Woo, what a touchy subject. Caveat: I am posting without reading all the responses first...but I promise to go back and read them all, because I'm interested in what everyone has to say about it. Just my time's a bit limited right now.

I was raised as a Bible-believing evangelical Christian, one parent United Methodist, other parent Southern Baptist. Every Sunday was Sunday School, Church, then Sunday-night services and Wednesday-night services. Basically if the church doors were open we were there (and in fact had a key so we could practice on the piano and organ whenever we wanted). Soon as I left home I rebelled and quit attending church except for Christmas and Easter, then later not even that.

But I have always considered myself a very spiritual person, even though I do not care for organized religion. It certainly has its place socially but not spiritually, for me.

I am still technically a member of the United Methodist church but my personal beliefs are quite far removed from the church. If I ever leave the church I'll probably become Buddhist, although I don't completely agree with the Buddha's path to enlightenment.

In a teeny-tiny nutshell: God is not a "being" it's a state of everything. God chose to create "the Universe" and all things in it in order to enjoy "eternity." Each of us humans/plants/animals/etc. make an agreement to buy into the illusion when we choose to incarnate into this plane for the experience of "life." If we believe in karma and punishment, or heaven and ****, or whatever, then we'll experience that. The trick is to see through the illusion and rise above it.

I don't believe we're here to "learn" stuff, but just to be and to enjoy the be-ing. If you think you're here to learn stuff, you do.

But if we choose to see through the illusion and understand that we are all the exact same thing, a thought in the "mind" of God, "God " choosing to spend "eternity" being and doing everything it can, just for the fun of it, where you and I and everyone else is exactly the same as a rock, a tree, a cloud, a thought, a breeze, everything, every noun, verb, action, molecule, everything...then we have reached enlightenment without have to remove the source of craving as did The Buddha.

I think The Buddha's path to enlightenment was the right path for him...and for any of his followers that have reached enlightenment. But it's not the right path for me.

I don't pretend to be enlightened of course, but I do feel like I've made significant progress along the path. Really, understanding that God is not a being was huge, and much of the rest follows that.

As always, nothing here was written to offend (or to be debated) and Your Mileage May Vary. :)

I was raised Catholic, spent some time at Camp Awana learning Bible quotes, went to a Lutheran college, and landed in the Bible belt. After a lifetime of thinking on it, I decided I am an atheist.

Jacquie-I agree with you.We as children live what we learn.And I respect whatever people choose.
I do think the 10 commandments are common sense, to me anyway.But I also realize that many people need more direction than I.And some people need to be told what to believe and how to live their life, hence an organized religion.I respect that.
What I have a problem with is the "cafeteria christians".They will tell you that the bible is fiction, that of course they dont believe the story of Jonah.....talking snake..........Noahs ark........(insert any hard to believe bible story) but then use the bible to preach against gay marraige stating the bible says marraige is to be between a man and a woman.WHAT???Is it fiction or non- fiction???...........That is the question?And if its fiction, why not just worship fairy tales?I seriously believe that if Jack and the Beanstalk was a bible story........some would believe it to be true.

I have a problem with that as well. I don't really think that something like that falls on Christians though as I have met plenty of people of that religion who had no issues with people who were homosexuals. I've seen congregations stand up for what they believed was good meaning I've seen Christians defending their homosexual church members. Then again you are always going to have people who stand or hide behind things to hurt others, so I've also seen the other side where people were discriminating.

I know what you're saying though when you say "cafeteria Christian." But then again you could say the same thing about people of the intellect side. I remember being insulted and frankly completely disrespected by a few people who labeled themselves as atheists/intellectuals. I was referred to as uneducated, a hick, a redneck, delusional...all because they didn't like my beliefs. I didn't mind their thoughts and opinions, but I suppose they thought differently of mine. I know a Jewish family who hates Catholics. I don't know why they hate them, there is no real reason...but they do. My point is that this kind of behavior comes in all forms...in a way one could say it just is a part of human nature. Find a reason for the hate and hide behind it. *shrugs*

I might be completely wrong, so this are just my thoughts and opinions. One of the things that I think...is that when we are children we live in this world of make believe and when I was a kid hearing the stories of the Bible, I believed them to a point. I asked pretty snarky questions lol...that is just me and my curious nature. As you grow older you start viewing the world differently...example, how many of us believe in Santa Claus now versus when we were kids. (though on a side note, I never really believed in the easter bunny as a giant bunny tossing eggs at me was scary haha)

My point is that...I don't think a lot of adult Christians do believe in the Bible in that way of "fiction" or "non-fiction." I think there are certain aspects of the Bible and of the religion they do believe in 100%. Angels, heaven, ****, God, Jesus, etc... but in the end I really believe that for the most part Christians are pretty relaxed at least from my experiences. I guess I'm saying that humans pick and choose what they are going to put their beliefs or experiences in. On the one hand you can have people out there who can quote scripture to you, but on the other hand you have a lot who cannot. They live as a Christian, doing good, living a good life, but they don't put much stock into the Bible unless it is on Sunday or a Bible study. It is the same thing as you yourself. You choose your path and you believe in what you do believe in, but you pick and choose too. You live as a good person, doing good, helping people, but I don't think you agree or believe in every single scientific fact, study, or statistic out there. You might feel there are a significant differences between your way and the Christian way, but as an observer I see both sides on the same level almost. But maybe that is just me...

