Catholics are Christians?

[Meriweather]

If god wants my love, he just has to come and get it. With something tangible as proof. And a book won't cut it.

How funny. When I was a toddler with my little picture books of Bible stories written for children, the conclusion I drew from them was, "People can have meet God! I want to be like one of those people who actually run into God, not just someone who believes in God." My own faith, seeking, knocking, asking took the better part of a decade. Many adults don't seem to want to commit that amount of time and effort. Their attitude is not one of a child, of "This is possible!" Instead, they shrug and take on the attitude, "If God wants me, He can come and get me!"

God can wait. He has an eternity. On the other hand, we have less than a century. Scripture tells us that it makes no difference if we choose to seek God when we are children, or very late in our lives.

 

[Meriweather]

You make no sense. It must be tough being you.

Not to mention a lot of fun!

 

[Mudda]

If god wants my love, he just has to come and get it. With something tangible as proof. And a book won't cut it.

How funny. When I was a toddler with my little picture books of Bible stories written for children, the conclusion I drew from them was, "People can have meet God! I want to be like one of those people who actually run into God, not just someone who believes in God." My own faith, seeking, knocking, asking took the better part of a decade. Many adults don't seem to want to commit that amount of time and effort. Their attitude is not one of a child, of "This is possible!" Instead, they shrug and take on the attitude, "If God wants me, He can come and get me!"

God can wait. He has an eternity. On the other hand, we have less than a century. Scripture tells us that it makes no difference if we choose to seek God when we are children, or very late in our lives.

Scripture is a load of make up malarkey, I need some real proof. Anyone can write a book.

 

[Meriweather]

Scripture is a load of make up malarkey, I need some real proof. Anyone can write a book.

You want physical proof of the spiritual dimension. Right. You do understand that is like demanding a rock produce water before you believe there is an ocean?

Many people believed the earth was flat; that the earth revolved around the sun because that is what they saw. You see one physical universe and declare there is no other. Even thought science cannot prove the existence of parallel universes or alternate dimensions, they do concede they may exist.

 

[sealybobo]

Or else he's not really there because all he has to do is to show me that he's real and I'll believe.

No you wouldn't. You just admitted you wouldn't change a thing if you know God. You have no intention of believing a thing He would tell you. He knows your heart you can't deceive Him.

If God proves himself real to me, I'd believe. I live a pretty good life, so not really much if anything to change. Well, except give money to a church to be let into heaven.

That's not what relationship with and believe in God is about.
It's about realizing it is all about HIM. You think it's selfish, but to someone that knows God, it's an HONOR to live your life for Him and His Kingdom. Not only that, live is more FULFILLING and MEANINGFUL living as a Christian - live for God. Because a Christian knows life is eternal and our time on this earth is but a millisecond. A small sacrifice to make to live for Him during this tiny time of our life.

People give money to the Church for Evangelism and of course, salaries and building upkeep etc.

God wants your heart and your loyalty. And most of all - your love.

What were you doing 13 billion years before you were born? Why would you believe it will be any different after you die?

13 billion? Where did you come up with that number? Science, right?

Anyway, I'm not sure what we were before conception.
Maybe we existed in God's mind.... but once we are conceived, we are life, soul.

And once you die you go back to what you were before you were born.

“I would love to believe that when I die I will live again, that some thinking, feeling, remembering part of me will continue. But much as I want to believe that, and despite the ancient and worldwide cultural traditions that assert an afterlife, I know of nothing to suggest that it is more than wishful thinking. The world is so exquisite with so much love and moral depth, that there is no reason to deceive ourselves with pretty stories for which there’s little good evidence. Far better it seems to me, in our vulnerability, is to look death in the eye and to be grateful every day for the brief but magnificent opportunity that life provides.” – Carl Sagan

 

[sealybobo]

No you wouldn't. You just admitted you wouldn't change a thing if you know God. You have no intention of believing a thing He would tell you. He knows your heart you can't deceive Him.

If God proves himself real to me, I'd believe. I live a pretty good life, so not really much if anything to change. Well, except give money to a church to be let into heaven.

