I know a lot of people believe in God

[redqueen]

and that's fine with me. :)

Your relationship with the spiritual is important, but personal, IMO.

[tom_paine]

1. Agreed, redqueen.

:thumbsup: :thumbsup:

[redqueen]

6. Cool beans :-)

:hi:

[Solly Mack]

2. very personal..and private....very private

and I fully support it being personal and private...especially private

[redqueen]

8. lol

Got it. :)

[Parche]

3. god

I believe in GOD only, no religion
There has to be a higher power, look around,this whole planet
could not have just happened.
Look at other things too, like plants and animals


USS REDFISH
USS QUEENFISH

[redqueen]

9. I tend to agree

Dogma just makes a mess of things.

[Parche]

25. Dogma

I think it is Catma instead, I dont like dogs!!!

[redqueen]

26. Oooh -- fie on you!

lol... I'm a dog person. :)

I can't handle the casual brushoff from a cat... their ability to demonstrate how little they think they need me just drives me nuts!

[toddzilla]

4. here's my thoughts on it..

[redqueen]

5. Yes, I think I liked "Dogs" better though

You've got to be trusted
By the people that you lie to
So that when they turn their backs on you
You'll get the chance to put the knife in

[Parche]

43. dogs

Ha ha, charad you are

[Moonbeam_Starlight]

7. Thank you for that statement

as someone who does believe in God, but in NO WAY foists that belief on others, I am sometimes rather taken aback by the hostility reserved for people who do believe in a Higher Power of some kind. But then I just go "eh". To each his own. My beliefs don't hurt a single person, if you knew me in real life, you'd know how intensely private I am about them.

[redqueen]

10. I'm always willing to discuss it

but not argue about it ... does that make sense?

[Moonbeam_Starlight]

17. The thing about religious/spiritual beliefs

is that it's awfully hard to ARGUE about them. I mean, you CAN, but if a person wants to believe that a blue teapot is God, how exactly do you dissuade them of that?

Or if they believe they were a frog in another life, how do they prove it? How do you disprove it?

That's why, for the most part, when it comes to religious debates, I just shrug my shoulders.

I DO draw a line when religious/spiritual (well any kind of beliefs!) beliefs cause HARM to others. As in anti-choice people killing doctors who perform abortions then they claim God wanted them to. Nope, doesn't fly with me.

But if your beliefs don't harm a fly, have at it. Blue teapots, frogs, Sunday school, whatever.

(I don't go to church...)

[redqueen]

21. Me either

but a certain boardmember has me seriously considering attending UU... I've now found four in my area... hmmmmm.

[Moonbeam_Starlight]

32. Hey!

That's about the ONLY church I would attend at this point. I have another very liberal friend who is agnostic who would like to go.

Maybe we should.....I just need to get over my anti-church bent, brought on by seeing the very disgustingly vile attitude of my supposedly Christian neighbors who break their arms patting themselves on the back over their church attendance. One said the Iraqis got what they deserved and it was payback for 9/11 even though they weren't involved. Nice attitude, eh?

Grrr. Put it out of my mind. Need to know DECENT spiritual people.......

[redqueen]

36. Waaaaaait

you're in D/FW right?

Any chance we might meet at a church?

[ulysses]

44. absolutely

I think it's important to talk about, I just wish it didn't divide the progressive community like it tends to. The fundies are still to blame for that, I think.

[Worst Username Ever]

45. I prefer to go "meh."

[sangh0]

11. I wish I could keep my religion personal and private

but those minions from Hell are trying to convince people that THEY are the one's acting in God's name.

[redqueen]

14. LOL!

You've quite a good point, there!

Not raggin' on anyone with this thread... just sayin. :)

[sangh0]

31. And I"m not raggin either

Your words were very welcome. Thanks

[scarletwoman]

12. Yes, let's just leave it at that -- PLEASE.

Personally, I don't CARE where people stand on the "God" issue.

sw

[redqueen]

18. It makes me a little sad it's even an 'issue' really

but... to each their own! :)


oh but on edit: I must say that things like forcing people to say the pledge and all... that I can agree is an issue... just not the existence or non existence itself. I hope that made sense.

