Life

[bigwhitecobra]

Is there life on other planets?

Seems like a simple question, right? Looks are very decieving.

What constitutes life? How would you know it even if you saw it?

If there is life on another planet, did God create it? If a living thing on another planet dies, does it go to heaven?

If God didn't create life on any other planet, yet it exists, and someone visits that planet an dies, do they go to heaven/hell?

Do single celled organisms go to heaven? If they do, then by default, won't some go to hell?

My head hurts.

[RBatson]

This is my kinda discussion!!

Originally posted by bigwhitecobra
Is there life on other planets?

There is absolutely life on other planets! What we constitute as life... I don't know. A heart beat? Hmm.. maybe. To think there isn't life on another planet just goes to show how humans are natured to feel self important. Its rediculous!

What constitutes life? How would you know it even if you saw it?

Exactly!

If there is life on another planet, did God create it? If a living thing on another planet dies, does it go to heaven?

No. God did not create humans, humans created god/gods... humans created heaven and hell as well.

If God didn't create life on any other planet, yet it exists, and someone visits that planet an dies, do they go to heaven/hell?

They go to whatever it is that they created to make themselves feel better about thier existance, be it someone/thing from earth or elsewhere. Basically, in my opinion, they are until they are not.

Do single celled organisms go to heaven? If they do, then by default, won't some go to hell?

All single celled existance goes to heaven by default. ROFLMFAO!!!

My head hurts.

Heeh! It'll be ok brother, it has to.. there is no choice. The wheels spin and there is not an damn thing anyone can do about it, that's just how it is.

I'll share with you my theory, I broke down and shared it here a few years ago.. guess I'll do it again.

Atoms! Notice an atom. It has a nucleus, protons and electrons. The protons and electrons rotate the nucleus.. hmm.. sound familiar? The earth rotates the sun, the moons rotate the planets. It is my contention that we are just a small part on an atom. We can't see what's on the electrons and protons at this point, unless I missed something. I believe that we are just a part of something much much greater. We could be, and probably are, something about the size of a grain of sand(or even less) in the greater scheme of things.

Where does that leave us? Insignificant as hell and some of us just can't have that, can we?

At this point, how do we know that another whole universe/atom doesn't exist on an electron? We don't.

I'm gonna reach out there now... how do we know that we aren't being watched.. kinda like a kid with an ant farm?? Hmm.. yes, these thoughts have crossed my mind..

[jocatmust]

Life!
Well, you can look at it in many different ways! I have a science background and have two college degrees. I question most everything. I wonder if everything is created by God as I was taught as a child growing up. I do believe in a higher power, b/c there are too many miracles out there to not believe in something. Who is to say that God didn't created the first human being and scientist have trace that orgin. Nobody knows what Adam and Eve looked like. Who knows they may have been ape like. No one knows! Of course, my science background understands the creation of life. Cells are formed from chemicals, who is to say that the chemicals form Adam. In the bible, it saids that God create Adam by molding dirt and sand together. Dirt and sand could be these very chemicals. Scientists are watching Mt. St. Helen area after it erupted to see life forming as a new beginning. Maybe in time, probably not in our life time, scientist will know. Of course, the bible was translated by man, who is to say he didn't created false theories. As I have said, I question everything. No one knows, way life is the way it is. To be honest, I do believe in believing in God. When life is really bad, by wrong choices, people doing you wrong, and just bad luck, it is nice to have faith that life will be better. It is bad to not have any faith and want to give up on life. Just my views. Science is based on questioning everything and trying to find the truth.

[bigwhitecobra]

I have been developing my own theory about life and God. Basically, I believe in God and the He/she created everything there is in the universe. I also believe that God doens't care as much about what we do as the Church would have us believe. We are a failed experiment. A rough draft.

I think we still go to heaven, but not hell. Church has the entire world fooled about hell. The punishment for sin is not eternal damnation. The punishment is death.


I had better stop. If I get too deep into it, I'll be here all night.

