Calling all Christians

chcr said:
I'm afraid that turns out not to be the case.
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No? Civilization itself can be credited to religion. Not too shabby & that's only the tip of the iceberg.
 
X=Chi Chi Rho
chirho.gif




Regarding my relationship w/ God. Hmmmm.... A Bishop which I spoke with once said that no one can describe God. The only thing which we can do is talk about our relationship with God and how it affects us.

Each person's desription would likely be different and although some might even be talking about the same God, they would be unlikely to agree.

I work for the church but I am agnostic. I believe in the basic moral structure of the Christian church, if not it's ceremonial aspect. Although I neither believe or disbelieve in the existance of a supreme being, I understand that 'belief' affects many people. It's a safe harbour in times of strife, a pedestal upon which people can stand to shout out their joy, and a constant presence in the lives of others.

For some, their religion is their excuse to do harm or to repress others. I obviously don't follow that. :D

In short...my relationship with God starts with the core of my morals and generally stops there.
 
Gonz said:
No? Civilization itself can be credited to religion. Not too shabby & that's only the tip of the iceberg.
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Actually, it can't.

Religious leaders will tell you differently, but civilization arose through trade and exchanges of differing ideas. These were in fact discouraged by the various religions ("we're right and everyone else are heathens"). The Greeks and then the Romans started the real spread of civilization independent of their respective religions. In fact Augustus Caesar complained that the roman religion tried to exert too much power over secular authority on more than one occasion. Plus ca change, plus c'est la meme chose. Civilization owes almost nothing to religion.

Harm? let's start with 1000+ years of church enforced ignorance and terror.

I'm sorry Gonz, but for a self-professed skeptic you sometimes take the popular story as gospel, regardless of how clearly inaccurate it is. :shrug:
 
I would say religion did more harm than good but doesnt civilisation owe anything to religion in that it gave people something to believe in and in some cases religion was the whole basis for the civilisation?
 
To early civilization religon was the center of their lives, but not like we see religon now, most of those were considered pagan religons as they worshiped the Sun, Earth, animal spirits, etc... The religon certainly did play a big part of their lives, but it was still the economic reasons that mainly brought people together. The ease of planting crops rather than gathering whatever you could find. Raising and slaughtering animals rather than hunting. These things made it necessary for people to gather in groups and work together. That was the beginning of civilization, not religon. They could still practice their pagan religons when they lived alone in caves.
 
PuterTutor said:
To early civilization religon was the center of their lives, but not like we see religon now, most of those were considered pagan religons as they worshiped the Sun, Earth, animal spirits, etc... The religon certainly did play a big part of their lives, but it was still the economic reasons that mainly brought people together. The ease of planting crops rather than gathering whatever you could find. Raising and slaughtering animals rather than hunting. These things made it necessary for people to gather in groups and work together. That was the beginning of civilization, not religon. They could still practice their pagan religons when they lived alone in caves.
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I would say to early man religion was the central fact of their lives. You traded with people who had what you wanted, not necessarily that shared your faith. Civiliztion then was largely independent from faith.

Most of those religions are now considered pagan, they weren't then.
 
True, that is what I meant, although from what I understand pagan does not mean it's a bad thing. It isn't that they became pagan, pagan became a bad word.
 
I thought that at one time Christians were considered a Pagan religion since it was a miniority? Non Abrahamic I have heard only because Monotheism is the majority of religions these days
 
Come now wisened & learned Eric. You, of all people, should impart upon us, your lessers, some of you great wisdom.
 
freako104 said:
isnt the actual definition of Pagan just Religion that is not of the majority?
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It's a handy dandy lil' title given to anyone who doesn't follow the Christian, Jewish or Muslim religion (so yes, to a great extent anyone who doesn't follow the Abrahamic tradition or variations thereof).

It certainly ain't a definition of "Religion that is not of the majority"......when yer consider there are a coupla billion hindu's and buddhists that also fall under the definition of "pagan" :retard:
 
staffrodore said:
This is a thread where you can express your relationship with God.
Some of the posts have degenerated to such a low level that I think it's about time the Christians injected some love and goodwill towards our fellow OTC'ers on the message board. So feel free to preach to the masses. This is YOUR opportunity.
So tell us what God means to you....the relationship you have with Him.
Remember OTC'ers, this is your relationship with God thread so no abuse, just warm fuzzies.
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Going into defense mode...


I'm with catocom on this one. My beliefs are mine, and nobody elses. I also know that defending those beliefs, and others which I may not agree with, is a cornerstone of my existence.
 
freako104 said:
I thought that at one time Christians were considered a Pagan religion since it was a miniority? Non Abrahamic I have heard only because Monotheism is the majority of religions these days
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not considered pagan, it was an offshoot of judism, back at the begining. it slowly evolved into it's own religion, back in th beginning it was considered by the majority of the population not a pagan thing but a (no offense intended) cult
 
paul_valaru said:
...not a pagan thing but a (no offense intended) cult
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When you stop and think about it, isn't the only difference between a cult and a religon the number of followers it has?
 
PuterTutor said:
When you stop and think about it, isn't the only difference between a cult and a religon the number of followers it has?
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in the end yes, but i was talking perception, people percevie cults as out there, weird, different. that is how early christianity was seen. (and some of it was out there, like the gnostics)
 
Gato_Solo said:
Going into defense mode...


I'm with catocom on this one. My beliefs are mine, and nobody elses. I also know that defending those beliefs, and others which I may not agree with, is a cornerstone of my existence.
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are you adverse to sharing the beliefs if asked? I only ask because some people share them no matter what(basically the people who try to convert everyone) and some dont unless asked.




Chic: :lol:



Thanks Paul. I wasnt sure.
 
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