Which religion is the right religion?

Originally posted by backcase

Originally posted by sacgamer25
reply to post by backcase

 

I just wanted you to know that I read through many of your posts and I agree with everything you are saying. I am posting a link to one of my threads. I thought it might be nice to see the mind of Christ through another man. By reading through your posts it appears that most people simply can't see the truth. But remember only God can open a man's eyes and ears. Keep spreading the good news and try not to be discouraged by those who claim to know God, who prove by their actions that they don't know love.

www.abovetopsecret.com...

edit on 14-1-2013 by sacgamer25 because: (no reason given)

Thank you for your support. Pray that I do not fall into sin or speak deceit, because I am very subjected to temptation, as I am led away by too many selfish and sinful tendencies.

I'm sure you know how easily the good news spoken by a man easily turns into fire and brimstone.

I ask you to pray for me and other sinners, that we may not reject light when it comes to us and so that we may reject the darkness.

I pray everyday that God will enlighten the whole world that we may all escape the final hour of judgement. I will pray specifically for you as well. The most important thing I have learned is to always listen to the voice of love. Test every decision against the words written on your heart.

The parable of the sower. You are planted on good soil so you can produce a crop. May we always have the courage to defend the love we have recieved, in the name of my lord and savior, Jesus Christ.

Originally posted by My_Reality
reply to post by backcase

 

I have to say that I disagree with your interpretation.

Love is simply an emotion. An emotion that clouds the judgment of a good number of people. An emotion that convinces people to do things for the wrong reasons.

No. I will say that Honor is the cornerstone of living well. Honor is not an emotion. It is a state of being. A state of action that is not related to personal feelings. Rather, it is a state of action that is founded upon doing the right thing. In any circumstance. All the more so when doing the right thing conflicts with ones emotions.

Love will get the human race nowhere fast. Simply look upon the history of the last 50 years.

Honor will take us far.

I think that love is a state of being into which we should never stop our progression. Love can do wondrous things when combined with faith. As you may see it as an emotion, I see it as a state of the spirit. Honor is more like a medal given to those who love heroically.

Honor is what people seek when going to war out of pride.

To consider ourselves honorable is pride and leads to condescension. Let others say that you are honorable, and let God give you honor by seeing your loving humility.

Originally posted by saracene
reply to post by backcase

 

You say you are a christian, but you do realize your are following a bastardized version of an eastern religion?. Jesus is a westernized offshoot of what a middle eastern holy man was talking about. You do understand that, right?.

No, I do not...

Originally posted by Prezbo369
reply to post by backcase

 

Depends on where you were born, what your parents believed and how open to suggestion/needy/lonely you are....

edit on 15-1-2013 by Prezbo369 because: (no reason given)

That's what many people say, and I partly agree with them. Because God has come for His children, those who love Him and need Him, and those who have the humility to exclaim that they are nothing without Him. God is our everything.

reply to post by sacgamer25


It is very good to make every thought and action out of a selfless love for God and of others.

I thank you.

Originally posted by Lucid Lunacy
reply to post by sacgamer25

 

What I was refering to are those who say they know God but prove that they don't, by thier words and actions.

To be fair, the only thing it can show is that it goes against God as described by >insert a Bible< . So sure on that standard you can show that. Set God belief aside. Lets assume God exists. I do

Why do you believe Christianity represents God, and not Hinduism or Islam?

Christ is the only one to teach Grace, he provided a bridge between us and a perfect God. Without Grace we simply have no bridge that can help a man become like Christ. It is the one concept that changes a man. In all other older religions, we are taught to forgive and that forgiveness is one of the keys to enlightenment.

In Christ we are taught that we forgive because we were forgiven and we love because we are loved. This love and forgiveness is something that is real, tangible, something that can be felt by those who have faith. It is when you feel the presence of God that you can realize you are in the presence of love. It is only after you feel the love of God that you realize that what we call love falls woefully short of what Christ was teaching.

Once you feel this love your heart is changed and set on a path to pursue that love. Love becomes the addiction and you become one with love.

Originally posted by Mads1987
reply to post by Obsrvr

 

Seems that, what is apparent to you, is no so apparent to others, or at least not to everyone. So would you care to elaborate on what it is that you see when you look out the window or through a microscope?

