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Old 06-14-2010, 08:41 PM
 
Location: Cedar Park, TX
580 posts, read 1,078,669 times
Reputation: 399

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I have a number of problems with religion in general, but I'm also open to it in a way.

I guess my single biggest problem with religion in general (and especially Christianity in this context) is that I honestly do not see what it is that makes God so great. Yes this can be a very beautiful world that we live in, but it can also be a very terrible world. The things I see happening in the world appear to me to be caused by people, the environment, or simply dumb luck. And in none of those factors do I see any sort of benevolent being at work. It's all very chaotic, and I'm not saying chaotic as in the "Satanist" idea of violent chaos, but merely things happening as the wills of millions of individuals working with and/or against each other. I guess from reading much of the Old Testament and seeing how much influence the so-called God had in that time, and then comparing that with today's world, I just don't see any correlation. So that for me is a huge blow against Christianity's credibility.

In fact, while I find the teachings of Christ in the NT to be very advanced for their day, I find the OT completely full of ridiculous things too numerous to go into detail about here.

I also don't understand the whole concept behind Jesus Christ being sacrificed to save the world. As I understand it, God sent his son (who was technically also himself, right?) to spread the word of his own glory, and then had him killed in order to save the Earth? So he was using his son (that is, himself) as a sacrifice to save the world? That doesn't really compute with me. Could someone please clarify?

And the whole concept behind original sin is also a huge puzzlement for me. If humans are prone to stray away from the supposed light, but we are also created by a creator, then doesn't the problem lie with the creator? I understand that a whole list of analogies could be drawn up to disprove me, such as a car being built by human hands ending up with problems of its own due to normal wear. But this isn't a car-builder or, shall I say, a watchmaker, or anything else; this is a supposedly all-powerful being. Why then are people so flawed if they are created by an all-knowing being?

Therefore, I'll admit I kind of cringe every time someone says how God is good and God is great and all that. Much of it seems to me to be very...mindless, I kind of want to say, though I don't mean to sound that confrontational.

I believe there's also a passage in the OT, though I don't remember exactly where, that says something to the effect of God realizing his errors and vowing never again to smite life from the Earth (as he did with Sodom and Gomorrah, and in the Great Flood). Well that doesn't sound like an all-powerful, all-wise, omnipotent Being to me. If true, that sounds like a very human being with immense power, who makes mistakes all the time. If nature was created via intelligent design, then the intelligence behind it was not perfect. Yes, the mysteries and phenomena in genetics are truly wondrous, but people are still born handicapped, and still born mentally deficient in some way, and even still-born period. I don't mean to sound like a pessimist who always looks at the bad, but many Christians to me seem to always look at the good and act like the bad doesn't exist (many, but not all, of course). Hell, there are hurricanes and earthquakes and tornadoes and all manner of natural phenomena that cause great losses of life. At the same time, there are beautiful sunsets and winters and summers and everything else.

I guess I'm just rambling, but my biggest problem really is why should I have to worship something that I feel isn't really worthy of worship? God is a great idea, but I'm nto sure how much I trust it in practicality. Thoughts?
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Old 06-14-2010, 08:52 PM
 
Location: Cedar Park, TX
580 posts, read 1,078,669 times
Reputation: 399
Quote:
Originally Posted by Gplex View Post

YouTube - Christian Justice

This video sums part of the problem I have...
!!! Damn that's funny in a very horrible way! But you know what, that is kind of how I feel some times.

Though to be fair, I've also heard it analogized to a parent and a son or daughter. That is, that God will punish the individual for whatever crimes they have committed in this life.

Of course, why the individual would then get to live out the rest of his or her life after committing a horrible act and only THEN being punished is completely beyond me.
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Old 06-14-2010, 11:12 PM
 
