Religious beliefs - Page 2

I believe in God for existential reasons. There is no reason to believe in anything, there seems to be no purpose in life, no order or nope, but Christianity has given me a lot spiritually and I see no reason to give it up.

There was a religion around the time of Jesus that did believe that once you're dead, that's it, no more. It didn't last.

The way I understand it, salvation is giving up yourself and becoming a part of a greater whole. This is what the marriage feast is all about. So you might say, we don't live on, we die.

This is scary, we hold onto ourselves for security. We only trust ourselves. To give up yourself is an act of faith.

I don't believe that this happens the first time we live on this earth. We may have to live on this earth many times to reach this point. I therefore believe in reincarnation.

I had a dream once where I was walking out of a building and was shot in the back three times and died.

However I knew I was a bank robber and the building I was leaving was a Lutheran Church, and the man who shot me was sitting outside on a bench waiting for me to walk by. He was a bounty hunter. I don't know how I knew these things, as they weren't reveled to me in the dream. I could only surmise that I remembered these things. I could be wrong. But I believe this was my past life.

So I would have to believe that we don't just die.

Strange isn't it but most of these willingly accept: the existence of an atom with electrons & yet the electrons form (energy) electro-magnetic shells Which constitute a mostly empty void, a nucleus so tiny that it can not be seen?

Even the tinyest of the tiny is a miracle. I think the scriptures are right in portraying us as children.

I think its imperative that people learn to separate belief in God from belief in the bible and religion.One does not equate the other.
In my personal experience I still find myself believing in God's existence although religion tried very hard to turn me into an atheist.

Ya, kiind of strange it all workd isn't it billyboy?

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In my personal experience I still find myself believing in God's existence although religion tried very hard to turn me into an atheist.

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those in whom we should see the likeness of the All Father, are the ones whom generally we note the difference? Perhaps we put to great an expectation upon them, they like us are only giving pretence to grace which we don't have within ourselves?
OkCity, my father greatly influenced my preceiving the wonder of all life! It is a wonderful gift.

true-but I wasnt looking for perfection.
I was looking for a perfect example.And what would that perfect example be in my book?the intent.Truly trying.
All I saw were a bunch of people who hoped to believe because they wanted to save their necks.Led to a nicely decorated "house of adoration"by the sole principle of fear.
I wanted to see people love God because of the type of God he was(and is)-rather than feint their love for the sole purpose of convenience.
Because it's comfortable to believe in God.Because-what if we die tommorrow?

There are good people who go to church. As a matter of fact I'm helping this guy build computers for the poor. He's a faithful Southern Baptist. And ofcourse there are bad people who go to church too. But everywhere you look there is good and bad. It makes no difference. People are people everywhere. Some bad, some good. Some very bad, some very good. Most of us are somewhere in the middle. usually a big thing will happen if a lot of people are doing a lot of little things. But usually nothing happens when one person tries to do something big. We need eachother. One stock of wheat will bend and break in the wind, but in a field they will stand together in the fiercest wind.

Hmm . . . reading throught I realized I never gave an answer to the orginal question? I would say then having come to the conclusion that certain aspects of soul or spirit (whatever) have valid (real) tangible effects in our existence.
Having accepted the existence of an entity, I seek to know more about it.
I study the nature of the beast so to speak.

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I wanted to see people love God because of the type of God he was(and is)-rather than feint their love for the sole purpose of convenience.

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To tell you the Truth which I find that I love GOD least of all . . . Sad but true!
For if I really loved GOD then I would not live the way I do.

"To me I do not have any desire whatsoever to believe in a "god". I see no advantages in doing so."

Well, obviously you don't understand too much about Christianity. We don't believe in God because of "advantages" it gives us, we do it becuase we know he exists. We don't believe in him because of a "desire" to, we believe in in him because we know he exists.

underdwag, you know better than that 'no christian' would say that as it is written even demons acknowledge GOD's existence with a shutter. So you know they would never admitt to it.

The demons believe in God, but the athiests don't, they don't even believe in demons. Now I believe in God but I'm not sure about demons. As far as what Christians believe. First you have to determine who is a christian, some would even say I am.

Billy Boy however had made some very general broad statements, expressing some anger, maybe he should explain further, it might be good for him.

Well, to put it simpy, beleif in life after death gives you hope and sense of purpose in life. It doesn't matter if it really exists or not, if u beleve that there will be consequences for your actions, then society will function properly, if u don't beleve in it, then there will be chaos. However, If you have enough common sense, u will refrain from being a chaotic animal, imean, some people are 'human' enough to do the right things regrdless of wheather they will be rewarded or not. I mean really, After life is just a reflection of our greed; you are helping the old lady cross the road not because it is a good deed but because you will be rewarded handsomly for it. I think that it is really sick that u r doing something nice just for some benefit to you.

Anyway, no one can prove life after death, but as long as it lets you have a good sleep, then its better u beleive in it.

Ah, billyboy is being unresponsive?
I too would have like to hear his reply. But I didn't sense anger so much as acceptance of man's inability to transend worldly desire and keeping spiritual faith in the physical world.
At least in our part of the world (USA), Christians seldom live the 'christian life' except as a robe (your Sunday Best) in which we dress to give pretense of Faithfulness.

There is a Christian lady who sits accross from me at work. Making sure we all believe in Jesus so we will go to a better place. I think she is nice and I think it is cute. But sometimes she will do things that are just wrong and anger will boil within me (isn't she a christian?). Truth is, she's a young person still growing and I have to think back didn't I? What makes us think Christians are supposed to be so perfect. What self defense mechanism within us makes us think this way?

Angel of Death - U are right, religion keeps us in line and most of the time that is good and sometimes it is not just, but most of the time it is good. But I've known athiests who have been very righteous. So it may not be the afterlife, but a conscience that seems to be built into most of us. This conscience becomes corrupted mostly by what we see on TV. How many times have you seen a person die in real life? How many times have you seen a person die on TV. Without our realizing it, this makes us cold and hard and easy for us to do harm to others.