Looking around these forums, I have noticed a rather amusing trend: religion has wormed its way into many a discussion. From whether or not war is a "good thing" to the definition of a feminist, it's everywhere! Good-natured slams on another person's beliefs suddenly turns into a death match between those who believe in the bible and those who don't. So I propose we all be open-minded for a few moments out of our day to put down what we believe and why and read the testimonies of others and try to understand where they are coming from.

Are you a Christian?
Do you believe in the bible?
To what extent? (strict interpretation or a loose one?)
If you're not a Christian, then what do you believe in?
Why? (This is for everyone. We all want to know why you believe what you believe).
And anything else we should know...

I will go first.

Yes, I am a Christian and yes, I believe in the bible. But, I prefer a looser interpretation (this means that I look at a passage from the bible and I try to look past the literal meaning. I also don't take everything written there for "face value"). I'm a Christian because: my parents are Christians; I know that this world wasn't created by accident--it's too complex; I have witnessed a few miracles and lived through others (I do not believe in coincidence); I enjoy believing that there is a God out there who listens to my prayers at night and who loves me for me; I enjoy believing that there is a heaven and that one day, I will be reunited with my dad in it.

quote:

I come to this conclution based on many scientific findings that have been swept under the rug by evolutionists.

These "facts" were never "swept under the rug". They were refuted and proven wrong and/or impossible. Creationist leaders want you to think that. Evolutionists go by hardcore scientific facts. Creationists go by blind faith and extremely inaccurate/inadequate/faulty science and make it sound hard so stupid people will believe it.

Didn't I ask you to show me these "facts" a long time ago? I think I asked two other people to show me as well. Why can't you do that? Scared?

Yes, I would call myself a Christian, but for all the jerks that call themselves by the same name.
I believe the Bible is a book of facts. I come to this conclution based on many scientific findings that have been swept under the rug by evolutionists.
To say loose interpretation only or strict only is like trying to understand Algebra using the prinsibles of phonics. I think in most cases the Bible is literal but refers to spiritual things which are far from the carnal minds of those that seek to discredit the Bible. Sometimes the Bible also uses...Picture words to describe things.
Why do I believe? So much proof of a God. So many places in the Bible that are irrefuteable truths millenia ahead of their time.

quote:

Originally posted by rugar:

I believe that the Bible is inspired by God and given to man so that we may be able to understand God, but no man can understand God..

How can you have faith in something you can't understand?

quote:

Oneday I believe that we will all findout what the truth really is when we stand before God on judgement day and I think that alot of us will really be surprised.

I think you are the one that will be suprised.

quote:

For things that we say are great God saids they are foolish, but things that we say are foolish God said's they are great

I think it is foolish that we have wars.

I think life is great.

Yes, I am a christian and yes, I believe the bible.
I believe that there is One God and I am baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ our Lord and Saviour.

I believe that God sent a prophet in these last days by the name of William Marrion Branham to fulfill the scripture Malachi 4

I have seen miracles for I am a miracle myself.
I believe that the Bible is inspired by God and given to man so that we may be able to understand God, but no man can understand God.

For things that we say are great God saids they are foolish, but things that we say are foolish God said's they are great

If you look around you'll see the greatness of God.
People think that God is always in the big things, He's also in the small too.

Oneday I believe that we will all findout what the truth really is when we stand before God on judgement day and I think that alot of us will really be surprised.

well to aswer a couple of the questions, I am an athiest. Why? Because there is very little proof of a god. How can you believe in someone or something that doesn't affect any of our senses?

This a very imporrant discussion.

I have a question that I would like to add.

Is one's relgion just a series of belifes or is a lifestlye.

I belive that one's faith should be the center point of thier lives.

I am not a Christian. I turned from that path almost a year ago. Why? Because I don't agree with religion. I have never, even during my time as a Christian, understood the purpose of religion. The need for a greater purpose in one's life? The assurance that one will get everlasting life after death? The feeling that one belongs to a community? Or is it something else? Whatever the case, I don't need any of those. My idea of a greater purpose is contributing my ideas to society. Life after death? Sounds terribly boring.

However, I do believe in some form of a "god," to use the simplest term. It's not the God of any religion, and the word "god" doesn't aptly describe it. I suppose you could call this being the Designer, or something of the sort. In essence, I take a somewhat deistic approach when looking at the Universe. The complexities of everything make it painfully obvious that the Universe didn't create itself completely by random. Something must have helped. And that something was most likely the Designer that I profess to exist.

However, this is where I differ from most religion. I see the Universe as being on its own. No divine intervention. No guiding hand. And *gasp* no answered prayers. Why do I take such a cynical view of our world? Because if some compassionate, loving, and caring being was living somewhere up in the clouds, you'd think that the Earth would be a slightly nicer place. Oh, sure, I know the old argument about God punishing us to make us learn. But don't you think, if that's the case, that he's going a little overboard? Rampant terrorism, AIDS, avian flu, earthquakes, hurricanes, tornados, extreme temperatures, war, and a whole wealth of other disasters (both natural and manmade) are plaguing the planet. If things are this bad, there cannot possibly be a God watching over us. Either that, or he's asleep.

Another major problem I have with the idea of God is the problem of moral relativity and free will. I have seen from experience that almost everything is relative. Time, beauty, and, yes, morality. Society may have it's accepted norms (e.g. killing is bad, raping is bad, giving money to political campaigns is good, etc.), but if you strip all that away, good and evil are only truly defined by the individual. In other words, how can a purely good God allow someone to rape and murder little children? Ah, that's where free will comes in.

Most religion states that some god gave us free will to do as we please. Fair enough. However, why does said god get angry when we don't do what he wants or likes? In Christianity, humans have the ability to choose whether or not they worship God. If they do worship God, good for them, they get a nice little reward when they die. If you don't worship God, you go to hell and suffer for eternity. Now how is that fair? Essentially God is giving the people two choices, one of which is wrong. I just can't justify that kind of injustice to myself.

Religion may work for others, but I find it too constricting. My beliefs, by their very nature, prohibit me from being a devout member of any established religion. Do I have a problem with that? No. Religion is but a way for man to connect with something greater than him, either truly divine, or humanly created. I don't need that. I respect those who believe they do, but I gave up on religion and have no intention of turning back.

Hopefully, that explains everything.

quote:

Originally posted by at16storyteller:
Are you a Christian?
Do you believe in the bible?
To what extent? (strict interpretation or a loose one?)
If you're not a Christian, then what do you believe in?
Why? (This is for everyone. We all want to know why you believe what you believe).
And anything else we should know...

I will go first.

I will go third

Yes
Yes
I belive that "that man does not live by bread alone, but man lives by everything that proceeds out of the mouth of the LORD". I also belive that the bible is scripture, and that "All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness"
I have seen miracles.
I belive that the reason that we do not see miracles all around us is because many Christians are niether as devoted nor as faithful to living for God, as we could be, or as we were in the first Centry AD.

I don't consider myself "Christian." I really don't consider myself anything. I believe in a God of sorts, but not creation of any form. I believe that the people in the Bible existed, but I also believe that the people in the Qua'ran existed. Everything has to be at least based off something, excluding random religions like the Flying Spaghetti Monster.

I accept bits of Christianity, but what gets most people is I don't believe that it is possible for a God to impregnate a virgin woman. Right.

So I guess I'm not religious, but spiritual.
I