I hope this doesn't end up being too controversial because that's not my intention.

[gandpsmommy]

Do you believe in God? If you do, who do you conceive or believe him/her/it to be? Is it more of a general higher power or force in the universe? Is it an individual entity with specific personal traits? Why do you believe this, how did you come to believe this? I'm not so much interested in what religion you associate yourself with. I am just really curious to know how people develop their ideas about a deity. If you don't believe in God, how did you come to this conclusion.

 

Also, do you believe in an afterlife? If so, what does it consist of, what is it like? Where is it? What happens?

 

If you don't believe in an afterlife, what do you believe happens to us when we die? Do you believe that we have a soul or a spirit that someone survives? Do you believe in reincarnation? Do you believe that every part of us ceases to exist at death? Why do you believe this?

 

I am going through a major transformation in my beliefs about life and death, and I'm interested in knowing not just what others believe about these things, but how they form these beliefs as well. Thanks to anyone who takes the time to resond.

[Dayle in Guatemala]

Do you believe in God? If you do, who do you conceive or believe him/her/it to be? Is it more of a general higher power or force in the universe? Is it an individual entity with specific personal traits? Why do you believe this, how did you come to believe this? I'm not so much interested in what religion you associate yourself with. I am just really curious to know how people develop their ideas about a deity. If you don't believe in God, how did you come to this conclusion.

 

Also, do you believe in an afterlife? If so, what does it consist of, what is it like? Where is it? What happens?

 

If you don't believe in an afterlife, what do you believe happens to us when we die? Do you believe that we have a soul or a spirit that someone survives? Do you believe in reincarnation? Do you believe that every part of us ceases to exist at death? Why do you believe this?

 

I am going through a major transformation in my beliefs about life and death, and I'm interested in knowing not just what others believe about these things, but how they form these beliefs as well. Thanks to anyone who takes the time to resond.

 

 

I believe in the God of the Holy Bible. The whole Bible. He can be swift to judgement on those who will not accept Him, but, He also sent His son, Jesus to die for us so we can have a personal relationship with Him, not through an earthly mediator. He is gracious and merciful, but, just and holy. He is creative and loving, but, jealous of my time with Him and our relationship. He's our eternal Father.

 

I didn't believe this always. My life was not the typical Christian fairy tale life. I had a substance-abusing biological father who was very harsh. I had an extremely abusive step dad who we wound up having to run away from in order to be safe and put into foster care until he was put into jail. Then, my mom married my Daddy. He's been the earthly example of what I now perceive God to be. (Except, he isn't perfect!:D) I had such a schewed idea of God because of the abuses of my childhood. I also was a part of a very harsh religion when we did start going to church and it was extremely judgemental and was all about appearing good. (In the Bible, Jesus calls these kinds of people white-washed sepluchars! White and pure on the outside, but, on the inside full of death and destruction)

 

After slowly reading the Bible and really seeking God in prayer for a long, long time, God started to truly reveal Himself to me. He loves me. I don't have to do anything to deserve it, He just does. He isn't ready to pounce on me everytime I do something wrong, His heart is broken because it causes a break in our relationship and He wants us to have a whole relationship. He delights in me!

 

I do believe in an afterlife as described in the Bible. I believe we are body, soul, and spirit. We get to choose what happens to us when we die before we die. I don't believe we just cease to exsist. I've come to this conclusion, again, after studying the Bible for myself and reading testimonies of others who have had near-death experiences.

 

I have so much more I could share with you if you are interested at all. You could pm me anytime!:001_smile:

[hornblower]

I'm an atheist. I don't believe in a deity. I don't believe in an afterlife. I would sometimes like to believe in a soul & reincarnation & I think some elements of physics may indicate that this may not be completely untenable. But I'm not really counting on it. I suspect this is it. All the more reason to live life fully and live well.

 

I was raised Catholic in a country which is overwhelmingly Catholic. I guess it didn't 'take' :001_smile:. I didn't have any huge revelation. No other options are logical or reasonable to me.

[Jenny in Florida]

But it's pretty vague, even for me. And it's taken me until middle age to be able to get comfortable with admitting that much, even to myself.

 

I guess I believe it because I feel it, every day, all the time. As I reflect on my life so far, I can see so much that happened "miraculously." My over-riding life philosophy is that "Things usually work out," and my heart tells me there's some underlying reason for that.

 

But I think my conception of God is closer to an over-soul-type-think than anything that can be personified or anthropomorphized.

 

I don't think I believe in an afterlife, although I love playing with the idea. It's one of those big questions that I've tabled and decided to wait for more information. It disturbs me to think that we just disappear, but nothing else makes sense to me. And I do believe with all my heart and soul that we would not have been given brains if we weren't supposed to use them.

 

I've gotten to where I am based on a lifetime of study and thought, all self-directed. And I'm sure I'll continue to develop as I go on.

[OnTheBrink]

I believe in the God of the Holy Bible. The whole Bible. He can be swift to judgement on those who will not accept Him, but, He also sent His son, Jesus to die for us so we can have a personal relationship with Him, not through an earthly mediator. He is gracious and merciful, but, just and holy. He is creative and loving, but, jealous of my time with Him and our relationship. He's our eternal Father.

 

After slowly reading the Bible and really seeking God in prayer for a long, long time, God started to truly reveal Himself to me. He loves me. I don't have to do anything to deserve it, He just does. He isn't ready to pounce on me everytime I do something wrong, His heart is broken because it causes a break in our relationship and He wants us to have a whole relationship. He delights in me!

 

I have so much more I could share with you if you are interested at all. You could pm me anytime!:001_smile:

 

Dayle said it all for me. :)

[Lovedtodeath]

Do you believe in God? YES If you do, who do you conceive or believe him/her/it to be? Is it more of a general higher power or force in the universe? Is it an individual entity with specific personal traits? Yes Why do you believe this, how did you come to believe this? I studied extensively about evolution vs. creation, the origin of the Bible as a whole as well as individual books, and I came to this conclusion as truth. I also have since felt God's holy spirit in my life and can see it as a force for good in an organization that spans the globe. I'm not so much interested in what religion you associate yourself with. I am just really curious to know how people develop their ideas about a deity. If you don't believe in God, how did you come to this conclusion.

 

Also, do you believe in an afterlife? If so, what does it consist of, what is it like? Where is it? What happens? I believe that God has set forth a hope for all who live their life by his guidelines. Some are meant to live in heaven, as rulers over the earth. (Revelation states this.) Others are meant to live on the earth and are resurrected at a later time if they have already died.

 

If you don't believe in an afterlife, what do you believe happens to us when we die? Do you believe that we have a soul or a spirit that someone survives? Do you believe in reincarnation? Do you believe that every part of us ceases to exist at death? I believe that if one is not immediately resurrected upon death, that they do cease to exist, but God has them in his memory and can bring them back. Why do you believe this? Study of the scriptures.

