I have always had a 'sense' of a Superior Entity but at the ripe age of 57 years, I find myself completely confused regarding my own beliefs. I still hold to the notion of a singular 'God'. This was probably instilled in my psyche by my parents, who attended an Anglican based church until I was around 10. Then they allowed me and my siblings to decide whether we would rather attend 'Sunday School' or have fun. Fun won. Then a complete gap until my mid 20's, when I began searching for some kind of meaning to my existence. I'd imagine, so far, just about all of us are familiar with this peculiarity. I tried just about every church, faith, philosophy etc. but have come to the conclusion that they're all full of claptrap and I do not believe any of them. I accept that many of the people associated with these organised religions, are very well intentioned but nothing I've heard, read or experienced has 'lit the fuse' for me in the 'blind faith' department. As previously stated, I STILL sense the existence of a 'Something' out there. I do not hold to the acceptance of the Bible being the word of god, as it's a heavily edited document, written by men, many years after the fact and compiled to support a specific purpose ie: control of the populace by fear of the deprivation of life after death unless you subscribe to its doctrine. Having said that, I don't believe the Koran, the Talmud etc. either. I have no fear of death. It will come when it does and I will go willingly (like, I'm going to have a choice?) My view of Organised Religion has been severely jaundiced also, by the fact that so many wars and attrocities have been perpetrated throughout history and lately, in the name of God. I suppose the reason why I'm expressing myself here is to find out if I'm the only one who hopes that being a law abiding, non-violent, well intentioned, good but not perfect being, is enough to get a gig, somewhere, in the afterlife. That is, assuming there is an afterlife. If there is not, then nothing I've done on Earth will matter anyway.
Stevo. ********************************************************** 10-26-05, 05:18 PM Sherasi That actually almost perfectly expresses my own confusions/concerns about the issue of an Almight Being and the possibility of an Afterlife.
I was raised as a Lutheran, and rather subscribe to their "middle-of-the-road" stances that are not really extreme in either spectrum. But I still do not know exactly what I DO believe.
10-26-05, 11:20 PM jusork A lot of deists would completely agree with you.
10-27-05, 03:51 AM stevo Thank you for your replies. I am truly happy to now be able to put a name to my philosophy. So, I'm a Deist. Thanks for the link. It's nice to know I'm not alone and that many people find the stupidity, dogma, vanity, hipocracy and ridiculous messages of all organised religions an insult to the intelligence.
stevo
10-27-05, 09:38 AM jusork Anytime, Steveo.
10-27-05, 02:22 PM Sherasi That was a very interesting link. I think that I believe in many of the same things Deists believe, but I also DO believe that Christ was God's Son. I do believe in the Trinity, I just don't feel that all of the rituals developed by formal religions really are necessary. I don't believe that the Bible is the literal word of God, but I do beleive that many of the writers, teachers and authors of those messages WERE inspired by God's 'take' on the world. I don't think that they were able to fully express what God turely meant/felt because, well, lets face it, these men and women were pretty simple in their thinking because of the sort of world that existed then.
So, I am still not sure what I beleive. Roll Eyes
10-27-05, 03:01 PM jusork How about...Partial Deism? Wink
10-28-05, 07:14 PM stevo
quote: How about...Partial Deism? Wink
I wonder if there's a forum. What an innovation!
10-31-05, 03:42 AM tsaeb I fantasize that there will be an infusion of an abundance of true interpretation of the holy books so that more people get a closer walk with God. Actually, this is a promise of the Bible--that all will come to know God.
10-31-05, 06:51 AM stevo Actually, this is a promise of the Bible--that all will come to know God. It's also a promise of every 'holy' book. I do not doubt the good intention of the bible as a matrix by which to live one's life but I don't believe its original compilation. A compilation designed and edited to promote a money making scam, based on fear of eternal death. Unfortunately, all the so called, 'holy tomes' suffer the same birth. Codswallop, the lot of them.
Stevo
11-01-05, 02:21 AM tsaeb "A compilation designed and edited to promote a money making scam, based on fear of eternal death."
As though you were there. . . .
Anyway, eternal life is promised to the child of God. As for any eternal torment, hell is a potentially eternal condition, not a decidedly eternal pronouncement (unless one prefers that condition for all time).
11-01-05, 05:41 AM Sherasi From what I recall, Hell and Pergatory were never mentioned until the Medieval European Catholic Church got into things.
11-01-05, 09:59 AM Elexina
quote: Originally posted by Sherasi: From what I recall, Hell and Pergatory were never mentioned until the Medieval European Catholic Church got into things.
That goes for a great number of things. Smile
11-01-05, 10:32 AM DorianGreyed "I don't think that they were able to fully express what God turely meant/felt because, well, lets face it,these men and women were pretty simple in their thinking because of the sort of world that existed then."
And there have been so many improvements in philosphical thinking since then, especially lately? I agree that much of the ancient writings were written with an eye towards controlling the masses and leading (read pushing) them toward the prevailing religion. However, that does not negate the lasting wisdom that can still be found mixed in with various laws, pronouncements, and admonishiments.
11-02-05, 10:53 AM stevo
quote: As though you were there. . . .
An excellent point. I was not there....and neither were the contributors to the bible. So I suppose, in that context, the truth cannot be known.
quote: However, that does not negate the lasting wisdom that can still be found mixed in with various laws, pronouncements, and admonishiments.
As I have expressed and observed previously. Mixed in also, is a considerable amount of claptrap, perpetuated by every organised religion which has adopted the bible as its work in progress.
stevo
This message has been edited. Last edited by: DorianGreyed,
Posts: 5 | Location: Australia | Registered: 10-26-05
