Zone1 I forgave at the office...

[nomadic5]

I know you ALL waste your time, energy, and money on forces which, if they do even exist, do not give a bit of crap about any of us.

I have closed my mind to ALL organized religions across the world, specifically because I’ve seen their fraudulence. They can’t even answer a single, simple question.

I’m not a Protestant. Even when I was a member of a church, I saw through the lies and deceit of the Abrahamic cults… Catholic, Jewish, Protestant, and Muslim.

Well, I admit "churches" can be --well, the word "funky" comes to mind for some reason. I mean, some religions are just wacky and you wonder who could believe such things!

But when I am not in prayer, I am not very happy. Jesus is real to me. The rosary made Him real and then there are other kinds of prayers also. Frankly, life on Planet Earth doesn't make sense without Jesus. It is not complete without him. People are just not enough for us. Plus, none of them can be trusted (that I know of).

 

[Meriweather]

I have closed my mind to ALL organized religions across the world, specifically because I’ve seen their fraudulence. They can’t even answer a single, simple question.

If all you see is fraud, you're barely looking. What single, simple question hasn't been answered?

 

[Anathema]

What single, simple question hasn't been answered?

At the particular moment in my life when I determined I no longer had the faith I’d grow up paying lip service to, I went on an almost three year (part time) journey to seek out as many religious leaders, clerics, priests, etc… of every organized religion and spiritual path I could find and ask a very simple question of them; to see how they would answer.

The question: Why?

The answer ranged from massive piles of bullshit to shrugs to theological ramblings. Some were honest and either refused to answer or admitted they had no answer. None actually answered the question to my satisfaction. Only in the less organized spiritual movements did I really find any useful responses.

To that end I have worked out my own spiritual path based on my experiences and the small amount of philosophical and theological understanding.

 

[Anathema]

But when I am not in prayer, I am not very happy. Jesus is real to me. The rosary made Him real and then there are other kinds of prayers also. Frankly, life on Planet Earth doesn't make sense without Jesus. It is not complete without him. People are just not enough for us. Plus, none of them can be trusted (that I know of).

It’s wonderful that you’ve found something that works for you. I’m not here to tell you what to believe or not believe. That’s not my place or my interest.

 

[Meriweather]

The question: Why?

No one could answer, Why love God? Why love one's fellow man? That seems odd. Or did your "Why?" cover another aspect?

 

[Carl in Michigan]

As an atheist, I've done wrong.

But I don't claim to be able to erase my mistakes by appealing to a god for forgiveness.

That would allow me to not stand responsible and that is a flaw of religions.

Then you don't understand what he's talking about

 

[Anathema]

No one could answer, Why love God? Why love one's fellow man? That seems odd. Or did your "Why?" cover another aspect?

It was a single word question. In almost every case the clergy person had no context for the question other than the single word.

In general I would make an appointment to talk to them via phone or email ahead of time. I would give them as much time as we could to tell me about their particular denomination or faith, then at the end I would ask the question.

 

[Meriweather]

In general I would make an appointment to talk to them via phone or email ahead of time. I would give them as much time as we could to tell me about their particular denomination or faith, then at the end I would ask the question.

I am baffled. The purpose of any religion is to draw one closer to God who is the epitome of love and goodness. Why? To know God, to love Him, and to serve Him.

Why love/worship/put God and His ways first? Answer: Because putting first things first (the ideal of love and goodness) is how we get the most good out of this life. Why love others and never do what is distasteful to us to others? Because it brings love and goodness into our world.

Are you sure this wasn't the answer given you by all faiths and all denominations?

 

[Anathema]

I am baffled. The purpose of any religion is to draw one closer to God who is the epitome of love and goodness. Why? To know God, to love Him, and to serve Him.

Why love/worship/put God and His ways first? Answer: Because putting first things first (the ideal of love and goodness) is how we get the most good out of this life. Why love others and never do what is distasteful to us to others? Because it brings love and goodness into our world.

Are you sure this wasn't the answer given you by all faiths and all denominations?

The question wasn’t “Why do you believe that?” The question was simply “Why?”

Part of my intent was to see if any of these supposedly divinely-inspired folks could determine what I meant by the question.

Some did. Most didn’t. Many gave an answer similar to what you just did. Others had no idea how to respond at all. The less structured their theology/ideology was the more often they tended to understand what I was asking.

 

[Meriweather]

The question was simply “Why?”

To know God, to love God, to serve God. If that's too long, start with "To know God." If you want to know Why to that, see my previous response.

What is your own answer to Why?

 

[Anathema]

What is your own answer to Why?

I have come to believe the answer is this:

We exist solely as hosts for our Souls, to prove their ability to understand, accept and embrace how they SHOULD live, despite whatever unpleasantness is thrown in our path.

I don’t believe in a deity as anything other than an unfeeling, uncaring force of nature whose sole purpose is to sort Souls out and send them on to their next existence; wherever and whatever that may be.

 

[Meriweather]

We exist solely as hosts for our Souls, to prove their ability to understand, accept and embrace how they SHOULD live, despite whatever unpleasantness is thrown in our path.

To learn and to have fun.

 

[Meriweather]

I don’t believe in a deity as anything other than an unfeeling, uncaring force of nature whose sole purpose is to sort Souls out and send them on to their next existence; wherever and whatever that may be.

The conclusion of those who choose not to seek and find God.

 

[Anathema]

The conclusion of those who choose not to seek and find God

I spent 20+ years thinking I knew God. Then in a matter of two and a half years my eyes were opened and my faith in that God systematically unwound and destroyed to the atomic level. Irreconcilably eradicated.

 

[Anathema]

To learn and to have fun

If that’s what you believe, so be it. You are free to embrace that philosophy. Personally, I could not disagree any more with thst viewpoint.

 

[Meriweather]

I spent 20+ years thinking I knew God. Then in a matter of two and a half years my eyes were opened and my faith in that God systematically unwound and destroyed to the atomic level. Irreconcilably eradicated.

What made you think you knew God?

 

[Meriweather]

If that’s what you believe, so be it. You are free to embrace that philosophy. Personally, I could not disagree any more with thst viewpoint.

Why do you think we are here? (Make sure it doesn't fall into either of the two categories I mentioned.)

 

[BreezeWood]

I spent 20+ years thinking I knew God. Then in a matter of two and a half years my eyes were opened and my faith in that God systematically unwound and destroyed to the atomic level. Irreconcilably eradicated.

the documents of the desert religions have one commonality, contempt for liberation theology, self determination.

 

[Anathema]

What made you think you knew God?

Tens of Thousands of hours of religious education over 20+ years.

Obviously we see the world differently. Good fortunes with your vision of the world but I’ll stick with mine.

 

[Donald H]

Why do you think we are here? (Make sure it doesn't fall into either of the two categories I mentioned.)

I would like to commend you for your manners and your patience. You can't go wrong if you stay with it. And what's more, you can command respect.