[RBatson]

Damn dude, you need to think this through alittle more. The punishment for sin, as far as Adam and Eve was concerned, is death. Supposedly we all die because Eve convinced Adam to partake of the apple. If she hadn't done that, according to scriptor, we all would life forever.

Think about this alittle more..I'll tell you something else. If you aren't happy with what one church is telling you, research a diffent domination... they are all different. When you are ready to free yourself from all that BS give me a call.

[bigwhitecobra]

I don't attend a church. I don't think I will ever attend one again. I just listen to things I overhear, read, so on and so on. Certain people I include in my circle, via CD or book, help me to realize that I have to make up my own mind.

I don't give into the whole BS church spews out. And believe me it's mainly BS. Take the whole Santity(sp?) of Life arguement. What makes life so sacred? Why is it that only certain life forms are considered sacred while the rest are systematically destroyed? Mosquitos, flys, rats, spiders, snakes, etc. All of those are generally killed by these "Life is Sacred" bible thumpers, the very second they see one. Or they set traps for them and let the animal suffer an agonizing death.

"If everything that ever lived is dead, and Everything alive is going to die, where does the sacred part come in?"(I quoted this from George Carlin)

Cancer. What should be done about Cancer? It is a living organism, yet it kills more people that Hitler. Personally I say find a way to wipe it out. I'm sure that the Church doesn't think that Cancer is somehow sacred.

Not to get into the Gay Marrage thing, but who are we to tell to grown adults what they can or can not do? If two sausage smokers want to tie the knot, have at it. It doesn't affect me one way or the other. People need to stop forcing their ideas onto the masses of this country, and the country as a whole needs to stop listening to them. Tell Jerry Fallwell to Eat Shit, and shut the **** up!!

I wonder how many people are going to be or already are upset about this post?

(Who got me on this soap box anyway? )

[bigred90gt]

Originally posted by jocatmust
To be honest, I do believe in believing in God. When life is really bad, by wrong choices, people doing you wrong, and just bad luck, it is nice to have faith that life will be better. It is bad to not have any faith and want to give up on life. Just my views. Science is based on questioning everything and trying to find the truth.

I have faith in myself, my life, and my actions. But, I dont have a religious bone in my body.

I believe that when we die, we just continue to go about our daily lives , not realizing we are dead. Why do you think people see ghosts doing ordinary, everyday activities, as though they are still alive. As far as they know, they are.

[Fox Body]

1) Is there life on other planets?
Seems like a simple question, right? Looks are very decieving.

2) What constitutes life? How would you know it even if you saw it?

3) If there is life on another planet, did God create it? If a living thing on another planet dies, does it go to heaven?

4) If God didn't create life on any other planet, yet it exists, and someone visits that planet an dies, do they go to heaven/hell?

5) Do single celled organisms go to heaven? If they do, then by default, won't some go to hell?

6) My head hurts.

7) I have been developing my own theory about life and God. Basically, I believe in God and the He/she created everything there is in the universe. I also believe that God doens't care as much about what we do as the Church would have us believe. We are a failed experiment. A rough draft.

I think we still go to heaven, but not hell. Church has the entire world fooled about hell. The punishment for sin is not eternal damnation. The punishment is death.
=========================================

Now, this may surprise some of you, but I'm not the wisest person in the world (nor do I claim to be).... yes I know, shocking, huh, but truth nonetheless.... Moreover, even the wisest person on this earth doesn't know everything and cannot answer every and all questions of the universe.

1a) Yes. It'd almost be unthinkable that we are the only life in this entire universe....
But do those beings come down and visit us? Have we seen them? No.

2a) Life. There are different forms of life. Going to the extreme, cancer is a different (lower) form of life-- not created by God, but a result of man's own doings. The life of man. Man is a living soul which consists of the dust of the ground and the breath of life (from God, the creator). When we die, the process is reversed. The breath of life returns to God and the body returns to dust (as you can see what happens to our bodies when we die....).

3a) If there is life on other planets, which there is (but I believe FAR outside our galaxy or even solar system), then God created them. They cannot be there if God had not created them. They do not die b/c they are not sinful, they are perfect. The only reason we die is b/c we are sinful. God did not create us sinful, he created us perfect. We messed up (and still do), not him (nor has he ever).

