I do. Like the creation of the world, and evolution... everyone in my family seems to believe in it blindly, and I feel like I'm some sort of sinner because I don't believe blindly in everything the bible says, especially since it tends to contradict itself. I always pretend to blindly follow it, but I'm not totally sure... I believe in god, but I'm not sure if I'm ready to believe everything the bible says.
Does that make me a bad Christian ?
No, personally, I'd say it allows you to be a better one. Those who unquestioningly follow something are prone to make stupid decisions because of it. It seems that those who follow it to a tee are often the ones who persecute those who they deem to live damnable lifestyles, and ironically by doing so are violating God's word themselves.
If you find yourself questioning it then you can better decide what it really means, and since you yourself have those questions it allows you to be more accepting towards those with their own views on the Bible as well as different controversial subjects in life in general.
Quote from: Rydermongler on December 29, 2007, 11:26:05 AM
I believe in god, but I'm not sure if I'm ready to believe everything the bible says.
so how do you decide on what to believe
Quote from: Commodore Guff on December 29, 2007, 11:58:14 AM
so how do you decide on what to believe
I don't, I believe things in the bible, but I question some of it.
No it doesn't. God doesn't want people to follow blindly. We have a brain for a reason, at least IMO.
Quote from: Clair on December 29, 2007, 06:00:58 PM
God doesn't want people to follow blindly.
How do you know?
Surprisingly, that is my exact standpoint as a Catholic as well. However, I tend to entirely lose faith at times. Why should we take the scribbles of ancient men as the word of God? And then there are all of these practices the Roman Catholic Church tries to enforce that really have no solid foundation to begin with.
Quote from: Rycerz on December 29, 2007, 09:32:08 PM
Surprisingly, that is my exact standpoint as a Catholic as well. However, I tend to entirely lose faith at times. Why should we take the scribbles of ancient men as the word of God? And then there are all of these practices the Roman Catholic Church tries to enforce that really have no solid foundation to begin with.
So, why do you even bother being a Catholic?
Quote from: Houdini on December 29, 2007, 10:49:24 PM
So, why do you even bother being a Catholic?
Those wafers might taste good.
Quote from: JMV290 on December 30, 2007, 12:15:37 AM
Those wafers might taste good.
Most/all Christian churches have communion not just catholics.
I'm sorta Catholic.
But I sorta ain't.
I don't really believe in everything the bible says. Some of it is God's word, some of it is man's.
Quote from: Co-Z on December 30, 2007, 02:24:33 PM
I don't really believe in everything the bible says. Some of it is God's word, some of it is man's.
how do you distinguish between the two
Has anybody read Revelations in it's entirety?
I myself enjoy reading the Bible, but I'm not sure what to follow.
Quote from: Houdini on December 29, 2007, 10:49:24 PM
So, why do you even bother being a Catholic?
I'm a Catholic more for the sense of community it has. And I'm partly brainwashed into following it, having practiced it for my entire life thus far.
There's some things that are too stupid to be something God made.
Like smiting fags.
Quote from: helter on December 30, 2007, 04:19:25 PM
Has anybody read Revelations in it's entirety?
I've read most of it. It isn't a foreshadowing of the end though. It is merely John writing about the Christians being executed by Nero(666)
Quote from: W4W1 on January 04, 2008, 07:25:49 PM
I've read most of it. It isn't a foreshadowing of the end though. It is merely John writing about the Christians being executed by Nero(666)
Wow, someone on a forum actually knows what 666 really means. I'm no longer alone.
Quote from: Your Posting Rival on January 05, 2008, 02:29:10 PM
Wow, someone on a forum actually knows what 666 really means. I'm no longer alone.
Ya I know >.>
Quote from: Your Posting Rival on January 05, 2008, 02:29:10 PM
Wow, someone on a forum actually knows what 666 really means. I'm no longer alone.
hey sinner you're going to hell.
you can't interpret the bible to have other messages they literally mean what it says.
Quote from: JMV290 on January 05, 2008, 06:22:56 PM
hey sinner you're going to hell.
you can't interpret the bible to have other messages they literally mean what it says.
what
I'm not Christian, but I question the bible all the time, Which is why i'm not christian in the first place.
