Do you believe in God?

[dxld]

I was raised as a Catholic Christian, as I learned more from the Bible from different denominations of Christianity, as well as learned of the Bible from secular sources such as College, I discovered more truth. The weakness in focusing or following on a sect or a denomination of Christianity is that they already have their pre-defined ways. the Seventh Day Adventists follow the Sabath on Saturday not Sunday. the Baptists require Baptism during adulthood, The Catholics require repentance and prayer every Sunday and eating of bread during the Holy Communion. their are different versions of Christianity as their are different versions of Islam and Buddhism.

Their are also hundreds of translations of the Bible just from Hebrew or Greek to English. from The King James Version, New American Standard Bible, to the New International Version, to the New World Translation, to even the Hawaiian Pidgeon English version. Their are also thousands and thousand of translations in other languages, bicultural I would be going of topic to explain...

What a closed minded Christian would do is only focus on one version of the Bible. an open minded Christian would not focus one one version, he/she would attempt to look at them all.
An open minded Christian would not only look at the English translations but at least attempt to figure out some biblical passages directly from Hebrew.

When it all boils down, of all the translations of the Bible, all Christians, and all Jews must go back to the very foundation of the Bible which is is written in Hebrew text.

An open minded Christian would go as far as studying other religions, including Islam, Buddhism, Ancient Egyptian, heck even Jedi Knight.

Being an open minded Christian is not easy, being an open minded person to all things is even harder.

I am not bothered by what the majority denominations say about original sin, or if we should celebrate a child's birthday. The biblical texts have no direct commandment that forbids birthday celebrations, and no direct verses stating a newborn baby is born as a sinner, and I trust in the professional translators that the Hebrew Version does not forbid birthday parties. Hebrew tradition by the way includes Birthday parties, on a boys 13th Birthday, they have his Bar Mitzvah.

 

[Denur]

What a closed minded Christian would do is only focus on one version of the Bible. an open minded Christian would not focus one one version, he/she would attempt to look at them all.

And then what, combine all the good pieces (which is subjective) and basically create another Christian/Hebrew version? And those who do not agree with your views, will they go to Hell? Ow, and will you be putting all your views into your very own new Bible? The Dixieland Bible does have a nice ring to it.

 

[Dotini]

http://www.scientificamerican.com/article.cfm?id=is-consciousness-universal
An interesting article concerning panpsychism, universal consciousness, and the nature of subjective experience.

 

[Carbonox]

An open minded Christian would consider the possibility that their entire religion is the wrong one.

 

[MatskiMonk]

http://www.scientificamerican.com/article.cfm?id=is-consciousness-universal
An interesting article concerning panpsychism, universal consciousness, and the nature of subjective experience.

Interesting concept, can't say I really grasped some of the points the article made though.

An open minded Christian would consider the possibility that their entire religion is the wrong one.

I would hope every person in this thread would have considered their particular standpoint could be the wrong one.

 

[HaerBev]

Most of the humans are made to be slaves and will always ruin their lives with religious beliefs. I can understand that this is a way to domsticate the masses, the only way to be a part of the society, a path for power and war, a way to fill the internal void of useless creatures, a guiding light to celebrate the earth.


When the sun will start to grow and transform into a red giant star, every lifeform will be erased and all the pseudo divine myths will be vanished by the solar radiations, nuclear particles etc etc. No salvation haha.


I love Hellenic and Nordic mythology and astrophysics so I can't be a religious sheep.

 

[Carbonox]

I would hope every person in this thread would have considered their particular standpoint could be the wrong one.

Considering science evolves all the time, yes, you're right.

 

[Imari]

I would hope every person in this thread would have considered their particular standpoint could be the wrong one.

Well, except for the people who have not taken a standpoint because they don't have enough information.

 

[sinbad]

Well, except for the people who have not taken a standpoint because they don't have enough information.

They're inevitably wrong until they choose. If God exists they've been wrong to doubt it and if not they're wrong to doubt it. There's no maybe with faith. If you're not sure you have no faith.

 

[MatskiMonk]

Well, except for the people who have not taken a standpoint because they don't have enough information.

In that case, to be open minded they would have to give all possibilities due consideration, rather than just all other possibilities?

 

[Spurgy 777]

They're inevitably wrong until they choose. If God exists they've been wrong to doubt it and if not they're wrong to doubt it. There's no maybe with faith. If you're not sure you have no faith.

Surely the only person who can be wrong is the person saying they know something is 100% true? You can't be wrong doubting something if you have insufficient evidence to come to a conclusion, especially when there's no evidence at all

 

[Imari]

They're inevitably wrong until they choose. If God exists they've been wrong to doubt it and if not they're wrong to doubt it. There's no maybe with faith. If you're not sure you have no faith.

Oh hell, not this again.

Look, if somebody asks me whether a coin will land on heads or tails, and I say I don't know, how can I be wrong? I can't be wrong if I haven't answered the question.

I don't know if there's a God. Tell me exactly what part of that statement is wrong.

Theists can be wrong. Non-theists can be wrong. Atheists are waiting for more information.

 

[dxld]

An open minded Christian would consider the possibility that their entire religion is the wrong one.

Open mindedness comes with learning and growing and eventually there is a point when a side must be chosen, when it it comes to believing in God the creator, their is no middle road, it's either yes you believe in the ultimate Love which is God, or no you do not believe.

And then what, combine all the good pieces (which is subjective) and basically create another Christian/Hebrew version? And those who do not agree with your views, will they go to Hell? Ow, and will you be putting all your views into your very own new Bible? The Dixieland Bible does have a nice ring to it.

