Do you believe in God?

**Honkey_Kong** · 08-21-2012, 08:26 AM

Guys, I've been praying to Joe Pesci lately. He even answers my prayers... sometimes.

**Lunk1** · 08-21-2012, 09:18 AM

I say why not......JUST IN CASE???

**JWP806** · 08-21-2012, 09:29 AM

Originally Posted by Metalject

Actually, there is evidence in biology that there has to be a creator.

Care to tell what that evidence is?

**Times Roman** · 08-21-2012, 11:13 AM

Originally Posted by JWP806

Care to tell what that evidence is?

Creation Scientists write books about this "evidence". It is not clear evidence, it is in support of the "god of the gaps".

for example, they point to various comlexities, like the human eye, that could not have evolved as they say, as a partially evolved eye does not see, and then what is the point earlier on from an evolutionary point? They have some good, convincing arguments for the lay person, but usually fail to stand up to scientific scrutiny, unfortunately.

I wouuld be tickled pink if we could dig up some real proof of a supreme being. So far, alll i've been is disappionted.

I am also not a big fan of the bang theory. to me, it looks too much like a house of cards.....

It almost seems that we as humans will never know what the truth is.

We may not have the capacity to know the truth?

**JJ78** · 08-21-2012, 11:51 AM

Damn! Carlin really was one of the most prolific speakers of our time.

I can listen to his shit over and over again.

**JJ78** · 08-21-2012, 11:55 AM

Oh and No do not believe. Went to church growing up(forced) didnt really question it until I went to Catholic High School for a couple of years, and started studying Religion.

You know that the first Testament of the Bible was passed doen orally for hundreds of years befor it was written down.

remember the telephone game? Shit would get distorted by the fifth person. Imagine how much exageration (sp) is going on in that book.

I have read the entire thing by the way. I guess it has its place, to control the masses. Just a big business, and all about control. No matter the denomination.

**Times Roman** · 08-21-2012, 12:10 PM

Originally Posted by JJ78

Oh and No do not believe. Went to church growing up(forced) didnt really question it until I went to Catholic High School for a couple of years, and started studying Religion.

You know that the first Testament of the Bible was passed doen orally for hundreds of years befor it was written down.

remember the telephone game? Shit would get distorted by the fifth person. Imagine how much exageration (sp) is going on in that book.

I have read the entire thing by the way. I guess it has its place, to control the masses. Just a big business, and all about control. No matter the denomination.

yes, this is commonly well known.

this lack of filtering/interpretation, as you pointed out in the "telephone game" is due to a concept called "Divine Inspiritation".

I believe the process of editing all the various bibles and consolidating into one was a very human, not spiritual process. And we can thank the Romans for this consolidated Bible.

**Shol'va** · 08-21-2012, 12:11 PM

Hell i don't believe in the IRS but I still have to pay taxes....

**JJ78** · 08-21-2012, 12:15 PM

War.

I support our troops, but how is war justified in the eyes of God? Thou Shalt Not Kill! 90% of the wars in History were over religion, wether they said they were or not. Well religion and drugs.

**JJ78** · 08-21-2012, 12:15 PM

The IRS is a private corporation, that is run by the US government. There is no law that says you have to pay taxes. Most do not.

**Times Roman** · 08-21-2012, 12:17 PM

Originally Posted by JJ78

War.

I support our troops, but how is war justified in the eyes of God? Thou Shalt Not Kill! 90% of the wars in History were over religion, wether they said they were or not. Well religion and drugs.

I read a bumper sticker one time which read:

Organized Religion...

....the Biggest SCAM ever!!

religion is one thing, but...

the institution of religion is quite another

***D7M*** · 08-21-2012, 12:17 PM

Originally Posted by times roman

yes, this is commonly well known.

This lack of filtering/interpretation, as you pointed out in the "telephone game" is due to a concept called "divine inspiritation".

I believe the process of editing all the various bibles and consolidating into one was a very human, not spiritual process. and we can thank the romans for this consolidated bible.

huh??

