This is a question I have often wondered about. I was raised with a lot of exposure to different religions (mostly Jewish and different variations of Christianity). I would sometimes get the impression from religious teachings that we would be punished by God for not engaging in their worship rituals regardless of the values we live by and the life choices we make. I could not sit comfortably with believing in a God that needs me to worship in a certain way, implying what a low self esteem or some kind of weakness? It seems to me very arrogant to think God needs me in any way. I have come to the conclusion that for me at least it is actually the other way round, God does not need me, I need God. Believing in God gives me a friend who is always there, a feeling of safety and belonging.
we were created in the image of God and for companionship. He wants us as well, but does he need us? No, I do not believe that he needs us.
Its like, do I need a puppy? no, I like puppies because they are cute- but then they crap in the house, chew the remote, pee on the carpet, unravle the tp and so on.
I believe that God views us in the way we view or children. Did I "need" children. No I choose to have them but I have needs of them. Proper behavior, polite manners etc. It's by the grace of god that I live, worshiping him for me is not about the nuances of some religions but about my faith in him. Does god need us? He needs us to love and have faith in him through his son Jesus Christ.
Ok so you believe that all religions god is the same god? I'm just asking.
I think different religions use different names and worship in different ways. Is god the same god in all religions? you tell me. I have heard god refered to in many different ways and I believe he hears and loves us all. I used the wording "have faith in him through his son Jesus Christ." based on my personal belief which is actually tied to life experiences, not a particular religion.
Thanks for asking.
You are god, "The Kingdom of god is within" Jesus
Seems I sparked up a good one. I have to say this post was the one that made me smile. I would like to add something I heard once that is supposed to be from the bible (?)
"when 2 people gather in MY name that is CHURCH"
Would it be uplifting for those spiritual folks out there interested relationships with God to think that by participating in a forum like this one in a respectful and inquisitive way it could be thought of as 'church'. What exactly church is I think is a topic from a new forum post!
I do not believe that God "needs" us. He loves us and in having that love for us He wants us to love Him back.
We however do need Him very much as He is our soul support.
Will He punish us if we don't love Him back?
Would not believing in Him mean we don't love Him back?
How bad should we love Him back? If I kneel down to show Him how much I love Him - will that be enough?
God needs followers, otherwise, he doesn't exist.
All religions need followers. If no one follows them, then the religion doesn't exist.
It's pretty simple. God, Mohammed, Buddha, Krishna or whoever you believe simply wouldn't exist without you believing.
If that's what you believe, then yes.
But that is not what I believe. And why is your god better than the ones that came 1,000s of years before the christian god?
Christianity is one of the new religions as it's only 1,500 years old as we know it today. A man named Jesus was born in 5BC and was a spiritual person. But christianity as we know it wasn't created until around 500 AD. So your god came to be because of followers 1,500 years ago.
But there were other gods thousands of years before the christian god.
So which god made me, exactly?
It is true that Christianity as we know it is 1500 years or so old. However, belief in Christ is closer to 1980 years, and belief in His Father God stretches back to the garden of Eden (whatever form that really took), so that would make belief in the same God older than even the Babylonian Religion. So, while the religion is young, the belief system it springs from is not.
But there is no proof of a garden of eden so you can't take it back "that far." You can only take it back as far as the artifacts take it back to.
There is plenty of evidence of a spiritual leader of a man named Jesus but nothing before he was born. Again, everything before him is based on faith which means there will never be physical proof.
Take Buddhism. There is physical evidence dating back over 5,000 years of that religion. So we know it existed back then. But there is nothing in christianity that dates back more than 2,000 years.
I disagree. The artifacts from the Jewish faith date back to Ur of the Chaldees. Therefore, we have evidence of faith in the same God that Christ pointed to. This, in my mind, makes for an evolution to a new covenant with the same God a continuation of the same faith.
