two_boys wrote: Yeah I know he supposedly wiped us out once before, but why not just start again, all over from scratch. Cos really we are a pretty crap version aren't we? I also wonder why he only sent one person/himself/his son to one place on earth. Surely being as almighty as he is he would of realised people in america and australia and even Europe would not know anything of it for many many years after he had been. So were those people who didn't know him to be able to worship him just condemned, what were they? collatoral damage? And how did people get from being from Adam and Eve to then being a multitude of different colours, spread all over the planet believing a mulittude of different things. Also why would he create animals that kill each other, that's a pretty sickening thing to create if you think about it too much. I also don't see why we would all be so similar. Animal, plant, bird, reptile we all have 7 things in common, we are all carbon based. Why? Makes more sense that we all came from the same thing and just evolved in different directions than being made by a god. Cos why would god do that? Why wouldn't he have some carbon based and some based on different minerals, why not some breathing nitrogen and so on? And why make a planet that is designed such that it has earthquakes and volcanoes and landslides and hurricanes and tornadoes and lightening storms? what's that about? I'm genuinely curious, cos I just don't get it.

Haha I think you already know what everyone will say to your questions

-I believe that God is good and just. I believe everyone gets a chance to hear the gospel, and choose whether to believe or not. .

-Or it makes sense that we all have the same designer  I don't think other elements would work because they don't have the right properties.

-I also don't understand the Adam and Eve to different races thing. I don't get how 'Cain went out and found a wife'... from where!?

-I don't know why God had a 'people' and everyone else he was just not interested in or something??

But I do believe that He will make everything right in the end. There's been a reason for everything I am sure.

Hope no one takes offence here, but this is my opinion and I've put some scriptures there to back it up so you know I'n not talking crap lol.

This comes from my previous church who were a tad on the extreme side sometimes, but if you're gonna be a christian, wouldn't it be better to be hardout than lukewarm? Rev 3:15-17

I spose our church could be considered happy clappy? No one claps but there a frequently people jumping around (the night service is pretty youth focused- the music is mostly hillsongs and planetshakers) and people with their arms in the air in worship. It's a biblical concept- praise and worship and I believe it's really important. I pray in tongues and yup it may seem weird from the outside, but I believe we should be embracing the gifts of the spirit, not ignoring them. I think if God went out of his way to give us the Holy Spirit, then it must be pretty important.

1 Corinthians 12-14; Romans 12; Ephesians 4; and 1 Peter 4.

two_boys wrote: The television was only one example, they were totally excluded from everything in the world except their church and other church people, when they have questions (normally ones we have asked) they ask the church, I would much rather they found stuff out for themselves and sought answers from many different places not just believe blindly what a pastor tells them but this how they were brought up. They also pay part of their wages to the church, it all just doesn't sit right with me, more so than other churches that are less restrictive, i.e Anglican, baptist etc.

You're right it's very extreme and restrictive, I just hear people talk about 'brainwashing' in the church a lot, and anything where one idea is preached as true could be called brainwashing.

I'm probably more inclined towards 'old earth creationism' but I don't really know. Lol Delli and Littlebug- my best friend and her fiance had this exact same discussion (slash more of an argument for them lol)

I agree with you though, a lot of people accept evolutionary theory as truth just because the 'scientists' say so. All they do is observe and measure and extrapolate and I really don't think they have all the answers. It's true they question what they've found and everything, but til that day, it will be taught to the whole world. And you'd think they'd all have to agree to teach it as fact!

In a micro paper I did at Massey we had to learn two different phylogenetic trees (how all species are inter-related and where they branched off), one traced back using DNA or RNA or something (can't remember sorry) and the other using mitochondrial RNA. They can't both be right, yet the guy stood up there confident as. Made me feel like it was a complete waste of time lol.

In our science papers they would rant on about things having evolved a certain way, and everyone was like yes hmm hmm, and me and my friend are just marvelling at the complexity of life, going how can these processes just happen all by themselves? I believe evrything has like a template.. I think that probably came from philosophy study... it makes sense in my head lol.

