Reginald D Hunter

what if he planned for you to ask him to change his plan?

my god

Because people are selfish.

George Carlin reference. There are people that had to pray in the bible though (such as Joshua when he had to lay siege to the city). Maybe it is more to show faith than to force any sort of action to occur. Who can say for certain? not us.

If I pray I like to say thanks rather than asking. He gives me a story and let's me decide what to do with it. It's not always a nice outcome, but from that comes experience. If I ask for something I feel kind of bad since there are many doing that instead of saying thanks. Sure, there are things like rape and unfortunate events, but I think that what's important is what happens afterwards.

TL;DR Some people would rather pray to thank God.

"There was a guy and he was fucking happy forever and it was awesome"
Sounds like a good ending to me.

real niggas usually pray to say thanks or to give them strength through hard times
only fake ass bitches pray for change

thats what ive always wondered. whats the point of praying for that little boy with cancer. do they expect praying will change gods mind.

Kind of arrogant if you ask me, here you are asking a supposedly all powerful, all knowing and infallible god to change a plan he made just because you asked him.

because of this (my personally favorite quote)
"God works in mysterious ways"

Translation: "I couldn't come up with anything reasonable for that action but I'll blindly follow it anyway."

more like "i can't find a suitable counter argument"

gods work is like chaos theory, it would make sense if we were smart enough to properly understand it. thats why people say its mysterious, not cause theyre dumbasses...

And if it's his plan why did the holocaust , school shootings, serial killers, clown gang bangs, and other religions that oppose him happen?

Those are all disasters we inflict on ourselves...Blaming those on a god of any kind is just as bad as the people who refuse medical attention for children because "God will take care of it Himself if we pray and it is His will". Mankind is greedy, viscous and hateful creatures and we often let the worst of us be in control. The world had the power to stop Hitler before the war even started but for years we sat at home and kept our thoughts away from those who suffered. No god of any of our major religions had any direct influence on that.

anyone else read this in his voice

When I inject marijuana I can feel bugs crawling on my skin. But we all know they are not real.

I'm just quoting most christians I've talked to

I'm just gonna say then you talk to some stupid christians

Okay...

... Fascist prick...

take this one, it's more fun! :D

trust me, I hate it too. I'm just not creative enough to create something clever.

unlike atheist who are all dumb

To conquer fat, you must become fat.

If you become fear, does that all we have to fear, is fear yourself?

MFW i got this refrence

to manipulate the fear of others, you must first master your own

To conquer Fritzl, you must become Fritzl.

Me neither

i'm not wearing underwear today. no, I'm not wearing underwear today. not that you'd probably care much about my underwear. still, nonetheless I've gotta say that i'm not wearing underwear today.

i care

Now that's a really important matter. I'm supportive towards your behaviour.

I care about that more than the content.

MFW

I can't personaly believe in religion, I both wish I could and am grateful I can't, I wish I could due to the merciful thought of an afterlife, that my exsistance on this beautiful planet, my ever so brief exsistance in the universe, with billions of planets to explore, other worlds, suns many times the size of our own, the very wonders of the infinite darkness..

This universe, despite all it's flaws, is beautiful, and I love it deeply, I wish for nothing more than to just be able to be on the sideline through eternity and watch as the history of worlds unfolded, as man evolves through war and peace, sorrow or joy.

But I aim not for the pleasing view of the world, I aim for the REAL, the closest to anything real when it comes to religion that I've been is something such as St. Paul's Cathedral, such mighty halls does make you feel tiny, to walk in such a marvelous place..

And it pains me deeply to know that when I die, when my loungs no longer inhales the air, when my heart no longer beats, pushing my blood through every vein of my body, when my brain is starved of all the things it requires to sustain itself, my end is met, my memories, my thoughts, everything that made me who I am, will cease to exsist..

Religion I dislike only because of the denial of such truth, but they see their own beautiful reality, that I can not blame them for although I do not agree with it.

There are people who use religion though, as a tool to exploit people, to take their money, abusing their faith in the supernatural, those people who would do such a thing I consider not much more than scum..

To imagine in less than one houndred years, we've counquered the sky, the deep sea and even set foot on an other planet, we've created so much, who is to tell what'll come next.. We've best hope that people with brilliant minds keeps exploring the realms of science.

