Is there a wrong way to believe in God?

Sure there is-- the way that allows you to strap on a chest full of plastique and detonate it in a crowded marketplace. Or that allows you to snipe the life out of a doctor because you believe your god disapproves of the medical procedures he performs.

Or to believe God has chosen you to revive the Crusades.

Yes. In my opinion it's folly to try to experience or benefit from "God" (and there is much variation in possible definitions of this). I believe that a wrong way is to "believe" (as fundamentalists do) in "God" by means of naive intellectual efforts. It must be done mystically, by an intuitive sense of the Absolute immanent in everyday experience.

To believe without question is wrong. It renders one powerless towards those who are percieved as authorities, and might lead you to go on a crusade or blow up a shopping mall.

I've often marvelled at the sheer cruelty of those who would send a young believer into a crowded area with a coat full of explosives. I consider the suicide bombers victims as much as those who are the targets.

And I think it is too bad that the dark sides of Islam should be the aspects of it that make it known to the world. But I see it as an internal matter for muslims to sort out before they bring the wrath of an ignorant world down upon them.

I think all ways of postulating the absurd are equally erroneous.

And this from a satanist...

What about just for christians? There a wrong way there....
(trying to get harder question, since other religions clearly have specified ways of worship and such...)

Is there a right way?

I don't think there is a right or wrong way to believe in God. There is definitely a right and wrong way to serve and worship God. Blowing up innocents and starting wars in His name is a good example.

But how do you wrongly believe in God? I don't understand how you could rightly or wrongly believe. Unless you mean believe in the way of Him being a she instead of a he or Him being merciful or vengeful. The only way you could incorrectly believe in God is if you believed something about him that wasn't true. And since we have absolutely no idea what He is like (or if he is in fact a he), we can't possibly be faulted for believing the wrong thing.

Guy I recently worked with thinks he is a prophet, of the same stripe as Abraham. Every time he gets in a discussion with other Christians, concerning Jesus, they end up in practically a blood feud. It's disgusting.

edgar

He thinks he is a prophet? Should we stone him?

On second thought, there's no need. He's probably stoned already..

The guy has been telling me for three years he is a prophet. I haven't made a mistake about it. He tells me constantly of dire things that have happened to people who crossed him ("I don't do it. God does.") You don't eff with a prophet.

He sounds seriously disturbed. Poor bastard. He cannot have many friends if he goes on about that all the time.

Indeed.Are you suggesting I have made an equally absurd, or in fact at all absurd, assertion? Or are you shooting some sort of tongue in cheek barb?
Either way **** you.

Great! Frank's back. Must be too cold for golf.

It is my subjective position that we should not BELIEVE in whatever it is we consider "devine." We must SEE it.

docS

As far as I am concerned, satanism is absurd and erroneous. It is a direct oposition to christian ideas, and so it is, in a way, the shadow of christianity.

And keep up the obcenities. Good way to disarm yourself. :wink:

Hey JL.

Yeah, it is cold...and I broke my shoulder.

My question of earlier still stands: Is there a right way???

Frank, I shouldn't speak for others, of course, but in my judgement "religious" ambitions must be very private; it's what happens within our minds, not within congregations. I prefer meditation just to let "religious" things happen within. That isn't everyone's bias, and that's fine.

But is there a right way to mend a broken shoulder, and are you following that way? Given that I have finally recovered from months of rotator cuff tears, a broken shoulder sounds very uncomfortable.

As far as I am concerned, you are a moron.