do you beleive in God!!??

[Venuslady]

To explain why I said "no" - that I don't believe in "gawd" is mainly because of the way I was treated when I was younger.... everyone seemed to make an effin' HOBBY out of running MY life! It seriously got to the point where I couldn't even BREATHE without having to ask some A-holes' PERMISSION! And if the christian "god" existed, what did he do about it? You got it - NOTHING. And being severly bullied when I was in school only added to it. As I got older and looked into the bible, I saw how ANTI-FEMALE it is. EXCUSE ME but I'm female - and proud! I don't think the xtian "god" precious little fragile MALE ego can handle THAT. Oh well, that's HIS problem, NOT mine....

Being that I have a large amount of Native American blood in me, I turned to the ways of my ancestors. The Pagan Path came very natural for me. I could me MYSELF, and not have to humiliate myself to pat some "god's" EGO. (THAT gets old REAL fast....) I can stand before the EarthMother UNASHAMED and can stand on EQUAL footing with my hubby. The Pagan Path just seemed WAY more balanced, and that's why I chose it....

(sorry about the longbutt post!)  

[ThisEmptySoul]

wow Venus.... can you make it any more obvious that you're a feminist that's completely bitter at Christianity?

Venuslady

I can stand before the EarthMother...

To you, EarthMother would be God {or Goddess if you would prefer something more feminine sounding}. That means you believe in God{dess}. To believe in God does not mean being Christian nor being anti-female. Additionally, just because your understanding of Christianity is that it is anti-female does not mean Christianity is -actually- anti-female.

I believe in God. In Gaudiya Vaishnavism {a type of Hinduism}, Krishna is God, but God is not "complete" without Radha. Radha {His eternal female consort} makes Him whole. Therefore, it is considered the highest service to worship Radha Krishna.... that is, Radha and Krishna together.  

[Daffodil the Destroyer]

I think that gods are constructs of the human mind. They are personifications of the natural order of things that help people feel like bad events happen for a reason. I dislike being pitied for my beliefs by theists and find it a bit patronising, but being that I live in the Bible Belt, I suppose pity is easier to deal with than hatred (which I could just as easily encounter). I don't need to believe that morality laws were set in stone by an invisible sky-man in order to be a moral person. wink

 

[Ragnor144]

I'm an atheist, but I strongly believe in the need to have freedom of conscience to keep a free society. Civil society has a limited right to restrict actions, but not belief.

Of course I cannot prove there is no god / gods, but human actions like genocides make no sense to me if there is a benevolent and omniscient power. The "gift" of free will does not seem like a good enough reason to allow the murder of millions. Chimps have been observed committing murder - we've just taken it to a higher level.

I believe the common elements of religions reflect the deepest needs humans have. The Golden Rule is in many religions because it keeps civilization going.

And a note for the Christians - please don't declare loudly that you are going to pray for us. [I've re-written this about 10 times trying to word it correctly, but I am failing.] "I'll pray for you" often sounds condescending. I don't lecture people about their "invisible space daddy" because I find that needlessly offensive and condescending. None of us know FOR SURE. I have no objection to anyone praying for whatever they see fit, just please remember that even the New Testament says not to make a show out of it. Most Christians are wonderful people, it is just that the loudest ones are not the typical ones.  

[Venuslady]

ThisEmptySoul

wow Venus.... can you make it any more obvious that you're a feminist that's completely bitter at Christianity?

Venuslady

I can stand before the EarthMother...

To you, EarthMother would be God {or Goddess if you would prefer something more feminine sounding}. That means you believe in God{dess}. To believe in God does not mean being Christian nor being anti-female. Additionally, just because your understanding of Christianity is that it is anti-female does not mean Christianity is -actually- anti-female.

I believe in God. In Gaudiya Vaishnavism {a type of Hinduism}, Krishna is God, but God is not "complete" without Radha. Radha {His eternal female consort} makes Him whole. Therefore, it is considered the highest service to worship Radha Krishna.... that is, Radha and Krishna together.

Bitter? well, maybe I am.... I just found the xtian "god's" attitude to be a complete turnoff and his attitude about women sounds like something that a little kid in grade school would say! IF he exists, he SERIOUSLY needs to GROW UP!

