Ever since I can remember, I've always have had some kind of relationship with "God". I've read from Genesis to Revelations and to me its a big book about nothing. Almost like a huge scare tactic. Don't follow these rules: go to hell. Don't convince someone to go to church : go to hell. Don't pay tithes then go to hell. Why does GOD need 10% of what I earn if supposedly its all God's money from the get go?. If I can barely make ends meet to feed my family, then, am I a thief not to pay my tithes? I understand that the Bible says we are created in "his" image....is that why he's a loving and jealous God. How can something or someone thats so perfect be jealous?

I recall when God "TESTED" Abraham by wanting him to sacrifice his child. Now I'm aware that this was thousands of years ago but if someone wanted to test me...asking me to sacrifice my child....I'd flunk it with flying colors. Nothing is more important than the life of my children. The longevity of life for my children.

I lost a lot of my family to Cancer when I was young. You tell me what kind of God takes a Mother, Father or what have you from their children to fend for themselves without the proper knowledge or tools. What kind of God allows rapers and murderers to get away with the horrific crimes?. If I do not believe in God why do I have to be labeled as a Devil worshiper?

Most of the "religious" people I know use that very religion to separate themselves from others as if they're better or some how the other groups are worst. Most of the religions preach the same things basically. Do good to others and live a right life. Thats the message I get from it despite who the messenger is.

I do believe that there is a higher power...NOT THE GOD OF THE BIBLE! A creator non the less. Someone or something who is manipulating or orchestrating all of this. I feel as though as long as I believe in LOVE and the power of that then all else maybe obsolete. I refuse to focus so much on ANY religion when I know 1st hand how short life can be.

Back in the late 80's I was nearly shot in the head at my window ceil and also, I was shot in my left arm and everybody said, "Thank God that you're still alive!." I know what is meant to be shall be. And if it were meant for me to die that night then I would! But it wasn't so I didn't!

I know a lot of people who read this will make huge judgment calls when they know they shouldn't. Pointing of fingers and nodding of heads but this is how I feel. I'm expressing this because I went through the longestconversation while on the phone explaining how I feel about this very subject to my FATHER OF ALL PEOPLE....who happens to attend a church in Cleveland, Ohio. It was "hard" for him to accept this but he had no other choice, but that would directly relate the Bible verse that states, "The blind lead the blind straight into a ditch!"

I believe we as people must do our research. I mean how did you feel when you first found out and realized that Christopher Columbus didn't discover America for America was already here and settled?.(Most Thai people won't know this and I don't expect you too) Or that 0 is the first number when you later learned there exist negative numbers.

I don't feel as if I'm a "bad" person, "lost" person or ever confused. I've come to terms with what I believe in. Have you?

By the way.....Wasn't King James Gay?

Go to Youtube.com and search for "George Carlin Religion". He sums up what you just said ++.

How did you feel when you learned that Santa Claus was a big hoax?! That was just the beginning.

I agree with you. I think it did serve some purpose for control and still helps some set behavior limits but in modern times its being used by zealots and this is not the dark ages anymore. We are in the age of BS

Santa Claus is a hoax!!!!!!!!!!!!!1 Noooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

I'm still waiting to meet the Tooth Fairy to,lol

Actually there are a lot of people confused with the bible,how many versions are there?

What's wrong with letting people believe what they want to regarding religion, God, afterlife?

OTOH, Cocabrotha: while it;s nice to see someone who believes in God, ethics, doing the right thing and all that (really, I am not being sarcastic), a dating site interacting with a nation of Buddhists is maybe the wrong place to evangelize...?

Good Luck anyway!

thats true Niranahm

funny everytime I dicuss religion I get lambasted as a racist? Last tiem I checked religion has nothing to race but that's another post for another time. Since if I said this about Islam I'd be getting the same tongue lashing as usual but you notice the absence of Christians calling for your head and issues fatwahs, putting a price on your head, etc.

1st. You're right more often then not the messengers are the last to deliver the message far to often.