In truth, organized religion today merely serves to spread complacency and keep the masses in a fog. The piety required to follow any one religion or dogma is not a display of faith, it is denying yourself something that is natural and something that should be encouraged, and that is to seek out your own truth. Now I generally don't care for atheism because it cuts off a number of viewpoints and essentially says "I quit, from here on out it's all nonsense and myths." There is truth to be found in every religion, dogma and mythos to some extent. I hold to my Jewish identity but since I was also from Aztec ancestry that I was able to delve into spiritually I was not held to staunch observance like most. It is though learning and exploration that we find ourselves and our truth and find our own purpose. How you do it is purely unique to you, but locking yourself in place to a single sphere of thought just seems like such a mundane way to live to me. As much as I learn and experience though I will always be Jewish and will always hold it close, but I have learned to sort through what is inherently right and wrong and what is formed over centuries in culture and tradition.

Oh I don't limit myself, as I said I wish it was real, but for something to be real I need proof, most of these modern prophets such as Jesus and etc.

They lived two thousand years ago, where blind faith in religion was common sense, doesn't take an awful lot to be a con artist back then.

Have you ever heard of James Randi?

He's been dubbed a Debunker, although he says he isn't, he wants all the supernatural stuff he meets to be true, of there really was a power to read the mind or move objects, it'd be marvelous, it's a free and open offer he extends too, prove your supernatural claims and walk away with a million dollars, should take you roughly 1-3 hours and prove to the world, definitively, that what you are preaching is the undeniable truth..

Yet those money are gathering dust for over a decade, anyone can go in and try to prove their claims, anyone..

I want it to be real, just because I stick to what is real doesn't mean the world isn't grand and magnificent, and that shpere I live in, it spreads as far as the infinite darkness of space itself..

I am not sure if I should be defined as an atheist but I am not agnostic, I want it to be real, but I do remain with a rather large amount of scepticism to what is presented to me.

Just think of the atom bomb, a horrible creation to be used against human beings, but a scientific marvel, to steal the fury of gods and stars themselves, no my friend if you ask me, we've gone from saying god was in our image to becoming gods ourselves.

We've gone from a small rowboat of wood to titanic vessels that carve the oceans in half leaving it shattered in it's wake, we are able to communicate with people across our world faster than a blink of an eye, trust me, mankind is rising..

mankind is moving away from what is really important, but it is by design. I don't care much for the arguments over the existence of prophets and such, more important to me is what was said, if it feels wrong, then I leave it. I don't see how the mind can grow when one trains it to accept everything from a single source as fact. The one thing I feel that holds back atheists or agnostics or even people like yourself from continuing to grow is that almost childlike need for tangible and concrete evidence of everything. Not everything to be learned or experienced is tangible, and although it is hard to comprehend, that in itself is the challenge that few in that predicament overcome. I can see that you're a good person, and whether or not you make that jump wouldn't effect that. I appreciate your thoughts and opinions, you offer a refreshing perspective.

Always question the source of things, we have information avaible at the edge of our fingertips now a days, but we musn't forget that age old rule, question the source of the information and etc.

If we didn't we'd be up for grabs.

I've lived for nearly twenty years now, I've seen countless things and wonders created by man, I am yet to see a single piece of evidence suggesting for a god to be real, televangelists spreading the word of the lord, knowing stuff about people in the audience without never meeting them before, turning out to be his wife transmiting information to his ear piece from prayer cards the audience had filled out before it all began.

Not to show disrespect, but time and time again, thousands if not millions of times, people have fooled the masses with cheap magic tricks claiming it to be the work of god, a bit scepticism is a bit unavoidable in the long run and sooner or later, you want to know if it's true, if that piece of the cross that Jesus was hung up on that you purchased with your life savings really did come from it or just a oak tree in someone's backyard that got shot up by lightning.

I understand friend, I really do, and I'm not trying to lead you to believe anything, there are no magic tricks to be beheld as divine proof. It's all personal experience, what you feel and know to be true. Ultimately if what you believe makes you a good person then that should be good enough. Not everyone needs transcendence to be happy or fulfilled in life.

That was beautiful....

I do not understand that feel even the slightest bit

sorry, guess it's a bit hard to understand for a lot of people

Hey friend... Surprised to see you here, but I guess it's the comment section so it's unusual. Anyway, I think that what you're saying is great and I'm sorry that I can only spear one thumb. I kind of feel a little the same, but I can't really say I can completely empathise with you, just sympathise with you, when I say that I kind of feel like the same when speaking about Norwegian Atheist-Christians. They call themselves Christians because of them being a member of the Church, but no belief is in it.