 

I am going through a major transformation in my beliefs about life and death, and I'm interested in knowing not just what others believe about these things, but how they form these beliefs as well. Thanks to anyone who takes the time to resond.

[CookieMonster]

Do you believe in God?

 

Yes.

 

If you do, who do you conceive or believe him/her/it to be? Is it more of a general higher power or force in the universe? Is it an individual entity with specific personal traits?

 

He is the Creator of the universe. All things are under His dominion. He is a personal being Who desires a close, eternal relationship with each of us. He formed each person with thought and care. He actively seeks a relationship with us, and has paid a high personal cost to make it possible for us to fellowship with Him. But, He does not force anyone to love Him in return.

 

Why do you believe this, how did you come to believe this?

 

Most of what I said above I have come to understand only after my intial encounter with the Lord of the Universe. One night, in a small church I was presented with the basic truths of life: sin, eternity, and forgiveness through Jesus Christ. Recognizing the eternal choice before me and the true love of the One Who sent His Son to die for me, I decided to accept God's gracious gift of salvation through Jesus Christ. (My Story)

 

After that, I studied His Word - what God has to say about Himself. Chapter by chapter, verse by verse, precept upon precept, with reference to the whole, I have come to know many things about God, grow deeper in my love for the God of my salvation, walk more surely in the truth, and know God Himself better.

 

Also, do you believe in an afterlife? If so, what does it consist of, what is it like? Where is it? What happens?

 

Yes, I believe in an afterlife. We were created as eternal souls meant for eternal fellowship with our Father. Because of sin, however, some will live eternally without that personal fellowship. They will live forever in a place of condemnation: Hell. Those who choose to recognize the Lordship of God the Father, and accept His freely given gift of salvation, will live forever with God Himself, free from sin and its corruption.

 

 

You said you are searching right now, and questioning your beliefs, so I would like to leave you with this unsolicited encouragement if I may:

 

Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. (James 4:8)

 

Ask Him. Direct your questions toward Him. Ask Him to show Himself to you. He is faithful and He will answer you.

[Carrie12345]

I'm an atheist and I don't believe in an afterlife.

I do believe that every person leaves a profound impact on the world, which I consider to be a form of immortality.

[Karen sn]

I'm an atheist. I don't believe in a deity. I don't believe in an afterlife. I would sometimes like to believe in a soul & reincarnation & I think some elements of physics may indicate that this may not be completely untenable. But I'm not really counting on it. I suspect this is it. All the more reason to live life fully and live well.

 

I was raised Catholic in a country which is overwhelmingly Catholic. I guess it didn't 'take' :001_smile:. I didn't have any huge revelation. No other options are logical or reasonable to me.

 

 

I love atheists.

 

I am not one. I believe there many gods and goddesses.

 

I believe that the god I was brought up to serve and fear is not one worthy of my attention. That he is on money and all about war is obnoxious to me. But I do believe he exists.

 

Where I am at now came through many years of exposure to several other ways and experiences. I loved the pagan exposure I was given and wish I had more of that. Ironically, it was my study in temple with the rabbi and elders which led me away from that god. Once I understood how much war and murder was promoted by him, I did not want any part of it.

 

Circumcision is insane and that we do it to babies (and some with no anesthesia) is torture. I can not respect that god *at all* and fail to see the love. Genocide is unacceptable as well in my book. And I just can't pray to a god I am supposed to fear.

 

I *do* love Jesus and his mother. He was a good Jewish boy, educated, rebellious to governmental authority. He was not judgemental. He was an edjucated rebel....what's not to love about that?!

 

I believe my soul has lived and loved deeply before.

I believe my soul will go on long after this body is dead.

 

Have you ever read Many Lives Many Masters?

I had long believed in reincarnation this way but had never seen or heard it.

I was so excited to read that someone else believed what I believed.

 

Here is a link - scroll down to the books....

http://www.brianweiss.com/

 

I have Christian friends who aren't preachy and I have atheist and pagan friends. I love to discuss religion with them because we all have an interesting point of view. I have known Krishnas and met Muslims but I still don't know much about their religions. I am open to all discussions on religion no matter what branch.

 

We met some Amish folks in November and I jokingly said later that I would love to meet some atheist Amish. I want to get closer to earth and be more independent but I don't want anyone telling me what to believe. That's why the atheists appeal to me. They're not so preachy. Even a narrowminded atheist doesn't try to convince or convert. At least in my experience - they've just asked to be respected and left alone.

Edited January 29, 2009 by Karen sn

[Jugglin'5]

Personal, Triune God here.

 

I was raised by believing, Christian parents but we never went to church much. In high school and college I went through a very liberal, uber-feminist, agnostic running-to-atheist period. Circumstances and people came into my life, and god caused me to start searching the Scriptures and leading me to the truth. Interestingly, my younger brother went through almost the same experience, (minus the uber-feminist thing;)), and both my parents are now regular church-goers. They can't figure out why my brother and I are so conservative, though they have become much more so over the last 15 years. They tease us that we shamed them into it, though neither of us ever really said much about it.

[6packofun]

I believe in God and that He is who HE says that He is, revealed to us specifically and purposefully in the Bible. I try very hard not to project any of my own notions of what He is like/should be onto Him because I think He gives us plenty to go on in His Word and my ideas are probably whacked.

 

How I *experience* Him through our relationship is another thing and not as easily explained. :)

[Jenny in Atl]

Do you believe in God? Not as humans have defined him/her/it.

 

If you do, who do you conceive or believe him/her/it to be? Not sure... I do believe there is a force we can't see or conceive of at this time. I'm not convinced it one single thing.

 

Is it more of a general higher power or force in the universe? Yes, I think... Is it an individual entity with specific personal traits?Not that I can see. Why do you believe this, how did you come to believe this? I guess after exploring a number of faiths I saw how similar many were, and also how lacking in common sense. Lots of rules and fluff that does not really speak to the human condition nor that of Earth and the Universe

I'm not so much interested in what religion you associate yourself with. I am just really curious to know how people develop their ideas about a deity. If you don't believe in God, how did you come to this conclusion. I guess if I have to define God as a man/woman/being... I guess I don't.

 

Also, do you believe in an afterlife? If so, what does it consist of, what is it like? Where is it? What happens? This is where I do think there is something. Not heaven or even the standard re-incarnation theory, but defiantly that our souls (and that of all living things) are re-used/become part of the Universe again. I see matter and energy as finite, used over and over again, always changing form. It could just be hopeful thinking though.

 

If you don't believe in an afterlife, what do you believe happens to us when we die? Do you believe that we have a soul or a spirit that someone survives? Do you believe in reincarnation? Do you believe that every part of us ceases to exist at death? Why do you believe this? I think we don't know... no one really has communicated (that we can scientifically document) from beyond the grave. I think we like to think that our family and friends are still with us in spirit. I say to my girls, but I also say I don't know for sure. I do honestly think there is some part of us that leaves the body when we die. Animals that I have lost, really looked/seemed different just seconds before and after death. My husband said his mom was gone, long before her body shut down. Her face changed... he said that was no longer his mom, just a body.

