ♛Qu€€n♛J€§§¡¢a♛™ 5

that we are not suppose to walk in the fathers righteousness, show me God "wants" us to sin...for "he" "can do all things". It is just a matter of "FAITH".

Romans 3:10-11 says no one does good(as he is searching the whole world), NO, NOT ONE.
as the the christians look at one another, if my brother beside me can not do it neither can I.
11 says NO ONE UNDERSTANDITH( why do you not understand God?) NO ONE SEEKETH AFTER GOD. (no one is searching for GODS WAYS)

Romans 3:23 For all have sinned(not all "HAVE" TO SIN) and come short to the glory of God( you could have recieved Gods glory) Be thank full for grace.

"Seek" ye first the Kingdom of God, and HIS righteousness(perfection HIS WAYS) and ALL these things shall be added unto you. (God can give you heaven and his perfection, the blood was not needed to get into heaven. To late now right?)
Hosea 10:12 it is time to seek the Lord your God, TILL he comes and rains righteousness(perfection) upon you.
Don't you feel guilty for the blood?

2007-12-21 01:56:11 · 18 answers · asked by Anonymous

We all know that fundraising enterprises charge huge administrative fees and often only a miniscule portion of the money actually goes to the intended purpose.
Trillions of dollars are donated to churches.
If God actually got that money himself, all of it, what would he do with it?

2007-12-21 01:55:58 · 5 answers · asked by valcus43 6

is it because he had no father from a virgin mother , because i beleive he never claimed such statement , what i know is that he said i am the servant of god .
why not say that adam was the son of god , he had no father nor mother why not say in the name of adam then and please do say he died for our sins because if god wanted that he would just do it , so why not say that adam was the son of god .

2007-12-21 01:53:42 · 30 answers · asked by Mr.Judah 5

I mean, if God had a plan for me to do some great things, but someone else used their free will to shoot me in the head while robbing me... could that happen? Was it Gods plan for me to get shot, and, if, so how was it free will?

2007-12-21 01:50:58 · 24 answers · asked by Fred S - AM Cappo Di Tutti Capi 5

i lost my faith in god and i want it back really bad. but it's so hard to do that when your having fun doing something wrong. i'm not doing like big things that are wrong. just little things. but i don't like it.

2007-12-21 01:49:20 · 44 answers · asked by BrianaH 1

If u think Lord Jesus Christ lived taking the proof of a book called Bible which was written so many centuries before & by his so-called followers;
then Lord Rama & Lord Krishna too had lived taking the proof from Ramayana & Mahabharatha {two great epics} which were interrelated too.
Then y do they take Lord Jesus' life & they don't take Lord Rama's & Lord Krishna's life.
These r said by Hindus {these hindus i mention here r some idiotic politicians & their slaves[some feared,useless government higher officials]}whom i'll call brainless old muds .
To get their work done they 'll say like this & to give voice for an atheist they pretend to say that Lord Rama & lord Krishna r just two characters created by the authors.
My dear Christian friends don't think wrong about me; We just want the truth to be told about that bald guy & his useless principles.
Just comment on this.

2007-12-21 01:48:55 · 22 answers · asked by venky 2

2007-12-21 01:47:30 · 20 answers · asked by Free Radical 5

Please give me some examples, as many as possible. I am in debate with someone on this. Thank you.

2007-12-21 01:46:25 · 13 answers · asked by apples 3

2007-12-21 01:46:01 · 20 answers · asked by FRANsuFU 3