Why is this the easy way out? Having faith is not the easy way out.
God
- Thread starter matt182
- Start date
Why is this the easy way out? Having faith is not the easy way out.
I meant that just because we dont know, or dont have the capacity to understand how everything came to be, then to assume god without any rational explanation other than blind faith is the easy answer basically, which can then use god to explain anything and everything with the comfort of knowing you can never be proven wrong.
I think I'm probably one of the only people on the planet who can just accept that I have no idea about how we came about. I see the obvious problems with Christianity which make it impossible for me to believe but I also can't accept evolution as it has little more proof than Christianity and is losing credibility everyday.
For a start, we once believed that we evolved up from Neanderthals but we now know that we existed at the same time as Neanderthals but would have never crossed paths so we didn't evolve from them and we didn't kill them off either.
Also, through advancements in DNA testing we now have evidence that ancient primates and humans haven't evolved or changed either. Basically, apes have always been apes and we have always been humans as long as there have been fossils to prove our existance.
For a start, we once believed that we evolved up from Neanderthals but we now know that we existed at the same time as Neanderthals but would have never crossed paths so we didn't evolve from them and we didn't kill them off either.
Also, through advancements in DNA testing we now have evidence that ancient primates and humans haven't evolved or changed either. Basically, apes have always been apes and we have always been humans as long as there have been fossils to prove our existance.
I believe in God. I don't know any other way to live. I can honestly say I would be afraid to go on with my life without my faith in my Savior. I am VERY PROUD to call myself a Christian. I believe what I do because I know no other way and because it was handed down to me from the beginning of my life. It comforts me to know that someone else has my back, knows everything about me, knows my heart without me saying, and knows how to comfort me when in sorrow. I believe God has a Plan for everyone and it's up to us to live up to it.
Who else will forgive us when we make the same mistakes over and over? Who else will love us unfailingly, for all time? Who else will forever "have our back"? We will always have someone who will eventiually grow old of our "issues" and "problems", but not God. God is with us all the time. It is such a comfort to know that I am always safe.
As for those people who take it upon themselves to erradicate others based on anger or "religion", I think they are disillusioned and angry people. Any true Christian knows that murder is wrong, no matter what the reason.
My Love for Christ is above all others. Ok, maybe not my kids, but it comes pretty darned close.
Who else will forgive us when we make the same mistakes over and over? Who else will love us unfailingly, for all time? Who else will forever "have our back"? We will always have someone who will eventiually grow old of our "issues" and "problems", but not God. God is with us all the time. It is such a comfort to know that I am always safe.
As for those people who take it upon themselves to erradicate others based on anger or "religion", I think they are disillusioned and angry people. Any true Christian knows that murder is wrong, no matter what the reason.
My Love for Christ is above all others. Ok, maybe not my kids, but it comes pretty darned close.
There is a huge difference between omniscience and pre-determination. If our lives were pre-determined, then the individual has no control over the end result of their life. However, humans have complete control over their choices.
Free will=we have the choice to accept God or not...God does not force us to decide this.
Can someone please explain this 'religion helps millions of people' stuff to me? Religion helps people when they fall into grief, and quite often that grief is caused by something which any loving God wouldn't allow.
Not to mention religion has indirectly killed so many of millions of people that it is rediculous.
For example:
Crusades
Terrorism
Second World War and the way the Nazis killed millions of Jews. I still can't believe that that could be allowed to happen by human beings let alone a God.
Countless other wars caused by religion.
General Racism.
And it goes on and on...
Not to mention religion has indirectly killed so many of millions of people that it is rediculous.
For example:
Crusades
Terrorism
Second World War and the way the Nazis killed millions of Jews. I still can't believe that that could be allowed to happen by human beings let alone a God.
Countless other wars caused by religion.
General Racism.
And it goes on and on...
I agree that for the most part religion helps people in need, but it also helps some people not necessarily in need (like myself). I mean, sure it helped me when my mother and grandmother passed away, but it was also present during my pregnancies and before and after the births of my 3 kids. All of my children are from God - they are on loan to me by Him. It is my job to make sure they grow to be kind, caring, loving human beings. It's also my job to make sure they develop a close relationship with their maker.
I believe we are given the children we have because they are the perfect children for us and we are the perfect parents for them.
And as I said before, I think the people who have gone on these crusades claiming they were doing what they were bc of their faith are misguided, disillusioned people.
I believe we are given the children we have because they are the perfect children for us and we are the perfect parents for them.
And as I said before, I think the people who have gone on these crusades claiming they were doing what they were bc of their faith are misguided, disillusioned people.
As I said before I am not a religious person. But to say or imply that religion has not helped "millions of people" is an exercise in ignorance.
Religion has never killed anybody. Religious people kill other people. That is a problem with the way extremist groups interpret their religion, not a problem with religion itself.
If I have a stick, I can use it to make a fire and cook my food, or I can use it to beat someone to death. It is not the stick's fault, but mine in the way I choose to use my stick.
If there is a god, and the bible is written for him, it is clear that people have free will to do what they would like as mentioned earlier in this thread. The simple breakdown would be -
God creates the universe,
God watches people and decides how good or crappy we are at the time of our death.