 

I hope this helps

[Audrey]

I'm a non-deist witch. I don't believe in or worship any gods or goddesses. I believe that we have only this life to make the best of... or not. When you die, you're dead. That's it. Whatever lives on beyond us lies only in what we've done while we were alive -- both the good and the bad.

 

Over many years, I came to understand that I have no need for a concept of the afterlife or gods. I know that living a good life has a lasting impact on the people and the Earth around me, and that is all I need.

 

I also have a deeply developed code of ethics for what a "good life" is, but I don't think that's what you were asking, and I certainly wouldn't want to be known as the proselytizing witch! :lol:

[Rosie_0801]

I don't believe in God. I don't feel the need for a higher power, and I've never come across a God who seemed worthy of the title. I expect a god to behave better than I do, and if they can't, what good are they?!! (Ok, I do know the answer to that question. Gods work perfectly well for many people, but not for me.) I rather prefer the idea of the Tao, being the flow of nature. I don't think anyone can argue that there isn't one, but others might prefer to think that it happens because God wills it, whereas I'm quite content with it all happening because it's all happening. I tried thinking about the "Big Questions," realised I couldn't find the answer so decided it wasn't worth worrying about. Dh can't wrap his head around this and insists that one has to have an answer to those questions in order to live life, but I think I'm doing a good enough job without :) Mind you, I do have a great theory of reincarnation to fill some of those gaps. I don't actually believe it, but it makes me feel better, which is surely the point of answering those questions. I suppose most people would argue that truth is more important, but if you can't find out the truth, then making yourself feel comfortable is the next best thing. I don't believe in an afterlife because it doesn't make sense to me. I do have a nice theory on what it would be like if there was one, but that was dreamed up for fun. I don't believe there is any life after death because it doesn't make sense. Of course I have to contradict myself because I believe in ghosts. They don't make any sense either, but I've seen one so disbelieving doesn't make sense either. Not that my stance really matters, they either exist or don't, and that has nothing to do with my beliefs. I believe my religion should work for me, not that I should work for my religion. So I will change my beliefs to suit me as I mature. I also substitute the "God will provide" with "the universe will provide." I have a streak of optimism that lets me believe the world usually dumps things on you for a good reason to help you with your journey. Even the crappy things in life tend to sheepdog us to a more suitable path. Rather like Paulo Coehlo's "Alchemist" novel.

Good luck with your journey. It may not be enjoyable, but it should be interesting. If you are the sort of person who doesn't require things to make sense all the time, it will be easier...

 

:)

Rosie

Edited January 29, 2009 by Rosie_0801

[lionfamily1999]

Do you believe in God?

yes

If you do, who do you conceive or believe him/her/it to be?

Alpha and Omega, beginning and end, I am, Jesus Christ, Holy Spirit

Why do you believe this, how did you come to believe this?

I was raised Christian in a family where the closest to a non-believer was my dad, who believed and despised. As a kid, and even now, it's just something I know. It's not that I haven't questioned God, but I have never questioned His reality. The older I got, the more I read. The more I read, the more I was exposed to other ideals, beliefs, religions. The more I was exposed, the more I believed in God and the Holy Trinity. There are things that have happened, historically, that I look at and think, 'how can anyone deny Him?'

Also, do you believe in an afterlife?

Of course, heaven and hell. Now, what they are... well... I don't know. I imagine Heaven is a place where you are always close enough to God to feel his presence. A place where time has no meaning, where negatives cease to exist. Hell, imo, is simply to be without God. A place of eternal darkness, eternal isolation.

 

I hope your transformation goes well.

[LaxMom]

I believe in divinity and higher power that guides us. I believe that deity is the creation of men, the personification of their relationship to that energy.

 

I do not believe in afterlife inasmuch as "living" in another realm, but as matter and energy are neither created nor destroyed, our life force and bodies are simply returned to the world. In this way, I believe we have lived before and will again, albeit not in the same consciousness.

 

Why do I believe these things? Well, that's a dissertation in itself.

 

(Or, there is a deity and he looks and sounds like George Burns and has a really, really clever sense of humor.:001_smile:)

[Demal]

 

 

An atheist's creed

 

 

 

I believe in time,

 

matter, and energy,

 

which make up the whole of the world.

 

 

 

 

 

I believe in reason, evidence and the human mind,

 

the only tools we have;

 

they are the product of natural forces

 

in a majestic but impersonal universe,

 

grander and richer than we can imagine,

 

a source of endless opportunities for discovery.

 

 

 

 

 

I believe in the power of doubt;

 

I do not seek out reassurances,

 

but embrace the question,

 

and strive to challenge my own beliefs.

 

 

 

 

 

I accept human mortality.

 

 

 

 

 

We have but one life,

 

brief and full of struggle,

 

leavened with love and community,

 

learning and exploration,

 

beauty and the creation of

 

new life, new art, and new ideas.

 

 

 

 

 

I rejoice in this life that I have,

 

and in the grandeur of a world that preceded me,

 

and an earth that will abide without me.

 

 

 

 

 

--

P. Z. Myers

 

 

 

[jamnkats]

I'm an atheist. I don't believe in a deity. I don't believe in an afterlife. I would sometimes like to believe in a soul & reincarnation & I think some elements of physics may indicate that this may not be completely untenable. But I'm not really counting on it. I suspect this is it. All the more reason to live life fully and live well.

 

I was raised Catholic in a country which is overwhelmingly Catholic. I guess it didn't 'take' :001_smile:. I didn't have any huge revelation. No other options are logical or reasonable to me.

 

this is me exactly. down to the Catholic upbringing.

[Michelle T]

Do you believe in God? - Not in the conventional, old guy in the sky, passing judgement and caring about what we do sense.

 

If you do, who do you conceive or believe him/her/it to be? Is it more of a general higher power or force in the universe? I do believe there is a "force" of some sort out there holding all the universe together. I think physics will eventually "discover" or figure out this "god", but I do not believe in a god that is personal or interested in us.

 

 

Why do you believe this, how did you come to believe this? It just makes sense to me, and the more I read about physics, the more I believe that's what's "out there". As for not believing in a personal, biblical God, all I have to do is look around me, or read the news, or learn about organized religion to know that it's not true. I spent years desperately trying to believe in God, begging and praying for him to help me overcome my skepticism, praying for a sign, anything to help me. Nothing. Finally, I just accepted that's because there is not one there.

 

 

 

I'm not so much interested in what religion you associate yourself with. I am just really curious to know how people develop their ideas about a deity. If you don't believe in God, how did you come to this conclusion. Years of thought, reading, reflection.