4a) God is the God of the universe. He is not bound by space, so if someone (from Earth) goes to another planet and dies there, they are still bound by the principles of God, wherever they are.

5a) Single cell organisms or things do not go to heaven or hell. Once they're done, they're done, like animals. Heaven or hell is only an issue for Satan, his angels (the plan of hell was originally for him and his angels, or "demons"), and humans who reject Christ as their saviour, or more specifically, reject the death that Christ died in place of theirs.

6a) I can tell mine is gonna hurt....

7a) I believe in God as well and that He created everything in the universe and that He has always been. Hard to fathom. I also believe that people have created their own "gods". For every true thing, there is a counterfeit. However, those gods are only figments of imaginations and meaningless idols.

I believe God cares about us infinitely more than any church could try to have me believe. Although most things that seem too good to be true are either bad or untrue, this is not. God created us perfectly and perfect. We messed up (sinned). We messed ourselves up. We had and have the freedom of choice to do so. True love is reciprocated through free choice, not forced or coerced. We are not a failed experiment or a rough draft. But even though true love is by choice, the results of messing up had/s consequences.

The universal law is that the wages of sin (transgression of the law-- God's law) is death (eternal death, not eternal punishing).

Note: ***God loves us more than any human has the capacity to love another, but similar to how parents love their children and doesn't want us to die that final death (the death we die now is only a pause, a "sleep" in life, not really death). In the death we die now, the spirit (or breath of life-- power of life) goes back to God temporarily and the body decays back to dust from which it was formed in the beginning with Adam. We cease to exist (temporarily) because we are no longer a "living soul" (see 2a). The final death is the ultimate death (true death) and those beings will be eternally nonexistent (not changed in form, or evolved to something else), more acurately eternally separated from God after they die that eternal death. They will experience that eternal separation right b4 they die and from then on will be eternally separated from God. Once that breath of life is taken away and returned back to God, it will never be returned to that person. That person will never again think, touch, smell, laugh, cry, have a CHANCE to be, or BE united with God. That is the eternal punishment for those who refuse Christ. Not eternal punishing, but eternal punishment, or eternal damnation.***

So..... God loved us so he had to make a way around us receiving the punishment for sin. So what did he do? He sent his "son" (God puts things in terms that we as humans can relate to) who came in human flesh to to this planet to die that death in OUR place, which he died in 31 AD (another human could not have done that b/c he would have to die for his own sins, only Christ was perfect, so he had no sins for which to die so our sins--all that were ever or ever will be committed-- were placed on him, and he volunteered himself for this). All that is now asked of us regarding salvation is that we accept that death in place of ours and God as our God, and worship him alone as creator, provider, and sustainer of all things (which is all for our benefit-- he doesn't NEED us, but he loves us and when we worship him and do what he tells us, life on earth will be better and the ultimate reward will be well worth any trouble on this earth-- but many of us are too prideful to submit to God's authority and don't understand the quintessence of the matter). This is not fantasy, it is absolute reality.

from 7), paragraph 2
I think we still go to heaven, but not hell. Church has the entire world fooled about hell. The punishment for sin is not eternal damnation. The punishment is death.

Most churches do have the "world" fooled about hell. I am pleasantly surprised that someone here understands that. You are almost correct when you say that the punishment for sin is not eternal "damnation." It's like this, if someone is exiled from his/her country for the rest of eternity, you could say that is eternal damnation, but it doesn't mean that that person is eternally tortured. It just means that person's sentence is final and eternal (whether in life or death). The popular belief is that those who go to hell are eternally tortured/burned, but that is not true. They will be done away with once and for all. Truthfully and sadly, they will burn for a short time and be done-- that's it. Then that will be the eternal end of sin. Remember, sin was not in God's plan but came about through freedom of choice-- our choice. God wants (and will) to do away with sin once and for all, that is the goal. If people were to burn in hell eternally 1) God would not be a just God, b/c the punishment would not fit the crime (eternal torture as a punishment for the 70-80 years that we sin on this earth) and 2) sin would continue to increase throughout eternity, b/c man in hell would eternally curse God for the pain and torture they would be receiving in hell.) Also, God would not be a loving God b/c he would have to give and sustain life to those living in hell (b/c all life comes from God), so he would essentially have sustain people to be burned for eternity . That is simply not love. No way.

