How many of you believe in God?

College Confidential Community
1181

<p>My family originated in Mexico where the Roman Catholic Church is highly present in all matters either social, spiritual, economic or political. Early on, my family became disheartened by the corruption scandals that rocked the Church in Mexico. Upon moving to the United States, my parents left behind any vestiges of their religious ancestral lineages. I essentially grew up in an atheist household where my parents took turns in criticizing all religions and their "idiotic" followers. Darwin was our savior, and natural selection was our god.</p>

<p>We took pride in calling ourselves intellectual skeptics who would never believe in false religions. However, I felt a void deep within my soul that caused me to enter a severe depression. I realized then that my life was nothing. Day in and day out, I spent my life studying only to earn excellent marks. My mind wrapped around the world's intricate histories, nature's subtleties and the creative genius of mankind. Out of all of this knowledge, I realized that I had learned NOTHING. Who was I but another book smart know it all that felt intellectually superior to everyone.</p>

<p>I entered a spiritual quest to find myself. I explored numerous faiths and philosophies. I visited protestant churches, Muslim mosques, Jewish synagogues and Hindu temples. All the while, I avoided the church of my ancient forbearers: the Roman Catholic Church. I never felt spiritually satisfied by these spiritual visits. The protestant churches were far too unorganized and decentralized with hardly any concrete plans for the reunification of the Christian community. Judaism was initially appealing but I soon found it to be far too rigid. I quickly threw out Hinduism because I disagreed with many of its religious tenets. Islam was also appealing but I too found it to be a religion that was far too strict and the chaos within the Islamic community made sure that I would never convert to Islam.</p>

<p>After two years into this spiritual quest, I was about to surrender and just live my life in the vain pursuit of knowledge. Then, one of my good friends, who came from a similarly atheist family, suggested that I should join him at a Roman Catholic Church service. He had also been on a similar spiritual quest until he discovered his true calling in the Church. The church service astounded me. I approached the parish priest after his service and we talked for about four hours. Our talk ranged from the theological beliefs of the Church to Church history to the present day pedophile scandals that have plagues the Church. He was extremely sincere and the feeling is very hard to describe. Growing up an atheist, I had never experienced such a sense of relief, warmth and belonging as I did then. Naturally, I vigorously researched the Church and found it to be very hospitable to my spiritual endeavors. Obviously, Church history is loaded with numerous scandals and the Church is not a flawless entity but it is definitely the church that is most attuned to my spiritual needs and beliefs. I disagree with some minor Church stances and condemn the actions of Catholics in the Inquisition, encomienda, trial of Galileo and Martin Luther, Holocaust, Huguenot persecutions and the current pedophile scandals. However, I have found some indescribable trait of the Church that is almost magical. And that is basically my life story (so far).</p>

1182

<p>""My family originated in Mexico where the Roman Catholic Church is highly present in all matters either social, spiritual, economic or political. Early on, my family became disheartened by the corruption scandals that rocked the Church in Mexico. Upon moving to the United States, my parents left behind any vestiges of their religious ancestral lineages. I essentially grew up in an atheist household where my parents took turns in criticizing all religions and their "idiotic" followers. Darwin was our savior, and natural selection was our god.</p>

<p>We took pride in calling ourselves intellectual skeptics who would never believe in false religions. However, I felt a void deep within my soul that caused me to enter a severe depression. I realized then that my life was nothing. Day in and day out, I spent my life studying only to earn excellent marks. My mind wrapped around the world's intricate histories, nature's subtleties and the creative genius of mankind. Out of all of this knowledge, I realized that I had learned NOTHING. Who was I but another book smart know it all that felt intellectually superior to everyone.""</p>

<p>I actually went the other way.
I was raised in a protestant household, but the more I became immersed into christianity the less believable it became.
Needless to say, i found religious life very spiritually unsatisfying.</p>

<p>I left religion and became an atheist, and since then I have grow much more as a person.</p>

<p>nevertheless I'm glad you have found in religion a kind of home, and wish you the best of luck in your spiritual quest.</p>

1183

<p>I personally identify myself as agnostic humanist. The question of the existence of God remains irrevelant to me, although I have atheistic tendencies. It seems much more fulfilling to me to try to make the lives of my fellow human beings better than worry about about the existence of God or the supernatural; everything we assign to God or the supernatural robs us of our own powers.</p>

1184

<p>Xe<em>Ln</em>Ag_A: Thank-you. I, too, wish you the best of luck in all of your spiritual endeavors. It's important for all of us to see that the fundamental similarity among all humans, besides being human of course, is that we are all trying to make sense of the universe. Some of us have found religion to fully satisfy our curiosity and others have looked to science and yet others have formed their spiritual beliefs from a combination of both.</p>

1185

<p>
[quote]
I know my God is the one true God separate from the others because human sacrifice is not demanded.

