Why do/don't you believe in a higher power? (Any HP)

[The New California Republic]

Then give me hell.

Many sins are FUN. Lust, gluttony and sloth especially.

Heaven does sound awfully boring.

In Heaven all the interesting people are missing.

[Andsed]

So you can't sin in heaven right?

Then give me hell.

Many sins are FUN. Lust, gluttony and sloth especially.

So you can't sin in heaven right?

Ugh. I'd rather be in Hell.

Agreed I mean if I have to give up sex, being lazy, and eating ridiculous amounts of food I would rather be eternally dammed.

[Berhakonia]

If you're looking for a reason to convert, you won't find one here. My faith in God rests on different motivations than your faith or lack-of-faith, everyone has a different reason to believe.

I am quite happy and confident with my religion, that's all that should matter

[Neutraligon]

If god is all powerful and all knowing why was a new covenant ever needed?

To mend the previous rift with humanity.

And why did that rift exist?

[The Blaatschapen]

Then give me hell.

Many sins are FUN. Lust, gluttony and sloth especially.

Ugh. I'd rather be in Hell.

Agreed I mean if I have to give up sex, being lazy, and eating ridiculous amounts of food I would rather be eternally dammed.

Not having those three things is a damnation by itself.

Though there still would be alcohol?

[Nuclear Wastelands]

Religion has helped me through rough times where being an Atheist is more of a hindrance.

I would be quite interested in hearing in what ways you think being an atheist can be a hindrance.

I've gone through some dark Times, to say the Least. Not believing in an Afterlife doesn't help me, so I still am Religious.

Believing in a God has helped me through some rough times where not believing in a Benevolent Deity and not believing in an Afterlife during that time would probably result with me not being here anymore.

Praying to My God helped a lot, and helped me seek the help I needed. I still need Religion as a crutch for me, so I'm still religous and might be religious for the rest of my Life.

I would be quite interested in hearing in what ways you think being an atheist can be a hindrance.

Depending on where you live it can be very socially exclusionary, potentially even deadly, to be openly atheistic

Not Really. My Parents respected it when I was an Atheist, and My State isn't really religious.

It's not like I was being mocked for being religious, just had some tough Times that Religion helped me through.

[Hrythingland]

To mend the previous rift with humanity.

And why did that rift exist?

Back in a circle again. Because humans broke his laws and gave in to greed, vanity, violence and all sorts of other nice things.

[Cekoviu]

Oh, that reminds me - God/Jesus is a paradox. To be both yourself and your son, you have to go back in time and perform carnal acts with your mother, but you wouldn't exist unless you had done so before you existed.

From what I know/remember, the Lord isn't the Son and neither are the Holy Spirit. However, the Lord is God, the Son is God, and the Holy Spirit is God. The same God.

So by basic logic:
P1: The Son is God.
P2: The Lord (the father of the Son) is God.
C1: Therefore, the Son is the Lord.

[Neutraligon]

And why did that rift exist?

Back in a circle again. Because humans broke his laws and gave in to greed, vanity, violence and all sorts of other nice things.

And why did they do that? Don't forget you where the one who told me that free will exists in heaven, so why is it that there is not sin in heaven and yet free will, and there is sin down here while still having free will.

[Berhakonia]

Then give me hell.

Many sins are FUN. Lust, gluttony and sloth especially.

Ugh. I'd rather be in Hell.

Agreed I mean if I have to give up sex, being lazy, and eating ridiculous amounts of food I would rather be eternally dammed.

I don't think I'll ever understand why people place lust, greed and gluttony on such high a pedestal. Overconsumption makes me feel sick to the core and I'm not a fan of abusing my own body.

[Alvecia]

Agreed I mean if I have to give up sex, being lazy, and eating ridiculous amounts of food I would rather be eternally dammed.

I don't think I'll ever understand why people place lust, greed and gluttony on such high a pedestal. Overconsumption makes me feel sick to the core and I'm not a fan of abusing my own body.

Everything in moderation, including moderation.

[Cekoviu]

No only dutch sheep. The sheep in Britain, be they grazing on the misty valleys of Glamorganshire, the heathersome highlands or the green and pleasant land of England are good, god fearing beasts.

The Welsh are not gods.

They're demigods, wrth gwrs.

[Andsed]

I would be quite interested in hearing in what ways you think being an atheist can be a hindrance.

I've gone through some dark Times, to say the Least. Not believing in an Afterlife doesn't help me, so I still am Religious.

Believing in a God has helped me through some rough times where not believing in a Benevolent Deity and not believing in an Afterlife during that time would probably result with me not being here anymore.

Praying to My God helped a lot, and helped me seek the help I needed. I still need Religion as a crutch for me, so I'm still religous and might be religious for the rest of my Life.