2nd. Everything before jesus was Crucified is not the same as after. Anti-christians like to point to contradictions in the bible, but in fact what they usually show is how God after having given his son to man stopped being such a vengenful **** and was more chill... no more fire brimstone God more hey handle yourown stuff God.

3rd. the tithing is because the church is suppose ... important word.... SUPPOSE to use the money for good works with work with the poor, sick, and homeless. An eample is the Salvation Army which is actually a religious group (hence the term salvation).

4th. Life and history is about perspective ... Christopher Columbus discovered america to the europeans, 0 is the first number... first Positive number lol

lol keep searching and good luck

"Everything before jesus was Crucified is not the same as after"

That certainly is a creative way of resolving contradictions, isn't it? Just say, "the laws of the universe changed".

Gotta love the way Christians have taken to the "Why don't you say that about Islam?" defense. I see it constantly. Call it "fatwa envy".

Posted by Niranahm [ 28 August 2008 | 4:12AM ] What's wrong with letting people believe what they want to regarding religion, God, afterlife?

Tooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooootally missed the bloody point.

NOTHING is wrong with letting people believe anything AS LONG ASSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS - they do NOT expect you to believe in it as well, and do not J U D G E you for not sharing their beliefs.

well said stu that was my take on it too!

I happen to agree with you cocoabrotha.

I think religions are culture based thats why so many nations have diffrent relgions but have the same goal. to organise and try to make your life go the right way, the bible is outdated now I think and it reflects the times of which it came from.

I am not knocking other relgions or christianity, I just have diffrent views, good and bad has come out of ALL relgions. I tend to sway towards buddhism because its seems to me at least less restricting.

This reminds me of the southpark episode where cartman inherits a million bucks and is it stan?, who gets a hemmaroid? His parents tell him the story of jobe where god shows satan how much jobe loves him by testing that love and bringing disaster to his life. (you gotta watch it to appriciate i think)

Paul ohhhhh dear! The diffrence with you is that you single out 1 religion and preach on about its flaws. The only reason that cocoabrother has mentioned christianity is because thats what he has the most experience in due to family. Where as you tend to focus on one relgion that you just don't seem to like, I guess thats why people would be led to believe you are biased and possibly racist, because sorry mate but you do come out with some crap at times, and coming from me thats saying something!!!!

well said stu that was my take on it too!

I happen to agree with you cocoabrotha.

I think religions are culture based thats why so many nations have diffrent relgions but have the same goal. to organise and try to make your life go the right way, the bible is outdated now I think and it reflects the times of which it came from.

I am not knocking other relgions or christianity, I just have diffrent views, good and bad has come out of ALL relgions. I tend to sway towards buddhism because its seems to me at least less restricting.

This reminds me of the southpark episode where cartman inherits a million bucks and is it stan?, who gets a hemmaroid? His parents tell him the story of jobe where god shows satan how much jobe loves him by testing that love and bringing disaster to his life. (you gotta watch it to appriciate i think)

Paul ohhhhh dear! The diffrence with you is that you single out 1 religion and preach on about its flaws. The only reason that cocoabrother has mentioned christianity is because thats what he has the most experience in due to family. Where as you tend to focus on one relgion that you just don't seem to like, I guess thats why people would be led to believe you are biased and possibly racist, because sorry mate but you do come out with some crap at times, and coming from me thats saying something!!!!

Your father wants the best for you CB. In trying to guide you towards a certain path, he's doing what he believes is right, and in all likelihood his intentions are good.

But we all have to find our own paths.

All of us make judgments about others. The most judgmental can often be those who claim they don't judge others. Hypocrisy isn't limited to religious believers.

All of us have beliefs which are mistaken. After all, you're a Red Sox fan.

Thats why its called faith right loburt?

Agree with Stu. Actually I read the Bible once. The Old Testament and the 4 gospels are like a history book, but the rest of it . . . well I dunno !!

That's right KS78. And none of us can live without faith. But each of us may have faith in different things.

