Very simple question

Why should I put my faith in an abrahamic religion? For tens of thousands of years humanity has worshiped everything from cave drawings to pagan and Greek gods. I want to know why exactly, these NEW religions take precedence when they're nothing but a bunch of ancient scriptures munched together?

Hear me out okay? I feel like I'm a 16 year old and my dad just showed up. He says, son I'm your father. And my response would be, okay, well where were you my entire life? He says, shut up, I'm your dad. Do you respect his man? Of course not. So why not, after tens of thousands of years of this God not being there, and letting humanity worship any god(s) it wants, do we sit down and worship?

It makes no sense to me.

Don't fall for other peoples version of God, you can find him/her/it yourself.
People who preach do it for selfish reasons.
Intrestingly enough before all the Male type of religions people followed female type religions but I digress.

Religion is manufactured bs to keep the masses in check. You won't find God in a religious book. God is in you. Look deep into urself and you will find God.

reply to post by Bacardi


And the worse part about it is that the Abrahamic God (Yahweh) IS an ancient god that was worshiped among many. He was the ancient Canaanite War God, and they worshiped different god for different things.

Why would the Canaanites be special among all people ? And why would a war god who believing in killing and conflict be the ultimate god to be worshiped?

To rephrase your father example, imagine if your father happened to be a race that you were not a part of, and he was a convicted murderer AND he wasn't in your life until you actually went to the country for a vacation and accidentally discovered him... doesn't make the situation any better.

Why ask that question here at ATS? The only resposes you will get, will be from ex butt-hurt catholics, new age nutters, do what thou wilt Crowlians, and Bible experts that received their Bible knowledge from History Channel's Ancient Aliens. Obviously your conscience is telling you something, otherwise you wouldn't be wasting your time asking questions you already know (or think you know) the answer to, that would just be stupid. I suggest looking to a Christian question answering site such as carm.org, or gotquestions.org

reply to post by Bacardi


Simple answer: You shouldn't.

Since man started worshiping "gods" there was always 1 main god that superseded the lesser gods. Monotheism simplified it. SO instead of worshiping 10 gods a day you now only worship 1, that 1 being the main or greater god.

reply to post by Bacardi


Jesus tells us through the ancient texts that your father is within you, and outside of you. He is everywhere. In the Gnostic texts John speaks of "God" as not a "God" but something indescribable that is also within you.

IF the above assertions are indeed true, he would not be just showing up now... he has always been and it would be you who hasn't found him within.

There is a lot of information "out there" for one to choose which to believe or not believe. The belief in anything does come from within, all you have to do is seek what "it is", that lies within your heart and you will then know your creator, and or father.

Only by reading and studying will you be able to expand your mind, if that is what you choose to do. By expanding my mind I have been able to broaden my knowledge, thus choices in that which I believe to be important and goes along with what I have always believed. Expanding on my belief is important, however you are not me. Your heart will lead you in the right direction... follow it.

I love simple questions with complicated answers.

I believe ancient man, and I say ancient because we have absolutely zero idea exactly how far these stories date back and even much less so for the authenticity of the stories or NAMES therein.

The truly empowering part of these religions is the acknowledgement of a hierarchy, and who sits on the ultimate pinnacle of it.

Maybe the reason people believed in this God ("War" to the Canaanites, Yahweh to the Jews) actually have truth to their stories?

I cannot personally accept Yahweh without Christ.
He said most of this stuff better than I ever could.
Recognize a tree by its fruits and whatnot.
Not saying all self-proclaimed "Christians" really know Christ,
But how people who do know Him do not accept Him,
I have no earthly idea.
I feel crazy for doing it.

reply to post by Bacardi

Monotheism. it is rational. you do not need divine books to realize existence of the first creator.

Originally posted by Bacardi
Why should I put my faith in an abrahamic religion? For tens of thousands of years humanity has worshiped everything from cave drawings to pagan and Greek gods. I want to know why exactly, these NEW religions take precedence when they're nothing but a bunch of ancient scriptures munched together?

Hear me out okay? I feel like I'm a 16 year old and my dad just showed up. He says, son I'm your father. And my response would be, okay, well where were you my entire life? He says, shut up, I'm your dad. Do you respect his man? Of course not. So why not, after tens of thousands of years of this God not being there, and letting humanity worship any god(s) it wants, do we sit down and worship?

It makes no sense to me.

Religion: Poor attempt at explaining unexplainable nature, which was taken over by high class, to manipulate uneducated masses of the ancient time and what you have now is the result.

You don't need religion or man established god to be spiritual, its something none of the religion realize.

reply to post by Bacardi


Here's your answer: It doesn't matter.

If a god created us it's so that we would experience life HERE, and not waste it waiting for the next life or paradise or whatever nonsense comes after this life.

If there is no god and we were created by natural means then the answer is the same. We have this life HERE.

Live long and prosper. That's it.

