Why are you practicing your religion?

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   Shari Chanelposted 13 years ago

   The mass of the people are forced to believe into certain religions by ways of culture, traditions, family & now the media. I challenge you to ask yourself, are you truly practing your religion because of your true faith? Or is it because it's all you've ever known?

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      Adwelloposted 13 years agoin reply to this

      I agree, we need to examine whether we believe because we are truly looking to the light or whether our so called religion is simply a mish mash of all our culture expects us to believe. Very difficult to look within deep enough to be honest about this very real dilemma!

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      Stump Parrishposted 13 years agoin reply to this

      I have a question. Why after 2000 years of practicing your religion, haven't you figured it out yet and, do you think you might get around to it sometime soon? I've only been practicing atheism for 10 or so years and I've got it completely figured out.

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         h.a.borcichposted 13 years agoin reply to this

         Do you think Shari is 2000 years old??? Maybe you added too many fingers and toes? LOL

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            Stump Parrishposted 13 years agoin reply to this

            LOl yourself. I will admit that my family hails from the hills of West Virginia and some of my kin have evolved in strange and unique ways. None have quite that many furry little appendages that I know of. Seriously, why do they call it practicing religion? Are they afaid to face another team on the field or what. Enough practice, get in the game, ok?

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               Stump Parrishposted 13 years agoin reply to this

               Actually Shari looks to be about 23 or 24. Shari, am I close?

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               h.a.borcichposted 13 years agoin reply to this

               
               
               Everyday I wake up striving to be a better person than I was the day before. As I have not become perfect, I am still practicing.
               Christianity may be 2000 years old, but I can assure you that I am not. My practice is limited to my lifetime.
                 Afraid to face another team on the field? Must be part of your math yet

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                  Stump Parrishposted 13 years agoin reply to this

                  Just a semi-sarcastic play on words.
                  
                  When I got away from religion I found that I din't have to spens as much time worrying about what everyone else was up to. This left me more time to take a look at the kind of person I am. I discovered that I had a lot of faults, lol. As I have spent time becoming someone I didn't mind knowing I discovered that I only had the right to control my choices. I don't participate in a homosexual lifestyle but I also don't profess to know more about being a homosexual than a homosexual does. If I am trying to understand the christian faith, I wouldn't base all of my decisions abouit christianity on the thoughts of someone from the Islamic faith. The arrogance of christians to state that no one can be born gay is rediculous. Scientific and testimonial evedience shows that this is the case and yet, christians know for sure that they are right. They add to the insult by demanding that their opinion be accepted ahead of the very people in question. The fact that christians feel homosexuality is a sin is a moot point. The laws that are supposed to guarantee us the right we have been discussing, are not in anyway based on something being a sin. Committing a sin or an abomination against god are not crimes based soley on this distinction. If that were the case it would be illegal to open a seafood restaurant that sold shellfish. The problem with basing our laws on the bible is that the bible is open to liberal interpetation. Everyone has a different take on what the bible really says and if we use this book as our sole guide to civilized behavior, slavery, murder, rape and a host of other crimes could be interpreted as being ok with god. The Army of God is a prime example of this in action. They routinely justify the murder of people they disagree with, abortion doctors. Any crime you can think of can be justified in an indivual's mind if they have a good enough imagination.

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                     h.a.borcichposted 13 years agoin reply to this

                     
                     
                     It looks like you have given the specifics on what you practice which is fine. We all have specifics and reasons why we do. I have no desire to tell you to be different, and I certainly don't want to argue about it
                     
                     We all only do what each of us feels is important - that is what we practice. By the way, your decription of a christian above does not define me

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                        Stump Parrishposted 13 years agoin reply to this

                        I am aware that my description of a christian does not apply to every christian out there. You should also be able to admit that it describes the majority of self proclaimed christians in this country. I base my observations on that which I observe and not on what I wish I were observing. I also feel that alot of people do that which they have been told should be important. I am often amazed at the arrogance of a person who with their 8th grade education can look a geologist with 20 years of schooling and job related experience in the eye and claim that they have all the answers about the geological history of this planet. This goes for any area in dispute where the bible is offered as an arguement against a aproven fact. Case inpoint...A friend is a teacher at a christian college and has spent over 25 years studying the bible and the orginal languages it was written in. By all accounts he should be considered an expert on the subject and presently is. If he were to announce to his co-workers he is Gay, all this knowledge would be considered useless because the bible states that homosexuality is an abomination. Where in the bible does it state that he who commits an abomination instantly loses all previously attained knowledge? It doesn't but just because something isn't in the bible doesn't mean alot of christians will act as if it is to retain the right to persecute any they dislike or disagree with.
                        
