View Poll Results: What religion do you identify with?

Voters
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  • Christian (includes Catholic, mormon, Christian Science, etc.)

    18 34.62%
  • Islam

    3 5.77%
  • Buddhist

    3 5.77%
  • Hinduism

    1 1.92%
  • Atheist

    12 23.08%
  • Other

    10 19.23%
  • Agnostic

    5 9.62%

Thread: Religion

  1. #76
    _B-L-U-E_ Betazep's Avatar
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    All voting to lynch gnu-ehacks for bringing this topic up say 'aye'.

    Aye!
    Blue

  2. #77
    >>I do not want to say them. I accept that fact that you will say them, but not saying them won't damage me in any way.

    You're perfectly right. It's not like i'm pro-swearing here or anything. I dont think i swear a lot. But i will if i feel like it. I use all words equally. Whatever best describes the current situation/feeling/what-have-you. I bothers me not the least if people choose not to use certain words. I was merely pointing out that theres nothing in the bible saying that you shouldn't. I see a lot of new rules coming from pastors (etc) who are kind of interpeting things. These thoughts turn into "it says in the bible" over a period of time. I've read the bible (several versions in fact, cover to cover) and i can relativly safely say when something has been warped or in any way not exactly what was said. I'm not mocking religions (though i admit it may seem like it at times), my best friend is a Christian (regular church going type).


    >>but it was mostly just be changing around a word or two, or maybe omitting one phrase
    But consider the consequences of this. What happens when its done again? And again. And then interpeted... And people say that the bible is the exact words of God? How can they say that when its a fact that the current version isnt the same as the versions before it? If its changed it cant be the same!!! So either the old versions weren't the word of god or the new one isnt... So the argument would be that its still holds the same meanings. So its the intents/desires of god. But if thats the case then should you really be taking it all so literally? Whos to say that it wasnt written to be a guidline for life as opposed to factual? The stories may be designed to teach a lesson as opposed to tell history... Think on it.
    "There's always another way"
    -lightatdawn (lightatdawn.cprogramming.com)

  3. #78
    l'Anziano DavidP's Avatar
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    >What happens when its done again? And again. And then interpeted... And people say that the bible is the exact words of God? How can they say that when its a fact that the current version isnt the same as the versions before it? If its changed it cant be the same!!! So either the old versions weren't the word of god or the new one isnt...

    I didnt want to bring my specific SECT of the Christian faith into this...I just wanted to keep it a Christian vs. Athiest kind of thing....but now that you have said that:

    Thats where us Mormons come in

    I will explain in a little bit...dinner time...
    My Website

    "Circular logic is good because it is."

  4. #79
    Let me try to explain.

    There is a difference between murder and killing.

    The men were killed because of the things they had done. It is like when a man commits a terrible crime, you kill him. When you murder someone, it is not within the bounds of the law, and it is totally against what the word of God says.

    The 10 commandments say Thou shalt not MURDER, not thou shalt not kill.
    What will people say if they hear that I'm a Jesus freak?
    What will people do if they find that it's true?
    I don't really care if they label me a Jesus freak, there is no disguising the truth!

    Jesus Freak, D.C. Talk

    -gnu-ehacks

  5. #80
    _B-L-U-E_ Betazep's Avatar
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    You guys are too serious...
    Blue

  6. #81
    >>There is a difference between murder and killing.

    And who decides the difference? Are you saying that our elected government recieves divine information? That they directly communicate with god? If the law says so then god says so? Where in the bible are we told about this?

    >>You guys are too serious...

    Aye! ... ...
    "There's always another way"
    -lightatdawn (lightatdawn.cprogramming.com)

  7. #82
    Hmm...Okay, a new definition. If it's justified, it isn't murder. But if any law defines the killing as murder, then it is murder, because the Bible also says that you should submit to authority.
    What will people say if they hear that I'm a Jesus freak?
    What will people do if they find that it's true?
    I don't really care if they label me a Jesus freak, there is no disguising the truth!

    Jesus Freak, D.C. Talk

    -gnu-ehacks

  8. #83
    train spotter
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    One thing all civilizations have in common is an explaination as to how / why we are here (and an attempt to explain death).

    Some civilizations were better, or more agressive in promoting their ideal.