 

Also, do you believe in an afterlife? If so, what does it consist of, what is it like? Where is it? What happens? I would LIKE to believe in an afterlife, but I don't really believe in one, IYKWIM. I believe that when we die, that's it.

If you don't believe in an afterlife, what do you believe happens to us when we die? Do you believe that we have a soul or a spirit that someone survives? Do you believe in reincarnation? Do you believe that every part of us ceases to exist at death? Why do you believe this? We rot away once we are dead. Those living people who remember us are our afterlife. Once all who remember us are gone, that's it. It doesn't make sense to me that there is any sort of afterlife beyond that.

 

I am going through a major transformation in my beliefs about life and death, and I'm interested in knowing not just what others believe about these things, but how they form these beliefs as well. Thanks to anyone who takes the time to resond. Good luck in your search! An unexamined life isn't worth living!

Michelle T

[Firefly]

Another witch here, but I do believe in a higher power encompassing both male and female energies: God/Goddess, Universe, the Force (LOL)... whatever you want to call it... the stream of life force that we are all connected to.

 

I do believe in reincarnation, but that enlightened souls can move on to Summerland ("heaven") or chose to come back and help teach others (I believe Buddha, Jesus, Ghandi and others were "enlightened".)

 

WHY do I believe this? I don't know, that's a good question! I have read extensively on theology and studied different religions. Paganism speaks to me because there is no one RIGHT way... everyone must follow their own spiritual path. It does not condemn others who chose a different path. I like viewing life as part of a never ending cycle rather than a linear path with an endpoint; being part of the endless cycle of birth, growth, death, rebirth... I do feel connected to all things, all people (even the ones that drive me crazy :001_huh:).

 

Hmm, I don't feel like I articulated that very well, but there you have it!

[Laura Corin]

If you don't believe in an afterlife, what do you believe happens to us when we die? Do you believe that we have a soul or a spirit that someone survives? Do you believe in reincarnation? Do you believe that every part of us ceases to exist at death? Why do you believe this?

 

I think that death is the end, that when my body dies, the part of me that is 'me' dies too. It is not separate from the physical body. I think this because I've never seen or learned anything that would make me believe otherwise, nor do I feel the need for a religious aspect to my life.

 

Best wishes

 

Laura

[Audrey]

Another witch here, but I do believe in a higher power encompassing both male and female energies: God/Goddess, Universe, the Force (LOL)... whatever you want to call it... the stream of life force that we are all connected to.

 

I do believe in reincarnation, but that enlightened souls can move on to Summerland ("heaven") or chose to come back and help teach others (I believe Buddha, Jesus, Ghandi and others were "enlightened".)

 

WHY do I believe this? I don't know, that's a good question! I have read extensively on theology and studied different religions. Paganism speaks to me because there is no one RIGHT way... everyone must follow their own spiritual path. It does not condemn others who chose a different path. I like viewing life as part of a never ending cycle rather than a linear path with an endpoint; being part of the endless cycle of birth, growth, death, rebirth... I do feel connected to all things, all people (even the ones that drive me crazy :001_huh:).

 

Hmm, I don't feel like I articulated that very well, but there you have it!

 

 

I'm glad you posted, Firefly! I think it's very important to understand that witches come in all creeds and forms, with all kinds of ideas on deity/divinity.

[Deeke]

Nope, don't believe in god. No interest, no desire, no need. People need to have more faith in themselves and fellow humans.

[katemary63]

I believe in the God of the Holy Bible. The whole Bible. He can be swift to judgement on those who will not accept Him, but, He also sent His son, Jesus to die for us so we can have a personal relationship with Him, not through an earthly mediator. He is gracious and merciful, but, just and holy. He is creative and loving, but, jealous of my time with Him and our relationship. He's our eternal Father.

 

I didn't believe this always. My life was not the typical Christian fairy tale life. I had a substance-abusing biological father who was very harsh. I had an extremely abusive step dad who we wound up having to run away from in order to be safe and put into foster care until he was put into jail. Then, my mom married my Daddy. He's been the earthly example of what I now perceive God to be. (Except, he isn't perfect!:D) I had such a schewed idea of God because of the abuses of my childhood. I also was a part of a very harsh religion when we did start going to church and it was extremely judgemental and was all about appearing good. (In the Bible, Jesus calls these kinds of people white-washed sepluchars! White and pure on the outside, but, on the inside full of death and destruction)

 

After slowly reading the Bible and really seeking God in prayer for a long, long time, God started to truly reveal Himself to me. He loves me. I don't have to do anything to deserve it, He just does. He isn't ready to pounce on me everytime I do something wrong, His heart is broken because it causes a break in our relationship and He wants us to have a whole relationship. He delights in me!

 

I do believe in an afterlife as described in the Bible. I believe we are body, soul, and spirit. We get to choose what happens to us when we die before we die. I don't believe we just cease to exsist. I've come to this conclusion, again, after studying the Bible for myself and reading testimonies of others who have had near-death experiences.

 

I have so much more I could share with you if you are interested at all. You could pm me anytime!:001_smile:

 

Wow, so similar to my experience, so Ditto from me. I, also, grew up in an abusive home and was taught ridiculous ideas about spirituality. In His perfect time, God revealed Himself to me and saved my life - gave me a life. I would have nothing - be nothing - without Him!

 

The fact is though, that I have always believed in God in some way. Ever since I was a small child, I remember marveling about the Earth and it's beauty, it's majesty and magnificence. I've NEVER doubted that God created it. To me - the Earth screams out the existence of a creator and I honestly don't know how anyone can doubt it. That's not to be rude - It just seems so obvious to me that it is beyond my understanding how others don't see it. Like, the sky is not blue or something. ??? I just don't get it. But I certainly respect others' opinions. I just am baffled by them.

[Firefly]

I'm glad you posted, Firefly! I think it's very important to understand that witches come in all creeds and forms, with all kinds of ideas on deity/divinity.

 

 

Right on, Audrey!

[lionfamily1999]

Wow, so similar to my experience, so Ditto from me. I, also, grew up in an abusive home and was taught ridiculous ideas about spirituality. In His perfect time, God revealed Himself to me and saved my life - gave me a life. I would have nothing - be nothing - without Him!

 

The fact is though, that I have always believed in God in some way. Ever since I was a small child, I remember marveling about the Earth and it's beauty, it's majesty and magnificence. I've NEVER doubted that God created it. To me - the Earth screams out the existence of a creator and I honestly don't know how anyone can doubt it. That's not to be rude - It just seems so obvious to me that it is beyond my understanding how others don't see it. Like, the sky is not blue or something. ??? I just don't get it. But I certainly respect others' opinions. I just am baffled by them.

I never had a great, how I came to God story and it used to really bother me. It seemed like people defined themselves by their transformations (I once was lost, but now am found). Now, though, it's a comfort that I never really doubted His existence. I'm glad I'm not the only one that always just knew.

