Official Religous Thread

[ecto9]

So how about it then. Without getting to preachy, what are your beliefs?

I am a believer in the Bible and somewhat of a Christian But... I hate what religion has become in the "religious right" so to speak. I don't go to church and I don't preach to much at all, But I believe there has to be more to life in general than this short amount of time we are all here.

Sure I pray. Ussually when I need something, but also when tragety strikes those close to me. Does it work, I believe so. But God isn't a vending machine and sometimes the answer is "No"

I dabled in magick years ago but stopped because I felt I was starting to play God. And is there a Devil? Hell yes there is, but it's best not to talk about him too much cause that's what gives him power.

[Lexed]

Evolution is what I believe in.

[Merc..]

I am a Christian !! I am a Baptist ....

Merc !!!

[kfrost06]

Evolution is what I believe in.

Evolution theory keeps changing, I like to keep my beliefs constant.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070808/...uman_evolution

Study finds twist in human evolution

WASHINGTON - Surprising fossils dug up in Africa are creating messy kinks in the iconic straight line of human evolution with its knuckle-dragging ape and briefcase-carrying man.

The new research by famed paleontologist Meave Leakey in Kenya shows our family tree is more like a wayward bush with stubby branches, calling into question the evolution of our ancestors.

The old theory was that the first and oldest species in our family tree, Homo habilis, evolved into Homo erectus, which then became us, Homo sapiens. But those two earlier species lived side-by-side about 1.5 million years ago in parts of Kenya for at least half a million years, Leakey and colleagues report in a paper published in Thursday's journal Nature.

In 2000 Leakey found an old Homo erectus complete skull within walking distance of an upper jaw of the Homo habilis, and both dated from the same general time period. That makes it unlikely that one evolved from the other, researchers said.

It's the equivalent of finding that your grandmother and great-grandmother were sisters rather than mother-daughter, said study co-author Fred Spoor, a professor of evolutionary anatomy at the University College in London.

The two species lived near each other, but probably didn't interact with each other, each having their own "ecological niche," Spoor said. Homo habilis was likely more vegetarian and Homo erectus ate some meat, he said. Like chimps and apes, "they'd just avoid each other, they don't feel comfortable in each other's company," he said.

They have some still-undiscovered common ancestor that probably lived 2 million to 3 million years ago, a time that has not left much fossil record, Spoor said.

Overall what it paints for human evolution is a "chaotic kind of looking evolutionary tree rather than this heroic march that you see with the cartoons of an early ancestor evolving into some intermediate and eventually unto us," Spoor said in a phone interview from a field office of the Koobi Fora Research Project in northern Kenya.

That old evolutionary cartoon, while popular with the general public, keeps getting proven wrong and too simple, said Bill Kimbel, who praised the latest findings. He is science director of the Institute of Human Origins at Arizona State University and wasn't involved in the research team.

"The more we know, the more complex the story gets," he said. Scientists used to think Homo sapiens evolved from Neanderthals, he said, but now know that both species lived during the same time period and that we did not come from Neanderthals.

Now a similar discovery applies further back in time.

Leakey's team spent seven years analyzing the fossils before announcing their findings that it was time to redraw the family tree — and rethink other ideas about human evolutionary history, especially about our most immediate ancestor, Homo erectus.

Because the Homo erectus skull Leakey recovered was much smaller than others, scientists had to first prove that it was erectus and not another species nor a genetic freak. The jaw, probably from an 18- or 19-year-old female, was adult and showed no signs of any type of malformations or genetic mutations, Spoor said. The scientists also know it isn't Homo habilis from several distinct features on the jaw.

That caused researchers to re-examine the 30 other erectus skulls they have and the dozens of partial fossils. They realized that the females of that species are much smaller than the males — something different from modern man, but similar to other animals, said study co-author Susan Anton, a New York University anthropologist. Scientists hadn't looked carefully enough before to see that there was a distinct difference in males and females.

Difference in size between males and females seem to be related to monogamy, the researchers said. Primate species that have same-sized males and females, such as gibbons, tend to be more monogamous. Species that are not monogamous, such as gorillas and baboons, have much bigger males.

This suggests that our ancestor Homo erectus reproduced with multiple partners.

The Homo habilis jaw was dated at 1.44 million years ago. That is the youngest ever found from a species that scientists originally figured died off somewhere between 1.7 and 2 million years ago, Spoor said. It enabled scientists to say that the two species lived at the same time.

All the changes to human evolutionary thought should not be considered a weakness in the theory of evolution, Kimbel said. Rather, those are the predictable results of getting more evidence, asking smarter questions and forming better theories, he said.

[Superhuman]

I am Catholic but not yet confirmed, and I don't fully understand the difference between it and the Presbyterian denomination which I used to belong to.

[RBD85]

Christian baptist

[l2elapse]

i was baptized into the Mormon religion about 2 years ago and after the last year i have been straying from their beliefs.

[Flagg]

We need a Darwin Thread to counter this.

