You don't think christianity has a set of rules that must be followed in order to get into heaven? guidelines to live by that must be followed to stay in the good graces of god?

not particularly- while they are rules and guidelines, God will not hate you or be mad at you if you do not follow them.
also, the "rules" you speak of do not get you into heaven. Christianity states that by accepting Jesus as "Lord and Savior" of your life, you, from that point on, are "saved". Being saved, you are already going to Heaven when you die. Following the "rules" is merely obedience to God- somewhat similar to, say, your father. You don't obey him to keep him from getting mad (well, most people don't anyway, there are a few of us who do ), you follow his rules because you want him to be proud of you, be happy. (Not a placating, "keep the old man happy", type of happy, just glad that you obeyed type of happy) You want your Dad to be able to say "That's my girl". (unless you're a rebel, that is) The same thing goes with God in the Christian's relationship with him. It's not that they (although i should be saying "we") try to keep him from getting angry (at least we shouldn't be), it's that we want to please him, make him proud of us.
Make sense?

It really depends on what church you attend in the Christian faith. Some are very, very strict in guidelines, others more relaxed....

By the way, good post Darkwind!

I really don't think it matters what branch of Christianity you worship - or don't - as long as you try to be the best person you can be. But, then again, that is just my opinion and I am sure others out there will disagree.

Wow, we keep going way off subject here!

Sorry

some baptists believe once saved always saved. Meaning if you recieve christ as a child you will always be saved.

So what your saying is that by being saved I can then do anything I want and it won't matter? that leaves your heaven wide open don't you think?

Hmm wait maybe I explained it wrong, it is one of the oldest religions in the world. But it is the oldest Monotheism religion (meaning a religion were there is only one God) just like you said . And Zarathushtra he is the propet of Zerdust and he wrote the book Avesta (holy book) but before he came the religion already excisted he just wrote it down in a book.
Maybe you have heard of Plato the Greek philosopher, he wrote a book about Zoroastrianism were he states that it was founded about 6000 BC. But unfortunally almost every single information about Zerdust has been burned and erased from history by Alexander the Great and later on by the Muslims.

The most famous highlight of the Zerdust religion is the videogame Prince of Persia. Have you ever played Prince of Persia: Warrior Within? The evil bad guy is Dahaka, and that is a real god in Zerdust He has insects, lizards, snakes and all other kinda stuff crawling on his body. Eventually he got captured by Thraetona but no one could actually kill him, not even Thraetona. So instead they just prisoned him there till this day. But the last curse of the Dahaka was that he released all the insects, snakes, scorpions, etc of his body to terrorize the Earth. Eventually he will break free and try to apocalyse, but he will be stopped by another God.

Sorry to go way of topic but I thought it would be cool to share

By the way I was wondering does anybody perhaps know the difference between Hinduism and Buddhism?

A gift has to have two parts, a giver and an acceptor.
Unless you’re pleading your defense as insanity, you would have to give recognition first to the judge and jury and your defense council.
This recognition is a very small price to pay. Not totally free but it is certainly a bargain for what you get in return.

Ok agreed irish but it still comes down to the fact that you have to be more then 'just saved' in order to get thru those pearly gates right?

I can't really say I chose it... but more like, understood what my spiritualness was more.

Simple answer really...

My spirit called for the Goddess and his Consort... for Bast.. and for what I view myself as now. ANd I answered by taking that path.

If I where to give you an invaluable gift from my heart asking nothing in return. I do receive a gift in return without having to ask. That gift is acknowledgement and gratitude and along with that follows respect and love.

and if I accept that gift and then go out and harm others and do many things that would go against what you teach and believe what is that point? would you still want me?

Like a father he would be angry with you but he has already forgiven you.

so what your saying is that as long as a person is baptised and welcomed into the kingdom of heaven what they do from that day on is irrelevant?

Huddhism is an offshoot of Buddhism, when practitioners learned Buddhism and when they returned to India "added" their own touch by altering several different rituals, and created costumes or dress, but basically preforms the same thing. The Budda came from India, Hinduism has no creed, doctrine but was basically a conglomeration of religions that were circulating at the time.
This religion predates monolythic religions, as Shamanism belief is that we are all conected, and their is no separation between God and human, animal or earth.
Freed from superstitions, tribal limitations and ritualistic practices, shamanism developed into a universal spirituality.
These beliefs are not reached through belief or rational argument but through fourfold practice of experiencing them for ourselves, as follows:

1) Recognizing that we are each a spirit with a body, mind and soul, not a body and a mind with a spirit and soul. The spirit is the essense of what
we are and is the essential "I"-The greater self-not the mortal self, which by comparison is the little "i".

2.) Establishing contact with the spirit within---our own spirit----which is the sourse of personal empowerment and individual creativity---rather than depending on some outside power or authority or external spirits of whatever kind.

3.) Realizing that everything is alive. Animals, plants, trees, rocks and stones each have their own form of "alive-ness". Although that aliveness is different from human life it is an awareness of beingall the same. This understanding, once realized, changes the attitude to Mother Earth and all forms of life.

