Who is God?

So do I. I can spot a sneaky person .

So I will tell you what happened to me in a short paragraph. Something that has really never happened in my long life.
I parked my car at the library and got out and looked up. 150 ' away I saw a man, right away I was cautious for no apparent reason. He was getting in his car to leave. I got in the library and hit the elevator button and stood to the side to read a poster. Before I read 3 words the man was behind me. [he had run fast to get there behind me that quick, so I knew what his plan was] I knew he meant to do something if I got on that elevator with him. So the elevator came and I nonchalently turned away from the poster to pretend to go elsewhere or take the stairs. I looked into his eyes, Then I knew if i took the stairs he would enter the stairs also. So I stood at the bottom and turned and saw a single library worker. I asked her could she escort me to the next floor (blah blah blah) I told her what had happened with the man. She also worked part time with another CO. , Pinkerton Security. (MY Luck) She escorted me and the man ended up looking for me and he found me and followed me and flew out of the bathroom right in front of me. I looked at him and I turned from him and went right over to the librarian and asked her to call the pinkerton girl who also was a librarian,. I turned back to look at the man from about 50' and he was looking right at me and wondering what I was doing. He got scared and knew for sure I was aware of what he was precisely up to. She called, and the man went and hid , and the girl came and i told her and she escorted me out to my car and waited till I drove away and the mans car was still there. He was almost 6', skinny, dark black hair and mustache, clear light complexion, dark eyes.
Something has always kept my presence safe from harm. And I have been in harms way before.
Hope it was not too long

(snoring) rrrrugh...rrrrrugh......rrrrrugh....goodnight

Goodnight Ruach, not a nice story. I am hopeful for the human race, but distrustful of most strangers.

Delightful story Ruach... I wish more women would listen to their instincts. Pity I wasn't there to confront the stranger, though. Despite being an atheist, under certain circumstances, I find it my duty to instill the fear of God.

Religion and its values
So do people think religion is:

a)The absolute truth
b)Nice guide lines to help you find God that you can use if you like
c)Power hungry groups that stop you from finding God
d)Stupid
e)none of the above (so what do you think?)

Welcome, Seeker . . .

Religion, like politics, comes in many colors and flavors. What is relevant is the meaning attached to religion by those who profess it. And i believe fair to say that the religious are so for as many reasons as you've given, and many more.

b),c) or d) depending on the religion. If it's delivered in such a way as to promote violence; c) and d). If it's delivered in such a way as to promote inner peace and tranquility; b). Right now; a) is unprovable, so believers should make an equal effort to understand those of us who don't.

OCCOMBILL, I absoutley agree with your assessment of dealing with the violent in the world. Sometimes you can flee but sometimes you must fight. Maybe I should just stay away from the library, libraries can be very dangerous, all those monsters in those books you know. hehe

cavfancier, I am distrustful of strangers also. Sometimes a stranger causes me no disturbance, maybe even a comfort. But that guy even from 150' it was like a firebell went off and I did not yet know there was a fire.


Seeker. Religion for me began as Methodist. A comfortable and pleasant atmosphere. I liked our semi-young preacher and family. I went to Sunday School. The thing I remember learning the most out of this religion was in SS and learning the OT books, not in great detail , just the names and the gist of the books. It gave me a heads up.
I believe some religions from the start are teaching incorrect things and therefore detrimental to the learner. The Bible should be taught. I do not believe traditions or repetitive sayings have any place in teaching the Bible. If the final word for something in the Bible must come from an elder or elders or king of the church or popes or poops, or king of the popes , Then I am not satisfied. Whether a person is 5 or 50 and they are starting from scratch to learn the Bible then do not go to a religious institution that does not teach the BIble. A good religion to me would teach the basics of the Bible. Religions are really capable of turning a person away from the truth. Jesus clearly stated there would be false prophets in the world and would deceive, if possible, even the elect. Receiving baptism and the HS is up to the individual. And after that, the rest of the learning is up to the individual, between the HS, Jesus and God and yourself. Religion is not God. Jesus is God. God made Jesus the ultimate sacrifice, following and learning from him is spirituality in the pure form, unadulterated, never changing.

And so, religion is...
So what everyone seems to be saying is, religion is OK if you just follow the nice rules about it. But don't most of the worlds major religions equally depend on following the rules and believing the facts? How did this huge misintepretation come about?

