Religions!

[MaxR]

unlike religion, when I look at my family, I see good people who want to help others and who raise their children without asking for anything in return

I don't see sin.

Plus its not human nature, despite teachings. In case you haven't noticed, they devil exists for a reason apparently, and thats not nature, thats an external force

as well as people can do good on their own. Donate, work hard, help the helpless, and try to keep things right.

besides where has religion gotten people anyway? Look at the world, religion is just another excuse to hate or fight someone else nowadays.

Now you fight about race, about age, about politics, and religion as well

As far as I'm concerned its just another tradition that leads to fighting

Whats surprising is my family are non-denominational christians themselves(though I really don't get the non-denominational part)

Point in case: People aren't inherently evil, they have good as well. If we were supposed to do bad things, then that wouldn't be free will would it. As long as free will exists you cannot say that we are naturally evil, for there are always choices, and they're all not bad.

So don't try to tell me the human race is evil, dirty, and needs to cry and beg in order to fulfill their lives in the eyes of a supposedly benevolent God.

Then again, there was the story "Wrath of an Angry God"(gotta love puritans right?)

History is so much fun when you find out how much has changed...especially in the bible.

[Catghost]

I typed out a friggin' long post and my computer crashed.. x_x
Of course. I guess I'll try this again...

What you say is called good works. It's doing good.. and thats it. I don't see how you cannot see sin in others. I see it all the time, even in those I love.
And no, having a sin nature does not mean we are evil. You can do good things your entire life, still sin and not be evil. Evil are those who are consumed with sin.

The devil does not make us to sin, he may encourage us but in the end we are the ones ultimately responsible for what we have done.

Please, please read into what being a Christian is all about. It's not begging God to forgive us. It's none of that. It's a fellowship with Jesus Christ and to be a Christian is to be like Christ.
Do some research instead of assuming these things.

Yeah, I know. I know the bible has changed. I know that people have removed and added things, twisted it to fit their needs. Used it as an excuse to start war, and to murder others. But when you really look at the things that have been done with it, do you really believe that Jesus would condone such things? I don't.

[MaxR]

Of course I wouldn't think God would condone it, but it happens nonetheless.

Also, I don't see the world in terms of sin or repent. I see everyone as how they are. People do bad things, but I wouldn't say that is their nature.

Nor do I try to make fun of the bible or christians. Its just I hate hearing that mankind is sinful by nature, because I think it is just...wrong somehow. Just off, like there is some sort of snag...

[dreamer676]

Religion in general fasinates (sp) me tbh. I was thinking about being a buddist at one point, because they (Correct me if I'm wrong) don't believe in a higher entity but rather go by the teachings or experiences of a man. The only thing that I don't really believe in that they do is reincarnation. I think it could work in like your corpse fertiliseing a flower etc. But not that you could be say reincarnated into a dog.

There was also a religion I think that respected nature, I think that said that their church was everywhere like nature. Like a forest etc. But it was the basis of many religions such as paganism.

I'm not sure it's been quite a while since I really looked at religion.

As for Christianity, I have no issue with christians nor those that try and force you into their religion. I just know what I believe in and what I don't. And I don't believe in a higher entity that controls us, even loosely. I admit that sometimes I look at humanity and the natural world and think that something beyond us made it, but that doesn't necessarily mean I think that something paranormal or spiritual did. Although I rarely think that any more because there arn't a lot of places any more that are completely natural.

Something that is quite funny that I have seen happen. Is people saying they believe in satan but not god. I'm just like doesn't that mean that you believe in both, because you can't really have one without the other.

[Urboros]

Satan makes me laugh, I don't belive that there is a satan. I think its something the elders of long ago came up with to scare the children into "believing" and it worked ^^

[dreamer676]

I think I read somewhere that Satan was something that christians made up to say that paganism is evil, when it really isn't because I think that pagans were actually nature worshippers or something like that. That's why satan's represented as a goat like creature, and Hollywood has just sortof fed on that making paganism seem worse than it actually was. I think I probably read that from a Dan Brown book actually so I don't know how acurate that would be XD

[vampirebox]

Theology is very interesting... I want to learn more about those unheard-of religions in the depths of Africa - religions that are shamanistic or animalistic.

I'm tired of learning about the 3 major religions - I've heard enough about them, really.

[Vixie]

i've never been into religion.. its all aload of bulls**t to me, the bible is falsh, catholics are morons, jews are selfish..need i go on.. anyways i don't mind other people believeing in stuff but i hate those people who try to force their religion on you