[Lovedtodeath]

Good luck with your journey. It may not be enjoyable, but it should be interesting. If you are the sort of person who doesn't require things to make sense all the time, it will be easier...

 

:lol:That struck me as funny. I am definitely not that type.

 

Just a side note: I believe ghosts are spirits who were formerly angels. The Bible says that the dead cannot do anything, nor are they aware of anything.

[Catherine]

Our UU minister, who I really adore, uses this term often. It suits me.

[dragons in the flower bed]

Do you believe in God? If you do, who do you conceive or believe him/her/it to be? Is it more of a general higher power or force in the universe? Is it an individual entity with specific personal traits?

 

 

I believe in many gods, none of whom are omniscient (except maybe Odin), infallible or omnipotent. I also believe in humanity in general and make offerings to my ancestors. I also believe in and make offerings to many spirits of nature. Some of each category it could be said I worship, particularly Hermes and Hestia.

 

Why do you believe this, how did you come to believe this?

 

It's been such a long journey, and it's (hopefully) not halfway done! Let's see, from 1-7 I was a monotheist. From 7-10 I was agnostic. From 11-18 I was a duotheist. From 18-20 I was a monotheist again. From 20 on I have been a polytheist. I've been Catholic, just-short-of-conversion-but-living-as-Orthodox Jewish, a Scientologist (who have no position on god, so that overlapped with the others), a Messianic Jew, Southern Baptist, karaite Jew, Wiccan, Druid and a reconstructionist Hellenic.

 

It all started when I was seven years old, shortly after my first communion. I remember dangling my legs over the second-story porch, thinking that if God exists as omniscient and omnipotent he would not condemn people to Hell. It was a very simple seven-year-old kind of thought, but I brought it up to my dad, who encouraged me to continue thinking about it. I did, independently, so that when I read The Charge of the Goddess by Doreen Valiente, when I was 11 or 12 or so, it clicked immediately. I recall rushing out of my bedroom, to Dad, saying, "I finally found it! This is it! This is what I believe!"

 

It's all been like that. It's been a long process of thinking about it, reading about it, and talking about it. Mere Christianity by CS Lewis, Dreaming the Dark by Starhawk, A World Full of Gods by John Michael Greer, How Shall We Then Live by Francis Schaeffer, and a class I took on Judaism were the biggest influences on my beliefs, and each represent a pivot point for me from one system of thought to another. Oddly, Mere Christianity was both a way in and a way out.

 

 

Also, do you believe in an afterlife? If so, what does it consist of, what is it like? Where is it? What happens?

 

I'm not certain the same thing happens to everyone after they die (the same thing doesn't happen to all of us after we're born) but I believe I've lived before and will again. I remember sending an e-mail off to a friend describing past life memories I thought I had of him, and when I logged on to e-mail it (this was AOL days :D ), I saw that he had sent me an e-mail with the exact same memories in it. It was the first time we'd talked about the subject.

 

Also, I'm skeptical of Laura's idea that we simply cease to exist because what else in nature does that? Energy has to go somewhere.

 

However, at the bottom of all of this is my constant awareness that I'm epileptic. I have the type of seizures Dostoyevsky describes in his writing, that make a person feel . . . oh, how to describe it? It feels like you have just arrived back in this moment from the future, or from the past. It feels like everything is suddenly real, or suddenly unreal. So maybe all of my spiritual experiences are just seizures. Or maybe the seizures are my brain picking up things most brains can't.

 

Who knows? I'm happy to keep asking these questions, keep reading and talking about it. Wondering is the best I can do.

Edited January 30, 2009 by dragons in the flower bed

[Pamela H in Texas]

Do you believe in God? If you do, who do you conceive or believe him/her/it to be? Is it more of a general higher power or force in the universe? Is it an individual entity with specific personal traits? Why do you believe this, how did you come to believe this?

 

Our loving Creator is an individual, a spirit being with personal traits, feelings, etc. He used men to pen 66 books, compiled into one large volume, in order to let us know about him. Even still, He makes it clear that we must TRY to know him. Just going to church or reading the Bible sometimes is not enough. He likened it to searching for silver or gold. If you had a large treasure in your back yard, you'd be diligent in order to find it and put it to good use. God says that we can get to know HIM if we do the same thing.

 

There is SO much about him, that I can't put it into one post, but He is very much an individual. The scriptures tell us how and why he made us. They tell us his NAME (isn't that the first thing you learn about people when you meet them?). They tell us about his relationship with various people throughout the ages and how we too can get that relationship. They tell us how we hurt him and make his heart glad. They tell us what wonderful gifts he's given us and what prospects lie ahead.

 

Also, do you believe in an afterlife? If so, what does it consist of, what is it like? Where is it? What happens?

 

The scriptures say that the wages of sin is DEATH. Death is described in the Bible as becoming dust (over time), not being conscious of anything, not doing anything, not having relationships.

 

However, the scriptures also outline that God would (and did) provide an escape from death, that most people, righteous and unrighteous, would have an opportunity for a ressurrection for life. Because the wages of sin is death, they prove themselves righteous or unrighteous after their ressurrection, not before. What a loving Father to wipe clean our slate (sadly it had to be done with the blood of his Son) and give us another chance to live forever as he originally purposed (as stated in the Bible and we know it will come true because EVERYTHING He purposes WILL come true--Isa 55:10,11).

 

So as for the afterlife? Well, MOST people will be ressurrected to life on earth to fullfil God's original purpose. The scriptures do say that a small number of people will go to Heaven to rule as priests and kings. Surely not everyone would go to Heaven because 1) if God wanted more being in Heaven, he just would have put them there like he did the myriads upon myriads of spirit beings already there and 2) if those that go to Heaven will rule as priests and kings who would be subject to them?

 

But afterlife was not immediate until after Jesus' death and then only for those with the Heavenly hope. Those of us that will await the forever on earth have to wait a little longer. But how wonderful those days will be, especially after everyone grows to relative perfection and no longer have the veil from sin separating them to any degree from our wonderful God.

 

Just to answer another post I saw part of before writing my answer:

 

And I'm just trying to tell you my beliefs and why (and would gladly take it to PM if you wish). I'm not trying to be preachy right now, but I do believe it is my responsibility to preach and teach. God has said that every person in the world has the right to have the good news shared with them and for them to make a decision. The end of how things are now (and the beginning of what the scriptures call "the real life") cannot happen til the opportunity to choose a relationship with God is given worldwide.

[Donna]

Do you believe in God? If you do, who do you conceive or believe him/her/it to be? Is it more of a general higher power or force in the universe? Is it an individual entity with specific personal traits? Why do you believe this, how did you come to believe this? I'm not so much interested in what religion you associate yourself with. I am just really curious to know how people develop their ideas about a deity. If you don't believe in God, how did you come to this conclusion.

