Religion

Re: Religion

Dippy — Sun, 01 Feb 2009 08:54:24 GMT

I agree. I was just too lazy to type he/she/whoever every time!

Re: Religion

Caro Laithwaite VN — Sat, 31 Jan 2009 22:44:19 GMT

I just use the sex if l do as a handy hook to hand an old coat on. For me if there is something l think it is all and nothing sex sort of hermaprodite and sort of totally all male and all female and also nothing. It covers all bases however to have concieved of earth and everything then it has to be different.

Re: Religion

Sal the 1st — Sat, 31 Jan 2009 22:21:57 GMT

why does he always have to be a he - couldnt he be a she??

Re: Religion

Dippy — Sat, 31 Jan 2009 17:48:06 GMT

My suggestion would be that if there is a God, whatever denomination he may be, he can't control everything because unfortunately people can make their own stupid decisions, start wars, violence etc. He can however listen to you in your hour of need and help you to live your life in a more peaceful and fulfilling way, if you so choose and give you the strength to take good from bad situations and find the strength to carry on your life and to avoid becoming involved in small minded points of view. He can't stop you being in the wrong place at the wrong time which sadly, seems so often to be the case but if he does exist, I wouldn't mind betting he must somtetimes despair at some of the atrocities man has caused over the years.

Re: Religion

S-J — Sat, 31 Jan 2009 17:43:45 GMT

[quote user="Haley Thomas"]

I believe in Heaven and afterlife etc, you have to go somewhere?!

However I dont believe in God, I just feel that if god controlled everything that happened in the world then why are there so many problems with the world, kids killing kids, all of our soldiers fighting other country's wars (my dad is in the army and although doesnt go to war, he has to deal with the death of the soldiers in his section) child abuse and of course animal cruelty. If God is as good as all the preachers say, why are we struggling so much?

[/quote]

Free Will.
I dont really belive in anything in particular but i want there to be a heaven and angels and something after, however if there is a heaven does that mean there is a hell? if thats the case then everyone should end up where they were supposed to be. however i do believe in living now and taking each day as it comes (cos it would be a bummer if theres nothing after and iv wasted my life away).

But free will is what makes life worth it, how would we know the best of things if we didnt know the worst.

Re: Religion

Haley Thomas — Sat, 31 Jan 2009 15:59:20 GMT

I believe in Heaven and afterlife etc, you have to go somewhere?!

Re: Religion

Caro Laithwaite VN — Sat, 31 Jan 2009 11:46:42 GMT

Ta ST.

I am always wondering about people. They sit and discuss god, heaven and after life. Then a friend or relative dies and they then sit and say they never knew such and such they won't ever see whoever and all the negatives that can never happen.

So if there is an afterlife then they will meet up again and the person will get to see someone.
A lot of people usually those in paragraph one discussing god, heaven, afterlife will talk about spirits (ghosts) and accept that strange things happen that it certainly seems that there is "dead people" around so given that is it not possible that your friends and family are with you visiting just you can not see them? and given that all those can never do/see that you subscribed to actually are a non starter as they are with you. Just hope that they are discreet when they visit!

Re: Religion

Sandra Taylor RVN, MBVNA — Sat, 31 Jan 2009 11:20:38 GMT

Wow, what a great thread this is turning into..Kudos to Carolyn for starting it

Re: Religion

Charlotte says smile — Sat, 31 Jan 2009 11:19:51 GMT

This is quite refreshing that people can talk about reigion and different beliefs without getting upset. I personally dont believe in any religion, I do however believe in heaven but i think thats mainly because i ave lost so many people so close to my heart that I want to know that they are near me or just somewhere and not completely gone. I think its a scary prospect that when you die thats it i just cant bring myself to believe that.

Re: Religion

Anneke Kuipers — Sat, 31 Jan 2009 10:14:57 GMT

[quote user="Caro Laithwaite"]Not sitting between walls while someone tells you how to feel think and behave.[/quote]

especially as they are quite often the people who do and cause horrendous things happening to other people! why should we listen to them while telling us how to live our lifes while they ruin others?! the hippocrisy of it!!!

