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Survey on Member Religious Preferences

Survey on Member Religious Preferences - Choose what best describes your beliefs

  • Far East religions i.e. Taoism, Hinduism, Confuciousism, Buddhism, etc.

    Votes: 1 3.8%
  • Islamic religions

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • Jewish religions i.e. Messianical Jew, Yiddish, Orthodox etc.

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • Christian religions organized before 1800 A.D.

    Votes: 1 3.8%
  • Christian religions organized after 1800 A.D.

    Votes: 7 26.9%
  • Pagan

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • Atheist

    Votes: 5 19.2%
  • Different religion not based on a belief of traditional God(s).

    Votes: 1 3.8%
  • I draw my beliefs from one or more religious traditions to make it my own.

    Votes: 5 19.2%
  • Don't affiliate with a religion or have any interest.

    Votes: 6 23.1%

  • Total voters
    26
  • #221
Yes!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
 
  • #222
wow.gif
Lost...
 
  • #224
Mike,

Is this the same thing you were going to email me? I went ahead and Copied and pasted it onto WORD. Wowza...it's 12 point font and it still is 12 pages.
biggrin.gif
Well, that is including the spaces which were already there. So, roughly 8 pages easy. Better get reading...
 
  • #226
Thanks for posting that as apart of this thread, Mike
biggrin.gif


Odysseus: When I was stationed in Germany I dated a lady that was mormon.
I believed at the time, and still do to an extent that we were unequally yoked.
During the time we dated one of her organs shutdown on her and she ended up in the hospital. I was there with her filling out the paperwork because I "spreckins ze dutche kleina"(can't spell it worth a flip anymore though) and not 4 hours of her being there she had english speaking mormon missionaries at her side. I don't even know how they found out she was in there that fast. I admired the care and attention they showed to a fellow mormon and to me as well. I think alot of churches would do well to be as caring for there brothers and sisters as mormons are. Just thought about that and felt like posting it.
 
  • #227
Hi guys,
I just corrected a few copying errors as my scanner was reading from a photocopied hand out!

Aaron, you may want to copy it again, but you should have the original..!

Any thoughts about the teaching notes Guys?
 
  • #228
ummm I have been going to Catholic School my whole life. In fact I go to a Jesuit University. So I am familiar with religious teachings pretty much.
 
  • #229
There is some subordination in relation,not in nature.

I think this is quit eloquent as it is cohesive.
What do I think of it? I think you need to email the rest of it before I chew this bit off the leather!!! Great study, can't get enough.

If anyones interested Dr. John McAurthor has two books " The Gospel according to Jesus", and " The Gospel according to the apostles" that really take a concise look at well....the gospels. Again thanks Mike.
 
  • #230
Hi God's Garden,
That was just one module from an 88 module course. Its a fair bit of study.. I would contact the people who run it to see if they can supply you notes or an equivalent in the US..! It took a while to scan then into word format!
 
  • #231
Noah, Mike, etc

Your stance toward Aaron appears somewhat shaky.
From Noah:

[b said:
Quote[/b] ]Now, in the case of Christianity, we only have the Bible to describe what the word "Christian" stands for. If everything you believe lines up with what the Bible teaches, you can call yourself a Christian without violating the definition of the word.

Unless you are a full-on 6 day, young earth creationist Christian that takes every word in the Bible literally (which I think is virtually impossible anyway as it contradicts itself so many times) then by your own definition you aren't a "proper" Christian.
By agreeing that some of the stories in the Bible are parables, or are not meant to be taken literally, you are already applying an interpretation of the bible that has been decided by someone that was not there when it was written.
I am not making any statement about whether Aaron's beliefs are more valid than yours but what you are, in effect, saying is that just because Aaron's church's interpretation isn't in agreeance with the interpretation of the people that you hang out with, or even with what might be percieved as being the majority of people in the world, his interpretation is wrong and he's not a Christian.

As I understand it, Jesus himself was in the minority in his time and warned people that following what is popularly accepted as being correct is not always the right way?

Troy.
 
  • #232
Troy, oftentimes it is not a matter of interpretation. There are parts of the Book of Mormon that contradict the Bible. Also, there are realistic interpretations, and then there are interpretations that are really stretched and make little sense.

Peter
 
  • #233
LOL Peter, from some points of view the entire concept seems really stretched and make little sense.

