Hello, I'm going to start off by saying that I believe in God 50%. I believe that something really powerful created what we all see. I'm skeptical of the whole theory of gases creating life and this planet. As you could see I'm really confused, what about the galaxy(s) who created it/them? Did God create different life forms on other planets (we still don't know what's out there or if the're was something out there)? I like going to church, reading the Bible, and being moral, but I'm afraid of being wrong. My religion is Christianity and I'm skeptical of other religions. Why is there so many? Well I know why, it's because some are fake religions, but who's to say which one is right? In the Bible If I recall you're not even suppose to donate blood. How could we make live longer for all of us if we can't donate.
2006-12-21 07:05:46 · 23 answers · asked by Loving Life, Always, and Forever 2 in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
The transition of blood was told to me by the Jehova's Witness.
2006-12-21 07:11:28 · update #1
Did you mean transfusion of blood?
I always thought that Satan is clever since he was able to confuse us with so many religions. But he is not more powerful than God so he cannot hide true religion.
As one answer gave you the qualities of true religion, I would ask you to consider the following too.
▪ True religion inspires in its worshipers an unbreakable bond of love and unity that is not affected by national boundaries. (John 13:35) False religion does not inspire such love. Rather, in imitation of Cain, its members go out and kill one another in international wars.—1 John 3:10-12.
▪ True religion keeps free of human politics and looks to the Creator to solve world problems by means of his Kingdom government. False religion follows Nimrod’s example at the Tower of Babel. It merges itself with politics, trusts in political gods in whose affairs it meddles, and thus lays the basis for its own destruction.—Daniel 2:44; John 18:36; James 1:27.
▪ True religion recognizes Jehovah as the true God, the only one able to deliver from oppression. False religion, such as practiced in ancient Egypt and Greece, offers a multitude of helpless mythical gods who are all without merit.—Isaiah 42:5; 1 Corinthians 8:5, 6.
▪ True religion promises eternal life on earth in happiness. False religion—for example, Buddhism—views life on earth as undesirable and as something from which to be liberated in an uncertain hereafter.—Psalm 37:29; Revelation 21:3, 4.
▪ True religion, by means of its holy book, the Bible, imbues people with unshakable faith; it gives them a guaranteed hope and motivates them to acts of genuine love toward God and neighbor. (2 Timothy 3:16, 17) False religion, despite its holy books, is for the most part ineffectual in doing these things.—1 John 5:3, 4.
▪ True religion is marked by humble overseers. False religion is noted for its ambitious, independent-minded leaders, who are willing to twist the truth and who seek political or worldly gain.—Acts 20:28, 29; 1 Peter 5:2, 3.
▪ True religion, the way of proper submission to God, wields a spiritual, not a literal, sword. False religion, on the other hand, compromises true doctrine, breaks Christian neutrality, and pursues human concerns more than divine interests.—2 Corinthians 10:3-5.
▪ True religion wins the hearts of unbelievers over to the worship of the true God. False religion contributes to a climate of skepticism, freethinking, rationalism, and secularism.—Luke 1:17; 1 Corinthians 14:24, 25.
▪ True religion, as practiced by Jehovah’s Witnesses, is spiritually flourishing as never before. False religion, its skirts splattered with blood, is suffering from spiritual malnutrition and waning support.—Isaiah 65:13, 14.
▪ It is based on the truth of an infallible God, whose name is Jehovah, upon whom we can unconditionally rely.—Psalm 83:18; Isaiah 55:10, 11.
▪ It is available to everyone with a humble heart, not reserved for only those with superior intelligence.—Matthew 11:25; 1 Corinthians 1:26-28.
▪ It is blind to race, social status, and economic position.—Acts 10:34, 35; 17:24-27.
▪ It offers the well-grounded hope of life in a world of peace and security without sorrow, sickness, misery, and death.—Isaiah 32:18; Revelation 21:3, 4.
▪ It provides a framework within which its members can live as a worldwide loyal brotherhood, united in doctrine, conduct, and spirit.—Psalm 133:1; John 13:35.
▪ It offers everyone—man, woman, and child—an opportunity to share actively in God’s work, filling life with purpose.—1 Corinthians 15:58; Hebrews 13:15, 16.
▪ It warns us of hidden dangers, instructing us how to conduct ourselves so as to be benefited.—Proverbs 4:10-13; Isaiah 48:17, 18.
And why can it be said that these beauties are eternal? Simply because they will last as long as does true religion itself—forever.
2006-12-21 08:39:29 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 0⤋
Josue,
Thank you asking this question. It take a lot of bravery on your part to admit you have questions. This may not be the best forum for the kind of in-depth searching your questions imply, but I'll do my best to give you a start.
1. Yes, the Bible is "worth it." It would be worth it if you only read it for the literature! The Bible has had a great impact on our civilization. However, it's also worth it for the both the wisdom and the examples of "what NOT to do" it contains. I suggest you spend some time really reading.