Hell is less of an issue of where and more of an issue of WHEN. There is no hell now (when we speak of the hell in which evildoers will burn). Remember, when man dies (good or bad) the breath of life returns to God, and the body decays away back to dust. Hell Where: Earth. Hell When: a little over 1000 years after Christ returns to Earth, sometime in the "relatively" near future. Hell is simply the final phase of annhilating sin and death from this earth/galaxy and all who reject Christ and choose a life of sin, will be destroyed with those sins, their god (Satan and his evil angels will also be destroyed at that time). God doesn't want to do this or enjoy this, but if left unnattended, sin will corrupt the entire universe. He wants to save us and pull us out of this mess. He provided and provides a means of escape. It has essentially nothing to do with "religion". Simply put, it is reality and life, just like breathing. One does not have to believe or disbelieve it for it to be. It is what it is-- quiddity.

So yes, the punishment for sin is death-- eternal death/separation from God.

Man, I know some of you are thinking I'm crazy, naive or stupid, just another "religious" fanatic, or living in a world of fantasy. What can I say, I'm just a plain guy who loves Mustangs who desires to know what absolute truth is. I obviously don't know it all, but I take time to study things out and live life. I'm not some mental case who is looking for a fantasy that I can retreat to to make my stay in this world a better place. This is not from brainwashing or what "my pastor told me".

Everything cannot be explained with mathematical formulas. Man once thought the world was flat.

If you really desire to know what truth is, you will find it. If you really want to know, you will search. Whether you act accordingly to that knowledge is up to you. If you just don't care, well, I really don't know what to say, but it is sad.

One last thing, if you think all that I've typed is a bunch of foolishness and it makes you angry, that was not my purpose in typing it. I really hope you will care enough to search this stuff out one day for yourself. Don't let hypocritical "christians" or whatever group of people make you just say "screw it all, you really can't know what truth is." And, just b/c you may not understand something doesn't mean it is untrue. There is a saying I really believe in: "The single biggest cause of atheism in the world today, is christians, who profess Jesus with their lips, and walk out the door and deny him by their lifestyles. This is what an unbelieving world simply finds unbelievable."

Later guys.

[Mr 5 0]

I'm not quite sure if this is a gag or not but I'll be a sport and attempt to respond.

Originally posted by bigwhitecobra:

Is there life on other planets?

Seems like a simple question, right? Looks are very decieving.

To date, no evidence has been found (via space probes and the reams of datum from the Hubble) to prove there is or was life on another planet. That doesn't mean there isn't, just that if there is, it's nowhere near our solar system and we can't find it. Maybe we're not supposed to.

What constitutes life? How would you know it even if you saw it?

Life is constituted by the ability to grow and certainly, to reproduce. This can include the lowest form of plant life, as found in the bottom of the ocean. Sentient life is more complicated, of course. Science fiction offers non-corporal life-forms all the time, but that's fiction - based on a person's imagination and has no basis in provable fact.

If there is life on another planet, did God create it? If a living thing on another planet dies, does it go to heaven?

Now you're slipping into theology. I'm a Christian but I have zero desire to argue theology with atheists and 'agnostics' and all the other forms of non-Christian theology. I can only give you my personal opinion here. I believe that God created everything and that would obviously include 'life' on another planet. The bible tells us that only 'mankind' - humans, not animals or plants go to heaven, which is defined as in the presence of God and outside of time and space. Please understand that the bible was written for and is addressed to human being here on earth, not 'aliens' from another planet. If such people - creatures - exist somewhere, God created them and it will be His decision whether they go to heaven, or not. Not our concern.