[/quote]
Based on your cultural assumptions (what your society has taught you), this practice is wrong. Based on their cultural imperatives, this practice is ok. How are your assumptions superior?</p>

<p>
[quote]
I believe there's a certain hadith that says Muslims will make up about half of the inhabitants of Heaven.

[/quote]
Do you believe that the way of Islam teaches truth to a larger extent than any other religion? The same question to justinian, though I know he as already attributed his belief to faith alone and no other rational justification. Why does the bible preach truth more than any other holy book?</p>

<p>
[quote]
God separate from the others because human sacrifice is not demanded.

[/quote]
Since when was human sacrifice the criteria for religious justification?</p>

1186

<p>Pianoman: Many religions call upon their believers to help the poor and the weak. Since converting to Christianity, I have joined a religious youth group that organizes several charitable events year round and we have helped Habitat for Humanity and other charitable causes that help house the homeless and impoverished. Humanism is an important philosophy and many of its founding fathers (and mothers) came from Christian families. Although many Humanists broke away from religion, they retained the religious spirit of social cooperation. Many can argue that at its core Humanism is Christianity without God and religious beliefs.</p>

1187

<p>My journey was much like yours (everkingly) and I am glad that you have found happiness. However, in debate of christianity, certain issues come up.</p>

<p>
[quote]
Growing up an atheist, I had never experienced such a sense of relief, warmth and belonging as I did then.

[/quote]
Just because christianity gives you a warm, tingly feeling inside is no justification for the merits of christian belief.</p>

<p>
[quote]
However, I felt a void deep within my soul that caused me to enter a severe depression. I realized then that my life was nothing. Day in and day out, I spent my life studying only to earn excellent marks. My mind wrapped around the world's intricate histories, nature's subtleties and the creative genius of mankind. Out of all of this knowledge, I realized that I had learned NOTHING.

[/quote]
Again, just because christianity makes you feel like you have a purpose, it does not mean that christianity is categorically true. </p>

<p>
[quote]
Church history is loaded with numerous scandals and the Church is not a flawless entity but it is definitely the church that is most attuned to my spiritual needs and beliefs.

[/quote]
The keyword is MY. The problem is that the church is not passive in its introduction of religion to other cultures. You earlier said that the invasion of the Mayans and Aztec were just in that they eliminated animistic, savage religions and instated "just" christianity instead. You also implied that the introduction of christianity to the Aztecs/Mayans was a step in the right direction for them. Are you aware of the fact that Aztec/Mayans were put on slave camps by the europeans for the excavation of natural resources (especially gold). Eventually, almost all Aztecs/Mayans died out, Christianity drove them to extinction!!! THis was the christian influence...the encomienda work camps. CAn you truly say that christianity bettered the lives of the Aztecs/Mayans? Are you aware of the fate of adahualpa (sp?) and the numerous amounts of Aztecs/Mayans brutally slaughtered? </p>

<p>How can you even say that the introduction of christianity to these regions was good? ( I have the quote to prove it)</p>

1188

<p>Everkingly's original post on caricatures of islam site (page 12)</p>

<p>
[quote]
You are absolutely right. Christians have tried to forcibly convert entire peoples. But we need to remember that the Mayans and Aztec were blood-thirsty savages who sacrificed millions of individuals. Would you want such a religion to survive. Let's face it, the Spanish enlightened the Aztec and Mayan savages.

[/quote]
</p>

1189

<p>"The keyword is MY. The problem is that the church is not passive in its introduction of religion to other cultures. You earlier said that the invasion of the Mayans and Aztec were just in that they eliminated animistic, savage religions and instated "just" christianity instead. You also said that the introduction of christianity to the Aztecs/Mayans was a step in the right direction for them. Are you aware of the fact that Aztec/Mayans were put on slave camps by the europeans for the excavation of natural resources (especially gold). Eventually, almost all Aztecs/Mayans died out, Christianity drove them to extinction!!! THis was the christian influence...the encomienda work camps. CAn you truly say that christianity bettered the lives of the Aztecs/Mayans? Are you aware of the fate of adahualpa (sp?) and the numerous amounts of Aztecs/Mayans brutally slaughtered? </p>

<p>How can you even say that the introduction of christianity to these regions was good? ( I have the quote to prove it)"</p>

<p>Trancestorm: First of all, I have to say that the Aztecs and Mayans were not driven to extinction because I would not be here if they had been. You might want to correct that statement.</p>

