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| Hollywood's Fan - 2013-12-17 12:18 PM Three 4 Luck - 2013-12-18 10:07 AM Hollywood's Fan - 2013-12-17 10:57 AM What makes me believe? Certainly not the theories and writings of men. Honestly, I have had God in my heart, always. I never questioned his existance because I have felt his presence since I was a small child. God and religion are two seperate things. Religion is man's way to God, and some try to make it seem very complicated. The bible is God's textbook on life, his gift of a manuscript designed to guide the people he created in having the life he created them to have. Its perfect. Every question that you could ever have about the foundation of life can be found in the Bible. You just have to look for it, and seek the answers.
Men have been trying to disprove the facts of the Bible for years, but still it endures. If not divinely inspired, how could it have stood the test of time all these years? If just a book written by men, why would it not been thrown out years ago as hogwash? If Jesus Christ were just a man, wouldn't he have been forgotten about long ago?
I have a difficult time understanding how some do not believe in God. Look at the wonders of his creation. How complex we are as human beings, the different animal and plant species - each designed with a specific purpose in the food chain. The oceans, the desert, the Grand Canyon, etc., etc., etc. I feel sorry for those who make it their life's work to try and disprove God's existance, when to embrace him and the teachings of his word (the bible) is what leads to a fulfilling and happy life.
And, I wondered reading your post, what exactly has been found that proves the bible to be false? The book, "Misquoting Jesus", has a lot of good info about purposeful changes, and mistakes in our present version of the Bible. There is no question there are mistakes, and that's why you can't take a verse out of context and base a religion on it. However, I do think that taken overall, it's an excellent message in where we came from and how we should live. Just because I don't believe that it is infallible and in the original form of divine inspiration doesn't lessen my Faith one iota.
The Bible was written and then translated again and again by man, correct?
If that is the case, I can believe that some things in it could have been altered or changed (for better or for worse). To err is human.
As far as my beliefs go....I don't really know for sure. I'll echo HammerTime in saying that I feel like a fraud when I entertain the thought of "getting serious". I don't buy many of the stories in the Bible (although I believe that there are some good passages, sayings, and quotes from it). There are many things in the Bible that have been proven false by science. There are also things in the Bible that have been proven true by science.
I also liked what Rach.K said about having never seen something that didn't have a creator. A very, very good point. I tend to understand science a little better, but the Big Bang theory has never really made much sense to me. At the same time, it kind of sounds like the creation story. Darkness everywhere/nothingness - then suddenly - "Let there be light".
I could entertain the possibility of a God. I believe in evolution and many of the things that science has discovered make sense to me. Perhaps God created the Earth and had to perfect it (evolution/extinction/natural selection). Perhaps God and Mother Nature are different names for the same force or being.
Just my thoughts....sorry for any spelling errors.
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| The FACT that I have ALWAYS felt the presence of God in my life. And as I've gotten older I feel the Holy Spirit in me. There are some things that cannot be explained but only felt. The unexplainable power of love (you can't see love you can only feel it), an abiding feeling so down deep inside of me that I cannot put it into words. People say things of the bible have been disproved...not to me they have not. The words of the prophets of years ago, from the Old Testament that have, in fact, been proven to pan out just as they were told. The FACT that generations come and go through this world in a revolving-door fashion and my belief that there is a heaven and a hell, as scripture tell us there is, one of which that everyone ends up at as their final destination. And if all that were not enough, I can look at the grandeur,beauty and power of nature and KNOW there is a God that created it all. Men try to use human/worldly/of the flesh reasoning to explain things that we are not capable of completely comprehending in our little minds (compared to HIM). Why? Because in mortalness we are trying to "understand" something of a divine nature. But we can "choose" to believe it or not. We are asked to simply believe but that seems to be so very hard for some and so very easy for others. He is our Father, we are His children and just like we don't tell the details of everything to our children he doesn't completely explain everything to us. He has;however, given us enough information that we should take Him at his word.
Edited by runs4fun 2013-12-17 2:43 PM
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Location: Never in one place long | Well... I'm not really sure.. I guess it is within me to believe... I tried NOT believing for a period in my life and kept finding myself drawn back to God and have since become MUCH stronger in my faith.... I can feel God and see his works everyday. The more I tried to run the more I came back to him!! Very crazy. | |
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| DLV - 2013-12-17 3:47 PM Well... I'm not really sure.. I guess it is within me to believe... I tried NOT believing for a period in my life and kept finding myself drawn back to God and have since become MUCH stronger in my faith.... I can feel God and see his works everyday. The more I tried to run the more I came back to him!! Very crazy.
