Have you or anybody you know been healed by God? Physically?

What is mind-blowing is that people believe there's a magical man in their heart. Even creepier.

Duh, clearly a magical man named god created everything in existance. He designed the human body one day. He thought "putting a rod-like object inside holes is a GREAT way to reproduce", and dinosaurs and all natural resources are also his idea.

Good to see you're extremely mature about the question.

You say immaturity, i say making light of. I was merely underlining what i believe to be far-fetched beliefs of some out there.

In other words, i don't have a clue, and neither do you or anyone else. Anybody who thinks they know, doesn't, as it is a theory and can't be proved.

So you're ok with telling me what I don't know about but it's not ok when anyone tells you that you can't truly be happy without God? That seems fair...

Say what?! How are those two things even REMOTELY ironically linked? Are you trying to say it's unfair for me state that nobody knows how the earth was created, while i state it's unfair for someone to tell me what makes me happy? Interesting. Thanks for your concern.

This looks like a dodge tactic to me. Maybe it's not, but that's how it's reading on this end. The question was, what do you think? Now, if you've never thought that deeply about the question, just say so. It's silly to reply with something of the ilk, "I have no idea and neither do you." because thought like that get us no where in this world, and eliminate any chance at advancing the thought process. I'll admit that I've never really considered the question, so I can't provide any real answer, meaning that anybody who actually has formulated a concrete opinion on the matter trumps both yours and my opinions, Nick.

Wow. I wasn't even aware i was applying tactics. I found it interesting however that you call me out without having an opposing opinion. Saying that "i don't know and neither do you" was a general statement to point out that nobody could possibly know, rather than to say that Carmo personally doesn't know. I thought i made it pretty obvious that i have no idea. Not like i was hiding the fact that i have no idea by implying "yeah, well, you know what? YOU have no idea". Kindly percieve what i have to say with atleast SOME credit.

Say what?! How are those two things even REMOTELY ironically linked? Are you trying to say it's unfair for me state that nobody knows how the earth was created, while i state it's unfair for someone to tell me what makes me happy? Interesting. Thanks for your concern.

lol, I just meant that Bullsfans009 was saying he believed that you can't truly be happy without God and you weren't happy about it. But then you go and say that you believe I don't know how the world came about, whereas I think I have got a clue. Anyway, I guess I was just being a bit picky.

What is mind-blowing is that people believe there's a magical man in their heart. Even creepier.

Donatello, your original question was intelligent & I gave you an intelligent response, though I know you disagree. That's fine- I respect your right to have your own opinion. But it's better to give another intelligent response, or change the topic, or end the conversation than start mocking other people's beliefs.

If I were using sarcasm at your beliefs, I hope you would say the same thing to me. But it's just not right to disrespect the [very deep and personal] beliefs of others.


...and I forgot the #1 reason to answer your question (why do people like Jesus so much): he frees them from their burdens (like sins, insecurities, fears, etc) in the here and now- not even talking about afterlife.

...and I forgot the #1 reason to answer your question (why do people like Jesus so much): he frees them from their burdens (like sins, insecurities, fears, etc) in the here and now- not even talking about afterlife.

Kindly enlighten as to how can somebody you've never met or seen is able do that?

It's been a process, but it's been happening for me, actually. And I know it's been the same way for lots of people in the world, over all the years, to varying degrees and in various areas of their lives. But no doubt, Jesus makes a big positive difference in many people's lives in the here and now. You get a certain comfort, though life still is not easy and isn't supposed to be, and also a big one is you get perspective- you just see things differently. As Martin Luther King Jr. explained this somewhat in his sermon, "The Three Dimensions of a Complete Life." Here's the relevant clip:

"You may not be able to define God in philosophical terms. Men through the ages have tried to talk about him. Plato said that he was the Architectonic Good. Aristotle called him the Unmoved Mover. Hegel called him the Absolute Whole. Then there was a man named Paul Tillich who called him Being-Itself. We don’t need to know all of these high-sounding terms. Maybe we have to know him and discover him another way. One day you ought to rise up and say, "I know him because he’s a lily of the valley." He’s a bright and morning star. He’s a rose of Sharon. He’s a battle-axe in the time of Babylon. And then somewhere you ought to just reach out and say, "He’s my everything. He’s my mother and my father. He’s my sister and my brother. He’s a friend to the friendless." This is the God of the universe. And if you believe in him and worship him, something will happen in your life. You will smile when others around you are crying. This is the power of God."