That's not what relationship with and believe in God is about.
It's about realizing it is all about HIM. You think it's selfish, but to someone that knows God, it's an HONOR to live your life for Him and His Kingdom. Not only that, live is more FULFILLING and MEANINGFUL living as a Christian - live for God. Because a Christian knows life is eternal and our time on this earth is but a millisecond. A small sacrifice to make to live for Him during this tiny time of our life.

People give money to the Church for Evangelism and of course, salaries and building upkeep etc.

God wants your heart and your loyalty. And most of all - your love.

lol, at the end there, I really thought you were going to say: And most of all - your money.
Thanks for the laugh this early in the day.

God knows that I just can't believe in something for which I see no real proof. He understands. Well... unless he's some massive asshole who can't wait to toss me in a pit of burning fire for all eternity.

Punish you for not believing the unbelievable. That's what Christians are basically saying. But you and I know the story is a man made lie.

God does not punish us. He wants us to trust and obey. There is a reason we are here, and it stares everyone in the face daily. But we just don't want to see it because we are programmed to believe that we live our lives for ourselves, our family - not for our Creator.

What is so unbelievable about it?

People have no problem believing in aliens, ghosts, witchcraft, mediums, and the list goes on...
People even have an easier time believe in Satan than God

The message you should be hearing from Christians is this: there is only 1 reason for being here, to live for and serve God. Going to Hell is your choice alone.

Why doesn't God just create us in heaven? What's this step all about? And what was the purpose of the dinosaurs and trilobites that ruled for millions of years before dinosaurs were even born?

If we are so important, why have we only existed for the last 40 seconds of the cosmic calendar year? Why did it take God 13 billion years to make us. If we were important, you think we would have been invented in February, not December 31st at 11:59:20.

 

[Mudda]

Scripture is a load of make up malarkey, I need some real proof. Anyone can write a book.

You want physical proof of the spiritual dimension. Right. You do understand that is like demanding a rock produce water before you believe there is an ocean?

Many people believed the earth was flat; that the earth revolved around the sun because that is what they saw. You see one physical universe and declare there is no other. Even thought science cannot prove the existence of parallel universes or alternate dimensions, they do concede they may exist.

And that in no way proves god. I'm agnostic, I see no proof either way for or against the possibility of a god. Thus, I wait for proof of said god.

 

[sealybobo]

I can find my TV and can see and touch it. Making it real.
Or are you trying to say that God works by remote control buttons?

I'm suggesting you not give up.

Give up waiting for God to contact me? Well, I'm not holding my breath or anything...

I wouldn't recommend holding your breath either. Until you are willing to experiment on the Word and sincerely seek God with a desire to serve Him when you find Him, He is not going to reveal Himself to you.

But you will be held accountable for your choices. You will be held accountable for what you could have known if you simply put in the effort. It's amazing though how accurately prophets have described exactly your attitude.

When you and I talk to people about faith and belief, don’t we often hear, “I wish I could believe the way you do”?

Implied in such a statement is another of Satan’s deceptions: that belief is available to some people but not to others. There is no magic to belief. But wanting to believe is the necessary first step! God is no respecter of persons.6 He is your Father. He wants to speak to you. However, it requires a little scientific curiosity—it requires an experiment upon the word of God—and the exercise of a “particle of faith.”7 It also takes a little humility. And it requires an open heart and an open mind. It requires seeking, in the full meaning of the word. And, perhaps hardest of all, it requires being patient and waiting upon the Lord.

If we make no effort to believe, we are like the man who unplugs a spotlight and then blames the spotlight for not giving any light.

Recently I was surprised and saddened to hear of an Aaronic Priesthood bearer who seemed to take pride in the fact that he had distanced himself from God. He said, “If God reveals Himself to me, then I will believe. Until then, I will find the truth relying on my own understanding and intellect to light the way before me.”

I don’t know this young man’s heart, but I couldn’t help but feel terribly sorry for him. How easily he rejected the gifts the Lord was offering him. This young man had unplugged the spotlight and then seemed self-satisfied in his clever observation that there was no light.

Unfortunately, this seems to be quite a popular attitude today. If we can put the burden of proof on God, we think we can excuse ourselves from taking God’s commandments seriously and from taking responsibility for our relationship with our Heavenly Father. (Be not afraid, only believe)

I sincerely seeked and believed in god for over 30 years. Sorry I woke up. You know what did it? The internet.

