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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
  • #41
While it is politically correct to say "I think" or I beleive, in my opinion logical argruments, based on true premises, have no need of this.

Anyway, you can't define Christianity as believing in Jesus.
James 2:19 - "You believe that there is one God. You do well. Even the demons believe--and tremble!"

Matthew 5:19 - "Whoever therefore breaks one of the least of these commandments, and teaches men so, shall be called least in the kingdom of heaven; but whoever does and teaches them, he shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven."

Matthew 7:15 "Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves."

Peter
 
  • #42
I'm not quite sure how you can be on your death bed, and not give any thought to what you'r saying.
[b said:
Quote[/b] ]When everyone around you uses an expression, you tend to use it, too. Usually without any thought as to the meaning
Your subconcience puts an awful lot of thought into it, iregardless of your concience thought.
 
  • #43
[b said:
Quote[/b] ]Your subconcience puts an awful lot of thought into it, iregardless of your concience thought.
I diagree.  I say "for Pete's sake" and "for heaven's sake" all the time.  I also say "fiddlesicks" (yes, fiddlesticks....don't ask) and "dog gone it."  None of these have any meaning to me other than non-cursing way to express whatever I'm feeling at the moment.  They're good fill-in-the-blankers for when you really want to drop some nasty words.

I'll tell you how I can be on my deathbed, and say it.  I simple don't beleive in a higher power.  Like I said, I may hope to be wrong, but I just don't see the logic.  This is just what I beleive.  If I'm wrong, we'll only know when we're dead....and if I'm right, we'll never know.  Figures.
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  • #44
None of these have any meaning to me other than non-cursing way to express whatever I'm feeling at the moment.  They're good fill-in-the-blankers for when you really want to drop some nasty words.

I'll say this then drop it. The subconscience deals with intent, emotion, thought process, and who knows what else. It's not even completely understood. You're concience has replaced the words, but the emotional context is still the same. In other words you still mean what you mean you're just using different words.
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  • #45
[b said:
Quote[/b] ]In other words you still mean what you mean you're just using different words.

LOL!! You're so right! And what I really want to say usually can't be repeated on this forum!
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  • #46
A true Christian has a relationship with God. Therefore his faith acts. Jesus said "my sheep hear my voice and they follow me". He also said "he who is not with me is against me". The book of James says " faith without works is dead". A true Christian will love the Lord and do His will out of having a new spirit and desire to do so. Many so called Christians equate works with faith, but they don't really have the desire to do good. In other words they don't have a changed heart. They think doing good works means they have a relationship with God. They forget to inventory their motives and see if they really are trusting Him and seeking Him with all of their heart. That is true faith borne out of a relationship with Him.
 
  • #47
Hi Schloaty, I must say I don't see your logic either.
You say if you're wrong you'll find out later. This might, however, come in the form eternal misery. The scientific explanation for existence makes less sense than the idea of there being a God. Even if God didn't exist, you might as well play it safe. As for the practical aspect, if you ask any serious Christian, they can tell you just how much joy, peace and meaning a relationship with Christ brings into one's life on earth, besides what will happen afterward.

As for some of the phrases in question, I do not use them, so as not to take God's name in vain. I sometimes use other meaningless words as an expression of frustration. However, I do not think any nasty thoughts while I say them. I think we naturally find someway to express these feelings, and many people unfortunately use bad words.

Peter
 
  • #49
It is up to God to decide my fate. I do my best to live the best way possible. I have never been the one to worry about it when I kick the bucket.

Man all you have to do is say religion or God and BOOM the topic takes off.
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Travis
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  • #50
Travis, That's because religion and/or God are or should be central to everybody's lives. I, for example, try to live for God in every way possible. So if someone says something that untrue or negative about God, it is my job to uphold the truth.
Peter
 
  • #51
Hey!  I haven't been on in awhile and found it very interesting to read what has been said!  Particularly about my church! -- Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints ("Mormons") --  
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I would like to thank you guys for not being rude to my faith and actually seeking out reasonable sources for your arguments!  WolfpackGirl you have earned loads of respect from me!  Not only did you seek out your own argument from both sides, but you sought a resource about my church that offers legitimate fact about my church because it was a website CREATED by my church.  We know that their are many websites solely dedicated to bring my church down and those aren't the best resources for fact.  But, I am glad to see that you, Wolfpackgirl, actually defeated your own argument using the same quote from our Prophet Gordon B. Hinckley that I would have used!  Thanks for seeing us as Christians.  

Oh, P.S. I think you already know this, but the Book of Mormon is not THE Gospel to me or ANY Mormon.  Now, There is a Gospel of Jesus Christ.  Yes, we believe in that.  The Book of Mormon is SIMPLY another Testament of Jesus Christ and contains teachings of Christ's Gospel!  It just happens to be from people not living in Jerusalem at the time of Christ. In layman's terms, it is equivalent to your testimony of Christ.  You have never seen Him and you weren't there at Calvary.  If you were to write your testimony of His suffering on the Cross in a personal Journal of yours, other people reading it could KNOW that "WolfpackGirl" believed in Christ.
That is the same with the Book of Mormon.  Most people in the Book of Mormon never saw Christ but like you Believed in Him.  In the Book of Mormon MANY people wrote their personal testimonies about Christ.  It just so happens that they lived in what is today's North and South Americas.  Cool, huh!  The best part about the records kept in the Book of Mormon is the the resurrected Christ after he spent His 40 days with the Apostles in Israel, he visited other people on this planet!  One of those groups were the people of South or Central America.  They wrote it down and we have it today in the Book of Mormon!  

