I normally don't share much on this subject. I served as a tank commander in Vietnam and on March 26 1969 i was blown out of my turret by a enemy RPG rocket, I fell some twenty feet to the jungle floor and died. I went through a light tunnel,was met by dozens of people dressed in white and felt as if i was wrapped in a blanket of love. My parents arrived but were now only in their late twenties themselves. Then I heard a voice and I knew who it must be, it was warm and welcoming. It asked, "Jack are you ready to come to me?" I felt as if I wanted to stay so much but i sputtered out, "Hell no, I'm only twenty years old!" Instantly I awoke to two Medics beating on my chest. To this day sometimes I wish I had stayed but after being shot twice in the war, COPD and a quad by-pass last year I knew there's still a reason I'm here. And I don't believe in God as most folks do, I believe there's one superior being that is for all people alike.

i was raised catholic. abandoned all religious practices from about age 10. met a girl who is a very faithful catholic (though not preachy) and at about age 25 started going back to church to with her.........and eventually ended up marrying her. so now i attend church every week.

i was (and still am) in the same boat as you. i don't have any grasp on how strong my faith is. i am scientifically minded too.....so a whole lot of stuff in religion just doesn't compute. so you are preaching to the choir (pun intended). and honestly....i'm o.k. with that.

i go with her just to listen to the readings, take what i can from it, and try to clear my mind. it gives me a fresh start every week.

maybe you should just try a few different faiths to see if they are of any benefit. and if they don't seem to be helpful, perhaps some meditation time will give you a different perspective on things.

The past couple of years I have really struggled with my faith...and struggled even more with why I have so many doubts. I am a Catholic convert...but my faith isn't as strong as it was a few years ago.

These doubts in God and my beliefs have turned into self doubt, doubts about my goals, where I am in life, why I'm here etc...

This ^^^ is probably the best thing I've read on the matter in a long time. I may still continue to believe in a higher being...and occasionally doubt it...but I WILL try and have an outlook more like this.



NA6C:

You will always have doubts in anything you set your faith into...whether you're agnostic, atheist or religious. You will even doubt yourself, your SO and your friends, all of which you should have faith in. It's human nature to question...and the only real answer is to keep seeking knowledge.

Although religion is based on emotion...there is a logical side that contains some good reasoning. My uncle has a masters in theology...and the philosophical side of the world's religions is pretty deep. I recommend theological reading before subscribing to any one "style" of faith. This will likely educate you on the human condition, and how we construct and view God.

Find your own answers.

man that is a very good question that most of us come to at some point or even at many points in our lives. To answer it from my POV yeah you can have faith with out an orginization of other people. Its all about belief and trust between you and what ever you choose to look to. Fellowship etc is just a social engenrization designed to further your posistion in the community. Believe or not no one can answer that for you at the end of the day its just you and the omni potent force that steers the universe. Having faith true faith is something few can do. If you have proof of something then you arent running on faith you are running on the proof you have and that is quite different.
Where ever you are in this dilema and what ever you choose, i doubt you will be struck down by lightning or eaten by a chasm in the earth. But to me if there is nothing else past this existance, it kind of freaks me out to the point of a panic attack I need there to be something more becouse this place sucks, and i doubt i can do all i want to do in life even in 100 yrs. + After loosing my mom 15 yrs ago this weekend, it might be naive but i want to see her and be with her at some point.

Jack you made the right choice and i am sure your 2 beutifull children, and wife thank you for it every day. Thx for doing your job all those year ago man.

I appreciate the input guys. It's just an issue I will have to hammer out myself, and deal with over time. Whatever prevails will be.

I honestly don't even know how I feel. I mean, I don't really think that far ahead...about the 'what happens next?' stuff. I've never been into any kinda of organized religion, I wsa not raised in a religious household and I can count on both hands the number of times I have attended a regular church service (funirals not included). Oddly enough, I was baptized Lutheran.
I've been through some shit..some accidents and some instances that really make me question. But I've never really chalked it up to neither faith/God/religion nor luck. But I do know the difference between right and wrong and live by that and to see what tomorrow will bring. When it comes to the whole question of creation....well, the religious side says we came from nothing and the scientific side says we came from nothing...so what does it really matter? Though sciende does prove other things. I've always joked that the Bible could have been written by someone who smoked some good shit (no offense to anyone, it's just a funny "what if").

Meh...FWIW.

I was very pleasantly surprised to see all the posts in here very civilized, truthful, and surprisingly similar to each other. Truly an eye opener that as people, we are very similar in the way we think even if we don't agree with one another.

There had to be at least one post that was fucked up though, I KNEW IT.

THIS POST
:facepalm:

It wouldn't be MT without it though would it. I've been waiting for Hustler to come in and throw down some really nasty pictures or say something off the wall.....waiting..... :giggle:

I know I am late in the conversation but here is my input anyway. I think that if you are 100% faith or 100% atheist then you turn into one of those shitty asshole people. The ones that protest at funerals of homosexuals, or protest that "God" should be removed from money and from the pledge of allegiance. You need that little bit of doubt to keep yourself from turning into a hate monger.

I am an Atheist, have been for 10+ years. Religion just seems silly to me, not to bash, to each his own. But I think, if there really is a God, he isnt going to give two shits if your involved in an organized religion if youre a good person.

this

I think that being "Religious" and "believing in God" are two different things.
I agree: you don't have to be part of some church to believe in God.

