A Just Religion

its not really a joy i get from being with other people. i know what it feels like to be blindly led, and it is comforting, but thats not what it is. look at me now for instance, wouldnt it be easier for me to just agree with u and anyone else who disagrees with me? christians in past times, and even now, hav stood up under intense torture and even death without faltering in their faith.

"life sucks but its better than the alternative"

You don't need people involved to be blindly led, though thats how it tends to start, you just have to blindly believe in something, and that too is just as comforting.

otherwise I'm not sure what point you were getting at with the rest, just because they believed something, had faith in it, and died for it, still doesn't mean they were right. and just fyi, you may have missed the last part of my last post cause I forgot and edited prob while you did your last,

Oh and I love the idea that you have an agnostic and religious parent, though it can make your head hurt worse than any ice cream

"The Greatest Enemy of Knowledge is Not Ignorance, It is the ILLUSION of Knowledge. Stephen Hawking"

Here is a question because of your beliefs and feelings do you feel it is wrong to question religion, its claims, authenticity, as well as its authority figures?

Are you a person who fears questioning? Either fearing say some punishment from god or others. Do you think God would be hurt or shamed by you questioning him?

They bible says beware false prophets I would like to look more at the context of this statement.

There are 2 points initially off that, false prophets who speak of different religions and those who speak of yours.

But the question I have is how do we know a false prophet when we see one? If it is one in your own particular especially. They are going to sound like all the rest and you don't tend to question what they say, or often even what they do. Part of the reason for that is also because of the inherent confusion born of a system of beliefs that strives to be something it says it knows it can never be, which is perfect and un sinning.

The reason for that line of questioning come from earlier, when you talked about why you believed something, especially since it turned out part of it was just because you trusted someone and what they said.

"The Greatest Enemy of Knowledge is Not Ignorance, It is the ILLUSION of Knowledge. Stephen Hawking"

do i fear questioning? lol if u knew me u would know how strange that question sounds to me. but u dont so here goes. i drive my parents, my teachers, my friends and pretty much anyone else i happen to talk to crazy with how much i question. if i am talking to another Christian, i tend to ask the same questions u do. How do u know there are no contradictions? why did Jesus do this when he said that? it goes on forever. theres a verse somewhere, though im sorry i dont know exactly where it is, that tells us specifically to question. i think God is estatic when i look around and try to figure things out.

a false prophet is one who teaches something other than what the Bible teaches.

i'm sorry about the whole thing with just believing what someone said, simply because they said it. that was an isolated incident, trust me, i dont make a habit of it.

one can strive for something even though they know they cant achieve it. what better way to succeed then to set your goals as high as they can go? the point im trying to make is this. God created humanity perfect. that means no sinning, none whatsoever. however, God also gave people a free will. he gave Adam and Eve the ability to choose between obeying him or not. He told them not to eat of the tree of good and evil but they did because of sin. sin coming from Satan, who was a fallen angel. dont ask me why he fell, i dont know. during the old testament the Israelites, or any gentile who wished to follow God, made atonement for their sins through sacrifice, essentually promising God that they would trust Him with everything by giving some of it up to him. in the new testament, Jesus becomes the sacrifice for all. now all we have to do is admit what he did for us to be saved.

"life sucks but its better than the alternative"

Good for you, seriously, i never doubted there was substance to you but I feared I was losing another good mind to sheepish tendencies.

And that you recognize an event of such obviously letting yourself be seriously influenced by things that people like us almost feel obligated, at times, to question.

I too feel unworried by my, what would often be interpreted as blasphemous remarks, simplly because I believe god to be quite possible, just not the scare tactics of religion and the bible, government etc., and I feel that If there is a god that relates to any religion based notion, that it is a very wise and loving, trusting whatever, because this God would no the hearts of man, and know that I mean no disrespect, my questions are tools and kinda gifts in ways, they suck too but what doesn't sometimes.

I have always prescribed to the notion that questions are what test the structural stability of all things, its like in doing a safety inspection or testing the foundations and structure of a home.

If what someone is questioning is true or right it will not fall before simple questions, thats why I hape when people thankfully unlike yourself fear questioning authority or especially religion, its our duty to keep things safe and true, pure if you so desire.

To not question is both dangerous and irresponsible, oh people want to know who their daughter hangs with, but some will even go so far as to give their daughters, and wives and selves most likely unquestioningly to someone like David Koresh in the name of religion no less.

"The Greatest Enemy of Knowledge is Not Ignorance, It is the ILLUSION of Knowledge. Stephen Hawking"