Originally posted by SaadAdam
have any of u guys seen this quote?

"Religion Has Actually Convinced People That Theres An Invisible Man Living In The Sky Who Watches Everything ... blah blah nonsense.

No I've never seen that quote. I don't hang out on atheist blahblah websites.

The man in the cloud idea is not something taught by true spiritualists... it's a cartoonish idea that simpletons subscribe to. And yes, there are alot of simpletons both on the religious and the atheist side...

Although I do believe in a Creator source,I do not feel that it is the one which inspired the writing of the bible, whatever hard truth that was initially within the bible either rooted out or destroyed by a tremendous number of ppl/beings over a prolonged period of time..to create in what I perceive to be a deliberate act to control, confine, and blind the masses from ever attaining true spiritual freedom.

I believe the reason "God" or the "gods" called the Elohim..didn't want us to eat from the tree of knowledge was because they didn't want humans to "be like US"(plural), that is to become fully aware of their true spiritual potential and hence be able to detect the great deceit upon us. I do realize there are some fragments of truth within the bible but it takes great discernment to find it, but ultimately it uses scare tactics(hell, for ex.) to prevent you from ever searching for real spiritual truth.

My suggestion, educate yourself...there is allot of info out there that gives you different fragments of the ultimate truth, your soul knows how to piece it all together, reserve judgment on the things you don't understand and be a student willing to learn..if you don't question things and do your own research, you will never find viable answers and solutions and will be like a blind sheep being led to its own demise.

Religion is a dangerous substitute for a direct relationship with the Prime Creator...nothing can ever separate us from Prime Creator who supports and sustains us, whom i perceive to be benevolent. Only our own ignorance and unwillingness to realize our own power because we give it away too easily. My 2 cents.

God is not playing an ego game of seeing which religious book 'turns out' to be true. Bible can never be true if one fails to realise the truth within. It can in fact turns out to be tool of mass destruction due to humans' unwholesome mind.

Hence this OP can never be true because truth can't be 'turn out', it is as it is. Everything can be true as long as our egoistic mind wants them to be. Too many a times, many Christians are trying hard to create more barriers for themselves by searching for ways to make Bible true when the truth is within. Truth needs no defending, truth defends us.

No one religion is true. All are! All are one, one is all. Jesus=God=holy spirit=essence of us.Labeling religions as a unique group serve to further truth, identifying with these labels serve to further you from truth. Non-christians=christians=semi-christians or whatever if you don't let your ego identify with the labels, we are all the same onenesses. Truth binds all it don't separate!

Originally posted by SaadAdam
a quote like that sums everything up god hates everybody because everybody sins?

Sums what up? The simpleton view of 'God'? I guess, yes.

Thinking of God as a man in the cloud who punishes you for sins just about sums up the simpletons point of view... and as I said there are religious and atheists alike who use that definition of 'God'. They're both completely missing the picture.

Atheists are banking right now on the simpleton aspects of organized religion... and I guess that is their right. Even Christians understand some parts of the Bible to be archaic and outdated...

it's this whole 'destroy religion, ban spirituality' attitude from atheists that is scary. Simpletons attack simpletons.

Originally posted by an3rkist

My personal belief on judgement is that, as I said before, I believe we are each our own Gods. I believe that the only person who judges us is ourselves. I believe that we each individually decide whether we go to Hell or Heaven. (I believe Heaven and Hell are not places in the future but states of mind that we are in at any given time.) I can read the Bible with this belief and it still makes sense, (to me).[\quote]


Thats the way i feel about god its our mind u can control things and make things happen we are each a god we can do good and we can do bad.

but the part of heaven and hell to me is more like respawning to another universe for another life but in another age (ohh i so wanna go to the 70s to save john lennon)

[edit on 7-3-2008 by SaadAdam]

[edit on 7-3-2008 by SaadAdam]

[edit on 7-3-2008 by SaadAdam]

If the folks that really believe every "jot and titel" of the bible to be so true REALLY BELIEVE THIS, then why do they waste so much time trying to get validation from those that don't (i.e., the relentless posting and Christian apologetics)? Seems like a bit of insecurity to me.

Also, to those that take the bible literally; You have to stop eating shellfish (no more shrimp and lobster folks). Also, if you are a women, you had better not pray without your heads covered do to the angels. You should keep quite in the church and NEVER question the authority of your husband. This is just a list for starters who want to take the literal route to "biblecism." Also, be sure to stone your teenagers to death the next time they show you disrespect (that's all right there in the holy books folks). Religion is idiotic!!

