[Albert Lionheart]

There are some things that will not change no matter how much you fret and spin about them - the cosmos and the works of God are two of them.
I sing and accept that for someone to have composed such glorious music there must be a basis for the faith that inspired it all.
If you want to know what I mean, listen to Bach's B Minor Mass (said to be the most perfect piece of music ever written) or his St Matthew Passion.
But then that's my hobby and perhaps my way of trying to understand religion.

[Blackmirror]

Well everyone is unique Albert and free to believe in what ever they wish

I find Religion interesting

[Jason]

There may well be life elsewhere, however we will never find out. We can't even get to the end of our solar system, so we haven't got an hope of getting to another galaxy. Thing is, scientists are too obsessed with trying to prove that god didn't make the planet and the universe. It's pointless. They will never prove it.

The big bang theory (which I'm sure everyone learned in school) is not possible imo. How can a big bang just come out from no-where? Since the universe had a beginning, something had to create it. It couldn't of created itself. If there was absolutely nothing, then there would be absolutely nothing today. The universe is precise; gravity is never random. A new thing these days is global warming. Everyone using energy-efficient things to stop this process. It's absolutely pathetic. You can't stop this. I guess it's like ageing. You can delay it, but you can't stop the inevitable. OK, perhaps it's not so bad, because we do want to try and delay it for future generations, but people need to realize that they cannot stop it.

"No one knows about that day or hour, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. Be on guard! Be alert ! You do not know when that time will come" — Jesus Christ

Like I've said, you can either choose to believe the bible or science. Your choice. I just fail to understand that a "big bang" created such a wonderful design. And how could this big bang create food for us? How could it create us, the animals ect? These are all questions that have no answer. Thus, we choose to believe in what we want and just enjoy life. There's just simply no point in obsessing over these questions, because it's enough to drive you insane.

Remember that Jesus says, "I'm standing at the door and I'm knocking. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in."

Make a decision and move on with life. To even have the chance of making decisions is pretty good.

[Blackmirror]

Well its human nature to ponder
Im in a pondering mood today
So if there was one God how are there so many different religions ?
Why not just have one
Solve a few problems in the world ?

[Albert Lionheart]

You have a point. At the risk of upsetting every single religion with a single statement, I thnk that we all have different names for the same deity. Which is why He has not punished a specific sect or religion for worshipping the wrong one recently.

[Jason]

I don't think any one knows the answer. We have all become so self-obsessed that people have started creating other religions ect. to separate themselves. Perhaps all these different religions point to the same god, but just different names. One possible answer is: God accepts and endorses all religions.

However;

1st commandment: 'You shall have no other gods before Me.'

"Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?" Jesus replied: " 'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.' This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.' All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments" (Matthew 22:36-40).

Instead, people have so much hatred towards each other. You see this with wars ect.

You see where I'm going with this... there are just too many questions to be answered and many do not have an answer. So we have to go with what we believe in. People could sit and debate something like this all day, but they won't be any better off than when they started.

[Albert Lionheart]

Not sure I agree with your last point Jason - a really good discussion does help understanding and can be a great deal of satisfying fun too!

[Gunner]

Proselytizing one way or another doesn't really help but an open mind will.
We may not find other life but it may find us. Life as we know and define it
may be totally different on another level either here, there or anywhere.
We may not even recognize it right away.
Peace out.

[Blackmirror]

A good debate without mud flinging and "I believe this so it must be true" so i will ram it down your throut attitude can open our eyes to all sorts of ideas

I believe in Ghosts but if you dont well thats your right

[Albert Lionheart]

Too much Carl Sagan, peeps?

[Blackmirror]

Who ?? now i will have to Google
be right back
A sci fi writer

[Albert Lionheart]

Carl Sagan was a bit more than a Scifi writer - he did write some but he also wrote a lot of technical stuff too.
Here is the wiki link
Carl Sagan - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

[Blackmirror]

I'm now reading it Albert thanks

[Daveskater]

Originally Posted by Jason

There may well be life elsewhere, however we will never find out. We can't even get to the end of our solar system, so we haven't got an hope of getting to another galaxy. Thing is, scientists are too obsessed with trying to prove that god didn't make the planet and the universe. It's pointless. They will never prove it.

The big bang theory (which I'm sure everyone learned in school) is not possible imo. How can a big bang just come out from no-where? Since the universe had a beginning, something had to create it. It couldn't of created itself. If there was absolutely nothing, then there would be absolutely nothing today. The universe is precise; gravity is never random. A new thing these days is global warming. Everyone using energy-efficient things to stop this process. It's absolutely pathetic. You can't stop this. I guess it's like ageing. You can delay it, but you can't stop the inevitable. OK, perhaps it's not so bad, because we do want to try and delay it for future generations, but people need to realize that they cannot stop it.