Get a good modern translation like the NIV (New International Version) or NASB (New American Standard Bible). Start with the Gospel of Mark. It's fairly sucinct. Then read Romans and Genesis. From there I'd move on to James. Psalms is a collection of hymns and poetry. Don't try to read it all in one sitting, but maybe read 3-5 psalms a day and work your way through the book in a month.
2. The current evolution/creation debate is artificial. It was created by men like Thomas Huxley to drive a wedge between Christians and secularists. When Darwin wrote "Origin of the Species" there were a great many Christians who already believed in something called "Natural Theology". They believed that God had created the basic types of animals, and that the great diversity we have today was the result of evolution within those types.
Whether God created the earth in six literal days, or whether He employed the mechanisms of evolution do not really matter in the end. God is still God no matter how He chooses to work.
3. In the book of Ecclesiastes, Solomon wrote, "God has set eternity in the hearts of men." While not all people will actively seek God, a great many do. That is why there are so many religions - it's humankind's search for God. Unfortunately, not all have accepted the revealed word of God. Within Christianity, there are a great many traditions, but they all believe in Christ Jesus. The other differences are secondary. We wouldn't want to be carbon copies of each other anyway. How do you know truth? Compare what people say with the Bible.
4. Blood transfusions are rejected by Jehovah Witnesses (and a few others) as an extension of the Old Testament prohibition against drinking blood. Obviously, not all Christians hold to this interpretation.
I hope this helps you.
2006-12-21 07:24:59 · answer #2 · answered by Elise K 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Well it sounds like you're kind of riding the fence. Be bold, pick a side! It sounds like you need to go back to the basics for a minute to refresh your memory. That's something we all need to do once in a while. That thing about donating blood is not in the Bible.
Maybe this will help. They're not my words, but so true!
93 million miles from the blistering surface of the sun stands the planet earth. A rotating sphere perfectly suspended in the center of the universe. The ultimate creation from an infinate mind. An unbelievably intricate complex design. A supernatural testimony, an irrefutable sign that there is a God.
The size, position and angle of the earth is a scientific phenomenon to see. A few degrees closer to the sun we'd disintegrate, a few degrees further we'd freeze. The axis of the earth is titled at a perfect 23 degree angle and it's no mistake that it is. This allows equal global distribution to the rays of the sun making it possible for the food chain to exist.
Or take for example the combination of nitrogen and oxygen in the atmosphere we breathe every day. It just happens to be the exact mix that life needs to prosper, it doesn't happen on any other planet that way.
You see, the Bible says the invisible things of God are seen through His creation, to believe this is not hard. If there's a design, there's a designer, if there's a plan, there's a planner and if there's a miracle, there is a God.
The Scripture says the heavens decalre the glory of God and the skies proclaim the work of His hands. If we allow our minds to drink in all the truth that surrounds the truth that just surrounds us, creation itself will help us understand.
Did you know the moon controls the tides? It's the maid that cleans the oceans. Even the waves don't crash the shores in vain. The tides drag impurities from the depths of the sea, it's nature's constrant recycling chain.
It simply boggles the mind to think that the stars will rotate with such exact precision that it's true. That the atomic clock, with an error factor of less than three seconds per millenium, is set by the way we move.
Though they silently orbit, the sun, the moon, the stars are like celestial evangelists above. Who circle the earth every 24 hours shouting in every language that there is a God. Atheism is the wedge under the foundation of our faith, trying to topple our relationship with Christ. When the fool said in his heart 'there is no God' he rejects the truth God painted on the canvas of the night. Atheism has never created an artistic masterpiece, never healed a fatal disease or calmed a fear. Atheism has still never given answers to our existence, peace to a troubled mind or even dried a tear.
For it's God who created heaven and earth and flung the stars in space and breathed in the handful of dirt and it became a man. It's God who sits on the circle of the earth and measures the mountains in a scale, and holds the seven seas in the palm of His hand. It's God who sent His only begotten Son to the cross of Calvary to save our souls from Hell and the grave. It's God who creates, God who delivers, God who heals and who is worthy of a thunderous ovation of praise!
2006-12-21 07:35:07 · answer #3 · answered by cnm 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
> Religion and Bible are there worth it?
Pascal thought so. Go to Wikipedia and read the article on "Pascal's Wager." Pascal was a mathematician.
> what about the galaxy(s) who created it/them
a) God set the universe going, so God would be responsible.
b) Matter coalesced from the Big Bang. The Big Bang wasn't a uniform distribution, but rather lumpy.
> Did God create different life forms on other planets
Probably, but probably not in our galaxy. Fermi's Paradox, you know.
> Why is there so many?
We're a spiritual species. God appeared to Abraham. He didn't make a covenant with everyone. The others filled the void with whatnot.
> who's to say which one is right?
You. Christian Protestantism is a pretty good religion. Great benefits, low cost to you. Stick with it.
> you're not even suppose to donate blood
Donate blood in the spirit of helping others. Don't cut open people the way the Aztecs did.
2006-12-21 07:36:44 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
I was going to ignore your question, before read the first 5 moronic answers. Then I decided to answer it. First my bona fides: I have a PhD in comparative religions and a Master's degree in anthropology. also have the unique perspective of having seen the other side... what is commonly called "heaven".
