What is The one true Faith?

Buddhism: 360 million

Chinese traditional religion: 225 million

This has got to be completely wrong...

And what exactly are the other BILLIONS of Chinese???

Originally posted by Gazrok

This has got to be completely wrong...

And what exactly are the other BILLIONS of Chinese???

Japanese

Originally posted by Gazrok

Buddhism: 360 million

Chinese traditional religion: 225 million

This has got to be completely wrong...

And what exactly are the other BILLIONS of Chinese???

That's what I was thinking on first look but don't have proof otherwise. What do numbers mean anyway? Truth is not 'decided on' by a majority.

Originally posted by thelibra

Originally posted by drbryankkruta
1 Does your service and faith honor God despite the name you use to describe this faith or God himself.

Yes, I make a point to do so. Now the real question is: am I doing it properly? I'll never know until I die.

my response to this is there in your heart you have something telling you should I do this it doesn't feel right this is commonly referred to as a conscience, I prefer to think of it as hints from God and when I feel with out dought that I did my best and I dont regret my actions or feel hesitation that I have my answer, only you and God through these subtle communications can tell if you are right, not man nor religious structure, my guess is if you dought yourself you have realized a tugging at you and dought of your actions. Then search out another path and when it feels right you know you have it, but note you will never get to a point when you dont feel dought cause you are imperfect as I am and we are not expected nor created to be more than we are creatures of trial and error never reaching perfecting until it is bestowed apon us by God.

Originally posted by drbryankkruta
2 Is your belief beneficial to following the course God and not man has laid out for you.

Tough call. To say "yes" or "no" would imply that I can comprehend God's Plan, and IMHO, no one can possibly do that except God. However, I do fancy myself as trying my best to be 'as a cork in the river', if that helps.

Very good that mean you have the drive to meet the expextations God has of you, but realized you are imperfect and need God's help this is exactly what God expects, he want your love your faith and yes your calls for help he wants to be needed that's the whole point.

Yes, because if you define God as "the most powerful being in the universe at that point in time", then there must be a God, unless all beings in the Universe are dead. But now you're getting into specifics. Just because there is a God, does not mean that It is our father. There's not even a guarentee that It is the same God that was around at the time mankind first began to worship, or even the same God as last week.

you have a point but ask yourself do you think in your heart we exist because of God or by accident and then all the sudden GOD came about to dominate us, or even if you are alive by some act do you not belief some sort of parent had to be in order to concieve your creation.

Errr... I think you may have meant "prohibit". "Transcend" means to go beyond, which would imply that it advocates doing much more than just harming someone who disagrees with you.

Not at all transend in this context is to say the feelings for God you have transend or go beyond your primal instinct to cause harm in order to get what you want, you transend by taking the faith and love for God you have and following his laws, which tell you dont rely on those intincts to resolve issues rely on God and his word and go beyond that which you where created with the flaw of violence and hate.

Originally posted by drbryankkruta
5 Finally do you believe that you are serving God the way he wishes you to in your heart.

Yep. Assuming God cares, Yep.

I would say to you search those feelings that I told you about before do you feel as if when you do something right in your heart that comfort and warming sensation of praise and security from God. This is again only something your heart can answer , but let me ask you this if God didnt care then why where you given the instinct to realize right and wrong and love and hate, its because he cares if you love him back in return and he wishes to give you a way to feel even if through these primitive feelings of right and wrong that concience we all percieve and react from and the actions of concious decision to go with the feelings of Love and Faith despite others opinions, this is the love and caring he gave us it is simply free will with his guidence to show you how to interprete your choices as right or wrong, love or hate.

Originally posted by badkitty

Originally posted by SkipShipman
First of all "God is Love."

God is a loving Father and we are his children.

Any religion that tells you anything else as a priority is moving you away from knowing this.

Where did you get that idea? Why are you so sure of this?

I know this was not to me but I would like to answer by stating this although skip has not articulated it I believe it falls in line with my explanations to others here it is a realization of your feelings and comes from inside you and can only exist between you and God it is not open for interpritation by others it is a deep personal connections you have as an individual in a relationship with God.

