Religion Thread

[dude]

Personally, my problem with religion...or Christianity, are those that go to church on Sunday, and try to look all holy...but won't give you the time of day any other day of the week.  I guess hypocrisy drives me nuts.

Good point! My problem with born-again Christians, is their belief I'm going to hell if I don't become "born-again"...if you want to practice this it's your choice and I'm good with this, butt don't tell me I'm going to hell if I don't view this the same way!

I like here in China!!! Don't hear this crap at all!!!

 For those of you that are Christian, all to ya and I hope you have a great resurrection celebration day!

 I know this quote is almost a year old butt somebody brought this thread up so I replied! I feel many believe they can screw people six days a week and go to church on Sundays and be forgiven...if you screw people I hope your God will deal with you correctly! :icon_cheesygrin:

[Neil]

wow.  That was beautiful Mike.  Thanks.

[ttwjr32]

yes that was interesting video and i agree we can all study and worship in many different ways.
which is the way it should be.

[Irishman]

Whilst not a regular church goer I think, if you deep down do believe in God, and try to live a good life in thoughts and deeds then you won't be judged poorly at the time of reckoning.
That's my take on it, live and let live and if people find comfort and happiness though study etc then good for them.

[Arnold]

That is also my View on Religion . I'm also a Roman Catholic and live Life this way . If your good to People all your LIfe and live by the Commendments , believe in God .. then why would bad come to you ? I believe some People take Religion too far ( as the Middle east has shown ) .

[ttwjr32]

i second that also. the ones i dont like are the ones always preaching and trying to convert people

[Vince G]

The Modified 10 Commandments

1. The earth is our Mother, care for her.

2. honor all your relations.

3. Open your heart and soul to the Great Spirit.

4. All life is sacred; treat all beings with respect.

5. Take from the earth what is needed and nothing more.

6. Do what needs to be done for the good of all.

7. Give constant thanks to the Great Spirit for each day.

8. Speak the truth; but only of the good in others.

9. Follow the rhythms of nature.

10. Enjoy life's journey, but leave no tracks.


Live A Life That Matters

Ready or not, someday it will all come to an end.
 
There will be no more sunrises, no minutes, hours or days.

All the things you collected, whether treasured or forgotten, will pass to someone else.
 
Your wealth, fame and temporal power will shrivel to irrelevance.

It will not matter what you owned or what you were owed.

Your grudges, resentments, frustrations, and jealousies will finally disappear.

So, too, your hopes, ambitions, plans, and to-do lists will expire.

The wins and losses that once seemed so important will fade away.

It won't matter where you came from, or on what side of the tracks you lived, at the end.
 
It won't matter whether you were beautiful or brilliant.

Even your gender and skin color will be irrelevant.

So what will matter? How will the value of your days be measured?

What will matter is not what you bought, but what you built; not what you got, but what you gave.

What will matter is not your success, but your significance.

What will matter is not what you learned, but what you taught.

What will matter is every act of integrity, compassion, courage or sacrifice that enriched, empowered or encouraged others to emulate your example.

What will matter is not your competence, but your character.

What will matter is not how many people you knew, but how many will feel a lasting loss when you're gone.
 
What will matter is not your memories, but the memories that live in those who loved you.

What will matter is how long you will be remembered, by whom and for what.

Living a life that matters doesn't happen by accident. It's not a matter of circumstance but of choice.

Choose to live a life that matters.

[Bee964]

Vince,

That is a nice post. I try to live by the second half of your post.

Dave C

[Willy The Londoner]

Shaun I think you are wrong or misinformed? Only going by what I have heard but the Koran does not have anything in it saying kill others that are of different religion. Jews, Muslims and christians lived in Jerusalem with peace for a long time (hundred (s) of years). It is just the newer Muslims that interpreted it differently and have started there own crusade.

17 year old girl from OHIO whose father is threatening to KILL HER for converting to Christianity. Her life is in absolute jeopardy! She tells what Islam really does to people like her and that the Koran commands her family to kill... her (honor killing)...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B0P5IaIE_LI

:-/

follow up on this ..... yes, from over a year ago ...

http://www.cnn.com/2010/US/09/07/ohio.muslim.convert/index.html?hpt=Sbin

 

Vince is correct. Nowhere in the Koran does it advocate killing a non believer.  These are views put forward by some Islamic Preachers and whose words are their own interpretation of maybe a line or two in the Koran.
 
Has anyone who has commented ever read the Koran?   If not then you are  adding your own uninformed views to those that may have been made for other reasons.
 
In my trips around the World visiting Christian Establishments I have come across 'Christian Preachers' who have created the same sort of propoganda against non christians.  In some countries it has resulted in many killing.  No where does it say in the Bible what they are proposing but they have found that it is more beneficial to their standing to act like some of the Elmer Gantry style evagelising Preachers that seem to thrive in the USA.   

