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Post by Wilshire on Feb 15, 2004 0:44:38 GMT -5
Im Catholic. So the Nicene Creed says it all for me. "I believe in one God, the Father, the Almighty, the Creator of Heaven and Earth...".
I believe that faith is need for salvation. But I also believe that "good works" are need, because in actions there is true love. Love, as in God is love, isn't just affection or care. There are 4 kinds of love: agape (selfless sacrificial love), eros (sexual or sensual), philia (friendship love), and another, something like sperga (natural liking, affection). God is agape, love in action, complete selfless love, and thats the kind of love that matters along with faith and hope. Im just saying this becuase there is a common misconception about what Godly love is. God = love, love does not = God.
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Post by William on Feb 19, 2004 0:25:38 GMT -5
I wasnt raised in a "Religious household." I was only given enough info so i'd know about others beliefs. So at a young age i knew about God and Jesus, but only their names. Only that such a name exists. Nothing more. I was always given the opportunity to go to church. None of my family did, but friends of the family would invite me and, a couple times a year, i'd go just to check it out. seventh grade was the culture shock. I had to learn (and was supposed to know) everything about Jesus and whatnot. Yeah, my religion grade was a C. but i learned what the Catholic Church had to offer. I never really adopted many beliefs except those that made sense from a non-religious view. now i'd say i know more about the Catholic Church than most Catholics. I dont believe it, but i know it. And i have no trouble looking at other religions. To me, many of the "other" religions make more sense, logically. I have found that many Christians cannot learn or discuss other faiths. This is because of a bias created from within. By being raised to believe in a faith, and later adopting that faith and fully believing it, many concepts in other releigions cannot be understood fully. These concepts are seen to be "wrong" or "weird." Though i feel that because i have never had such a bias, i do understand many of these concepts. I dont have to hold onto western or christian thought because there isnt any to hold onto. Of course, i feel religion is great and a faith can help the soul. So a bias is fine, but should not be placed upon other religions. Only if you can rid yourself of this bias may you discover the wonderfulness of other thoughts. I do not have a "faith" that can be labeled except what i create. And if other religions say i shall burn in hell for not doing things "the way God said", so be it. To live a moral life does not nesicarilly (sp) require a faith, but a clear conscience that sees the truth. you have found that many christians cannot discover or learn of other 'faiths'...thats a huge generalization, and a wrong one at that... I as a Christian know much of many other faiths, many others i know do also, I think that christians as a religion are the most open to learning of other religions...here is my reasoning... Christian churches will allow and host studies of other religions and their comparisons to christianity... Judaeism will never teach of other religions, and directs you never to read the scripture or the writings about other religions. Hinduism forbids the learning of other religions, and commands you not to communicate with other religions in discussion about their religion. Bhuddism isnt really a relgion because there is no God, and in bhuddism you can be bhuddist, and christian, its a mix match deal. not 100% bhuddist, but bhuddism doesnt have qualifications, its a title for a view on life (coveting peticularly). so based on the idea that no other main relgion (one that would be commonly be used for analyzation as a core group of religions) would teach or permit learning of other religions, but christianity teaches it and supports this...shows not only the fact that they are open...but they are confident you will stay with Truth and not fall to another religion. even some catholic churches do that...and that means they are risking people who would pay them money, so i think that shows a lot of confidence, seeing the previous actions of the political catholic church over the years... further...the chaun, technically you are not a christian if you do not believe in it... |
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Post by Brian on Feb 20, 2004 14:58:44 GMT -5
Howdy. Sorry about my delay on this thread, but I am also Christian, and I try to make it the biggest part of my life. I was raised as a Catholic, but I attend a Lutheran Church, and I believe more things that the Lutherans do than the Catholics.
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foehammer
Big Gulp
and...bring me that horizon!
Posts: 209
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Post by foehammer on Feb 21, 2004 0:13:49 GMT -5
What about all these denominations? I submit that since Jesus never really told his followers to organize the level of organization they have reached is ... I think appalling is the right word. Christianity is about unity, as are most religions, it seems, so why all these divisions? Why not just all be Christians and if you have different beliefs, big deal?