There are who knows how many religions with each selling the belief that theirs is only a phone call away from God and all the others are a wrong number. If that is to be believed it is sad since so many have been dialing a wrong number. IMO God dicontinued phone service centuries ago.

[quote="au1929"]There are who knows how many religions with each selling the belief that theirs is only a phone call away from God and all the others are a wrong number. If that is to be believed it is sad since so many have been dialing a wrong number. IMO God dicontinued phone service centuries ago. [/quote]

Supposing all the numbers lead to God, but you've got to dial one of them? Are you better off picking up the phone in the first place or leaving it alone in case you're wrong? Surely it's better to try a number and see what happens.

Supposing all the numbers lead to God, but you've got to dial one of them? Are you better off picking up the phone in the first place or leaving it alone in case you're wrong? Surely it's better to try a number and see what happens. [/color][/quote]

To me this logic constitutes a man made "offer you can't refuse". If I was created by a Supreme Being, than that Supreme Being also created my doubt. Logic prevents me from believing that such a being would hold against me the doubt he, she or it created. If I am to face Judgment after my death, I am confident my life will be judged based on the merit of my actions, not my choice of objects to worship.

God's just a figment of the imagination. A desperate attempt by so many terrified little minds, desperately looking for meaning and unable to come to terms with the chaos of the universe, and the billion to one accident represented by their existence.

But if the false religions do not promise eternal life and that is what a person wants then there is one way to get that promise. Nothing you do can earn it. There are gods of other religions. But they offer false copies of eternal life.
If the world needed to be reconciled to a perfectly balance supreme being. The supreme being is spiritual and where he lives, flesh cannot live.
What if your son , who is in your image and personality, gave himself to save the life of a neighbor and the neighbor said, who needed his interference. That would upset all people to watch your son give his life for another to live.

God sent Jesus who has been from the beginning. Jesus sits on the throne in Heaven and the Holy Spirit and God and Jesus and born again believers are all capable of testifying to the diety of the One God above all others.

this scripture shows that he is not a god of flesh and blood or stone or gold. He is not man made and set up as an idol.
Acts 7: 49 " Heaven is my throne, and earth is my footstool what house will ye build me? saith the Lord: or what is the place of my rest?

Ruach



What more can I say. There is no accounting for what people will believe.

Ruach,
You sound like you derive nothing but good from your religion. I see that it comforts you, and have no desire to tarnish those good feelings in any way. There do exist many good arguments against such beliefs, and I would urge you to avoid them, or you run the risk of losing some of your most comforting beliefs. Just a thought.

AMEN!

I agree with you completely, save the unnecessary 'little minds" insult. I've known some folks with giant minds who believe the same way. I doubt you meant to be insulting, but thought some clarification was justified.

If this is the case, why are there so many rules surrounding it all? True, religousa people find great satisfaction and comfort in God, but it can put you in difficult positions as well. If you just invented God to make life easier, surely he wouldn't mind what you did as long as you where happy?

This is a false statement because people who believe in God do not suffer terrified minds. In fact, the belief in God brings inner peace. There is not chaos in the universe. The universe is made with complete order, it is mankind and his nations which are in chaos and perplexed. His statements are one made from someone who has not believed in a supreme being. He reflects his own opinions that he suffers himself. Chaos, desperation, terrified little mind, does not know the meaning to his life and does not know his future. To be a figment of the imagination is to be contrived, like an invisible childhood playmate. Children grow out of their invisible childhood playmates. Belief in the Supreme being continues to grow throughout the world from 12 original apostles to millions, because of the works that follow the believer. Because of the fruits that come out of the believer.

C'mon, Rauch, think before you post.

This particular statement is so absurd, it should not even be dignified with a response -- but I guess this forum demands it.

Theists suffer terrified minds. Atheists suffer terrified minds. Agnostics suffer terrified minds. Humans suffer terrified minds.

Not all --but some. To exclude theists is to deny reality.




Lemme tell you something: Some of the most disturbed human beings I personally know are absolutely certain there is a God. Some of the most serene people I personally know are atheists and agnostics.

Believe or non-belief has nothing to do with "inner peace."




There is absolutely no way you can know that. How many other universes do you know about with which you can compare this one to determine that fact?



Don't really know what else to say -- I think you truly are out of your element here, but...

In any case, I do wish you a Merry Christmas or Happy Holiday, whichever you prefer.

And I wish you inner peace!