Do you believe? If so, what?
Hi EveryBody,
I've found this thread topic to be very interesting & revealing
4-Sure. I'm just thankful that everyone has the freedoms to believe or not to believe....Do you Believe in Yourself ?
The definition of god is different for every single person in the known world. As similar as some beliefs are, no person can envision exactly the same thing. So, to find what or who god is or `Not -- would be a quest the individual must take for oneself. This personal quest does not necessarily mean Christianity, any of the Abrahamic faiths, or any particular religion. You can find your belief/faith on your own, but to believe in god is to believe in some higher power, and that you are not the only thing that influences your decisions (activities).
"To believe or not to believe is everyone's choice" 4-Sure....
Below is a link (2 yrs old) that has some interesting infor
Why do people leave their religion?
<CITE>www.cobourgatheist.com/index.php?...leave-their-religion...</CITE> Sep 9, 2009 – Why do people leave their religion? ... 2009, Pew Forum published the results of a survey on why Americans leave or change religion. ...
============================================
I keep learning something new everyday on the MCF 4-Sure 
Time or death will reveal the truth ? ? "I believe" ?
p.s. I believe in the Monte Carlo as a great choice in transportation : )
I've found this thread topic to be very interesting & revealing
4-Sure. I'm just thankful that everyone has the freedoms to believe or not to believe....Do you Believe in Yourself ?
The definition of god is different for every single person in the known world. As similar as some beliefs are, no person can envision exactly the same thing. So, to find what or who god is or `Not -- would be a quest the individual must take for oneself. This personal quest does not necessarily mean Christianity, any of the Abrahamic faiths, or any particular religion. You can find your belief/faith on your own, but to believe in god is to believe in some higher power, and that you are not the only thing that influences your decisions (activities).
"To believe or not to believe is everyone's choice" 4-Sure....Below is a link (2 yrs old) that has some interesting infor
Why do people leave their religion?
<CITE>www.cobourgatheist.com/index.php?...leave-their-religion...</CITE> Sep 9, 2009 – Why do people leave their religion? ... 2009, Pew Forum published the results of a survey on why Americans leave or change religion. ...
============================================
I keep learning something new everyday on the MCF 4-Sure Time or death will reveal the truth ? ? "I believe" ?
p.s. I believe in the Monte Carlo as a great choice in transportation : )
Last edited by Space; Sep 15, 2011 at 09:07 AM.
Hi `Duane, I was just ready to log `off & noticed your latest post on John Lennon "God" (He had many talents & I wonder `if there is a heaven, `if he is there, or maybe there is a Hell & he's there, or maybe we are in hell now ?) I never heard that song by him b-4, and I found the lyric's below to read & share....Thanks for your post of his vid and and sharing...I must fade & dream....I believe I may need some LSD or some Super Weed to understand his words & message & when I come down from the high, I will just be all confuzed again : )
I depart in peace : )God is a concept,
By which we can measure,
Our pain,
I'll say it again,
God is a concept,
By which we can measure,
Our pain,
I don't believe in magic,
I don't believe in I-ching,
I don't believe in bible,
I don't believe in tarot,
I don't believe in Hitler,
I don't believe in Jesus,
I don't believe in Kennedy,
I don't believe in Buddha,
I don't believe in mantra,
I don't believe in Gita,
I don't believe in yoga,
I don't believe in kings,
I don't believe in Elvis,
I don't believe in Zimmerman,
I don't believe in Beatles,
I just believe in me,
Yoko and me,
And that's reality.
The dream is over,
What can I say?
The dream is over,
Yesterday,
I was dreamweaver,
But now I'm reborn,
I was the walrus,
But now I'm John,
And so dear friends,
You just have to carry on,
The dream is over.
Last edited by Space; Sep 15, 2011 at 10:46 AM.
Joined: Aug 2011
Posts: 3,226
From: Lakeland, Florida
my beliefs
It is said that if you enter into a conversation with friends about religion or politics, you loose a friend. I hope this doesn't happen with this post. My beliefs are based upon my life experiences. In those experiences I find there are three things that **** me off. Those things are stupid acts, stupid people, and hypocrisy. These three are found in religion and politics.