    I was brought up to believe, as a Methodist (follower of John Wesley).

    In Nepal in the 80's I met a priest, the "crazy barba of Singapore" a pot smoking vegitarian who belived that cuttting an inch of his arm each year proved his faith. How strong must his faith was, stronger than mine it turned out. But if according to my faith he was going to hell for worshiping a false god.

    Once I questioned, I understood. Religion is not about content it is about FAITH. Belief in what can not be proven.

    No matter if you believe that the sun was created in a argument between an Emu and a Kangaroo (Aust Aborigine) or that Jesus went to New York and left copper tablets (7 day adventist) or Moses parted the Red sea ect, ect.
    You have faith and act accordingly.

    I have just bypased the faith bit and try to treat others as I want to be treated.

    No organised religion is free from corruption these days. For example the Vatican is the largest owner of casinos in the world, and I have seen first hand the pain / dispair they bring.

    Justify your beliefs any way you need to, just don't cut any important bits off.
    "Man alone suffers so excruciatingly in the world that he was compelled to invent laughter."
    Friedrich Nietzsche

    "I spent a lot of my money on booze, birds and fast cars......the rest I squandered."
    George Best

    "If you are going through hell....keep going."
    Winston Churchill

  9. #84
    train spotter
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    One thing I always wondered.

    If God created Adam and Eve. They had Cain and Able. Cain killed Able.

    Who did Cain marry to produce the rest of us?

    Are we all children of a muderer?
    "Man alone suffers so excruciatingly in the world that he was compelled to invent laughter."
    Friedrich Nietzsche

    "I spent a lot of my money on booze, birds and fast cars......the rest I squandered."
    George Best

    "If you are going through hell....keep going."
    Winston Churchill

  10. #85
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    Call 1-888-537-2200 for a free copy of the Book of Mormon.

  11. #86
    Just one more wrong move. -KEN-'s Avatar
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    >>
    >whatever you do just don't critisize the Bible.

    Why ? Is it so fragile it shatters at the first thought of critisism ?
    <<

    I'm with nvoigt. Don't be so sensitive about it. Believe what you believe. Don't force others to believe what you beleive, or even make them tiptoe around what makes you sensitive religously.

    About the adam and eve thing...I've always wondered if we were all imbred!

    On the cursing topic...I curse. I don't really see anything wrong with it. When I say .......... I don't mean "go have sex right now". f-you doesn't mean let's go do it...b*tch...It's not really right, but I have used it on occasion to show intense dislike of a girl...damn doesn't mean to send someone off to hell, or at least it doesn't when I say it...I say "Damn you" a lot but I always say it jokingly, and never meant it as "Go straight to hell".

    Errm...on the point of everyone being slain and the ten commanments thing...I've enver liked that passage...I don't even pretend to comprehend his decision to do that and if it was right in God's eyes.

    The bible has been changed, mistranslated, and slightly warped a bit over the years...don't take all of the passages at face value. Think about them. Mull them over in your head, come up with a meaning yourself.

    I'm not one of those catholics who sweats under the heat of being asked questions about the faith they don't know the answer to. I just nonchelantly say "I have no clue." That's a valid defense. Am I supposed to know every nook and crannie of my belief? I doubt the Pope even does...

    ....and anyhow..."AYE!!!"...

  12. #87
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    I'll take the Adam and Eve one. They didn't JUST have Cain and Able. Yes, they probably had to procreate with their siblings (I guess it's a good thing they didn' have my sister back then *shudders to think...*). Cain eventually established what is now Egypt and probably the rest of Africa (no offense to anyone there - after all - I'm descended from a guy who killed the King of England...). There were others. I think it describes who they all are early in Genesis. Probably between 3 and 8. There are other records which we do not have yet. It mentions a lot in the bible, things like the book of Jashem, which we didn't have ten years ago, but I am... just as sec...... currently holding it in my hand here. There's more to come - plenty.

    You could also visit mormon.org and learn ALL about us.

  13. #88
    l'Anziano DavidP's Avatar
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    Okay, now that I am back...first I shall explain about the killing part.

    When they were told to kill all those people, notice the part: "Thus saith the Lord God of Israel"

    When the Lord commands something, it is justified. Simple as that.

