i don't read the bible and i don't know anything about religion...?

Question

i'm a non practicing catholic and my family's all into religion...i was never "forced" to go to church..well, yeah I was..but, when i was able to decide for myself i chose not to go. I tried to read the bible and it scared me because God was mean. So, now, i'm wondering if it's all a hoax to create order in the world? Like who wrote the bible? and how do they know that's how the world was created etc...? and even though there are many religions..they all point to the same thing? worshiping some sorta God!

Answer 1

You're on the right track..follow your own path..it's not easy but worth the effort.Explain to no-one...Why?...What's the difference ? The Bible or the Tabloids? Why is God so important in our lives? Me and god are on good terms now after a shakey start like yourself..I go about my own business without having to revert to a 'manual' on how you are supposed to live..I am not trying to influence your beliefs as opposed to mine..I don't care one way or another...I'm gonna die just like you in our own good time or not ..that's Life.God or no. I've been a journalist . Who is this bloody creature called "God" anyway? Gimme '42' anyday.

Answer 2

Keep reading. If it helps, start with some stuff from the New Testament. One thing I found, though, from reading the Bible was the surprising knowledge that the God of the OT and the God of the NT are really much the same. The OT God is a lot more loving than people portray him, and the God of the NT can sometimes be harsher than a lot of Christians would like. Keep in mind that the most important thing is to love God and love your neighbor. Do that, and you'll be all right. If you're really interested in the Bible, however, and you'd like to understand it more, the best way to do that is by knowing the context. Take a course in the history of the Bible. It becomes more understandable if you are familiar with the lives of the people who wrote it. If you have trouble with certain passages, try a Bible study class. Here, by the way, is a list of Biblical authors: http://www.blueletterbible.org/faq/authors.html .

I don't think religion is a hoax for creating order in the world - that's what government and politics are for. People have wondered for millenia how the world came to be, what happens when you die, etc. Religion is a way of answering those questions. The fact that they all point to a god is telling. God chose a people as his own and revealed himself to them. He inspired them and infused their stories with his message. Nevertheless, people everywhere have searched to know God, and perhaps these other religions are their attempts. Notice how fundamentally similar they all are? Not everyone may have everything completely right, but I think a consistant message shows through.

Answer 3

The Bible was written by several authors, over the course of many centuries. It is a compilation of stories and history, and of religious ideas upon which Christianity is built. As for who decided what went into the Bible, I don't really know.
No one really knows how the world was created. The Bible used to be seen as an authoritarian source on that, but now it is not. Human beings have, through science, realized that the question of where everything came from isn't that simple.
Finally, yeah, religion is about believing in something/someone greater and intangible. It supplies a spiritual need for understanding incomprehensible things.

Answer 4

The was written by men who were inspired by God to write what He told them to write. God is not mean - without knowing which book or story you were reading I can't answer specifically, but generally God disciplines us because he loves us. Think about your parents - if they never disciplined you when you did not clean your room, your room would have been a pig pen...so were the being mean or were they trying to make your room livable? I would suggest that you read the book of John and find a group that can support you as you learn about God. Check facts against the Bible; you will find that so many of the stories in the Bible can be traced - ie: the Jews crossing the Red Sea - there are chariot wheels at the bottom of the Red Sea.

Blessings,

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Answer 5

Well you see, the Catholic church is a legalistic church that teaches that Jesus' work on the cross wasn't really finished like He said that it was and that people have to follow a bunch of rules in order to be saved and if they mess up before they die they're not going to Heaven.

Why don't you go to a regular Bible teaching Christian church and learn about God's love and forgiveness? You can also get reasonable explanations for why it seems like God was "mean" in the Old Testament.

As to "it" being a hoax, well yes, what the Catholic church teaches in order to gain control of their members by fear and coercion could be described as a vicious hoax except that most of them are unaware that's what is going on. They just believe what the people in charge before them have said and don't want to get into trouble by pointing out that it contradicts what the Bible says in many instances.

Answer 6

Religion tends to defer people from the Lord. At my church we don't preach or practice religion we worship God and build a relationship with him.

Try reading the bible again and this time read the Book of John in the New Testament. Do you know the truth when you here it? That's the ultimate test. I believe the word of God as the truth. Once you read the book of John, ask yourself if you think it's true. God has given us the ability to know the ultimate truth it is our duty to tap into it. As you read other chapters in the bible it will explain to you that we (humans) are higher than angels we are lesser gods. When the Lord is present in your lives and bodies we have access to his power. That is why some people are able to prophesy, heal people with their hands, have visions etc.

When you say that God is mean, you really have to understand him. There is a passage in Exodus where it talks about God being mad at the Hebrews after he took them out of slavery. He was talking to Moses and telling him that he was going to kill all of the Hebrews. And Moses got upset and argued with God and told him that he can't kill them, that it was wrong and that it would only prove that God didn't love the Hebrews. There is a verse in that passage that says, "the Lord repented" meaning God changed his mind. Even if God gets upset, you can change his mind with the power of prayer. Prayer is the key to all things, when it comes to God.

Christians refer to God as their heavenly father. Does your earthly father get mad at you? Does he scold you, take things away from you, and punish you? Does your earthly father love you? Give you nice gifts, help you, and applaud when you do well? Well we Christian look at our Heavenly father in the same light. In order to understand God you must first understand a good relationship between a good father and child.

God is not mean, he loves you but he wants you to be safe, honest, good, smart and holy. He only wants the best for you.

I hope this helps!

Answer 7

the people that wrote the bible were the disciples. like, when they say 'a reading from the letter of john' or something like that it means that john, the disciple, wrote it.

no one really knows if that's how the world came to be, but that is what you are told to believe in this religion.

also, if you were turned off by it because you thought god was unfair, it might help to know that a lot of the stories told in the bible are just metaphoric and things like that didn't neccessarily happen. for example, in one of the stories god tells someone [of course i don't remember who] to kill his son if he loves god, so he tries to but god stops him before he kills him, and he says that he doesn't need to and that he proved his loyalty to god. things like that are made up, just there to make a point.

basically, a priest told me flat out that if you practice any religion, you will "go to heaven" or "be rewarded" or whatever.

Answer 8

It essentially boils all the way down to this. Some matters you must tackle religion. Not the whole thing may also be quantified and measured. Philosophers have recounted that the finite brain are not able to realise the countless. That the notion is past our entire take hold of. Although we will be able to state infinity we are not able to think it. Complex techniques normally have problematic causes. ie. It takes religion to realise and besides the unexplainable .

Answer 9

Hey, Spacegirl...........I understand. There is a LOT of confusion out there. And a lot of intentional misdirection. You seem like someone who wants answers based on intellect and reason. Do me a favor and check this out. http://www.catholic.com/library/Pillar.asp I bet you'll learn some things that will surprise you. But, don't stop there. Look at their library, too and do more independent research.

You will find the answers you're looking for.

Answer 10

My dear, not ALL religions worship some sort of God. People view Agnoticism (which I am) as a religion when it's more of a philosophy. We are basically undecided if God exists of if it doesn't.