I should also mention that when I'm home I still attend Catholic mass with my family, I'm sure it would break my parents' hearts if I didn't go but it doesn't do much for me.
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Post by Sarien on Feb 21, 2004 1:00:12 GMT -5
In Buddhism, we do not worship idols!!! It's a misconception that some people have and I just ask that you don't condemn things without knowing what you're talking about. Buddha is a symbol, much like all religions have. Statues of Buddha are there just to remind us about the basis of our religion and that it's about man, not gods and sons of gods, messangers of gods, people touched by god, etc. Buddha's hands and positions all stand for different things, peace, enlightenment, etc. Also, the rubbing the belly thing, it's just superstition. All religions have them including Christianity and Catholicism.
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I'm Buddhist...or rather, I have my own beliefs and most of them fit into Buddhism. My whole family is Catholic (well, mother was Christian but converted) and well, after years of attending mass, I asked myself, what the fuck is the point? I don't believe most of what they say and they expect me to follow and if not, I'm damned to an eternity of "fire and brimstone" in hell?
As a Buddhist, I don't worship a god (though I belive in something created the universe, but after that it's evolution, adam and eve, armageddon, bah!). That's fine. In buddhism, everything is possible, reincarnation, non-violence, tolerence, nirvana, etc.
Religion is defined as a set of beliefs, values, and practices based on the teachings of a spiritual leader. By definition, Buddhism is a religion. It's a philosophy, *the* philosophy.
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Post by Mark617 on Feb 21, 2004 19:54:23 GMT -5
for the sake of this thread i'll refer to god instead of God (as in the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob). i think there has to be a god but i doubt it's truly the god of any religion. parts of it are likely to be seen in various religions. im guessing that every thousand years or so, whatever god there is decides to reveal himself in a different way, start a new religion, and get more people to worship him/her futily (sp?). also i figure he/she laughs at us a lot, and why limit it to one? it's just as likely that there's a trillion gods as there is to be one.
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Post by William on Feb 22, 2004 23:41:40 GMT -5
What about all these denominations? I submit that since Jesus never really told his followers to organize the level of organization they have reached is ... I think appalling is the right word. Christianity is about unity, as are most religions, it seems, so why all these divisions? Why not just all be Christians and if you have different beliefs, big deal? I should also mention that when I'm home I still attend Catholic mass with my family, I'm sure it would break my parents' hearts if I didn't go but it doesn't do much for me. i agree there are many devisions, and paul mocks this in as early as 60 A.D. in his letters...he mocks the devisions as groups of followers...of himself, timmothy, david, the jews, and of apollos...then he says they all follow Jesus... but devisions are made in diferences in beliefs, it says do not take communion with a brother that does not have the faith in the same order as you do...hence they derived not to commune with other denominations...although i dont think the verse implyed that specific...but devisions are partially from refermations, and they devide only in title, but all are one body of believers...the catholics do not disassociate with lutherans, they just have different theological orders and beliefs...and the doctrine of catholicism and lutheranism are the most similar, but the polotics of the catholic church are most detestable... the church of latter day saints is not christian though, they do not belive in the bible as Truth, and that is a qualification of christianity, they are devided and seperated... similar with the jehova's witnesses'... the devisions with in sects are just minor differences in the refermations made by people like luther and calvin and such... (i.e. missouri synid, wisconson synid...) these are not often known of...and are minor...the devisions are a little taken over board, and should be left only as a title for beliefs, not a seperation of the body of Christ... about bhuddism, its good to not have a stupid bhuddist of sort here, bhuddism is a good belief/philosiphy, but i would not consider it a religion, as i do not consider cheerleading or skateboarding sports...it just doesnt meet my qualifications, (a god)...but it is a great philosiphy in theorey (eliminate wants and such)...but the enlightenment i do not agree with... |
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Post by The Wanderer on Feb 24, 2004 20:45:01 GMT -5