    Now for the next part, which might take a BIT longer explanation:

    >>What happens when its done again? And again. And then interpeted... And people say that the bible is the exact words of God? How can they say that when its a fact that the current version isnt the same as the versions before it? If its changed it cant be the same!!! So either the old versions weren't the word of god or the new one isnt...

    Okay...now...not all Christians will agree with my explanation...because we are not all the same sect. I am a Mormon, and this is the Mormon explanation. Please bear with me, read it, and ask whatever questions you want to ask me about it...

    This is not the first time people have asked these questions. In 1820, a 14 year old boy, named Joseph Smith, in the midst of a revival in religion, was simply wondering which religion to join. His family members had all joined churches, and were very strong in their faiths, but all respected each others faith. Joseph could not figure out which faith to join, however, because they all argued against each other on certain points.

    So Joseph read a simple scripture in the Bible, which we can all read. It is James 1:5-6,

    "If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him.

    But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed."

    That is pretty simple. If you need to know something, ask of God with a real intent, and the answer will come to you. It may not come immediately, but it will come.

    So Joseph decided to test this scripture. Make an experiment out of it if you want to call it that. He went out into the woods, where he could be alone and think, and he prayed to Heavenly Father asking Him which church was the true church.

    The next thing that happens is what Athiests and others might find hardest to believe, but I firmly believe that it happened, and have a strong testimony that it did.

    Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ both appeared to Joseph in the woods, and told him that all the churches were wrong, and that:

    "They draw near to me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me, they teach for doctrines the commandments of men, having the form of godliness, but they deny the power thereof."

    Does this mean that all the other churches are TOTALLY wrong? No. It simply means that over the ages, through corrupt monks, preachers, etc., certain doctrines have been lost.

    Several people tried to reform the Christian church throughout the medieval ages, but they failed...because it cannot be reformed once it is lost...it must be restored...

    So it doesnt mean that all the other churches were evil. They simply did not have ALL the correct doctrine because it was lost over the years.

    So Joseph was given the job of restoring the true church on the face of the Earth. Several times angels appeared to him and ministered to him, telling him of certain gospel concepts and doctrines that might have been losts, or needed to be cleared up. Finally Joseph was lead to the gold plates by an angel.

    The gold plates are a record of the Native Americans, from the time they first arrived, up until 421 AD., and it contained the gospel in its fulness, since it was untainted by man over time. Joseph, with the Urim and Thummim, which are two stones used for the purpose of interpreting languages, translated the plates into what is now the Book of Mormon.

    If you are questioning the existence of the Urim and Thummim, Aaron, Moses' brother, also had them several thousand years earlier. You can find references to them in the books of Moses (the first five books of the Bible).

    Joseph, after finishing the translation of the plates, was told to go back to the Bible and with the help of the Lord, replace parts of it that were lost. So you are now saying, "So the Mormons dont use a real Bible? They use a Mormon Bible?"

    No. We use the King James version of the Bible. We simply have a small index at the end, listing everything that Joseph Smith, with the help of the Lord, added and replaced that was lost from the Bible. You are probably saying, "How can you just make up stuff that was lost?" Well...simple...he had the help of the Lord...the Lord knew what was there...

    That is my answer. Feel free to comment.
    My Website

    "Circular logic is good because it is."

  14. #89
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    Yeah - that sounds right. No corrections here. I would also refer everyone to Isiah 29. It profesies the coming forth of another testament of Christ. That is what the Book of Mormon is. When Christ left The Jerusalem area we all here about once a year, he said that he had other flocks to visit. During his lifetime, the Gold Plates record many of the prophesied things ocurring. A new Star, a night that isn't dark. 34 years later, after he had been resurrected, he appeared in the Americas. If you want the full story, it is summarized in the first few pages of the Book of Mormon - right around the table of contents area.

  15. #90
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    Moroni 10:4-5 - the Book of Mormon.
    And when ye shall recieve these things I would exhort you that ye would ask God the Eternal Father in the name of Christ, if these things are not true; and if ye shall ask with a sincere heart, with real intentm having faith in Christ, he will manifest the truth of it unto you, by the power of the Holy Ghost. And by the power of the Holy Ghost, ye may the truth of all things.
    I know that this is the truth. I know that Joseph Smith was a prophet of God, and you can too. Just listen to this simple promise. Ask - there's an answer.

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