What do you believe in?

[tremor77]

1. I don't really believe in anything. If I had to align myself with a religion (Christian, Muslim, Etc.) or theory (Evolution, Aliens) then I would probably choose to call myself a Taoist http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Taoism as it is most inline with my personally crafted beliefs system. I don't particular believe in the supernatural, but I've personally felt the overwhelming power and presence of Mother Earth many times. She is awe inspiring, climb to the top of any mountain and stand at the edge with the wind blowing in your face, almost as good as mescaline.

2. I don't personally believe this but, I think it's the most logical and credible explanation for life on Earth and for the belief in God: Aliens... ala Stargate, I believe Aliens either planted the seeds of life on Earth or just dropped the first humans off on this rock and gave us a set of rules which eventually devolved into our religious texts. Their occasional visits came in the form of prophets or other great figures in their attempt to direct or maintain their experiment. Either that or they planted us here realizing over the course of several thousand years that we would multiply so rapidly that they could return and cultivate us as a decent food source or slave labor.

3. A question for those of the major monotheistic religions... Whether it's God, Allah, Yahweh, Jehovah or Tetragrammaton - Would you all concur that your divine entity is technically the same one and you are simply following the teachings of different prophets of this divine entity? Or do you believe that your divine entity is yours alone, and that the object of worship of the other monotheistic religions is a false deity and that they should burn in the fiery crucible of a forsaken underworld?

[Calian]

3. A question for those of the major monotheistic religions... Whether it's God, Allah, Yahweh, Jehovah or Tetragrammaton - Would you all concur that your divine entity is technically the same one and you are simply following the teachings of different prophets of this divine entity? Or do you believe that your divine entity is yours alone, and that the object of worship of the other monotheistic religions is a false deity and that they should burn in the fiery crucible of a forsaken underworld?

Well I can explain that God, Yahweh, Jehovah and the Tetragrammaton are all the same basically.

The personal name of God. His own self-designation. Jehovah is translated from the Hebrew Tetragrammaton meaning "He causes to become". These four Hebrew letters are represented in many languages by the letters JHVH or YHWH. Now add in the fact that in Hebrew there are no vowels, you add in translations and you end up with Jehovah or Yahweh dependant on the original Hebrew going from one language to the next.

Can't comment on Allah.......Only know what I've studied myself. Without the burn bit as it's not my place to judge, but for example the plagues of egypt in the bible, showed the egyptians that Jehovah/God was more powerfull than there gods as it were. The eclipse kinda gave Raa a whooping for instance. Book of revelation says that God/Jehovah in a nutshell, is going to put it into the heart of man to get rid of false religon, symbolised by Babylon the great, an the rest I'm still learning......

C

[the0nlyb0ss]

Now, you may all shoot me down for what I have to say because I'm only 15, but I'm a Russian Orthodox Christian and believe. I respect all religions (atheism included). As of recently I had been having lots of doubt that I'm sure we all went through: what's the point of life, why are we here, isn't this pointless, etc, but I know inside that there is something to look forward to after death on earth.
Religion is all about faith, there's nothing to completely prove it, but there's also nothing to disprove it either. There's tons of evidence that goes in-line with the Bible, but not very much that contradicts it. Noah's Ark, for example, scientists have proved that there in fact HAS been a worldwide flood.
One of the biggest factors of my personal faith is that everything in nature is flawless. I don't know if any of you have noticed, but the world works perfectly [outside of human involvement (we aren't perfect duh)]. Math, physics, chemistry, BIOLOGY, it all is in unison and corresponds with one another. Did that just all of a sudden "happen"??? There HAS to be something that created it all. Another thing, explain miracles: people getting healed of terminal illnesses, all of the Biblican history, etc, explain it. You can choose to dismiss it, but it happened.

In the end, it's all about faith. You can't prove it, there's evidence, but you can't prove it. You also can't disprove it. One last point, honestly, what do you have to lose? Believe in God, die, and if there's no Heaven, what have you lost? If there is, look what you've gained! But don't believe in God, die, and if there's no Heaven, you haven't lost either, but if there IS, you're screwed for Eternity....

[Goatboy]

I respect all religions (atheism included).