Originally posted by BlackGuardXIII

Originally posted by xpert11
I think the term faith is misplaced. Atheistism isnt a reglion but the truth of the matter. Reglion apart from shoving an agenda down peoples throats it gives people sercuity and reasons for the unexplained.
In someways reglion is like going to the movies you see something that you might like ,might make you feel good the differnce being that with reglion is that the line between reality and fiction is blurred

Atheism may not be a religion, but I disagree that it is the truth.
I am not a member of any one religion, and don't know if there is a God. What I have seen, though, convinced me that there is something supernatural at work in my life. Maybe not in yours.

I would say that atheism is a faith (structure form of belief) here is how I come to that belief, an atheist states I have no religion, well if that is the case how can you assign the name athiest which is a name for the structured belief that no God exists, I say to you the only lack of religion is present when you dont give it a name or structured reasoning or explanation to justify your position. If you must justify you dont believe a religion or God exists then your are defending your structure belief. If you are with out faith you are just that with out faith not an athiest which is a structure of belief you would share with others who claim to be athiest, I myself describe myself like this I and not of a religion but I and a child of God and love and believe in him himself, I just simply said I discarded the established forms of teaching and learning of God for favor of my faith in my and God's relationship directly with out all the circus and rederict that has evolved here on earth I believe in God and myself to have the relationship worthy of his honor and love for me and forgivness for my errors against him. So I hope this would explain how I feel that atheism is a religon.

If atheism is a religion than I guess bald is a hair color.

What is The one true Faith?You require and answer for this? One is much obliged to answer. Relativism is the one true faith on this planet.

Deep

Only a damned fool would try to deny that what I so righteously and loving share with you all here at ATS, is the divinely inspired, flawless, exclusive, perfect, factual, true message of the One True God.
I dutifully, authoritatively, and fervently proclaim to you this dire warning.
It is a mandatory prerequisite for your soul's salvation that you change your current personal spiritual beliefs are immediately.
You must replace them with accepting, believing, and spreading whatever messages I decide to be the right interpretations of verses from whichever one of all the scriptures ever written I tell you is the right one.
If you refuse my generous, loving offer to join our righteous group, I am compelled to alert you to the fact that after your death, indescribably hideous tortures conceived of in the most sadistic criminal minds who've ever lived will be meticulously and expertly performed upon your person for no shorter a period of time than a googleplex to the power of a googleplex number of millenia.
That is a very long time, I might add. It is simple, just accept without question that I am right and you are wrong, because that is your only hope , and in fact, all that the true God wants you to do.




[edit on 1/19/2005 by BlackGuardXIII]

^ The hard sell always works The way i figure it, if you do go to hell for not following any one of those religions than i should have a lot of company there regardless of which one is right... in fact that would mean the vast majority is going there even if one of the more popular ones is right. Anyway it seems strange to me that god would need books to tell us his message/rules, if there is a punishment for not following them why not imprint the knowedge into our brain via our conscious or something.

[edit on 19-1-2005 by Trent]

Originally posted by Alec Eiffel
If atheism is a religion than I guess bald is a hair color.

Well ideally I think the principle is to be abscent of total belief in faith and God but the name and organization counter effects the purpose. See atheist are united in a common goal much like in religion their goal is to join together to prove they have no faith because their is nothing to have faith in , hence you get the ground work of a basic religious methodology.

Originally posted by ZeroDeep
What is The one true Faith?You require and answer for this? One is much obliged to answer. Relativism is the one true faith on this planet.

Deep

I have made it a point to investigate and understand differnt faiths in order to press upon myself a standard of understanding and tolerance. This is however something that I have not heard about nor have knowledge of. What can you say that would explain it so that this kid in the back of class who was talking during the lesson can learn the lesson and pass the test so to speak?