 

Also, do you believe in an afterlife? If so, what does it consist of, what is it like? Where is it? What happens?

 

If you don't believe in an afterlife, what do you believe happens to us when we die? Do you believe that we have a soul or a spirit that someone survives? Do you believe in reincarnation? Do you believe that every part of us ceases to exist at death? Why do you believe this?

 

I am going through a major transformation in my beliefs about life and death, and I'm interested in knowing not just what others believe about these things, but how they form these beliefs as well. Thanks to anyone who takes the time to resond.

 

I believe in the God of the Bible and in Jesus. I was raised a Christian but did a lot of questioning and reading to develop my beliefs. I attend church of the social aspect of religion but tend to think of my religion as more of an individual relationship with God and churches more as self-serving entities and not always doing what God might want of them.

 

I still question a lot of the whys...why are children born with disabilities? And I have problems comprehending why God tests some people with the deaths of others but it seems the others who die didn't matter...like all of Job's family. I believe that it is okay for me to have questions though because I am only human and incapable of understanding God's design and plan.

 

I just have to look around me at all the beauty in this world, especially as I was giving birth to my children to know there is a God. I don't know that I believe that God is concerned with all the little things that happen in our lives...I tell myself that God knows what choices we are going to make but that our choices set events into motion though God can intervene in miraculous ways.

 

I believe in an afterlife as in the Bible. I have to believe this. Anything else would be too devastating for me. I can't bring myself to believe that once we die that is it...that is all. I have to believe that I will someday see those I loved who died before me. If I am wrong about those beliefs, I figure I will be dead anyway so it won't matter.

[Rosie_0801]

I still question a lot of the whys...why are children born with disabilities?

 

Yeah, those sorts of things are why I dreamed up my theory of reincarnation. It is a shame I don't believe in it. It's a very good theory, if I say so myself!

 

Rosie

[Stacia]

Do you believe in God?

 

I don't know. Nor do I think that any human can or will ever know. It is all theory, never to be proven for one side or another.

 

Accordingly, I consider myself agnostic (without knowledge).

 

Not knowing is the one thing I know for sure, lol. ;)

[The Girls' Mom]

I believe there is only one true God, YHWH of the Bible. I believe that the Bible IS the Word of God, and that salvation comes only through Jesus Christ.

 

How did I get to the point of believing? It wasn't from my upbringing, nor did I actively search it out. God put circumstances in my life to draw me to Him, and to see His truth in scripture.

 

I won't post a lot about how I came to know Him here, but I do write a great deal about it on my blog. Here's a link to a post about my journey:

 

http://aprylsfaithjourney.blogspot.com/2008/04/thoughts-for-thursday-salvation.html

[Jen in NY]

It's not like I've closed the books on all of this... I think about spirituality and the possiblility of some higher power a lot, but as I grow older I am less convinced that it is likely.

[lovemytea]

Do you believe in God? Yes, absolutely. If you do, who do you conceive or believe him/her/it to be? I believe is the Creator of all things. I believe that He sent his Son to die on the cross for all of us. Is it more of a general higher power or force in the universe? Is it an individual entity with specific personal traits? Why do you believe this, how did you come to believe this? I'm not so much interested in what religion you associate yourself with. I am just really curious to know how people develop their ideas about a deity. If you don't believe in God, how did you come to this conclusion.

 

Also, do you believe in an afterlife? Yes. I know one day I will see Jesus in heaven.If so, what does it consist of, what is it like? Where is it? What happens? I'm not sure I can answer those questions since I'm not a pastor, but I know that heaven is the most beautiful and loving place and I can only imagine how wonderful it will be.

 

If you don't believe in an afterlife, what do you believe happens to us when we die? Do you believe that we have a soul or a spirit that someone survives? Do you believe in reincarnation? Do you believe that every part of us ceases to exist at death? Why do you believe this?

 

I am going through a major transformation in my beliefs about life and death, and I'm interested in knowing not just what others believe about these things, but how they form these beliefs as well. Thanks to anyone who takes the time to resond.

Perhaps you could find a pastor to speak with about these things. I wish I could answer them more intelligently for you.

[Karen sn]

I'm a non-deist witch. I don't believe in or worship any gods or goddesses.

....... I certainly wouldn't want to be known as the proselytizing witch! :lol:

 

Audrey - you rock!

[Karen sn]

I love me some witches!

[Karen sn]

:lol:That struck me as funny. I am definitely not that type.

 

Just a side note: I believe ghosts are spirits who were formerly angels. The Bible says that the dead cannot do anything, nor are they aware of anything.

 

Where does it say that? really just curious - not snarky I promise.

[KidsHappen]

Yes, I believe in a higher power which I call the divine. However, I do not believe that the divine is somewhere out there, separate from us. I believe that the divine is all around us. It is within us/part of us. And therefore, we are all interconnected. I believe that souls inhabit bodies and when the bodies die they go to a place, let’s call it heaven, where they merge with all of the other souls that are there, much like a single rain drop merges with the water in the ocean. When a child is conceived, a part of this mass of souls breaks off to go and inhabit the new body. This is why human sometimes feel all alone because we have been separated from all of the souls that are merged together.

 

For the most part I believe that most people are naturally good. But I also believe that there are dark or evil souls that can inhabit a body. I believe that regardless of whether the soul is good or bad it still has free will. I believe that what happens to you after you die depends on the choices that you made when you were alive. More specifically it is based on your behavior not your beliefs. If a soul chooses to do bad or evil it goes to a dark place where hopefully it learns the lessons that it needs to learn and then it joins the other souls that are in heaven and is allowed to inhabit a new body so that it can atone for its previous sins.

 

I believe in the power of prayer. I believe that when souls join together to focus on one thing that this is very powerful and can have an effect on the physical world. I believe that quantum physics is showing that many things that we previously believed were magic are in fact science. I believe in micro-evolution but not macro-evolution. I believe that everything has grown and changed in its time on this planet but not that fish have changed into elephants.

 

I believe that all Gods are actually the divine, so all religions are equally valid. I may not agree with the specific details of your religion but I would not dream of telling you that they are wrong or incomplete because obviously that is the path that you needed to follow to connect with the divine. I believe that every path is individual but that because of our limited human experience we are only able to describe these paths in a few limited ways. Therefore, many people’s experiences and understanding sound similar.

 

I know that my beliefs are also emotional and cannot be proved. But if I ever came across anything scientific or historical that invalidated one or some of my beliefs then I would have to reconsider them. That’s why I believe that beliefs are always changing and growing as we learn. I do feel that I have a personal relationship with the divine that guides and directs me. I do feel the divine working within me. I have tried to explain as much as I could think of but if I have left something out or you have some specific question, I will try to answer it to the best of my ability.

