Hey guys,

Are you up for a little debate? ok, here it goes....I'm a Christian, proud and happy to be one, I love God/ Christ and I humble myself to Him because I want to and I like it, I enjoy that humbling experience... and I do have other reasons to believe........

Of course, I know that not everyone agrees with me but I respect everyone's opinions, yes.... even if we can't agree, LOL!

I normally don't listen to celebrities talking about religion or politics, in my opinion, they show ignorance most of the times, specially when they talk about politics.... but an article popped up in MSN about Brad Pitt and I do admire his humanitarian work, so I read it , and I thought it was interesting what Brad Pitt said about his view/feelings on religion.... I personaly agree that religion in general is good....no matter what yours is... what do you think?

The following is the article:

"Religion works, Brad goes on. I know there's comfort there, a crash pad. It's something to explain the world and tell you there is something bigger than you, and it is going to be all right in the end. It works because it's comforting. I grew up believing in it, and it worked for me in whatever my little personal high school crisis was, but it didn't last for me. I didn't understand this idea of a God who says, 'You have to acknowledge me. You have to say that I'm the best, and then I'll give you eternal happiness. If you won't, then you don't get it!' It seemed to be about ego. I can't see God operating from ego, so it made no sense to me."

Thanks for reading guys, later.....

Helen;)

I generally do, too, but it just brings out the anal grammar bitch in me. All the gods are gods-with-lower-case-g, but God-with-a-capital-G is the common name for the Christian god, just as Allah is the common name of the Mulim god-with-a-lower-case-g.

I tell you, I'm grateful for the anal grammar bitch in you, I learned something new today...."God" and "god"

Elena, I love the way you describe your beliefs. My belief in God is strong, too, but not because I have a "need to believe in something", but because He has shown Himself to me in a very real way. A non-believer would not understand, and I don't judge them for that. I was once a skeptic, too, until I had the most amazing spiritual experience that changed my life and opened my eyes. I now believe with my whole heart.

"To those who believe, no explanation is necessary. To those who don't believe---no explanation is possible."

Keep expressing your faith. You do an excellent job of it!

just to make sure its clear, I am not a skeptic, I am Deist

Elena, I love the way you describe your beliefs. My belief in God is strong, too, but not because I have a "need to believe in something", but because He has shown Himself to me in a very real way. A non-believer would not understand, and I don't judge them for that. I was once a skeptic, too, until I had the most amazing spiritual experience that changed my life and opened my eyes. I now believe with my whole heart.

"To those who believe, no explanation is necessary. To those who don't believe---no explanation is possible."

Keep expressing your faith. You do an excellent job of it!

Thank you so much for your response and you said it perfectly, I can't even find the words to express what I feel in my heart as a Christian and you couldn't have said it better! Thank you so much! I also agree with you, I believe because He has shown to me in a very real way too.... GOd bless you!

Elena

Religion is man made.

Spirituality is given from the universe.

What most religious people tend to do is settle on one belief.

If you don't believe it you're going to hell.

It's blind faith without knowledge.

I am a very spiritual person.

I believe in the science of GOD most religions don't.

I don't equate GOD with being a HE because without she there would be no he.

We work in unison so why make GOD a man?

The GODS that religons produces makes an angry,jealous,decietful,punishing,judegmental,violent,cursing,male dominating being.

GOD is everywhere and within us so why make GOD some big man over looking the sky?

Better yet why paint an image you've never seen or know to be true.

Why give GOD a sex or a race?

I have alot of issues with religion.

I read alot!

Even the books most churches don't permit you to read.

Ignorance is ignoring the truth.

There are a million other realities besides what you can see.

That's another subject though.

Religion is man made.

Spirituality is given from the universe.

What most religious people tend to do is settle on one belief.

If you don't believe it you're going to hell.

It's blind faith without knowledge.

I am a very spiritual person.

I believe in the science of GOD most religions don't.

I don't equate GOD with being a HE because without she there would be no he.

We work in unison so why make GOD a man?

The GODS that religons produces makes an angry,jealous,decietful,punishing,judegmental,violent,cursing,male dominating being.

GOD is everywhere and within us so why make GOD some big man over looking the sky?

Better yet why paint an image you've never seen or know to be true.

Why give GOD a sex or a race?

I have alot of issues with religion.

I read alot!

Even the books most churches don't permit you to read.

Ignorance is ignoring the truth.

There are a million other realities besides what you can see.

That's another subject though.