Most "good christians" where I live are a bunch of damn hypocrites.
Quote from: Nyerp on January 04, 2008, 01:22:04 PM
just stop being a christian
This is one of the most ironic statements of all time.
Quote from: M!ppo on January 05, 2008, 08:43:05 PM
I'm not Christian, but I question the bible all the time, Which is why i'm not christian in the first place.
Most "good christians" where I live are a bunch of damn hypocrites.
don't worry buddy, we hate them too.
Quote from: W4W1 on January 04, 2008, 07:25:49 PM
I've read most of it. It isn't a foreshadowing of the end though. It is merely John writing about the Christians being executed by Nero(666)
lol the song i was listening to said 666 right when i read your post
Anyway, I was raised Catholic.
They taught that the Bible's stories weren't all meant to be taken literally, especially the Old Testament seeing as how it was written by those dirty Jews. It makes believing the religion easier, but I really don't believe anyway, and I don't agree with everything they teach.
Which is why I choose to be agnostic. :3
Frankly, I dont know how anyone could even be able to take the bible word for word. There are so many blatent contradictions within the text. I think it's more of a roadmap, something to just kind of base yourself around. I guess I'm turning more cynical and skeptical with age......
I often ponder why the wolf pretended to be little red hood's granny instead of just eating her when he could have waited behind the door and surprised her...
i do...all too often.
I'm not a Christian, but I question the bible.
God wants us to be like jesus. I think its more following the 10 commandments anyways....
Quote from: Meta Ridley on July 18, 2008, 11:48:51 AM
God wants us to be like jesus. I think its more following the 10 commandments anyways....
You mean God wants us to be a carpenter?
Quote from: JMV on July 18, 2008, 01:23:16 PM
You mean God wants us to be a carpenter?
I think he means God wants us to be nailed to wooden crosses. doodthing;
Quote from: Rycerz on December 29, 2007, 09:32:08 PM
Surprisingly, that is my exact standpoint as a Catholic as well. However, I tend to entirely lose faith at times. Why should we take the scribbles of ancient men as the word of God? And then there are all of these practices the Roman Catholic Church tries to enforce that really have no solid foundation to begin with.
Yeah same here, and if "God" created everything why are there gay people, why is there hate, why are there wars, why is there illness, why would "He" allow technology to be turned into killing machines?
Please don't say free will, since "God" is perfect he would've known it would be best to stop it. Also no heaven in clouds lawlz
Quote from: CHAOS66 on September 05, 2008, 07:34:33 PM
Yeah same here, and if "God" created everything why are there gay people, why is there hate, why are there wars, why is there illness, why would "He" allow technology to be turned into killing machines?
Please don't say free will, since "God" is perfect he would've known it would be best to stop it. Also no heaven in clouds lawlz
he created temptation. he wants to weed out everyone who gives into it. we're only human, you know. ;)
Quote from: Det. ;] on September 06, 2008, 06:43:07 PM
he created temptation. he wants to weed out everyone who gives into it. we're only human, you know. ;)
...but lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil*. :'(
*rapture in 2 millenia or it's on us
I used to. Then I become agnostic.
Then I became "Spiritual but in a generic and vague sort of way"
Then I became agnostic again because it was easier than explaining my religious beliefs.
I dunno. I'm young as of now, so faith confuses me for some reason. I'm forced to go to church on some occasions, but I'm an agnostic right now.
When it comes to religion, I always find it funny having people fighting over a way of life that's supposed to make you happier.
The bible has been rewritten countless times. It's like a game of telephone.
