Do you believe in God?

Discussion in 'Miscellaneous' started by Calihan, Apr 10, 2008.

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Do you believe in God and how do you live?

  1. I don't believe in God at all.

    35.2%
  2. I believe in God and live relgiously.

    20.4%
  3. I believe in God, don't live religiously but still ama good person.

    44.4%
  1. Gaelen

    Gaelen Coroner

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    Thanks for the info on FSM allmaple. It really does sound like an interesting religion :)

    I love pirates :)
     
  2. calleighspeedle

    calleighspeedle Coroner

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    I believe in god but it doesn't rule my life. I just like to believe that when I die I have somewhere to go.:)
     
  3. allmaple

    allmaple Judge

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    you can go to http://venganza.org to learn more ;) and see the letter i sent to polk county floridas school board memebers that was published in their newspaper when they expressed interest in teaching id :lol:

    we left the catholic system before my brother and i were confirmed. my parents did look into doing it for us, but it would have been a year long course at a church. my parents just didnt care that much. when my grandma found out however...that was a different story...

    obviously now that i have formed an opinion on the matter im glad it never happened, i would feel weird. i still feel a little weird when my parents make me go to church at christmas and easter (although they didnt this year, im pretty sure they know how i feel).
     
  4. Austin

    Austin Hit and Run

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    I do believe in God and am true to my faith. I'm not perfect and don't go to church every Sunday but I do my best to be a good person.
     
  5. _Hush_

    _Hush_ Winchester Inc.

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    Ok.. so Pastafarianism.
    I went to check out the website, I even read the whole guide to Pastafarianism and.... I love it :D
    I might even convert to this one. :p (Come on! A beer volcano in heaven? Who wouldn't want that! :lol:)

    Austin, welcome to the nuthouse. ;)
    I already have a question ready for you. It's a question I've asked before (but everyone, feel free to continue answering ;))
    Since you didn't elaborate much, why do you believe in God?
    And since I'm in an existential mood: Do you believe that religion is needed to be a good person?
     
  6. carolina

    carolina Lab Technician

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    I love FSM too. if I had to choose a religion this would definitely be it

    abstinents? but as long as there is an apple juice fountain near by Im all game :)

    no, Im not sure I will be able to put it into words but Ill try

    we all have bad and good in us and the choices we make on which part to follow define who we are. if the reason to follow the "good" is a religion, good for you. if it is your mums dissapointed look, good for you, if it is something else, good for you

    but so many horrible things were committed in the name of Gods that I simply cannot put an = sign between religion and good
     
  7. Jacquie

    Jacquie Ward Girl Moderator

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    Certainly not. There are many people out there that blow up others or kill others in the name of God. How can that be? God taught us to love and tolerate not kill and destroy. I don't consider these people good. How do I know that the cop that saved my life is religious. He or she is just doing there job and that to me makes them a good person. I'm not going to stop and ask there religious preferences to find out if there are good or not. And no I haven't had to have a cop save my life. I just used that as an example.
    So no you don't have to be a religious person to be good :)
     
  8. candygirl1uk

    candygirl1uk Pathologist

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    Ok, well i was baptised, but im not practicing.

    Do i believe in God, a higher being other than myself... Yes I do.

    But this is where things changes, i dont believe that any one religion is the right or the best.

    To believe in God, well for me, I have to also believe in the other side, the devil.

    I believe in many many things, but somewhere along the line, God or a higher being is there...
     
  9. Gaelen

    Gaelen Coroner

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    Well, I think so - sort of. For me, personally, I need those guidelines on what one can and cannot do. I grew up in a religious family and community so it's basically rooted into me that these rules or guidelines must be adhered to.

    I know not everyone sees it that, and if I were to step back, I'd probably disagree with myself. It's just the way I am now, I need something/someone to tell me to be good. Doesn't mean I feel this way all the time, but sometimes I do wonder what I'd be like if I wasn't religious and had no fear of god.

    I'd probably be pretty darn scary (well, more than I am now anyway :lol: )
     
  10. allmaple

    allmaple Judge

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    aboslutley not. and i find the notion quite ridiculous actually. like i said before, if i expect to be treated properly by others i need to treat them properly as well. there are theist who are not good people, and athiests who are not good people. religion obviously has nothing to do with it.
     
  11. miss_blue

    miss_blue Lab Technician

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    Absolutely not. You either are a good person or you're not. I have known priests who wound up in jail for scamming people. They asked for money to reconstruct churches, and they kept the money for themselves. In general I see myself a good person (although according to my religion and its conception about sins, I will burn in hell :lol:). While I was typing this I was listening to the news, and I heard about a 11 year old boy killed a 3 year old out of curiosity, and justified that he saw a lot of TV shows on murder. One of the parents was interviewed and she said that they are people with fear of God, and that they raised their child with fear of God. So that came perfectly as an example for whether religion is important when talking about being a good person or not.

    I have a question too (Hush I got it from you :p ) For the ones (and not only them) who celebrated Easter last weekend, how did you felt about the holiday? And in general, in the last years, how do you feel at Christmas time, Easter, so on and so forth. Is that higher spiritual meaning the holidays once brought still as strong for you as it was, let's say a few years back?
     
  12. Elsie

    Elsie Shopaholic

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    I think that most people are brought up or taught to be 'good', a sense of morality is usually instilled in us from a young age, and as long as people are well adjusted, functioning members of society then they should have learned the difference between right and wrong. Of course knowing the difference doesn't necessarily mean that people live by the rules.

    I guess most original concepts of right and wrong in modern society are shaped by religion, so technically religion or religious teachings are the basis of what is considered a good and moral society, if you know what I mean. However, I'm not convinced that being religious makes you a good person for many of the reasons that people have already stated. :)
     
  13. Austin

    Austin Hit and Run

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    Thanks! I'm very happy to be here.

    Religion isn't needed to be a good person. Were all good people. I feel that religion makes me a better person. It's like I say..To each our own.

    I don't want to step on any toes here so I'm sorry if I offend any one.

    I believe in God because I have had way too many experiences where things have happened and I was HELPED through them in ways a person couldn't help me. I have had strong feelings to make a different decision and when I follow the strong feeling I avoid being apart of trouble. When I don't some thing happens and I realize if I had listened I wouldn't feel guilty for what I had done. I'm probably not making sense sorry. I have found guidance through prayers. At this time I am dealing with a lot of grief from family members passings that my comfort of healing comes through with a feeling a warmth inside that is indescribable.
    All I can say is when I feel this I know I'm not alone when I am all by myself. I know there is a higher power and I feel as if it is a parent watching over me and helping me through life.

    Thanks again for taking time to talk to me!
     
  14. allmaple

    allmaple Judge

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    would you mind clarifying so i dont misinterpret what you are saying? do you think that you are a better person because of religion than you would be without it, or that religion makes you a better person then, lets say me?
     
  15. Austin

    Austin Hit and Run

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    NO NO NO! Thats not what I meant! I'm so sorry! I didn't mean to offend any one!:( I feel terrible you thought that allmaple!:(
    I am A BETTER ME because I have religion in my life. I know I am no better than any one else. I didn't have it as a child and I can tell the difference as an adult. Thats how I feel. It has helped my marriage in so many ways. It has really helped me since most all of my family has passed away. Having a better relationship with God has really comforted me during all my trials.
    I feel with out God I would be headed to a bad place.

    Again I am so so sorry.....
     

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