What do you believe in?

It is a shame that any atheist would be beat down just because of what he believes. Boy now, there is a good way to win a man to the Lord, beat God into him. Obviously these "Christians" do not know the bible and clearly lack the grace so often written of in the New Testament. Many bad things over the course of time have been done in the name of God that were clearly ungodly.

I have also seen Christians treated poorly by atheists in places I have worked.

The truth is that at the end of the day we are all still human beings who have all of the same problems and personality quirks.

Jeff

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Originally Posted by Jeltz

I voted Christian, but I admit to being a pretty rubbish one.

I was raised as one but spent years as an atheist, then became agnostic then became troubled that without some form of faith my life was lacking something. At which point it appeared to me that my previous views were basically denying a faith which I always had. My problem now is that I still can't bring myself to go to church, or take it beyond a general overall belief.

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It happens. I walked away from God for many years (possibly ran from). I found I always ended up trudging in the mud.

Jeff

This IS an interesting thread; just had to click on it when I saw it! Though I've voted Christian, I don't attend church anymore, as I find hardly anyone believes what I believe. I do feel it's a pity that many people equate (so called) Christian religions with Christianity. I believe in the Bible, 100%, but believe in the 'vibe' of it rather than what this word means or that word means (or was translated as). I was interested to learn that the first one-volume Bible (I forget the name) had an average of 20 or so corrections per page. It wasn't that the scribes made errors, it was that someone 'differed' with what was taken down. But as I say, I 'get' the 'guts' of it, the vibe of it.

At danger of using a much miss aligned term, I guess I'd call myself a 'fundamental' Christian. I realise that, for some, they would translate that as 'loopy Christian'.

For me, the early Christian church may have been just my cup of tea; or maybe the Coptic church or something? I feel religions are man made (Anglicanism, Catholicism, etc). For me, Man (people) are flawed; sinful. For me, that means the 'rules and regulations' of religions are also flawed.

To echo another, miss-aligned term, God is good. I say miss-aligned because we often hear it lately from those who are violent towards their fellow man. I'm not saying it's right or wrong, I'm just saying it. Some seem to have forgotten the crusades, where people waltzed around the globe (towards the top bit) happily chopping off the heads of people who did not convert. The shoe's on the other foot somewhat these days. The reason I said 'God is good' is I believe that ONLY God is good. I feel that generally, even if (as some say) it's simply a survival thing stemming from evolution (which I don't believe in) most of us want peace, goodness, happiness and love. Most of us seem to NOT want 'badness', but having said that, based on what one reads in the news, there are some very sad, evil, twisted little souls out there.

I don't want to get into a conversation about all the reasons I'm 'wrong', I just want to be 'brave enough' to say what I think and, most importantly, feel.

I do realise I've used quotes a lot and the term, 'for me', which I meant to to demonstrate that it's just my wonky strange beliefs, and I'm not saying anyone else should think the same.

Thanks for the chance to say this...

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Originally Posted by JimR

Bruno, you mistake me. I was speaking in a much more literal sense. You, coming from a European cultural milieu, may not grasp this easily but an "out" Atheist in the USA is in danger of losing job, family, friends, and indeed is under a fairly strong threat of violence. Threats of violence and more are pretty much run-of-the-mill in many parts of the country. Simply having a Darwin sticker on your car is often an invitation to vandalism.Try googling "Jessica Ahlquist" for a very visible example. I myself, as a Highschooler in rural Kansas, was often the target of anonymous threats because I was not a vocal Christian. Anonymous only, because the cowards were afraid to say anything to my face, but they were threats nonetheless. So you might have been called a sheep, but you were never put in fear of your safety, so I can't really say it's the same thing.

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I completely understand how hard it is to be an atheist in extremist Christian America. I grew up Catholic and we tended to be treated somewhere in between the atheists and the Jewish. It's most of the reason that I quit practicing all together.

Born Christian but resigned from the church as soon as i became adult. Ever since i've been agnostic. I have no problem with other people seeing things differently. It's each on his/her own.

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Originally Posted by carlmaloschneider

For me, Man (people) are flawed; sinful. For me, that means the 'rules and regulations' of religions are also flawed.

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Never forget that the Bible tells us that to receive God's grace there are rules and regulations to follow. They are quite simple, but at times you need to have great strength of character to comply with them.

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Originally Posted by welshwizard

Never forget that the Bible tells us that to receive God's grace there are rules and regulations to follow. They are quite simple, but at times you need to have great strength of character to comply with them.

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Oh, hi, I don't mean the Bible's rules and regulations, I mean the ones we've sort of added. I always felt it odd (as an Anglican) that Catholics appeared to me to pray to the virgin Mary, or statues of Mary. Sort of seemed a bit like idol worship to me. And people at Church started going on about what candle to light first, and seemed to be a bit 'disturbed' that I didn't genuflect when standing in front of the altar. I felt God knows what's in my heart; no need to start acting like a Pharisee and demonstrating what was in my heart. Those sorts of rules and regulations...

Very interesting documentary the other night on TV about religion and how the world 'can't' have been made in 6 'days'. If God says it was, it was. Not that it actually matters, really, but I think they were mixing scientific rules (physics, etc) with spiritual rules..

Anyway, Mr Welsh Wizard, nice to talk to you :-)

I'm John from Virginia and I believe in Jesus. I simply love how that can blow someone's mind. I was raised Catholic and continue to be a devout one.

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Originally Posted by JohnnyCakeDC

I'm John from Virginia and I believe in Jesus. I simply love how that can blow someone's mind. I was raised Catholic and continue to be a devout one.

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You would not BELIEVE how annoying I was at my son's engagement party the other night. A few drinks and I was engaging all and sundry in conversation about deep and meaningful things. I told my wife tonight she may need to send out 'sorry' cards.

Just thought I'd jump on the 'blowing people's minds' thing :-)

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Originally Posted by carlmaloschneider

Very interesting documentary the other night on TV about religion and how the world 'can't' have been made in 6 'days'. If God says it was, it was. Not that it actually matters, really, but I think they were mixing scientific rules (physics, etc) with spiritual rules..

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The book of Genesis is not and never was an instruction on how to create a world.

Also....if the world is not in existence yet....what measures a day?