I don't believe it makes you any less of a Christian, or a bad Christian. I believe that God gave us free will for a reason.. if he wanted us to follow him blindly and without question, or at least curiousity, then he would have just programmed us all to be identical slaves of one religion. As far as the whole evolution thing goes.. for the longest time, I just believed that the world was created in seven days, and renounced any idea that evolution took place. As I've gotten older and have grown in my own faith, I've come to a few possible alternative conclusions.. one of which is, who is to say that they aren't both correct? What I mean is, yes the bible says that God created the world and all creatures in it in seven days.. but the bible also says that to God, a thousand years pass in the blink of an eye. How many blinks does he have to blink to equal a day to Him? I mean, the scientific proof is undeniable... creatures evolved, the earth has gone through many, many changes, its right there in front of our faces, in bones and black and white. Also, to people of faith, the evidence of God is undeniable. I just believe that God created the world in seven of HIS days... not ours. According to the Bible, His days are a little longer than our standard 24 hour time. Also, people who state the earth is only a few thousand years old base their claims off of years in the bible, through all the fathers and sons and years they lived, etc etc... but it goes back to this whole "years" and "days" thing. Who created our 365 day calendar? The mayans. Were the mayans around telling time back then? I don't think so. How did biblical-era calendars work? What was their system of keeping track of it all? Does anyone actually know? Oh I could go on and on about my opinions for days.. but I'm done now. I'm not a preacher and this isn't church.. peace out, ladies and gentlemen.
(To answer some of the more prominent questions/statements.)
Quote from: guff on December 30, 2007, 03:57:16 PM
how do you distinguish between the two
You have to figure that out for yourself. Or, atleast, if you don't feel like going to church or researching it online or somewhere they actually draw out the entire Bible.
Quote from: coz on December 30, 2007, 09:19:28 PM
There's some things that are too stupid to be something God made.
Like smiting fags.
That, actually, is not in the Bible. It says (don't quote me on it, I don't know exactly how it's scriptured, or where...) "Man shall not lie with man". It does NOT say to kill gays. We're not even supposed to even raise a fist to people, unless we are either in war or our life is otherwise at stake.
Quote from: C-Note on January 04, 2008, 07:25:49 PM
I've read most of it. It isn't a foreshadowing of the end though. It is merely John writing about the Christians being executed by Nero(666)
Revelations is quite literal about it's reading, atleast about the Judgements of the Seals, the Trumpets, and the Vials. Four horses, symbolizing the Anti-Christ, World War III, and the following famines and plagues. There will also be a mass martyrdom of saints (about 144,000 people), followed by a large earthquake that will shake the Earth from its foundation, followed by a silence in the heavens for an hour and a half. And that's the the Seals. The horses are the only symbols in Revelations for the first several chapters.
(More later.)
Quote from: PuuMastaFunk on June 02, 2009, 08:59:39 AM
That, actually, is not in the Bible. It says (don't quote me on it, I don't know exactly how it's scriptured, or where...) "Man shall not lie with man". It does NOT say to kill gays. We're not even supposed to even raise a fist to people, unless we are either in war or our life is otherwise at stake.
uh what (http://www.religioustolerance.org/hom_bibh3.htm)
Quote from: KJV leviticus 20:13If a man also lie with mankind, as he lieth with a woman, both of them have committed an abomination: they shall surely be put to death. Their blood shall be upon them.
Spiritual death.
QuoteRomans 6:23
For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God in eternal life is Jesus Christ our Lord.
When it says they 'shall surely be put to death', it does not mean someone's gonna kill them. If they will 'surely' die, they will suffer a spiritual death.
Or, as Christianity so bluntly puts it, hell.
No one's going to care if you kill a gay man (unless it's considered a hate crime), just like no one will care if you let them live. It's what's going to happen AFTER they die physically.
Quote from: PuuMastaFunk on June 02, 2009, 11:48:50 AM
Spiritual death.
When it says they 'shall surely be put to death', it does not mean someone's gonna kill them. If they will 'surely' die, they will suffer a spiritual death.
that's your interpretation
there's no indication that the language in the old testament refers to anything but execution
at best, romans 6:23 is a retcon when applied to the old testament akudood;
Quote from: PuuMastaFunk on June 02, 2009, 11:48:50 AM
Spiritual death.
I like how metaphors are mysteriously drawn to cover up bigotry.
was jesus spiritually risen.
was the red sea spiritually parted.
did god say for rape victims to spiritually marry their rapists?
QuoteWhen it says they 'shall surely be put to death', it does not mean someone's gonna kill them. If they will 'surely' die, they will suffer a spiritual death.
