My opinion view (feel free to disagree)

I've been pondering religion a lot lately, and I am not religious, but it's fun to ponder. A great way to ponder is to read about other people who are pondering and it makes you ponder more. I like to ponder things greater than me, it touches a part of the brain that is unused when thinking hard to write and essay or complete a math problem. It does have a touch of logic to it, but logic can only carry it so far, as our brains are not, at least in the way we use them, spiritual. I did do soul searching in the past, but I'm past that, I just felt like saying past twice, and now I said it three times. Anyhow, I took a little survey thing that sees where you line up in beliefs and I agreed with its conclusion.



Home > Quizzes


Health and Happiness Newsletter

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What's Your Spiritual Type?


You scored 75, on a scale of 25 to 100. Here's how to interpret your score:

25 - 29
Hardcore Skeptic -- but interested or you wouldn't be here!
30 - 39
Spiritual Dabbler -- Open to spiritual matters but far from impressed
40 - 49
Active Spiritual Seeker ? Spiritual but turned off by organized religion
50 - 59
Spiritual Straddler ? One foot in traditional religion, one foot in free-form spirituality
60 - 69
Old-fashioned Seeker -- Happy with my religion but searching for the right expression of it
70 - 79
Questioning Believer ? You have doubts about the particulars but not the Big Stuff
80 - 89
Confident Believer ? You have little doubt you?ve found the right path
90 - 100
Candidate for Clergy

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I do question a lot, but usually I don't tend to question people, as many times they just give opinions. What I try to question is God, and religion. I question religion quite a bit, as it is not created by God. Though God uses religion, man uses religion as well. It is visible the difference between the two, through agenda. Rules are laid in religion, and hold a certain moral code. When these rules crossover into opinion rather than biblically based set, I question them. There's a whole sect of Christianity I don't even begin to question, since I don't even listen to it either, that would condemn my martial arts practice. Their simple conclusion would be

"But I say to you, offer no resistance to one who is evil. When someone strikes you on (your) right cheek, turn the other one to him as well."

Okay, sure, makes sense if I were to follow that in the bible. That is if I decided to do what it also said earlier on...

"And if thy right eye offend thee, pluck it out, and cast it from thee: for it is profitable for thee that one of thy members should perish, and not that thy whole body should be cast into hell."

And it says to cut off your hand...I don't plan on getting rid of my eye or hand anytime soon.

Okay that wasn't really what I was ponder, just...something I do not take in a literal sense.

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Though believing in God and attempting to follow him can be simple it can also be a difficult thing. Being too involved in a religion can be one thing that causes it to be incredibly difficult to follow him. Organized religions are creations of man and any creation of a man will not be perfect in any sense of the word. Though good intentions could be the root of a creation of a religion, and to have an organized doctrine, men thirst for power and riches which cause corruption, violence, and hatred. God has given people a free will to do as they please, and if they so choose to serve him, then he will accept them.

Many modern Christian I think though have slightly ignored what God has said about leaving the battles to him. They declare a war on anything that is sinful (except themselves and their religion), including homosexuality. Personally, I disagree with homosexuality, but it is not my place or any man's to stop someone from making their choice to do what they wish with whom they wish. Dealing with issues such as that can be extremely complicated.

Homosexuality/heterosexuality have an immense amount to do with the root word, sexuality. Carnal desire drives people to be attracted to the same or opposite sex. One thing I question/ponder about is the abstaining from sex. Not why, but if it is just circumstantial. Under the circumstance that God told us to abstain before marriage due to cleanliness. There is also the emotional aspect to it. I will not say that it is because of love that it happens, but it may be a climatic expression of love between two individuals.

 

I think you have some great questions and are one of my favourite types of seekers - The Sincere Agnostic.
You would be compared to the Bereans who were counted as 'noble' because they searched the scriptures daily to see if these claims by Jesus and his Disciples were true or not.
The Bereans "received the word with all readiness, and searched the Scriptures daily to find out whether these things were so" (Acts 17:10-11).

I think I can field a few of these...