**Times Roman** · 08-21-2012, 12:18 PM

Originally Posted by Shol'va

Hell i don't believe in the IRS but I still have to pay taxes....

(you just said a bad word in a religious thread?)

**Times Roman** · 08-21-2012, 12:27 PM

Originally Posted by D7M

huh??

There were many versions of the bible in use. The Roman Emporer Constantine, around 320 AD, in order to preserve his hold on power, compiled and consolidated the many versions into one.

First, he proclaimes the Edict of Milan of 313ad, proclaiming all religions will be tolerated (too much blood shed over religion up to this point)

Then, around 320, he assembled a team and compiled and consolidated the first version of the bible we commonly refer to as the new testement today.

does this help?

**Times Roman** · 08-21-2012, 12:30 PM

Originally Posted by D7M

huh??

here is the exerpt from Wiki regarding your question about divine inspiration. let me know if you need anything else...?

The Bible contains many passages in which the authors claim divine inspiration for their message, or report the effects of such inspiration on others. Besides the direct accounts of written revelation, such as Moses receiving the Ten Commandments, the Prophets of the Old Testament frequently claimed that their message was divine by the formula "Thus says the LORD" (for example, 1 Kgs 12:22–24;1 Chr 17:3–4; Jer 35:13; Ezek 2:4; Zech 7:9; etc.). The Second Epistle of Peter claims that "no prophecy of Scripture ... was ever produced by the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit" (2 Pet 1:20–21).

An exception common to all the different views of inspiration is that, although the New Testament Scriptures quote, paraphrase, and refer to other works including other New Testament documents, the Septuagint (the Jewish translation of the Torah into Greek, later books were translated anonymously and later included in the Septuagint), including the Apocrypha, and the Greek writers Aratus, Epimenides, Menander, and perhaps Philo, none of the various views of inspiration teach that these referenced works were also necessarily inspired, though some teach that the use and application of these other materials is inspired, in some sense.

Second Timothy 3:16-17 is cited by many Christians as evidence that "all scripture is breathed out by God and profitable ..." (English Standard Version – see similar language in the King James Version and the New International Version, among others). Others offer an alternative reading for the passage, for example, theologian C. H. Dodd suggests that it "is probably to be rendered" as, "Every inspired scripture is also useful..."[4] A similar translation has been included in the New English Bible, Revised English Bible, and as a footnoted alternative in the New Revised Standard Version. The Latin Vulgate can be so read.[5] Yet others defend the "traditional" interpretation, calling the alternative "probably not the best translation".[6]

***D7M*** · 08-21-2012, 12:30 PM

Well, it was a bit more socio-politically complicated than that. I think I was just thrown off by the blanket statement that the Romans were responsible.

I'm going to shut up now before I get myself into trouble though

**Shol'va** · 08-21-2012, 12:48 PM

Originally Posted by JJ78

The IRS is a private corporation, that is run by the US government. There is no law that says you have to pay taxes. Most do not.

Um I prefer to pick my sex partners. If I fvck with the IRS I lose that choice in jail as I become Bubbas Biatch.

**Times Roman** · 08-21-2012, 12:51 PM

Originally Posted by D7M

Well, it was a bit more socio-politically complicated than that. I think I was just thrown off by the blanket statement that the Romans were responsible.

I'm going to shut up now before I get myself into trouble though

I have to be overly simplistic because that's all i remember, other than there was a helluva more to it than how i laid it out.

**Shol'va** · 08-21-2012, 12:53 PM

Originally Posted by JJ78

War.

I support our troops, but how is war justified in the eyes of God? Thou Shalt Not Kill! 90% of the wars in History were over religion, wether they said they were or not. Well religion and drugs.

Actually that is a mis translation. What the translated correct version is Thou Shall Do No Murder. One has to go back into the Greek, Hebrew, and Caldean manuscripts and use a real good concordance like Strongs for the right translations of the language of that time. So killing and murder are different. In war we are defending what we perceive is right as we kill each other. Whereas in murder it is just killing at random to satisfy some evil misguided thoughts.

**manmanman** · 08-21-2012, 01:05 PM

At the age of 21 I don't have as much life experience as most the guys on here.

