God. Does he exist?

[Alcorad]

Many times I find myself wondering if there really is the presence of a higher being. Let alone one who promises such salvation after death as heaven. I have often tried to peice many religions together into one that appealed to me. One that I can understand, but as I finally reach resolve I learn that there are more contradictions in the one I have contemplated than in the last. Sometimes I spare myself the constant questions and just say to myself that if there is a God then he will reveal himself to me.

I have heard many of the stories of the bible, as I am a Catholic, but I dont know if they are true. There are bits and peices of clues to what may have been an ark built to the exact specificatios given to Noah, that there may have been a Sodam and Gamorah, but these in my oppinion are nothing more but idealistic props of one's mind to bolster his beleifs. Please share your oppinions.

[vanya]

Good to see I am not the only catholic with this problems. Yep Mark, I have thought many times of it, too. Interesting this sort of thoughts and questions seems to be a catholic thing, or at least more than in other churches. I am in moment in a sort of change about my view of things. Don't know why. I had a time where I denied an existence of God at all and I was quite unhappy with that without knowing that it wasn't satisfying me. I went here and there and had some deeper look in other churches and religions and found the same issues and problems etc. Sometimes less, sometimes more wors than in the catholic church. Now I have no confession anymore, but somehow I got back the deeper feeling that there is a God. Call me nuts, but to leave the church helped me actually to find back to this feeling.

[Garland]

Church is religion's problem.

[vanya]

Yep, I agree, exspecially if you get that a couple of guys sniffs power over liefes and thoughts in this way and abuse the religion for their own greed. Thats some sort which makes me really sick. Talking about God, but living like devil, sucking brains and lifepower of their members. That makes me really really sick of churches.

[Alcorad]

Wow I'm not the only one. Hey while we are on the subject of religion i found this on the net... a bit... disturbing. blockjesus.ytmnd.com/

[Saeros]

It is disturbing.
Thats actually a mean way to get into peoples head, and they copied this method from "sects" they normally claim to be dangerous. And last not least, its not even true. To skip the catholic church doesn't mean to "block" Jesus. It just means not to agree with crap humankind made up.

[Nellethiel]

I'm so not religious, I just pray when I need help or stuff.. Sometimes I want something too much and it happens and I yell at the air "thank you" but except those I'm not sure if there is God. I'm confused about how he was created, my mind can't accept he was ALWAYS there...

[Megloren Istdale]

I have trouble accepting the fact that there is this overall being watching over us ya know? I guess I believe in God, but not the Bible, really. Everything going on now about homosexuality, the main argument against gay rights is that it is either Unconstitutional, or against God. That to me is almost like the Government is trying to press Christianity on us, and taking away our free rights.

So basically is you arent a supporter of him, then you're screwed. O.o

And this 700 Club. Does anybody else watch that? Its a huge scam to get money to keep up their show. They say "Give and you will receive" I have no trouble believing that, sure. But what about homeless people? People that are living off the street, or people that cant give at all... What are they suposed to do?

[Alcorad]

wow Nellethiel your alot like me. Yeah If i play a video game or am in a contest of some sort and i squeeze by i thank god... but otherwise i'm like "i don't know if god exists. dad."
Dad: "you little pagan."

[Nellethiel]

Doren- lol. my mum is not religious at all too. but she believes in god. im not sure. maybe i would have a sign or something one day and start to believe huh? Who knows?

[Garland]

You will all burn in hell!!!!!!!!!!! At least we'll have good company... for the most part >_>

[Nellethiel]

LOL I don't think so. I don't think I'm doing something wrong. Plus if theres no god, no hell too xD

[Legolas]

becky said:

I have trouble accepting the fact that there is this overall being watching over us ya know? I guess I believe in God, but not the Bible, really. Everything going on now about homosexuality, the main argument against gay rights is that it is either Unconstitutional, or against God. That to me is almost like the Government is trying to press Christianity on us, and taking away our free rights.

So basically is you arent a supporter of him, then you're screwed. O.o

And this 700 Club. Does anybody else watch that? Its a huge scam to get money to keep up their show. They say "Give and you will receive" I have no trouble believing that, sure. But what about homeless people? People that are living off the street, or people that cant give at all... What are they suposed to do?

I've seen it before Meg, and I do believe some of their stuff is good, but I think they put WAY too much emphasis on donations. It kinda eliminates some of the good they do I think.

As for me, there have always been times in my life where I've doubted there was a god. recently I god really involved with studying evolution and other religions. I had always been content to believe what my parents believed, but something clicked in me that said, "you need to know what you believe."

That's not something I'm used to. I've always had opinions, but only recently have I started actually stating my views on what I really think is true. Sometimes they conflict with my parents but I find that we believe a relatively same message.

I believe that there is a God and that Christ was God manifest on earth. Sometimes it's really hard nto actually believe though. I've seen "miracles" before and they've always helped to strengthen my faith, but I've also seen death, pain, suffering and hate. It's easy to say, if there's a god why did he make man evil? But its even harder to admit, I have the choice not to do wrong, and yet everytime I do wrong!

how many people here have made a promise to yourself or someone else and not followed through? I like to think of that as what i call, "the true being". Not something that God created, but what we became.

We are told that "God made man in His own image". And if we believe God is perfect, you'd think we would be perfect too right? Well, in a way we could have been, but because we're always messing up its our fault.

I used to blame God for my faults, saying that He made me this way and there's nothing I can do about it. If I ever felt a desire to lust or covet I could always blame it on God. But I can't anymore. I've realized that what I do and what I think are my own actions. God didn't make me and say, "Joe is gonna lie this and this time because I want him too."

Luckily, I also believe there's a hope. A hope that I can see when I ask God for his forgiveness.

I was reading Jeremiah today and the chapter I was reading talks about God's wrath against the Israelites. He says, "when they are in distress they call out to me, and when things are good they turn from me" That really spoke to my heart and I can't stop thinking about how sinful I am and how evil my actions are.

The thought that I have a chance to be forgiven is so overwhelming. Someone like me who can't do one thing right, to think that someone could still forgive me after making the same mistake millions of times, that's enough to convince me.

One question I've asked a lot of people is, if there is no god, what will happen to you when you die?

Think about it. Do you really believe you know what'll happen to you? So many people I talk to are afraid to think about it and dismiss it, but it's such a real question. Do you know what will happen to you?

[Nellethiel]

I think about that a lot. I guess I'll just die. And wont feel anything. Die.
OR
Reborn. Yeah I believe in reencarnation a lil.. It makes sense to me sometimes..

[Legolas]

It used to really scare me. I was like, what if what I believe it wrong? It'd really freak me out just to think about dying, but now it's a whole other matter. I could have a gun put against my head and it'd be a blessing. Everything here is so hard. Sometimes I wish I could just get it over with and die.

I wish I could help explain theology more, but I'm really a very weak spokesperson for what I believe.