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Offline Northern_Tory

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Finding God
« on: August 25, 2012, 06:02:18 PM »
Currently I am agnostic, but believe in a higher power of some sort, what that higher power actually is I am not sure of. My main point in this thread is asking if somebody could give me some links in favour of the evidence of the Judeo-Christian God, as I've always admired the relationship Christians have with God and the sense of peace that comes with it, which is something I'd like to also feel.
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Offline formerlurker

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Re: Finding God
« Reply #1 on: August 25, 2012, 06:18:17 PM »


That was no accident.   


Dude,  you either believe or you don't.  It really is that simple.
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Offline Northern_Tory

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Re: Finding God
« Reply #2 on: August 25, 2012, 06:44:08 PM »
Quote from: formerlurker on August 25, 2012, 06:18:17 PM


That was no accident.   


Dude,  you either believe or you don't.  It really is that simple.

I agree that the world was designed by a higher power, but over billions of years.

What's wrong with trying to find out what I believe to be the right answer though?
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Offline MrsSmith

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Re: Finding God
« Reply #3 on: August 25, 2012, 06:49:26 PM »
Every religion known to man has one thing in common...the struggle man faces to become acceptable to God, or to attain Heaven.  Every religion, that is, except one.  The Christian religion makes it clear that man is unable to reach Heaven, not one is without sin and worthy of God.  With one exception, the man Jesus, the Son of God, God Himself.  Only through the sacrifice of the only Son of God can mankind attain Heaven, and only by accepting that sacrifice and humbling oneself enough to accept the forgiveness of all your sins...through NO agency of your own, without any pride, without any works.  

Every other religion is won through works, only Christianity is won through acceptance of a gift.

Every other religion is man's work, only Christianity is a relationship with the God that reaches down from Heaven to wash us and raise us up.

Every other religion was dreamed up by a man.  Christianity is so bizarre, it could only come from a mind far above any man's.
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Offline EagleKeeper

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Re: Finding God
« Reply #4 on: August 25, 2012, 06:55:56 PM »
I'll not be able to say or do anything that will effect your belief system.

But I will give you some advise (I guess).

Faith...you either have it or you don't, nobody can give it to you or teach it to you.

That's the hard part I suppose. You sort of have to take a flyer on this.

Just for the record, I am agnostic, I have not been able to find faith in my heart and it's not because folkes around me haven't tried.

It's just not there.
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Offline Splashdown

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Re: Finding God
« Reply #5 on: August 25, 2012, 07:13:43 PM »
Quote from: EagleKeeper on August 25, 2012, 06:55:56 PM
I'll not be able to say or do anything that will effect your belief system.

But I will give you some advise (I guess).

Faith...you either have it or you don't, nobody can give it to you or teach it to you.

That's the hard part I suppose. You sort of have to take a flyer on this.

Just for the record, I am agnostic, I have not been able to find faith in my heart and it's not because folkes around me haven't tried.

It's just not there.

EK, respectfully, I disagree. I think you can "get" faith if you don't have it. In the Catholic tradition, some of our greatest saints have had "long dark nights of the soul" where they couldn't feel the presence of God. There are ways to build, or even create, the seeds of faith.
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Offline Northern_Tory

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Re: Finding God
« Reply #6 on: August 25, 2012, 07:16:43 PM »
Quote from: EagleKeeper on August 25, 2012, 06:55:56 PM
I'll not be able to say or do anything that will effect your belief system.

But I will give you some advise (I guess).

Faith...you either have it or you don't, nobody can give it to you or teach it to you.

That's the hard part I suppose. You sort of have to take a flyer on this.

Just for the record, I am agnostic, I have not been able to find faith in my heart and it's not because folkes around me haven't tried.

It's just not there.

