[biggness]

I am a Christian.

"Religion tries to change you from the outside in while Christianity changes you from the inside out." - Jerry Chaddick

[biggness]

Originally Posted by Epicurus

Is God willing to prevent evil, but not able?
Then he is not omnipotent.
Is he able, but not willing?
Then he is malevolent.
Is he both able and willing?
Then whence cometh evil?
Is he neither able nor willing?
Then why call him God?

I read somewhere, sometime about this. The person writing brought it into perspective for me.

Take riding a bicycle for example. Your parents give you a bicycle for your birthday for your enjoyment. As you learn to ride this bike you will experience your bumps and bruises, but would it be right for me to never let you experience it just because of that?

[ZeroSignal]

Mod Edit:
This is a more serious forum. Be more respectful of people's views, and if you're going to debate, do it intelligently.

[philkilla]

I was raised in Private Christian schools from kindergarten up until around eighth-grade.

Somewhere around there I lost faith and interest in believing in something I can't see or prove that exists...aside from a blind faith.

Now I would consider myself spiritual, but not religious. I believe there may be a higher power, but I wouldn't refer to it as the Christian "God". I prefer to just believe in myself when it comes to strength.

[CaptainD00M]

I think what a lot of people are describing here is the difference between religion and Spirituality.

In Religion you have a rather defined space, spirituality is more of a free flow thing where the individual can believe in god/s/esses while not subscribing to a dominant school of thought or ethical system, as well as it also being open to people who believe there is something out there, but do not attach guiding philosophies too other than say Universal understanding, love, etc...

Myself i would describe as spiritual.

I do not have a 'religion' per-sei but am influenced by eastern Philosophy, as well as the New Age movement though my Auntie. I guess in a lot of ways i'm the proverbial spiritual smoothie, and in a 'tr00' definition sense am a Pagan (not the 'Wicca' associated definition, the 'non-Christian' outside of abrahamic religions meaning of the term.) and like a lot of people here try to live a 'good' life. Whatever that means...

cool idea for a thread too...
There was a time when it wasnt 'cool' to talk about this stuff.

[Metal Ken]

Originally Posted by biggness

I read somewhere, sometime about this. The person writing brought it into perspective for me.

Take riding a bicycle for example. Your parents give you a bicycle for your birthday for your enjoyment. As you learn to ride this bike you will experience your bumps and bruises, but would it be right for me to never let you experience it just because of that?

If you're equating the parents to god -- If they give us a bike, we don't have to ride it. We're stuck here in this world, regardless of what we want. We cant just put it on a kickstand and walk away. (well, we can, but if we do, we can't come back).

[philkilla]

Originally Posted by CaptainD00M

I think what a lot of people are describing here is the difference between religion and Spirituality.

In Religion you have a rather defined space, spirituality is more of a free flow thing where the individual can believe in god/s/esses while not subscribing to a dominant school of thought or ethical system, as well as it also being open to people who believe there is something out there, but do not attach guiding philosophies too other than say Universal understanding, love, etc...

Myself i would describe as spiritual.

I do not have a 'religion' per-sei but am influenced by eastern Philosophy, as well as the New Age movement though my Auntie. I guess in a lot of ways i'm the proverbial spiritual smoothie, and in a 'tr00' definition sense am a Pagan (not the 'Wicca' associated definition, the 'non-Christian' outside of abrahamic religions meaning of the term.) and like a lot of people here try to live a 'good' life. Whatever that means...

cool idea for a thread too...
There was a time when it wasnt 'cool' to talk about this stuff.

That's where I'm coming from. I have respect for peoples opinions and beliefs when it comes to religion, as long as they don't try and preach to me and don't try and start any debate about it....especially christianity and, "THE BEGINNING"

[The Dark Wolf]

Epicurus's perspective is very anthrocentric.

anthrocentric (human-centered) fallacy - Described by John Stuart Mill in System of Logic. Consider the example of a preacher who one day takes someone supposedly possessed of a demon, throws his hand on her forehead, and shouts, "Get out! Leave this body!" Even supposing that demons exist, one might find it curious that they understand English, obey peremptory commands, and are easily influenced by incantations and rituals. The a.f. here occurs at the presupposition level: human language, reason, instincts, and desires are assumed to be the orbit around which everything else in the universe (including the aforementioned demons) revolve.

Or God?


Einstein believed in a God, of sorts, but didn't believe he was directly involved in the day to day affairs of mankind.

[guitarplayerone]

lately I have found myself to be more and more spiritual, but I still see religion as 'one of those things man does'. You know, like post on SS.org, or drink at a bar. IDK if anyone understands what i mean by this

[Metal Ken]

Originally Posted by The Dark Wolf

Epicurus's perspective is very anthrocentric.

anthrocentric (human-centered) fallacy - Described by John Stuart Mill in System of Logic. Consider the example of a preacher who one day takes someone supposedly possessed of a demon, throws his hand on her forehead, and shouts, "Get out! Leave this body!" Even supposing that demons exist, one might find it curious that they understand English, obey peremptory commands, and are easily influenced by incantations and rituals. The a.f. here occurs at the presupposition level: human language, reason, instincts, and desires are assumed to be the orbit around which everything else in the universe (including the aforementioned demons) revolve.

Or God?

I dunno. If god were the one to create us, then i'm sure he'd be able to understand us.