In my opinion (and I'm using her post as my view because I can't communicate myself well), the force she is referring to is god. Like the force as a person.

 

Yes, but, it doesn't fall under the definition of a "god" in the traditional sense in that case. She's a deist at best if she doesn't believe a god interferes with our life.

For me, believing in God is having faith in humanity, that something bigger than me exists and that my soul is what is really important...the body is just a vessel of that soul. I guess you could say that God is not only a reilgion (to me) but it's a state of mind.

 

It's interesting to me all the ways God can be portrayed to different people and religions. God; a wrathful God. God; a peaceful God. God; a loving God. God; the protector and provider.

 

Sure, when I was young I prayed to God to let me win the affection of a certain boy, or to help me "pass the test." All trivial and all irrelevant in the grand scheme of things. But, I'm older and wiser now. Now, God to me is the belief that something larger than I could imagine exists and when I feel like things are going to fall apart, I don't pray to God to "fix them." I pray for the strength to overcome. The belief in God brings out the good in me. It makes me a better person. I have a stronger moral compass, and to me, that's important. Especially in this world of today.

 

Well I understand your point of view, without sharing it. And I also agree that without religion, the world would be even more fucked up than it already is.

Wel then again, there were so much religion wars, but these are caused by fundamentalists, not people like you.

It's a load of rubbish and just is there as a method of control of people and to earn money out of people, that and some people just arn't willing to accept the fact that this is it, when we die it goes black, you're no longer in existance in any way, the end.

I'm Christian, but that's because that's how I was brought up. I believe in a God, but I don't go all crazy with it or anything. And I have nothing against anyone with a different religion (or none at all).

 

Even if you don't actually believe in a God, it's an excellent way to teach children their own precepts. When they grow up, they should be educated in religion and make their own decisions.

 

& this is what I always wonder. Some people are in the religion that they are in out of habit, because that's what they were taught when growing up. Does it ever occur to them that there could be different sides to what they learn, different answers. Do people always have to be so close minded to learning something new instead?

 

 

That's why I cant be religious. I'm too curious and stubborn, all I do is ask why. Why this, why that. I don't think that's a bad that i can never settle with the answers I am being given, but some of my friends, well a couple think I'm kinda :dunce:

& this is what I always wonder. Some people are in the religion that they are in out of habit, because that's what they were taught when growing up. Does it ever occur to them that there could be different sides to what they learn, different answers. Do people always have to be so close minded to learning something new instead?

 

 

That's why I cant be religious. I'm too curious and stubborn, all I do is ask why. Why this, why that. I don't think that's a bad person but some of my friends, well a couple think I'm kinda :dunce:

 

One of my roommates in college was raised Presbyterian, but now she is a converted Jew.

 

It's entirely possible to educate yourself on different religions, find the one that best fits your belief, and adhere to that religion and it's teachings.

 

And asking questions is good. How can you ever find answers if you don't ask the questions?

I don't see religion as inherently evil or corrupt, but the inflated result of a natural, even logical response by people to the absurdity of existence.

I myself am a secular person. Religion is not a part of my life, and I am perfectly happy with it being that way. The thing that makes me angry is when I tell people around here that I'm not religious, and they start pitying me and telling me how I need to let the Lord love me and how much I need to be saved, etc. etc. They're implicitly telling me how wrong I am and how I must conform to what they do. This is what irritates me about religion (or, at the very least, Christianity), and this is why I hate living in the Bible Belt of the United States.

^+1, Violet.

For me, believing in God is having faith in humanity, that something bigger than me exists and that my soul is what is really important...the body is just a vessel of that soul. I guess you could say that God is not only a reilgion (to me) but it's a state of mind.

 

It's interesting to me all the ways God can be portrayed to different people and religions. God; a wrathful God. God; a peaceful God. God; a loving God. God; the protector and provider.

 

Sure, when I was young I prayed to God to let me win the affection of a certain boy, or to help me "pass the test." All trivial and all irrelevant in the grand scheme of things. But, I'm older and wiser now. Now, God to me is the belief that something larger than I could imagine exists and when I feel like things are going to fall apart, I don't pray to God to "fix them." I pray for the strength to overcome. The belief in God brings out the good in me. It makes me a better person. I have a stronger moral compass, and to me, that's important. Especially in this world of today.

 

So you believe in a cosmic-glue sort of god? and in addition to being cosmic glue, a basis-of-morals type god?

 

Personally, I come close to believing in the cosmic-glue type god, like you, assuming I understood you correctly, just I don't consider the way nature works to be evidence for a deity; I have the same awe and respect that I've found in many religious persons for how nature works and its unbelievable complexities, etc, etc, but I've never drawn the conclusion that, "Nature is so beautiful, there must be a god" -- I just want to understand it (preferably rationally) more than we currently do, because that seems to reveal more beauty to me than simply believing in a god that runs things. To me, atheism is more aesthetically pleasing, and also gives me more comfort; I prefer to believe that I don't have the power to make others go to heaven or hell, that I'm not simply being judged by a supernatural being for my actions (I prefer to just act as well as I can in this life) -- Actually to be honest, a lot of the experiences people report having in their religion, I find in my agnostic atheism, which is interesting philosophically but I don't want to get off track.

 

My point is, everything you can have with religion, I think you can also have with atheism; and typically atheists are more focused on things that affect society more positively, like research, and things.