4.)Accepting that there are inner zones or reality which affect and regulate what we experience outwardly. Within these inner realms are helpers, guides and teachers to ensble us to effect change in our outer reality.

Those of us whom have been brought up in modern society, influenced by materialistic science and monotheistic religions, have been conditioned that we l;ive in a three-dimensional world. Our experiences of reality are based on what is perceived through our five physical senses, on what can be "proved" or demonstrated by observation, and by what can be concluded through lateral thought, which we call logic. This conditioned thinking causes us to assume that everything has a beginning and an end, and every effect must have a cause. Western culture is materialistically oriented in spite of it's religious undertones. It assumes that mankind lives in an unfriendly enviornment that has to be controlled and subjugated, and that the earth itself exists in a hostile Universe far from any intelligent life that may exist elsewhere. Its diety is male,and is either outside or separate from his creation, or entered it at one time in human form.
Shanamism opens up an entirely different perspective, according to which:

* Human beings are all related in some way to ALL life forms that share this earth home

* everything is connected, nothing exists in isolation from everything else

* the power of every living thing to be what it is comes from WITHIN it

SOURCE__Shamanic Experience by Kennith Meadows

Turtle Turtle
Great post. Thank you.



That is why it was so confusing I hadn't thought of that. mmm makes a lot of sense. Thanks.

Hey Girl, great question, I can answer in the context of no religon Bacca and i hope that is okay, I trust in my inner truth and the reason i do is it shows me through my experinces that the truth i find inside works the best, how do i moniter this by the guidance i recive (through intuition ) No voices or anything like that just a knowing, I recently had a spat with my sister and it was serious enough to keep her from speaking to me for years my mind wanted to call and patch it up or e-mail to push healing but my intuition said let it be give it time it will resolve itself so from lots of experience I honored my inner wisdom and guess what she called the next day and we talked and she said she needed a day to digest it, its those type of things that encourage me to stay on my path, another way is I'm happy truly , i just truly love my life its perfect for me, for me I'm simple i wake up each day grateful to be around grateful to have a family to love and grateful to hopefully contribute to humanity in a way that is uniquely me. I can't say that my path is perfect for anyone else though I think we are original no two paths should be the same why would a creator want generic???? I don't say my path is the "right " way when you are truly in touch with your inner divinity or whatever you want to call it the last thing you are doing is telling others to follow a certain path those that don't know their essence say this not enlightened people.. If someone is saying you are wrong for not following a certain path they are projecting their own uncertainty and ignorance. namaste Sheri

It's the closest thing I can think of to explain it X)

I was baptised as a Roman Catholic when I was a few days old and was put up for adoption. I was baptised a second time as a Roman Catholic by my adoptive parents when I was about 3 months old.

While I was in my 20s, I had given up on religion all together because I was shocked that "God" would put anyone through so much pain in life. I stopped praying and attending church after my two older children were born (my boys were baptised as Roman Catholics to follow the "family tradition"). When my youngest child was born, I was asked many times over when I would get her baptised by my family, stating that I was brought up in a Roman Catholic home and that it was "the way to go"; much to my dismay, my explanations as to why I was not going to have my daughter baptised would not suffice to appease my brothers and parents.

My daughter seemed fine without any religious upbringing for 6 1/2 years of her life. While attending one of my niece's first communion, she asked me a lot of questions about what was going on and what was being said in Church. Since I felt that I had no strong religious beliefs, I answered her the best I could.

A few months later, I fell ill and my daughter went to live with my sister-in-law while I was in the hospital. In school, they touched a bunch of religions and she would call me to tell me about them.

I never pushed my then 7 year old daughter towards any religions. I never told her "this" was "the way to go". She asked me herself if she could be baptised and I asked her in which religion. She answered that she thought the one that suited her best was "Roman Catholic" which really surprised me (I had never told her that RC was my own religion).

She still isn't baptised because I am waiting to see if this is a thing that'll pass or if she will still ask after a while. So far, she still speaks of Jesus, God and says that she is praying for me to get well and for her brothers to come home.

I find this very overwhelming but I feel that if my child decides that this is what she wants and believes, then, I will go along with her request.

Wait? Are you still ill wabbit? At least that's what I understood in your post. If so, hope you get better soon!

I chose my belief system for the same reasons as JMPD, Silver and Darkwind.

When I was younger I was raised by a family of lapsed Catholics, My mother became a crystal hugger and tarot cards, meditations and even spiritual consultation where just a part of growing up. To find out later in life they were evil was a real kick in the trousers*.

I had a friend who decided to become mormon, because there was a boy in the church she liked and she could not date him unless she was also morman. Many peaople I have known of different faiths have had this same problem. Make sure it's a good Jewish girl, he's got to be Catholic and not just the everyday variety of Catholic either I want an orthodox son in law. I just can't, and could never understand the concept of a religion which only accepts its own.

Through out my life people came to me with books on Witchcraft, old witchcraft not your television nonsence but on the actual history of it. It still happens today, eventually I decided there must have been a reason as to why people did this, it must have been my path in life. I am not a Witch in the sence that Darkwind may be one, Nor am I a crystal hugger, but I am definately of the Earth, to me it is the only reality and one worth respecting.