I say whatever your religion do not be dogmatic and accept every word.  Question it and then make your own informed opinion.  My idea of Heaven is probably different from many others.  I have preached in many places following the aftermath of the London Bombings but I still wanted people to question what I was saying and not accept it blindly.
 
Yes Willy is a Christian but not of the 'hell fire and damnation' variety.

Willy
 
 
 

[Paul Todd]

Well said Willy,

In my opinion fundamentalists of any religion be they Muslim,Christian or what ever are bad news.They only spread hate and intolerance surely not the intention of religion.

[Willy The Londoner]

A Perfect Example of what we have been discussing.
 
Note that some Muslims are calling on others to burn the US flag in retribution and not a copy of the Bible

Willy

Former Prime Minister Tony Blair has issued a plea to an American clergyman not to go ahead with his plan to burn copies of the Koran on September 11.  Blair wants Koran burning cancelled  Mr Blair added his voice to those of the White House, the Vatican, the commander of international forces in Afghanistan General David Petraeus and film star Angelina Jolie, who all urged pastor Terry Jones to call off his protest.

But the pastor, who leads a tiny Florida church, insisted he would stage "International Burn-a-Koran Day" on Saturday, despite receiving more than 100 death threats.

Sky News reported that Anjem Choudary, former leader of the banned Islamist organisation Islam4UK, is calling on radical Muslim groups around the world to burn American flags outside US embassies in retaliation.

The pastor's supporters have been mailing copies of the Islamic holy book - which Muslims believe should be treated with the utmost respect - to put on the bonfire at his Dove World Outreach Centre in Gainesville to mark the ninth anniversary of the 9/11 attacks.

Explaining his plan, Mr Jones said: "Instead of us backing down, maybe it's time to stand up. Maybe it's time to send a message to radical Islam that we will not tolerate their behaviour."

In a statement, Mr Blair - who founded a Faith Foundation after leaving office to promote understanding between the world's religions - said: "I deplore the act of burning the Koran. It is disrespectful, wrong and will be widely condemned by people of all faiths and none. In no way does this represent the view of any sensible person in the West or any other part of the world."

The former PM added: "Those who wish to cause religious conflict are small in number but often manage to dominate the headlines.

"You do not have to be a Muslim to share a sense of deep concern at such a disrespectful way to treat the Holy Book of Islam.

"Rather than burn the Koran, I would encourage people to read it."


Reprinted from Sky Report
 
 

[Scottish_Rob]

Religion.... in my eyes...Each to their own !!!

[ttwjr32]

this is and will just breed hate and miscontent amongst the people of each different
religion. no one will benefit from this action.  another thing people should not do if your
religous  dont preach to others about your religion there is nothing i dislike more than to
be talking with someone and they start in on have you spoken to god lately or whatever
other approach they might take. its great your religous dont try and convert me

[Scottish_Rob]

this is and will just breed hate and miscontent amongst the people of each different
religion. no one will benefit from this action.  another thing people should not do if your
religous  dont preach to others about your religion there is nothing i dislike more than to
be talking with someone and they start in on have you spoken to god lately or whatever
other approach they might take. its great your religous dont try and convert me

Ted...see above...

[Jan]

I believe in god. I am a Christian and fall into the Lutheran sect of being a Christian.

This means that we are a bit more "free minded" about everything than the other Christian religions. And this religion does not force any customs on anyone. Only thing they collect from people are taxes, and that only if the person agrees to it as well. It is something like 1% taxes anyway. So I never refused from it.

When I was younger I was on many confirmation camps as a helper/teacher. But we mostly played lots of games there and competitions. So it was a lot like you could imagine summer camps to be. Only difference is that we usually had one lesson each day about something in the bible.
Sometimes it could be an act we had prepared, sometimes a track where you had to answer questions, do missions etc funny things.

Because the youth here now a days don't care really for the religion. They need to take this attitude as well. And because most of the parents still send their children to the confirmation camps.
We need to make those work. Even if the children are all tough and at teenage rebellion. After a few days they realize they don't need to act with us. And things go nicely for rest of the camp duration.

Anyone here ever heard of Taizé? If not look it up. I have visited that place 3 times as well. It is such a wonderful place. Where one can be at peace. And it is probably the only place in the world where I have managed to have time for only myself. And concentrating only on myself.
There are many good places everywhere, where you can be at peace. But I never found as good place as this elsewhere.

There are groups for different ages and different themes. And the people in the groups are all over the world. So it was quite an experience to hear about the other culture and other sects of Christians.
Some seemed like fanatics to me, but I still understood and respected them.
And some seemed like they were there for fun and vacation. But a group needs those too. So it doesn't get too serious.

I don't go to church often, or much. But thats because of the religion being quite loose on its people. Not telling them to go, instead inviting them to come.