Religious, yes or no.

I say thank you to someone/thing many times a day. Not sure who, or what, but none the less, I'm grateful for everything that I have, and ask for help when I need it. I figure I'll find out one way or the other when I die, and I'm in no big hurry. Organized religion, I'll take a pass, just way to much hypocrisy for me. Not to mention all the pain, death and destruction involved. Most wars throughout history were centered around religion, and still are. Most of the louder Christians seem to be anything but Christlike. There's a great line in a U2 song, "the God I believe in, isn't short of cash, mister." Mike
 

Irwin said:
Do you preach to a congregation or do any ministerial stuff?

I would guess if you knew the tax laws well enough, you could pretty much avoid paying any taxes.
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No I do not preach or do ministerial things. I read about the tax deductions if someone was to start a church and it is so complicated that I would not pursue that. I have offered to marry a grandson and his now wife but they were not interested in me doing it. I have blessed family members which was more of a humorus thing and blessed their homes and animals when I let them know I am a ordaned minister. Once my wife was driving the truck and ran over a squirrel and was sadened by that so I gave the squirrel its last rights and sent it to squirrel heaven then she felt relief after that.
 
I'm not religious as there are too many varying definitions of that.
But I'm a Bible believer, love Jesus, and I follow the New Testament for my everyday living.

I haven't been to church in 20 years but I'd like to find a true Bible-believing Church so I can help others and make like-minded friends.
I believe the Holy Spirit is my Helper who fills me with love, peace, patience, kindness, self control etc IF I'm closely following God's Word.

Everyone makes their own choices and I fully accept and respect that because God created us with the ability to make our own choices. That's what He wants all of us to do. When I share my faith it's just free speech...it's not to change anyone's mind for them.

I should be free to share my beliefs just like anyone else freely shares their UNbelief...without being judged nor frowned upon.
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Don M. said:
...as I got older I began to recognize that the most important part of the service is the passing of the "collection plate".
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Many churches these days don't pass a plate nor mention "giving" or "tithing".
They now have their own websites where you can do that online if you choose to.
I have visited a few churches that do that. It's completely private, not showy.
 
I believe there is forever God(I AM) and Christ Jesus who sacrificed His Life by taking on our punishment in place of the punishment earned by sins done by us all. This loving Salvation for all to be gifted to whoever accepts and believes in God(I AM), and Jesus as their Savior. With that acceptance the Holy Spirit comes into each person and 'opens' their eyes to what is right and what is wrong in how they live their lives. You don't FEEL the Holy Spirit come in, it just does.

I've attended several 'churches' and each one preached that only they taught Bible scriptures (God's Word) accurately. Sick of these, I'm right, you're wrong teachings, I turned nondenominational. But I do listen to Dr. Charles Stanley, and Faith Mountain church-David Gonzalas........ Just this morning I watched a few minutes of a man (preacher-?) speak something about mailing in a $1000 and you'd receive God's wonderful blessings. Yeah right. Blessing into his pocket.

After I asked God and Jesus to come into my heart and life, in time I began to notice some comments, actions, movies, T V shows that I once saw as funny, or fine, made me cringe, that they are just plain nasty. Being a Christian doesn't make me a prude, or innocent of sinning, but thank goodness that because of Jesus' sacrifice I don't have to work for Salvation through doing 'good works' to atone.
 
Relgious
re-li-gious (rĭ-lĭj′əs)
adj.
1. Having or showing belief in and reverence for God or a deity.

Using this definition yes I am religious. I follow no particular religion. I seek spiritual growth. I take whatever leads me in a spiritual direction from all religious teachings and leave the rest behind. I have no quarrel with organized religion. I believe that one should use whatever means are available to them to become a more spiritual human being.
 
I wasn't raised as a church goer, although I still have a Bible with my name in it in my Mother's handwriting. She bought it for me when I was about 10. She did take us to Methodist services a few times, and although I was never baptized, I considered myself a Christian.