If God didn't create life on any other planet, yet it exists, and someone visits that planet an dies, do they go to heaven/hell?

You're - deliberately or not - confusing the issue here. Christian theology states that God is omnipotent and created all things. As I've stated, if life exists on other planets (which I personally doubt) then God created it for His own purposes. Who goes to heaven or hell is up to God, not where they are located when they die. Stating hypotheticals that contradict each other simply confuses the issue.

Do single celled organisms go to heaven? If they do, then by default, won't some go to hell?

No. Again, you can disagree but as a Christian, I take the bible literally and it states, clearly, that mankind (humans) are made in God's 'image'. Not like Him but as he wanted us to be. Single-cell organisms don't come close.

My head hurts.

Serves you right for thinking up such esoteric, hypothetical questions that have little point.

[srv1]

Originally posted by bigred90gt
I have faith in myself, my life, and my actions. But, I dont have a religious bone in my body.

I believe that when we die, we just continue to go about our daily lives , not realizing we are dead. Why do you think people see ghosts doing ordinary, everyday activities, as though they are still alive. As far as they know, they are.

I agree with the big guy here. I am not religious. I was brought up in a catholic family, but found my own beliefs. I was thinking when I was younger around 11 years old that a certain supreme being, god, can create life and take it away for no given reason. I didn't quite understand how this being could do such a thing. I realized that I too can do the same thing. Am I a god? Hell no. So far in life, science has proved more to me than some supreme being you can't see, feel, hear or smell. Science is not always right but it proved more to me and made more sense than how we were created by god.

I do believe in other life than just ours. I dont believe in any heaven or hell. What would constitude life? I really dont know for sure but maybe something with some kind of response or action I guess.

James

[bigred90gt]

If "god" created the universe and everything in it, and there is no life on other planets, only earth, why are there other planets? I personally think that there are many forms of life on many other planets. Do I think that our government needs to spend billions of dollars sending unmanned lunar explorers to Mars to see if there was ever any type of bacterial life? No, that is obsurd. There are many more important issues to spend the money on, that require our immediate attention.

[b055]

dont take life to seriously................... you'll never get out alive

[Mr 5 0]

Originally posted by bigred90gt :

If "god" created the universe and everything in it, and there is no life on other planets, only earth, why are there other planets?

Well, we need the moon and the sun to sustain life on earth, as you know. As for all the other planets, they were formed by the dust of the solar nebula and are called 'planetesimals,'. As these particles attracted more and more solar 'dust' and grew they collided with other forming spheres and made one larger planet. It's complex. The Christian belief is that God orchestrated the creation of the universe. We cannot know the exact process involved as the bible only tells us that God 'declared' the 'heavens' into being. That may have been accomplished instantly but it could have taken 10 billion years. God exists outside of time and space as we understand it and is not bound by human limitations in any manner (or He wouldn't be God). Others believe much differently, of course and are positive that the universe happened by chance. To each his own.

I personally think that there are many forms of life on many other planets. Do I think that our government needs to spend billions of dollars sending unmanned lunar explorers to Mars to see if there was ever any type of bacterial life? No, that is obsurd. There are many more important issues to spend the money on, that require our immediate attention.

Write your congressman.

[bigwhitecobra]

I really dodn't want to give off the wrong impression. I do believe in God and that he sent His son to die for our sins. I just believe there is another way to worship Him. I have a hard time believing anything that a human hand has written. The Bible is a good book, a fabulous way to live your life, but is it the word of God? I have a hard time believing that. Considering the fact that there are books of the Bible that the Catholic church decided to omit because it took away from what they wanted the masses to know. I wish I could remember the names of the books. I'll go look for them.

My statement was meant to just open a discussion about the topic in a civil manor. No more, no less. If anyone took offense, sorry, and in the same breath, grow up. How can you learn if you won't talk about it?

People are free to believe whatever they want to believe. They are free to think what they want to think. But with that should come a sense of responsibility by the church to educate the people so that they can be better informed. You'd be surprised at what the Bible will teach you, even if you don't trust it, like me.

