I beleive in god, but not in organized religion. From my perspective organized religion is so full of hypocrisy that it has lost almost all relevance to modern day society. As a moral compass for the children, great, as a divinity code on how to lead your life...Bull. Most religious people and their leaders are only religious as long as it suits there needs. In fact, you want an example of hypocrisy. How about a preacher that makes deals with masked men carrying guns in order to prove a point. Celebrate the lords day? Would this be the sabbath?, or would this be the first day of the week, Sunday. In fact it is called Sunday because it was named for the venerable day of the Sun. On the first day God created the Sun. On the seventh day he rested and called it the sabbath. One of his ten commandments is to keep his sabbath holy.
It is religion, and therefore subject to more interpretation than you or I would be capable of in a lifetime. I don't think this scenario is realistic at all. When faced with two masked and armed subjects, it is human nature to flee no matter what the belief system. I find it a laughable and potentially scarring exhibition. But I like a good discourse. Carry on.
I hate to get into religious debates...because I don't have all the knowledge it takes to get really deep, but I'm learning. So here I go on my religious soapbox...and believe me, I'm not saying I know it all, or have all the answers, but this is what I believe. ...the ten commandments were from the old covenant with God, and there were many other rules that were given at the same time, so many and some were just plain hard to keep. The book of Exodus and Leviticus talks about these laws that they had to follow and what they had to to do to 'fix' their sins when they did commit them. Then along came Jesus, and I am a believer that he did come to the earth and rise from the dead....and this brought along a new covenant between man and God. In various places throughout the bible, we are told to find 'living water' through Jesus. In the book of John, chapter 4 talks about the Woman at the Well. She specifically asked Jesus about worship when he pinpointed her admittance of not having a husband and she figured he was a prophet of God since he knew so much( she had already been married 5 times and lived with yet another man at that moment, and Jesus had told her this) Basically the conversation at that point went something like this: Oh, so you’re a prophet! Well, tell me this: Our ancestors worshiped God at this mountain, but you Jews insist that Jerusalem is the only place for worship, right?” Jesus said: “Believe me, woman, the time is coming when you Samaritans will worship the Father neither here at this mountain nor there in Jerusalem. You (Samaritans) worship guessing in the dark; we Jews worship in the clear light of day. God’s way of salvation is made available through the Jews. But the time is coming—it has, in fact, come—when what you’re called will not matter and where you go to worship will not matter. Its who you are and the way you live that count before God. Your worship must engage your spirit in the pursuit of truth. That’s the kind of people the Father is out looking for: those who are simply and honestly themselves before him in their worship. God is sheer being itself—Spirit. Those who worship him must do it out of their very being, their spirits, their true selves, in adoration.” So basically He is saying that we need to worship in spirit and in truth. Not on specifically on Sundays, not on Wednesday nights, not on Saturdays...but to worship him honestly before Him. God doesn't care where you are when you worship Him. It could be public worship like at church on these particular days...or it can be in private times, when you are in your car, in your shower, in bed, on the couch...wherever you may be. As long as you are honestly putting yourself before Him. In James 4:8 it says that if you draw near to Him, He will draw near to you. I never read it to say that you had to be in a church on Saturday, Sabbath day, or any other day, or anywhere specific. It just says to draw near Him. I agree that a lot of people get caught up in religion, and get bound in the rules and laws that they set upon themselves to make themselves more 'holy'. We are all in fact, sinners, and will sin until the day we die...we are all human and make mistakes and will never be perfect. It makes me so sad to see that people get caught up in all of that and forget the real truth, that Jesus loves us no matter what...and that it isn't hard to find Him. Okay, stepping off my box now...and closing the can of worms.
Good points Dennis, I always enjoy reading your posts. And excellent point about religious interpretations, in fact most wars are fought precisely because of this. I also agree with your assesment regarding the "experiment", Self preservation is the strongest human urge, followed closely by sexual reproduction. In fact these responses to environmental stimulia are usually done without conscious reactions.
I would be out of there in a flash!!! I mean think about it what is god or Jesus really gonna do about a bullet...Nothing! hey if the bible is true jesus can be killed so I definitely can be and I haven't got the luxury of rebirth!
Good points Tonya, I can respect your viewpoints, I don't necessarily agree with them but I don't think I want to get involved in a big religious debate in which everyone has their own views and nobody agrees and pretty soon people will get petty and personal.
This, in a nutshell, is all that matters. some people have faith in a God, some have faith in themselves. But if you don't live with the best intentions, and treat others with respect, it really doesn't amount to much.
Yo, dude. Furthermore if the bible were true we have been promised a life after this life whether we die a minute from now or of the ripe old age of 139. I'll possibly be just as nervous about it decades from now as I am in my "youth". As long as we can draw breath in this life, we might be able to do something about our state in the hereafter. I view every day and every morning I wake up as a second chance.
thanks, and I totally agree...we all have very different views...and I hate religious debates...and I hate arguing! (although Kevin might say different, hahaha) What I posted just happen to be part of what I had in my lesson for my kids on Wednesday night. For those that don't know, I am a youth leader at our church with the teenagers. I'm too 'young' to hang out with the people in 'big church'. :lol:
