I disagree in many things with some Vatican's principles. For example I think that euthanasia, therapeutic abortion and divorce should be allowed.

 

Also I don't see the point in celibacy (is that the right word in english?), the priests are there to guide and help people but they just can't do it in the right way sometimes, because they don't have a "normal" family and they don't live all those things that most of the families live.

 

Ohh and confession, I don't see the point in going to talk to a priest to say sorry for the sins or bad things that I do, if God is watching me, he'd see that I'm sorry, this is a pretty stupid argument but it's a way to show that I think that some practices are obsolete.

 

And talking in a more superficial way, I'm in a catholic university but all I can see are rich kids, if you don't pay, you are out. the university is really rich but they just care about making more money. If Jesus would be alive, he wouldn't be able to go there because his parents wouldn't have the money :lol:.

 

sometimes I really think that I'm catholic because I'm afraid of death and I'd like to think that there is something more.

 

Mmm yeah. I don't really know all that much about catholocism. But yeah, definitely some problems with it. I don't really believe in the whole confession to a priest thing. I don't really see in the Bible anywhere where it says that you have to talk to somebody who will talk to God for you. I mean He wants a relationship with YOU and you can talk to him yourself.

 

I know too when I first became a Christian...i.e. said "the prayer" when I was a little kid it was more of a get-out-of-hell-free type of thing.

But over the years its changed from that to something real and more than just a religion.

I know too when I first became a Christian...i.e. said "the prayer" when I was a little kid it was more of a get-out-of-hell-free type of thing.

it was the same for me then!

 

I felt that it was real during my teen years, but I don't do it anymore... I'd love to believe but I just can't. Maybe it's just a phase, I don't know.

 

haha I edited my post, It's a bit difficult to put so many ideas together in another language :P

haha yeah.

 

But yeah, people definitely go through phases. I know I've gone through them. It helps to have solid friends that can encourage you and stuff.

I always thought it would be neat to be a Catholic, but I believe that you can speak directly to God without going through a priest. I also don't think that the Pope is higher than any other person on the holy scale.

 

Lately I'm having trouble with believing in anything for some reason.

I find the way our society is set up its hard to believe in anything........just since everything is so politically correct and individualistic. Nobody wants to step on anybody elses toes. We're told there are no rights or wrongs, etc.

Yeah, I don't like saying I'm religious either. It makes it sound so dry and meaningless.

 

But its one of those things thats hard to explain. You can say "I have a relationship with Christ, but I'm not religious" That'll leave them saying WTF. But on the other hand it can open doors to meaningful conversations.

 

Yeah, i know exactly what you mean.

But i see being "religious" as following a bunch of rules... and doing things because you feel like it's the "right thing to do".

I just hate that.

I think if you do choose to follow God, it should be real.

You shouldn't feel like you "have to" read your bible every day, or you "have to" go to church. Or you "have to" pray.

You should do it because you "want to".

I mean that's how i began my relationship with God.

I found him on my own.

Nobody forced me to go to church or do anything.

I wanted to go myself.

And when i was there, i felt something different and i wanted to know more.

I admit that i rarely read my bible. But that isn't what matters.

What matters is that i do things out of love because i "want to"

not because i "have to" or because i'm a"Christian". I hate that word too.

 

I apologize if i'm going on a rant or some of you think i'm crazy.

I'm just saying my beliefs.

:D

I'm glad all of you are pretty open about this topic though!

It's nice to hear what everybody thinks!

Yeah, i know exactly what you mean.

But i see being "religious" as following a bunch of rules... and doing things because you feel like it's the "right thing to do".

I just hate that.

I think if you do choose to follow God, it should be real.

You shouldn't feel like you "have to" read your bible every day, or you "have to" go to church. Or you "have to" pray.

You should do it because you "want to".

I mean that's how i began my relationship with God.

I found him on my own.

Nobody forced me to go to church or do anything.

I wanted to go myself.

And when i was there, i felt something different and i wanted to know more.

I admit that i rarely read my bible. But that isn't what matters.

What matters is that i do things out of love because i "want to"

not because i "have to" or because i'm a"Christian". I hate that word too.