That makes a lot of sense to me, I've always believed in some sort of higher power, but I've never been able to make the leap of faith to believe in the Judeo-Christian God for a couple of reasons. The first of all that there are so many religions in the world, so it seems somewhat dubious to me that Christianity is 100% correct. Secondly, God is seen as being perfect, but the world isn't perfect and so it might not have been designed by God.
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Offline rich_t

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Re: Finding God
« Reply #7 on: August 25, 2012, 07:34:34 PM »
Quote from: Northern_Tory on August 25, 2012, 07:16:43 PM
That makes a lot of sense to me, I've always believed in some sort of higher power, but I've never been able to make the leap of faith to believe in the Judeo-Christian God for a couple of reasons. The first of all that there are so many religions in the world, so it seems somewhat dubious to me that Christianity is 100% correct. Secondly, God is seen as being perfect, but the world isn't perfect and so it might not have been designed by God.

The world created by GOD was perfect.  It was man that made it less so.

A little thing called free will.
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Offline EagleKeeper

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Re: Finding God
« Reply #8 on: August 25, 2012, 07:35:01 PM »
Quote from: Northern_Tory on August 25, 2012, 07:16:43 PM
That makes a lot of sense to me, I've always believed in some sort of higher power, but I've never been able to make the leap of faith to believe in the Judeo-Christian God for a couple of reasons. The first of all that there are so many religions in the world, so it seems somewhat dubious to me that Christianity is 100% correct. Secondly, God is seen as being perfect, but the world isn't perfect and so it might not have been designed by God.

I think you might be missing the point.

You appear to be trying to find a church or religion to suit your needs first. I think that is backwards.

You are agnostic, you don't have faith and you are making an arguement to defend that so I'm not sure what this thread is about.
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Offline Big Dog

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Re: Finding God
« Reply #9 on: August 25, 2012, 08:01:27 PM »
Quote from: Northern_Tory on August 25, 2012, 06:02:18 PM
Currently I am agnostic, but believe in a higher power of some sort, what that higher power actually is I am not sure of.

Agnosticism =/= "believe in a higher power of some sort, what that higher power actually is I am not sure of".

Forget the labels, forget qualifiers. What do you believe?
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Offline Kyle Ricky

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Re: Finding God
« Reply #10 on: August 25, 2012, 08:11:31 PM »
If you want proof that God exist look in the mirror. There is no way that we were made by science.
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Offline Northern_Tory

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Re: Finding God
« Reply #11 on: August 26, 2012, 04:21:51 PM »
Quote from: Big Dog on August 25, 2012, 08:01:27 PM
Agnosticism =/= "believe in a higher power of some sort, what that higher power actually is I am not sure of".

Forget the labels, forget qualifiers. What do you believe?

I believe in a higher power, I'm not sure what I call it, as I don't believe it to be omnipotent etc as the Judeo-Christian God is. From some research I've done today, I've come to the conclusion that I am a deist, which I feel comfortable with.
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Offline Big Dog

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Re: Finding God
« Reply #12 on: August 26, 2012, 04:27:51 PM »
Quote from: Northern_Tory on August 26, 2012, 04:21:51 PM
I believe in a higher power, I'm not sure what I call it, as I don't believe it to be omnipotent etc as the Judeo-Christian God is. From some research I've done today, I've come to the conclusion that I am a deist, which I feel comfortable with.

You have again attempted to define yourself by what you are not, or by what you don't believe.

In a simple, declarative sentence, what do you believe?
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Offline Northern_Tory

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Re: Finding God
« Reply #13 on: August 26, 2012, 04:36:41 PM »
Quote from: Big Dog on August 26, 2012, 04:27:51 PM
You have again attempted to define yourself by what you are not, or by what you don't believe.

In a simple, declarative sentence, what do you believe?

Ok then, I believe in a higher metaphysical power, which was an agent in creating the universe over billions of years. Does that help at all?
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Offline Big Dog

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Re: Finding God
« Reply #14 on: August 26, 2012, 04:41:39 PM »
Quote from: Northern_Tory on August 26, 2012, 04:36:41 PM
Ok then, I believe in a higher metaphysical power, which was an agent in creating the universe over billions of years. Does that help at all?

