...should I accept Jesus Christ as my personal savior? Why should I be born again? I am willing to entertain any and all opinions on this as I have yet to make up my mind on this matter. Although I've stated previousy that I'm an atheist, I agree with another member of this board who states that I'm more of an agnostic than anything else. I am very familiar with Christian beliefs as I've been a Lutheran, Mormon, and Methodist in previous years. The bigget problem I have with christianity and religion in general is the following points:

*Your religion is partly due to geography. If the christian members here were born in Asia, they would be Buddhist. If they were born in India, they would be Hindu. If you were in Japan, perhaps you would follow Taoism or Shintoism. How is this not the case?

*Part of becoming "born again" is to have a new found feeling. A swelling from within the heart if you will. With that being said, Muslim, Buddhist, and other religious followers note the same feeling. How are your feelings any different or more valid than theirs?

*Christianity in many respects hasn't been *progressive* enough to me. Interracial marriage, slavery, women's rights, as well as gay marriage are issues where organized religion have moved at a snail's pace, although in 90% of the cases I list previously, no one thinks twice about interracial marraige. A great case of "changing morals" brought about by people and dragging the church into the 20th century.

Please answer these concerns as well along with your reasoning as to why I should accept Jesus Christ into my life.

If you are agnostic/atheist-feel free to state why I shouldn't.

You shouldnt accept anything into your life simply on what others have said. You have to research for yourself, find out what works for you, what makes you feel right inside.

Well thats my thought anyway.
God Bless,
Aale.

Okay, I can accept that. At the same time, I can get warm fuzzies at a mosque, a synagogue, Mormon temple, Lutheran chapel, or a Buddhist shrine. Heck, I get warm fuzzies at the coffee place and library. How is one to judge whether any of these warm feelings that "makes me feel right inside" more valid than the others? Ohhhhhhh, the condundrums.

I believe that Christianity is a bit outmoded. Gay marriage is an excellent example. But the thing is, Jesus is not responsible for women's rights or a ban on gay marriage. That's people in power who are partially responsible.

Well, some people say that all religions are ultimately one, as they follow a basic principle of a higher power or acknowledging something deeper in the world. Which faith do you agree with most? Which are you willing to abide by for the rest of your life? Which do you think is the truth? And completely, which will give you peace?

God Bless.

I agree. In the end, its a lot like a popularity contest really. Which group outnumbers the other groups? The biggest, the majority, usually makes the rules, despite faith.

Ah yes, may the biggest steeple win.

Popularity does not equal validity.

True that. In the end, its not "A state under God," but rather, "A state catering to whatever we want."

I dont think religion can modernise. Thats my opinion anyway. It can in some ways, and cant in others.

Right like that passage in Leviticus. I'm paraphrasing here...
"If a man lieth with another man, his blood shall be upon him". How the hell do you modernize that? You can't.

Science can evolve with religion, Im sure God supports education and knowledge. But see that kind of stuff wouldnt work. Its a "Gods way or the highway" situation. And if you make that law, you would have to follow through with other laws of the sort.
Its different from laws like, thou shalt not kill. Thats just human morals.

Well stoning gay people for example...I don't consider that a part of human morality. However, there was an homosexual that was hanged a few months ago. Shocks me that that still goes on.

Neither. I think the law should be something along the lines of, do what you want, just dont advertise it.
In a world with this many people, the only thing we, as a population, can do, is simply accept people's differences. People will think differently, act differently, do many things differently. The easiest and most peaceful path is acceptance.

Whoops, I just remembered they do kill gay people. I just wrote that in my previous post. I forget which country punishes them. But I guess in a way it *is* modern. How amiss of me.

I agree here. That makes it more interesting.

Well depending on what part of the world you are in, yes and no. In places like America, England and Australia, you have LOTS of nationalities and LOTS of faiths. Its a mixed bag. In other countries, I agree with you.
I think it does make it more interesting, you know, travelling to a new place where people have their own dogmas, own style almost. It helps keep ancient knowledge alive, by not introducing other faiths with other ideas. And in no way did I mean that in a racist manner.

