Christian Asking you go to church again....!!!
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Tell me again, why this thread continue to exist?
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Hey u back!Originally posted by laurence82:Tell me again, why this thread continue to exist?
Went for outings? -
are you sure? cause i was pretty sure my info was correct.Originally posted by laoda99:I think what aloof_guy said is nihilsm, not buddhism.
Last time the buddhism mod An Eternal Now explained to me the difference.
note: was. -
check with the Buddhism forum if not sureOriginally posted by aloof_guy:are you sure? cause i was pretty sure my info was correct.
note: was.
As for this topic....sigh -
Actually in Buddhism we say that the world is like an illusion, but not literally created by our illusion. We say it is like an illusion because the world is not what most people think: truly inherently existing and permanent, graspable, satisfactory, etc. Rather it is fleeting, ungraspable, not ultimately and permanently satisfactory.. and it is empty of inherent, solid existence.
The world is real, if we understand the reality of it. -
i dont understand yur middle paragraph, aniway care to enlighten us on wat is the supreme rule?Originally posted by aloof_guy:Are you an Atheist? If so, let me tell you why i think there is a God.
Without a supreme ruler, there isn't any rules to follow. Hence, we are unable to differentiate between good and bad rules. Murdering a person might be good as he can prevent him from doing another bad thing! This can be conceived as a good rule. Another example would be Hitler whose an Atheist believing in the Arian race. He massacred millions of jews thinking it was ok as it was for the good of his race!
However, God sets the supreme rule which overrides all others. Hence differentiating between Good and Bad. -
I once believed in God..for a period of time not too long
cos was really in agony and pain..no one can help my problem even me myself
I praised Him, asked Him for help
but see no improvement in any of the situations
began to lose faith quickly
in the end doubtful
and my problems are still not resolved
sometimes I really want to die..very agonising
don't tell me I would go to Hell cos that is later
I only care now nowwww... -
Are your problems solved now?Originally posted by Diehard_89:I once believed in God..for a period of time not too long
cos was really in agony and pain..no one can help my problem even me myself
I praised Him, asked Him for help
but see no improvement in any of the situations
began to lose faith quickly
in the end doubtful
and my problems are still not resolved
sometimes I really want to die..very agonising
don't tell me I would go to Hell cos that is later
I only care now nowwww... -
no a lot of major and minor problems not resolvedOriginally posted by laoda99:Are your problems solved now?
I thought believing in Him would at least make me feel happy or relived though problems are not resolved
but cannot..I don't know why my other Christian friends seem to be happier like no trouble -
Hmm...believing God is in control makes one happier....Originally posted by Diehard_89:no a lot of major and minor problems not resolved
I thought believing in Him would at least make me feel happy or relived though problems are not resolved
but cannot..I don't know why my other Christian friends seem to be happier like no trouble
Sometimes....not all problems can be solved immediately... -
nearly a year and they still plauged meOriginally posted by laoda99:Hmm...believing God is in control makes one happier....
Sometimes....not all problems can be solved immediately...
how long do I have to wait? 
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May I know what is the problem that is plauging u? U can pm me...Originally posted by Diehard_89:nearly a year and they still plauged me
how long do I have to wait?
I have my own problems and it is plauging me and it will be plauging me in the future....but I still believe God is in control..... -
As long as no one bugs me about my belief, I won't find fault with them.
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Not really.... you can still go to Church then go to heaven recieve everything that Christianity has to offer.... frenship... helps, brotherhood.. frendly people, fun activities, something to do and enjoy on weekend and Christmas, eat free food and drinks and attend all the seminar ALL FOR FREE!!! Trust me on that one... you can really stay in a church without paying a single cent and recieving so much back... No problem at all...
The goat skin comes from the goat itself. U do not need to pay when they r trying to convince u to join tem. But u have to when u r one of them. U r really giving yourself the risk where u will treat other peopel to eat next timeThere are tons of starving children in india and africa recieving helps from christian organisation every day too...
There r tons of money tat was wasted in building the most grand church in town and support the platinum lifestyle of priestWell, you do have a different perspective whether something is a side-effect or not. To you, probably money spent on yourself is always better than using it to do good.