The way in which you present your case, I would be tempted to think that you know for a fact that God exists. Which is of cause impossible, and just shows how little you actually understand about teologi.

Are you familiar with agnosticism, and do you understand why some take that approach?

I am sorry that you are unable to entertain his ideas. Your loss.

Do you think the fact that we are bioelectrical animals is an accident? Do you think that the symbiosis between the bacteria in and on our bodies is an accident?

Do you think that our staying rooted to the earth while it spins through space is an accident or that the moon remaining in orbit with us is an accident?

Do you think that atoms, tiny solar systems in themselves, are accidents? Do you think elements combining to make the air we breathe and the water we drink are accidents?

Nothing is coincidence. Nothing happens by chance.

Don't be a fool. Open your eyes. See.

Originally posted by sacgamer25

No one can prove to you that God exists. But I know for a fact that God exists. So what you say makes no since to those who know for certain that God exists. I am familiar with agnosticism, but I have a question.

Are you agnostic because you sought the truth and could not find it? Or like most agnostics have you never actually read any of the religious text for yourself?

For the man who searches earnestly, with the right motives, will find God. But the man that does not look at all should not believe that he does not face judgment merely because he refused to seek the truth.

I find that semantics are often a problem, and we might just have to agree to disagree. But I would argue, that what you are describing is belief or faith, because, as you mention, you can't prove that God exists ie. you can't know that God exists.

I used to be an agnostic when I was a teenager. I was brought up in the christian faith, used to enjoy bible stories a lot as a child, I am baptized, and had something equivalent to what you would know as a first communion, which is tradition in some Scandinavian countries, even though we are not Catholic. As a young child I believed very much, and I would pray often.

Through my teen years I became acquaint with other religions, became interested in teologi, but mainly the historical aspect, I must admit, I became fascinated with science, philosophy, and all that jazz. Eventually I found all the major religions too unbelievable and at odds with modern understanding of life. Which left me with the concept that there might have been a creator, but he most likely weren't anything like what any of the major religions described. Then came agnosticism.

I would say I lost faith in humanity first, when I saw how few actually did what they preached. Which is what lead me to speculate.

Today I lean back and forth between agnosticism and atheism.

I can agree with a lot of what jesus said, and I enjoy many of the thinks religion does. But I can't believe in it.

Originally posted by Obsrvr

Originally posted by Mads1987
reply to post by Obsrvr

 

Seems that, what is apparent to you, is no so apparent to others, or at least not to everyone. So would you care to elaborate on what it is that you see when you look out the window or through a microscope?

The way in which you present your case, I would be tempted to think that you know for a fact that God exists. Which is of cause impossible, and just shows how little you actually understand about teologi.

Are you familiar with agnosticism, and do you understand why some take that approach?

I am sorry that you are unable to entertain his ideas. Your loss.

Do you think the fact that we are bioelectrical animals is an accident? Do you think that the symbiosis between the bacteria in and on our bodies is an accident?

Do you think that our staying rooted to the earth while it spins through space is an accident or that the moon remaining in orbit with us is an accident?

Do you think that atoms, tiny solar systems in themselves, are accidents? Do you think elements combining to make the air we breathe and the water we drink are accidents?

Nothing is coincidence. Nothing happens by chance.

Don't be a fool. Open your eyes. See.

This is exactly why I brought up agnosticism in my last post. I have no freaking clue if any of those things are an accident or if some unknown entity created it. How would I? It's not like God left an imprint on the bottom of stuff saying "Made in Heaven", and I don't mind admitting that. I think it would be silly to start asserting something to be factual, when you don't have any quantifiable evidence to sustain such a claim.

And who ever said anything about coincidence. I am open to the idea of determinism, just not pre-determinism.

You keep making claims about how obvious it is to see how these things must be created. But so far you havn't even presented one argument to support your belief.

Why is this apparent to you?

Where do you think all this stuff came from? Do you think it popped out of thin air? Do you not recognize the hand of a master in the design of the human body or the perfection in the design of the top land predator without an artificial weapon, the cat?

