Okay, before you start jumping down my throat because you think I don't believe in God, I do. I'm a Christian. I believe that Jesus died for our sins on the cross and all that. This blog is purely an analytical attempt at sorting out information so you, the reader, can start to think about different sides to this debate. I honestly want feedback. Let me know what you think and how you perceive this subject.
What is religion? If you think about it, religion is a solution to a problem. You have a problem? You're seeking answers? Religion provides those answers, or at least a level of comfort in knowing that "everything will be alright."
When you accept religion, you accept the package deal of salvation, a place to go when you die, the answers to all your questions, a place for your soul to expire to, and the "ultimate father figure." We can find comfort in knowing that there is something out there that will "fix" us if we want it to. Even though it's completely untangible and the only thing we argue is that we just "know" God exists. That's what faith is, after all, right? Hebrews II:I says: "Faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see." It does not tell us that we will see tangible, visible evidence of God.
Sometimes I feel that people use religion as a crutch-- a means to an end. They find themselves so unhappy and devoid of anything good in their life until one day, they see an ad in a newspaper for a church that promises "God's Love," or a guy comes door to door with a Bible and, BOOM. Problems solved. They've searched their entire life for something to believe in, something to make their lives on earth worth something. But now they're believing in something they can't even see or touch or feel?
Atheism, on the other hand, views life as this: we don't have a problem. There is not some quandary, some problem so unsolvable that we can't find answers here, on Earth. We live here after all, don't we? We know this planet better than anyone. (BTW, I say "we," but I do not include myself in this because, as I stated before, I am a Christian) Atheists actually believe you have to work for what you know, for what you think and for what you feel. There's no guidebook on what to do in any given situation. You're not handed the answers on a silver platter with a pat on the back and swift kick out the door until next Sunday.
Then there's Agnostics. A different version of atheists with a little dash of the religious mixed in. For what I've read and been told by agnostics, they seem to not want to make up their mind as to who exactly is controlling their universe. Only that there is something doing the moving and shifting, but they can't prove is the God we Christians know it to be.
What I find interesting is the actual meaning of "agnostic." Agnostic literally means: "a" - without, "gnosis" - knowledge. I wonder if the majority of agnostics know this? If I were an agnostic and found this out, I'd be pissed. Who's to tell them they have no knowledge? And who's to say that the epitome of knowledge is God? There were a great number of philosophers and scientists that denied the Christian God's existence, but rather accepted the fact that there was perhaps, maybe some higher being. If I remember correctly, Albert Einstein even claimed to be "without knowledge." But seriously, where we would be without E=mc2? (Ok, granted, I have no idea what that means... but it seems super important)
I don't mean to piss people off with this blog, but I think I will. Some of you may be thinking, "But she claims to be Christian! How can she even entertain such ideas of the non-existence of God? That's blasphemy!" Here's the thing: I'M NOT DENYING THE EXISTENCE OF GOD. I'm simply stating a different side to an argument. I know that some of my fellow Christians refuse to accept the idea that God doesn't exist for some people, and we must always be trying to get non-believers to circle the wagon.
Here's my point of view. I know what I believe, and I'm not about to tell you what you're supposed to believe. I'm very "Live and Let Live," and I would have voted for Obama if I had been able to get past some of his crazier antics. I like healthy debate, and I like looking at different sides of arguments or discussions. I have a lot of friends that are atheist or agnostic, and I don't care. What matters is someone's heart, not whether or not they have a cross hanging in their house or go to church every Sunday. If you seek answers and find those answers in God, or Buddha, or Allah, or Brahman, then good for you. If seek answers and find them in "Dear Abby," then good for you. If you seek answers, don't find them, and sit on your butt and watch Dr. Phill because those people's lives make you feel better about yourself, then good for you. I don't care. Do what you want.
And if you're someone who just got pissed off after reading this, why??? TELL ME! Round One and I'm not even closed to being tapped.
What is religion? If you think about it, religion is a solution to a problem. You have a problem? You're seeking answers? Religion provides those answers, or at least a level of comfort in knowing that "everything will be alright."
When you accept religion, you accept the package deal of salvation, a place to go when you die, the answers to all your questions, a place for your soul to expire to, and the "ultimate father figure." We can find comfort in knowing that there is something out there that will "fix" us if we want it to. Even though it's completely untangible and the only thing we argue is that we just "know" God exists. That's what faith is, after all, right? Hebrews II:I says: "Faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see." It does not tell us that we will see tangible, visible evidence of God.
Sometimes I feel that people use religion as a crutch-- a means to an end. They find themselves so unhappy and devoid of anything good in their life until one day, they see an ad in a newspaper for a church that promises "God's Love," or a guy comes door to door with a Bible and, BOOM. Problems solved. They've searched their entire life for something to believe in, something to make their lives on earth worth something. But now they're believing in something they can't even see or touch or feel?
Atheism, on the other hand, views life as this: we don't have a problem. There is not some quandary, some problem so unsolvable that we can't find answers here, on Earth. We live here after all, don't we? We know this planet better than anyone. (BTW, I say "we," but I do not include myself in this because, as I stated before, I am a Christian) Atheists actually believe you have to work for what you know, for what you think and for what you feel. There's no guidebook on what to do in any given situation. You're not handed the answers on a silver platter with a pat on the back and swift kick out the door until next Sunday.
Then there's Agnostics. A different version of atheists with a little dash of the religious mixed in. For what I've read and been told by agnostics, they seem to not want to make up their mind as to who exactly is controlling their universe. Only that there is something doing the moving and shifting, but they can't prove is the God we Christians know it to be.
What I find interesting is the actual meaning of "agnostic." Agnostic literally means: "a" - without, "gnosis" - knowledge. I wonder if the majority of agnostics know this? If I were an agnostic and found this out, I'd be pissed. Who's to tell them they have no knowledge? And who's to say that the epitome of knowledge is God? There were a great number of philosophers and scientists that denied the Christian God's existence, but rather accepted the fact that there was perhaps, maybe some higher being. If I remember correctly, Albert Einstein even claimed to be "without knowledge." But seriously, where we would be without E=mc2? (Ok, granted, I have no idea what that means... but it seems super important)
I don't mean to piss people off with this blog, but I think I will. Some of you may be thinking, "But she claims to be Christian! How can she even entertain such ideas of the non-existence of God? That's blasphemy!" Here's the thing: I'M NOT DENYING THE EXISTENCE OF GOD. I'm simply stating a different side to an argument. I know that some of my fellow Christians refuse to accept the idea that God doesn't exist for some people, and we must always be trying to get non-believers to circle the wagon.
Here's my point of view. I know what I believe, and I'm not about to tell you what you're supposed to believe. I'm very "Live and Let Live," and I would have voted for Obama if I had been able to get past some of his crazier antics. I like healthy debate, and I like looking at different sides of arguments or discussions. I have a lot of friends that are atheist or agnostic, and I don't care. What matters is someone's heart, not whether or not they have a cross hanging in their house or go to church every Sunday. If you seek answers and find those answers in God, or Buddha, or Allah, or Brahman, then good for you. If seek answers and find them in "Dear Abby," then good for you. If you seek answers, don't find them, and sit on your butt and watch Dr. Phill because those people's lives make you feel better about yourself, then good for you. I don't care. Do what you want.
And if you're someone who just got pissed off after reading this, why??? TELL ME! Round One and I'm not even closed to being tapped.
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