As a point of order, when discussing religion and God, we are discussing two different subjects. It was the most pious religion of the day (Pharisees and Saducees in the form of the Sanhedrin Council) that joined forces with the political arm of power in the Jewish nation ( the Roman Government vis a vis Pilate) that condemned Jesus to death by crucifixion. therefore this would put religion and politics in direct conflict with God. Just a thought.
you make strange arguments. Evolution which you believe is 200 years old +/-
"Christianity" was named such by the Romans as early as 34 AD. That shows how fast followers of Jesus Christ grew. so a squeeze older than 1500 years.
Age is not the issue. We beleive in the same God as the Jews who are 4200 years +/-.
There is no older God to any other religion known. Please don't say something like egyptian gods. I will have to remind you that Gods people lived in Egypt for many years.
Eastern religions are way older than 4200 years. And I like how you dismiss the Egyptian gods.
You believe in your god like they do theirs.
But who cares what god is right haha We are all here, we came from nothing (no matter what you believe) and we make our own choices.
Whatever makes you feel better about death (afterlife or not), then fine. No need to ridicule other beliefs or gods.
Evolution has been around waaaaay longer than christianity
Love is needless and cannot be moved away from it's place of love.
We need love to live right or we live in torment.
Love is correcting to all things not done in love.
Love honors your choice to reject love.
If one rejects love they chose the torment of a life without love.
Many scholars believe that a gigantic amount of time elapsed between Genesis 1:1 and 1:2 and so that would account for the earth being a lot older than some others think.
Many believe that something cataclysmic happened between the verses.
Gen 1:1 In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.
~Unknown amount of time elapses~
Gen 1:2 The earth was empty, a formless mass cloaked in darkness. And the Spirit of God was hovering over its surface.
But to someone like me who doesn't believe in the bible, that doesn't mean anything.
I'm not putting it down at all. I'm just saying what the bible says doesn't work for me because you can't prove it.
It's based on belief and faith which is something my analytical mind can't trust without evidence or at least empirical evidence.
Sometimes I'm really appalled the way you people seem to be so much serious about these questions.
Come on! None of this is serious.
Man created god from his own image.
Because Man needed it.
Christians have a nice way to put it :
God is all, God is in all beings and things.(omnipresent)
You really feel like joining the concept, because it is positive as hell!
It's just telling you to love your fellows...
So, do you need your neighbour ?
Do your neighbour need you ?
your woman is God, your child is God, your neighbour is God.
can we accept this ?
I think it's pretty arrogant and downright stupid to believe in something like Christianity. I know that's a rough statement, but like Tim has been saying, there are so many religions out there. God gives no clue as to which one is the "correct" one, and how would we know if one of the older ones was right?
As I've said in other threads, this Universe is so freaking huge, to think that God is as involved with us as religions say he is, it's just ridiculous. Plus, you cannot even see any involvement! Everything we experience is a result of natural phenomena and the actions of other humans, nothing else. Maybe God created the Universe, which could very well be possible, but beyond that, it is ridiculous to think he is involved with us on a personal level.
I had to pray for enlightenment, but first I believe in God. He will show you the way if you ask for it. Otherwise you will remain a lost sheep with begginer questions.
would you like me to ring the bell. School in session?
When GOD appears to someone...doubt will diminish.
He has appeared to many over the ages and can do so at anytime.
When someone claims to have seen god or talk to god, we call them crazy and lock them up. Even christians don't believe these people. Funny how that works.
If you read scripture, you would know why we don't believe them.
funny how when you don't educate yourself on a subject, you don't know anything about the subject.
Oh brother...for the millionth time, I don't believe in that work of fiction. Quit basing your entire argument over a book I don't believe in. And you don't even believe in it 100% of the time because you said earlier you're not supposed to take it "literally."
Well who made you the #1 translator of the bible?
Everyone interprets it differently, again a credit to the christian religion. Everyone can believe in it how they want to suit their life.
No christian reads that book the same. Plus it's been translated hundreds of times by common man.