Like many I was born into a Catholic family so I was baptized as an infant. I did the same as all good Catholics. I did what I was told and didn't question anything. In my family I grew up with an alcoholic father who was also verbally, emotionally, and physically abusive. He had his own demons and secrets. I found he was also homosexual and a pedophile. While growing up I was very sheltered and very controlled. I did as most good Catholics and did all the sacraments at the appropriate time and explored the priest hood. I realized I loved woman too much to have a life without them. I also had the parish priest that would spend a lot of time at our house. This priest touched me inappropriately and also other in the community. I was sixteen at the time but was very naïve. I was taught that priests were even closer to God than regular people so they did no wrong. I was also taught that you respected adults irregardless of who they were or what they had done. My father decided he was going to be the parrish martyr and do something about getting this priest out of our community. He asked all the other kids in the church that had contact with this priest but he never asked his own sons. My old man used to tell me I was a nobody. I decided that there was something wrong with how I was treated by people who claimed to love me.
I moved away from home when I turned 18 and had much grief from my father. I moved in with my bosses family. One of the conditions of this was that I attend a church of my choice but that I had to attend every week. There was only one Catholic Church in my town and do to the fact I could run into my parents there I decided not to go there. My bosses family attended The Church Of Christ so I began attending there. This church was based on the bible and they showed me thru the bible how being a Catholic was wrong. I accepted that and was baptized as an adult in The Church Of Christ. Soon after that they laid down the rules of membership. I had problems with them when I saw that it depended on who you were as far as how these rules were interpreted and enforced. They said no drinking because even if I didn't drink to excess I could be a temtation to my brother, no dancing, no smoking, and only approved mucis for similar reasons. I soon left this church as well. I attended Methodist and Baptist churches as well. The only church that I found that seemed to be correct in biblical teachings was the Pentacostal Assembly Of God. When I attend church that is where I try to go.
I believe that the Holy Bible was written by man but inspired by God. I believe that the old testament is all history and the new testament is our law from God. I believe in one God divided. I believe in God The Father, God the Son Jesus Christ, and God the Holy Spirit. I believe that we are not the only intelligent life forms. I believe that things are too big for us to understand or control. I believe there is a God who controls all things but that we have free will. I don't believe that I could or should control others lives. I believe that homosexuality is wrong. I believe that abortion is wrong. I belive that those are my choices and should not be imposed upon others. I also believe that life is short and that eternity is long. I can't believe that one life time will determine our eternity. I think we do this muptiple time, similsr to the movie defending your life. I could be wrong and if I am I still think the bible is a good role model of how to live your life. Treat others the way you want to be treated.I am tired and can't think anymore. I will probably edit this later
Like many I was born into a Catholic family so I was baptized as an infant. I did the same as all good Catholics. I did what I was told and didn't question anything. In my family I grew up with an alcoholic father who was also verbally, emotionally, and physically abusive. He had his own demons and secrets. I found he was also homosexual and a pedophile. While growing up I was very sheltered and very controlled. I did as most good Catholics and did all the sacraments at the appropriate time and explored the priest hood. I realized I loved woman too much to have a life without them. I also had the parish priest that would spend a lot of time at our house. This priest touched me inappropriately and also other in the community. I was sixteen at the time but was very naïve. I was taught that priests were even closer to God than regular people so they did no wrong. I was also taught that you respected adults irregardless of who they were or what they had done. My father decided he was going to be the parrish martyr and do something about getting this priest out of our community. He asked all the other kids in the church that had contact with this priest but he never asked his own sons. My old man used to tell me I was a nobody. I decided that there was something wrong with how I was treated by people who claimed to love me.
I moved away from home when I turned 18 and had much grief from my father. I moved in with my bosses family. One of the conditions of this was that I attend a church of my choice but that I had to attend every week. There was only one Catholic Church in my town and do to the fact I could run into my parents there I decided not to go there. My bosses family attended The Church Of Christ so I began attending there. This church was based on the bible and they showed me thru the bible how being a Catholic was wrong. I accepted that and was baptized as an adult in The Church Of Christ. Soon after that they laid down the rules of membership. I had problems with them when I saw that it depended on who you were as far as how these rules were interpreted and enforced. They said no drinking because even if I didn't drink to excess I could be a temtation to my brother, no dancing, no smoking, and only approved mucis for similar reasons. I soon left this church as well. I attended Methodist and Baptist churches as well. The only church that I found that seemed to be correct in biblical teachings was the Pentacostal Assembly Of God. When I attend church that is where I try to go.
