Religion Questions Take II

[ensbergcollector]

Hey guys-

we did this a while back and it went well with a few exceptions. Here is the deal. I see a lot of questions being asked about religion. I don't claim to have all the answers at all, in fact I have a ton myself. However, I am a minister so I might be able to answer some. So, feel free to ask anything you want as long as you really want to know. If you are simply attacking religion, I won't answer because I don't want this thread closed down. With that said, ask away. I will do my best to give honest answers. I will tell you up front if I am answering based on the bible or my own opinion. Thanks guys.

[WilyWestbrook0]

Good thread idea - many of us took Rockman's religion poll thread a little too far off topic, me included. This will be a better thread for more general religion discussion, IMO.

[ensbergcollector]

Good thread idea - many of us took Rockman's religion poll thread a little too far off topic, me included. This will be a better thread for more general religion discussion, IMO.

thanks. the last one did really well and we made it to page 12 or 13 with only a couple of tense moments. hopfully people are willing to ask.

[drtom2005]

Well I would like to say I am sorry if I offended anyone. It was not my intent. I would like someone to present me with a logical construct with evidence for the existence of god. I have not found one. I have been searching for 10 years now.

[ensbergcollector]

Well I would like to say I am sorry if I offended anyone. It was not my intent. I would like someone to present me with a logical construct with evidence for the existence of god. I have not found one.

if you are looking for evidence, I can't give you any. At least not the kind I think you are looking for. As I said in the other thread, there is a reason Jesus talks to much about faith, that has to be the basis of our belief. I can tell you why I believe and how I have seen God work and be present in my life, but not any physical evidence.
also, you didn't offend me at all. i have asked the same questions you are asking before i got where I am. I am always happy to dialogue about this stuff!

[themanishere]

Maybe this is a little abstract, but:

Does religion not undermine the idea of "humanness?"

By this, I mean human qualities towards which we strive - morality, for example. Our desired highest qualities are projected onto God by people (where God is all-determining and all-free), which essentially separates people from ever knowing those potentials because they establish those qualities in something "higher" than ourselves. This seems contradictory, because religion is manifest in human consciousness, and as such those highest potentials can only realize themselves in human consciousness, yet religion seems to deny these by ascribing them to something that is not human or material in this world. It also seems to protect itself by saying those qualities can only be realized in God, yet are still desired and constructed in the reality of our own world.

[ensbergcollector]

Maybe this is a little abstract, but:

Does religion not undermine the idea of "humanness?"

By this, I mean human qualities towards which we strive - morality, for example. Our desired highest qualities are projected onto God by people (where God is all-determining and all-free), which essentially separates people from ever knowing those potentials because they establish those qualities in something "higher" than ourselves. This seems contradictory, because religion is manifest in human consciousness, and as such those highest potentials can only realize themselves in humans consciousness, yet religion seems to deny thus by ascribing them to something that is not human or material in this world. It also seems to protect itself by saying those qualities can only be realized in God, yet are still desired and constructed in the reality of our own world.

If I am understanding what you are saying, that is exactly what christianity offers that other religions do not. While Jesus was the son of god, he was also fully human. His ability to live a pure and sinless life wasn't meant to show us how great God was, but what we are capable of as people. He removed the ability for people to say "well, nobody is perfect, we are only human." so yes, we are capable of acheiving something higher than what most people tell us we are.

[themanishere]

If I am understanding what you are saying, that is exactly what christianity offers that other religions do not. While Jesus was the son of god, he was also fully human. His ability to live a pure and sinless life wasn't meant to show us how great God was, but what we are capable of as people. He removed the ability for people to say "well, nobody is perfect, we are only human." so yes, we are capable of acheiving something higher than what most people tell us we are.

It just sounds like a built-in defense to reconcile that aspect of separation of God from humans.

If I suspend my thoughts for a second here...even so, Jesus as "fully human" while being a part of God was still above humans in of the latter property itself...So, it still suggests an illusory "example" rather than a realization of human potential. As such, it seems religion, and consequently God, will never be knowable, never realized in this world, which for me just compounds the separation of humans from their qualities and realities.

[piranhaenter]

I have a question. I'm a lifelong Catholic (not a good one) but I read the Bhagavad Gita and it address a few of my issues (problems with Catholicism).

My problems with Christianity.

1. It always bothered me that I only got one shot at life. When so many circumstances can affect a person's path to heaven. Someone who is beaten their whole childhood with no exposure to type of faith that then ends up killing a person due to these experiences...why does he get such a crappy hand dealt to him where someone who is the son of a pastor who is taught the word of God everyday gets such an easy path. The other aspect of this I had a problem with was that heaven should be difficult to acquire. I would expect to have to live 20 or 100 lives in order to get it right.

Problem: Reincarnation isn't allowed/believed in Catholicism

2. The issue that most Christians have that you must accept Jesus into your heart and fully believe that he is our savior. What about the guy who is born in Iran with no exposure to Christianity. Again he has no shot at getting to that point. Why do I get such easy access to understanding Jesus?

Problem: Jesus, specifically must be accepted into the hearts of an individual in order to go to heaven.

Summary: After reading the Gita (Not that I really understood it) which I suggest everyone to read as it is just a beautiful poem and makes you think. I would think it makes more sense to follow what the Hindu's believe. It states that no matter what you call God, it is the same entity. I think (I don't know) this is why people say they have so many gods but that can't be true if no matter what the name of the different God's are, they are the same person. I do believe there can only be one God so this doesn't dispute that. Also, I do believe that Jesus is our savior and this doesn't eliminate that possibility.

As far as reincarnation goes, it has to exist. I do not accept that I get one shot at getting there and if I don't do it right, I go to h.ell. Also, on the other side don't accept that God expects me to get such an easy path to heaven. Is it possible that purgatory is simply our lives on earth? Compared to heaven our lives on earth would be considered h.ell.

Let me know what you think.

[daniel3417]

Two questions:

1) What denomination of Christianity are you?

2) Simply asked, what must humans specifically do to get to Heaven?