I don't get why people can see a word derived from Greek meaning "without a god" and think it's a religion.

There's tons of evidence that goes in-line with the Bible, but not very much that contradicts it.

Except for virtually every major scientific discovery ever.

Noah's Ark, for example, scientists have proved that there in fact HAS been a worldwide flood.

How does a worldwide flood == a giant boat with every animal on it?

... everything in nature is flawless. I don't know if any of you have noticed, but the world works perfectly [outside of human involvement (we aren't perfect duh)]. Math, physics, chemistry, BIOLOGY, it all is in unison and corresponds with one another. Did that just all of a sudden "happen"??? There HAS to be something that created it all.

Not everything in nature is flawless. "Flawless" is a very human idea. The same goes for Math, Physics, Chemistry, and Biology. While certain aspects of each certainly exist (sperm and egg in Biology, for example), the abstract notions exist only in our minds. Nature has no concept of what exponents are, or the rate of acceleration due to gravity. That's all just stuff we discovered and put a label on. It could very well have turned out another way. And as for it "suddenly" happening, I suggest you read up a bit more on some non-Creationist theories of existence.

Another thing, explain miracles:

Listen to ICP's "Miracles" and you'll understand.

people getting healed of terminal illnesses

Doctors

all of the Biblican history, etc, explain it. You can choose to dismiss it, but it happened.

Says who? The book that it's written in? That's pretty self-referencing. No credible outside sources?

One last point, honestly, what do you have to lose? Believe in God, die, and if there's no Heaven, what have you lost? If there is, look what you've gained! But don't believe in God, die, and if there's no Heaven, you haven't lost either, but if there IS, you're screwed for Eternity....

I'm sure that's what God would want, people believe as a "Get out of jail FREE card" just in case.

[the0nlyb0ss]

I don't get why people can see a word derived from Greek meaning "without a god" and think it's a religion.

I should have said belief, my apologies.

Except for virtually every major scientific discovery ever.

Example?

How does a worldwide flood == a giant boat with every animal on it?

If worldwide flood == everyone dead, wouldn't it make sense that someone would need to keep everyone safe?

Code: Select all

animals = []
for animal in world:
    animals.append(animal)
if flood() == True:
   save = Noah()
   save.create_boat()
   save.load_animals(animals)
   save.float()
else:
   pass


Lol sorry I was bored.

That's all just stuff we discovered and put a label on.

But why does it all fit together?

Doctors

Illnesses declared by doctors to be terminal

I'm sure that's what God would want, people believe as a "Get out of jail FREE card" just in case.

Isn't that the point?

[Vulpine]

Example?

Fossil Record.

Might I recommend looking up "argument from incredulity", as well?

[the0nlyb0ss]

<BR>Example?<BR>

<BR><BR>Fossil Record.<BR><BR>Might I recommend looking up "argument from incredulity", as well?

Fossil Record means what? I don't recall the Bible denying the existence of dinosaurs lol.
And as to your other comment, I've had TONS of doubts about the existence of a Creator. I've thought about both sides of the argument and honestly am still not fully decided on which to believe. I'm just throwing a few reasons out there. Like I said, you cant prove either one right or wrong, it all comes down to faith or belief.

[sanddbox]

<BR>Example?<BR>

<BR><BR>Fossil Record.<BR><BR>Might I recommend looking up "argument from incredulity", as well?

Fossil Record means what? I don't recall the Bible denying the existence of dinosaurs lol.
And as to your other comment, I've had TONS of doubts about the existence of a Creator. I've thought about both sides of the argument and honestly am still not fully decided on which to believe. I'm just throwing a few reasons out there. Like I said, you cant prove either one right or wrong, it all comes down to faith or belief.

You should research what the argument from incredulity is before refuting his point.

[the0nlyb0ss]

...I did. It's basically arguing that something is true because you can't imagine it being false.

[sanddbox]

Wait a second...I just looked back, and it appeared that you somehow thought that it was logical for someone to build a boat to survive a worldwide flood. Ignoring the ridiculousness of only taking 2 of each animal, no evidences of worldwide flooding, etc, don't you think a flood strong enough to flood the entire world would tear a boat to pieces? It's not like the flood trickled in or anything.