I believe that the Holy Bible was written by man but inspired by God. I believe that the old testament is all history and the new testament is our law from God. I believe in one God divided. I believe in God The Father, God the Son Jesus Christ, and God the Holy Spirit. I believe that we are not the only intelligent life forms. I believe that things are too big for us to understand or control. I believe there is a God who controls all things but that we have free will. I don't believe that I could or should control others lives. I believe that homosexuality is wrong. I believe that abortion is wrong. I belive that those are my choices and should not be imposed upon others. I also believe that life is short and that eternity is long. I can't believe that one life time will determine our eternity. I think we do this muptiple time, similsr to the movie defending your life. I could be wrong and if I am I still think the bible is a good role model of how to live your life. Treat others the way you want to be treated.I am tired and can't think anymore. I will probably edit this later
Last edited by mousehousemoparman; Sep 16, 2011 at 12:48 PM.
WoW Gregg,Thanks for sharing your detailed life experiences & belief's.
It's sad
to read the hurt that some humans do to others 4-Sure. Your words do paint the picture of your life, & I hope that you can paint over the bad, and paint a new picture of your life...Peace/Out from `Space 
Joined: Sep 2011
Posts: 3,635
From: Central Oklahoma
Well here goes.
For the first 5 or 6 years of my life my family didn't attend church at all that I can remember. Then after that point till I was 10 or 11 I either went with my dad to the Methodist church or if I was at Grandma's for the weekend we went to the Lutheran church with her. By that time my parents had divorced and we didn't go to church much until Mom was remarried. From then till I graduated High School we went to a Baptist church, first in Tulsa (my hometown) and then in Glasgow, KY (where we moved my Freshman year of HS). I tried to do the right things and what not but with my friends we were all the opposite of what we were. After HS I got fed up with a lot of things going on with that particular church and went to a non-denominational church with my g/f at the time. Then by the time I went Active Duty I had become so legalistic in the way I saw God and the Bible that all I saw was how much I kept screwing up and how I couldn't get anything right. That's when I completely walked away from the faith.
At that point my g/f at the time and I were expecting a kid and she had a miscarriage. That was the beginning of the end of our relationship because neither one of us knew how to deal with it. After a few months of going through the motions we finally broke up and I became VERY depressed. Blew my knee out for the second time and I was super stressed with my job. Those three were actually in the span of less than a week. About a month later, one of my closer friends from AIT was killed in Iraq. That pushed me over the edge and I started drinking heavily. Held off enough that I wasn't showing up to the unit drunk but I was still drinking a ton every night. The night that started the slow turnaround was when I drank so much that it nearly killed me. Realized when I woke up that something had to give and not knowing who to talk to I went to the Chaplain. Since that point I've just been working towards where I need to be with God. Started going to church again, actually got involved and realized that it was more than just a list of dos and don'ts. I'm not perfect by any stretch of the imagination but I know I'm justified. Got baptized back in April as a matter of fact.
I never at any point stopped believing God was there, I just decided that since I couldn't do it right I might as well not even try. Biology class, instead of making me believe that everything just "happened" like it does most, made me believe that there had to be a driving force behind it because even the simplest of cells are way too complex to just happen on its own.
So there's my story in a nutshell. I sure have done some stupid things in my life and a couple of them nearly got me killed (and one more incident not my fault that should have killed me) but I firmly believe I'm still here for a reason and as each day passes the direction my life needs to go in gets clearer and clearer. Every day I when I wake up I thank God I'm still up because I really shouldn't still be here and every day that I get is a blessing.
For the first 5 or 6 years of my life my family didn't attend church at all that I can remember. Then after that point till I was 10 or 11 I either went with my dad to the Methodist church or if I was at Grandma's for the weekend we went to the Lutheran church with her. By that time my parents had divorced and we didn't go to church much until Mom was remarried. From then till I graduated High School we went to a Baptist church, first in Tulsa (my hometown) and then in Glasgow, KY (where we moved my Freshman year of HS). I tried to do the right things and what not but with my friends we were all the opposite of what we were. After HS I got fed up with a lot of things going on with that particular church and went to a non-denominational church with my g/f at the time. Then by the time I went Active Duty I had become so legalistic in the way I saw God and the Bible that all I saw was how much I kept screwing up and how I couldn't get anything right. That's when I completely walked away from the faith.