(taken from this site, where there are more of his sermons if anyone's interested. It's not as good to read them as hear him speak them, of course, but still imo they're really really good stuff: http://www.stanford.edu/group/King/publ ... ntents.htm )

What is mind-blowing is that people believe there's a magical man in their heart. Even creepier.

Donatello, your original question was intelligent & I gave you an intelligent response, though I know you disagree. That's fine- I respect your right to have your own opinion. But it's better to give another intelligent response, or change the topic, or end the conversation than start mocking other people's beliefs.

If I were using sarcasm at your beliefs, I hope you would say the same thing to me. But it's just not right to disrespect the [very deep and personal] beliefs of others.


...and I forgot the #1 reason to answer your question (why do people like Jesus so much): he frees them from their burdens (like sins, insecurities, fears, etc) in the here and now- not even talking about afterlife.

I'm sorry, but I will mock anyone who bases their beliefs on a 'religion' that is used to make money. No personal offense.

Also, I take responsibility for my own burdens, like any adult SHOULD do.

You get a certain comfort

You get a certain comfort from somebody you've never met, seen, or even has a proven existance.

Righto.

I'm sorry, but I will mock anyone who bases their beliefs on a 'religion' that is used to make money. No personal offense.

If that’s what Christianity was really about (making $ OR being a religion), then it would deserve constructive criticism, but still not mocking because that doesn’t help anything. But “Christian” actually means “little Christ”- a Christian is someone who’s supposed to emulate Jesus. And Jesus was broke

And Christianity is primarily about having a personal relationship with God/Jesus, not being a religion (in which customs/rules/politics/traditions trump spirituality)

Also, I take responsibility for my own burdens, like any adult SHOULD do.

but can you handle all of your burdens yourself though?

You get a certain comfort from somebody you've never met, seen, or even has a proven existance.

Righto.

You really think this is looney stuff, huh? Jesus lived 2000-some years ago, that's a fact as proven as any other. And in a way, even if you don't believe him to be alive today, in a sense he does live in the hearts of many people all over the world. And also, his words live on through the Bible.

And Christianity is primarily about having a personal relationship with God

Just... wow.

Do you want his salvation all over your face?

Not only is it silly/impossible to have a relationship with someone you've never met/seen or have proven existance. It being the primary point behind christianity and therefore deticating your existance to it is even more mind-boggling.

I dunno how it can not seem silly to you, bullsfan. (I don't really ever converse with many christians on the issue. So sorry if this seems confronting and abrupt. I don't know if this is supposed to be a "don't go there" zone for non-christians or not. But i'm just laying it out there as another fellow human being).

Anyway, i was never planning to be a christian, and i was never an athiast (or however it's spelled), but i know now for sure that i will never be christian. It just seems so far-fetched and ridiculous to me.

And Christianity is primarily about having a personal relationship with God

Just... wow.

Do you want his salvation all over your face?

Not only is it silly/impossible to have a relationship with someone you've never met/seen or have proven existance. It being the primary point behind christianity and therefore deticating your existance to it is even more mind-boggling.

I dunno how it can not seem silly to you, bullsfan. (I don't really ever converse with many christians on the issue. So sorry if this seems confronting and abrupt. I don't know if this is supposed to be a "don't go there" zone for non-christians or not. But i'm just laying it out there as another fellow human being).

Anyway, i was never planning to be a christian, and i was never an athiast (or however it's spelled), but i know now for sure that i will never be christian. It just seems so far-fetched and ridiculous to me.

Don't worry about being confronting/abrupt- you're being respectful which is all I want- you gotta right to your opinions & the right to share them.

As far as the whole concept of God, it's actually not as far-fetched as you might think at first. If you just sit and wonder for a minute about the whole concept of life, like "how can there be anything?" and also about death, and then the massiveness of the universe, imo it takes more faith to not believe in God then to believe. What may be the craziest thought of all is that God would care about someone as small & temporary as you & me.

check out this awesome Psalm (8:1-4)- this is what I mean...

O LORD, our Lord,
how majestic is your name in all the earth!
You have set your glory
above the heavens.
From the lips of children and infants
you have ordained praise
because of your enemies,
to silence the foe and the avenger.

When I consider your heavens,
the work of your fingers,
the moon and the stars,
which you have set in place,

what is man that you are mindful of him,
the son of man that you care for him?


...but Christianity teaches that God does care, a whole lot- and that's where Jesus comes in.

Errr... i think it's time to agree to disagree.