Originally posted by Obsrvr
Where do you think all this stuff came from? Do you think it popped out of thin air? Do you not recognize the hand of a master in the design of the human body or the perfection in the design of the top land predator without an artificial weapon, the cat?

At least make an effort dude.

Asking me if I recognize the hand of the master is not an argument.
Even if I had absolutely no idea where those thing came from, that wouldn't make an argument for me believing in an omnipotent entity. Lack of knowledge does not make it okay to assert anything.
No I do not believe it just popped out of thin air. With some things I must admit I simply don't know, and with others I do.

You don't prove anything by questioning my knowledge.

But no, I don't see the hand of the master. How is this apparent to you?

Come ON!

It takes skill to craft anything of beauty or of usefulness. You have to be an artist or an engineer to design and execute such things.

Who would you have to be to make the human body or a Siberian tiger or a planet?

You limit your thinking to such primitive parameters. Stunning.

I withdraw from this conversation for the day, it being beyond my power to cure willful ignorance.

Originally posted by maes2
reply to post by backcase

 

the true religion is the real monotheistic religion. religion of Noah, Abraham, Moses, Jesus and Muhammad.
love means being servant however it has far more meaning than just being a religious.
the true freedom is worshiping and serving the only God. so lets not to worship ego and other masters. the only Lord is the only God.
who loves God, serves him. who serves him is free of obedience of others. and this is the true freedom.

I agree with the end but that means I am also free of small minded views of it created by religion. A person who know god on some level and have a personal connection with it, is free from illusions that it need to listen to other peoples perception of god. When you know the oneness with god than other people perceptions on your views cease to be important, especially if their views are counter to what the love you feel and the understanding you get from analysis of the road you walked to get there.

Originally posted by Obsrvr

Come ON!

It takes skill to craft anything of beauty or of usefulness. You have to be an artist or an engineer to design and execute such things.

Who would you have to be to make the human body or a Siberian tiger or a planet?

You limit your thinking to such primitive parameters. Stunning.

This is indeed an exercise in futility.

I believe time is the creator of the beings of which you speak, and the process known as evolution. I agree with you that nature is a champion designer and engineer, and has provided this world with wondrous splendor. But there need not be an actual creator for all of this to exist.
And even when you assert that one exist, as you do, you would still have to assert what he thinks or wishes from you. For your evidence is just as good as any other religions, and most religious ideas are contradicted by other religions and sometimes even themselves. HOW DO YOU KNOW?

I am curious to what primitive parameters you are referring to? I thought it was you who were defending an ancient belief system, not me.

A loaded question for sure.
I will just say there have always been individuals closest to the truth of reality. Those people even if it was only one person or a large group have always been the closest to this truth of reality. And many of them messed up big time, and because God saw they were trying there best with a sincere heart, but still plagued by inherited sin he blessed them. They didn't have the right religion per say but the right spirituality. It started with Abel and it continues to our day.
I would say without question Jesus did his best to bring people back to the correct spirituality
when he was on the earth in the first century. Sadly after the Apostles died Christianity deviated from the correct spirituality of truth. But just because it's followers acted like evil idiots in the dark ages didn't mean it was wrong.
The followers were wrong, not the teachings.

Ultimately it is not a question of the right religion, it is a question of the right or correct reality?

reply to post by Obsrvr

Come ON!

It takes skill to craft anything of beauty or of usefulness. You have to be an artist or an engineer to design and execute such things.

Who would you have to be to make the human body or a Siberian tiger or a planet?

You limit your thinking to such primitive parameters. Stunning.

I withdraw from this conversation for the day, it being beyond my power to cure willful ignorance.

It's too easy to anthropomorphize the world around us; man is indeed the measure of all things. But to put your insignificant human methodology behind the very purpose and technique of the universe may be one of the most arrogant things I've ever heard. The universe doesn't think or act in the same manner as a human. It is beyond the way of humans— beyond design, beyond intellect and beyond purpose—all human contrivances that mean nothing to the universe.

As far as we can tell, the universe's choice of medium is chaos. That is a beauty we could never understand.

Originally posted by Blue_Jay33
A loaded question for sure.