<p>Of course, I am deeply aware of the encomienda system, the downfalls of Montezuma and Atahualpa. Like I said, the Church is not flawless and has committed several tragedies throughout its history. However, we have to distinguish between the Catholic Church and the Spanish conquistadors. They are not one in the same even though most of the Spanish conquistadors were Catholic. It was the SPANISH ARMY that established the encomienda camps and instituted slave labor and not the Catholic Church. </p>

<p>In fact, Pope Alexander VI prohibited the enslavement of the indigenous peoples of the Americas. The Spanish general disregarded the papal decree and enslaved the Aztecs, Mayans, and Incas anyways. Queen Isabella of Spain also decreed that the indigenous peoples were not to be enslaved. However, she died shortly after making that decree and her successors disregarded the papal decree and the Queen's decree. It was Cortez, Nuneo de Guzman and his generals who cowardly defeated the Aztec empire and enslaved its people. Keep in mind that Cortez only had to report to his monarch only that he had not enslaved the indigenous peoples. He only had to lie and he would have gotten away with it. The Spanish monarch caught on to Cortez's lies but refused to do anything about it because quite frankly the Spanish monarch (not the Catholic Church) had everything to gain from the enslavement of the indigenous peoples (IP). </p>

<p>Father Bartoleme de las Casas vigorously argued against slave labor and persuaded Emperor Charles V to ban slavery. Once again, the colonizers disregarded their monarch's decree. The emperor was busy fighting intense wars with other European powers and granted the violent colonizers a great amount of autonomy. In addition, to Father Bartoleme de las Casas, Archbishop Zumarraga and Vasco de Quiroga (bishop of Michoacan) received money from the Church to construct churches, schools and basic medical clinics to help the ailing indigenous population. Gradually, the conditions of the encomienda system were improved after a new viceroy was appointed for the management of New Spain (Mexico). The viceroy appointed government officials and parish priests to make sure that the slaves were treated fairly. The Church continued to try to convince the colonizers to ban slavery to no avail. So, they decided to help the Indians in what every way they could especially by overseeing their fair treatment. Finally in 1824, Mexico abolished slavery long before other nations.</p>

<p>Thus, the Church vigorously tried to abolish slavery and to protect and aid the IP. It was the Spanish colonizers that allowed their greed to trump their Catholic teachings.</p>

1190

<p>Trancestorm: I stand by my statement that the Church enlightened the Mayans and Aztecs. The Mayans and Aztecs were indeed blood-thirsty and practiced disgusting rituals that entailed human sacrifices.</p>

1191

<p>


</p>

<p>Why?</p>

<p>Atheism=Disbelief in or denial of the existence of God or gods. </p>

<p>A step further is:</p>

<p>Nihilism=An extreme form of skepticism that denies all existence.</p>

1192

<p>Ya don't listen to neverborn. He makes a lot of statements like those.</p>

1193

<p>Trancestorm:
"Just because christianity gives you a warm, tingly feeling inside is no justification for the merits of christian belief."</p>

<p>I also base many of my beliefs in Christianity based upon logical reasoning and the scientific basis of miracles.</p>

1194

<p>Trancestorm: Did I stump you (no offense)?</p>

1195

<p><a href="http://www.users.drew.edu/%7Ejlenz/whynot.html%5B/url%5D"&gt;http://www.users.drew.edu/~jlenz/whynot.html&lt;/a> ~ "Why I am Not A Christian", by Bertrand Russell (humanist). To those who are interested.</p>

1196

<p>If one believes in miracles, he or she must concede that other religions than Christianity can claim "scientific basis" for these miracles. There are many documented so-called "miracles" in Hinduism (the religion I was born into), Judaism, Catholicism, even in pagan religions.</p>

1197

<p>rofl @ scientific basis for miracles.</p>

1198

<p>Absolutely, anyone can claim that their particular religion has miracles that are scientifically based. It is up to each person to figure out which faith is validated by the most scientifically based miracles. I have come to the conclusion that Christianity has the most researched and scientifically based miracles. However, everyone is free to research all miracles and come up with their own spiritual beliefs. I never said that Christianity solely has scientifically based miracles.</p>

<p>Note: Christianity and Catholicism are the same religion. Catholicism is simply one of the many divisions within Christianity.</p>

1199

<p>Neverborn: You talk a lot of smack without validating anything. Please refrain from pointless comments.</p>

1200

<p>everkingly: I'll post when I want, thanks. You post a bunch of deluded religious crap, but you don't see me telling you that you need to refrain from it.</p>