Or, as Christianity so bluntly puts it, hell.
where does it say that surely means hell
QuoteNo one's going to care if you kill a gay man (unless it's considered a hate crime), just like no one will care if you let them live. It's what's going to happen AFTER they die physically.
i think the jury might care if you kill a gay man.
the bible is the LITERAL WORD OF GOD THE POWER OF GOD
except for this part and this one and this one akudood;
Wow, you atheists really ARE good at twisting people's words to make them seem like we're the big, bad boogeyman and you unbelieving sonsabitches are the holy ones.
Quote from: PuuMastaFunk on June 04, 2009, 02:20:12 PM
Wow, you atheists really ARE good at twisting people's words to make them seem like we're the big, bad boogeyman and you unbelieving sonsabitches are the holy ones.
They are metaphors.
Quote from: PuuMastaFunk on June 04, 2009, 02:48:56 PM
How, exactly?
It's convenient in that situation to say those comments are not literal.
Just like the Bible ^___^
Quote from: Crazy Fucking Raccoon on June 04, 2009, 02:51:54 PM
It's convenient in that situation to say those comments are not literal.
Just like the Bible ^___^
So, then history itself is not literal, then? So, Washington didn't
really cross the Deleware, and Napoleon didn't
really lose at Waterloo? Oh, and I'm guessing that at Iwo Jima, we
actually lost?
The Bible is also a history book, not just a set of rules.
Quote from: PuuMastaFunk on June 04, 2009, 02:57:18 PM
So, then history itself is not literal, then? So, Washington didn't really cross the Deleware, and Napoleon didn't really lose at Waterloo? Oh, and I'm guessing that at Iwo Jima, we actually lost?
The Bible is also a history book, not just a set of rules.
what
Okay let's play a game: literal or metaphor?
Creation
Flood
Sodom and Gomorroaaoaoorororoooah
Jonah
David and Goliath
Revelation
Christ's birth
The star in the sky.
Moses's plagues
Quote from: Crazy Fucking Raccoon on June 04, 2009, 03:01:22 PM
what
Okay let's play a game: literal or metaphor?
Creation: Literal to me, possibly a metaphor.
Flood: Literal.
Sodom and "Gamorah": Literal. They found the ruins.
Jonah: Possibly metaphor.
David and Goliath: ...You know, I can't say...
Revelation: Literal, 99%. There are only 4 symbols in the entire thing, and that's the four horsemen.
Christ's birth: Literal. He WAS born, whether Jesus was actually Christ or not.
The star in the sky: ...Probably metaphor.
Moses's plagues: Literal.
Quote from: PuuMastaFunk on June 04, 2009, 03:07:12 PM
I think I got that argument down.
Quote from: PuuMastaFunk on June 04, 2009, 02:57:18 PMThe Bible is also a history book, not just a set of rules.
"The bible is a history book, except this part that's a fable"
Quote from: PuuMastaFunk on June 04, 2009, 03:07:12 PM
i don't get how you can take quite obviously false stories literally doodthing;
Quote from: Trav on June 04, 2009, 03:39:39 PM
i don't get how you can take quite obviously false stories literally doodthing;
How can they be "obviously" false? There's nothing that proves against it. What if I said that the Big Bang Theory was a bunch of bullshit? There's no way that a huge bit of "nothing" exploded and created the entire universe in 100 trillion year. What came before the Big Bang? What caused it?
It's every bit as much as unbelievable as creation.
Quote from: PuuMastaFunk on June 04, 2009, 05:15:23 PM
How can they be "obviously" false? There's nothing that proves against it. What if I said that the Big Bang Theory was a bunch of bullshit? There's no way that a huge bit of "nothing" exploded and created the entire universe in 100 trillion year. What came before the Big Bang? What caused it?
It's every bit as much as unbelievable as creation.
yeah well i wasn't focusing only on the creation thing but ok
also there's this thing known as cosmic background radiation, which is usually considered proof of the big bang
Quote from: Trav on June 04, 2009, 05:18:14 PM
yeah well i wasn't focusing only on the creation thing but ok
also there's this thing known as cosmic background radiation, which is usually considered proof of the big bang
There's also this thing known as miricles, which is usually considered proof of God.
When you have terminal cancer one day, and it's completely gone the next, wouldn't you consider that a miricle?