No santa? Bwaaaaaaaaa :+(((((

Growing up in NYC as a immigrant at 6 yrs old and going to school with the same pair of pants everyday and not knowing what is good or bad and all the American people picking on me because I have slanted eyes and everything that you can imagine from seeing the movies or hearing the jokes and stories of a Chinese immigrant fresh of the boat from Hong Kong is what I and many immigrants have to go thru in life. My experiences as a young immigrant is almost like what the expats are going thru making a life for themselves in Thailand except that your much older with more life experiences.

Religion was never in my vocabulary and never was the American holidays: Christmas, Thanksgiving, Halloween, New Years etc.

Instead of Religion growing up, my belief was hard work in what ever you do to make it good for yourself. And you know what ? My religion has done me well.

Not going to tell you people all that I have accomplished because of my believe in hard work but I will tell you that I have no problems with people and what they believe in.

The only problem I have with people and their beliefs is that they try to convince you of their belief like its a job recruitment speech.

What also kills me is that the people that claim to be rightcious are the worst of society. They say all the good things about the bible but as you observe them in their daily life, they tend to do the opposite.

I have lost many good long time friends because of religion with the above examples. Believe in what you want to believe but don't try to force it on others and do as you preach.

As an example, I am doing well with my religion of hard work.

King

It is not my intention to start anything other than people thinking for themselves. Lead yourself. I am tainted for more reason than one. It is the way I think. The way I speak. The way I deal with people or the lack there of. Anyway . I've been doing a lot of deep thinking so it's about high time I let lose and enjoy life!. That's what's it's all about, right?.

As a long term atheist I agree with your thoughts. Religion is a big pile of stupidity. It has caused untold hatred, bigotry and violence. It is not necessary to believe in god to be good, the opposite in fact. If you would like to read more about religion have a look at anything written by Richard Dawkins or Michael Shermer.

See you in hell, Bro!!!

Finally joined the bandwagon that requires scientific proof, eh?

Welcome aboard!!

Posted by Niranahm [ 28 August 2008 | 4:12AM ]

What's wrong with letting people believe what they want to regarding religion, God, afterlife?"

there's nothing wrong with it---UNLESS and UNTIL they start vomiting up hairballs like "science is just another perspective, like religion, and neither is more true." and even that would be fine IN CONTEXT, but no. it's usually followed by "therefore, since it's all faith anyway, evidence doesn't matter and new-earth creationism is just as valid as evidence-based science and should be taught to all American students so they can be Good Little CHristians---and guaran-*******-tee that US students suck more and more at things like biology, which of course leads to sucking at things like biotech, which leads to an eroding economy as more and more hi-tech jobs are outsourced overseas, which leads to more and more young, unemployed, bright but unskilled and barely literate Americans, which of course leads to...

useless invasions.. coming soon to a country near you.

but then again, by pretending creationism is science, they aren't letting everyone else believe what they want regarding the world around them, and how it can be described through science, and thereby yield practical knowledge and a deeper understanding of how the physical world actually works.

so while there's no harm in letting people believe what they want about God etc. there's a great deal of danger in giving whimsical, self-indulgent versions of God equal footing with evidence in matters that *should* be decided by evidence and reason.

" paulgh3rd [ 28 August 2008 | 4:47AM ]

funny everytime I dicuss religion I get lambasted as a racist? Last tiem I checked religion has nothing to race but that's another post for another time. "

funny everytime *i* have seen one of your rants against Islam you've been lambasted as a BIGOT. last "tiem" i checked bigotry didn't have to have anything to do with race...

i've seen no reason to believe you're a racist, Paul but many reasons to believe you're a bigot--all supplied voluntarily by *you*. genius plan, that.

naw Zeus I think he's just ignerat......

Whaddaya mean there's no Santa!! I saw 6 of them dancing in Living Dolls a Go Go last Christmas! Bite your tongue!!

Dude, I totally get and agree with you. When my mom died a few months ago, she went through some horrible jaw surgery and radiotherapy and a LOT of pain and suffering. Sorry -- I don't get the whole God thing. But I do believe in an after life -- not sure why, but I just do. But the thought that some greater power is out there watching us. I call bull.