How the Internet Is Taking Away America’s Religion | MIT Technology Review

 

[Mudda]

If God proves himself real to me, I'd believe. I live a pretty good life, so not really much if anything to change. Well, except give money to a church to be let into heaven.

That's not what relationship with and believe in God is about.
It's about realizing it is all about HIM. You think it's selfish, but to someone that knows God, it's an HONOR to live your life for Him and His Kingdom. Not only that, live is more FULFILLING and MEANINGFUL living as a Christian - live for God. Because a Christian knows life is eternal and our time on this earth is but a millisecond. A small sacrifice to make to live for Him during this tiny time of our life.

People give money to the Church for Evangelism and of course, salaries and building upkeep etc.

God wants your heart and your loyalty. And most of all - your love.

lol, at the end there, I really thought you were going to say: And most of all - your money.
Thanks for the laugh this early in the day.

God knows that I just can't believe in something for which I see no real proof. He understands. Well... unless he's some massive asshole who can't wait to toss me in a pit of burning fire for all eternity.

Punish you for not believing the unbelievable. That's what Christians are basically saying. But you and I know the story is a man made lie.

God does not punish us. He wants us to trust and obey. There is a reason we are here, and it stares everyone in the face daily. But we just don't want to see it because we are programmed to believe that we live our lives for ourselves, our family - not for our Creator.

What is so unbelievable about it?

People have no problem believing in aliens, ghosts, witchcraft, mediums, and the list goes on...
People even have an easier time believe in Satan than God

The message you should be hearing from Christians is this: there is only 1 reason for being here, to live for and serve God. Going to Hell is your choice alone.

Why doesn't God just create us in heaven? What's this step all about? And what was the purpose of the dinosaurs and trilobites that ruled for millions of years before dinosaurs were even born?

If we are so important, why have we only existed for the last 40 seconds of the cosmic calendar year? Why did it take God 13 billion years to make us. If we were important, you think we would have been invented in February, not December 31st at 11:59:20.

We're not in heaven right now because Adam wanted to bang a chick and god got pissed and booted him out. Now how gay is that?

 

[Bonzi]

That's not what relationship with and believe in God is about.
It's about realizing it is all about HIM. You think it's selfish, but to someone that knows God, it's an HONOR to live your life for Him and His Kingdom. Not only that, live is more FULFILLING and MEANINGFUL living as a Christian - live for God. Because a Christian knows life is eternal and our time on this earth is but a millisecond. A small sacrifice to make to live for Him during this tiny time of our life.

People give money to the Church for Evangelism and of course, salaries and building upkeep etc.

God wants your heart and your loyalty. And most of all - your love.

lol, at the end there, I really thought you were going to say: And most of all - your money.
Thanks for the laugh this early in the day.

God knows that I just can't believe in something for which I see no real proof. He understands. Well... unless he's some massive asshole who can't wait to toss me in a pit of burning fire for all eternity.

Punish you for not believing the unbelievable. That's what Christians are basically saying. But you and I know the story is a man made lie.

God does not punish us. He wants us to trust and obey. There is a reason we are here, and it stares everyone in the face daily. But we just don't want to see it because we are programmed to believe that we live our lives for ourselves, our family - not for our Creator.

What is so unbelievable about it?

People have no problem believing in aliens, ghosts, witchcraft, mediums, and the list goes on...
People even have an easier time believe in Satan than God

The message you should be hearing from Christians is this: there is only 1 reason for being here, to live for and serve God. Going to Hell is your choice alone.

Why doesn't God just create us in heaven? What's this step all about? And what was the purpose of the dinosaurs and trilobites that ruled for millions of years before dinosaurs were even born?

If we are so important, why have we only existed for the last 40 seconds of the cosmic calendar year? Why did it take God 13 billion years to make us. If we were important, you think we would have been invented in February, not December 31st at 11:59:20.

We're not in heaven right now because Adam wanted to bang a chick and god got pissed and booted him out. Now how gay is that?

Where do you come up with that stuff? Sounds like you are reading everything except anything that is credible... either way, you won't be convinced. People here have told you truth, seeds have been planted, maybe someone else will have to do the reaping....