Re: Religion

Dippy — Sat, 31 Jan 2009 10:03:51 GMT

That's so true! It's easier to ask than to remember to say thank you but there's always something to be thankful for, however small, even on the blackest of days!

Re: Religion

Helen Freer — Sat, 31 Jan 2009 09:10:58 GMT

Just read this thread and found it very refreshing that there are so many people with a similar out look on religion as myself.

I was baptised Church of England: went to a Methodist school followed by a Catholic school and then been to orthodox services as well. I feel your beliefs are your own and should not be impossed on others but you can worship anywhere in a wood, on top of a mountain, in a quiet room.

I remember something told me years ago about two angels one on the switch board for questions and demands and the other on the on for thank you. The one on the busy switch board asked ' why do you have next to no work to do ?'the other said 'everyone wants but few say thank you'.

Re: Religion

Dippy — Sat, 31 Jan 2009 08:38:44 GMT

Oh, and re Shane's last comment - am in total aggreement. You can't beat a spot of meditation/prayer out in a beautiful sunny natural environment!

Re: Religion

Dippy — Sat, 31 Jan 2009 08:37:25 GMT

I totally agree with the comment several of you have made that it is not about where you go to pray, but the fact that you do. Surely "Christianity" OR whichever belief system you choose to follow is about how you live your life and how you treat others on a daily basis. I know of people who go to church every week and claim to be Christians yet the way they behave in every day life is not the way in which I'd want to be treated or spoken to. I know many many more others who do not attend a place of worship but are far more genuine, caring, supportive, reliable and honest.

I do believe I have angels watching over me and although I have never physically seen them, feel their prescence regularly and notice little signs to give me guidance and reassurance at the times when I need it most. I have never lost a parent or sibling so cannot begin to imagine how this must feel, but have lost close friends and other family members premturely. I can only say that in my own personal experience, I believe that they live on all around me in spirit and that my own belief system provides much comfort at times when I think this world can be very cruel. 90% of the people I meet (especially vets it seems - maybe their minds are too scientific to believe in spirtiualsim?) think I'm absolutely barking but if it's what helps me to cope in times of crisis and makes me sronger as a result, then that works for me.

One amusing after thought - you may have seen that I'm soon to be spending a night in a haunted gaol for charity. How come all the same people who categorically state that spiritualism is a load of rubbish say they are too scared to contemplate staying somewhere haunted in case they see a ghost? Make up your minds people - there either ARE spirits, or there aren't?!

Re: Religion

Shane — Sat, 31 Jan 2009 07:29:21 GMT

[quote user="SaskiaVN"]

Thank you Carolyn, I appreciate that. To be honest, I would only be going for his benefit as well as my dad as he gives off to me regularly that I dont attend chapel!

[/quote]

Why do we have to pray in a chapel? I'd rather pray somewhere in a forest or similar place of beauty than a man-made structure where most of the people come for a good gossip about who is wearing what...

Re: Religion

Shane — Sat, 31 Jan 2009 07:27:41 GMT

[quote user="STRVN"]

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=IwooM4yhiiY

Might not be everyones cup of tea, but I think he sums it up pretty well considering

[/quote]

Lol, I love Billy. Fire-breathing hooooorrrrs. lol. classic.

Re: Religion

Sandra Taylor RVN, MBVNA — Sat, 31 Jan 2009 01:16:07 GMT

Right guys I am off to bed, big day tomorrow, will continue this on Sunday

Re: Religion

Saskia Quinn — Sat, 31 Jan 2009 01:06:04 GMT

Thank you Carolyn, I appreciate that. To be honest, I would only be going for his benefit as well as my dad as he gives off to me regularly that I dont attend chapel!

Re: Religion

Sandra Taylor RVN, MBVNA — Sat, 31 Jan 2009 01:05:31 GMT

On that note Carolyn,

My chapel is a view across the forth estuary towards Edinburgh on a cold crisp spring morning, you can see arthurs seat clearly in the background and inchkeith island, it is the most stunning view in the world.