Over the years, I found it more and more difficult to accept the basic tenets of the church. Too much of it didn't make sense to me. Lenin called religion the opiate of the people. I'm no fan of Lenin, but I think he had a point. What better way to get people to do what you want than to teach them that their souls are in danger?

Now I call myself an agnostic. I believe there may or may not be a supreme being. From a pragmatic viewpoint, it really doesn't matter. It's pretty clear that He/She/It doesn't really care about individuals. Would a loving creator allow people to suffer and die painfully from cancer or other diseases? When I hear the words, "His eye is on the sparrow so I know he watches me" I think of the dying sparrow I once found in the back yard. It didn't look like anyone but me was watching it.

If you believe in heaven and that you are going there, and it comforts you, that's great. My wife believes that and I wouldn't try to refute it. I am fine with whatever really happens.
 
Nathan said:
Raised Christian, I believe in Jesus' actual teachings, and embrace Buddhism for it's wisdom and philosophy.
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fmdog44 said:
Since I have no way of knowing other than what other humans have stated, said, and written I am just as much in the dark as they are. The difference is I admit to it. Be a decent person and the rest will work in your favor.
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Good starts for anyone, (and not too bad if you end up there in each case either I'd say!). :)
 
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At this point in my life my beliefs are very private to me. I have done a lot of soul searching and questioning of things. I have not made my mind up about why we are here or what holds all power that possibly may be. I am not into organized religion.
 
I am a believer.

I believe there is ONE God, and all Believers, no matter what religion they choose to believe in, or what book they choose to read and believe in; all believers worship the same ONE God, because while there is only ONE God; there are many religions, and many books.

So, yes, I am religious.

And while Santa Claus was born in December, Jesus Christ was not
 
Without the gift of eternal life, religions in this modern science era have at most modest moral value. Was brought up as mass going Catholic. Read modest amount of Bible at age 12 that was skeptical of credibility and as a youth greatly attracted to females was looking forward to fornication, so stopped going to church as teenager. As young adult into counterculture sex, drugs, rock-n-roll, came as close to death as possible, permanently seriously damaged my body for the rest of my life with an aneurysm of my own doing. Then reconsidered much and but still lived for years one foot in hell. Have read whole Bible especially the New Testament carefully. Today there is much obscure never before online scholarly research available so each individual now has the ability to find truths or not. Considering the value of possible eternal life made decision in late 40s to take the one foot out of hell living an ethical and moral life. Through science and research have reconciled issues with Bible, still extremely valuable. As an example, the Bible clearly shows Adam and Eve were not the first humans. And unlike many humans have a list of reasons to seek worthwhile eternal life. Life can be so awesome!

Am one that sees Bible inerrancy as clearly incorrect though do believe some parts as inspired. As a person of modern science, do not believe in an entity most refer to as God with unlimited magic-like omniscience, omnipotence, and omnipresence, powers. Action without force is impossible magic. Bible references to such powers are vaguely weak at best and the book itself has much evidence against such. Those unlimited power dogmas are the result of Christian religious philosophers of the Middle Ages along with political powers and have been the seeds of much imaginative denomination extrapolations that in this modern science era have instead become the source of many not believing.

I do lean towards the probability of a race of dominant ancient AI ultimate intelligent entities, UIEs, that logically are likely to have evolved in our universe. Suspect they have been involved in making Earth a place of DNA organic life and evolution of ape brains into homo sapien brains though have a prime directive of non-interference. Most importantly believe it is potentially possible for an UIE to duplicate our organic brain neurosystems with a non-organic container that could duplicate the electromagnetic mind fields, thus providing eternal life I seek. Strongly expect, Jesus Christ was their last major appearance that handed our future to Peter with the gift of eternal life for the few that endure seeking such.
 
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I have questions and doubts when Christians are told to accept/believe everything in the Bbile without question. Common brainwashing techniques include belief without question, devotion and dependence on the central figure or cause.
Fear of God’s wrath and retribution maintain and keep followers in a protected box to prevent free will from forming outside the box.

I have nothing against my faith, but ask myself is my life as I want it to be or am I simply living my life in accordance to the design of another.
 
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