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Back @ brainnsoup: I doubt they were any stupider then you or I (in terms of potential for learning). Maybe they were naive, but they still knew better. I stick to my argument that they had a warning. Besides that, I don't know about you, but if someone offered me a perfect life on the condition I don't eat a fruit, I'd take it. And yeah, He did. It was the fact they disobeyed, not the eating of the fruit (at least, that's what the theologians say).

I wouldn't say we do. The most mature and civil society discourages murder in any form (that's my belief, anyway). And actually, some Christians say there's a difference between murder and killing in war. My point is an animal can lust, steal, and kill without guilt, and we can't (excepting someone with a dead concious).

@Shiori: Actually, if I were an athiest, I'd say it was. When you die, it won't matter. There won't be anything left of it. You may be able to live on today, but my life has been bad enough I need the hereafter, and the assurance then when I eventually leave this body, I'll be where my mom, little sister, and older brother will end up. I have a problem with athiesm because it denies the very thing that gives me (and my family) a hope and a purpose to go on.

@Zslone2: A week? Dude, you can't expect a change that fast (I've known a few who've had it, but there's some who wait years. I had to wait 17 years and my sister is still waiting. Besides, what exactly made you feel worse?

It's not that I feel the only thing to look forward to is the afterlife. It's that with an afterlife, the good parts of life last. Everything you value on this earth is as a candle to the sun, and you don't have to worry about the loss of anything truly important (except for people, but that's a different subject entirely). There was a reason for the pain. Can you answer something for me? Why do you advocate the disbelief in something that gives people hope, especially when it's doubtful it's even possible prove the nonexistance of something?

It has no explanation, so it's illogical to assume that God is responsible.

There is no tangible proof of any of them.
The only reason that your God is more plausible to you than any other Gods is because you grew up believing that your religion was truth.

How do you know that Christianity's miracles aren't the work of Satan?
What about the great flood from Genesis?
What about Sodom and Gomorrah?
Is that the work of a merciful God?


And even the tiniest insect has the instinct to survive by all means necesary.
And wanting to form a legacy? To have morals?
Again, I say that humans are amazingly complicated.
If anything, religion is a good example of that. We define the world around us with the tools we have. We create ideas of Gods and afterlives because it's comforting to know that we go somewhere after death. We fear the unknown.
I understand that you don't believe that about your religion, but how about the forming of other religions around the world?



They had no experience with deceit. They were easy to trick.
And instead of showing them compassion and understanding, he kicked them out of Eden and damned them to a life of suffering.


There is no difference between murder and killing in war.
A person isn't any less of a person because he's wearing a different uniform.

My belief is my belief. I refuse to change the way I think or feel to make someone else feel better.

I don't push my Atheism on anyone unless they try to push their religion on me first. As to why some Atheists do, why do some Christians go around Bible thumping? Who knows? I think it's just because people like to be right, and of couse their personal belief is right.

I was a Christian for 9 years of my life..because I was forced. I experienced the same weird looks as he and his family have.

You know how the bible says Christians shouldn't judge people?? Why don't a greater portion of you abide by that?? After all, you do abide by your other rules. Why do you only abide by the ones you choose to abide by??
Why does Gravity hold us on Earth?
Why are there stars?? Did god create those??
The Heavens is like, the clouds, right?
Do you go to another planet when you die??
What does heaven look like??
WHERE is heaven??
Where is Hell??
This all sounds like magic to me.
Is god a magician?

Did you know, scientists dug into the Earth and found ROCK?? and MOLTEN LAVA?? If you go passed the O-Zone you DIE??

I never try to convert people..I just say my piece.
I've been abused physically, mentally, verbally and emotionally up until I was 14. I've dealt with abuse within my family my WHOLE life. I used to ALWAYS pray that it get better. It never has, not once. I only have one person in my life that TRULY matters to me, my boyfriend. I can love and be loved in return. I don't really care if there's an afterlife. I live this life to the fullest now because honestly, I grew up way too fast.

Another reason why i've lost faith? I've had 2 miscarriages. One when I was 12(when I believed that if I prayed to God, he'd help me); I lost the baby when I was 6 months pregnant and my boyfriend who promised me the world told me to <******** off and die. I lost TRIPLETS recently. I even tried praying then. I was going to try to start over with everything and raise my children in Faith. But no. I lost them after 3 months.

I also lost Faith because my father decided to become a Reverend. What's wrong with that, do you ask??

He abuses perscription pills. My mother and he decided that they're going to worship god. While committing sins?? Wtf?? They both get high. He gets high off his habit, neglects to help anyone but himself. He hurts everyone around him by being selfish; only caring for his own well being. He has never been there for anyone but himself. For a long time, I actually thought I was adopted.

