True or False
Do you believe in God?
If yes:
a. do you pray?
b. do you believe in heaven and hell?
If no:
a. did you ever?
b. do you ever wish you did?
posted by punky @ 1:44 PM
12 Comments
An Unfettered Mind
Pink Emerson Radio
Thursday, June 01, 2006
If yes:
a. do you pray?
b. do you believe in heaven and hell?
If no:
a. did you ever?
b. do you ever wish you did?
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12 Comments:
Do I believe in God? No. Do I believe in a higher power/spirituality/being? Maybe. I know we're not alone out there, so think of that what you will.
Never did believe in God - nor did I ever wish I did. I'm a pretty hard-core atheist when it comes right down to it.
Same as Tamara. Although I don't really apologise about it.
yes, every day, and yes
Okay.
I did once upon a time. And I prayed often. I prayed for everything from me not getting in trouble for breaking that window to asking for help for someone tht I saw on TV that needed food and a place to live. As far as heaven and hell, I believe that htere is a little bit of heaven everyday in each of our lives. We just have to see it for what it is......and as for hell, there is that in each of our lives also. But not as a punishment, unless we are being punished for being alive.
In the stricter sense of those things, I once believed in a heaven because I was raised as a Catholic, but I could never get my mind around the concept of a hell that a loving god would send us to for eternity if we didn't stictly follow a set of rules. If he loves us that much, then there couldn't be such a thing as hell. And if there is a place that we are sent to suffer in eternity for a moment of weakness, then shame on him, he's wrong.
As you can tell, the Sisters at Saint Francis just loved me.
okay, this may double post, but if so, I blame blogspot.
Yes, yes, yes.
I think the "did you ever" is a nice deep question, Punky.
One could take the position that if you don't now you probably never did, it's only that you thought you did and then came to the realization that you did not.
It's interesting as well that often people lose their faith at the time that it gets tested. In other words, so long as believing isn't demanding too much of them, they roll along.
Then life throws something horrible at them, which they can not reconcile with their faith.
But horrible things have been happening throughout the history of the universe, so losing one's faith when such an event hits closer to home may indicate that it never really existed, or wasn't developed.
Similarly, one may be challenged by philosophical / theological / moral conundrums. These are not incompatible with faith, but rather are the very core of faith. Wrestling with such questions define our faith.
But as the saying says, you fix the roof while the sun is shining. If you wrestle with your conundrums during a crisis, your faith may not live.
Graz - on the "hell" front, I similarly don't see much of a population there. I don't think you can get there by mistake. I think you have to believe in God and reject Him to go to hell. And even then, I don't imagine a bunch of demons poking hot things in people's arses. Hell could just be living with that ultimate decision.
-cbol
Yes.
Yes.
I believe we create our own heaven and hell based on the choices we make in our lives. I also believe in reincarnation, and that you take everything from one life with you into the next.
Tamara,
There is no need to apologize. You believe what you believe. And that is what it is. It's no more a judgement on my faith or anyone else's than my beliefs should serve as a judgement on you.
I come from one of those uptight denominations that is dwindling because members believe that faith is a very personal thing. Of course, that sort of thinking leads to tolerance, which is much more work than intolerance, probably another reason certain denominations are getting smaller.
Exactly what Sally said!
Well, that was convenient.
Kafaleni said . . . "it just means that He uses His power to give us what we decide that we want."
Great, I personally can't decide what toaster I want in my kitchen or what breadspread I want in on my bed and now God wants me decide too? Of course, the choice would be much easier if God provided, say, a gift with purchase or even a receipt. Maybe a nice canvas totebag with "GOD" printed on the side.
So, yes, I do believe in God. Do I pray? Probably not as often as I should. Do I believe in heaven and hell? I'll have to hink a little bit more about that one.
Here's a thought for those on the fence about God...
If there is no God, we are simply products of the meaningless flux of atoms. But humans have intellects and wills, which cannot be reduced to simply natural, scientific explanations. Here’s why – C.S. Lewis argues, unless at least some of our thoughts aren’t explicable wholly in terms of physical processes of the natural world, the very scientific idea of nature itself is unreliable – for it, too, would be merely the product of biochemically determined thinking. Likewise, unless at least some of our choices aren’t the product of natural, physical laws, all our choices, including moral decisions to kill, lie, cheat, or steal, would be mere products of nature. We would make them because the physical, biochemical processes of the universe force us to.
As such, a scientist who claims to explain everything about man in terms of pure science winds up explaining nothing, for there is no basis for thinking anything he says about man is true. He traps his theory-not to mention himself-in a naturalistic straightjacket. He must hold that he himself theorizes as he does simply because the whole universe and its physical, biochemical laws move the molecules around in his head that way, not because he's discovered some "truth" about the way things are.
-cbol
Glad I could be of help, Punky.
Yes, Yes and Yes.
The more I learn of science the deeper my faith becomes.
I got in trouble once for answering my sister with my honest opinion about heaven and hell. We agreed to disagree and avoid the topic.
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