Where do u read from tat give u tis conclusion ? If u have total control of all your money, u feel it is a bad thing ? U want to donate u can donate, u want to help your friend u can help your friend, u want to spend it on a holiday u can spend it on your holiday, u want to spend on toys for your children u can spend it on your children. The money is all within your control. U prefer your money to be out of your control ?Without a supreme ruler, there isn't any rules to follow. Hence, we are unable to differentiate between good and bad rules. Murdering a person might be good as he can prevent him from doing another bad thing! This can be conceived as a good rule. Another example would be Hitler whose an Atheist believing in the Arian race. He massacred millions of jews thinking it was ok as it was for the good of his race!
I think the law and order system made by men is good enough. U can murder people to prevent him from doing evil in tis system, such as policemen and army where they have to follow a strict code of conduct before killing people. Why is the "supreme leader" better than the law and order system ? And Hitler is a christian, not an atheist
So is the pope tat initiate the crusadeno a lot of major and minor problems not resolved
If believing in christainity will solve all problems, then christians will not get sick or die already.
I thought believing in Him would at least make me feel happy or relived though problems are not resolved
but cannot..I don't know why my other Christian friends seem to be happier like no trouble -
sometimes i juz feel realli sad how things get so ugly in the eyes of others..
everyone is responsible for their own actions and if u wan to talk about y the religion itself is like that..maybe u should go and talk to God..He created this religion...or talk to a pastor..he is a higher authority and also has a higher understanding of the religion...i don't think i'll go and listen to a normal follower's talk about his religion when i need more reliable information...if any follower could be that good..no one will be going to church..more of listening to ur friends at home or over the msn...it's the same thing as listening to a high monk...i won't listen to a small monk and believe everything he say...i'll at least wan to hear what the high monk say in relation.
a true reflection of what a christian should be is written in the bible...we are all followers trying to learn everyday from it...juz like we do make mistakes in our work too..can one mistake in our work reflect the uselessness of the whole organisation..?if u are a follower of ur religion...can i see u as the same as all of ur followers..?
if u see some christians doing something bad or juz isn't nice..ask them..don't judge the religion..we all make mistakes...but i know our God didn't...and the rest of the creators or gods of other religion didn't make any mistakes either...
bottom point....everyone for their own actions... -
let me say again, you have to step into the person's shoes, before you can understand his real intentions.Originally posted by stupidissmart:I don't know about u but I don't anyhow take medicine if I am not sick. Furthermore this medicine got a lot of side effects (money, effort, time) Using your method of taking medicine, I have to take all the medicines for all the sickness in the world even when I am perfectly healthy
So assuming you believe the cure of the disease is jesus christ, you introduce it to a person whom you think has the disease.
If we talk about intention,this person has fully good intentiions. -
anyway..there's is no saying that believing in Christianity cures everything...no..it doesn't...juz like believing in any other religion doesn't cure u of anything either...it's ur faith...it cures faith...it's something i always believe..in times of ill...take the leap of faith..if it doesn't pull through..there must be something else that u could have done..don't be afraid of illnesses and death..no matter who u are..u have life after death..so it doesn't stop after u take ur last breath...
some people believe in christianity and believe that it has given them peace and faith...my mother believes in Buddhism and i know it has given her juz as much peace and faith...
faith cures the mind...not the body...
but i can tell u...if u follow ur own religion..have no doubt..have the strongest foundation..u would know how to look to the recruiting of other religion...u will not be threatened...and u will know that their intentions are good...
if i said anything wrong...it's my wrong..not my religion..i'm trying very hard to be a good follower...don't question my God...question mi...and i'll ask my God about it and how i can improve and be a better follower... -
let me say again, you have to step into the person's shoes, before you can understand his real intentions.
I don't think u got me. U believe tat the other person is sick, when he believe he is perfectly healthy. U have to prove to him tat he is sick first because anyhow take medicine with side effects when u r not sick can be deadly. And furthermore, tis person who thought he have the cure can't prove to himself he got tat disease too. He just thought he do and he may be making the mistake himself. Why spread the wrong cure for a possibly non-existence sickness ?
So assuming you believe the cure of the disease is jesus christ, you introduce it to a person whom you think has the disease.If we talk about intention,this person has fully good intentiions.