Originally posted by BlackGuardXIII
Only a damned fool would try to deny that what I so righteously and loving share with you all here at ATS, is the divinely inspired, flawless, exclusive, perfect, factual, true message of the One True God.
I dutifully, authoritatively, and fervently proclaim to you this dire warning.
It is a mandatory prerequisite for your soul's salvation that you change your current personal spiritual beliefs are immediately.
You must replace them with accepting, believing, and spreading whatever messages I decide to be the right interpretations of verses from whichever one of all the scriptures ever written I tell you is the right one.
If you refuse my generous, loving offer to join our righteous group, I am compelled to alert you to the fact that after your death, indescribably hideous tortures conceived of in the most sadistic criminal minds who've ever lived will be meticulously and expertly performed upon your person for no shorter a period of time than a googleplex to the power of a googleplex number of millenia.
That is a very long time, I might add. It is simple, just accept without question that I am right and you are wrong, because that is your only hope , and in fact, all that the true God wants you to do.




[edit on 1/19/2005 by BlackGuardXIII]

You are rather humorous so are you the newest God to join the ranks now , are you God, you speak as if to say you are?

Originally posted by Trent
^ The hard sell always works

The way i figure it, if you do go to hell for not following any one of those religions than i should have a lot of company there regardless of which one is right... in fact that would mean the vast majority is going there even if one of the more popular ones is right. Anyway it seems strange to me that god would need books to tell us his message/rules, if there is a punishment for not following them why not imprint the knowedge into our brain via our conscious or something.

[edit on 19-1-2005 by Trent]

But that's what I am saying the issue is not the material existance of the word but your concience and heart as the true link to God our reward is not in this Earth I have heard that almost all religions state in some way or another, and honestly my link to God is a connection personally between us and cant be taught in a book, the books are general principles, while incomplete in the total design of God they are to incourage you to draw yourself to a level of understanding so you seek the concience and the heart for the feelings of faithful execution of Gods will and designs and yes love for us. The only truth is that noone or nothing on earth was meant to be followed totally they are guide posts to the ignorant in God to offer them a path of understanding of how to form the true relationship we are intended to have which is personal and one to one not mass/joint expression you cant succeed with out others, type mentalities. God wants you to realize what is in you and wants you to listen and in return give of it freely, you are not designed to operate on your own just for that purpose you are required to seek him out on your own, For God tests the heart and the mind and judges all things wether they be good or evil and gives to us according to our deeds which to me interprets his point you have to start by listening to the feelings, the instincts and realizations he gave you and give to him freely the love and respect based on your knowledge of that deep rooted tool in your heart and mind, you will discover that when you have the connection desired of yourself to God that when you use this tool you will find a feeling of honest release from pain , anxioty , and anger, etc. by letting God guide, and protect you. Search your heart and mind , do you believe you have done as God has designed you? If so and you feel right and comforted with the fact you used the guide post laws to realize the self contained actions of love, faith, and obedience,as well as fullfillment and protection, and one on one connection and communication you where meant to have you have reached the one true faith it's the relationship between you and God and personal in it's traits and cannot be applied to others only offered as example, you will find that parables , rhymes and riddles,and flat out mysteries are contained with in the structure of known religion. WHY DO YOU THINK THAT IS? It's because you were meant to find the way through your heart concience and mind on your own and give based on the hint you percieve through the convictions he placed in you from creation to establish moral descision making process.

Originally posted by drbryankkruta

Originally posted by Alec Eiffel
If atheism is a religion than I guess bald is a hair color.

See atheist are united in a common goal

Incorrect. Atheism is the position that lacks belief in God/Gods.

much like in religion their goal is to join together to prove they have no faith because their is nothing to have faith in

Incorrect #2.

hence you get the ground work of a basic religious methodology.

Incorrect #3. There is no organized movement behind atheism. No more than agnosticism.

Who does not have control over themselves? If you can make a choice, you have control.

Alright then. I have about as much of a choice as rain does as to where it falls.

Then go out there and find your proof. Nobody is going to 'make' you believe.

Essentially what you're telling me to do is go out and find proof for a conclusion in which I should have come to already. I go where proof leads me.

Something did happen. Either you don't see it or are choosing not to see it.