                        You stated that as humans we do what each of us feels is important and I agree with this. However the flipside of this is that too many also do what ever they feel like to those they deem to be unimportant or beneath them. This is the most common example of Christianity on display here in the bible belt. Every time a group of people stand up and demand the right to equal treatment, some church, somewhere, will start a campaign to retain the right to keep those disgusting heathens in their place.

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                           h.a.borcichposted 13 years agoin reply to this

                           You stated that as humans we do what each of us feels is important and I agree with this. However the flipside of this is that too many also do what ever they feel like to those they deem to be unimportant or beneath them.
                           
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                             Kind of like when christians get lumped into a narrow stereotype? LOL
                           
                             People are guilty of this. Some are religious, some are even atheists
                           
                             I think it is great you are confident in what you do and don't believe. It looks like you are judging all christians for what you see in a few. Should I decide all New Yorkers are nasty drivers because a car with NY plates almost hit me? I try to remember we are all people, and people make mistakes, and need practice

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      CarolineVABCposted 13 years agoin reply to this

      I've been raised with many different kinds of denomination: Methodist/Baptist/Mormon back to Methodist.  Religion is important to me since I was raised very actively involved in church when I was very young, but when I got married and had a child, we moved a little bit further from our church and we have not been as active as before.  The last church that we've attended, we found many of the church members have their own "cliques," which is like a club rather than a church.  This kind of turned us off and we got away from it.  As an adult, I believe that someone's personal relationship with God is far more important than any religion.  Also, by being caring and understanding and loving one another, self-sacrificial, promoting peace and harmony in our societies is what God intended us to be.  This can be very difficult to attain, especially with today's diverse society, but it is not impossible to achieve.  Very interesting question!:-)

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   brianzenposted 13 years ago

   My own religion is a "practice makes perfect" sort of thing. And I cannot say that Zen Buddhism is not responsible for any hardships, I can say it is against them. Also faith is not a huge factor, nor is it all I have ever known.

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   MissEposted 13 years ago

   True Faith.

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   Ruben Riveraposted 13 years ago

   No religion here,
   
   I feel FREEEEEEE
   
   I used to practice because I was raised in a religion but I'm done with religion.

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   Shadesbreathposted 13 years ago

   It's almost always because of culture and what "you've always known."  That's all people have, given that people only have one childhood and one life.  Plus, it's really hard to get people to convert to some other religion, and even harder to get them to stick with it if there aren't HUGE social rewards and a sense of community.  The god part never pays off without the community and sense of belonging, which is why so many of the super-proselytizing religions can't really get it to stick in foreign lands.  They can't just show up, pass out some holy books, make people feel special and then leave and expect them to stay with it.  Has to be more than a story about what happens after we die.  Needs substance.  Needs actual love, not the promise of it some day soon.
   
   There may or may not be a god, but for religion to work (which, ironically, has NOTHING to do with the actual or fictive existence of a Him, Her or Them), it requires the development of community and the support of that community for all in the network.  Religions always begin to fail when people come along who are "outliers" (like monotheists or gays or blacks or women seeking priesthood... whatever) that force the once tight knit community to either expand its thinking or lock down on doctrine against difference.  That's usually when it gets ugly.
   
   BOttom line, religion is dangerous, but its not without some significant benefits in small communities that can maintain a certain degree of isolation from anything that challenges the dogma and dictates of the stories and rule-set so derived. It can be very binding and empowering.  It only really fails when a challenge to it comes to it and it buckles under scrutiny.

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   exorterposted 13 years ago

   If you ever feel and see the love of our Lord, and the effects it has in your life you would never turn your back on our Lord and Savior

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      Stump Parrishposted 13 years agoin reply to this

      Since I have not personally experienced what you say you have, nothing I say will convince you it's not real nor do I have any desire to do so.  Now does the fact that you claim to have had this experience actually mean that I am required to base my existence on your beliefs? The only examples of the love of your lord is the ones shown me by Christians. Not much love to be found there my friend. The most common affect this love has on my life is the numerous attempts to decide the rules I must live under based on their version of morality with no deviations. Now Christians are permitted to break these rules and are welcomed back as good practicing christians if they offere a heartfelt MY BAD. In my opinion many Christians claim to live their lives according to the words in the bible. They point out all the reasons why those who they disagree with are in fact sinning and committing abominations, while they pick and choose which rules they themselves have to follow. I regularly see christians protesting against homosexuals based on the passage that states it is an abomination. They get done with their protest and head straight to Red Lobster or a fish camp for dinner wearing their cotton blend tighty whiteys. Christianity has become just another political entity. The rules don't apply to those who decide 'em.

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7. 61

   Jaggedfrostposted 13 years ago

   Because I know my Father and myself and would help others get to know Him as he helped me get to understand myself.

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