"No one knows about that day or hour, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. Be on guard! Be alert ! You do not know when that time will come" — Jesus Christ

Like I've said, you can either choose to believe the bible or science. Your choice. I just fail to understand that a "big bang" created such a wonderful design. And how could this big bang create food for us? How could it create us, the animals ect? These are all questions that have no answer. Thus, we choose to believe in what we want and just enjoy life. There's just simply no point in obsessing over these questions, because it's enough to drive you insane.


Make a decision and move on with life. To even have the chance of making decisions is pretty good.

Very well written Jase Not much point me writing much here, basically I agree with all of it

Originally Posted by Blackmirror

So if there was one God how are there so many different religions ?
Why not just have one
Solve a few problems in the world ?

Because a majority of them are false and were created by the devil.
"We know we originate with God, but the whole world is lying in the power of the wicked one." - 1 John 5:19
"The one called Devil and Satan . . . is misleading the entire inhabited earth." - Revelation 12:9.

[Blackmirror]

Are a tribe of rain-forest dwellers who worship nature going to be any less "religious" than a Christian person who goes to church....?

Who said religion has to come from the Bible ...?

Seems a little odd to me
Come on lets debate

[Gunner]

Carl Sagan - Pale Blue Dot
A very smart man with forethought, foresight and understanding of many things.
He's been gone over 12 years but I will always remember his explanations of
some things that others merely wonder about. Truly brilliant.

[Jason]

It's lack of faith that stops people believing in things, esp. themselves.

[Daveskater]

Originally Posted by Blackmirror

Are a tribe of rain-forest dwellers who worship nature going to be any less "religious" than a Christian person who goes to church....?

No but that's not the question.

Who said religion has to come from the Bible ...?

Me

There's a debate for ya

[Joshuashawharvey]

Originally Posted by Jason

The big bang theory (which I'm sure everyone learned in school) is not possible imo. How can a big bang just come out from no-where? Since the universe had a beginning, something had to create it. It couldn't of created itself.

Something created the universe, yeah, but what created whatever it is that created the universe? If a big bang cannot just come out of nowhere, then how can a God?

Originally Posted by Blackmirror

So if there was one God how are there so many different religions ?

Man created them?

A quote from the founder of Scientology.

"The way to make a million dollars is to start a religion"

Go figure

Just thought i'd spice up the debate a little

I'm enjoying reading everyones opinions, I find this sorta thing interesting

[Jason]

Originally Posted by Joshuashawharvey

Something created the universe, yeah, but what created whatever it is that created the universe? If a big bang cannot just come out of nowhere, then how can a God?

Scientists once held to the "steady-state" theory, that the universe has always existed without beginning. However, if something comes into being, it must have been prompted by something else. A book has an author. Music has a music artist. All things that begin, that have a start, have a cause to their beginning. Quote:

Everything we observe in nature has a beginning. God however is in a different category, and must be so. God is different from all nature and humanity and everything that exists, in that he has always existed, independent from anything he created. God is not a dependent being, but self-sufficient, self-existent. And this is exactly how the Bible describes God, and how God has revealed himself to be. Why must God be this way?

Our universe cannot be explained any other way. It could not have created itself. It has not always existed. And it could not be created by something that itself is created. Why not?

It isn't coherent to argue that the universe was created by God, but God was in turn created by God to the second power, who was in turn created by God to the third power, and so on. As Aristotle cogently argued, there must be a reality that causes but is itself uncaused (or, a being that moves but is itself unmoved). Why? Because if there is an infinite regression of causes, then by definition the whole process could never begin.

My understanding is this: God, as creator of time, is outside of time. Since therefore he has no beginning in time, he has always existed, so doesn't need a cause.

The Bible informs us that time is a dimension that God created, into which man was subjected. It even tells us that one day time will no longer exist. That will be called “eternity.” God Himself dwells outside of the dimension He created (2 Timothy 1:9, Titus 1:2). He dwells in eternity and is not subject to time. God spoke history before it came into being. He can move through time as a man flips through a history book.

Because we live in the dimension of time, it is impossible for us to fully understand anything that does not have a beginning and an end. Simply accept that fact, and believe the concept of God's eternal nature the same way you believe the concept of space having no beginning and end—by faith—even though such thoughts put a strain on our distinctly insufficient cerebrum.

It really is confusing. But consider this: You have free-will. You can believe in what you want. That's pretty cool. I know we take it for granted, but we don't realise how lucky we are sometimes.

If there was more faith in the world, it would be a better place.