No, because the originals are written in Hebrew. The NIV and the NASB versions are very good translations, these translations are not done by one person, they are done by a large group of people who decide on the meaning of each and every verse. Language translation is tricky, especially when dealing with the sacred text of the Bible.

Some other translations of the bible were only done by one person, so they are not as reliable, so it's those versions that are more questionable.

 

[Imari]

Open mindedness comes with learning and growing and eventually there is a point when a side must be chosen, when it it comes to believing in God the creator, their is no middle road, it's either yes you believe in the ultimate Love which is God, or no you do not believe.

Oh dear.

So you're saying that there's a point at which a decision must be made?

What point is that? How do you know when you get there? What happens when you DON'T make the decision? What is different before that which means that you don't HAVE to choose?

 

[dxld]

Oh dear.

So you're saying that there's a point at which a decision must be made?

What point is that? How do you know when you get there? What happens when you DON'T make the decision? What is different before that which means that you don't HAVE to choose?

Decisions are tough to make, it depends on the person I guess...

"Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love."
1 John 4:8

 

[Imari]

Decisions are tough to make, it depends on the person I guess...

"Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love."
1 John 4:8

That's not an answer.

What happens if you don't make the decision?

 

[Duke]

I've been with my wife for 30 years and love her deeply. Does this mean I automatically know God?

 

[Spurgy 777]

I've been with my wife for 30 years and love her deeply. Does this mean I automatically know God?

Probably the "wrong kind" of love or something

 

[Famine]

No, no, us atheists aren't capable of love because something something rational something.

 

[LeMansAid]

I've been with my wife for 30 years and love her deeply. Does this mean I automatically know God?

Wrong way around actually, based on the quote.

 

[MatskiMonk]

Just wondering what the mechanism is that tells (some of) us love is real and exists, and how that relates to the mechanism that tells (some of) us that God is real exists.

 

[Imari]

@2:27
I want to get down on my knees and start pleasing Jesus.
I want to feel his salvation all over my face.

Is that the sort of love we're talking about?

 

[dxld]

I've been with my wife for 30 years and love her deeply. Does this mean I automatically know God?

God gave her to you, so yes you have a working knowledge of God.

@2:27
I want to get down on my knees and start pleasing Jesus.
I want to feel his salvation all over my face.

Is that the sort of love we're talking about?

No it's not sexual love as Cartman's words can be taken. Gods love is a parent to child type of love.

 

[Imari]

No it's not sexual love as Cartman's words can be taken. Gods love is a parent to child type of love.

Good to see your sense of humour remains unimpaired.

Feel like answering the question yet? What happens if you don't make the decision to believe in God or not?

 

[dxld]

Good to see your sense of humour remains unimpaired.

Feel like answering the question yet? What happens if you don't make the decision to believe in God or not?

I Love South Park, and I have nothing but respect for what Trey Parker and Matt Stone have done in the realm of Animated Comedy. I believe God gave them talent, intelligence, and charisma that many politicians lack.

I believe in God because I do not want to go to hell. The way South Park portrays hell is bad enough with Sadam Hussein, Satan, Hitler, and the weirdo version of Michael Jackson. The real Hell is 1 Million times worse than the South Park Hell.

 

[Imari]

I Love South Park, and I have nothing but respect for what Trey Parker and Matt Stone have done in the realm of Animated Comedy. I believe God gave them talent, intelligence, and charisma that many politicians lack.

I believe in God because I do not want to go to hell. The way South Park portrays hell is bad enough with Sadam Hussein, Satan, Hitler, and the weirdo version of Michael Jackson. The real Hell is 1 Million times worse than the South Park Hell.

You're still avoiding the question.

 

[dxld]

You're still avoiding the question.

I really have no definite answer on the time frame of when to decide, learning can be a life long process.

There is the story of the two thieves who were crucified along with Christ, one of them asked Christ to remember him in the heavenly Kingdom. Christ replied to the man who was about to die and said to him.

"Amen I say to you today you will be with me in Paradise." Luke 23:39-43

 

[kennylmao]

I believe in God because I do not want to go to hell.

Umm, that's it? So you're believing in God out of fear? Ehh, pretty much sums up most believers I assume.

 

[Imari]

I really have no definite answer on the time frame of when to decide, learning can be a life long process.

There is the story of the two thieves who were crucified along with Christ, one of them asked Christ to remember him in the heavenly Kingdom. Christ replied to the man who was about to die and said to him.

"Amen I say to you today you will be with me in Paradise." Luke 23:39-43

I know that biblical quotes probably mean a lot to you, but to non-Christians it's just some lines in a book. They don't really have any greater significance for being biblical. If you could explain what they mean to you, that would be a lot more helpful rather than being all gnomic.

Besides, while there was multiple questions in my original post, that wasn't the one I chose to press you on. I'm aware that most of them were traps, and so I won't push you on the answers. The question which you still haven't though is "what happens if you don't make the decision?"

What happens if I die, and I've not made any decision as to my belief in God? Clearly, that is possible. I haven't made any decision now, and there's nothing that's going to actually force me to before I die. So your statement that you must make a decision is obviously literally false, so I'm interpreting it that there's some reason why no one would avoid making that decision. What's the reason?

 

[Denur]

The NIV and the NASB versions are very good translations, these translations are not done by one person, they are done by a large group of people who decide on the meaning of each and every verse.

So would you then say that if there were to be any inconsistencies left in those versions, that these are, most likely, also in the original version? For example, can you tell me who is Zerubbabel's father: Pedaiah or Shealtiel?

Ezra 3:2
New International Version (NIV)

2 Then Joshua son of Jozadak and his fellow priests and Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel and his associates began....

1 Chronicles 3:19
New International Version (NIV)

19 The sons of Pedaiah: Zerubbabel and Shimei...