Re: Religion

Caro Laithwaite VN — Sat, 31 Jan 2009 01:01:51 GMT

I agree with the comment about lack of reason to go to chapel. Paula if your son wants to go fine but to go just because of him is not being true to him or you. The greatest chapel we can go to is life either walk in a park, look at a fantastic view tillt your head up and look at the sky at night anyplace is the best chapel. Not sitting between walls while someone tells you how to feel think and behave.

Re: Religion

Noodle — Sat, 31 Jan 2009 00:58:10 GMT

[quote user="sal the 1st"]

To the end of her days my Grandmother was a fire and brimstone methodist - did she really believe what she told me - again I dont know

My parents are like that, but with catholicsm - Same as you, I can't work out if they believe it' or if its always what they have done - although they are good people as a result - but they don't and won't question it...

My father lost religion and went his own way - much the same as I have done - does it mean if he stopped believing he would be damned as his church would have you believe. Well I dont think so. Religion has caused more upset, more deaths, more wars than anything else.

I think most people believe in something - does it really matter what name it has , or what it looks like . Myself I am now a spiritualist.

Exactly

I have looked at many different religions over the years whilst i have been studying people and whatever name they go by they have so many things in common.

[/quote]

Re: Religion

Saskia Quinn — Sat, 31 Jan 2009 00:54:48 GMT

I wish I lived near you Sal

Re: Religion

Sal the 1st — Sat, 31 Jan 2009 00:50:54 GMT

I was brought up a strict methodist. My mother later became a Jehovahs witness. My Partner had a methodist minister for a father. My father for some of the time was high church. As I lived with my Grandmother for some of my childhood was 'chapel' rather than 'church'... A very strange (and i will say it if nobody else will!) family.

When I was young I needed emergency surgery, I needed a blood transfusion - now obviously this didnt fit in with my mother's belief system... In later years my mother has stopped being a Jehovahs witness - did that happen because she lost her faith?or did it happen because it no longer fitted her beliefs - I dont know and dont suppose I ever will.

To the end of her days my Grandmother was a fire and brimstone methodist - did she really believe what she told me - again I dont know

I think most people believe in something - does it really matter what name it has , or what it looks like . Myself I am now a spiritualist.

I have looked at many different religions over the years whilst i have been studying people and whatever name they go by they have so many things in common.

Re: Religion

Sandra Taylor RVN, MBVNA — Sat, 31 Jan 2009 00:48:54 GMT

[quote user="Noodle"]

[quote user="STRVN"]

I was brought up as a christian of the protestant faith, and went to sunday school every sunday, I am not a church goer now and have never been since my daughter was christened, 15 years ago, it is not a major factor in my life,Also if god is supposed to be all around us, why do you need to go to church?? I think there is more than just us though... hence the Angel belief.

My best friend is a catholic, and we have never let religion come between us, in fact I dont think we have ever discussed religion at all and we have been friends for 30 odd years. I just dont see religion before I see the person.

[/quote]

I have always believed that IF god is there, then you can pray wherever you are - on the loo - whatever - he sees all

I am coming round now to the dawkins way of thinking, though i haven't read his book yet (desperately want to)

[/quote]

Thats what I think, if he is all around why do you need to go to church, you can pray anywhere.He is after all supposed to be listening always.

The power of prayer.... thats another thing, watched a whole programme on that once, they done an experiment on pryer, and had people all over praying for certain individuals who were ill, and the ones who were being prayed for got better quicker than the ones who had not been prayed for.It was a very interesting documentary.

Re: Religion

Noodle — Sat, 31 Jan 2009 00:46:35 GMT

[quote user="STRVN"]

[quote user="Noodle"]

[quote user="STRVN"]

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=IwooM4yhiiY

Might not be everyones cup of tea, but I think he sums it up pretty well considering

[/quote]

i love billy

how recent was that? i love how comedians can get away with speaking the truth, and somehow bypassing the over vigilant PC filters

[/quote]

I love Billy too, and agree some comedians get away with murder, he does say what a lot of people are thinking though, and that is what I like. Not sure how recent it is.

[/quote]

thats what i love too - that a really good comedian can say what we all want to say but daren't...