I feel uncomfortable with churches as well. Because of all the judging eyes that wander over you as you walk in; wondering why the hell you're there. I've never had ANYONE in a church approach me, smiling going "welcome!!". The pastor I most recently came into contact with wears nice Italian leather shoes, a brand new suit every weekend and he only speaks to people that are already part of the congregation. Not to mention, He uses the Tithe money to go on trips to the Bahamas or Jamaica every month. Do you call that "the lords work"?

I've had A LOT of unanswered questions to ask..nobody ever seems to answer them. My grandmother makes it a daily thing to tell me "I've fallen out of touch with god" You're damn right. What has he done for me lately??

Nothing.

@Shiori: But you see, Christians 'push' ( :eyeroll: ) their religion on others because they don't want to see anyone in Hell. It makes the majority of them (at least the ones I know) uncomfortable, and most honestly don't want to offend anyone. If someone is really following th Lord, they're doing because they care, not to be right.

@brainnsoup:
I know it was based around faith, and it behaved like a miracle. If it looks like a miracle, and it's based around God, then it probrobly is.

Maybe if you believe in Aphrodite, but as much as I like Greek mythology, to me it's just that, mythology. The gods are far to human to seem like they should be in control of the universe.

I don't know for sure, but for one thing most other religions don't treat the supernatural as if there's two sides that are at war with one another. And most others don't offer a solution for the evil in human nature.

I realize that. But if nature doesn't care, why would organisms have that instinct? It hardly makes sense for it to come out of nowhere, and there is no reason (in nature) that we have to have that instinct.

It is complicated, amazingly almost beautifully so, and yet it's also very simple. But things in nature usually break down, not build up. To me the universe looks more like the work of a grand Artist then of itself.

He had to give them the choice. Do you want someone to be forced to stay with you, or do you want them to stay with you because they love you? The Lord wanted us to have free will, so we would choose Him. We failed the test.

@Taco:
I'm really sorry to hear you were forced. I think that's really wrong.

We don't always go by that because we're still only human, and there's other rules to go by. If someone is doing it right, I think they love everyone but abhor evil actions, and even evil beliefs. Hate the sin, not the sinner. It's a huge, almost impossible life to live, and no one gets it down perfectly in this life (except Jesus).
It does because the Lord made it a law of the universe.
He did. They're to give beauty to the universe. They are one of the many gifts He bestowed upon humanity.
No, the Heavens are not like the clouds. That's a stereo-type. I don't know where they are, but they aren't here.
Doubtful. It could be Heaven is in the Supernatural realm, I don't completely know.
Heaven is more beautiful then earth. I'd suggest you read 90 minutes in Heaven (by a dude who died for an hour and a half and actually saw it). From what I've read and can remeber there's an iridescent gate, streets paved with gold, light, and 1000 songs in harmony with one another.
Dunno where it is. Do you really expect the supernatural to make sense? It's a different realm, so it has different laws.
God is not a magician, though you're close in a way. He does the impossible because He is omnipotent. Men who rely on dark spirits and their own powers are magicians. Christians depend fully on the Lord (though many struggle with this) which is part of what marks us as different. We are not better then anyone just more fortunate.

I know. I don't think Hell is under ground, thank you very much. Maybe early Christians made that mistake because there were similarities between Hell, and say, volcanos?

I do, but it makes me uncomfortable. I want to see people in Heaven, not suffering for eternity.

I'm honestly sorry that happened to you. I dont' have an answer for why you went through that, but I have faith there is one. Then again, it never promises Christians won't suffer. Have you read what Paul went through? Or there was a Jesus Freak, a girl in a forien country who attended a Bible study despite the fact Christianity was outlawed. They threatened the four people there with a gun if they didn't spit on the Bible. The first three did, but this girl knelt down and wiped it off and they shot her. I hate that you had to go through that, but the Lord doesn't promise people won't go through hardship. What He promises is peace to carry you through the pain, if you're willing to accept it.

Some Christians are wolves in sheep's or just plain lost. I don't completely understand why there's sometimes evil in the Lord's house, or why some churches go corrupt., but it does say in the Bible there willl be some who will do work in the Lord's name, and He'll tell them to leave His Sight because He never knew them. You might be describing people like that.

I'll answer whatever I can, but He has given you this planet, life, and hey, you're boyfriend. And He sent His Son to die for you. You don't have to treat them like gifts, but they are.

@Slone: It could've been an attack by Satan. After all it makes no sense for just convertng to any religion to make you feel like that, right? Prayer over a longer period of time, and some help from mature Christains probrably would've helped. After all, it makes no sense for our God to hurt you for coming to our religion, or another religion's god or enemy to do so either. So it must've been our God's enemy, at least to my way of thinking.