What have you learned concerning your overall views about Religion in general and God, specifically?
Everyone is allowed to comment here, be ye atheist, theist, deist, or MEist.
I'll start:
Growing up, I never really gave religion too much thought. My parents went to church as a social outlet, (which is what most people do) and God was a personal belief that in their generation was never discussed much.
13 years ago, I
got saved or at least thought strongly that I did. My conclusion is that I was definitely changed and that for the first time in my life I
knew that I knew that I knew that God was real.
Later, after running the gambit of organized religion and questioning everything that I had previously concluded about it, I can say that I Believe:
That God is real and personal. (This despite not having actually felt Him for quite awhile since I left the church functions)
Knowing that this is a belief and a relative fact personal only to me...(Kinda like my parents, who kept it to themselves)
Humans are all loved by God, and although I'm not convinced that everyone is automatically saved I can find no flaw in the possibility of such a reality. It still boils down to individual profession and belief, however. It would be as if there were a Grandma that adopted everyone on earth as her grandchildren. We may be all related to her, but it would mean nothing unless we actually knew who she was. (would it?)
The inconsistencies in Biblical literalism are secondary to the philosophies, implications, and reactions that we have to the character of Jesus Christ. Christ is the center of the Bible and no amount of excuse concerning an evil O.T. God or any other finger-pointing absolves any individual from dealin with the central question: (From Christ) Who do you say that I am?
I think that people need to put all of the arguments aside and simply love each other. Whether or not we are doing it in the name of Christ, Buddha, or the Symphony Orchestra is not as important as whether we are doing it for selfish reasons or for loving, selfless reasons. (Christ Is Love, remember?)
Faith/Belief or Coffee House>>> Your pick, admin.
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