Whether you believe in God or not doesn't matter. You will some day be there, regardless of belief, or disbelief in God.
Now for creation. God created everything... all things come from God.
Let's assume that God lives forever.. He is immortal. If you were God, what would you do? Would you create only one world, with man and woman and all the creatures and plants intact.. ready to go, as the bible states? If I were God, I'd get bored pretty quickly with that scenerio. It would become pretty ho hum, pretty quickly.
If I were God, here's what I would do. I would create an infinite universe. I would create within that universe an infinite number of planets, seed then with the basic building blocks of life, and let time take it's course. How much more interesting a proposition is that? As God, I would have an endless number of creations to periodically check upon, to watch their growth, their successes, their failures. In my father's house, there are many mansions...
This, by the way, in no way interferes with the teachings of creationism... only the time scale varies. How long is 7 days in the infinite life of God?
It is laudable that you enjoy reading the bible, going to church, and being moral... all are good traits. BUT let me ask you this, you claim that Christianity is your religion; How much do you practice your religion and ignore your Christianity? By that I mean, the ONLY true Christians are those that actively practice the teachings of Christ; love vthy neighbor, love thy enemy, turn the other cheek, bless those that despisitefully use you, and all the other wonderful lessons of love Jesus taught. All else within the Christian church is just useless window dressing.
Far too many "Christians" practice their religion and not True Christianity.
Why are there so many other religions? Because God gave all of us free will. And because cultures are different. Are some religions fake? Those who practice them don't think so. Which one is right? Does it matter? My answer is no, but again, I have a totally different perspective on the subject, having seen the other side. God is REAL! He exists. We will ALL of us see Him someday.
2006-12-21 07:40:20 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 2⤋
Hi there. Yes, our God is worth it. He offered me comfort in hard times, Jesus died and suffered for me, so He too is worth it.
That "something really powerful" is God. He is the creator of all, including other galaxies.
You can check this site:
http://www.answersingenesis.org/
The right religion? There is no right religion. There is only belief in God and lack of it. Jesus said : "Nobody comes to the Father BUT THROUGH Me." I guess that left all the other religions out, huh?
About donating or not - the Bible speaks against eating blood, and donating blood is not the same with eating.
2006-12-21 07:18:09 · answer #6 · answered by Cristina 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Hi. I am one of Jehovah's Witnesses. Yes those of us who do enough research can see that blood transfusions are wrong. Blood Transfusions don't necessarily=extended life. Beyond that we see in the Bible that Jehovah originally intended for us to live forever on Earth, with no sickness, or dying. We Witnesses firmly believe that, just because Adam was disobedient, Jehovah would scrap this plan. Knowing this we know that ultimately the best life extender is serving Jehovah.
2006-12-23 13:52:37 · answer #7 · answered by Ish Var Lan Salinger 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Well, everyone is confused about it. You're just honest about it.
I think that Christianity is a complete load (I'm an Atheist), so I'm bias about it, but I will say this:
You won’t know in life how we got here. It would be nice if there was a way to find out, but there isn't. It's okay. Also, morality does not come with religion. I am a moral person. You will know the difference between right and wrong no matter what you do.
:-D
PS: Every religion has a way of explaining how their's is different from all the others.
2006-12-21 07:11:55 · answer #8 · answered by A 6 · 0⤊ 3⤋
What you've got isn't a "Bible" It is a Parallel New Testament referred to as "Fulke's Refutation". It used to be released via Dr. William Fulke in 1588 to 1589, and it facets the Roman Catholic Church's incorrect 1582 "Rheims" translation ... aspect-via-aspect with the Anglican Church's 1568 "Bishops" translation (which used to be the precursor to the 1611 King James Translation). The writer used to be making an attempt to exhibit how dangerous the Rheims translation used to be, compared aspect-via-aspect with a correct translation such because the Bishops translation. This is the form of fabric purchased and offered at The Bible Museum, Inc., on-line at: GREATSITE.COM
2016-09-03 17:11:49 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
The difference between Christianity and everything else is this:
Jesus resurrected!
Muhammed is dead.
Buddha is dead.
L. Ron Hubbard is dead.
They're all dead!
If a person doesn't believe that Jesus resurrected, they're just as dead as all the others. Faith is the key to life and blessings. So just have faith in God, he'll be faithful to you. I can say that honesty and from expierience.
You can't have a relationship with Buddha, but Jesus is living inside of me.
Trust in God, not religion. Men can corrupt religion, but not God.
2006-12-21 07:11:04 · answer #10 · answered by Doug 5 · 3⤊ 1⤋
All of these different religions can be confusing at times, but no matter which on you choose, just base your beliefs on God gave his only son to die on the cross for our sins, God loves you and let him into your heart, and just try to be a morally good person. God is not concerned with all of the different labels of religion and all he wants you to do is love him, trust him, and believe in him. Merry Christmas!
2006-12-21 07:10:30 · answer #11 · answered by ? 3 · 3⤊ 0⤋