* haberdashery reference

Thanks alot Turtle that cleared me up

We all do wrong against God. No one's perfect. Being Christian doesn't mean to be perfect. It's when people don't even try not to do wrong that the problem lies. What's the point in saying sorry if you don't mean it?

Regards, PA

PA, doesn't God say to be baptised in the Bible though. Shouldn't you get baptised because it is an outward showing and christ did it. I am sure God won't send a Christian to Hell for not getting baptised but it is what was told.

101 - Baptism is symbolic of our rebirth as new creations. If you remember what John the Baptist said though - something along the lines of "I baptize with water, but there is one coming (he points to Jesus later as that person) who will baptize with Spirit. Jesus also speaks to the Samaritan woman about Living Water.

I'm not saying baptism by water is not a bad thing. but it is by no means a requirement. Jesus provides Living Water that will never dry up and Spiritual rebirth, not just earthly.

Hope that helps.

Regards, PA

not to be difficult but what if you are wrong? Have you ever entertained the idea that what you believe could be a false religion? I have been baptised but I would never think that it would get me into heaven (going on the idea that there is one)

Thats where the element of 'faith' comes into play, no?

"Faith" in the religion you've chosen. "Faith" does not require facts and documentation.

"Faith" and religion are two seperate ideas ya kno.


good journey

PA Right and wrong are relative terms, inthe realm of the absolute they have no meaning, I could as easily say Religon is wrong, Right or wrong it is obviuos it is not effective, As I always say we all grow up sooner or later Namaste Sheri

Thanks PA.

Sherri I agree ones right could be your wrong. I mean is it right to eat meat? To me yes to some no.

101 i don't eat meat or any animal products but if one chooses to I don't say its wrong , nor do I not eat meat because its wrong its just a choice a way to use my life in humanitarian pursuits , It works for me but its not to say it will work for others or should. Namaste sheri

That is good. I just try not to throw away plastic cups -from the restaurant and reuse them.

101 every little bit helps!!! Namaste Sheri

Maybe more people could help. My friend dispises Mcdonalds because they use strofoam. I told him not all the products are packaged in it. But he said that he won't eat their unless he is starving.

Many people do not choose their religion, they are born into it. My family was Catholic and so I was raised. As an adult I considered changes but decided that even if I could not accept Catholic dogma, I wanted to keep the historic link of the church. That is, the Catholic Church is certainly the oldest and with the most direct connections with early Christianity. Finally I decided to continue to go there but to worship for my own reasons.

No no no.. he ment that the food's made from Styrophom.. not packed in it XD

It is Sc?

I'm not at liberty to say...

eeee gads. No wonder I retain water.

Fast food's not good for ya anyways ;P Saying as one who's worked three years at McDonalds. X)

I worked at Arbys as a teen. I mean I was so greasy when I left. I swear.

Yeah.. took a month to degreese >.<

Ahhh this is how the urben legend begin.

with fast food.

XD but ofcourse!

At times, I have wondered if I'm wrong. Let's face it, I could be. But I don't believe I am. I have found nothing to say I am wrong. So until the time comes that my faith deserts me, I'll stick with what i think is right. What else can I do?

Anyhow, you're right about Baptism. It can't get you into heaven.

Not to be difficult, but what if you are wrong?

Regards, PA

I chose to be Protestant because it best suits me, aka non-denominational christian. I am very aware of what all religions stand for and I also merge some ideas from others into by belief system. You can say I have my own religion I guess

I think that's the best way to go. Take things that seem correct to you, and match them up. Instead of following a religion cuz eventually you'll find at least one thing you do not agree with. And why stay in one religion if you dissagree with some of what it beleives?

That's my belief. I disagree with some of what my church teaches. But I attend church not because I believe everything that they say, but to fellowship with other believers. I do learn, hell, I even teach and preach on occasion too. If I were to only meet up with christians that shared exactly my beliefs, then I'd never meet up with any, and neither would anyone else, because no one has exactly the same ideas.

Our main themes and big ideas are the same though, and that is what's important to me. Little differences is what leads to fanatacism and fundamentalism.

Regards, PA

Eureka! And this is the winner!

As I have said elsewhere, religion, and faith are the two most personal and intimate concepts ever created.

To each of us is given the spirit to commune with God as we each see fit.

To some, it is sitting in a building for one hour on one day of the week, absorbing the recitation of a 'teacher'.
For others, it is a more involved interaction with their concept of god.

In the end, it matters not whether you worship on Sundays, or Saturdays, or Fridays, or on the night of a full moon. What matters, utimately, is the fact that you have a religion that suits you.

It shouldn't matter to you if I pray in the forsest under a silver moon, or in the most magnificent temple on the planet. Just as it shouldn't matter to me how you pray.

In the end, there are many paths to the creator/God/Gaia/Father whatever your concept may be. And the sooner that all men and women can absorb this, the better the race will be.


good journey

Yay PA I agree. I feel like some people just forget to incorporate God into their personal life. They just think God is a man at church and no where else. God is my friend who knows everything about me. And I love him for that. Personally God is very important to me and my life. What I have is a personal relationship. I belive Paul said it find your own salvation through Christ Jesus.