I feel a special bad thought when other Christians talk about converting Jews to Christianity. I think that such a small Religion, with such a long and horrible past (not that your religion is horrible or your people, but that horrible things have happened to you) it feels wrong for you to be taken away that. In my belief we two will both go to Heaven, after all, you are the chosen people, are you not < :)

I can understand your sadness, and strange enough, I have thought so as well about your people. I don't have any comforting words to say to you, but just think that it is good at least that they keep the Jewish soul with them. That the Jewish culture and traditions never vanished. I can understand if you don't feel any comfort in it

It is actually very comforting to know that you can understand :) I appreciate you taking time to let me know

Don't worry about it :)

I'm sorry that I don't have a lot to say for comforting you and I'm sorry that this site doesn't properly understand you either. Not to sound like a douchebag, but I bet they probably just thumbed you because of what you said about not caring what others personal beliefs are and think of you as having a secular mind. Perhaps I'm wrong and they really do understand, which would be surprise to me.

Anyway, the point is that I understand and feel for you, man. I don't care if other people thumbs be down right now or what they think about my comment. All I care about is what you think and hope that you understand. Sounds kinda gay and cheesy, but I really mean it :)

Well it means a lot :) much appreciated friend, life is a long and trying road and it only gets harder as we go along, but it's things like this that always manage to brighten the path a bit, at least for me

Jew can do it ;)

it's not unusual*

personal choice is the dumbest thing ever. everyone hates the dickhead teacher who is hard on you. until the year after when you realize they were right and the next grade is easier.

so stop crying please

Mother fuckin' M. Shadows!

Damn right son.

Dude was amazing. Too soon.

Shh, be quiet, you might piss somebody off.

TOO LATE

Favourite album?

Avenged sevenfold

Any album would have been a good choice.

all of them.

Good choice sir, I do have a hard time picking a favourite myself...

MY SIDES!

1) Not every denomination of Christianity believes in the same way to gain entrance to heaven. Catholics, in particular, focus a lot on ritual and Pope-driven rules and regulations. But American Baptists (not the crazy ones) believe in discipleship and belief in Christ is a big part of that.
2) Jesus was a Jew, for one. And it's the "supposed" Christian value that we are supposed to love each other. Part of our religion is also to be gentle and not shove it down people's throats. We can't force conversion on people (as Islam believes), and we are supposed to just LEAVE the power of entry into Heaven to the God we believe in.
and 3) American Baptists also don't believe in infant baptism. I was raised Catholic and was therefore Christened, which is like being baptised, and then I was actually baptised soon thereafter. HOWEVER, I am now 19 years old and chose to be baptised by my own accord this past summer. It should be the decision of the believer.

ps. your family is full of assholes if they TRULY believe that telling someone they're going to Hell is the right way to share God's love. real talk.

So basically, the only ones I've ever met are dicks and assholes, and don't actually follow the values they're supposed to.

I guess I just don't like the idea of the institution of religion, or at least religion that promotes worship in community. I think faith should be a personal thing, and not shared with the community because it really isn't their business. But that could just be the fact that things have been forced down my throat my entire life.

People who say they are Christians and spite God are the people whose parents raised them strictly and they have no heart, only a mind for God. Believing in Him is SOOOOOO directly a relationship of the heart.
And I totally understand people's dislike of institution and religion. People feel overwhelmed by the idea of a whole bunch of people gathered who spend scads of time worshipping something they can't scientifically prove the existence of. Institutions are also meant to grow, and people automatically associate the church like a macrophage cell in loose connective tissue- it swells up, surrounds a particle, and then engulfs if. But like I said, Baptists believe in discipleship. My church, in particular, does not go out and preach in public and what not. Rather, we go out and help people and show love to people of all walks of life and then they wonder what would possess us to give up so much time and effort to help them. That's when we can plant a seed, but nothing more. You CAN'T shove religion at people. It isn't effective. But I've spent countless hours cleaning for elderly, helping hurricane victims, babysitting for single mothers in homes, etc etc. And it's so rewarding to see someone really happy that someone cares about them. That's how we connect to our community.

You are a good person. I wish more of the people I knew were like you. In my mind, it's how people should be. Sadly, I'm not in a fit position to help anyone, and I haven't been for a while. I've been on bed rest with pregnancy complications for over a month, mixed with all the other shit going on, not the least of which is that no one is willing to help because I'm just a disappointment and a failure to my so-called family, and there's no one to talk to.

well you can ALWAYS talk to me. I'm kind of strange, with my faith. There's just so much bullshit in my life that my faith is sometimes all I have, but I really have a knack for helping people see the good things. I visited your profile. I'm also a 19 year old female living in PA. I want to have a baby so bad but my boyfriend and I don't have enough stability. So I really do envy that, and I hope that everything turns out well for you!