I have a friend who used to post all this stuff on facebook all the time. Pretty much like F*** GOD, I am GOD look at this awesome s*** I did in south-east asia, ridiculing religion constantly. I think he even put up a cartoon of mohammed in some indecent act.. Well anyway there was this whole string of comments, someone said something about it not being real. I just asked: what is real anyway?

He said what is actual, blah blah blah. Can't remember. But i didn't comment again coz I think that everyone has faith in something. Some people put their faith into what is here and now and 'actual' and some people put their faith in the unseen.

I stopped trusting the here and now and actual when I did a knowledge and reality paper. Still don't understand why that guy was sooo flippin angry though. Maybe coz he's real into quantum physics and is having a hard time explaining things. THAT would be hardcore interesting to get into.

Sorry for that whole meaningless ramble tho. Have too much time on my hands.

I also think television can be just as brainwashing as not having it.

We are told what to believe and what is normal every single moment. What to buy and what to wear.. Yes it's good for a lot of things and I definitely still watch it, but I pity the young girls growing up thinking that sleeping around is all good and just what everyone does. It's flippin everywhere on tv and music videos for the most part make me sick

I take responsibility for my own actions.

I have a science degree. I have learnt about evolution and I have no idea how God did what he did, I just believe that it was by His will and not by random chance.

I do not consider myself simple or ignorant and yes I do find that quite offensive, but oh well.

I have a fair idea of how molecules, compounds, proteins, cells, etc. are made, and I do not believe that the correct squence of amino acids just magically came together by itself to make a functional protein.

I BELIEVE..........:

God works all things for the good of those who love him. We are His children, and what kind of children would we be if we were never disciplined or put through trials?

We just can't see the big picture.

I do think it's funny how certain events people put down to God's hand, others to Satan, etc. I think Christians are way too outspoken sometimes when they claim they know the reasons for things they know nothing about.

I really was transformed when I became a christian, I could not possibly, through willpower alone, change my taste in music so strongly. Some things are a struggle, but other things you immediately find you have no desire for anymore. For me it's not about the sound of the music (ie. heavy metal) it's the lyrics. If they're singing about a bunch of crap that's completely against God's word, why would I want to listen to that?

I used to love mike jones, ying yang twins, daddy yankee etc. Even listened to korn, tool, SOAD, etc. sometimes. Can't believe it now. Now I can actually HEAR the lyrics and it's absolutely disgusting the crap that they sing. The amount of stuff like that that we're exposed to makes my blood boil. Katy Perry anyone!?

Yup that is a very good scripture, I often have to go there. Reading Job a bit atm. Just wondering why things keep going so badly for DH and I. Things had been getting better in the last month, more good news than bad, and I was getting excited, but this last week has been rather crap again. Wondering how much longer it'll be til everything makes sense. I know it will all work out. Just very impatient and frustrated.

These are the sorts of times where I would have fallen away before, and I am grateful that I've learnt from the past that that only makes things harder.

trusting God is really hard sometimes

no point to this post, just didn't know where else to put it. 

Also Lish why did you join here cos there are religious people here.

Lish810 wrote: I personally have not joined a play group or music group yet because of the fact they are at the church. me and my partner are very strong atheists. nothing about religion scares me as i think its all a load of crap and dont know how someone could belive something that has never and will never be proven to be true. It is impossible for someone to die and then come back to life days or weeks or whatever it was later. my kids wont do bible studies at school either. my partner is more (thinking of a word but cant come up with one) stronger about his atheism beliefs than me, he wont listen to music if the band is religious or says thank you to god. i cant see why someone would want to spend an hour or more a week going to church and praying, singing and listening about something thats not true. also giving wages to the church, i know that some cultures give 30% of their wages to the church. its rubbish! why do that when you could be out at the park playing with your kids for free i just figure id have hardly anything in common with a person who is religious. i like tattoos, piercings, heavy metal music, gothic type artwork of vampires and pixies and demons etc. had both my kids out of wedlock and as a teenager.

You obviously haven't opened your eyes to the world of 2000's yet.

I know a lot of religious people that have tat's and piercings, love heavy metal music, have had kids out of wedlock (is becoming a norm these days).

It is people like you that judge first and meet later that annoy me. Just because someone is religious doesn't mean they are straight laced goodie goods.

You need to go and meet some real people.