I've only met a few that told me I was going to burn in ****...*nods* All though I did have one person tell me I was going to be burned to death like a Witch would be...when I asked for the time of my burning and if I should bring matches or a lighter...they didn't seem amused. hehe. I've been insulted by Christians, non-Christians, atheists, intellectuals, Catholics, Jews...in the end they were just people being mean.

*added though* Sorry for this being even longer...but I do enjoy reading your thoughts, all of you. It is nice to have this sort of discussion in this way! :D I think so anyhow...

I absolutely believe there is a God. I know it like I know my next breath. I just know like I know my own heart, it feels so right.

I am a Christian and accepting the gift of the atonement, commandments, and doctrine are not always easy for me because after spending most of my adult like as an agnostic and then as a spiritualist it seems rigid. But then I remember its all a journey and there are so many paths. God is bigger than my church, my understanding, and my want, so I trust that I am doing the best I can with the information at hand. I have faith that He will help me find my way and His will for me.

I absolutely believe in God and his son Jesus Christ. That belief though has very little to do with church or organized religion. Church is however a place to find fellowship and to help fulfill one another's needs.

The bible was taken directly from the original Hebrew and Greek. Where people get the idea that it is just a miss matched compilation of writings is beyond me. Maybe they have someone ignorant teaching them.

I also know that God is who HE says he is in the bible, not what people try to make up to suit their own needs.

I thank God for his atonement and forgiveness of my sins.

I am a scientist too. The funniest thing I ever heard was when I asked a biochemist why he used these chemicals for extracting RNA. He didn't know except in the broadest sense that there was lysing of the cell, he just knew they worked. Science has its own faith, because not every scientist understands all of it, so we trust what we observe and others research. I know E=mc2, but have I observed a solar eclipse to calculate relativity? Nope, I take it on faith that the research was done properly and that tomorrow I may have to change my paradigm with the next theory and that once it is tried and proven true to the 99.997% mark have faith in it.

As a scientist though I DON'T BELIEVE IN COMMON SENSE! Statically it is highly improbably that what we all consider common to be the same or have the same basis for understanding. Besides if there was common sense why would there be News or fat people or smokers? Because I think we would just know the rights and wrongs. There is only perception as the reality that we get, through an individual filter.

I was raised catholic. I asked WAY too many questions, CCD did not go very well. That being said, I'm agnostic learning towards atheist.

The scientific method gains knowledge by testing hypotheses to develop theories through elucidation of facts or evaluation by experiments and thus only answers cosmological questions about the physical universe. It develops theories of the world which best fit physically observed evidence. All scientific knowledge is subject to later refinement in the face of additional evidence. Scientific theories that have an overwhelming preponderance of favorable evidence are often treated as facts (such as the theories of gravity or evolution).Its what I believe.I dont know what else to say.

But I will add one last post on this forum.I appreciate all of your interesting opinions on this subject.Sometimes we have to agree to disagree and I appreciate that.This topic was handled very respectfully in my opinion and I appreciate that.Good luck to all of you!Take care.

I am agnostic. I believe that all people will believe what they need to believe. Some people need religion in their lives. Some people need to know God.

I enjoy the ritual of Catholic mass. I was raised Catholic. But I do not believe that I need God in my life, as I am not even sure I know what it means to have God in my life and whether there is a "God."

I just keep on truckin' and living my life according to my own set of morals and acceptable behaviors.

C-YA there :hug:

The WORD says if the heart is hardened against HIM the Son can not be revealed.

Being a Christian does not make one "perfect" we are all a work in progress as we try to become Christlike in our walks....some walk a lot faster than others! :D But as far as "why" you should become a Christian...well, for the same reason not all Christians "act" that way...it is a PERSONAL Relationship with our Lord....it is...all about you! :)

I wake up every morning and see the proof when I look at myself in the mirror or my wife beside be...He is in control of our lives...but He does not control us...we have the gift of free will...

Won't argue with that!

[QUOTE=Jacquie668;2805390]...
I've only met a few that told me I was going to burn in ****...*nods* All though I did have one person tell me I was going to be burned to death like a Witch would be...when I asked for the time of my burning and if I should bring matches or a lighter...they didn't seem amused. hehe. I've been insulted by Christians, non-Christians, atheists, intellectuals, Catholics, Jews...in the end they were just people being mean.
QUOTE]

Christians are not always the nicest people ;)

AMEN to that :)

And another AMEN to that :)

One thing I have seen in this thread is that some of you may be more receptive to "learning" of our Christian God if "WE" were better Christians and set better examples.

A Christian is a Christian...we are not good or bad or middle of the road. A Christian is a believer in Christ, the Son of God that died on the Cross for us so we may have eternal life.

As Christians we do good and bad things...just like you that are not Christians...we are no different...we are not perfect.

As Christians we are supposed to walk in His Light...as I mentioned before some of us walk much slower than others.

Some of the nicest people I know are not Christians...and some of the nastiest people I know are!

Being a Christian is about what HE did for us...

I hope you don't base your journey through life and after to what some of us say...take a chance and look to what HE says...it is there if you want it.

For those that don't wish to seek Him....I respect your decision. Our Lord says many will not seek Him or even want Him. I believe that to be true.

Blessings for all ~ Gary

This is a very touchy subject and some feelings have been hurt. Time to close the thread which has been most interesting.