I am a christian, i and i strongly belive in my lord jesus christ, and i also belive that if you belive in him and except him as your savior, u will go to heaven. and i also believe that he created the world, not the big bang, or that we came from stupid apes.
@windshift: Read Kirby's post. Not all Christians are converts. We don't all have the thought that we must convert running through our minds. I agree that if you were ****ed to Hell for your lack of religion that it would be unfair; but a lot of Christians believe actions speak louder than religious affiliation.
I know you all missed me (not), but I just popped on for a second. I still have to type up a report and study for a quiz tomorrow. Bye-bye.
So, if there is only one true God, why are there so many different versions of him?
Things change over time, but that does not mean the original does not exist or is not real.
I think a good example of this is fairy tales. With all the famous ones, there is the original some where out there, for the most part ignored. And there are many many different versions of the original for each country/culture.
Simply put: people just have different ways of telling the same story.
Apologies for nixing the previous pages as well...
So, if there is only one true God, why are there so many different versions of him?
Just for the record. I am only talking about Muslims, Jews & Christians having the same God. (I really have no knowledge of other religions God(s). There are different versions because people interprete him differently. Let's say that the story of the Bible is mainly true and Jews & Christians are descendants of Abraham (and people who change their religion as well). They have the same "Father" and when then had a dispute over Jesus Chris, their religions split. Remember- the early Christians considered themselves Jews. Now, lets toss in the Muslims-- Abraham fathered Ishmael, but as he was not a legitimate son of his wife, he was not graced with God's blessings. Ishmael became a leader in his time and that lead to Muslim beliefs. Again, the same "Father" but the people's actual believes in religious nature changed over time. The way people interprate God is different- not God himself.
Well, I understand that, but how can you know for sure that your religion is the right religion?
I don't know that is is right overall, but I know it is right for me. I am Catholic, my boyfriend of 6 years is Protestant. I respect his beliefs and he respects mine. We believe in the same God, but we worship him differently. Here is an example: I want to God to church every Sunday and receive the Eucharist, my boyfriend does not have that need (and I have no need to try and change him). So yeah, it's not that my religion is right-- it is just right for me.
I just don't understand why there'd be so many different forms of religion. This would mean that like only a small percentage of people would go to Heaven. (if there was one)
Oh and what about the people that don't ever receive the information about a religion and it's God. Would they go to Hell?
I just don't understand why there'd be so many different forms of religion. This would mean that like only a small percentage of people would go to Heaven. (if there was one)
Well I can see how many different forms evolved. Each community believes in a religion that fits their needs. let's look back in the colonial time period there was little ways of communication, no phones, internet, few people could read... so people just created their religious beliefs by the community they surrounded themselves with. Now, the idea of Heaven... I've been pondering that thought a lot lately actually. But I do think that most religions have a concept of Heaven (maybe I'm wrong), so more than a few people would get in. I believe there is a heaven...I honestly and just still defining it, so I can't speak to intelligently on the topic.
Hell on the other hand, I really think is a state of mind. I do not think there is a firey place where Satan will harm you. But..who knows... I at least am sure that aside from people who do tremendously evil crimes (ex. murders without repentance or remorse) we will not go to Hell. So, from that, ignorant people-- I do not think will go to Hell.
I don't know that is is right overall, but I know it is right for me.
What do you get out of religion?
Not under the christain god. In Christianity you just need strong morals.
That was a major problem I ran into with the Bible. To use it to guide ones morals you have to completely ignore huge parts of the Bible. This is usually done by reinterpreting the Bible to such an extent that you can make the passages say pretty much what ever you want. In such a case it's no longer guides your getting from the Bible but guides your getting from yourself, or if you follow what your pastor says then the guides come from him.
How do you know what parts are meant literally as fact and what parts are just moral stories? Do you know how many times the borders between the two have been changed? And if it's all just moral stories then how can you be sure God is real or even anything of how he is said to be in the Bible is true? On faith? If faith was truly such an accurate predictor then why does it lead in so many direction?