Depending on where you live it can be very socially exclusionary, potentially even deadly, to be openly atheistic

Not Really. My Parents respected it when I was an Atheist, and My State isn't really religious.

It's not like I was being mocked for being religious, just had some tough Times that Religion helped me through.

For the first part I will say this. I am a huge criticizer of religion but credit where credit is due it does help with self fulfillment.

For the second part well you got lucky to have such accepting parents and peers but many atheist across the world are not so lucky.

[The Blaatschapen]

Agreed I mean if I have to give up sex, being lazy, and eating ridiculous amounts of food I would rather be eternally dammed.

I don't think I'll ever understand why people place lust, greed and gluttony on such high a pedestal. Overconsumption makes me feel sick to the core and I'm not a fan of abusing my own body.

Then you're doing it wrong.

[Andsed]

Agreed I mean if I have to give up sex, being lazy, and eating ridiculous amounts of food I would rather be eternally dammed.

I don't think I'll ever understand why people place lust, greed and gluttony on such high a pedestal. Overconsumption makes me feel sick to the core and I'm not a fan of abusing my own body.

Having sex is not abusing your body.

[Andronnia]

Aww I am late to the thread. damn.

[Cekoviu]

Agreed I mean if I have to give up sex, being lazy, and eating ridiculous amounts of food I would rather be eternally dammed.

I don't think I'll ever understand why people place lust, greed and gluttony on such high a pedestal. Overconsumption makes me feel sick to the core and I'm not a fan of abusing my own body.

Eh, lust is pretty fun. But greed and gluttony typically result in misery.

[United States of the Universe]

I heard a quote that I can only paraphrase, but I got the gist: to a believer, no proof is necessary, but to an unbeliever, proof is impossible.

[Neutraligon]

I don't think I'll ever understand why people place lust, greed and gluttony on such high a pedestal. Overconsumption makes me feel sick to the core and I'm not a fan of abusing my own body.

Eh, lust is pretty fun. But greed and gluttony typically result in misery.

...much of our society runs due to minor levels of greed.

[Hrythingland]

Agreed I mean if I have to give up sex, being lazy, and eating ridiculous amounts of food I would rather be eternally dammed.

Not having those three things is a damnation by itself.

Though there still would be alcohol?

Sex is for children. You can still have it, and bring lots of smiling faces into the world if you enjoy doing it.
Being lazy is not good anyway... and you can eat as much food as you like so long as it does not damage you or are depriving someone else of their fair share.

Of course there is alcohol. We catholics drink like bloody fish. It's not a catholic meal if there isn't freely flowing wine/beer and not finished off with a few wee drams o whisky. You also forget that God is an English gentleman so there'll be plenty of time to have a good few pints of ale whilst watching cricket on the green and maybe a gin and tonic after dinner too.

[Cekoviu]

Eh, lust is pretty fun. But greed and gluttony typically result in misery.

...much of our society runs due to minor levels of greed.

Minor. To my knowledge, greed is typically considered to be a mortal sin only in large levels.

[Valrifell]

From what I know/remember, the Lord isn't the Son and neither are the Holy Spirit. However, the Lord is God, the Son is God, and the Holy Spirit is God. The same God.

So by basic logic:
P1: The Son is God.
P2: The Lord (the father of the Son) is God.
C1: Therefore, the Son is the Lord.

Yes, by basic logic.

But deities, by their nature, are paradoxical and could not exist unless you already believe such a power could exist. Using logic to disprove religion and Christianity as concepts are just dead ends.

[Geneviev]

But if God came to me in a dream and said he was real, then that would make him real.

No it would make you crazy and you will be sent to an asylum. If your hearing voices in your head it's not god your crazy.

As much as I'm sure you think that's true, God still speaks to people now. That doesn't make them crazy, it means he's real.

[Neutraligon]

No it would make you crazy and you will be sent to an asylum. If your hearing voices in your head it's not god your crazy.

As much as I'm sure you think that's true, God still speaks to people now. That doesn't make them crazy, it means he's real.

Prove it.

[The Blaatschapen]

Not having those three things is a damnation by itself.

Though there still would be alcohol?

Sex is for children. You can still have it, and bring lots of smiling faces into the world if you enjoy doing it.
Being lazy is not good anyway... and you can eat as much food as you like so long as it does not damage you or are depriving someone else of their fair share.

Of course there is alcohol. We catholics drink like bloody fish. It's not a catholic meal if there isn't freely flowing wine/beer and not finished off with a few wee drams o whisky. You also forget that God is an English gentleman so there'll be plenty of time to have a good few pints of ale whilst watching cricket on the green and maybe a gin and tonic after dinner too.

God being English does explain a lot