397 posts, read 606,827 times
Reputation: 55
im a former christian converted to islam. i had many problems with christianity when i really started to read the bible and try and understand it. not only all the contradictions but in genesis the first 2 chapters contradict eachother as far as the order of creation. someone once told me that thats just the way moses wrote, but theres no proof to back that up. not only that but jesus crying out to god on the mountain and then god saying to christ (peace be upon him) himself, that no harm will befall him and then not too long after, he got beaten very badly and then crucified. so what did god lie to his only son? not only that but in the bible it says that Adam was the son of god. and where did this whole son concept come from? the "capital S"? the original bible was written in hebrew which means that there were no capitals, meaning someone at some point in time just wanted to make jesus the one and only son of god. but then the whole father son and holy spirit deal comes in. well obviously the "son" of god supposibly died, meaning a part of god died right? that doesnt sound like the god that we would worship if a part of him could die....
it talks
so i came to the conclusion after studying islam that muhammad was a messenger of god. it talks about the arrival of muhammad and the quran that he will bring. it says that the messenger will be lik moses and if you compare muhammad they have numerous similarities. thats just me but something else, supposibly luvifer/the devil/satan was a fallen "angel" because he disobeyed god, however it was my understanding that angels could NOT disobey god.... theres many more things but thats already enough to get me out of christianity.... it doesnt make sense. and humdallah, the quran says that the bible has been tampered with. that makes sense because if someone messed with the bible it wouldnt make sense, which it doesnt, humdallah.... this was just my story, this was no disrespect toward anyone really. its just how i was "turned off" by christianity...
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Old 06-15-2010, 10:24 AM
 
Location: Colorado Springs, CO
3,331 posts, read 5,940,811 times
Reputation: 2082
I have no problem Christianity or Islam on their own. Though I don't believe in it, I have no problem with those who do. The only problem I have with Christianity (or any faith) is the proselytizing and attempts to create national policy based on religion. Believe what you will, enjoy it, I hope it makes you happy. But when people proselytize, especially those who go about it in a very insistant or coercive way, well, you have a fight coming and a fight you most certainly will get. I certainly do not attempt to get others to follow my way and it would be nice to get the same consideration from those who follow Christianity or Islam. Please keep in mind that when I mention these two faiths, I am almost exclusively speaking about the fundamentalist/evangelical versions of them.
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Old 01-13-2011, 02:42 PM
 
2 posts, read 3,045 times
Reputation: 10
Sukrill, you mention a whole lot of parts in the bible but you don't list where in the bible you read them which makes it difficult to answer. Also, where does the son concept come from? I cannot remember reading anywhere in the bible where Adam is called the son of God. Maybe you could help me with that. In regards to the question of part of God dying, Jesus' flesh part of him died but the part of him that is God lives on and currently sits by the throne of God. In regards to your question about angels, they have free will just like humans except they do not have a chance for repentance for their sins. If you have any other questions i'm happy to answer you.
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Old 01-13-2011, 03:01 PM
 
2 posts, read 3,045 times
Reputation: 10
Quote:
Originally Posted by Miss Blue View Post
Thank you Campbell, I really do appreciate your post..I have looked at the other religions of the world (not as a scholar like so many on this forum are)..I do not believe that God is a liar..IMO Jesus IS the word, not necessarily the bible..My opinion stands..the biggest problem in christianity is within christianity..Seems like each different denomination, sect, cult within Christianity spends a whole lot of time away from prayer and good work trying to show other christians what filthy rags they are..
You are right on with that statement because churches are run by imperfect people and some of them "play church" and some of them have leaders that aren't led by the holy spirit. These two factors are what cause divisions between fellow christians and they are a bug problem with christianity.
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Old 01-13-2011, 03:15 PM
 
Location: Log home in the Appalachians
10,603 posts, read 11,630,201 times
Reputation: 7001
I have no problem with Christianity, it's some Christians I have problems with, but then again it's the same with Islam and I'm not a believer in either.
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Old 01-15-2011, 01:27 PM
 
Location: Portland, Oregon
1,373 posts, read 3,115,260 times
Reputation: 573
My problem is Christianity (and Judaism, and Islam) are just too judicial. It's more about 'the law' and less about love.
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Old 01-15-2011, 02:37 PM
 
47 posts, read 59,379 times
Reputation: 22
For me it boils down to two things:

(1) I dont believe the Old Testament or the New Testament is anything but a man made book.

(2) Even if every word of it were true I dont believe it is a just system of ruling a planet or afterlife.
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Old 01-15-2011, 08:17 PM
 
Location: earth?
7,284 posts, read 12,890,570 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by bigthirsty View Post
As a Christian my biggest problem is the Old Testament.
OMG! (No pun intended). This is hilarious!
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