[jenn-]

I'm an atheist. I don't believe in a deity. I don't believe in an afterlife. I would sometimes like to believe in a soul & reincarnation & I think some elements of physics may indicate that this may not be completely untenable. But I'm not really counting on it. I suspect this is it. All the more reason to live life fully and live well.

 

I was raised Catholic in a country which is overwhelmingly Catholic. I guess it didn't 'take' :001_smile:. I didn't have any huge revelation. No other options are logical or reasonable to me.

 

That about sums it up perfectly for me.

 

 

An atheist's creed

 

 

 

I believe in time,

 

matter, and energy,

 

which make up the whole of the world.

 

 

 

 

 

I believe in reason, evidence and the human mind,

 

the only tools we have;

 

they are the product of natural forces

 

in a majestic but impersonal universe,

 

grander and richer than we can imagine,

 

a source of endless opportunities for discovery.

 

 

 

 

 

I believe in the power of doubt;

 

I do not seek out reassurances,

 

but embrace the question,

 

and strive to challenge my own beliefs.

 

 

 

 

 

I accept human mortality.

 

 

 

 

 

We have but one life,

 

brief and full of struggle,

 

leavened with love and community,

 

learning and exploration,

 

beauty and the creation of

 

new life, new art, and new ideas.

 

 

 

 

 

I rejoice in this life that I have,

 

and in the grandeur of a world that preceded me,

 

and an earth that will abide without me.

 

 

 

 

 

--

P. Z. Myers

 

 

 

 

I just love this. I just might have to scrapbook it.

[Lovedtodeath]

The Bible says that the dead cannot do anything, nor are they aware of anything.

 

Where does it say that? really just curious - not snarky I promise.

Not a problem:

 

 

Gen. 3:19: "In the sweat of your face you will eat bread until you return to the ground, for out of it you were taken. For dust you are and to dust you will return."

 

 

 

 

Eccl. 9:10: "All that your hand finds to do, do with your very power, for there is no work nor devising nor knowledge nor wisdom in Sheol ["the grave," KJ, Kx; "the world of the dead," TEV], the place to which you are going."

 

 

 

 

Eccl. 9:5: "The living are conscious that they will die; but as for the dead, they are conscious of nothing at all."

Ps. 146:4: "His spirit goes out, he goes back to his ground; in that day his thoughts ["thoughts," KJ, 145:4 in Dy; "all his thinking," NE; "plans," RS, NAB] do perish."

 

 

 

 

 

See also: John 11:11-14, Psalm 13:3, Ezek. 18:4, Isa. 53:12: Matt 26:38, Eccl. 9:6, Isa. 26:14

 

 

[Tree House Academy]

Wow this thread is interesting!

 

Me. Well, I was raised a Christian, but never really went to church much as a child. For a long time, I questioned God and what I believed. Mostly it happened when I was 11 and prayed for a miracle for my grandpa to live (he was a dad to me) which never came. I went through a phase. I dated an guy all through school who had had religion shoved down his throat all his life and thrown in his face by his missionary parents until he was agnostic. I followed his lead - became a person I hardly knew anymore. Then, I later married my ex husband who is an athiest and became totally agnostic myself, unwilling to decide what I thought or felt or believed.

 

When I married my dh, he was in the process of finding his own beliefs from a childhood that did not include faith at all. He found God in scripture and I can remember that, at first, I ask him if he was going to become all religious on me. I was mortified. I went from an athiest ex husband to a Bible thumper (my term for him at the time). However, as time went on, I found myself drawing close to what I believed when I was raised. I never fully departed from it. I never called myself an athiest - I never denied God or the existence of Him completely. I just faltered for awhile. I feel away from what I had been taught and tried other paths that seemed to make more sense to me.

 

Now, I am a Christian. I go to church most Sundays...though my dh doesn't. He was saved and baptized and prefers not to worship in a church. Most of my questions during the time of wandering have found answers. Most of the time, I can put my faith in what has always been. I believe that Jesus was the Son of God. I believe that he died and rose again to fulfill God's plan for salvation. I believe there is no way to the Father except through Him. However, I have never allowed myself to believe everything that is sprayed from the pulpit. I cringe when my pastor mentions that Gay people are not welcome to join the church unless they are "changed." I challenge the notion that only those Christians who are saved before death will enter Heaven. I absolutely do not buy into the thought that groups of people - early Native Americans for instance, who had some of the most amazing beliefs and respect for nature in history - are just gonna burn in hell because they didn't find God...how could they when they were in a place where Christianity hadn't even reached??? I just don't think God works that way.

 

I also struggle sometimes when I read the Bible not to see certain things as fantastical. Some things just make no sense to me at all...and I can't explain them. But I can't explain them any other way either...

 

I also struggle with why children are taken too early, why suffering occurs so often, why some people and not others?

 

I don't have a CLUE how the whole heaven thing works. I believe in Heaven - an eternity of rest and peace. I am not sure how exactly you get there - I am not sure it is when you die immediately or later when Christ comes again. I am not sure who goes in the rapture, I am not sure where our spirit lives during the time between death and the end of time. A pastor once told me that "to be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord." If this is true, then somehow, I feel like your soul is linked with Christ when you die, but I have no idea how or where ...I am not sure we know our families when we get to Heaven. I am not sure of anything at all. No one is.

Edited January 30, 2009 by Tree House Academy

[Lovedtodeath]

No one is.

I am sure that all of the big questioned you have brought up are explained in the scriptures.

 

There are some little things that I have trouble with. No one has all of the answers, nor were we meant to. But the big things... God wants us to have answers to those. We aren't meant to find them on our own. Jesus spoke of a "faithful and discreet slave" that would provide spiritual food.

[Milseain]

Another witch here.

 

I believe in a higher power encompassing both male and female energies: God/Goddess.

 

I believe in reincarnation. I believe we choose each incarnation, from lessons we believe we need to learn. Only by learning these lessons can we move on to a higher plane of existence.

 

WHY do I believe this? I have read extensively on theology and studied different religions. Paganism speaks to me because there is no one RIGHT way... everyone must follow their own spiritual path. It does not condemn others who chose a different path. I like viewing life as part of a never ending cycle rather than a linear path with an endpoint; being part of the endless cycle of birth, growth, death, rebirth... I do feel connected to all things, all people (even the ones that drive me crazy :001_huh:).

 

 

:iagree:

[melissel]

I believe in divinity and higher power that guides us. I believe that deity is the creation of men, the personification of their relationship to that energy.

 

I do not believe in afterlife inasmuch as "living" in another realm, but as matter and energy are neither created nor destroyed, our life force and bodies are simply returned to the world. In this way, I believe we have lived before and will again, albeit not in the same consciousness.

 

 

What a fascinating thread!

 

My beliefs are very similar to Angela's, except that I do not believe that the higher power guides us. I believe that every living thing on this planet is interconnected, and that every single thing we do and say, every breath we take, affects this interconnectedness. I believe that's what humans deify--as Angela said, personifying our relationship to that energy. I don't believe there's one god, or numerous gods and goddesses.