I just believe what my heart tells me. Right or wrong. As long as you follow your heart you can never go wrong.

Later.

[Mr 5 0]

Originally posted by bigwhitecobra :

I really dodn't want to give off the wrong impression. I do believe in God and that he sent His son to die for our sins. I just believe there is another way to worship Him. I have a hard time believing anything that a human hand has written. The Bible is a good book, a fabulous way to live your life, but is it the word of God? I have a hard time believing that. Considering the fact that there are books of the Bible that the Catholic church decided to omit because it took away from what they wanted the masses to know. I wish I could remember the names of the books. I'll go look for them.

If one claims to believe in God and Jesus, how can you dismiss the bible as nothing more than a 'good book' with some nice ideas about how to live? As a Christian, that posture makes no sense to me. It's exactly what atheists and agnostics say. Not the company I would want to be in while proclaiming to believe in God and Christ as Savior. We only know about God's works and the life of Jesus through the bible. There is only a small secular historical record concerning Jesus and it's skimply, at that. The bible is our lifeline to God's plan for us and the life, death and resurrection of Jesus as well. I find it interesting that while we take history about the great names and deeds of the ancient past almost without question, so many find the bible, one of the greatest books ever written that has survived many attempts to ban it, destroy it and condemn it for two thousand years, 'questionable' because it was written by human beings. Of course, even it it had been given to us by some supernatural act, that would now be dismissed as a lie, too, I suppose. Made up by those crazy Christian zealots of old.

You ask: is it the Word of God? My reply is: Yes. Inspired by God and written by men. The Gospels are a first-hand account of the life of Christ and the rest of the New Testament contains reams of valuable instruction as to how a Christian should live. Even the allegorical Book of Revelation is instructive and gives us a hint of things to come. To claim a solid belief in God and Christ and then just assume that the bible is a lie, as the non-believers do, is absurd, in my opinion. Where do you think your knowledge of God and Christ came from? Parents, church teaching? Fine. Where did that originate from? The Bible.

The question of the Catholic Church adding and subtracting Books in the bible is well known and one reason why there was a split between the 'Protestant' and Catholic church centuries ago. As a fundamentalist Christian, I cannot speak to Catholic doctrine or history except that I reject most of what I know of it, including the manipulation of scripture in centuries past. Still, I maintain that an omnipotent God would not allow eveil men to change or subtract from His Word. He is the power, not some church 'leader' no matter how big his hat is. On that basis, I accept the bible as the inerrent Word of God. Others are free to differ, as they do and will. Apparently you are one. So be it. Your choice.

My statement was meant to just open a discussion about the topic in a civil manor. No more, no less. If anyone took offense, sorry, and in the same breath, grow up. How can you learn if you won't talk about it?

I can only speak for myself. I replied in a civil manner and did not take offense at the question. It's not a new one, by the way. I'm quite grown up and willing to talk so I'll assume your comments here are not directed at me.

People are free to believe whatever they want to believe. They are free to think what they want to think. But with that should come a sense of responsibility by the church to educate the people so that they can be better informed. You'd be surprised at what the Bible will teach you, even if you don't trust it, like me.

Really? If you don't' trust' the bible I wonder why you bother reading it at all. It's either the Word of God or a pack of lies. Pick one - but calling it a 'good book' is like calling Jesus a 'nice man' with a few 'good ideas'. Insulting to both.

I just believe what my heart tells me. Right or wrong. As long as you follow your heart you can never go wrong.

Not according to Jesus: "For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies" -Matt. 15:19.

[bigwhitecobra]

To get a better explaination of what I am talking about, explain EXACTLY what you did today. To the letter. I know I can't. I don't think anyone can. So how can someone else wring EXACTLY what you did, with out leaving something out or embelishing something to compensate for what you forgot.

Thats all I was trying to get across. Nothing more.

I love my God. I try to do the best I can to live right y Him. Everyone has thier own relationship with Him and thier own ideas of what kind of relationship that should be. I hope that made sense. If not I'll try to do better.

Anyway, I see where you are coming from and I agree to a certain extent. But I don't feel like typing anymore. I am one tired puppy.