[LawMan018]

I'm a Christian, I read the Bible from time to time and I go to Church... However, I don't believe everything I read in the Bible is true. I don't believe in Adam and Eve, science has proved it wrong. I believe God had a hand in creating life I just do not believe he created humans, just the creatures that evolved into humans. Now, last week at my Church we watched a video (very biased so I didn't like it much) and afterwards we talked about it. Now half these people at my Church believed that watching "Talladega Nights" was bad. Watching any movie with sin in it or whatever was against the Christian faith. And I'm thinking, "Are these people freaking ridiculous?" As long as you don't practice any shit you see in movies they are fine to watch. What is God going to send you to hell for watching Talladega Nights? Give me a freakin' break. I put these people into the same category as I put those nut jobs who believe Harry Potter is an evil book. I'm very open when it comes to religion and I just believe if God is as forgiving as he is portrayed to be, then if we live good lives, do good things, and when we commit wrong we learn from it and ask for forgiveness (I'm talking about real "wrong", not reading Harry Potter or watching a violent movie) then all will be allowed in Heaven.

P.S. But I'm not sure if I wanna go to Heaven if it's going to be filled with hateful people against homosexuality, people who think children's books are Satanic, people who believe our troops should be killed, etc.

[xlxBigSexyxlx]

God didn't create the world in 6 days. Its already been proven that evolution occured and the world is billions of years old. But whos to say that some supreme force didn't create the world then?

Noah didn't build a huge ark and put 2 of every animal....just not reasonable.

Im more of a science guy. I like to see it, to believe it.

A lot of christians are hypocrits, which I do not like. Quick example, majority of america is christian. at 9/11, most of america supported the war, supported to kill. If I rmemeber right Jesus was a pacifist

I feel the truth is whatever one wants it too be. I was raised christian, but if my parents where buddaist, I would be a monk right now. So whos to say someone is right and someone else is wrong? No one knows for sure. Which brings it to a close for me...

Have an open mind to all people and all religions. Just be a good person, morally, and you will be happy in the afterlife, whatever that so happens to be.

[RBD85]

P.S. But I'm not sure if I wanna go to Heaven if it's going to be filled with hateful people against homosexuality

You went through with the gay porn didnt you?

[kfrost06]

You went through with the gay porn didnt you?

[RBD85]

geez whats it take to get an owned smiley around here?

[Titleist]

Can't wait to see what this thread turns into.

[Titleist]

You went through with the gay porn didnt you?

Happy?

[m8intl]

Evolution theory keeps changing, I like to keep my beliefs constant.

Evolution theory keeps changing because advances in science are also constantly changing. I'd rather know the truth, whatever it is, than adhere to a false belief merely because I'd grown accustom to it.

[gixxerboy1]

Evolution theory keeps changing because advances in science are also constantly changing. I'd rather know the truth, whatever it is, than adhere to a false belief merely because I'd grown accustom to it.

Agreed.

[Lexed]

The only thing that counters my belief in evolution is that life had to have come from somewhere. Even if we came from say another species from another universe how where they made and it continues prob to a never ending cycle. Scientist say that the whole universe started with the big bang and my question is where did living things come from when there was nothing living?

[RBD85]

The only thing that counters my belief in evolution is that life had to have come from somewhere. Even if we came from say another species from another universe how where they made and it continues prob to a never ending cycle. Scientist say that the whole universe started with the big bang and my question is where did living things come from when there was nothing living?

exactly.. If life started out with the big bang then where did the big bang come from? and so on and so on. Every living thing has to be brought to life. Although this "big" bang that I here so much about was not alive... where did it come from? It had to have been created at one point right? So there was nothing once and all of a sudden nothing decided it was gonna create a big bang? answer that one almighty science! Either way religion or evolution you have to believe in the unbelievable!

[RBD85]

Happy?

very

[bigboy003]

"Well, I believe in the soul, the cock, the *****, the small of a woman's back, the hangin curveball, high fiber, good scotch... that the novels of Susan Sontag are self-indulgent overrated crap. I believe Lee Harvey Oswald acted alone. I believe there ought to be a Constitutional ammendment outlawing astroturf and the designated hitter. I believe in the sweet spot, soft core pornography, opening your presents on Christmas morning rather than on Christmas Eve, and I believe in long, slow, deep, soft, wet kisses that last three nights. I believe baseball is a religion, a nut flush really makes you nut, the height of every man's day is spent on the shitter. I believe in slump busters, roids,cleat chasers, and cuddling after sex should be optional. I believe Post 540 has many unknown offspring, and abortions are legal because of Johnny Christo. I believe beirut should be an olympic sport and every good beer die player has scars to prove it. I believe in MILFs, thongs under bootyshorts, and a beautiful smile. I blieve in boxed wine, jager and redbull, and the champagne of beers. I believe Khalil Greene is a young diciple of his master Ozzie Smith, and barry bonds is a direct decendant of the babe, pace." Amen Herm

[Lexed]

[Flagg]

Evolution theory keeps changing because advances in science are also constantly changing. I'd rather know the truth, whatever it is, than adhere to a false belief merely because I'd grown accustom to it.

