|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 Posted: Mon Dec 14, 2009 3:10 pm
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Okay, so yeah.
My family is made up of Catholics. I went to Catholic school for several years before I moved; I went to church every Friday and Sunday morning (not as often now though.)
I never really liked church, and I think I was always a bit skeptical, but I didn't dare question my religion.
Now that I'm older and out of the constant influence of the church, I'm beginning to have more and more questions that no one will answer. I would appreciate it if anyone could provide some insight.
1. There is a controversial topic of God and homosexuals, no? Well, I was always taught that God loved every one of his children. And yet on the other side, people have told me that God hates homosexuals. If all in creation are God's children, how can he hate homosexuals? How come he did not just eliminate the possibility of homosexuality in the first place? Also, if God wants us all to be happy, how come He does not support [some of] our choices? A homosexual can be perfectly happy as he or she is, and I see no reason to conform to a set of rules telling you who to love.
2. Last Sunday when I was in church they were doing baptisms during mass. And I heard the priest talking about the oil he was anointing the baby girl with. He said that it made her special in the eyes of God. But if God loves all his children equally, how can some of us (Christians) be more special to him? It seems like he's playing favorites here.
3. Why did God create free will if he didn't want us to sin? And don't give me the 'we wouldn't be happy' spiel. If He hadn't created it in the first place, we wouldn't know what we were missing. We'd be perfectly happy. (And besides, I bet you that murderers on death row aren't very happy that they sinned.)
4. Why does God make us all go through the torture of living, anyway? Don't give me the 'it's to see if we're worthy for Heaven' spiel. If God really wanted us to be 'worthy' of Heaven, wouldn't He just make us perfect and 'worthy of Heaven' in the first place?
5. If God created humanity in his own image, does it mean that he is as flawed as we are?
(Note: I've never read through the Bible in its entirety, so this might be incorrect, but it's what I've been hearing all my life and I have to say I'm confused.)
Thanks for taking the time to read this :3
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
|
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Mon Dec 14, 2009 3:27 pm
Diary-chan ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
...
1. There is a controversial topic of God and homosexuals, no? Well, I was always taught that God loved every one of his children. And yet on the other side, people have told me that God hates homosexuals. If all in creation are God's children, how can he hate homosexuals? How come he did not just eliminate the possibility of homosexuality in the first place? Also, if God wants us all to be happy, how come He does not support [some of] our choices? A homosexual can be perfectly happy as he or she is, and I see no reason to conform to a set of rules telling you who to love.
...
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
this has actually made alot of drama in my family. :l
I know we've talked about this in the Strange Facts Charity, but I'd like to talk about it again. *expecting Holly to come here*
I'm still as confused about it as you are, Diary..
*sigh*
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Mon Dec 14, 2009 3:53 pm
Abrahams god is a petty, lying douchebag without a single redeeming character trait.
No seriously, every time someone said "God loves everyone" to you, they were lying. (The bible actually repeatedly tells people to murder, torture, fine, or otherwise punish people for basically no reason*)
This answers all your questions.
* I would be executed for my eating habits crying
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Mon Dec 14, 2009 4:07 pm
yeah.. I don't understand religion and all that stuff about a 'God'.
but I let people believe in what they want and don't say anything.
but my sister-in-law was saying homosexuality is an abomination & is repulsive and blahblahblah.
it ticked me off. so I said s**t, then she went off topic and started insulting me.. :/
now I hate her.
thank you religion.
/end rant.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Mon Dec 14, 2009 4:26 pm
Even though (I'm pretty sure) my parents were raised with religion, I was raised without it. I live in Canada, and religion had never been an important part of the circles I've known at schools. I think the majority of the people I know are athiests.
In response to #1: I know a couple lesbians, and one of my best friends is bi. It is true that they have normal lives, just like everyone else. The only few answers I can think of to this question are that either the humans writing the bible erred in some way, or God doesn't exist. Another possibility is that people have warped the original texts of the bible, somewhat, over the years. The last, however, seems quite unlikely.