I can understand what you are saying... it sounds like you do believe in god, but you see god in a different way from most religions...and that's ok....

THere is one thing though....at least in my case, I don't see GOd as an angry, jealous, decietful, punishing, judegmental,violent, cursing, male dominating being AT ALL. in my case being Christian, God, the Father of Christ and Christ himself are the total opposite, GOd to me is like my own father, the one I lost when I was 15 years old...loving, caring, helpful, there for me, I may not always understand why he allows certain things to happen, but I know he sometimes teaches me lessons that may be hard, but I know that I needed to learn... I respect him, or at least I try the best I can, the same way I did with my own dad, and I love him as if He was my own dad.... this is exactly how I feel about God....

I really dont understand people who do not believe in God. I do however respect others beliefs. I realize everyone cant believe the same way. God is a huge part of mine and my families lives, for which I am truly greatful.

It is very interesting to see how others believe.

I can understand what you are saying... it sounds like you do believe in god, but you see god in a different way from most religions...and that's ok....

THere is one thing though....at least in my case, I don't see GOd as an angry, jealous, decietful, punishing, judegmental,violent, cursing, male dominating being AT ALL. in my case being Christian, God, the Father of Christ and Christ himself are the total opposite, GOd to me is like my own father, the one I lost when I was 15 years old...loving, caring, helpful, there for me, I may not always understand why he allows certain things to happen, but I know he sometimes teaches me lessons that may be hard, but I know that I needed to learn... I respect him, or at least I try the best I can, the same way I did with my own dad, and I love him as if He was my own dad.... this is exactly how I feel about God....

GOD is in every being.

GOD is your father as well as your mother.

I think people get to caught up on my way is the only way so they are not open to different views.

I just had a little debate with a christian man this morning.

He asked my friend why her son converted to muslim.

Than she said that was his choice.

He than stated he noticed alot of black men convert to muslim.

He is a christian from india so I'm not sure why he brought race into it.

He than stated that mohammed,buddha, and all the other different GODS are dead and jesus christ is alive and our only saviour.

I thought that was a very ignorant statement!

I explained to him that there are many beliefs but very little know the truth.

It's also their choice and because their choice is not the same as yours it is not your job to convict nor judge.

You see why I don't get involved with religious fanatics.

He would not even let me finish talking but he wanted his point to be heard!

GOD is in every being.

GOD is your father as well as your mother.

I think people get to caught up on my way is the only way so they are not open to different views.

I just had a little debate with a christian man this morning.

He asked my friend why her son converted to muslim.

Than she said that was his choice.

He than stated he noticed alot of black men convert to muslim.

He is a christian from india so I'm not sure why he brought race into it.

He than stated that mohammed,buddha, and all the other different GODS are dead and jesus christ is alive and our only saviour.

I thought that was a very ignorant statement!

I explained to him that there are many beliefs but very little know the truth.

It's also their choice and because their choice is not the same as yours it is not your job to convict nor judge.

You see why I don't get involved with religious fanatics.

He would not even let me finish talking but he wanted his point to be heard!

I agree that it's ok to stand up for your faith, but not shove it in peoples faces all the time or try to conver others, so that man shouldn't have gotten so defensive and even rude by not letting others talk.... or even listen.... and I totally agree that it's your friend's son's choice!

The part when he said that Buddha, Allah are dead and Christ is alive, you know I'm not too familiar with neither of those religions and I don't know if Buddha and Allah actually died and their followers worshipp their spirit? I really don't know, I do know that for the Christian faith, Christ is alive, because He rose from the dead... ect....so maybe that's what he meant....but still it doesn't excuse his rude behavior....

I really dont understand people who do not believe in God. I do however respect others beliefs. I realize everyone cant believe the same way. God is a huge part of mine and my families lives, for which I am truly greatful.

It is very interesting to see how others believe.

I can understand that. As a person who lacks belief I don't understand how people can believe in something when there is no evidence.

Please understand, I'm not knocking religion, each person has their own path. I just don't get it. I was raised theist but I never sincerely believed. I tried, I tried everything I knew to force myself to believe. But after time it is a bit like trying to force yourself to believe in the Easter Bunny. On a deep level you know it is man made and all the forcing in the world doesn't change the reality of your individual beliefs.

Belief isn't like a light switch that you can turn on and off. It's there or it isn't.

I can understand that. As a person who lacks belief I don't understand how people can believe in something when there is no evidence.