Some mild entertainment for you guys. Pull up the popcorn...

faith = the ability to discount fact for ideological convenience

i'm a scientist. i examine the facts, make a hypothesis, and when more evidence emerges, i adjust my hypothesis. i don't believe in God but what do i know, i'm 20 years old. i'll keep an open mind and be polite to both sides

You can believe in God without believing the dogma of religion. You can worship God without buying into a particular faith or sect. My biggest problem with religions in general is the absolute belief that theirs is the only way. Christian, Muslim, Hindu, Buddist, Judiasm, etc. Every last one believes they have the only answers. Huge turn off to most people. One of the reasons there is a significant rebellion against organized religion.

My personal belief is more agnostic. I believe there may be a higher power in the world but no way for us to truly know or understand it. I view each religion as having value and as an attempt by men to sort out the meaning of life, God, higher powers and give societies morality. All religious writings, if truly inspired by a god, were written by men and are therefore flawed and influenced by the society of the time. Organized religion and their condemnation of other religions is far too small minded.

Have faith, don't have "religion".

God has blessed me far more richly than I deserve or could ever earn on my own.

He is with me even when I am not with him. My needs are met, many times before I realize I even have needs. Sometimes I don't notice his presence for days and sometimes he is constantly making his presence known. I neglect him often and do wrong often, and yet he welcomes my return. He rewards my progress and punishes my weakness as he molds me into the better man that I should be.

I doubt and wonder, but that does not make me weak or faulty. I am expected to question and reason things out. I should explore the world and the word for answers. Being created by God means that he gave us these traits, that we may then choose what to do with them. He wants us to choose him freely, because we wish to, or we wouldn't have been given a choice. Would you want a wife who didn't have a choice to be with you, or one that freely gave herself to you? If we are made in God's image, and we are, wouldn't he want the same freely given love and admiration?

I am not expected to be perfect. I am expected to try.

I am expected to love freely and give generously. Wouldn't that cause me to feel more fulfilled on it's own? Wouldn't that cause those around me to interact with me on a completely different level? I say that it does. I say that even if I were to find no God at the end of my life, that my life would have been enriched very deeply by living his way. An uplifted spirit and an honest smile for those you encounter throughout your day will make you have a better day every day. So will picking on noobs.

I try and fail to be good quite often. That doesn't make me a hypocrite, but it does mean that I suck at following rules. I strive to do a better job sometimes and other times I am a mean, selfish bastard. Afterwards I feel guilty, often privately. Those who see me when I do both good and bad want to know why I am not more consistent. I wish I could say it was anything more than weakness. But we all struggle to achieve. We all have good and bad days. But we soldier onward. And with God's comfort and love that I feel (and yes, I really do feel it), I will be better tomorrow than I am today.

NA6C, I don't want to get all "Wizard of Oz" on you, but what you seek has been with you all the time. "Seek and you shall find." That also conversely means that if you don't seek it, you might not find it.

Good luck.

what if what some people call "god" is just some really smart alien engineer who designs shit we can't conceive of as designed?? like sentient organic life forms and self-sustaining balls of dirt floating in space?

If you have faith you hope for things which are not seen, which are true. That is my definition of faith. Key point being that you are hoping on things that are true. If you see something, you no longer need faith, you have knowledge.

Everyone has to work out their own salvation.

But for my .02cents...

I really don't care if people think I am crazy.

I know there have been several times that I have prayed, and things that seemed impossible are changed.

I've been healed a few times, and have had two friends that should of never walked again, walk. We've had people in our church get healed of cancer. Etc. Etc.

People can believe it or choose otherwise. But I have experiencd it myself.


There is so much more than people give credit for.

As far as, all in or all out, thatis the right Ideal. But keep in mind....You grow in god. You can't just be perfect. Apostal Paul said he died daily. Even apostal Paul had struggles everyday he had to over come.

Through Jesus dying on the cross his blood was the ultimate sacrifice. And only through him can we be saved. The Lord said our rightousness is as filthy raggs. But if we love him with all our heart and do he best we can. and ask Jesus for forgiveness. Or sins are washed away. And we shall be white as snow. He will go before us on the day of judgment.

There is a joy and peace through serving god.

There is a longing and void in each and everyone of us that we try to fill in many different ways (drinking, partying, sex, cars etc.). But always seem to come full circle back to bla. That longing is the carnal desire for us to get close to god. And can only be quinched by getting closer to him.

It isn't rocket science or chance. It was the make up and stature of our design.

We we designed to serve god. And it only takes seconds to get ourselves in motion to path we need to go. We all fall short. That doesn't mean we should halveway try. That just means we pickup the pieces try harder next time, and get stronger through his grace.

The thing I love about this country is the religous freedom.

I'm not trying to start a war.

But if I'm asked, I feel i would be accountable if I didn't answer.

If people pray to god, and earnestly seek his direction. He will show the path!

I don't think any religion will argue with that.

Faith is simply believing in something you have no reason to believe in.

It's the the definition of faith.

Also, protesting the inclusion of god on money is not equivilant to protesting homosexuals. Those protesting homosexual marriage/funerals/ect are against inclusion, and protesting the inclusion of church and state, the affermation of one group over another by the government...

One is a protest of how people use the money that has been taken from them, and another is a protest of how others live.