Originally posted by Jefferson
Is god real or fake? (Not attacking Christianity) There are countless contradictions in the bible.
i could say there are countless contradictions in life and the bible is a story of life.
but that's not what i'd probably say in normal situations - when i see that statement, i usually decline from comment altogether for two reasons.
one is that it is (usually) offered as a challenge and an invite to a scuffle (present thread excluded) and the other reason is that, if read in the
right frame of mind for the right intentions (the latter meaning perhaps simply to see what it says), it will eventually reveal itself to be very
coherent and amazingly convergent with itself as well as metaphysical reality.
but for religion, it is like a loaded gun in an angry 6th grader's hand, at recess.
in that regard, it might very well be a cleverly engineered self-destructive fail-safe designed to eliminate those who would use it for
self-oriented/self-glorifying/selfish means...
'nuff said.
It also claims birth from a virgin, talking snakes and walking dead men.. And after all that story, it sais if I don't confess and praise God
that i will suffer for eternity.
well, see right there we have empirical evidence that the book, in the "wrong" hands, can definitely be considered "the root of all evil" second
only to evil.
the first two or three things were not, as Galileo might say, "properly understood." the last item, the "if you don't" statement is absolute
fiction in regard to being a tenet, instruction, or even a theme of the bible. it was made up by religious people and it is rubbish. hogwash. utter
nonsense.
(and i can prove it but i'd really rather not have to, i'm tired of typing after this post)
they are also the sole intellectual property of the christian church in all its variegated splendor, and are used as propaganda either for
proselytizing or saving sinners.
it borders on criminal, but i'm derailing myself from your OP.
How do "You" know that "Your" religion is the only correct one when 1000's others say that their is the only real or right
way..
that one was the easiest to accomplish, actually. i have no religion. therefore i don't have to compete. my spiritual philosophy is right for me and
that's all that i need be concerned about as a private, free-willed individual citizen of Earth.
On the other hand people say God is real because He has revealed Himself to us in three ways: in creation, in His Word, and in His Son, Jesus
Christ.
(excerpt from: www.gotquestions.org...)
well, i guess that is true, to a certain extent, at least as far my own experiences and understanding.
but i would have to refine the statement:
GOD is real because he has revealed himself to me - in all things and in all ways, GOD is there.
to my way of thinking, that statement can, and should apply to all people with an interest in GOD and can be ignored by those without.
(explanation below)
so please give me your views and opinions about this subject and why thats the way they are.. Thanks!
my view is:
GOD is real
(God Israel?!?!)
hmmmm....maybe the whole middle east crisis is a simply linguistic mis-understanding!!!
my opinion is, and my reasons are:
the bible does say that there is a light within us that has come from GOD as within us each from birth:
He was the true Light; He enlightens every man coming into the world. (John 1:9)
notice it says "enlighten."
enlightenment is of the same source, regardless of religion, philosophy, culture, or language.
it is from the Creator, and is a hidden yet EQUAL distribution of potential toward nirvana/heaven/liberation/enlightenment.
also in the bible:
Jesus answered and said to him, If a man loves Me, he will keep My Word. And My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our
abode with him. He who does not love Me does not keep My Words, and the Word which you hear is not Mine, but the Father's who sent Me.
(John 14:23-24)
now, whenever someone quotes the bible and then makes associated commentary, there is never the lack of someone who screams and protests "context"
because the writer's opinion doesn't agree with their own.
i myself holler not context but word-definition, not infrequently, because i'm a stickler on the word meanings and grammar and the language of the
original text as it was used when it was a living language - which means a certain degree of cultural and historical research is required and pursued.
i do understand context, though, and it's importance.
those two passages i cited above don't require context to make their meaning any more clear. the context is practically irrelevant to the meaning of
the words. the audience for these words could be anyone, at any time, any where in the world. especially the last one.
Jesus says:
Whomever loves me will do what i have said to do, but the words are GOD's, and those are his instructions, and i'm just a messenger who is trying to
be an example.
IF they DO do what i've said to do, GOD and I will both come to you and make our home with you.
Jesus says
IF ANY ONE
ANYone!
any body whatsoever
and he didn't mention NAMES or LABELS at all
not once!
he did not say praise me, kiss my toejam, or fall down on your knees before my god!
he said do what GOD told me to tell you to do:
love GOD with all your heart mind soul
love your neighbor as yourself
that's basically it - everything else RESTS upon those two orders.
GOD, the Father, who is spirit and truth is not going to ever require any sort of submission that we are told is required - such as bowing, pawning,
groveling, begging, etc. - simply because the truth is, spirit doesn't have any need for an ego-stroke that is physical, like prostrating one's
self.
and the truth also is that any entity truly fitting the word GOD would be, by default, free of such artifice or desire for same.
and we also know Jesus wouldn't want anyone to subjugate themselves to him either for real or by gesture...that's in the bible, too, with all those
others no one ever mentions.
except bothersome people like me, that is.
so many misunderstand the bible to be a literal application book, in all of its parts and layers, and this gets mixed up when you try to compare the
GOD of war in the OT with the GOD of love in the NT...unless you consider that evolution is a fact and applies to ALL life without exception, and this
includes both spirit (GOD) and soul (man).
The opposite of the GOD of war is the GOD of love. However this doesn't mean there are two GOD's or more even than that.
There are, however, infinite and various "parts" of GOD - the ultimate schizophrenic if you want to be technical, i guess - but all faces of all
human emotions and motivation originate from the same place everything else human originated...the Creator!
thank GOD we are getting the yucky stuff out of the way first and leaving the best stuff when there is no more time, and therefore, no limit on the
good stuff like love and joy and peace!
this human journey is not just ours in which to grow - GOD grows with us, through us, because of us, and beside us.
many churchians are going to REACT to that last sentence -
let's see how long it takes! - but logic tells me that it is true and so does GOD
confirm it to me as reliable information.
[edit on 7/10/2010 by queenannie38]