I came across this the other day and I was stunned the way it so eloquently describes religion the way I see it (note I am not hitting on christianity in particular here). Incidentally, this was written by an ex-Mormon however it is applicable to almost any religion so I don't want Aaron to take it personally, fortunately I know he's sensible enough not to
biggrin.gif


Gus and his friends

Troy
 
  • #234
Well, that is basically what Christianity would be like if it were just a religion.
Peter
 
  • #235
Peter, from www.dictionary.com

re·li·gion ( P ) Pronunciation Key (r-ljn)
n.

Belief in and reverence for a supernatural power or powers regarded as creator and governor of the universe.
A personal or institutionalized system grounded in such belief and worship.
The life or condition of a person in a religious order.
A set of beliefs, values, and practices based on the teachings of a spiritual leader.
A cause, principle, or activity pursued with zeal or conscientious devotion.

END OF DEFINITION

That pretty much sums up christianity in all it's various forms.
What part of the above do you disagree with?
You don't believe in or have reverence for a supernatural power?

I have one other definition for you:

re·la·tion·ship ( P ) Pronunciation Key (r-lshn-shp)
n.
1. The condition or fact of being related; connection or association.
2. Connection by blood or marriage; kinship.
3. A particular type of connection existing between people related to or having dealings with each other: has a close relationship with his siblings.
4. A romantic or sexual involvement.

END OF DEFINITION

Which kind of relationship are you having with god?
As I understand it all of the above definitions imply some kind of interaction, i.e. a response from BOTH sides - you AND god.

Troy.
 
  • #236
Okay, here is what I meant. Christianity is often viewed as a religion; a beleif in God, and a set of rules that come with it. Prayer is often considered merely talking to God, or thinking good thoughts. This is all a good number of people ever experience. I would be a Christian if this is all it amounted to.

I think of Christianity as a relationship. The most important thing in my life is my relationship with God. The opinion of others doesn't matter at all compared to what God thinks of me. He is my best friend possible. I have seen him do amazing things in my life when I trust in him. Prayer is a two way dialogue between you and God.

It really is impossible to describe Christianity as I have experienced it, because it is more awsome than anything the world has to offer.

Most people are very skeptical about the possibilty of God. This is because they simply do not have the faith to beleive anything that cannot be scientifically proven.

Peter
 
  • #237
[b said:
Quote[/b] (fatboy @ April 16 2004,9:41)]Peter, from www.dictionary.com

re·li·gion    ( P )  Pronunciation Key  (r-ljn)
n.

Belief in and reverence for a supernatural power or powers regarded as creator and governor of the universe.
A personal or institutionalized system grounded in such belief and worship.
The life or condition of a person in a religious order.
A set of beliefs, values, and practices based on the teachings of a spiritual leader.
A cause, principle, or activity pursued with zeal or conscientious devotion.  

END OF DEFINITION

That pretty much sums up christianity in all it's various forms.
What part of the above do you disagree with?
You don't believe in or have reverence for a supernatural power?
There is more then just that that sums up Christianity that just shows that we are a religion.
 
  • #238
Hi Troy,
Thanks for your input, but the creation story does not demand a literal interpretation of genesis Chapter 1. With the you can have various styles of writing; poetry, history, letters, prophecy, picture language,the law and even song! That does give the reader an insight how to interpret. For example, how are we to interpret "A third of all the stars fell to earth.." in Revelation?

To answer briefly about the creation story, it is a poem ( it actually rhymes in its original language) to remember the Sabbath. In essence, the truth is God brought it all about. The Hebrew word 'Yom' which is used for day is not neccessarily a 24 hour period, but a period of time. Though God could have spoken the Earth in an old state, that is not his character at all.
I personally believe in a 15,000,000,000 year old Universe, but I see no basis for conflict between Science and religion, after all Einstein said "Science without Religion is blind, religion without science is lame'. Stephen Hawking was quoted to have said when coming with the Big Bang theory there is a place for God in all this.

If you would like a copy of the workshop notes on this subject I would gladly pass them onto you, but it is intersting to note so many of the pioneering scientists over the last 400 years were believers!
 
  • #239
Troy,
I began my relationship with God through Jesus Christ in 1978..I can really say that, because I know him. Its a bit like a marriage, you either know you are married or not!
In the Hebrew scriptures, God is saying he wants to know his people with intimacy ('Yada'..Hebrew to know) and the solution to the problem came in the form of Jesus (Romans Ch 8 v1 ..So now there is no condemnation for those in Christ..) means we have the possibility to become 'Children of God..' (John 1 V 12.)
Thats the kind of relationship we speak about, a loving Father God..
 
  • #240
Where exactly in the Bible are the contradictions? I would be interested in seeing them.
 
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