My mind is neither here or there, I've dated a Muslim and only caught glimpses of their religion. But it interested me how thought out history some races still worshipped gods for longer than others, if that makes sense.

I also believe religion is a issue in today's society when we have so many different religions in one perimeter, I'm not saying that it's a bad thing, but extremists are extremists they don't have to be blowing up things to be causing tension.

I believe some people turn to god as a last resort. When they have nobody else to confide in , or they feel they need to be told what to do in a situation. I know not everyone who follows religions are like this, I'm pretty sure the majority arent, but there are the few.

Lastly to answer your question, a god in the sense of 1 being having that much power I doubt, but there is defiantly higher entities than us.

I like to think of it as logically as I can at my age and with not much school experience, to an ant. I am a god. If I lived on a farm, a ant would think I am the only of my kind. I have the power to make it rain, to make it extremely hot, to cause floods etc.

**Times Roman** · 08-21-2012, 02:02 PM

Originally Posted by manmanman

At the age of 21 I don't have as much life experience as most the guys on here.

My mind is neither here or there, I've dated a Muslim and only caught glimpses of their religion. But it interested me how thought out history some races still worshipped gods for longer than others, if that makes sense.

I also believe religion is a issue in today's society when we have so many different religions in one perimeter, I'm not saying that it's a bad thing, but extremists are extremists they don't have to be blowing up things to be causing tension.

I believe some people turn to god as a last resort. When they have nobody else to confide in , or they feel they need to be told what to do in a situation. I know not everyone who follows religions are like this, I'm pretty sure the majority arent, but there are the few.

Lastly to answer your question, a god in the sense of 1 being having that much power I doubt, but there is defiantly higher entities than us.

I like to think of it as logically as I can at my age and with not much school experience, to an ant. I am a god. If I lived on a farm, a ant would think I am the only of my kind. I have the power to make it rain, to make it extremely hot, to cause floods etc.

Mate,
for your age and experiential level, I think you have already taken the fist step on the path to critical thinking. Some of your thought process is a little rough, but it shows you have done some thinking.
Keep up the good work!
---Roman

**Times Roman** · 08-21-2012, 02:05 PM

Originally Posted by Shol'va

Actually that is a mis translation. What the translated correct version is Thou Shall Do No Murder. One has to go back into the Greek, Hebrew, and Caldean manuscripts and use a real good concordance like Strongs for the right translations of the language of that time. So killing and murder are different. In war we are defending what we perceive is right as we kill each other. Whereas in murder it is just killing at random to satisfy some evil misguided thoughts.

yet another thing that bugs me about "strict interpretation" of the bible.

some cling to the literal meaning of each and every word of the king james, yet the king james is a ttranslation of previous versions, that ultimately come from other languages.

how can some be so strict about the meaning of a single word or group of words, when those very words had slightly different meanings when they were translated from other languages?

thanks Shol'va

**Far from massive** · 08-21-2012, 02:17 PM

I believe they are way too many things that are in synch for it to just be a random event. Now as far as God in the way most organized religions describe it....HELL NO!!!

Coming from a Christian family, heres an example

Do I believe that to be saved you must believe in Jesus...Well lets see that means some kid that was raised in a society where he was never told of Jesus hence never had the chance to believe or disbelieve does not get saved LOL.

Too be saved I must go to the Catholic church and kneel and pray...So if I do that and act like a general prick most of the time I will be saved but if I beleive there is right and wrong and treat others with respect and in general live a wholesome life I won't be saved?

These are just some easy examples of why the God as seen by many does not work for me.

As far as what God is? I really don't know could be a really smart kid who is doing a science project. And we are all part construct that the kid made in his spare time...Who knows, however it seems that there is some sort of balance in nature as well as some sort of programming where right and wrong are pretty clear most of the time yet we are often tempted to deviate from what seems right to atain some kind of pleasure/posession etc.

This is the quandry and the quilt it causes are the basis of what man has been able to succesfully exploit with organized religion.

Just my 2 cents on the subject.

