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quote:
Originally posted by Thipdar:
As long as human ego is on the throne, there is no room for God.
That made me laugh. The visual image of my ego being "on the throne" and God knocking on the bathroom door, "C'mon, Kaiden, I gotta GO!" "Use the bushes, I'm on the throne and I'll be here for a while." "Me dammit, Kaiden, last time I used a bush I set it on fire, and you saw how THAT turned out!" I'm so glad that I'm not taking on God as a boarder.
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quote:
Originally posted by Grant:
I fully believe that the Christian religion is more there for healing and support than it is for "righteousness".
I have to disagree. I've studied the phenominon of abuse and the ramifications of abuse, and I've found that while religion is not to blaim for abuse, the Christian's notion of a "loving God" is very much in line with the notions that other victims have of their abuser. For example, if I were to tell my child, "love me and do as I say, or I'll pour gasoline on you and burn you alive," you'd call me a psychopath, an abuser (a mental abuser at any rate), and an all around EVIL person. At least, I hope you would, for the sake of my hypothetical child. However, when God does this sort of thing, (only, being an OMNIPOTANT being God can burn you alive FOREVER AND EVER), we call him "loving." When we apply this pyschology of the victim loving his abuser and assuming the abuser loves him as well, it's called "Stockholm Syndrome." Since a detailed explanation of the abuser/abused relationship is of only tangental interest, I'll point any interested readers to this url: http://www.losingmyreligion.com/articlesf/abuse.html
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Religion doesn't do a single thing. People do. So, to say that Christianity isn't concerned with this or is concerned with this or prone to do this or that is inaccurate and makes one prone to several errors in thinking. To paraphrase Charlton Heston, "Religion ... it's people!!! It's made out of PEOPLE!!!" We've all had good and bad experiences with people and religion. To me it's all about the tendencies of people and not something outside of people acting upon them. To think eradicating religion will eradicate certain types of problems is using a scapegoat (and interestingly ironic).
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Religion comes from the word "religio" which refers to 'awe or reverence in the presence of God". Its about acting in response to what your truly beleive is accurate. Every religion offers a solution to different problems. Christianity, specifically, isnt concerned with you being happy with your life. Christianity claims to a truth, on level with that of the law of gravity or any other thing that is based in reality. If Christianity is just a belief preference then it does no real good other than providing community and solving other various personal issues. However, Christianity is a historical faith that claims real historical miracles and truth that is based in our reality right now. Either it is wrong or it is right. Many Christians, myself included, would leave christianity if it could be demonstrated that it was a religion NOT based in reality. Now, the average american today assume it flies in the face of science etc. but honestly.. i have spent that last few years studying it and i must honestly say that the average american is wrong. I challenge you to research christianity rationally and see what its really about. try some of these sites for starters: www.godandscience.org www.leaderu.com/offices/billcraig/menus/articles.html www.reasons.org and there are MANY more.. (note, this practice of defending christianity and presenting it rationally is called "christian apologetics".
Again, christianity is not about making you feel good. its about truth..
Enjoy 
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You mean the truth as Christians see it, right? I have been in several conversations with Christians and it's apparent to me that what they consider fact and what I consider fact are at times radically divergent.
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I'd just like to drop in real quick and recommend everyone to read a book entitled The Science of Mind, by Ernest Holmes. -youngprer
geocities.com/doc5587
pub117.ezboard.com/btheworldofyoungprer
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Hey Guys! This is a topic that is relevant to most of us. I am certainly mixed in the midst of these opinions. I myself am a Christian, yet I've had my dark periods of time as being one. It's what you call...religious addiction. Man, this thing sucked! I know what it's like to get so into the practice, and then to get mixed messages by various preachers. It's totally confusing, and then they sometimes make you feel like you have to follow the rules which appear to have no ground, then you might feel guilty for not following them! I can't say if I'm taking sides, because humans have a right to think and decide for themselves. Different preachers emphasize different extereme sides of the concept, such as "you're in danger of going to hell" or "discover a God who loves you." The bottom line is, stay optimistic about the whole thing, and make honest and unbiased decisions, which may evolve over time, of course.
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