 

I apologize if i'm going on a rant or some of you think i'm crazy.

I'm just saying my beliefs.

:D

I'm glad all of you are pretty open about this topic though!

It's nice to hear what everybody thinks!

 

Yeah, thats cool that you wanted to go to church yourself. For me I was kind of born into it.

I find reading my Bible really hard. Although it has been good the past month. I'm just trying to work on wanting to read it, not just reading it because...

I'm a Christian and everything and I have lots of awesome Christian friends, the nicest people I know. But also there are so many Christians that are over judgemental or twist the scriptures which can be a real turnoff.

 

I find it strange that your youth pastor won't keep it confidential and is going to go to your parents.

Im Christian too(well not a very good one ill admit) But I have so many great Christian friends and they are they best. Then ive met some that were like that, judgemental and just not really that nice. Like because of the way you dressed or because of this or that, and it upsets me. You are supposed to come as you are, but then people judge you...

Yeah, judgement is such a hard thing. Thats something I've learned alot about the past few years. I used to be really judgemental of non-christians and stuff.

 

And I've just realized how wrong that is.

Like look at the Bible...who did Jesus hang out with? He hung out with the so called scum. The prostitutes, tax collectors, etc.

Ya exactly! How are they to judge, it says not to judge! Its really not people at the church I go to, but like other ones that ive been too and our church was visiting!!!

 

It really kinda pissed me off! And I actually stopped going for a while.

I don't really believe in anything. I don't think there's a god (or many of them).. I guess i just don't have a need to believe in something, I'm fine the way i am.

 

My family has never been a religious one and i only went to church about 3 times a year when i was a kid. I liked the singing part but everything else was just soo boooriing.

My two best friends are more religious than i am but they don't try to turn me into a religious person so i don't really care if they're religious or not.

edit: double post

Christians - great friends, not-so-great confiding friends (if my Christian besty knew HALF the stuff that I've done I think he'd be trying to make me feel bad about my supposed sin and seek forgiveness by going to Church - not my style).

The thing that annoys me about Christians apparently being "good people"

 

is that they aren't

 

if I'm nice it's because I'm genuinely nice and have empathy.

 

If a Christian is nice, it's so they don't burn for an eternity in hell.

 

A Christian is no more moral than me. If someone deserves respect for blindly following what they have been told by someone above someone who has challenged that and come to their own conclusion then God is a moron.

 

Plus for a lot of people it's a case of being born somewhere else means you have a different religion, should people burn in hell just because of where they were born?

 

Religion doesn't make sense man.

Now that it's been strangled by rules and the notion of "you don't go to church and go to confession you BURN", why yes!

That's not even what I was talking about though, I might be wrong but there is nothing in the teachings of Christianity about having to attend Church, only keeping the Sabbath holy.

 

It's more "if your brothers don't believe, slay them and burn down their houses"

Hey look yoy don't need to say "suck penis"if you don't believe in God!!

so, please, respect!!

That's not even what I was talking about though, I might be wrong but there is nothing in the teachings of Christianity about having to attend Church, only keeping the Sabbath holy.

 

It's more "if your brothers don't believe, slay them and burn down their houses"

 

That's closer to what I've heard from Islam. Jesus never said anything like that anyway...

 

I confess I've never read the Koran, but it doesn't seem you've read your Bible so s'all good... :smug: :P

I've read the bible, but can only remember so much of it. I suppose one can construe many things that are not directly mentioned in the bible, as it's somewhat a matter of 'referencing the old testament from the new' and then looking at the various verses for meaning. Perhaps not demanding regular attendance, but keeping the sabbath holy, doing the offerings (but how many Christians sacrifice lambs?), and obeying the 'law' in the Hebrew bible, plus baptism, and the often forgot philosophical moral tales. Yes, it does sometimes become a place where a few individuals get delusions of power, and can become abusive in their methods to control others in attendance. Probably one reason I haven't gone to church in a long, long time actually..

That's closer to what I've heard from Islam. Jesus never said anything like that anyway...

 

I confess I've never read the Koran, but it doesn't seem you've read your Bible so s'all good... :smug: :P

 

Wow...