Amen to that.

[ecto9]

I think we can all believe in evolution. I mean think about it, everything "evolves" in some fashon or another, with time.

But think about how the earth is a certain distance from the sun, or we're all fvcked. The moon and all the planets and the complexities of our DNA and everything. There has to be an unseen force behind it all, it's just too much to leave to chance.

[LawMan018]

"Well, I believe in the soul, the cock, the *****, the small of a woman's back, the hangin curveball, high fiber, good scotch... that the novels of Susan Sontag are self-indulgent overrated crap. I believe Lee Harvey Oswald acted alone. I believe there ought to be a Constitutional ammendment outlawing astroturf and the designated hitter. I believe in the sweet spot, soft core pornography, opening your presents on Christmas morning rather than on Christmas Eve, and I believe in long, slow, deep, soft, wet kisses that last three nights. I believe baseball is a religion, a nut flush really makes you nut, the height of every man's day is spent on the shitter. I believe in slump busters, roids,cleat chasers, and cuddling after sex should be optional. I believe Post 540 has many unknown offspring, and abortions are legal because of Johnny Christo. I believe beirut should be an olympic sport and every good beer die player has scars to prove it. I believe in MILFs, thongs under bootyshorts, and a beautiful smile. I blieve in boxed wine, jager and redbull, and the champagne of beers. I believe Khalil Greene is a young diciple of his master Ozzie Smith, and barry bonds is a direct decendant of the babe, pace." Amen Herm

I liked that movie... And continuing on no I didn't do that "solo" shoot, but who knows in the future, lol... And again, about how the evolution theory keeps changing... well like that guy said, "of course it does!" Science keeps finding out new things... And I would rather believe "current" science then a damn thousand year old book... Hey you wanna play it that way let's get rid of all our technology and start using swords and shields in battle again. Yeh, let's make the world today how it was back then... That seems to be where some of your mindsets are... Give me a ****in' break.

[Flagg]

I think we can all believe in evolution. I mean think about it, everything "evolves" in some fashon or another, with time.

But think about how the earth is a certain distance from the sun, or we're all fvcked. The moon and all the planets and the complexities of our DNA and everything. There has to be an unseen force behind it all, it's just too much to leave to chance.

Why does there have to be a higher power involved? Why can't it be just down to chance, coincidence and luck we're here?

It amazes me how the human race is so self indulgent that there has to be some mystic higher meaning to our existence.

[Lexed]

its kinda like the greeks and there beilef in there gods. We only now think that was so funny that they beileved in all those weird gods. Maybe in 500 years ppl will be thinking the same of us.

[Flagg]

its kinda like the greeks and there beilef in there gods. We only now think that was so funny that they beileved in all those weird gods. Maybe in 500 years ppl will be thinking the same of us.

I think so. People think it's hillarious if you say you believe in vampires rising from the dead yet it's totally plausable to believe Jesus did.

[l2elapse]

I think so. People think it's hillarious if you say you believe in vampires rising from the dead yet it's totally plausable to believe Jesus did.

i think Jesus and vampires are on different levels.

[m8intl]

I think so. People think it's hillarious if you say you believe in vampires rising from the dead yet it's totally plausable to believe Jesus did.

But Jesus was different! I'm being sarcastic.

[Amorphic]

I'm not really any classification. I dont follow the bible or believe the religious views from the past, becaus in my opinion they dont hold true in the modern world, not to mention the discrepincies in the bible. I hope there is something more to this life though, thinking that it ends when you die is a little depressing.

[Lexed]

I feel the same way amorphic even though I dont beilve in it I hope there is something after death

[m8intl]

Me too. But I also hoped there was a Santa Claus.

[Lexed]

what are you talking about mint? santa is real silly

[Amorphic]

Me too. But I also hoped there was a Santa Claus.

I had that bad news broke to me early on lol

[bigboy003]

"Religion is based I think, primarily and mainly upon fear. It is partly the terror of the unknown and partly, as I have said, the wish to feel that you have a kind of elder brother who will stand by you in all your troubles and disputes. Fear is the basis of the whole thing--fear of the mysterious, fear of defeat, fear of death. Fear is the parent of cruelty, and therefore it is no wonder if cruelty and religion have gone hand in hand." -Bertrand Russell

[DSM4Life]

Who needs religion.

Just enjoy the life you were given while respecting others.

[Logan13]

Who needs religion.

Just enjoy the life you were given while respecting others.

I think that you need to follow your own advice..........

[Doc.Sust]

wow this cant turn out good, i am going to lock it for now, if the admins think this is a good idea, than they can re-open it

[Logan13]

wow this cant turn out good, i am going to lock it for now, if the admins think this is a good idea, than they can re-open it

I think that it has been handled much better than it was in the past.......