FFM

**Rwy** · 08-21-2012, 02:25 PM

Originally Posted by capetown

Never really thought that I did believe in god. My mom past away from cancer in November. I can feel my mom with me whenever i am rocking my baby girl to sleep at night. Im not going to get into it because im sure people will start picking it apart and i dont need that. But if i know there are times my mom is here then why wouldnt i believe in god.

I would never pick that apart. Thats a nice thought cape

**Rwy** · 08-21-2012, 02:34 PM

I consider myself a smart guy. Sometimes I am too smart for my own god and my brain just wont let me process anything but fact. Free will just is not enough for me. I equate the bible to a fight in high school that happens in first period that was innitailly two people shoving each other but by 9th period through the exaggeration of people one of those two that fought ended up in the hospital.

I mean seriously you cant really believe someone parted the red sea or came back to life a few months later. Physics and biology just wont allow it. I believe Voltaire said it best "it was nessecary for man to invent god"

**Rwy** · 08-21-2012, 02:35 PM

I know this is going to sound crazy but I believe belief also comes down to geographic location and where you are brought up

**< <Samson> >** · 08-21-2012, 02:46 PM

Shit to feed to the sheeple. . . . But, the real question is: How did everything become? Of course it is science, but has not been solved yet at all.

Shit, the earth is still flat ain't it? lol

**Times Roman** · 08-21-2012, 02:47 PM

Originally Posted by Far from massive

I believe they are way too many things that are in synch for it to just be a random event. Now as far as God in the way most organized religions describe it....HELL NO!!!

Coming from a Christian family, heres an example

Do I believe that to be saved you must believe in Jesus...Well lets see that means some kid that was raised in a society where he was never told of Jesus hence never had the chance to believe or disbelieve does not get saved LOL.

Too be saved I must go to the Catholic church and kneel and pray...So if I do that and act like a general prick most of the time I will be saved but if I beleive there is right and wrong and treat others with respect and in general live a wholesome life I won't be saved?

These are just some easy examples of why the God as seen by many does not work for me.

As far as what God is? I really don't know could be a really smart kid who is doing a science project. And we are all part construct that the kid made in his spare time...Who knows, however it seems that there is some sort of balance in nature as well as some sort of programming where right and wrong are pretty clear most of the time yet we are often tempted to deviate from what seems right to atain some kind of pleasure/posession etc.

This is the quandry and the quilt it causes are the basis of what man has been able to succesfully exploit with organized religion.

Just my 2 cents on the subject.

FFM

Think of it this way.

There are 2.1 billion christians in the world today, right?
And there are 7.8 billion people in the world today, right?
does this mean that there are 5.7 billion people in the world today, that are bound for hell?

and this is assuming ALL christians go to heaven, but the bible teaches differenet.

either way, Hell must be a popular place, no?

I personally can not and will not believe in a surpreme being that intends on punishing a majority of all people. Sounds sadistic to me. I don't want any part of it!

**JDawg1536** · 08-21-2012, 03:03 PM

Originally Posted by MuscleInk

That's what I like about Gixx....he get's straight to the point! lol

Well, he gets to the point, anyway.

**JDawg1536** · 08-21-2012, 03:07 PM

I went to Catholic school for 12 years, and I cannot stand religion. Is there a god? Maybe, but I've never seen or heard him. The one thing I do know is that I do not know, nor will I ever know. I don't think it's a good thing to have blind faith in anything, even a god.

**red_hulk** · 08-21-2012, 05:05 PM

I believe in god, mostly because it's how I was raised (roman catholic), but I really only believe in the existence of god and heaven and all that. I try to stay away from holding god accountable for things that happen. Kind of a god of the gaps thing, "I can't explain this so god must be behind it"

**Shol'va** · 08-21-2012, 05:19 PM

Originally Posted by JDawg1536

I went to Catholic school for 12 years, and I cannot stand religion. Is there a god? Maybe, but I've never seen or heard him. The one thing I do know is that I do not know, nor will I ever know. I don't think it's a good thing to have blind faith in anything, even a god.

Were you an altar boy? No wait that was catholic church.