I hope that your questions will be answered.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Mon Dec 14, 2009 4:41 pm
effervescentstripes Even though (I'm pretty sure) my parents were raised with religion, I was raised without it. I live in Canada, and religion had never been an important part of the circles I've known at schools. I think the majority of the people I know are athiests. In response to #1: I know a couple lesbians, and one of my best friends is bi. It is true that they have normal lives, just like everyone else. The only few answers I can think of to this question are that either the humans writing the bible erred in some way, or God doesn't exist. Another possibility is that people have warped the original texts of the bible, somewhat, over the years. The last, however, seems quite unlikely. I hope that your questions will be answered.
Actually I have found that a lot of people DO warp the original texts of the bible to fit what they want it to say.
My step-gramma for example. Her ten commandments are...Let's just say a little out there. Her version seems to say "Honor they mother," there is no father mentioned. (Back story on that one.)
The one about adultery? It's not mentioned. Considering she's still married to my step-dad's father, and is living with another man. And has been for over ten years now.
ANYWAYS...There are so many things off about organized religion, not just Catholic, which my mother is so--as is my son's father...So I do have some idea of what I'm talking about...But all organized religions have flaws.
I could go on for hours, but...It would just start a fight and it's the holidays, I'd rather not go there...Again.
Went there last year, not going there again.
Maybe after the new year!
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Tue Dec 15, 2009 1:56 am
My case it's pretty much like Phoenix, I was not raised with religion.
However, I do believe in a God but I have to admit that I don't ask myself a lot of questions about religion.
I do pray every night though. I thank God for everything I have,
and for taking care of all the people around me.
In general, I just think that we should all respect each other,
everyone have their believes and I respect them.
I know I'm just giving a slice of opinion there, and I'm sorry I can't answer your questions.
Honestly when we're going too far in religion, it's not something I particulary like.
I feel like sometimes it divides us.
I do not think being homosexual is a sin, and I don't know why humans aren't perfect.
I wonder if we'll have that answer one day!?
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Tue Dec 15, 2009 8:08 am
I'm not religious, I don't even have faith in any deity (I'm a die-hard skeptic to the very end), but most of your questions can be answered through logical means...
Catholicism was born at a time when the world needed religious guidance. People were not scientific, but were questioning the way the world worked. There was always a faith there, just no way to channel it into daily life, no rules for what God wanted from man..so Catholicism was born. The strict rules made sense at the time. It was always union between man and woman only for the reason to birth and raise children. All people were equal in the eyes of God, unless you were born of nobility, then you needed extra special treatment to be separated from the commoners. Sin was always around, but religious leaders had no other way to explain cruelty besides the devil and hell and God's grand reasoning to give us "free will". The Bible you read now may be a complete fabrication or could be the whole truth. Early bibles were hand-written by groups of monks, men who are flawed and can make mistakes.
The best advice I can give you is to challenge your religion, but never challenge your faith (this is advice I got way back in college from a pastor who taught theology). Challenging it is the only way to bring about change and understanding of how the world works...
My take on it is this: If there is a God, who I guess I may meet when I die, he would prolly just be like an architect. He designed the place and put in the wiring and plumbing but does not sit there and make sure everything goes smoothly. That's what we are supposed to do, though we were never left instructions on how to do things right except for a book which was written by other men. Until then, I live by my simple commandments; Don't kill anyone and try really hard not to be mad at those who are more ignorant than me (though laughing at their utter stupidity is fine).
I hope this helps a little, though I think I'm the last person you want to get advice from...
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Tue Dec 15, 2009 11:23 am
I think originally the bible was very staight forward. I know for a fact that men have cut out pieices of the bible, and changed wording to work for what they believe should be correct. My sister has a bible dated a LONG TIME AGO. (I forget the date), but that old bible has more books in it about david, and many more. The bad thing is... (a lot of people may not know this,) but in the bible it mentions some where it is a sin to mess with the bible like that. You know adding and taking out. King James was a king, so I'm sure that he, and his writers changed things so he could rule easier.
If homosexuality is wrong, then it would just be a sin that could be forgiven I'm sure.
I aslo think that as different books were translated in the bible, people mis translated some times, maybe not even on purpas.