It's a good start. Now lets get down to brass tacks.

What do you do with this belief?
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Offline Northern_Tory

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Re: Finding God
« Reply #15 on: August 26, 2012, 04:50:36 PM »
Quote from: Big Dog on August 26, 2012, 04:41:39 PM
It's a good start. Now lets get down to brass tacks.

What do you do with this belief?

Not much I have to say, I don't pray or worship it, as I don't believe that a higher power has much to do with human issues. Sorry if that wasn't helpful.
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Offline SSG Snuggle Bunny

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Re: Finding God
« Reply #16 on: August 27, 2012, 06:41:51 PM »
Quote from: Northern_Tory on August 26, 2012, 04:50:36 PM
Not much I have to say, I don't pray or worship it, as I don't believe that a higher power has much to do with human issues. Sorry if that wasn't helpful.

The Bible has a verse (more or less paraphrasing):

"Does He who fashioned the eye not see? Does He who fashioned the ear not hear?"

That has often led me to wonder about those times from the New Testament that are "off the record;" when Jesus was with his disciples sitting around doing nothing in particular except casually talking amongst themselves. Not deep theological/philosophical mysteries; just shootin' the shit.

Does He who made man laugh not enjoy a good joke too?
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According to the Bible, "know" means "yes."

Offline seahorse513

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Re: Finding God
« Reply #17 on: August 27, 2012, 07:28:56 PM »
Okay, Just a litttle background. I was christened in The Church of England. Since there are no churches in this country that recognizes that religion, my parents  didn't go to church. I did however go to a Catholic school, I didn't like the way the nuns explained God tto me(Hellfire and brimstone)They made him and Jesus out to be mean in some wierd way. But I don't believe Jesus was mean at all. I think he was a great man who did wonderful things while he walked among us. God is everywhere, the wind, the grass, the mountains, the animals., etc... I believe God wants us to be the best person we can be.
To err is human, to forgive is divine
There is no such thing as perfection, just perfect intentions
It is man, who deterioriates the earth
man who decided that one religion is better than another
man who fights in the name of their God
Do I go to church??....no
Do I believe in God?...yes
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Offline Jasonw560

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Re: Finding God
« Reply #18 on: August 27, 2012, 07:32:01 PM »
Quote from: seahorse513 on August 27, 2012, 07:28:56 PM
Okay, Just a litttle background. I was christened in The Church of England. Since there are no churches in this country that recognizes that religion, my parents  didn't go to church. I did however go to a Catholic school, I didn't like the way the nuns explained God tto me(Hellfire and brimstone)They made him and Jesus out to be mean in some wierd way. But I don't believe Jesus was mean at all. I think he was a great man who did wonderful things while he walked among us. God is everywhere, the wind, the grass, the mountains, the animals., etc... I believe God wants us to be the best person we can be.
To err is human, to forgive is divine
There is no such thing as perfection, just perfect intentions
It is man, who deterioriates the earth
man who decided that one religion is better than another
man who fights in the name of their God
Do I go to church??....no
Do I believe in God?...yes
FYI....the closest to the Church of England here in the states is (I believe) the Episcopal Church.
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Offline mickBelker

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Re: Finding God
« Reply #19 on: November 03, 2012, 01:16:07 PM »
Your quest seems a righteous one and I encourage you. Whether you perceive G_d as an actual entity to be discerned, a belief system to be explored, or a personal journey to find yourself, you should not embark upon this quest lightly. This is some serious shit, yo!

Do not seek your beliefs in envy of the conviction of others. The quest for G_d is an intimate one, delving into personal depths that, by definition, are uncomfortable to say the least and, thus, not to be taken up lightly.

But here's a hint:  help others in anyway you can. Do it today. Do it everyday. It's the only thing that keeps the self-loathing in check. :wink:
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