 

(Bear in mind I'm not trying to offend you, just discuss, I could totally understand if you're a bit offended atm but I don't mean to offend you...)

Sara: the swashbuckling positivist!

Well I understand your point of view, without sharing it. And I also agree that without religion, the world would be even more fucked up than it already is.

Wel then again, there were so much religion wars, but these are caused by fundamentalists, not people like you.

 

I disagree, not only because of the point you made about fundamentalism, but I honestly don't think atheists are morally different from theists. Organized religion has a track record of absolutely evil things, and it seems to me, that you spend time worshipping that could be spent on making society better, or whatnot. (I realize that's cold, haha, but I don't know how else to put it)

Well I understand your point of view, without sharing it. And I also agree that without religion, the world would be even more fucked up than it already is.

Wel then again, there were so much religion wars, but these are caused by fundamentalists, not people like you.

 

It's a load of rubbish and just is there as a method of control of people and to earn money out of people, that and some people just arn't willing to accept the fact that this is it, when we die it goes black, you're no longer in existance in any way, the end.

politics do that aswell.

 

i would say the problem is the way people follow a doctrine, be it a religion, politicians, philosophy, when it turns extremist or in few people benefit then there's a problem.

 

the rules that people create and so interfere with our morals and with our way of living and interact with others, it depends on our way of viewing and understand the 'world' and the time -some social 'rules' were OK centuries ago but now are forbiden-, so a person that is a believer will find 'it' connected with the world in some way, creating a 'foreign' idea that will be called god and that 'dictates' their morals, where a non-believer will seek that or create his/her rules from other ways.

I think it's good to be moral/spiritual or whatever but organized religion is bullshit.

 

Also I sort of think anyone who belives in Heaven and Hell is a bit foolish.

Isn't Christianity not actually a religion technically?

I have nothing I know of to contribute to this conversation really, but I'm a Christian.

I think I'm gonna rot in my coffin when I die, that's gonna be the end of me:blush:

Isn't Christianity not actually a religion technically?

I have nothing I know of to contribute to this conversation really, but I'm a Christian.

Lol, I've grown sick to death of the maxim: it's not a religion, it's a relationship!

(founded on purely religious ideas and presumptions)

 

politics do that aswell.

 

i would say the problem is the way people follow a doctrine, be it a religion, politicians, philosophy, when it turns extremist or in few people benefit then there's a problem.

 

the rules that people create and so interfere with our morals and with our way of living and interact with others, it depends on our way of viewing and understand the 'world' and the time -some social 'rules' were OK centuries ago but now are forbiden-, so a person that is a believer will find 'it' connected with the world in some way, creating a 'foreign' idea that will be called god and that 'dictates' their morals, where a non-believer will seek that or create his/her rules from other ways.

 

Politicians are usually a bit more up front about it though, Religion is extremely corrupt.

 

I think it's good to have morals though.

Overall human beings are generally more bad than good which is why the world is the way it is.

I've never heard that saying before. :thinking:

I think I'm gonna rot in my coffin when I die, that's gonna be the end of me:blush:

 

Me too although I think I would rather speed the process up and get cremated.

I get you. :) I'm not offended at all. It's okay to have discussions about religion.

 

@Violet. Not trying to convert you or make you feel wrong. Back when I was in high school (way too many years ago), I tried joining the "Teens for Christ" club. Big mistake. Most of them were Baptist (nothing against Baptists), and because I was a different domination, they told me I was going to hell because I "hadn't been saved." Needless to say, that was the last meeting I ever went to.

 

@hotdensestate. Sometimes believing in God requires a little irrational thinking. It's like that age old question: How do we know wind eixsts when we can't see it? Answer: Because you see how it affects things around it when it blows. Same thing with God, I guess. I was always taught that God lives in us. So, if God lives in us than really you are judging yourself.

 

I do also think that there is a balance for everything. Unlike my parents, who are total old school in their relationship with God, I think it's healthy to have a balance of Christians and athiests and science and different religions that are polytheistic.

 

I will say this, though...I was never into cultivating any type of relationship with God. However, when I gave birth to my daughter, things changed for me in a big way.

Sara: the swashbuckling positivist!

 

:heart:

^+1, Violet.

 

Thank you.

 

Also, I would like to point out that I wasn't saying what I said to be hateful towards religion or those who partake in it. When I talked about those people who try to convert me, I had in mind one of my best friends. Even if I don't agree with what he does sometimes, I know in my heart he means well.

 

In a sense, I have to give some sort of credit to Christianity, because my parents are devout Christians, and for the first twelve years of my life, I considered myself to be one, too. It had a part in forming who I am today.

 

With that being said, however, it's just that through personal experiences and through reading (with my own interpretations), there are just things within Christianity that I find contradictory and/or don't agree with.

Isn't Christianity not actually a religion technically?

I have nothing I know of to contribute to this conversation really, but I'm a Christian.

 

Crest, Christianity is completely a religion. Whoever said otherwise is talking bullshit out their nipple.

 

In a sense, I have to give some sort of credit to Christianity, because my parents are devout Christians, and for the first twelve years of my life, I considered myself to be one, too. It had a part in forming who I am today.

 

Same for me, my Catholic upbringing has made me very jaded and cynical regarding Religion, it caused me a great deal of self hate because I used to believe it.

I, like Violet said, am a secular person. I live without religion, but I try to respect others beliefs as best I can, even if I don't agree with them. And like Sara, I'm more of a believer in science.