Please understand, I'm not knocking religion, each person has their own path. I just don't get it. I was raised theist but I never sincerely believed. I tried, I tried everything I knew to force myself to believe. But after time it is a bit like trying to force yourself to believe in the Easter Bunny. On a deep level you know it is man made and all the forcing in the world doesn't change the reality of your individual beliefs.

Belief isn't like a light switch that you can turn on and off. It's there or it isn't.

Well, when you believe in something without evidence, you believe by faith, I personally find that humbling and I like that feeling....and as a Christian, I choose to believe by faith.... I respect your opinion though....

Also, when you mentioned that you tried to force yourself to believe, but it felt to you as if you were forcing yourself to believe in the Eastern Bunny.....well, in my humble opinion, big, big stretch.......... Easter Bunny= Rabbit, Jesus Christ = Man....... a man who lived an exemplary life, suffered much, and a book (Bibble) was written about Him and more..... and let's face it, the Bible, we2ther you agree with it or not, it's an extremely important book for millions all over the world...the Eastern Bunny....not so...

I can't speak for any other religions that I'm not familiar with though...

I can understand that. As a person who lacks belief I don't understand how people can believe in something when there is no evidence.

Please understand, I'm not knocking religion, each person has their own path. I just don't get it. I was raised theist but I never sincerely believed. I tried, I tried everything I knew to force myself to believe. But after time it is a bit like trying to force yourself to believe in the Easter Bunny. On a deep level you know it is man made and all the forcing in the world doesn't change the reality of your individual beliefs.

Belief isn't like a light switch that you can turn on and off. It's there or it isn't.

Exactly. I'm a scientist. I have to have proof. And in no way is "a book was written about it" proof. books have been written that say aliens landed in Roswell. Books have been written that say the Holocaust never happened. Simply pointing to a book and saying, "Well, it said God created trees and trees exist, so it must be right" goes completely against everything that I am. Some people may be able to do that. I can't.

Exactly. I'm a scientist. I have to have proof. And in no way is "a book was written about it" proof. Books have been written that say aliens landed in Roswell. Books have been written that say the Holocaust never happened. Simply pointing to a book and saying, "Well, it said God created trees and trees exist, so it must be right" goes completely against everything that I am. Some people may be able to do that. I can't.

And I hear ya... what I do, like most believers , is believe by faith.... to me, it works....... and I'm convinced that there are things and beings that exist and we just can't prove it, not easily anyway...

I have two friends that are doctors (scientists) and they are believers....in fact, I think they are stronger than me in their faith... I love to hear them expressing their faith, being that they are scientists, and so educated, they can do it so clearly and make their point so much better than I can...

There have been events from the Bible that have been proven from what I've read in the past....then again, the writers may be lying..... I think that if you don't want to believe, you won't no matter what....

Thank you so much for your response and you said it perfectly, I can't even find the words to express what I feel in my heart as a Christian and you couldn't have said it better! Thank you so much! I also agree with you, I believe because He has shown to me in a very real way too.... GOd bless you!

Elena

Thank you, Elena. You know, even when I was skeptical or had doubts, I remained faithful to my religion because it made me a better person. When I hear people say that Christians are mean or intolerant (because of the actions of few bad people---as if they represent us all), I want to cry with frustration. We get judged so much harsher than anyone else, as if there are no mean or intolerant atheists, muslims, etc., and within every other group of people. A true Christian is kind, loving, giving and unselfish and most that I know are like that. You sound like one of them. Thank you for sharing your beliefs here. God bless you, too!

Thank you, Elena. You know, even when I was skeptical or had doubts, I remained faithful to my religion because it made me a better person. When I hear people say that Christians are mean or intolerant (because of the actions of few bad people---as if they represent us all), I want to cry with frustration. We get judged so much harsher than anyone else, as if there are no mean or intolerant atheists, muslims, etc., and within every other group of people. A true Christian is kind, loving, giving and unselfish and most that I know are like that. You sound like one of them. Thank you for sharing your beliefs here. God bless you, too!

Honestly, I think that if Christians get judged harder than anyone, I think it is because Christianity is supposed to be about loving and accepting your fellow man. There is no such standard in Atheism, just that we believe that there is no higher power. When we Atheists see people that profess to be Christian (and who are we to tell them they aren't really Christians?) but still speak with hate in their hearts, still despise their fellow man, still rape and murder and gay-bash and....well, you get my point. I think you need to try and see it from our point of view. When the loudest voices of a group are the ones that speak hate, what would you think? Yes, I think they are the vast minority, but they are the loudest.