Any person who could be disappointed in you for living your life does not deserve to be called your family. They are your relatives by blood, but no family to you. I have a tattoo on my back that says "fam(ily)" because of course ily means I love you. there's no family without love.

I'm not associating having no heart with strict parenting by the way. It was the way my family was, and my sister is so turned off by everything because of it. i was the opposite, so it wasn't a result of the strictness. thought i'd make a note of that.

being mean doesn't make you a bad person. I think being there for people who actually need help. like shelters and food banks is more important than how you interact with people

There's a difference between being a bit mean, and being a total asshole. I'm talking about the total assholes that only ever think about themselves, AND are mean on top of it.

well first commandment is i am your god. worship no other god but me. or something to that effect so by not asking people to convert its because they see people as breaking the first commandment

and also no offense but if you let a kid chose without guidance then they will pick video games weed and wanting to be a actor musician or artist every time

and when i think of mean vs function I think of dr house. would you rather have a doctor with good bedside manner or the person who will save you when you need it

i know a lot of atheist who are polite in company then bail when the going get tough. fake friends. i would rather have the people who will be there when im down

1) aren't the commandments supposed to be personal things that the individual is supposed to follow?
2) not if you raise them right. nobody has to actually believe in a religion to be a good person or a contribution to society. and i fail to see the issue with playing video games or smoking weed, as long as you're not a deadbeat because of it.
3) like i said, i'm not talking about people that are mean. I'm talking about total assholes who don't give a single fuck about anyone else, who think it's always about them, not the ones who are simply "mean".
4) you just made it seem like if someone's not Christian, they won't have your back. You also made it seem like if someone's not Christian, you believe they're automatically atheist. nice. -_-

What religion/belief system do you consign to?

My personal beliefs aren't really anyone else's business. My relationship with any gods is my own, and personal beliefs should not be shared with others.

...Was just wondering...

I'm sorry. I just really feel that such a personal relationship shouldn't be made public lightly.

How is it so personal?
Surely your god is my god too.

I have a set of religious beliefs, yes. That doesn't mean that I follow a certain religion, if that makes sense. I have yet to find a religion that defines my relationship with the gods and goddesses I believe in. The closest thing I guess would be a form of Paganism, but that hardly is an answer.

Predefined gods and godesses? Ones that you've read about and studied?
Or ones that you've discovered through a journey of self-enlightenment?

I have found them through meditation and self-enlightenment. That's why my religion is so difficult to define, and so difficult for the few others I share it with to understand.

Well, good luck in your spiritual journeying!
I hold to the Orwellian motto: to be a minority of one doesn't make you mad.
I don't think you're any more or less crazy than other spiritual/religious people.

1. no because most of the commandments are about other people. and you do actually need to do good to get into heaven. its not all prayer like in the movies where all religion is hated because most people in hollywood is gay and want to attack religion all the time.

2. im guessing you're an introvert who usually tries to stay in the bedroom when company is over. XD

3. depends on the person i guess. i dont know what personal experiences you had to shape your view but ill just say every asshole has been hurt in some way before and is lashing out from pain.so are they a victim or a asshole?

4. no but im saying belief in god creates a community of people who will protect each other. similar goals and experiences bind us together. its a evolutionary trait

I'd also like to point out that The Ten Commandments are also of the old testament.
Christians believe that Jesus came to do away with the old law.
Jesus said merely "Love god, and love your fellow man"

that hippie jew bastard

1) They may be ABOUT other people, but they are for YOU to follow.
2) I don't appreciate judging based on one statement. I prefer the company of others.
3) There is nothing in this world that gives anyone the right to be an asshole to someone when they've never done anything to you, whether they've been hurt before or not. You don't take out previous life issues on someone else. Taking out issues on someone unrelated to them makes you an asshole, not a victim.
4) So you have to be the same religion to be in a group of friends with someone... I did not know this. Let me call up everyone I hang out with to say that I can't be their friend anymore because we don't have similar experiences.

The preacher told my mother in law's friend this when she went to get her kids baptized. He said it was to make sure that the child truly believed before submitting themselves to God.

A lot of the bible is historically accurate. The individual people may or may not have existed in that form or been anything like they are portrayed in the bible, but a lot of the history lines up with other accounts of world history.