You have the Holy Spirit working, or trying, to work within you. Life is so much easier when you just give in and let the Spirit have His way with you...LOL. As a friend once said to me, "go with it Sister!". He has good works for you to do and he has peace He wants to give to you. | |
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Location: Never in one place long | runs4fun - 2013-12-17 2:51 PM
DLV - 2013-12-17 3:47 PM Well... I'm not really sure.. I guess it is within me to believe... I tried NOT believing for a period in my life and kept finding myself drawn back to God and have since become MUCH stronger in my faith.... I can feel God and see his works everyday. The more I tried to run the more I came back to him!! Very crazy.
You have the Holy Spirit working, or trying, to work within you. Life is so much easier when you just give in and let the Spirit have His way with you...LOL. As a friend once said to me, "go with it Sister!". He has good works for you to do and he has peace He wants to give to you.
I agree, I have never felt so close to God and am trying to let him have his way lol, I finally have realized that MY wants are not always what he has in store for me and getting upset over it does no good. :) | |
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 Elite Veteran
Posts: 725
Location: Hogwarts | barrelracr131 - 2013-12-17 2:33 PM
hammer_time - 2013-12-17 1:13 PM Della&bubba - 2013-12-17 8:31 AM That's one of the things we discussed. If religion is completely taken out of the world and atheism strengthened, would their still be morals? I think there would be because I'm an atheist and I believe in the golden rule of do unto others that you would do unto you. But then I'd start to think and I feel on the other hand there are people who really need that looming idea of a greater punishment to stay fairly well on the straight and narrow (not implying you do but the general population as a whole). I don't know. This topic interests me a lot. Religion fascinates me, which is weird because I don't believe in it haha. I'm kind of the same way.....I'm agnostic. I believe there is a God who plans out fate and has a reason for what happens....but I have yet to be SAVED or have a relationship.....I just don't know how. I feel like a fraud whenever I think about getting serious. I DO believe in the idea of a positive attitude, which God/religion seems to bring to people.
BTW, not all scientists are athiests or agnostics. In fact, the founder of the Human Genome Project is some sort of Christian religion.
Science is an extremely interesting subject. So is religion. Our understanding of both subjects is limited by our intelligence as a species.
I think I am more of a spiritual atheist. I believe that everything is connected in some way but not in a specific higher being. That's the definition of atheism is not believing in God or gods. Thank you to all who have replied by the way! I have been enjoying reading them all. I just wanted to talk about it because what's the point in taking a class without talking about it outside of the classroom? I read a really cool book for a report in this one called Atom and Eve it is a just a collection of interviews by prominent scientists, religious people, etc. that discuss there faith. A lot of scientists are devout Christians. Some Christians are strongly against science while others talk about how good a relationship between the two could be. It was fascinating.
ETA: I wish I could have a conversation with all you personally. I'm really not trying to disprove religion or anything like that I'm just honestly fascinated as to what draws people to certain things. Its really the only thing in college that has really captured my attention so far and I like having discussions about religion and faith and everything. I just wish it wasn't so much of a taboo in our culture. For those who believe wholeheartedly, I am envious of your conviction in believing so much in something. I hope none of you think this is an attack or anything on what you believe. I feel like a few people above who have said they feel like frauds sometimes.
Edited by Della&bubba 2013-12-17 4:30 PM
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 Googly Goo
Posts: 7053
| Della&bubba - 2013-12-17 10:31 AM That's one of the things we discussed. If religion is completely taken out of the world and atheism strengthened, would their still be morals? I think there would be because I'm an atheist and I believe in the golden rule of do unto others that you would do unto you....
Ever ponder the origin of your moral compass? | |
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Location: Desert Land | Just Plain Lucky - 2013-12-17 11:45 AM Hollywood's Fan - 2013-12-17 12:18 PM Three 4 Luck - 2013-12-18 10:07 AM Hollywood's Fan - 2013-12-17 10:57 AM What makes me believe? Certainly not the theories and writings of men. Honestly, I have had God in my heart, always. I never questioned his existance because I have felt his presence since I was a small child. God and religion are two seperate things. Religion is man's way to God, and some try to make it seem very complicated. The bible is God's textbook on life, his gift of a manuscript designed to guide the people he created in having the life he created them to have. Its perfect. Every question that you could ever have about the foundation of life can be found in the Bible. You just have to look for it, and seek the answers.
