what do you believe?

[forsythia12]

well, apology accepted.  i am sorry too, for taking it personally.  no, beliefs don't offend me, i thought you were attacking what i believed.  i'm not one for debates, i intended this thread to be used as a learning tool.
yes, you're right,....good works do glorify god, but good works cannot SAVE us.
it says "who among you is good?  no one...for we all fall short of the glory of god" therefore, we need jesus to cleanse our sins.  we are not to give up, of course, but again, our salvation is not based on our merrit alone.

no, jesus didn't mean to have god's law abolished, that's not what i meant.  i meant that because of jesus, we can be considered sinless.
in romans, paul asks "so than shall we give up?  no, we need to work out our salvation with fear and trembling.  run the race.  fight the good fight"  and he's referring to our deeds; however, again, he points out that this is to glorify god, not to buy our own salvation.

as far as modern christians taking things and making it their own, so it suits their needs, well yes, i suppose that's true.  i think there are many many flaws with the christian faith.  they did horrible things in the past, and still do today.  i think there's fault in many religions.  i guess that's why i believe that we have sin in our lives.
there will be sin and hypocrisy in the church.....and sadly, many of us cannot practice what we preach.  i know i often can't, and for me, i know i need god to help me live the way he inteded me to, 'cause i personally cannot do it alone.  i cave into my sin daily, but i turn to him over and over again, hoping to have a more god honoring day than i did the day before.

[injest]

I have a problem with beating up anyone over the Bible. It has been translated and retranslated and reinterpreted so many times, there is no way of knowing what is supposed to be in there and what is not.

[Artiste]

There has to be a God!!

No persons can make all the snowflakes, each is different??

How can a person or persons  make Earth, Mars, the Moon, etc.??

There must be an Infinity, or something like that??

Hugs!!

[forsythia12]

I have a problem with beating up anyone over the Bible. It has been translated and retranslated and reinterpreted so many times, there is no way of knowing what is supposed to be in there and what is not.

yes, injest, you are right.  it's a very complicated issue, and things often get heated, hence all the religious wars going on.
i hope this thread will keep going though 'cause i think it's neat to talk about what people believe or don't believe in.
thanks for your post

[brokeplex]

Neo-pagan here.

Just in an interest in knowing what it is you believe, may I ask you exactly how you define pagan. Christians in the later years of the Roman Empire described the followers of the ancient Greco-Roman gods as pagans. I have heard animists described as pagans. The native religions of the American Indian have been described as pagan.

I attend 4 sci-fi conventions in Texas every year, and when I see booths with "pagan" literature or speak with  individuals advocating a 'paganism' I always get  different answers. I've even spoken to Wiccanists who describe themselves as pagan. 

[Artiste]

I am surprised no one describes some islamics as some muslims and so other so-called religions and non-religions: who murder gays, and enslave women as pagans, to-day!!

American First Nations are not pagans!! Some of those who stole their lands and lives, plus livelyhood were and are!!

Many other persons or so-called civilized are pagans as thugs, thiefs and murderers... in my book!

What are your opinions??

I think that there is a God and therefore, I respect life and humans!!
Hugs!!

[delalluvia]

Just in an interest in knowing what it is you believe, may I ask you exactly how you define pagan. Christians in the later years of the Roman Empire described the followers of the ancient Greco-Roman gods as pagans. I have heard animists described as pagans. The native religions of the American Indian have been described as pagan.

I attend 4 sci-fi conventions in Texas every year, and when I see booths with "pagan" literature or speak with  individuals advocating a 'paganism' I always get  different answers. I've even spoken to Wiccanists who describe themselves as pagan. 

A Pagan is defined differently by different people, that's why you get different answers.  Some people consider pagans to be anyone who isn't a follower of the 3 great monotheistic religions.  Others don't consider Hindu, Buddhist or Native Americans to be in the pagan category, some new age religious people consider the moniker pagan itself to be offensive, since it was used in a derogatory sense by the early Christians. [shrug]

Neo-pagan is just a quickie catchall I use because it refers to a new version of an old religion.  My path is more properly called reconstructionism - a new religion based on an old religion constructed out of as much of original material as possible.

[brokeplex]

A Pagan is defined differently by different people, that's why you get different answers.  Some people consider pagans to be anyone who isn't a follower of the 3 great monotheistic religions.  Others don't consider Hindu, Buddhist or Native Americans to be in the pagan category, some new age religious people consider the moniker pagan itself to be offensive, since it was used in a derogatory sense by the early Christians. [shrug]

Neo-pagan is just a quickie catchall I use because it refers to a new version of an old religion.  My path is more properly called reconstructionism - a new religion based on an old religion constructed out of as much of original material as possible.

so for you, you have found the part of Christianity that works in your world view and fashioned it to fit your life? sounds reasonable to me, I still consider myself a Baptist but I am happy to ignore interpretations by the SB Conventions which I find intolerable. Why did you feel a need to abandon organized Christianity? you could not mold a niche within a church? or you did not wish to do that? I am just curious as I enjoy reading history, and I read a book last month about the decline of the pagan world in the 4th century AD, so the subject of paganism is on my mind.

[delalluvia]

so for you, you have found the part of Christianity that works in your world view and fashioned it to fit your life? sounds reasonable to me,

It is reasonable, many many people do it.  But not me.  If you read my description to Forsynthia about my Christian beliefs, I couldn't make Christianity work in my life.  Religio Romana reconstructionism works very very well for me.  I still have a little Wiccan in me because of tradition mostly.  The women of my family were either herbalists or curanderas.

Why did you feel a need to abandon organized Christianity? you could not mold a niche within a church? or you did not wish to do that? I am just curious as I enjoy reading history, and I read a book last month about the decline of the pagan world in the 4th century AD, so the subject of paganism is on my mind.

No. I couldn't make it work.  In order for me to reconcile Christianity to myself, I basically had to rewrite the entire religion.  One ex-boyfriend used to laugh and call it "Delalluvianity".  Basic beliefs I couldn't buy, the divorce thing, the 'original sin' thing, the illogic of "the only way to my father is through me" thing, the women are subservient thing, the exclusionary thing, and all the mind control things -  I cannot even think nasty thoughts about a handsome guy or have any doubts about Jesus, etc. or else I'm courting damnation - I didn't like some of the things Jesus/Paul/whoever said.  It was many things.

[brokeplex]

ok I understand,

 I guess I am a "cafeteria" Baptist. I have no qualms about picking and choosing the beliefs which are compatible with my conscience and rejecting those that conflict with me. But I understand that many people with sincere religious beliefs can not do this. Some of the doctines and interpretations of scripture creates a conflict in many women, it also creates a conflict with gays.

Maybe it is because in my denomination a doctrine known as the "Priesthood of the Believer" is taught. Essentially that encourages a personal relationship with Christ without passing thru doctrine or ministers. Now, I take this belief a bit further along than most Baptists would.  DL who was also raised SB sometimes laughs at my interpretations, but it works for me.