That being said, yes, I am a bit of a feminist.... Despite what the bible says, I think that men and women are EQUAL - no if's and's or buts. One should not be held above the other. We are 2 halves of a whole. My hubby is not less than me, and I am not less than him. When one partner has the advantage, that's when trouble starts.

Besides, I just SERIOUSLY got sick of everyone but myself having control of MY life. As I said, that gets OLD fast. I was never allowed to control everyone elses life, so where is it fair that I can't control MINE? Giimme a break. As Daffodil said, I don't need an invisible sky-man to be a moral person....  

[mrssavannah]

I don't believe in god, I am an evolutionist and the idea of god makes no sense to me. I do, however, believe in christian values. I believe that Jesus was a great philosopher and his teachings with regard to how we should live are the values that all humans should adhere to.

I would like to add that I am aware that I may be wrong about god, and I believe in everybody's right to their own thoughts on the matter smile  

[ThisEmptySoul]

Venuslady

I just found the xtian "god's" attitude to be a complete turnoff and his attitude about women sounds like something that a little kid in grade school would say! IF he exists, he SERIOUSLY needs to GROW UP!

Again, this is your -interpretation- of Christianity speaking. I am not saying you need to be Christian or even religious at all, but it is hurtful to speak of other religions in such an insulting manner, especially when what is being said is not true.

You don't ascribe to it, that's fine. I don't particularly care for Christianity either, but I do not claim it to be "sexist" just to make myself feel better about not believing in it.

A lot of the Bible is made up of stories meant to teach some kind of lesson. The way women are regarded within the Bible is due to when it was written, at a time in which such treatment was considered normal. In modern times, it is very rare to find anyone using the Bible as justification for sexism, as most people in the western world {including Christians} already consider men and women to be equal.  

[Georgia Gator]

chdllthstll

I believe there is a God there is only one God. I believe that Jesus is the the Truth and the only way to heaven. I believe he died for me and everyone else. I dont believe its right to belittle anyone for what they believe. I will tell anyone who is wanting or willing to listen about Jesus. I will not push myself or my beliefs on anyone. You dont want to talk about it I will not talk about it.

I agree whole-heartedly with this. :3

 

[Venuslady]

The way I look at it is.... the christian "god" was never there when I needed him, so I don't owe him any loyalty....  

[ThisEmptySoul]

if that was in response to me, Venus, what I was talking about had nothing to do with loyalty. Regardless of your feelings about Christianity or "the Christian God", to say the things you were saying is disrespectful to Christians.

Think what you want about the religion, but the people who believe in it don't deserve your attacks as they have done nothing wrong to you. Even in the instance that there were some Christians that had wronged you in the past, that does not apply to the Christian community as a whole.

If you expect to have your personal beliefs respected, then you need to respect the beliefs of others.  

[AngelBabis]

Living in Utah my entire life I was raised as a Mormon.. but as the years past I was questioning everything.. not just Mormonism but religion in general..
At this point in my life I dont believe in the bible. I believe and please I dont want hate mail for my opinions but I believe that religion is just another way to control people and I believe its a fairy tale or a way to keep your children from misbehaving like santa claus... I have seen no proof or felt proof of "Gods" exsistence in my entire life.
Religion has been around for thousands of years and I dont believe that there is one true "God" think about it. To fight over whos God is the True God is ridiculous its causing trouble for no reason.

Who knows what will happen to me when I die, but to be honest I dont believe in heaven or hell...  

[Daffodil the Destroyer]

AngelBabis

Living in Utah my entire life I was raised as a Mormon.. but as the years past I was questioning everything.. not just Mormonism but religion in general..
At this point in my life I dont believe in the bible. I believe and please I dont want hate mail for my opinions but I believe that religion is just another way to control people and I believe its a fairy tale or a way to keep your children from misbehaving like santa claus... I have seen no proof or felt proof of "Gods" exsistence in my entire life.
Religion has been around for thousands of years and I dont believe that there is one true "God" think about it. To fight over whos God is the True God is ridiculous its causing trouble for no reason.

Who knows what will happen to me when I die, but to be honest I dont believe in heaven or hell...

It's nobody's place to send you hate mail (or anyone else, for that matter) solely based on your beliefs or nonbeliefs.

 

[Pink Fregia]

I believe in God. I live my life in thanks to him.  

[Keisaku Hakurei]

Jehovah's Witness (Christian), so yes I do.