I would say without question Jesus did his best to bring people back to the correct spirituality
when he was on the earth in the first century. Sadly after the Apostles died Christianity deviated from the correct spirituality of truth. But just because it's followers acted like evil idiots in the dark ages didn't mean it was wrong.
The followers were wrong, not the teachings.

Ultimately it is not a question of the right religion, it is a question of the right or correct reality?

edit on 15-1-2013 by Blue_Jay33 because: (no reason given)

I would say that you have lumped a whole people into a category of being evil just because some of them are, and that is what is wrong. Do you think that good people of a church get media coverage or news articles? No, rarely ever. You have a bias towards a group of people who are a mixture from the worst and the best.

Just take a moment to think, "does God really love me anymore than He he loves anyone else?"

It's obvious - the one you donate the most money to is the right one.


Khar

reply to post by Mads1987

Originally posted by Mads1987
you can't prove that God exists ie. you can't know that God exists.

As a young child I believed very much, and I would pray often. Eventually I found all the major religions too unbelievable and at odds with modern understanding of life. Which left me with the concept that there might have been a creator, but he most likely weren't anything like what any of the major religions described.

I would say I lost faith in humanity first, when I saw how few actually did what they preached. Which is what lead me to speculate. I can agree with a lot of what Jesus said, and I enjoy many of the things religion does. But I can't believe in it.

Mads, Whenever I see a post like yours it makes me SO mad. I don't mean mad at YOU but mad at the people who have deceived you. I wish I knew of a polite way to say this but:

EVERYTHING you have been told is a LIE.

You CAN know that God exists. I am living proof of this fact.

In 1979 I was an atheist when the spirit of God came into the house where I was visiting in an incredible supernatural encounter and left me with NO question whatsoever that HE is REAL.

This experience happened at the exact instant when I opened a huge white Bible sitting on a coffee table in my parents house. I was so profoundly affected by it that I thought I needed to go out and buy a Bible exactly like the one I just looked at.

I had no idea at the time that all Bibles were basically the same, I just thought that this one was somehow had miraculous capabilities. I was given instantaneous knowledge that the book I was looking at was written by GOD. This KNOWLEDGE entered my mind in a split second and shocked and amazed me.

The reason this was so supernatural was because not only was I NOT a believer, I knew absolutely NOTHING about what the Bible was. I was raised as a total heathen.

This was the first miracle of many that I experienced over the years. Since that occurrence I have had several other miraculous encounters that have confirmed this as well.

If you NEED proof God WILL send it your way. I didn't ask for it or even know WHY God did this for me but one thing I KNOW is that HE made it impossible for me to wonder or doubt the truth.

Recently I have discovered that there are several people right here on ATS that have had similar experiences, here are a couple:

Originally posted by Rustami
"thanks for reminding me of what I consider an important detail - He spoke at the exact moment I began to open a Gideon New Testament, which I think was "written" in the 80's..."

Originally posted by Joecroft
I believe in Jesus. I had a spiritual experience while reading Jesus words in the bible and I believe I received the Holy Spirit, and this is why I now believe in him. I did not have any Christian upbringing at all..."

Once you experience an encounter such as this, everything changes and I have had several now.

If God DIDN'T want you to know him, things like this wouldn't be happening all over the planet on a daily basis: The Amazing Story of Kirk Martin

God DOES want us to know him, He proved this to me personally.

The question you need to ask yourself is do YOU want to know Him.

This is the truth that Religion is hiding from you.

Religion will NEVER tell you the TRUTH...

Religion is one massive LIE that was created as a mind control weapon designed to cover up the truth about God.

The hidden agenda behind FALSE Religion is to destroy spirituality and cause people to hate God.

More on this here:

We have been lied to about EVERYTHING
The Purpose of Your Life

reply to post by Lucid Lunacy

Originally posted by Lucid Lunacy
What are people doing wrong that read the scriptures and still don't believe.

Can you give me a concise and honest reason you believe Christianity represents the mind of God and not say...religion of Native American tribes.

Now THAT is a real good question...

Over the years I have asked myself that MANY times but I have never found the answer.

I think this would make an excellent thread topic BTW...

The post above this one actually relates to this question if you haven't read it already..