 

[Bonzi]

I can find my TV and can see and touch it. Making it real.
Or are you trying to say that God works by remote control buttons?

I'm suggesting you not give up.

Give up waiting for God to contact me? Well, I'm not holding my breath or anything...

I wouldn't recommend holding your breath either. Until you are willing to experiment on the Word and sincerely seek God with a desire to serve Him when you find Him, He is not going to reveal Himself to you.

But you will be held accountable for your choices. You will be held accountable for what you could have known if you simply put in the effort. It's amazing though how accurately prophets have described exactly your attitude.

When you and I talk to people about faith and belief, don’t we often hear, “I wish I could believe the way you do”?

Implied in such a statement is another of Satan’s deceptions: that belief is available to some people but not to others. There is no magic to belief. But wanting to believe is the necessary first step! God is no respecter of persons.6 He is your Father. He wants to speak to you. However, it requires a little scientific curiosity—it requires an experiment upon the word of God—and the exercise of a “particle of faith.”7 It also takes a little humility. And it requires an open heart and an open mind. It requires seeking, in the full meaning of the word. And, perhaps hardest of all, it requires being patient and waiting upon the Lord.

If we make no effort to believe, we are like the man who unplugs a spotlight and then blames the spotlight for not giving any light.

Recently I was surprised and saddened to hear of an Aaronic Priesthood bearer who seemed to take pride in the fact that he had distanced himself from God. He said, “If God reveals Himself to me, then I will believe. Until then, I will find the truth relying on my own understanding and intellect to light the way before me.”

I don’t know this young man’s heart, but I couldn’t help but feel terribly sorry for him. How easily he rejected the gifts the Lord was offering him. This young man had unplugged the spotlight and then seemed self-satisfied in his clever observation that there was no light.

Unfortunately, this seems to be quite a popular attitude today. If we can put the burden of proof on God, we think we can excuse ourselves from taking God’s commandments seriously and from taking responsibility for our relationship with our Heavenly Father. (Be not afraid, only believe)

I sincerely seeked and believed in god for over 30 years. Sorry I woke up. You know what did it? The internet.

How the Internet Is Taking Away America’s Religion | MIT Technology Review

God is more powerful than the internet. You can't "lose" your salvation.....

 

[sealybobo]

lol, at the end there, I really thought you were going to say: And most of all - your money.
Thanks for the laugh this early in the day.

God knows that I just can't believe in something for which I see no real proof. He understands. Well... unless he's some massive asshole who can't wait to toss me in a pit of burning fire for all eternity.

Punish you for not believing the unbelievable. That's what Christians are basically saying. But you and I know the story is a man made lie.

God does not punish us. He wants us to trust and obey. There is a reason we are here, and it stares everyone in the face daily. But we just don't want to see it because we are programmed to believe that we live our lives for ourselves, our family - not for our Creator.

What is so unbelievable about it?

People have no problem believing in aliens, ghosts, witchcraft, mediums, and the list goes on...
People even have an easier time believe in Satan than God

The message you should be hearing from Christians is this: there is only 1 reason for being here, to live for and serve God. Going to Hell is your choice alone.

Why doesn't God just create us in heaven? What's this step all about? And what was the purpose of the dinosaurs and trilobites that ruled for millions of years before dinosaurs were even born?

If we are so important, why have we only existed for the last 40 seconds of the cosmic calendar year? Why did it take God 13 billion years to make us. If we were important, you think we would have been invented in February, not December 31st at 11:59:20.

We're not in heaven right now because Adam wanted to bang a chick and god got pissed and booted him out. Now how gay is that?

Where do you come up with that stuff? Sounds like you are reading everything except anything that is credible... either way, you won't be convinced. People here have told you truth, seeds have been planted, maybe someone else will have to do the reaping....

We are thinking that maybe you engaging in this conversation may actually plant the seed of knowledge and truth in you and one day you'll wake up and realize you've been dreaming.

 

[sealybobo]

Or else he's not really there because all he has to do is to show me that he's real and I'll believe.

No you wouldn't. You just admitted you wouldn't change a thing if you know God. You have no intention of believing a thing He would tell you. He knows your heart you can't deceive Him.

If God proves himself real to me, I'd believe. I live a pretty good life, so not really much if anything to change. Well, except give money to a church to be let into heaven.

