Religion

[Eltiraaz]

I dunno. But I was born a Roman Catholic (I think 99.9% of Italians are. :P ). Anyway, I believed in the death and the resurection basically because I was suposed to. I learned about it in school, (I went to a Catholic school) and still, all of us there claimed that we were Christians because we were born that way.

 

A few years ago however I attended a summer camp in a rural area near my town. It is a Christian based camp, and it was so much fun! I'm the last person you'd expect to enjoy camp, but I loved it, it was so cool. Theres more to it then fun however, they teach you about Jesus, and about Christianity. Several of the counsellors told me the story of the crucifixion, but it was a little more graphic (and accurate) than the stardard school-taught version. It deepened my respect for Jesus to a whole new level. Thats when I made my own desicion to be Christian. I don't even tie myself to an Orthodox anymore, I'm just Christian. As I learned more about my religion, I began to love it more and more. I've been attending that camp, Willow Springs, for 3 years now, and next year I'm returning there as a staff member. So I made a desicion to be a Christian, I'm not one just because I was born into it. :D

[Beaten by an Ugly Stick]

long long debate...

 

Religion is something that is there to explain why we should try to live, when ineveitably(sp) we die, one way or another. Wether that is right or not we do not know until we are dead, and probably not even then...

 

Though religion seems to try to explain death, that is not something you can do from this side of that barrier, so why assume? I like to think of life as an adventure written in a great tome and of death, its sequel. :lol:

[Baphomet]

Hey Reaper my friend humanaethema wrote this post over in a forum called Project Mayhem take a read.

 

Our universe is a component system, fitting into the third class. That is, all things within it except some elementary quantum particles are composite, and it includes everything, so can never be a component of another system or entity.

 

It is dangerous to assume that the Universe we perceive, is the Universe in it's absolute totality. Microwave radiation existed for millions of years before our ability to dectect it. Our inability to perceive it, did not mean it did not exist, obviously. Therefore, the possibility of a Universe beyond and apart from our own, and/or beyond our ability to perceive it, does not nulify it's existence, or the possibility of it's existence. This being the case, the rest of the argument is insufficent to support the conclusion, since everything that follows builds on a flawed premise.

[Guest]

Nah man, this doesn't in any way necessarily refer to merely our perception of the universe. By 'universe', I refer to the entire collection, everything. Whether it's finite or infinite, it's still a composite non-entity, and that's what the relational logic I posted relies on. It is almost definite that what we regard in our perceptions as the entire universe is really only a tiny fraction of the whole. That doesn't invalidate my argument.

 

The dude who wrote the mathematical proof my post at project mayhem was talking about is called William Thatcher. No one has refuted his proof that I know of. The only similarity between my post and the Five-Way Theory for the Existance of God are in the discussion of God's attributes, not existence, and are superficicial at most.

[Kahenraz]

I am a Mormon (Christian) and have all my answers. I know (and understand) where I came from, why I'm here, and where I'm going. It's also nice to know who you're talking to and who's listening.

 

I am happy beyond other beliefs. ^_^

[Ëlwe (Thingol)]

None, I do not believe but I have to admit it sounds pretty odd species can adapt themselves to their enviorment and how the world is built, atoms and stuff. Makes me think.

 

Ëlwe

 

P.S. None is called Atheïst (or something like that)

[hundinman]

me too. (Christian)

 

i am 100 % sure that i am going to heaven. not because of the fact that im a Christian, but because God Himself said that the blood of Jesus Christ wipes away all the wrong that i did, i do, and will ever do.

 

thats my salvation.

HERE HERE! I believe what you belive.....interesting. I am a Christian and always will be, I have been called blind and ignorant already so no need doing it again. I will not change my belief towards God.

 

My sins were as scarlet but I have been washed white as snow.

 

HM

[vandorssen]

I'm personally a stoic. No, not like a Vulcan, but more akin to believing that the actions of a person throughout life have a direct outcome on all that happens, not necessarily some supreme being or karma. I believe also that the sooner that one comes to terms with things, good or bad, that they cannot change, the happier they will ultimately be. Never take a friend or enemy at face value. Your best friend could stab you in the back, and your enemy may be there to remove the knife and heal the wound. Logic and reason will always prevail in the end, and extreme emotions (passion, hatred, etc.) come from false judgments and illogical thinking, and usually come to a bad end (the only Vulcan quality I can think of). Arguments that are well reasoned, well articulated, and well informed will always be the truth, even if they contradict each other.

 

Hence the subtitle of my signature:

the Voice of Reason

[Darnoc]

What am I? Difficult question, I think the type I am is not really defined. I am a charismatic Christian (you no, the guys from the Vineyard movement and other similars), but also I am a Rationalist philosopher, Kantist (this means, I am a believer in Kants philosophy), Christian Anarchist (no laws, no rules, only love!), "Natural" Christian (we have to protect and live in harmony with nature, because it is god's creation and it is our job to look after it and not exploit and destroy it) and of course a believer in my own invented philosophy Omniism (for those who don't know latin: "omis" means "everything" or "everyone"). I'll have to make a new thread to present you my self-invented philosophy sometime...

 

And as an answer to vandorssen: Rationality isn't everything (even when I myself are a natural rationalist), emotions are just as important. Sometimes it is better to listen to your feelings and instinct, sometimes even our minds come in our way and because we always think we are not able to understand somethings. Not everything can be explained with reason.

 

I am with Socrates: "I only know that I don't know anything. But I do know more than you do, then you think that you know but you do know nothing at all."

[vandorssen]

....emotions are just as important.

 

Indeed, emotions can be good, and are entirely necessary (as humans are naturally emotional beings; reason has always taken a back seat to them, figuratively). The stoic philosophy is that the extreme emotions, whether good or bad, (ultimately they are all bad; extreme emotions that is) combined with a lack of self discipline, and a rebellion against that which one cannot change, will always put you off in a worse place than you started. Passion, hatred, love (for another or for worldly desires) have all been preludes to war, internal conflict, evils of all kind. Be content with your current state and it will improve.

 

To quote Cailwyn’s signature, “There is something to be learned from a rainstorm. When meeting with a sudden shower, you try not to get wet and run quickly along the road. But doing such things as passing under the eaves of houses, you still get wet. When you are resolved from the beginning, you will not be perplexed, though you still get the same soaking.” Although oriental in origin, it summarizes the stoic philosophy in its way.

 

Another good resource are the Meditations, by Marcus Aurelius.