At that point my g/f at the time and I were expecting a kid and she had a miscarriage. That was the beginning of the end of our relationship because neither one of us knew how to deal with it. After a few months of going through the motions we finally broke up and I became VERY depressed. Blew my knee out for the second time and I was super stressed with my job. Those three were actually in the span of less than a week. About a month later, one of my closer friends from AIT was killed in Iraq. That pushed me over the edge and I started drinking heavily. Held off enough that I wasn't showing up to the unit drunk but I was still drinking a ton every night. The night that started the slow turnaround was when I drank so much that it nearly killed me. Realized when I woke up that something had to give and not knowing who to talk to I went to the Chaplain. Since that point I've just been working towards where I need to be with God. Started going to church again, actually got involved and realized that it was more than just a list of dos and don'ts. I'm not perfect by any stretch of the imagination but I know I'm justified. Got baptized back in April as a matter of fact.
I never at any point stopped believing God was there, I just decided that since I couldn't do it right I might as well not even try. Biology class, instead of making me believe that everything just "happened" like it does most, made me believe that there had to be a driving force behind it because even the simplest of cells are way too complex to just happen on its own.
So there's my story in a nutshell. I sure have done some stupid things in my life and a couple of them nearly got me killed (and one more incident not my fault that should have killed me) but I firmly believe I'm still here for a reason and as each day passes the direction my life needs to go in gets clearer and clearer. Every day I when I wake up I thank God I'm still up because I really shouldn't still be here and every day that I get is a blessing.
..Thanks Sgt for sharing your the background of your belief.I really enjoy reading the posts by member's on this subject.
I also appreciate the in-depth views by our member's.
We each seem to have our own belief's/teachings/experiences in this life that have made us who we are and what we believe in or not.
I'm still happy that we all still have a choice & still can be the drivers of our own life...I'm sure as I grow & learn that my views may change with time & knowledge..
Thanks everyone that posted & shared in (MAW) Mat's created Thread...
OK, whose next ? Yes, I believe it you reading this ?
We shall sit here & wait 4 your post
Joined: Aug 2011
Posts: 3,226
From: Lakeland, Florida
Hello Space; thanks for the kind comments. A few things I have learned during my life is that things are not black and white as I used to think. There are so many different shades of gray depending on the issue. Life isn't simple and gets more complicated as I age. My father had a big influence on my life. Because of him I reacted in many major issues in my life rather than act. My father is a controlling SOB. I am now 49 years old. It tool me a suicide attempt, lock up in the looney bin, and counceling to find out that I could and needed to put him out of my life. I have battled with depression since about age 13. When I finally got my head screwed on straight or at least partially I wasn't thinking about driving into the path of a large truck or driving into a bridge, it seemed like an odd concept to me. I had been thinking about killing myself for so long that when I stopped thinking that way it felt strange. Because of my situations I made lots of bad choices which included a marriage and shutting off my feelings. This is just another part of the story.
Some deep stuff is coming out here. I too, woudl like to thank everyone for sharing.
Though not a moderator, I would also like to thank everyone for being respectful. I have seen no one condemn anotehr member, I have seen no one criticize someone elses beliefs. It's just another piece of proof of how great this forum is and how, despite each of us having quite a different story and belief, we remain friendly with one another and the forum coudl be stronger because of it.
I didn't see this thread going this well... I just knew it was going to be like a fart in the breeze, but this forum has made a liar out of me thus far. And I'm glad to be a liar right now.
Though not a moderator, I would also like to thank everyone for being respectful. I have seen no one condemn anotehr member, I have seen no one criticize someone elses beliefs. It's just another piece of proof of how great this forum is and how, despite each of us having quite a different story and belief, we remain friendly with one another and the forum coudl be stronger because of it.
I didn't see this thread going this well... I just knew it was going to be like a fart in the breeze, but this forum has made a liar out of me thus far. And I'm glad to be a liar right now.