It didn't sound racist at all. In fact I think some faiths don't need to be tampered with. Just to maintain their purity really.

Yeah thats what I thought. Some faiths have amazing architectural structures, and just even the way they design the country. I think that shouldnt be changed or altered or modernised. If we modernise everything, the entire world will end up being the same. I think culture and faith makes the world rich in history. That sort of stuff.

Firstly, what has been said is the best suggestion you could have. Do your own research and find what's good for you.

That said, I would like to point out that Christianity isn't about feeling warm and fuzzy. At least, not in my opinion. I am well aware there are churches out there that concentrate on lovey-dovey touchey-feely type emotions, filled with Charismatically themed imagery and the like. I for one find that these churches concentrate on the wrong thing. As I said, Christianity isn't an emotion, a way to feel "good". CHristianity is all about Jesus' death on the cross. I've been to some churches where the songs don't even mention God and they are sometimes something you might even hear on LoveSong Dedications on 106.5 (aussie radio station FYI).

The obvious danger (for a Christian at least) is that focusing on these emotions leads to dependence on these emotions, so when you feel "bad", well, God obviously isn't with you. So, as I say, Christianity isn't about how you feel, but about what God has done.

Ok, to wrap it up, just do your own research. Feelings are misleading. As the Jedi say "Your thoughts betray you, don't trust them"

All the best with your search

Regards, PA

Modern can equal ugly anyway
You take an old-fashioned mosque, or church, and I can see the beauty in it, as opposed to a modern bricked one. There is a lot of grandeur to some things but I appreciate the time and effort put into the structure of places or the images in religious manuscripts.

Just to add...I REALLY like making fun of that radio station.




I totally agree with you here. For me, modern equals fast. Everything built is just fast. Old Mosques and Churches are utterly amazing, because each structure was built with care. Each detail took time. Now its like you just put cement then shove on some bricks and presto, you got yourself new apartment blocks, which look horrible.
I think its the fact that older things have the human touch in them. Some man or woman actually used their hands and imagination to make it. Thats what modernity doesnt have.

The human touch.
We can turn that ^ into a lovesong dedication.

Religion has brought about the most beautiful architechture in the world, and ironically has helped humans destroy themselves and each other. It all depends on how one interprets the text, or how one is moved.
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But I think to pray in this place must be pretty moving.

I don't know why you asked this...

You are predisposed to analyze religion to the fullest, so there is none who can satisfy you, I am certain about that. I would suggest being only spiritual, like Alfred Russel Wallace, co-discoverer of evolution by natural selection. I am certain he had more conflicts with religion than those that you have...

"I am thankful I can see much to admire in all religions"
- Alfred Russel Wallace

I do too. I was just using it as an example

Agreed. I think that nowadays there is far too much information for people to handle. There's too many ideas being planted in their psyche, and they dont end up following their religion correctly. Most, if not all, religions preach peace, dont they?

Praying in that place would be breathtaking. I would have no trouble slipping into Enlightenment.

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How much time and effort would that have taken, to simply inscribe that.

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Amazing detail and structure.

Yup thats why i absolutely love Europe and the Middle East. Historic buildings of religious influence that i can just stare at all day. Down here in Sydney, Australia...Our history isnt very rich, but you can clearly see old from new- St.Mary's Cathedral in Sydney City is a sandstone building of Gothic architecture and i've been in it, its breathtaking.



PS- Sometimes small is cute

I agree with the earlier statements about older buildings have a certain charm to them as opposed to most modern buildings. The Temple in my hiome town was a thing to see. It was old and it had the aura of histoy. The new Temple just looks like almost every other church in the state. Just a building with four white walls. It is bigger and all but, it doesn't have that same feel to it that the older one had.