That's not what relationship with and believe in God is about.
It's about realizing it is all about HIM. You think it's selfish, but to someone that knows God, it's an HONOR to live your life for Him and His Kingdom. Not only that, live is more FULFILLING and MEANINGFUL living as a Christian - live for God. Because a Christian knows life is eternal and our time on this earth is but a millisecond. A small sacrifice to make to live for Him during this tiny time of our life.

People give money to the Church for Evangelism and of course, salaries and building upkeep etc.

God wants your heart and your loyalty. And most of all - your love.

What were you doing 13 billion years before you were born? Why would you believe it will be any different after you die?

perhaps because 13 billion years BEFORE I was born I hadn't accepted God's offer.......so what will YOU be doing 13 billion years from now?......

What will I be doing after I die? Same thing I did before I was born.

I consider myself lucky I got 45 good years. A 4 year old Buck with 8 points is happy to get 5 years.

 

[Bonzi]

Guess we all get to find out when we die..... (or not, if we just cease to exist entirely.....)

 

[Bonzi]

No you wouldn't. You just admitted you wouldn't change a thing if you know God. You have no intention of believing a thing He would tell you. He knows your heart you can't deceive Him.

If God proves himself real to me, I'd believe. I live a pretty good life, so not really much if anything to change. Well, except give money to a church to be let into heaven.

That's not what relationship with and believe in God is about.
It's about realizing it is all about HIM. You think it's selfish, but to someone that knows God, it's an HONOR to live your life for Him and His Kingdom. Not only that, live is more FULFILLING and MEANINGFUL living as a Christian - live for God. Because a Christian knows life is eternal and our time on this earth is but a millisecond. A small sacrifice to make to live for Him during this tiny time of our life.

People give money to the Church for Evangelism and of course, salaries and building upkeep etc.

God wants your heart and your loyalty. And most of all - your love.

What were you doing 13 billion years before you were born? Why would you believe it will be any different after you die?

perhaps because 13 billion years BEFORE I was born I hadn't accepted God's offer.......so what will YOU be doing 13 billion years from now?......

What will I be doing after I die? Same thing I did before I was born.

I consider myself lucky I got 45 good years. A 4 year old Buck with 8 points is happy to get 5 years.

I'm not a know it all, I think you are wrong about this....
For your sake, I hope you are right.....

 

[sealybobo]

Guess we all get to find out when we die..... (or not, if we just cease to exist entirely.....)

You won't find out anything. I know it is hard to imagine the universe without YOU in it but just imagine people in Florida right now or Alaska if you happen to live in Florida. Life goes on in Florida or Alaska even if you aren't there. I know it is hard to imagine Florida existing without you but life does go on. And life existed for billions of years before god thought about creating you. How is it you don't see this god concept is a man made thing and that it is nothing more than wishful thinking? Would it really ruin your life or would you instead learn to appreciate the time you have left knowing that after that it's over. Maybe you'll be reincarnated as a dog but that dog does not remember that it was once a human.

And even if there is an afterlife, it certainly isn't the afterlife story told by Christians. And if you are worried they are telling you the truth, you better worry about the other 999 religions who say you have to worship their way or you won't go to heaven, or you'll burn in hell. If you want to play it safe, you should convert to all the religions.

I'm willing to bet my life and soul the Christian story is BULLSHIT. Maybe there is a creator but the stories of him are all made up.

I wonder if he scratches his head and wonder how we figured out he exists when he has never given us one bit of evidence he exists.

 

[Bonzi]

I really don't want to argue about it. I'm just saying what I believe.

 

[sealybobo]

I really don't want to argue about it. I'm just saying what I believe.

And I don't really want to burst your bubble. I hate talking about this with good people. It's not them/you I'm worried about when I rail on against religion. Sorry. You seem very nice.

 

[Bonzi]

I really don't want to argue about it. I'm just saying what I believe.

And I don't really want to burst your bubble. I hate talking about this with good people. It's not them/you I'm worried about when I rail on against religion. Sorry. You seem very nice.

thanks sealybobo, you too

 

[ChrisL]

Why doesn't God just create us in heaven? What's this step all about?

^^^

This is what I would like to know. What kind of game is this?