do u believe??

[dejucrazy55]

in life after death?? if so what do you think it's like?

[RATTER15]

Theland, im sorry but I dont see that by saying "God done it" explains it all logically do you?

[Theland]

We can only use logic, surely, within the bounds of the space and time of which we are a part. A universe of cause and affect. God is outside of space and time, and is His own cause and effect. We cannot examine Him objectively, like a laboratory specimen. HE chooses how, when and to whom He will reveal Himself, through His creation, through the scriptures, and sometimes through personal experience, which is subjective knowledge, not objective that can be passed around for examination.
However, the scriptures are reliable as far as I am concerned, not least because of the amazing accuracy of the prophecies contained in them. But, I guess that is a subject for another debate.
How about posting a question on religion and spirituality about these prophecies? I'll certainly join in. Promise.

[jake-the-peg]

Theland,

Let me see if I can help a bit with the big bang stuff.

It's really important to understand that the big bang was not an explosion of some kind of massive star into an existing universe.

Physical space and crucially time itself came into existance with the big bang.

We are talking about the creation of time , the concept of before the big bang just doesn't exist.

This is really hard, probably impossible to grasp as a visualised concept the way we normally grasp ideas. Our everyday language is totally embedded with implications of time and yet we discover when we prod nature really hard that time does not work the way we think it does in everyday life.

I don't expect you to necessarilly go with all this but try and get the idea that to a cosmologist it's not that you can't see beyond the big bang it's that there actually is no beyond it.

Ummmm,

Why are you surprised about the number of non-believers on this site? Are you in the UK or America?

Britain is a pretty atheistical place, 33% of the UK population say that religion is "unimportant" only 18% said they were members of an organised religion and Richard Dawkins book on atheism is in the to 20 best sellers list.

I'd say the balance of religious opinions here is pretty representative of the overall mix in the UK

[LazyGun]

Without wanting to get drawn into a debate on this issue again, since it is not the proper place... Theland asks how evolution explains the big bang, or words to that effect. There are several distinctive creation or origin questions, and evolution is only the answer to one of them... I do wish people would use the right terminology.
1. Creation of the Universe. Big Bang theory, or something else.
2.Inorganic material on Earth to Organic Life. Abiogenesis, or Creation.
3.Simple Organic Life - Complex Life, such as the animals, plants, trees etc we see today. Evolution.

Evolution has never pretended to be the answer to either the creation of the universe nor the transformation from inorganic to organic life.

[fms]

im a just ave to wait and see knid of guy really i wont say i do or dont believe.

[ummmm]

Jake....I'm in England

I don't know why I'm surprised, probably living in ignorance. I was surrounded by believers so I presumed as I grew up that most are. I'm not suggesting that I think there is anything wrong in not believing in God, just surprised that's all

[jake-the-peg]

:c)

I'm just surprised you're surprised!

Mind you the most amazing thing is the number of people who call themselves "Church of England" and have never been in a Church outside of Baptisms, Weddings and Fulnerals.

It's almost as if they see themselves as Christians by virtue of race in the same way that a Jew would see himself as being Jewish by birth

[ummmm]

I'm gonna go round asking everyone if they believe in God now. I'm Catholic and only went to Catholic schools so only ever knew Catholic people really.

I am a bit ignorant, I just presume everyone is like me until they point it out. Then I'm surprised.

Or maybe I'm just stupid

[Theland]

Jake is spot on - Like when people go into hospital and get asked their religion, they say Church of England or Roman Catholic.
I could say, "I worship the God of the Hebrews, and believe on the name of Jesus Christ ..... ", but then they would probably cancel my appointment and send me to be mentally assessed!

[ummmm]

I think that's more of a habit Theland.

My Mum's a born again Christian but I still say I'm Catholic

[Theland]

listen to your mum ummmmm

[ummmm]

I do Theland.....

Like I said, habit

[Theland]

ummmmm - If you still say you are a catholic, then take the time to listen to what this ex-catholic priest of over 20 years, Richard Bennet has to say. It's enlightening.
http://www.bereanbeacon.org/

[crete]

no disprespect theland but are you anti catholisism ?

[Theland]

I love Roman Catholics. My father, (RIP), my son in law, my brother in law, and virtually every friend I had as a kid were all R.C. Today, I have some work colleagues and friends who are R.C. But, I have no time for Roman Catholicism. It is totally man made with it's praying to dead people, purgatory, (where do they get that from?) infallible popes, anti semitic history, and enslavement. To illustrate their wickedness, look no further than the Magdalene Laundries, the last one of which did not close until 1996.

[ummmm]

I agree with what you say Theland but I have found that many Catholics have loyalty to their religion. Or brainwashed!

I do not understand the praying to saint this and saint that. I say cut out the middle man and go straight to the boss,

I also cannot understand why they seem to put the Virgin Mary higher up than Jesus. All over Ireland there are shrines to Mary. Although Mary was special as the chosen one to carry Jesus she is not The Son of God.


I will listen to that now.

[ummmm]

No I won't because the computer I am on at the moment has no speakers!!!

I'll listen to it when I get home

[crete]

so theland i presume you are not a catholic would you be happy telling us what if any faith you believe in. thanks

[Theland]

crete - Iwas "Christened " into the Church of England and made to attend by parents until aged 12 or 13.
Then I married in a Cof E, to "hedge my bet" as I 'sort of' believed in God.
Many years later, I became a Christian and started to attend my local C of E church, but I was shocked at the wishy washy teachings they were giving out. The vicar even disputed some of the basic Bible doctrines.
I left them and began attending a Gospel Hall, just plain Bible teaching, no more and no less.
However, I stopped going there because I felt that some aspects were a bit overpowering, and I needed time to get thinking about their general authoritative approach to Christianity, and my own beliefs. I cannot fault them, they are sticklers for the Bible. The fault lies with me. I think I will eventually go back to them, and hopefully, get babtised there. The Gospel Hall is non denominational.