[Moonbeam_Starlight]

19. Exactly

I never presume anyone cares to know what I believe so I don't ever bring it up.

[Nadienne]

13. For me, the existence

or non-existence of God is moot.

And therefore, your relationship - or non-relationship - with the spiritual does not make you less human or less worthy of my kindness...

[redqueen]

15. Nice

:thumbsup:

[Nadienne]

24. Thank you

*taking a bow*

[Moonbeam_Starlight]

20. Good point

Your last statement "and therefore..." is exactly how I feel. I don't care if a person believes in God or not.....doesn't mean I treat them any differently....

[Nadienne]

28. I see lots of people on both sides of the issue

Who can get to know someone, but then instantly hate him or her when they learn about this one difference.

It makes no sense to me.

[Worst Username Ever]

16. Enough religous threads today, sheesh n/t

[redqueen]

22. Well this one was kind of just for fun

the others seemed so

:scared:

[scarletwoman]

29. Well, this is the ONLY one I would consider posting on.

I kind of like being able to say, "Hey! I don't CARE!" without being drowned out in 200+ posts of useless argument. :P

sw

[YNGW]

23. Those who hope it to be private, it won't work.

The Bible specifically commands Christians to "Go and Teach." Conversely, it also says if someone is rejecting the teaching, Christians are to "dust the sand from their feet" and move on.

However, if it is the hope of anyone here that people of faith are going to leave that faith at the door, aren't going to carry that faith with them into the voting booth, or aren't going to petition their elected representatives to uphold laws supporting their religious beliefs, then you're in for a big disappointment.

And for those who would say "separation of church and state", I point out that the US does not have a "state" religion (i.e. the crown and the Church of England, of which the founding father's were concerned). For example, it is against the law for the US government to proclaim the Lutheran Church as the official state religion (i.e. Denmark). Separation of church and state, however, does not prevent people with religious beliefs from petitioning for laws based upon their moral convictions.

[redqueen]

27. But GOD didn't say 'go and teach'

That book did.

Spirit tells me go and DO. Help someone, and spread the spirit that way. :)

[YNGW]

30. Jesus said it

To the Christian, Jesus is the Son of God. For one to say it is for the other to have said it.

Christians aren't going to stop preaching the gospel. All the wishing in the world won't make it go away.

[redqueen]

38. No... the book says Jesus said that.

Sorry, but that thing is just completely unreliable IMO. Every religion crafted by man seems to me to have worked in some 'manipulate the people' crap... which is why I just celebrate the spirit and avoid the dogma. :)

[Nadienne]

34. The best way to teach

is by example.

As I recall from my days as a Catholic, there's a church song that goes, "And they'll know we are Christians by our love..."

Not by us telling them so, and not by us preaching to them about how they ought to be.

The bible also says (matthew chapter 6, I believe) that when you pray, you should go someplace private and not be like the hypocrites who pray on street corners so that everyone can see them.

[Moonbeam_Starlight]

35. I have spiritual beliefs

and consider myself to be a Christian, but I just ignore the part about going out and teaching. I like to think of how I live my life as an example. Liberal Christians don't tend to proselytize.

I don't think of the Bible as the end-all, be-all last and final word. Too many misinterpretations, variations, versions, and missing books.

Guess I'm not a good Christian, eh?

:shrug:

[spanone]

33. How odd that religion divides people. Odd.

[Moonbeam_Starlight]

37. I think it's important to make the distinction between

religion and spirituality. They are different, to me.

Anywho, good point.

[CaTeacher]

39. I think we represent American--some

believe (in a wide variety of faiths), some do not, others are not sure (like me). It is all good.

All should be welcome, just like in America, and just like in the Democratic party.

[redqueen]

40. I think it's by design, actually. n/t

[Cleita]

41. Thanks redqueen.

I couldn't have said it better myself.

[G_j]

42. fine with me too

I just can't understand why people on either side of the question feel the need to convince or convert anyone. :shrug:

[More Than A Feeling]

46. Delete

Deleted

[eridani]

47. Spirituality is not the same as religion

You don't need religion to have spirituality, any more than you need bakeries in order to have bread or whorehouses in order to have sex. The reason there are so many religions, bakeries and whorehouses is because of the convenience factor.