You need to find answers outside that book.
Actually, I am curious..what does the bible say about hearing or seeing god? I'm not trying to be a smart-ass. I really want to know why it's not ok to see/hear him today.
You don't believe anything I would tell you, I'm not getting baited again. Sorry
My whole point is if somebody wants to know, look.
It takes me two seconds to locate the scripture, it would take you all day, but you may learn something. Its whats best for you.
Are you serious? I'm not trying to bait you. My argument is not against christianity!!
I thought christians were supposed to want to teach other people. Seriously, I want to know why you're not supposed to see or hear god today.
I'm not understanding why you can't just tell me.
Anyone else know?
We can hear Gods voice Tim.
You have to be open to hear it and accept what He has to say.
As far as seeing God?
I do not believe God to be an old man in white robes with a long beard etc. I think He is love and light, spirit and glory.
Jesus was God in the flesh and walked among us.
I believe we feel God more than actually see Him. We can feel His presence in our hearts and know He is there all around in and of everything. The very air we breathe even.
Ok so what Sooner was saying isn't really in the bible then. I'm not trying to fight him. I was really curious when he said that we weren't supposed to hear or see him today even though people did back in the day.
That's just how my mind works...always asking questions. Thank you!
that can get you into a lot of trouble, i have found
no thats awesome Tim!
I am glad to have a conversation with someone who is actually wanting a real conversation and not just to mock which happens a lot in here.
I found the coolest site by the way which actually gives a scientific explanation as to why we cannot see God. Its really cool the link is here if you want to read it.
http://www.cojoweb.com/God-1.html
God did not talk to everybody back then. If he had done that nobody would take anyone seriously. He wanted one person talking for him at a time to that selected group.
The same way a businessman would want his business negosiated today.
Yes, divine beings use favoritism to talk to one and not to all. Makes sense.
What, is that in the non-believers bible?
I can't agree here atomswify. We were created in God's image. We take a flesh body again in heaven. Moses did not gaze upon the Lord. We do not gaze upon the Lord. We could not even please him in the law, because the law was weak(as we made it so). Look at Romans 9:1-17 and we learn how we are even able to please God at all.
Tim, I don't want to do this. Why don't you really challenge yourself?
Jesus mediates between us and God. There is great reason for this. We will only be able to dwell with God in heaven because no impure thing shall enter. If therefor we are purified, we may look upon Him.
Oh, good grief.
I fear for you. I genuinely do. I'm scared you actually believe what you wrote. God, or whoever it is you want to believe in, has really done a number on you, haven't they?
What troubles me here is how your ignorance blinds you to hard facts. In effect, it's as if your brain has been washed clean of all intelligence and reason and what's been left behind is a hollow set of pie in the sky values that mean absolutely nothing.
You scare me.
"Eastern religions are way older than 4200 years. And I like how you dismiss the Egyptian gods."
ohh? who?
Hinduism is clearly the oldest religion with some saying it goes back over 10,000 years. But Paleonithic (or however you spell that) peoples believed in Mother Earth 50,000 years ago.
But WHO CARES haha
You are so set on making christianity #1 that you are missing the whole point of religions.
Open your eyes accept that there are people who believe in their religions stronger than you. You are not the all knowing christian.
You are making your religion look bad in these forums.
why not 4201 ?
And dismiss egyptian gods as you will,
but never dismiss egyptian Godesses.
Ring your bell to proclaim this advice.
Never forget that some religions include female divinity.
And that is great. It shows to what point, Man who invented god was more or less invaginated towards himself at the time he came up with the idea.
if you kept up with recent archeology, you will find that no respectible archeologist claims remains of man nor religious relics to be any older than +/- 4200 years. which is weird because that still fits within the flood time phrame.
Look, tim is it? you have an account less than 20 hours old. you heavily remind me of someone that was recently banned for a time.
Remind you how? ohh, how about the areas of knowledge that you love to argue about, but have no education in. As stated above.