 

How did I come to this belief? I don't know. As others have said about their own faith, it's always just been there. Even when I was a child, attending a Catholic school, relatively active in the church, reciting Biblical passages on Sundays or for school functions...what I've said above is always what's felt right to me, and the Bible has always felt wrong, untrue. My mother is a devout Christian, but is private about her faith and does not attend church (and never will again, after having worked in one for the past several years--she's very disillusioned). My father is a hard-core atheist, of all things, but he's also very private about his beliefs. I had no idea he was an atheist until I was an adult. I always thought he was a non-practicing Catholic! They did not influence my beliefs growing up.

 

I don't believe in in heaven or hell, or in reincarnation, per se. I don't really believe that, for example, you could be hypnotized and pull up memories of your past lives. But I'm open to it being possible, I guess. Those details don't concern me much, really. Mainly, I believe (again) as Angela said--that after death, our "soul" or life energy is reabsorbed into the collective force.

 

I have no idea what religion might include the beliefs I have. Maybe none. (If anyone DOES have an idea, please let me know! I'd love to learn more.) Again, that ultimately doesn't concern me much. What does concern me is living the best life I can and impacting those around me as positively as I'm capable of. That's my duty and my contribution to the collective.

 

I've spent the last year or so grappling with similar issues. I even posted here about it a few times and received much wonderful advice and insight. I've tried to find in myself the absolute confidence that reliance on Christianity seems to engender in so many here. My husband is Catholic, and relatively strong in his beliefs, and I wanted to try to find my way closer to that for his sake. But after a few years of working through it, I've only come closer to my own beliefs, and I've begun accepting that this is how I feel. It's been a rather long and arduous walk, especially since my DD6 is utterly taken with the tenets of Christianity at the moment. But here is where I find myself.

 

You're welcome to PM me too, if you are to chat at all about your journey and anything I've said resounds with you. Good luck in your soul searching. I hope you find what you're looking for, no matter where it lies!

Edited January 30, 2009 by melissel

[Jenny in Atl]

I don't know. Nor do I think that any human can or will ever know. It is all theory, never to be proven for one side or another.

 

Accordingly, I consider myself agnostic (without knowledge).

 

Not knowing is the one thing I know for sure, lol. ;)

 

Yup, yup, and more yup!:D

[PamJH]

I'm an atheist. I don't believe in a deity. I don't believe in an afterlife. I would sometimes like to believe in a soul & reincarnation & I think some elements of physics may indicate that this may not be completely untenable. But I'm not really counting on it. I suspect this is it. All the more reason to live life fully and live well.

 

I was raised Catholic in a country which is overwhelmingly Catholic. I guess it didn't 'take' :001_smile:. I didn't have any huge revelation. No other options are logical or reasonable to me.

 

What she said.

[Hapax Legomena]

I am going through a major transformation in my beliefs about life and death, and I'm interested in knowing not just what others believe about these things, but how they form these beliefs as well.

Your question is a good one, but I would like to ask you one as well. How do you intend to determine which of these views is correct?

Many posters have told you what they believe. Some strongly hold to their beliefs; others may be more casual. Some seem convinced. Perhaps all of them are sincere.

As we evaluate various truth-claims we have to come to grips with our decision making process. Do we just pick the view that seems good or the view that someone we admire holds?

This is a life and death issue; it is a critical concern that captivates millions of people.

A decision of this nature cannot rest solely on feelings; it must rest on fact. It must be consistent with the evidence.

In light of that point, here is why I believe that Jesus died for our sins and rose again. Further, I believe that we can obtain everlasting life simply by putting our trust in Him. Further, this gift is available to all.

 

• If God exists, miracles are possible.
  
• The Bible is an historic book. It records eyewitness accounts of people who saw Jesus, observed Him over time, heard His message, watched Him die on the cross, and observed Him when He rose again.
  
  • This historic account is corroborated by other historians.
    
  • If we examine the Scripture in light of the legal rules of evidence, we must conclude that the gospel writers are telling the truth. Their documents accurately present what happened in Israel when Jesus was walking on the earth.
    

   

  [*]Jesus predicted that He would die and that He would come back to life in three days.

   

  • Nobody else in all of history has ever made this claim and fulfilled it.
    
  • Jesus is unique.
    

   

  [*]Those who followed Him gave up everything they had in order to do so.

   

  • Most of them died martyrs deaths.
    
  • If they did not believe what He had told them, they would never have gone been willing to die horrible deaths on His account.
    

   

  [*]The resurrection of Jesus is one of the most attested facts in all of human history, according to one of the most distinguished professors at Oxford.

  [*]Several people have tried to disprove the Bible and its message. In the process they have become Christians. Here are some related books.

   

  • Greenleaf, The Testimony of the Evangelists – Greenleaf was the greatest evidentiary legal scholar in the US in the 19th century. He applied those rules to the gospel and came to the conclusion that the accounts of the gospel writers are true.
    
  • Morrison – Who Moved the Stone?
    
  • Litton – A Lawyer Examines the Bible
    

   

   

No other set of theological claims or belief system can make claims of this nature and support their truth.

[SherryTX]

Do you believe in God?

Nope. But I did for many, many years.

 

If you don't believe in God, how did you come to this conclusion.

I also studied the bible for many, many years, as well as researched other possibilities. I came to the conclusion that there is absolutely no evidence that supports God's existence. (Not here to pick a fight - just answering the question.)

 

Also, do you believe in an afterlife?

No, I do not - I believe that anything "supernatural" is no more real than science fiction.

 

If you don't believe in an afterlife, what do you believe happens to us when we die?

Hopefully, after I die, my friends and family will continue to remember me and be comforted by the times we shared together. I believe when we die we rot just like anything else. I do not believe in reincarnation.

 

I am going through a major transformation in my beliefs about life and death, and I'm interested in knowing not just what others believe about these things, but how they form these beliefs as well. Thanks to anyone who takes the time to resond.

I think it takes courage for a person to truly examine the faith they were brought up in, or had adopted. Whether or not you come to the same conclusion I did, I respect the fact that this can be a very painful process. I did not leave my faith because I didn't believe in god - I left it because I didn't see how that faith could be correct. I researched other faiths, read the bible more, and eventually concluded that the bible was really just Christian Mythology.

 

That being said - I still think it is important for parents (even agnostics and atheists) to give their children exposure to not only the bible, but also other texts, such as the Koran, etc. To me it is important for them so that they have an understanding of the way the world works today.

 

By the way - if anyone is interested, I can recommend an excellent atheist mom's email list. Just PM and I will send you the info.

 

(No disrespect meant to those here that do believe in god and are religious. I value and appreciate much of the posts I have read hear from parents that home school, whether than believe in god or not.)