Men have been trying to disprove the facts of the Bible for years, but still it endures. If not divinely inspired, how could it have stood the test of time all these years? If just a book written by men, why would it not been thrown out years ago as hogwash? If Jesus Christ were just a man, wouldn't he have been forgotten about long ago?
I have a difficult time understanding how some do not believe in God. Look at the wonders of his creation. How complex we are as human beings, the different animal and plant species - each designed with a specific purpose in the food chain. The oceans, the desert, the Grand Canyon, etc., etc., etc. I feel sorry for those who make it their life's work to try and disprove God's existance, when to embrace him and the teachings of his word (the bible) is what leads to a fulfilling and happy life.
And, I wondered reading your post, what exactly has been found that proves the bible to be false? The book, "Misquoting Jesus", has a lot of good info about purposeful changes, and mistakes in our present version of the Bible. There is no question there are mistakes, and that's why you can't take a verse out of context and base a religion on it. However, I do think that taken overall, it's an excellent message in where we came from and how we should live. Just because I don't believe that it is infallible and in the original form of divine inspiration doesn't lessen my Faith one iota.
If that is the case, I can believe that some things in it could have been altered or changed (for better or for worse). To err is human.
As far as my beliefs go....I don't really know for sure. I'll echo HammerTime in saying that I feel like a fraud when I entertain the thought of "getting serious". I don't buy many of the stories in the Bible (although I believe that there are some good passages, sayings, and quotes from it). There are many things in the Bible that have been proven false by science. There are also things in the Bible that have been proven true by science.
I also liked what Rach.K said about having never seen something that didn't have a creator. A very, very good point. I tend to understand science a little better, but the Big Bang theory has never really made much sense to me. At the same time, it kind of sounds like the creation story. Darkness everywhere/nothingness - then suddenly - "Let there be light".
I could entertain the possibility of a God. I believe in evolution and many of the things that science has discovered make sense to me. Perhaps God created the Earth and had to perfect it (evolution/extinction/natural selection). Perhaps God and Mother Nature are different names for the same force or being.
Just my thoughts....sorry for any spelling errors.
I am on the same wave length as you.
I'm glad this thread has gone in a positive way. I am learning from everyone's answers I was worried this topic would take a turn for the worst. | |
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Extreme Veteran
Posts: 597
| I have FAITH, I BELIEVE, I KNOW that God is real.
*I have my faith because I feel him, he's with me every step of the way, every single day. It's not something that I can explain, I just know He's here with me everyday.
It may not seem like much to some people, but when I'm scared, or worried, or happy or sad, or just whatever I pray, I don't always pray out loud He's omniscient, He knows what we say and what we think, He hears me, He knows when I need him, and never not once has God let me down, the answer to my prayers may not be exactly what I asked for but it's ALWAYS what I NEED.
My faith is my own private thing, I'm not one to push anything on someone else, I don't regularly attend church, I don't preach to people. But there's always a time to witness, there's always a moment when someone needs a champion in their corner, and who better to have cheering you on than our Lord and Savior?
From a scientific point of view, my question for people who are against creationism. "Why is it impossible to think that God created the world in a Big Bang sort of way?" That's what I think, maybe the Big Bang theory is correct, but there's another step just before that and it was Gods design. | |
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| The bible is the inspired word of God. There are no mistakes in it. I would question anyone's faith that believed other wise. | |
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 Ima Fickle Fan
Posts: 3547
Location: Texas | I grew up going to church all my life. But perhaps one thing that truly solidified my faith was an AP biology class I took my senior year of high school. One of our projects was to create a self-sustaining "planet." Our planets were aquariums that we could put anything in them before they were sealed off. We were free to use any materials and had the science book as our guide. The first attempt was met with failure on every group within two weeks. So, we were allowed to try again. Even then, the longest time a "planet" sustained life was less than two months. Even with all the knowledge and information available to create a world, no one in this class was able to construct an environment to sustain life.
For me, there is too much order, thought, and design in our world to deny the existence of God. The Big Bang Theory relies on choas and mutations that would not occur without some instigator.
Also, even in my darkest hour, I know I have never been alone. We are placed on this Earth for a reason, and there is much more beyond this world. If I were to not believe, that would mean there is no reason to be good or evil. It would be a sad existence if we were only to live and die with nothing else left in store. That, to me, would be such a hopeless existence. | |
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Googly Goo
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| Just Plain Lucky - 2013-12-17 1:45 PM .....There are many things in the Bible that have been proven false by science. ....