Thanks for your time, but I am looking for more depth.
Why would I get banned? If anything, you've been disrespectful to me. Including mocking me in other forum posts when it's not even a religious discussion.
You are the reason why people don't like certain christians.
I have tried many times to tell you argument isn't about christianity yet you keep trying to prove that christianity is #1.
Who cares for the millionth time!
Go read your bible and pray. I don't care.
But don't disrespect me or talk down to me like you are a god and perfect.
And don't threaten to ban me because i'm not a christian.
I think you are saying evolution is a religion? Well then yes, I agree. Thanks for that point Timmy.
Please, leave this for his own discovery people.
an eagle kicks its baby from the nest, no?
At least, it is shown here that we need the word.
Rethorics make some world go round.
Maybe we need the concept, too.
But how to grasp Absolute ?
@ the doubters:
And why is it that you do not believe someone who tells you God appeared to them ?
Do you think it is not possible?
What do you mean ?
"if you read the Bible you would know why we do not believe them"
Well, if God, or more to the point, 'your' concept of God appeared to me (Incidentally I have no concept of God and never will) at the very least I would want to know which cloud he finds the most comfortable to sit on? Is it the large puffy, fluffy cumulus nimbus ones... or does he find the cirrostratus ones a little more kind to his Godly butt? What's more, I'd ask God.. ooops, correction (your god) if he has any hot angels he can send down from heaven to dance at my local pole dancing club. You know, some cutesey wutesy pouty wouty angelic jezabelles who can flap their wings while working a little magic around the poles... not too much to ask is it?
Now, having successfully outraged all the pathetic religious fruit-loops out there, hopefully the key point I'm now about to make will snap more sharply into focus for the religious nutters.
On reading my above statement, the sense of outrage, disbelief and indignation that is generated within you, that I, as a non believer should mock so savagely your reviered 'god' is virtually identical to the outrage and disbelief that I, as an atheist feels towards individuals who class themselves as religious and who feel the need to believe in a pie-in-sky God.
Ultimately, reasoning with the religious will prove futile. They cannot learn because certain areas of their brain 'need' god. Fortunately, I have evolution on my side! Evolution, I salute you! In time, sad and desperate individuals who have developed 'God centres' within their brains will have these areas gradually eroded through the course of evolution. Once evolution starts to do it's thing, there will be no turning back for the ignorant so blinded by their faiths.
I just gotta ask, if you are not a christian why do you spend all your time on religious forums. Do you get a thrill out of talking down to people that do believe? This question is not directed at anyone in particular.
is being a Christian a requirement to discuss religion or be interested in religion?
is Christianity the only religion in the world?
why do you assume that people "get a thrill out of talking down to people that do believe"?
have you ever thought people might have a religious upbringing and are keenly interested in religion - period?
and why do you also assume that posters spend "all of their time" in religious forums? do you go in and count their posts and log their posting times?
interesting...
This is why I mentioned Talking down
Oh, good grief.
I fear for you. I genuinely do. I'm scared you actually believe what you wrote. God, or whoever it is you want to believe in, has really done a number on you, haven't they?
What troubles me here is how your ignorance blinds you to hard facts. In effect, it's as if your brain has been washed clean of all intelligence and reason and what's been left behind is a hollow set of pie in the sky values that mean absolutely nothing.
You scare me.
No cosette anyone can be in any forum they wish, I have just noticed some do what this guy did, I just don't understand the fanatical aversion some people exhibit!
Brainwashing is a topic I'm very interested in. I'm writing a hub about it. I need data
Well tantrum, plenty of material here then!
Answer to the origional question.
Does the sun MEed for the corn stalk to soak up the rays ?
It is as if we are all fish; I would really respect the other fish that are brave enough to evolve themselves up onto the bank of the river, because they do not need the water. When/if we evolve to never need the water we will owe it all to fishes that are brave enough to make that effort.
Good luck I hope ya can make it.
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