I hope they didn't knock down the old one to build the new as happens far too often. It saddens me that so many things have been lost due to "modernisation". I know there are laws regarding listed buildings etc in the UK (unsure of other countries) but in my point of view these came too little too late. One local example was a 14th century tithe barn. It had stood virtually unchanged and in the 1960's some developer knocked it down and built a housing estate on it No-one had thought to capture this piece of important history in any way shape or form before the demolition, or even thought of moving it to a safe place before building.

Ah, but see-if I do that, I could possibly choose wrong and end up burning in hell for all eternity.

I like the "all paths lead to one" philosophy of the Bahai faith, but they are a very small sect and getting to gether with a large number of other believers would be next to impossible where I live.

The only christian groups that have been progressive neough for me have been the Quakers and Unitarians. Like the Bahai followers, also small groups in my state.

Only you can weigh the evidence in your heart and make the choice that you feel is best for you.

All religions offer guidance and advice about morality, spiritual paths, how to treat others ect.However the unique thing about Christian believe is that the Creator Himself realized that mankind was unable too fully comprehend the results of his flaws/sins against Him. And provided a just sentence off DEATH upon all sinners.
This sentence was than served by Himself (through His only begotten Son Jesus Christ) God himself became 100% human to accomplish this feat. And through Faith and faith alone (NOT WORKS OR SPIRITUAL ENLIGHTMENTS) provided a way for us too return to our Fathers house.
This fact sets Christianity aside from all world religions including atheistis.
There is a personal decision that each of us must make and only two possible answers!
1. Jesus Christ is either the greatest charlatan that ever existed or never existed!
OR
2. Jesus Christ was telling the truth!
No one can answer for another, as old man Ripley once said “Believe it or not”


May God bless you on your search for Him.
Irish

In regards to the comments about beautiful church buildings, remember this.
Having membership in a church is NOT a prerequisite for salvation. Acceptance of what Christ accomplished IS.
Christians are encouraged to join a church to have fellowship with like minded friends and for biblical education. There are many Christians who have never set foot within a church building. The church really is as Jesus said......

Math 18:20 For where two or three are gathered together in my name,(Jesus Christ) there am I in the midst of them.

Irish

I like the philosophy as well but to me there is no one path to God. And you don't have to go to a breathtaking church to understand God. The embellishments are nice, but you have to do what's in your heart sometimes.

Look into lots of different faiths, look into older and newer ones. Some faiths you'll have to ask people about, like mine it is near impossible to find anything about it outside of Africa.


P.S. Yele I'm talking about the pre Kemetic Netjer one.

Fakirs or Sufis, believe that it is not so much the religion you choose, because every religion will lead back to the Higher Power anyway. So there is no one path to God, as Yelekiah said.

exactly, beleive what YOU WANT TO BELEIVE, its called instinct, listen to that and not your intellect, as thats open to influence[often many times sublimal, very dangerous]. Listen to your instinct, and it'll all be A-O K, honestly.

Hmm. Listen to your intellect and your instinct, because if you have tuned them well, they will go hand in hand. Do not listen to ignorance.

well actually that is the point mate, thats why ying yangs are there, to remind us of that balance that must be kept. But u must admit our intellects are more likely to be tampered with[T.V ?] than out instincts, which are genetic memories of countless tens, hundreds of thousand of years of evolution keeping us sharp and trying to remind despite what we think, keep us right. But yes bringing them together is the objective, hard though eh.

I understand what you mean about the mind being influenced by things like TV. I also think though, that our instincts, which a lot of people have ignored for a long time, will be rusty too. Best to keep them polished. But I understand what you mean.

I certainly see the point about intellect/instinct. I'd have to say that one's intellect is not any better than pure blind faith. While I agree that it's better than dogma when it comes to being *progressive* and forward-thinking on social matters, we as humans do have some pre-conceptions. One of the things that the philosopher Krishnamurti pointed out is that those who claim to "search" things out are finding the answer already-it's just that they might not be conscious of it.

There has to be a balance between instinct and intellect. Both things are very useful, when balanced. You cant run on pure blind faith, and you cant build your walls up because you refuse to believe something you cant see. The balance is the key.