I'll post tomorrow. Later.

[Mr 5 0]

Originally posted by bigwhitecobra :

To get a better explaination of what I am talking about, explain EXACTLY what you did today. To the letter. I know I can't. I don't think anyone can. So how can someone else wring EXACTLY what you did, with out leaving something out or embelishing something to compensate for what you forgot.

Thats all I was trying to get across. Nothing more.

I have two points. First: The Old Testament, which is historical in nature and prepares us for the arrival of Jesus on earth was often written as it happened and while not scientifically verifiable, it contains many instances of God interacting with various people, personally. Talking to them in some form or another. Giving them instructions (Moses) or otherwise dealing personally with them. The Gospels, part of the New Testament that Christianity is founded on, were written by four different disciples and give very similar accounts of Jesus' ministry, death and resurrection - but from different perspectives. They were there and I doubt they 'forgot' their experience with the Son of God just a few years later. Other books of the NT are also personal letters written by Paul, Peter, John, etc. They certainly knew of what they were writing.

Secondly (and most important): God inspired and directed the complication of the bible. He is infallible (or he wouldn't be God). He did not depend on the feeble memories and recording abilities of mortal men - He inspired them, guided them, whether they realized it or not at the time. That understood, I have never believed that He would allow any mortal man to change, distort or otherwise lie to mankind for 2,000 years in God's name. That would be ridiculous. As Christianity is based wholly on the bible, to claim it's wrong, a lie, distorted or even, simply 'inaccurate' would render it useless as a basis for what you and I believe and make our faith totally pointless and empty. It is clearly not. While the bible has been attacked and picked apart by many men for centuries it stands as God intended: His Word. God's 'instruction book' for how to know Him, find salvation and live a life that God approves of while looking forward to eternal life with Him.

I love my God. I try to do the best I can to live right y Him. Everyone has thier own relationship with Him and thier own ideas of what kind of relationship that should be. I hope that made sense. If not I'll try to do better.

Anyway, I see where you are coming from and I agree to a certain extent. But I don't feel like typing anymore. I am one tired puppy.

I'll post tomorrow. Later.

I look forward to it.

[bigwhitecobra]

Ok, that sounds good in theory. The problem with that is if I wrote the Bible and didn't want anyone to dispute it, I'd just say it was the word of God. How can you argue with God? How can we prove or disprove what someone wrote thousands of years ago?

We can't. All we can do is look at human nature and guess. I hate to use that word, but that's what it is. Guessing. Some call it faith, whatever the word, the end is the same........you'll find out when you die. Live your life as best you can, enjoy your life, and do the best you can.

So what to think? Is the Bible the word of God, or is it ebellished to fit what the church want you to think is the word of God? Either way, what's the difference, right?

I mean, does the church endorce slavery? If not, then why is it that slavery was so common a few hundred years ago? During that time the church had such a huge influence on people's lives, it's hard to think that the church just sat idlely by and let thier congregation buy and sell slaves.

Homosexuality is another issue that has been around since the beginning of time. All throughout history there has been homosexual activity. It probably started out as being a asertation of social stature. This is guess as of the mind set, seeing as how I am not gay, I have no idea as to what makes one man want to have sex with another. I think it's best to forget this part and move on, as long as we realize that even in the church there is MAJOR homosexual activity, involving the Priests. If they feared hell as the Bible states it, you'd think that would be enough to deter them, again just guessing here.

I don't know the answer, nor do I claim to know. I just like to ask questions and be asked questions. I like to learn as much as I can. If I end up teaching someone something, it is merely by accident, and not intended. Probably as much as you don't intend on teaching.

Either way, I need a beer. Can I pour anyone else one?

[srv1]

I thought I would throw in a couple:






James

[bigred90gt]

Originally posted by srv1
I thought I would throw in a couple:

BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!!!!! That is hilarious!!! When I was in Jersey last year, I went to the Jay and Silent Bob store and bought a Buddy Jesus shirt. It has him on the front, and on the back is says, "Who's your Buddy?"