Opinions and conclusions about Religion and God.

With my parents Xian, I learned about Jesus (mainly through Xmass) and heaven and hell but nothing much more than that. True to form I immediately rejected it(I was a passive rebel).However, I started to worry that I would go to hell because I did not belive in xian god. This state of angst lasted for several weeks when I was about 8.Then it went away. I stopped worrying. Don't know why but I did.Fast forwards to 11.Going to a CoE school we had (by law) R.E. every week at primary school. This was taught by a fearsome Cannon who was full of gusto as he recounted the glories of the xian god.Remembering my younger angst and how it just vanished I was completly amazed at someone who would devote his whole life to a religion. He became a figure of fun, I never took any notice of him or his teachings.Fastforwards to 15. My Mum left home and I became quite nilistic. How could xian god make such a cruel thing happen. What had our family done wrong? For the next several years I did my best to consciously expunge any need for other people's support from my life. I hated my residual belief in xain god. I took conscious effort to remove that too.Fast forwards to late teens. I had nothing really to believe in so I believed in pretty much anyting. Even silly codes of honour found in David Gemmel novels. Recoving my wits I examined my beliefs and found that one belief was pretty much as good as another. I became interested in why people choose to believe in gods. I started to study Sociolgy and specialized in Religion. I wanted to know why people believe. I concluded it was simply a product of culture.Fast forwards to early twenties. At university studying psychology I learned why we think the way we do. Exposure to the scientific methodolgy killed any last vestige of religion from me.All these experience led me to look in a very pointed way for some reason to believe in xian god (lets face it, going to heaven would be cooler than hell) but I have found nothing.People on this forum often say that I have to look or search or make the first move to get to know their god. I tried for years. Nothing.Today. I honestly believe there is nothing there. I wish, I really wish all the bad things that happened to me and others (much worse for many, many people) had some justification but I just can't see it.So, religion has been a pretty big force in making me the way I am. Just not the way it is.The factuality of religions and gods are assertions. No more than hearsay and third hand evidences.

Sorry Phat, there is a bloke called Derren Brown who I have seen do a one inch punch from about a yard, behind the guy he was 'punching'.He is quite famous in UK for doing such things and is great debunker of 'magic'.

Good call mate, good call.My sanctimonies exactly

Kissing Hanks Ass is the funniest thing I have read in ages!

Iano, you can know (have knowledge of) anything. This does not make it real.For years I 'knew' that people were cold, mean old bastards who only pretended to be nice to others.Knowing a concept does not make it true. It might be true, but it might not. There is room for error.This is what I have recently learned from this site about religion.

Because you do not have psychic powers to predict the future.

Bang on the money Phat.

Yes you could. Fair enough. That is the meaning you attach to your experience. But I would hazard that you infer meaning from you experince only. This does not sound like the carrot of xianity. More akin to the stick of xianity. Tell me Iano, what is the excuse for the millions who died before hearing of xianity? Do the neanderthals go to hell?Edited by Larni, : Oh just some more of the same.

Hi hunchentoot, welcome to EvC That makes me an ace chap then, after a particularly grueling day with people I get pig sick of the fuckers. But then you sigh and get back to work.The point is, helping people (even when lets face it they can piss anyone off) without some notion of a heavenly reward is more noble than doing it because you don't want to go to hell.

Sorry Iano, I don't see how that answers my question. My eyes glaze when you quote the bible. Can you explain in your words where the neanderthals go?I hope you don't think me obtuse but I can't get my head round the bible.

Thats what is so odd Iano. Almost all of my friends are not religious and none of us have any trouble not ascribing to that philosphy.Am I to understand that you believe people (in general) need the xian god to act in a friendly loving way?

That's a no then?Edited by Larni, : No reason given.

Again I have trouble following you. Are you saying that my friends and I are able to act in a socialy constuctive way with each other (after all we are friends) without needing a god, or are you saying this is not true?You also say "You and they differ..." I assume you mean from you and not that I differ from my friends (in moral outlook). Please could you give me some clarification?

I agree; the question exists in the form of the following text:Can you tell me where the Neanderthals went when they died?If yes, please tell me where they go.

Is this your god affecting me? Diminishing my free will? Sounds like (another) believe or else threat Iano.