about bhuddism, its good to not have a stupid bhuddist of sort here, bhuddism is a good belief/philosiphy, but i would not consider it a religion, as i do not consider cheerleading or skateboarding sports...it just doesnt meet my qualifications, (a god)...but it is a great philosiphy in theorey (eliminate wants and such)...but the enlightenment i do not agree with... Just a comment. I think having a belief structure and philosophy on life is more important than having a "religion." Take all the bullshit out of Christianity and you've got a pretty decent philosophical viewpoint. Also, no offense, but um......spelling....yeah. |
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Post by Mark617 on Feb 24, 2004 21:08:24 GMT -5
about bhuddism, its good to not have a stupid bhuddist of sort here, bhuddism is a good belief/philosiphy, but i would not consider it a religion, as i do not consider cheerleading or skateboarding sports...it just doesnt meet my qualifications, (a god)...but it is a great philosiphy in theorey (eliminate wants and such)...but the enlightenment i do not agree with... well, actually the theraveda form of Buddhism does worship the Buddha as a god. and just for the sake of discussion, why does a religion need to have a god? |
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Post by Sarien on Feb 24, 2004 21:43:38 GMT -5
well, actually the theraveda form of Buddhism does worship the Buddha as a god. and just for the sake of discussion, why does a religion need to have a god? Erm...no...Theravada Buddhism follows all the rules of the other Buddhist...schools (the four noble truths, eight fold path, etc.), but it strictly follows the Pali Canon (and some other document left by Buddha). There is NO worshiping of Buddha in any Buddhist religion. I don't know where you got this info from, but it's wrong. |
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foehammer
Big Gulp
and...bring me that horizon!
Posts: 209
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Post by foehammer on Feb 25, 2004 15:00:34 GMT -5
Mark, I think (hope?) you meant futilely. And I agree, if I were God I don't think I would want everyone to worship me. It is said that He gave us free will to do whatever we want, not what He wants. He has plenty of angels without free will (if that is indeed the truth about them) to worship Him.
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Post by JadeGriffon on Feb 25, 2004 17:44:24 GMT -5
Mark, I think (hope?) you meant futilely. And I agree, if I were God I don't think I would want everyone to worship me. It is said that He gave us free will to do whatever we want, not what He wants. He has plenty of angels without free will (if that is indeed the truth about them) to worship Him. Well, don't you like getting praise when you deserve it? When you do something good that helps others and stuff you wouldn't mind some thanks. God gave us everyhting, so deserves some thanks/praise/worship/respect. And to The Wanderer. If you really follow (and I mean follow, not just pretend or half-follow) a good religion and understand it then you do have those things. You also have morals and ethics (this might be what you meant by "belief structure" but I'm not sure), which are related to philisophical viewpoint, but they may be more important. In fact I think they are. |
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Post by The Wanderer on Feb 25, 2004 19:46:48 GMT -5
And to The Wanderer. If you really follow (and I mean follow, not just pretend or half-follow) a good religion and understand it then you do have those things. You also have morals and ethics (this might be what you meant by "belief structure" but I'm not sure), which are related to philisophical viewpoint, but they may be more important. In fact I think they are. I never said that Christianity didn't have any good basic philosophical concepts inherent to it. It's all the dogma and religious authority type things that ruins it. Also, you don't need to be a part of a religion to learn moral decision making. It's a fundamental factor of reality. |
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Post by Mark617 on Feb 25, 2004 21:42:00 GMT -5
Erm...no...Theravada Buddhism follows all the rules of the other Buddhist...schools (the four noble truths, eight fold path, etc.), but it strictly follows the Pali Canon (and some other document left by Buddha). There is NO worshiping of Buddha in any Buddhist religion. I don't know where you got this info from, but it's wrong. you are correct in saying that Theraveda Buddhism does not worship Buddha, that was my mistake. what i had meant to say was Mahayana Buddhism does this. buddhism was one of the few religions i paid attention to in world religions, and both in videos we watched about it and our text book said that followers of Mahayana buddhism think of Buddha as a divinity and savior. |
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Post by William on Feb 26, 2004 0:04:56 GMT -5
okay...umm he didnt give us free will to make follow our own will...he gave us the ability to make choices to follow him or sin, and he wants us to follow him so he can hang out with us...
and add all the bullshit to bhuddism and youve got the Truth, its not bullshit though, its the part of Truth that most people dont want...
just because something isnt convientent doesnt mean its not true, God doesnt have to fit your wants and standards...
and free will...where does everybody derive the idea that God gave us free will...?
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