Quote from: PuuMastaFunk on June 05, 2009, 06:45:06 AM
There's also this thing known as miricles, which is usually considered proof of God.
When you have terminal cancer one day, and it's completely gone the next, wouldn't you consider that a miricle?
It's called remission though uh I can't really think of a case there terminal cancer just "disappears" overnight without any medical intervention.
Quote from: PuuMastaFunk on June 04, 2009, 02:57:18 PM
So, then history itself is not literal, then? So, Washington didn't really cross the Deleware, and Napoleon didn't really lose at Waterloo? Oh, and I'm guessing that at Iwo Jima, we actually lost?
Well apparently Vietnam is open for interpretation.
Quote from: YPR on June 05, 2009, 07:04:19 AM
Well apparently Vietnam is open for interpretation.
Lol, my history teacher would kill you.
Quote from: PuuMastaFunk on June 05, 2009, 07:05:40 AM
Lol, my history teacher would kill you.
Is he one of those that believes we won in some manner
Quote from: YPR on June 05, 2009, 07:08:58 AM
Is he one of those that believes we won in some manner
No. He was in the war.
Quote from: PuuMastaFunk on June 05, 2009, 07:11:37 AM
No. He was in the war.
Oh lol. Well then I'm glad you had someone who can give you a real account of the situation and not just the patriotic one
Quote from: YPR on June 05, 2009, 07:12:53 AM
Oh lol. Well then I'm glad you had someone who can give you a real account of the situation and not just the patriotic one
Some of those stories are very, very interesting. Almost makes me want to join in for the cause.
[spoiler]Almost... O_0[/spoiler]
Quote from: PuuMastaFunk on June 05, 2009, 07:15:25 AM
Some of those stories are very, very interesting. Almost makes me want to join in for the cause.
[spoiler]Almost... O_0[/spoiler]
lol my dad's being in the army is what made me decide to never join
the only thing good religion gave us where holidays.
Quote from: JaleelWhite320 on June 05, 2009, 08:20:26 AM
the only thing good religion gave us where holidays.
I laughed my ass off
Well I was a Roman Catholic until I started thinking about logics. I'm now an atheist.
I questioned the bible once, now I am a Burzum fan. Stay a christian.
Quote from: burzumfan420 on June 23, 2009, 10:30:52 AM
I questioned the bible once, now I am a Burzum fan. Stay a christian.
no you
Quote from: Ezlo on June 23, 2009, 10:47:15 AM
no you
Atheists burn down churches and spit in the face of the Holy Lord God after he gave us the right to even be alive and a chance to heaven, I don't want to be associated with these people. goonish
Quote from: burzumfan420 on June 23, 2009, 10:49:38 AM
Atheists burn down churches...
yep, typical saturday night for us atheists akudood;
Quote from: burzumfan420 on June 23, 2009, 10:49:38 AM
...and spit in the face of the Holy Lord God after he gave us the right to even be alive and a chance to heaven, I don't want to be associated with these people. goonish
well maybe he shouldn't have given me overactive salivary glands akudood;
Quote from: burzumfan420 on June 23, 2009, 10:49:38 AM
Atheists burn down churches
damn we've been caught
Quote from: burzumfan420 on June 23, 2009, 10:49:38 AM
spit in the face of the Holy Lord God
i dont think we can spit in the face of someone no one has ever seen before
Quote from: burzumfan420 on June 23, 2009, 10:49:38 AM
I don't want to be associated with these people. goonish
yeah me neither
Quote from: Ezlo on June 24, 2009, 02:43:52 PM
damn we've been caught
i dont think we can spit in the face of someone no one has ever seen beforeyeah me neither
he wasn't being serious look at like this third post.
Quote from: Paul on June 12, 2009, 10:01:05 AM
Well I was a Roman Catholic until I started thinking about logics. I'm now an atheist.
logically wouldn't it be better to have a religion so theres a possibility you go to heaven baddood;
i mean you have to play the odds with this sort of thing
Quote from: Bolivian Army on June 24, 2009, 03:39:47 PM
logically wouldn't it be better to have a religion so theres a possibility you go to heaven baddood;
i mean you have to play the odds with this sort of thing
ok i know you're trolling