<p>Just wondering...I'm confronting this myself...if I believe in God, it's a universal God, not a Christian/Catholic/Jewish/Muslim God, I find it hard to reconcile a lot of the religious stuff I've been steeped in for my entire life...and I cannot stand how God always has to be pitted against science, for instance, don't you think a loving God would want stem cell research, progress for the improvement of humanity? </p>
<p>Also, it has become apparent to me as I have studied history more and more that religious faith has been repeatedly used as a device by an elite few to manipulate the masses and gain power...for instance, consider the Pharoahs of ancient Egypt or the gods of the Roman republic. I have always resented this and can't help but see it in our modern, democratic nation in the Bush Administration and even more so in Iran, where a nuclear program is being pursued ostensibly for the purpose to destory non-Muslim nations and thus fulfill the Prophet's vision and allow for the twelth imam's return. Those are two narrow examples. Whether religion is just convenient, or this is what individuals in power truly believe, I can't say...</p>
<p>its wrong that they use religion to rule a country only if the country doesnt believe in that religion, am i not correct?
dont get me wrong, im not against stem cell research, im just saying.
if bush is against it, and he has people supporting him who are also against it, then thats reason enough for it to be illegal.</p>
<p>Thats what you call faith.
God just is and will always be there...you have to trust it.</p>
<p>People use religion for other purposes then what God would want us to...but you have to realize that the majority of people that follow the certain religion don't take advantage of religion like the select few</p>
<p>I consider myself as a strong agnostic, because I just think that having a religion makes people arrogant. People say things like, I'm going to go to haven when you are stuck in the hell!! Plus, many of them think "God I believe is the one true God!! and what you believe is a damn pagan god!!" BS! That makes me sick! I honestly believe that religion, after all, is what humans created. It's our nature to seek for some "universal" help and to believe that somebody is actually "out there" "looking after" us. When I was 7, I thought my Barbie was my goddess, protecting me. We make religions all over the place, regardless we actually recognize that fact. Thus, I believe, that one little religion got shaped with bunch of power-hungry people and some damn good writers and liers and then born into "the religion".</p>
<p>The thing is that science doesn't explain anything any better. Where did God come from is just the same question to me as where did all these tiny particles come from? For all I know there is actually an answer to either question, but the point is that you can keep going one step further back whether you are an atheist or a believer.</p>
<p>What makes us think that we have the capabilities to understand the origins of the universe anyway?</p>
<p>One more thing, some people say "God have a purpose on people". What about the kids in Africa? What kinda damn good purpose God has on them? I once thought, if there is haven and hell existing, this world is the hell!! I have asked this question about the God's purpose, and people's responses were pitiful and my favorite(read my sarcasm). They say, after all that praying and stuff, that they do not know, because they are only human beings who can not understand God's ultimate purposes. Only thing that they can do is to pray and be faithful. Okay, that's all I get.</p>
<p>One Christian and I had some discussion which obviously ended up as a little fight. He literally said that I will go to hell if I keep believeing what I believe right now. I told him;</p>
<p>"Well, then, I wouldn't be worrying to be anorexic to shed some pounds"</p>
<p>Sorry, I'm so bad when it comes to religion issues. :P</p>
<p>
[quote]
If you believe in God...where'd He come from?</p>
<p>This question is what stands between me and religion.
[/quote]
</p>
<p>That's pretty much always been my exact problem with religion. Just becuase things can't be completely explained without religion, they can't be with religion either.</p>