Originally posted by Bacardi
Why should I put my faith in an abrahamic religion? For tens of thousands of years humanity has worshiped everything from cave drawings to pagan and Greek gods. I want to know why exactly, these NEW religions take precedence when they're nothing but a bunch of ancient scriptures munched together?

Hear me out okay? I feel like I'm a 16 year old and my dad just showed up. He says, son I'm your father. And my response would be, okay, well where were you my entire life? He says, shut up, I'm your dad. Do you respect his man? Of course not. So why not, after tens of thousands of years of this God not being there, and letting humanity worship any god(s) it wants, do we sit down and worship?

It makes no sense to me.

This should probably be in the Science Fiction section... Sounds like a star wars question to me..

Why do you need any organized religion?

IF you need to have a religion... try a personal relationship with HIM...

Not a relationship based on what others tell you to believe...

Seek and ye shall find my friend...

reply to post by jiggerj


It does matter.

Do humans have free will, or don't they?

Yes. We all choose to do everything we do for our own reasons.

reply to post by SpiritofEnoch


Is God omniscient? If so, then our lives and futures are perfectly predetermined and known. Therefore, no free-will, or God is not omniscient.

Nonetheless, a little study on free-will shows that we do not know whether we possess it or not.

Originally posted by Bacardi
Why should I put my faith in an abrahamic religion? For tens of thousands of years humanity has worshiped everything from cave drawings to pagan and Greek gods. I want to know why exactly, these NEW religions take precedence when they're nothing but a bunch of ancient scriptures munched together?

Hear me out okay? I feel like I'm a 16 year old and my dad just showed up. He says, son I'm your father. And my response would be, okay, well where were you my entire life? He says, shut up, I'm your dad. Do you respect his man? Of course not. So why not, after tens of thousands of years of this God not being there, and letting humanity worship any god(s) it wants, do we sit down and worship?

Simple answer: Revelation 3:15 "I know all the things you do, that you are neither hot nor cold. I wish that you were one or the other!

Why do you feel like that? What gave you the IMPRESSION that God's telling you to "shut up"?

Worship happens even amongst the "heathen", there is plenty of idolatry, even amongst those who call themselves Christians. If you want to base your beliefs on what the majority thinks, that's fine, but don't forget that no one ever forced you to believe what you believe RIGHT NOW.

Originally posted by SpiritofEnoch
reply to post by jiggerj

 

It does matter.

Do humans have free will, or don't they?

Yes. We all choose to do everything we do for our own reasons.

Your answers are in the thread "Love or Tyranny" AfterInfinity OP. Nutshell preface after many pages of fleshing out: Free will? as designed by the creator for you to act upon. You dont act upon it you die; you express your free will you die as well. Whos will is being exacted? YOURS or your Creator's grand experiment and how can you possibly tell the difference?

Originally posted by kingofmd
Why ask that question here at ATS? The only resposes you will get, will be from ex butt-hurt catholics, new age nutters, do what thou wilt Crowlians, and Bible experts that received their Bible knowledge from History Channel's Ancient Aliens. Obviously your conscience is telling you something, otherwise you wouldn't be wasting your time asking questions you already know (or think you know) the answer to, that would just be stupid. I suggest looking to a Christian question answering site such as carm.org, or gotquestions.org

edit on 5-3-2013 by kingofmd because: I would rather be flamed for my "intollerant" post as opposed to a spelling error

Why not ask the question here? There are some listening that believe this is the ideal forum (within there exist some brilliant minds) in which to do so. Not soapbox, a bully pulpit. More like a Deadly Game of Ping Pong played to Annihalate the justifier. Just a simple forum an exchange of ideas. Why do you not think (to compress your Playfull, joyous, insightful ideaform) the "butt-end-nutters" are the catalysts to great change. No one wastes time in pondering these huge paradyms and the ways to outsmart their continued existance; IT TAKES A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF FINESS to change these self satisfying self consuming destructive patterns in human nature (no mercy given at the end though).

Originally posted by SpiritofEnoch
reply to post by jiggerj

 

It does matter.

Do humans have free will, or don't they?

Yes. We all choose to do everything we do for our own reasons.

I don't see how this fits in with my reply, but:

If a god set forth rules that must be obeyed or perish then we have no free will. If we were created by natural means then we cannot make choices that are outside of the chemical make-up of our brains, and we have no free will.

We don't choose what we do for our own reasons. We choose what we do out of an inborn drive for self-preservation. The only difference is how each of us determines what self-preservation means. For some, self-preservation is the desire to take care of one's own selfish needs. For others, self-preservation is the desire to protect all of humanity, the planet, and society.

Why should you? It's a simple question and I have some simple answers.

-to give yourself purpose in life
-to subjugate yourself to a moral code
-because you feel guilty about something and want to repent
-you want to get your life back on track
-you think God has spoken to you
-you know someone who is of this religion that you respect and admire
-you can justify your faith in this religion
-you believe that God puts out new texts every few thousand years
-it feels right

Why should you not? Well it seems more often than not people in this thread chose not to answer your original question and already answered this question. Funny how that happens.