 

I know more about your religion than you. :*) Yet you still judge me based on the supposed morals it supposedly teaches you

 

Not only that but you are making judgments about another religion based on absolutely nothing

 

Congrats you're a typical christian

Hey look yoy don't need to say "suck penis"if you don't believe in God!!

so, please, respect!!

 

Not only are you a fucking moron, but you're a fucking moron who can't read, congrats.

Hey look yoy don't need to say "suck penis"if you don't believe in God!!

so, please, respect!!

 

Oh, but don't you know? He has to!

I agree with what HorrificAttack said. Although I do a Christian person who is naturally nice... but, I think her parents, like, brainwashed her to be. Christianity is fine, if you want to believe in external forces to comfort the fact that eventually you'll die, whatever, man, I don't care. But I know so many Christian people who really need to mellow out and stop trying to convert people and stuff. It's like that with most major religions actually. (I'm thinking of becoming a Jew just because Jewish people are so nice and don't go around looking for converts. :P)

 

I think you should live your life the best way you can, whether or not you believe in any religion. If you die and it all turns out to be true, and God/Zeus/Allah's all like, "Sorry, man, you were a great guy, but you're still fucked because you didn't worship me every day," I would at least know that God was the meanest bastard ever while I was, you know, burning in eternal hellfire or whatever. What I'm saying is, religion shouldn't be your motivator to be nice. So I basically agree with what HorrificAttack said about being nice.

Wow...

 

I know more about your religion than you. :*) Yet you still judge me based on the supposed morals it supposedly teaches you

 

 

Come again...When did I judge you morally? Yes, the pentateuch (however you spell it) features a much more wrathful God, than in the New Testament, but Christianity is grounded more in the updated teaching's of Jesus Christ who, to my knowledge never commanded anyone to kill or burn the houses of nonbelievers as you said. Correct me if I'm wrong.

 

In any case this debate is far separate from these accusations that I somehow judged you to be an immoral person.

 

 

Not only that but you are making judgments about another religion based on absolutely nothing

 

Congrats you're a typical christian

 

When did I make judgments? I only told who about what I had heard, select passages I've seen and certain behaviors exhibited by certain parts of modern muslim communities. I never expressed anything directly negative or judgmental about Islam as a faith as I haven't read into it myself. I'm offended you're so quick to judge my character, or what kind of "Christian" I am, based on, as you put it...absolutely nothing.

The thing that annoys me about Christians apparently being "good people"

 

is that they aren't

 

if I'm nice it's because I'm genuinely nice and have empathy.

 

If a Christian is nice, it's so they don't burn for an eternity in hell.

 

A Christian is no more moral than me. If someone deserves respect for blindly following what they have been told by someone above someone who has challenged that and come to their own conclusion then God is a moron.

 

Plus for a lot of people it's a case of being born somewhere else means you have a different religion, should people burn in hell just because of where they were born?

 

Religion doesn't make sense man.

 

agreed on all counts. (LOVE your signature, BTW).

 

you don't need structured religion to be moral--in fact, i often feel as though i trust the morals of non-religious people more for exactly the reason you stated. all the "getting into heaven" stuff is completely beyond me: can't good things be done just for the sake of doing them and being a good person, without looking for a reward? doesn't it feel better when you're not looking for anything in return?

 

christianity has always been a bit of a turn off for me in general, i think because so many people take it so literally and so seriously. that's not necessarily to say other religions don't turn me off or don't take things word for word, but there's always been something about it that's freaked me out a bit. i think it's because i see so many people, lots of people my own age and older, preaching one thing but practicing another entirely. it also irks me with religion in general how so many people just tend to be born into what they are--i think it's irresponsible for parents to push something as heavy as religion on their children without encouraging in depth exploration of other faiths.

 

this isn't to say i don't believe in anything--i do, it's just not something that i have an easy time explaining, and it's certainly not part of any structured religion. my school, while historically episcopalian, ran a weekly (mandatory) chapel service, but every week it was done in the tradition of a different world religion, or sometimes no defined religion at all. i think that's the sort of exposure that everyone needs in order to come to something they TRULY believe in, picking and choosing from what they find interesting in terms of morals, rather than being forced and brainwashed into believing whatever their parents do from the getgo.