What has been proven wrong by science? | |
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| I believe for very personal reasons. I was raised this way and God has always shown himself in everything I do, and has always proved to me why I should believe in him! He's always, through even the tough times, made my life better in some way and I always feel that I'm not alone. His presence is with me and I always have someone to talk to. He's my rock and I believe he's saved my life in more ways than one  | |
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 Forever Young
Posts: 6768
Location: relocated to Texas | TXBO - 2013-12-18 3:55 PM Just Plain Lucky - 2013-12-17 1:45 PM .....There are many things in the Bible that have been proven false by science. ....
What has been proven wrong by science?
Yes, my question too. Isn't global warming based on "the facts of science" as well? | |
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| TXBO - 2013-12-17 5:55 PM Just Plain Lucky - 2013-12-17 1:45 PM .....There are many things in the Bible that have been proven false by science. ....
What has been proven wrong by science?
Yes, thatwould be my question, too....what has been proven wrong my science? Science often finds that it was wrong about things and corrects itself in time. | |
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Expert
Posts: 1304
| I also wanted to add, because I saw everyone suggesting books, that there is a book called "Proof of Heaven" by Dr. Eben Alexander and I've been dying to read it!! I saw him on TV introduce this book and here's a basic summary. He was a neurosurgeon that felt his mind was too scientific to believe in God and the bible. He had a near death experience... and I can't say the rest cause it's so AMAZING! Hearing a summary of his story makes me believe that much more! | |
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Thread Killer
Posts: 7545
| TXBO - 2013-12-17 5:55 PM Just Plain Lucky - 2013-12-17 1:45 PM .....There are many things in the Bible that have been proven false by science. ....
What has been proven wrong by science?
I suppose that is basically up to interpretation and it depends on who you ask. For someone who takes the Bible as the word of God, no question or doubt about it, there will never be scientific evidence that proves the Bible wrong. I was speaking for myself, and what I personally believe.
For me, science has proven that the Earth is much, much older than the Bible says it to be. It has proven that the animals that walk the Earth now did not just appear, they changed and grew over time. That includes human kind.
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  Warmblood with Wings
Posts: 27846
Location: Florida.. | Until you have felt the Holy Spirit touch you and get in your heart then you may have doubts.
Id be lost without god in my heart. he has carried me thru life and sturggles and gave me hope . I have walked with him in the light and there is a heaven.I wont explain myself.. it is what I know and feel.Its a personal faith. | |
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 Hawty & Nawty
Posts: 20424
| So imagine you are the best scientist in the world and your task is to create a seed. Imagine what a seed can do. Inside that one seed is the Dna of everytree before it and the possibility of every tree to come. Can you do it?
I LOVE science. I LOVE physics. But what you really have, is a few ingredients of a complicated recipe. It's always exciting when you get something right, but it never quite matches up to how mom made it.
If you study physics enough the building block of everything is nothing. Essentially, mass does not exsist. Even the best Scientist do not totally refute the idea of a creator.
Then we go back to what came first the chicken or the egg?
Nobody can answer that, not even the best scientist. Anyone that would rely on the knowledge of man is not thinking big enough.
Of course, you can all just listen to my uncle who, on our camping trips would look out to the stars and proclaim; "What if we are nothing but an ant farm in some snotty nosed alien kid's bedroom?" Thanks uncle Dwayne for making me think! | |
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| It is no secret that things have "evolved" over time. That does not mean they were not created by God. In the early biblical days, civilization was so very new and simple that the wayHe chose to communicate his creation was in a way that man-kind could understand at the time, in simple terms, with simple stories. Yes, we as a people and a civilization have evolved and our understanding of things because of education, including science, mathematics, etc. are not nearly as simple as they were all those many years ago. Yes, the Bible has been translated many times to keep up with our languages, lingo and everyday way of communicating....yet the true story, the important part of the story NEVER changes...yesterday, today and tomorrow, it will be the same. He created us. He loves us, yet he can be angered. He forgives. He gave His ONLY son and whoever BELIEVES in Him shall not perish but have everlasting life. He sent His son NOT to condemn us but to SAVE us!!!! Jesus has gone ahead of us to prepare a place for US!!! Further, if you study the Proverbs you will find life answers, good advice on how to live regarding every circumstance imaginable. In the Psalms you will find comfort. on and on....what a remarkable book that has withstood time, even as civilization has changed (evolved) throughout all these many years!
Edited by runs4fun 2013-12-17 5:49 PM
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