Here, Jesus is takes the law to even more impossible levels.
Can you really imagine being able to do such a thing?
I cant.
The teaching even goes further in that you give a thief no resistance and let him not only take your jacket but offer him your shirt as well.

This new Law kills me (as if the others were not enough) and I dont want to speak for you but I cant see myself being able to achieve this.
I cant keep this law.
Maybe the one Ghandi type person in a billion can but I bet I wont be able to pull it off.

Dont be confused by any of what I just said yet.
Just ponder it for a while and ponder it to other Laws you find given by Jesus in other passages:
- Not only is Adultery Sin (failure to live up to the Law) but Jesus then tightens the rule to that just looking at a woman in lust is technically adultery too.
- Not only is actual Murder Sin.. but having the murderous intent in ones own Heart and mind is being guilty of Murder too.

Yes, take these 'literally' because that is simply how and what he makes clear.

Has the Law buried you yet?
Are you still interested in following the Law to earn your righteousness.
Think you can do it now?

If you are like me and everyone else the answer is No.
You cant do it.
Nobody can do it.
These Laws and this religion is impossible for any man to achieve.

If you still hold out any hope of following these religious edicts then Jesus is going to take this baby right over the top and demonstrate what you need to do if you REALLY want to claim you are Religious and really want to 'walk the walk'.........

There is no way Jesus is wrong.
btw.. yes, absolutely he is refering to your actual hand and your actual eyeball.
He is 100% bang-on correct and not one single Jew listening to him can deny this.
Of course it would be way better to cut off your own hand than to be cast into Hell.
Wouldnt it?
Of course it would be better to lose a body part (if that were the cause).

So this really just puts a final nail into the coffin of Obedience to the Law.
(as if you thought you could carry out the previous ones anyways!)

Basically, the Legalist is dead in his tracks at that last teaching.
Dead.
Thats it.
He cant do it, he knows its 'technically' correct and true but he cant do it.
Brilliant.

I love that you brought up these verses and I think that says something for your keen eye because these are some of my absolute favourite examples explaining why Jesus is the Great Rabbi.
The Master Teacher.

I suppose it does help if you sorta get 'into' the way that ancient Jews framed their debates, their teachings etc.
Actually, I smile when even Rabbis in modern days still teach and speak in these ways.
"So i should do what now.. .. lay down and die already?'

So as not to mega-post a whole theology Im gonna leave it at that.
Theres your Laws and what you need to do to attain your Salvation, to be truly a 'Good Person' and to attain Gods Approval.

You cant, I cant and nobody could.
If Jesus is so knowledgable of these Laws and has such high standards them uhh.. maybe he should try doing himself eh?

Thats where the next parts come in and its awesome.
Religion Kills.
Enter the Religion Fulfiller who then becomes the Religion Killer.
Finally the Life Bringer.
Just awesome.

But just for now go 'Berean' on these things some more and your well on your way to understanding the Set-Up!

Hope that Helps!

 

pssssst- Thier profile says "Christian"

 

Burby.. did you spend your Surplus Cheque on a new iPod or that fishing reel you had your eye on?

 

1 ~ how does god 'use' religion?
2 ~ how does man 'use' religion?
3 ~ how can you know?

 

Never got one (byt he way, it is a Prosperity Bonus). Need to file a tax return (I turned 18 before Jan. 1, 2006). I might get an iPod, who knows...maybe a Lrd of the rings DVD collection

but that is neither here nor there

 

Are you sure its not called 'Ralphs Bucks'?
That sucks if you turned 18 just after the cut-off.
So close.

Yeah, you must have filed 2004 tax returns hehe.
Always some catch!

 

yeah, so now i gott go down to the post office and get one

 

can you post the link where that quiz is

 

not sure if it is the same, but here is beliefnet's
http://www.beliefnet.com/section/quiz/index.asp?sectionID=&surveyID=27

 

Yeah I think that's the same one I used.

 

Thanx for the link Burbot.

I scored 69 = Old fashioned seeker - Happy with my religon but searching for the right expression of it.

Brian, we share a lot of very similar beliefs.