Seems a little like a kid watching his ant farm to me.
None of that changes the power of faith and the power of religion. To be used for good or evil. In reality the power of religion lies in the attitude and moral system of each individual. Therefor an argument / discussion about the existence of god or not is an exercise in futility. Since everyone has been raised in a different environment and under different circumstances, each persons interpretation is going to be different.
I believe that God is very real in the lives of some people, and, nonexistent in the lives of others. Neither makes you a bad person as it is your actions that you will be judged upon.
Religion has never killed anybody. Religious people kill other people. That is a problem with the way extremist groups interpret their religion, not a problem with religion itself.
If I have a stick, I can use it to make a fire and cook my food, or I can use it to beat someone to death. It is not the stick's fault, but mine in the way I choose to use my stick.
If there is a god, and the bible is written for him, it is clear that people have free will to do what they would like as mentioned earlier in this thread. The simple breakdown would be -
God creates the universe,
God watches people and decides how good or crappy we are at the time of our death.
Seems a little like a kid watching his ant farm to me.
None of that changes the power of faith and the power of religion. To be used for good or evil. In reality the power of religion lies in the attitude and moral system of each individual. Therefor an argument / discussion about the existence of god or not is an exercise in futility. Since everyone has been raised in a different environment and under different circumstances, each persons interpretation is going to be different.
I believe that God is very real in the lives of some people, and, nonexistent in the lives of others. Neither makes you a bad person as it is your actions that you will be judged upon.
Last edited:
Comfort and truth are entirely different. The comfort you may feel is just your faith in him, it doesnt mean its true. Consider a doctor who tell his patient he is fine yet he had terminal cancer, some would prefer him to lie others wouldnt.
The god "With us" all the time is just your faith and belief in him. Those questions you ask dont have to be implied by a god.
Considering the bible has huge amount of bloodshed and wars against those against the relegion. Im pretty sure the majority of people whether religious or not know murder is wrong.
If religion hasn't helped you, you wont understand how it has helped others. I thought the same before i used religion to help me. Knowing that there is a God comforts people, it makes them understand, it makes them better. Its like how you might turn to your parents when you need help, some people turn to God.
The Crusades happened simply because The Muslims were invading Europe. It was a fight for power. A war is a war. People arnt going to let themselves be conquered. Whether it is two Christian countries or two countries of different religion.
And if God ever had control of everything we do, we probaly wouldnt be talking about this right now. We would simply be enjoying a peaceful life, in a world without any sin. Can you imagine that? Its up to you to make the right decisions in life.
And racism is caused by ignorant people who believe they have a special gene in them that makes them better than everyone else. If everyone in the world was christian, but there was still blacks and whites, there would still be racism
Personally, i would say i have pretty stupied views. I'm christian, i believe in evolution, and i see flaws with christianity. For instance, i have a friend who claims to be this "huge christian", but he goes out and gets wasted and baked every weekend. Then i ask him, "i thought you were really into your religion" and he gives me this "god forgives you for everything you do, man". Personally, i think that is stupied. God can be unforgiving enough to send you to hell if you don't believe in him, but if you continue to commit the same sin over and over again, despite how wrong you know it is, he will forgive you for it. Please, i would like somone to explain to me why this is. I don't meen to sound negative at all, but rather completly interested.
There's a bit more to it than this. The Christians didn't simply march out and fight the invading Muslims and that was that. There were several different crusades led by different popes. Depending on the timeline, there were instances in which lies were spread and manipulation and greed caused Christian soldiers to annhiliate Christian cities and to march into peaceful Muslim areas and wipe out the men, women, and children.
This is an instance where people hid behind a religion to claim riches and etc.
Just tell your friend it's comforting to know that a Christian can go out and knowingly sin over and over again and they will be forgiven. Now mass murderers, rapists, and etc can just keep doing what they doing so long as they ask for forgiveness.
The problem is your friend is not understanding that he does not represent the ideals of a Christian. His actions speak louder than his words. Christians are not supposed to be of the world even though they are in the world (aka...not endulging in sex, drugs, and non-Christian activities). I think your friend needs to spend more time reading his Bible and living the way he is supposed to instead of having others look at him and view him as a hypocrite and just like everyone else...it looks bad for the religion.
I agree with that statement. However it doesnt' change the fact that I believe in God and that He has a Master Plan for me.....or that He is with me all the time. Just because you don't see something or don't have scientific proof that He exists doesn't mean that He doesn't. Yes, that is faith...Faith in God...isn't that what we are debating?
Very true, yet it doesn't stop them, does it? And though they do these terrible things, they will have to deal with the consequences on Judgement Day.
I'm not trying to push my religious beliefs on anyone, just stating my views and my opinions.
Although he's my good friend, i couldn't of bashed on him better. He, out of all people i know, is the biggest hypocrite i've ever met. Especially since he is to ignorant to accept some things as is. I know you have a right to religion and belief, but it dosen't hurt to be open minded about things.
I really loathe the extreme end of the "not of the world" philosophy, as it has taken good friends of mine for no reason other than to needlessly control another facet of their lives.
Apparently I am considered "worldly" to some, and therefore cannot be associated with. I've got huge problems with organized religion, but none with faith itself.