[edit on 7-3-2008 by whatsup]

Originally posted by whatsup

Also, to those that take the bible literally; You have to stop eating shellfish (no more shrimp and lobster folks). Also, if you are a women, you had better not pray without your heads covered do to the angels. You should keep quite in the church and NEVER question the authority of your husband. This is just a list for starters who want to take the literal route to "biblecism." Also, be sure to stone your teenagers to death the next time they show you disrespect (that's all right there in the holy books folks). Religion is idiotic!!

[edit on 7-3-2008 by whatsup]

thats was nicely said as i was saying to all religous people who are religous if so y dont i see this happening.

Are religous people picking and choosing is this allowed it shouldent be. U all should go to hell now because u aint following god like sheep. But god loves you.

hahahahahahhahahahahaha i love this thread

Originally posted by SaadAdam
Here yet again this is from religous writings with no proof of evidence @ all?

Er... did you even look? Only one page focuses on religious sources.

Wene will u get it i dont see evidence and proven fact u will never have proof because there is none.

Oh, if only evolutionists could understand this logic...

Originally posted by SaadAdam
what the bible says we read so there is no simpleton people we are all the same we just understand how ridecoules it is mate enjoy

No, there are simpletons. Lot's of them. Welcome to Earth.

Those who interpret the Bible literally when it is clearly speaking with symbolism could be labeled simpletons. And they are the types who have high-jacked Christianity (the 'religious-right'.) Likewise, Atheists attack religion on it's literal interpretations... because literal interpretations sound stupid.

Meanwhile the principle lessons Christ taught are forgotten. Because in essence, you can't disprove the moral lessons taught by Christ. They are not debatable, but common sense for any society. People don't argue about the golden rule though... they argue about tedious things.


And yes, Christs existence has been verified historically. The Vatican is responsible for turning him into an idol/god figure, effectively ruining Christs lesson that we are ALL sons of 'God' and should ALL behave in Christ-like manners. So once again, The Vatican has done more to hurt Christianity than atheists ever could.

I feel I am straying off topic! Time to cool my heels.

i didnt read your whole thread..but just goin off the headline..

then im goin straight to hell!!

to tell you the truth...I could absolutely careless if it IS true. I am not, in the slightest, afraid of "hell", the "devil" or the 'God' of the Bible and I can assure anyone who actually reads this I will NOT or would NOT let the Bible or for that matter any other 'God inspired' text control even one aspect of my life.

Speaking for myself here and myself alone, much of what religion is based off is fear.

FEAR=CONTROL
CONTROL= POWER

this is obvious in every day life....doesnt take any conspiracy theorist to figure this one out

and the bible is FULL of fear induced hyperbole...

The way I believe life should be is that ethics and responsiblility should be what governs our actions..NOT words in a book.

Spirituality is a whole other subject..and in this case the Bible is a lack of

sorry 'bible thumping extroardinairs' out there

edit to add: much of what I am talking about is coming from my interpretation of the old testament. i am still much on the fence with the new testaments validity...and to be clear there is still much fear mongering in the New testament as well **cough, cough** "Apocolypse of John" **cough, cough**

[edit on 9/16/07 by abelievingskeptic]

I've been sitting back and watching a lot of the posts. I think there's some confusion between the historocity of the Old Testament and the law that was given there, and the new Testament where a new covenant was given in Jesus.

You see, the law was given to show man how bad he was and what things he needed to do to get along with his fellow man and live good healthy lives. When Jesus came, he did away with the law of the Old Testament and broke it down into two laws, which both consist of loving one another as we love ourselves, and loving God. So those ugly things you have brought up like stoning, were all condemned by Jesus. The people of the day STILL didn't understand the law that had been given to them several hundred years before. Jesus made it simple.

Now, as far as hell, I'm still out on that one. I too hate the fire and brimstone sermons I grew up with. And, I don't think Jesus meant for us to live our lives in fear. He was a proponent of love, not fear.

My take on hell, is that those who reject the love of God are simply given what they have wanted all along at death...A life away from a loving creator. Perhaps the whailing and knashing of teeth we read about is the unbeliever's anxiety and regret for having made a decision he is no longer happy with.

Someone asked why we feel the need to post about our religion. I don't try to preach to anyone, but I do enjoy explaining my beliefs, just as you enjoy explaining about yourself. Don't we all like a little attention? And I enjoy posting with those who can talk about opposite views without feeling the need to become hateful. I think this thread, for the most part, has been very good about that so far.

Peace