So, the Gospel of Christ is the Gospel of Christ.  We find teachings about it in the Old and New Testaments in the bible, we can also find the same testified in the Book of Mormon!  Through a modern day Prophet, Joseph Smith, those ancient records of testimonies were translated and now we have it in English. Once again, WolfpackGirl, thanks for being so understaning of me and others belonging to my faith.  I wish you the best and hope that I answered a few misconceptions many people have of my Church.  

Take Care!
 
  • #52
yeah you did awesome!! I do consider ya'll Christians but I don't know if I can say the same thing about Jehovah's Witnesses b/c i really don't know much about them. My mom actually read the Book of Mormon. She said I should read it too b/c it's interesting. I always like to counteract my arguments I find it fun and very interesting b/c in the end there is no right or wrong answer. Oh yeah hey everyone I'm not trying to divert the topic in anyway I'm always making dumb comments sorry if anyone thought that i was diverting from the topic I love reading stuff from other people and I love people to speak out! So speak out everyone. Neways back to the topic I guess Yeah thanx Odysseus I have a few Mormon friends myself and so they find it funny when I debate against myself. I guess I just like to hear both sides of the story and then draw my conclusions!
 
  • #53
Odysseus, the issue I have with the Book of Mormon is that it is not just the Bible with parts added on. The whole new testament was written within the 1st century B.C.. At the time, the newly formed church selected 1st hand accounts, especially ones where they had more than one witness, to verify the account of what happened.
The Book of Mormon includes chapters written centuries afterward. We know this because for example one chapter used a french word (the french language didn't exist), and several chapters quoted the King James Version of the bible, which was not written until Shakespeare's time. Also, some of the added chapters contradict the original Bible.
I beleive God can work good things through Mormons, but as I formerly said, I do not consider anyone who does not follow the commands and teachings of Christ in their original and pure form to be a Christian. I beleive God worked through the early church to bring us the scripture.

I don't mean to offend anyone, I just am trying to show my stand on the issue.

Peter
 
  • #54
Also, I do not go by what the official website of the LDS. The JWs website also defends their views as being in line with God's will and the Christian religion.

WPG, you're basically saying there is no real truth, right?

Peter
 
  • #55
yeah I'm saying there is really no real truth to anything. It's an open discussion that can be sided either way. Plus the Bible has been changed over things. Words taken out, others put in to justify things. But there are two definations two what A Christian, which in the the Dictionary and the other is actually what you just said.
 
  • #56
Looking at the Jehovah Witnesses's website. The beliefs that I have heard about them are true because they admit it on their own website. I like the Mormon's website better. It looks and feels friendlier.
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  • #57
Hi Wolfpackgurl,
The bible has not been changed, there are over 5,000 manuscripts from those times with which we call 'extant copies. They are 99.6% accurate to one another and we can be sure of the text we have today. Moreover we have only 9 copies of Caesar's Gallic wars and no one doubts the accuracy of that either.
Jesus said 'I am the way, the truth and the life, no one comes to the Father except by me'
The mormons say God has an immortal body where the bible says 'God is spirit and the JWs believe that Jesus was a created being, not God himself in human form. http://www.lds-mormon.com/cult.shtml

For me I am a Christian who commited my life to following Jesus Christ in 1978.
 
  • #59
Here are a few things from www.watchtower.org

3. Jehovah has also selected some faithful men and women from the earth to go to heaven. They will rule with Jesus as kings, judges, and priests over mankind. (Luke 22:28-30; Revelation 5:9, 10) Jesus called these corulers in his Kingdom a "little flock." They number 144,000.—Luke 12:32; Revelation 14:1-3.

4. As soon as Jesus became King, he threw Satan and his wicked angels out of heaven and down to the locality of the earth. That is why things have become so bad here on earth since 1914. (Revelation 12:9, 12) Wars, famines, pestilences, increasing lawlessness—all these are part of a "sign" indicating that Jesus is ruling and that this system is in its last days.—Matthew 24:3, 7, 8, 12; Luke 21:10, 11; 2 Timothy 3:1-5.

3. When we pray we should speak to God from our heart. We should not say our prayers from memory or read them from a prayer book. (Matthew 6:7, 8) We can pray in any respectful position, at any time, and at any place. God can hear even silent prayers said in our heart. (1 Samuel 1:12, 13) It is good to find a quiet place away from other people to say our personal prayers.—Mark 1:35.

7. Jehovah listens only to the prayers of righteous people. For your prayers to be heard by God, you must be trying your best to live by his laws. (Proverbs 15:29; 28:9) You must be humble when you pray. (Luke 18:9-14) You need to work at what you pray for. You will thus prove that you have faith and that you really mean what you say. Only then will Jehovah answer your prayers.—Hebrews 11:6.

I hope i'm one of the 144,000 that God chose!!
 
  • #60
Well I will say it this way. I do believe that certain things have been changed and taken out. People interpret them in different ways. Catholics interpret the Bible differently then Baptist and so on.
 
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