Tat is right. I have fully good intentions when I tell people not to believe in religion as well. -
You are indeed very wise and discerning!Originally posted by sermodabian:Unfortunately, the way the church operates is a bit like MLM. One thing that the church is over-obsessed with these days are figures. I have attended two prostestant churches and the sad thing about it is that there is over-emphasis in "recruiting" people than the follow-up or guidance and fellowship.
I converted to christianity at a point when I didn't really know much about the religion but was under a pressured altar-calling session which turns out to be a bit forced as I was made to say the sinner's prayer. Before I converted, people were warm friendly and enthusiastic around me, but that changed after I converted. I was thrown aside and assumed to be able to pick things up myself (ie. read the entire bible) or learn how to say prayers, how to relate to God, how the whole thing works. I didn't have the benefit of sunday schools like my cell group mates. I felt neglected.
Regular church-attendance didn't help much either as sermons focussed on selective text randomly from here and there and at the end of the day, I only get a fraction of the picture, in bits and pieces. Ultimately, I came to a conclusion that people seemed more involved in clapping hands, jumping, shouting, yelling, fainting and going into trances than the actual education of the word itself. One particular mega church has its proportion of its regular session flipped around such that more time is spent on the concert part and the actual sermon is just flashed over, in point form. Cell groups operate in similar fashion, and increasingly caused my discomfort in this bizarre relationship with my church-going peers, where it is an extreme cycle from nonchalent relationship during the weekdays to uncomfortably intimate sharing sessions on saturdays.
I dunno whats the rationale behind mega churches, whether its for bringing in more money or preaching to the world so that Jesus would return.
I am agnostic now largely because of the way the church operates. It's scary. And attending a world religions module at NUS kinda also opened up my perspectives to the other religions of the world. And I realised the bible is not as flawless as I thought before. No offence. -
"If God does not exist, then everything is permitted' Fyodor DostoyevskyOriginally posted by BenBenDeZhu:i dont understand yur middle paragraph, aniway care to enlighten us on wat is the supreme rule? -
In short some of the core of christianity are being twisted. Some of what I learnt from the bible and my mother are as below.
(1) It is not compulsory to give offerings, but it is compulsory to to give with a cheerful heart.
(2) It is not only giving to church that is considered giving. You help a begger along the streets up, clothe him, feed him, find him a job, make him your friend, when he dies, you settle his last moments, all in the name of Jesus. Is also a form of giving. And never ever expect a single cent from God or expecting to let other people know your deeds when you're doing this. And God while seeing you do this in private will be happy for you.
(3) When giving offerings (tithe), do not expect to reap the same amount from God. Because it is only duty to do it. What returns do you expect when you perform your duty.
(4) Even when you received Christ before you go and murder someone, don't expect to escape punishments for your sins. But you can count on God to forgive you after your punishments.
Today there are many perversed versions of how christianity should be. But alas, the perversed version is given so much attention to propagande to the people that the core of Christianity is neglected and misunderstood. And also, God's standard is always perfect. No one in the world can even fathom that level. For all fall short to the glory of God. Always ask and check the bible, don't always believe everything you hear from anyone blindly. Let God lead you to understand his ways because no man can replace God as a teacher. -
Woo.. i found a nice verse..
Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows.
- Galatians 6:7 -
Originally posted by VivId CrItiQuE:Woo.. i found a nice verse..
Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows.
- Galatians 6:7 ||| -
I think religion itself is not the problem. The problem is the exploitation of people who believe in religion.
Anyway, personal accountability is important. It is just plain lazy to let the problem sit around and expect it to solve by itself. -
Seriously, it really doesn't matter which religion you choose to believe in... No matter what people around you say or even your family say, I believe in one thing, FREE WILL....
With our Christian friends, this should not be a new concept... above everything else, God gave us Free Will... to choose what to do with our lives..
So even if everyone pitches the story of God to you, you have the choice to believe, or not to believe... but it does not give you the right to be mean to the well-meaning gospel-advocate...
Bottom line, doesn't matter what religion you believe in... doesn't matter if you don't have a religion... cos ultimately, religion (excludes cults) teaches good, and encourage people to live well. It is a mindset that guides how we conduct ourselves and how we treat others.
Rather than to look at all the religions as separate entities, I'd choose to view it from a macro angle...