How could I not see something from an powerful God? How could I even choose not to see something from an all powerful God? Is it really that hard for Him?

That's it? You're going to give up because God didn't call you on the phone? It doesn't not sound like a very strong attempt to acquire faith, strength and knowledge. Pick a gospel, it won't take long. My fav is Matt. Give it a read-through and let me know what you think/feel.

I think men who heard something about this guy named Jesus from a friend who heard from a friend who heard from a friend wrote the gospels. Which is apparent by the inconsistencies in all the gospels. How hard could it be for God to convince me? He should know what it would take to make me believe, he is all-knowing.

Originally posted by Alec Eiffel

Originally posted by drbryankkruta

Originally posted by Alec Eiffel
If atheism is a religion than I guess bald is a hair color.

See atheist are united in a common goal

Incorrect. Atheism is the position that lacks belief in God/Gods.

much like in religion their goal is to join together to prove they have no faith because their is nothing to have faith in

Incorrect #2.

hence you get the ground work of a basic religious methodology.

Incorrect #3. There is no organized movement behind atheism. No more than agnosticism.

And again you can not name something that doesnt exist, IE you cant call your beliefs structure non-religious, non-faith if you say your position is that I have faith in myself that there is no religon or God, and I call that belief athiesm, I know it's dont make since but I believe the best way to solve this is to say at the least this is conundrumn and wont ever rech resolve it translative in nature and there are too many opinions on the subject of religion and non-religion as a whole. That is what brings me back to the truth every time you religion or lack there of is personal and nature and can only be define in you heart mind and concience and in the relationships you have or dont have with God noone form of religion really matters in the end for the church is coming to the end it is only those one on one relationships that will define how we proceede from there, either in the arms of God or with no God at all noone can define that destiny except us from with in and God based on what comes from with in us and is given to him freely. Religion and the church are concieved notions that have only human nature to rely on for their developement and duration, However our rewards or lack there of ultimately will not be of this world but from what is found inside of us that's it period ......the one truth is there is no religion just your personal connection with God which since it is personal can not be used but can only be shared with other.

Man where does this stuff comes from at no time have I pre-thought what I have said here and frankly I was reading over my posts and dont remeber thinking or writing a great majority of it.

double trouble!

[edit on 19-1-2005 by Alec Eiffel]

Originally posted by Alec Eiffel

And again you can not name something that doesnt exist, IE you cant call your beliefs structure non-religious,

re·li·gion (n.)

1. Belief in and reverence for a supernatural power or powers regarded as creator and governor of the universe.
2. A personal or institutionalized system grounded in such belief and worship.
3. The life or condition of a person in a religious order.
4. A set of beliefs, values, and practices based on the teachings of a spiritual leader.
5. A cause, principle, or activity pursued with zeal or conscientious devotion.

After carefully looking at the definition of religion, I can say that my beliefs are non-religious with much confidence.

non-faith if you say your position is that I have faith in myself that there is no religon or God, and I call that belief athiesm,

I dont recall ever telling you what I believe. Religion does exist. I believe there is no personal creator conscious God. Having faith in one self or not has nothing to do with atheism. Atheism is the lack of belief in God/Gods. I lack belief in a God or Gods because the evidence for a God or Gods is nowhere near the point of coming to any sort of rational conclusion. Simply put, I see no evidence that indicates Gods existence.

I know it's dont make since

Then why did you write it?

but I believe the best way to solve this is to say at the least this is conundrumn and wont ever rech resolve it translative in nature

Agreed. That shouldnt stop us from trying to understand these things, though.

Im sure its been said before, but ill say it here.

The reason there are so many Christians and Muslims because both are militant, evangelical type religons who require converts, and both religons have conqured and coverted their herds by the sword.

You are also incorrect in many things. Shinto, Neo Paganism, and tribal Animistic religons are not spin off off the "big" religons. They were created in their own rights.

Christianity and Islam are bigger simply because they increase their numbers through preaching, conquest, enslavement, ect.

Has little to do with "true faith"