Heres how I see it. Read the bible. Try to understand it, pray, and be the best person you can be, and you should be fine.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Tue Dec 15, 2009 12:04 pm
Laroka I think originally the bible was very staight forward. I know for a fact that men have cut out pieices of the bible, and changed wording to work for what they believe should be correct. My sister has a bible dated a LONG TIME AGO. (I forget the date), but that old bible has more books in it about david, and many more. The bad thing is... (a lot of people may not know this,) but in the bible it mentions some where it is a sin to mess with the bible like that. You know adding and taking out. King James was a king, so I'm sure that he, and his writers changed things so he could rule easier. Actually newer versions of the bible are usually translated from as far back as possible and with little to no changes in wording whatsoever. It's true that quite a lot of books were sorted out of the canon, but nothing was really added. Quote: If homosexuality is wrong, then it would just be a sin that could be forgiven I'm sure. Levticus 20:13 says that Homosexuality, atleast for men, is punishable by death. That would be in every single translation ever. Quote: I aslo think that as different books were translated in the bible, people mis translated some times, maybe not even on purpas. Maybe in older versions, not so much in newer versions. Phanna Catholicism was born at a time when the world needed religious guidance. And how exactly did Judaism and the various pagan religions not provide this? Quote: People were not scientific, but were questioning the way the world worked. Actually we were just getting out of a scientific golden age. Quote: There was always a faith there, just no way to channel it into daily life, no rules for what God wanted from man..so Catholicism was born. Because Pagan religions have no rules! Quote: All people were equal in the eyes of God, ... wut?
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Tue Dec 15, 2009 12:20 pm
You never know what a king, or leader would add or take out to make ruling easier. smile
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Tue Dec 15, 2009 12:50 pm
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Tue Dec 15, 2009 1:11 pm
May be why people use to have wars all the time. They could have made the changes slowly to not cuase too much of an upraur.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Tue Dec 15, 2009 2:52 pm
enter
enter
spaceHolly Says,
"There's so much to say to this whole thing. The religious debates going on here are crazy, but I'm not going to answer them because originally, the question was about the Bible, and what it says.
So I'll go back to that. If I have time later I'll reply to other things maybe.
1. Find me a place in the Bible where it says that God doesn't love homosexuals? Then we can discuss that. Because as far as I know, homosexuality is a sin, punishable just like any other sin is. Those who tell you that God hates homosexuals have misread their Bible, or are twisting it for their own means. This does not mean that God believes it or that He intended His word to be taken in that way.
God did not eliminate sin because then we would be robots. Just like your parents didn't brainwash you to love them. They want it to be your choice to obey and love and follow. He wants it to be your choice. Remember what sin is: choosing against God.
Last thing about what you said for number one: You said "If God wants us all to be happy..." Didn't Jesus say that we would be hated by the people of this world? God wants you to be happy, but not in sin. He wants you be happy how we were meant to be -- in Him. It's like how good parents want their children to be nurtured properly and grow up to be healthy. God wants us to do things that will nurture us, not slowly kill us.
I actually don't have time to answer the others at the moment, but I'll come back later and see if I can get another answer in, or answer anyone that chooses to quote me.
But please remember: I'm not asking you to agree with me. Dairy-chan asked questions about the Bible, so I'm answering them this way."
enter
enter
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Tue Dec 15, 2009 4:09 pm
ankiannabar 1. Find me a place in the Bible where it says that God doesn't love homosexuals? Leviticus 18:22, 20:13; Deutonomery 23:17-18; Romans 1:26-27, 1:31-32; Corinthians 6:9, and a couple more. To be fair these don't say that homosexuals are not loved by god. But simply that they won't go to heaven, that they are unclean, and that they should be murdered. wink Quote: Because as far as I know, homosexuality is a sin, punishable just like any other sin is. Death? That... hardly seems fair sweatdrop Quote: Those who tell you that God hates homosexuals have misread their Bible, or are twisting it for their own means. This does not mean that God believes it or that He intended His word to be taken in that way. Or: They read a lines saying that homosexuals will never go to heaven, should be executed, and other nasty stuff and divined that mayhaps god doesn't really like this kind of people too much. I mean, it's not like he hasn't played favourites before. wink Quote: God did not eliminate sin because then we would be robots. Just like your parents didn't brainwash you to love them. They want it to be your choice to obey and love and follow. He wants it to be your choice. Remember what sin is: choosing against God. Not much of a choice seeing as the price for sinning is ridiculously steep in the bible. Also: Job
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
