Without God there would be no man. Any God that humans invent would be pathetic. He would not send his only begotten son to die for the sins of humanity. He would not be raised to heaven where he forever maketh intercession for our sins. He would not come back to earth one day and rule and put the devil in chains.
It is amazing, a group of people so wrapped up in themselves putting down a belief they don't understand. As a society we seem to be getting meaner, more self-centered, and in general way to intense about life in general. I pray that you self aggrandizing idiots will someday figure out that the way to a more fulfilling life does not lie in the small packages based on possessions you have created for yourselves but in expanding you vision towards a greater good involving positive interactions outside your cliques. The same role as religion.
Formersarge- current troll-this article hardly espouses a formal endorsement of any religion.Merely Bob's personal thought about the generality of different segments.Yet you can't let any article,no matter how vague,slip by without making some derogatory statement.Get over your bitterness about decent people and morality.If everyone was a sadistic **** like yourself you'd have nothing to cry about all day would you?
True Worshippers Recognized by Their Fruits
Regarding true and false worshippers, Jesus Christ told his followers: "Never do people gather grapes from thorns or figs from thistles, do they? Likewise every good tree produces fine fruit, but every rotten tree produces worthless fruit; a good tree cannot bear worthless fruit, neither can a rotten tree produce fine fruit. . . . Really, then, by their fruits you will recognize those men." Accordingly, true worshippers would be recognized by their fruits, or works. What are these fruits?—Matthew 7:16-20.
First, true worship unites believers in love. Jesus explained to his disciples: "I am giving you a new commandment, that you love one another; just as I have loved you, that you also love one another. By this all will know that you are my disciples, if you have love among yourselves." True followers of Christ must display love for one another that is so outstanding as to characterize them as true worshippers in the eyes of observers.—John 13:34, 35.
For this reason it would be unthinkable for true Christians to take up arms against one another in war. Do church members keep to this standard? In World War II, the only major religious group that consistently and steadfastly refused to support the war effort in any way were Jehovah's Witnesses. Dr. Hanns Lilje, former bishop of the Protestant Church in Hannover, Germany, wrote about the Witnesses: "They can rightfully claim to be the only major conscientious objectors in the Third Reich." During that conflict, Witnesses in many lands chose to suffer reprisals rather than to promote or support the war.
What other fruits did Jesus have in mind that would identify genuine disciples? In what is commonly known as the Lord's Prayer, Jesus started by saying: "Our Father in the heavens, let your name be sanctified. Let your kingdom come. Let your will take place, as in heaven, also upon earth." Jesus assigned priority to the sanctification of God's personal name, Jehovah. He expressed the wish that through God's Kingdom, Jehovah's will should be done on earth. Which religion is known for publicizing the name Jehovah and for proclaiming that God's Kingdom is mankind's only hope for peace on earth? Jehovah's Witnesses publish the good news of the Kingdom in 236 countries and territories, disseminating literature in over 470 languages.—Matthew 6:9, 10.
Moreover, Jehovah's Witnesses follow Jesus' example in staying clear of political and social controversies. "They are no part of the world, just as I am no part of the world," Jesus said of his disciples. In addition, the Witnesses accept the Bible as God's Word and are convinced that "all Scripture is inspired of God and beneficial for teaching, for reproving, for setting things straight, for disciplining in righteousness, that the man of God may be fully competent, completely equipped for every good work."—John 17:14, 17; 2 Timothy 3:16, 17.
True Religion Is Set Apart
These fruits—self-sacrificing love, the desire to sanctify Jehovah's name, the proclamation of God's Kingdom, separateness from the world, and faith in the Bible—all characterize true worshippers. Such fruits also set genuine worshippers apart from other religions
In my opinion, Religion is grounded in the fact that humans simply cannot accept that they are here for only a limited time and will simply cease to exist. Further, they cannot accept the fact that they simply evolved like the rest of he world. This insecurity demands a reason for existence they COULD accept, hence, religion. This goes a long way in explaining why "God created man in his own image (actually the reverse). The most damaging thing about religion (besides the numerous wars started in the name/cause of religion) is the fact that con artists and other power hungry and greedy people have taken full advantage of those naive enough to believe/trust just about anyone who claims to "believe in god". Anyone that believes that ANY politician in our government could have attained office without professing religion in one form or another is the very definition of "naive". The same goes for anyone who believes these politicians actually truly believe as they claim (considering how EACH and EVERY ONE of them performs.
One last thing; The fact that people believe that god is all-knowing and has/can forecast what will happen in the future (read the book of revelations) and still has given man freedom of choice in their destiny is unbelievable. The ONLY way god could possibly know in advance how a person is going to spend eternity; is for the decision to have already been made, therefore man does NOT have a choice. Again: Religion and logic are mortal enemies.
Religion, mendacity and ignorance can be compared to sulphur, manure and ammonium nitrate. Each of these individually is fetid and irritating, but nothing more. But mix all three in a heated environment and disaster will ensue every time.
by newperspective92 April 22, 2012 12:13 PM EDT I have read your discussions and have some comments:
Religion is not just based on "facts," faith plays a big role also.
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No religion can prove to have any facual basis whatsoever, which is why they are all peddled on a "faith" basis.
"I do not believe in the creed professed by the Jewish Church, by the Roman Church, by the Greek Church, by the Turkish Church, by the Protestant Church, nor by any Church that I know of. My own mind is my own Church. Each of those churches accuse the other of unbelief; and for my own part, I disbelieve them all." - Thomas Jefferson
I would advise anyone who truly believes to find away to hasten their demise for the great reward that awaits them. Mexico has some gang problems that could use a fearless soul just dying to go to heaven.
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As long as there are politicians, there will be 'god', politician promote god because their followers believe submission and gullible
Without God there would be no man. Any God that humans invent would be pathetic. He would not send his only begotten son to die for the sins of humanity. He would not be raised to heaven where he forever maketh intercession for our sins. He would not come back to earth one day and rule and put the devil in chains.
Formersarge- Get over your bitterness about decent people and morality
--
I am a moral man.
I am also intelligent to understand that religion and moraliy have nothing to do with each other.
Morality comes from within. Religion is imposed from without.
And as far as being "bitter" is concerned, I have no bitterness for you...it's more like pity than anything else....
Regarding true and false worshippers, Jesus Christ told his followers: "Never do people gather grapes from thorns or figs from thistles, do they? Likewise every good tree produces fine fruit, but every rotten tree produces worthless fruit; a good tree cannot bear worthless fruit, neither can a rotten tree produce fine fruit. . . . Really, then, by their fruits you will recognize those men." Accordingly, true worshippers would be recognized by their fruits, or works. What are these fruits?—Matthew 7:16-20.
First, true worship unites believers in love. Jesus explained to his disciples: "I am giving you a new commandment, that you love one another; just as I have loved you, that you also love one another. By this all will know that you are my disciples, if you have love among yourselves." True followers of Christ must display love for one another that is so outstanding as to characterize them as true worshippers in the eyes of observers.—John 13:34, 35.
For this reason it would be unthinkable for true Christians to take up arms against one another in war. Do church members keep to this standard? In World War II, the only major religious group that consistently and steadfastly refused to support the war effort in any way were Jehovah's Witnesses. Dr. Hanns Lilje, former bishop of the Protestant Church in Hannover, Germany, wrote about the Witnesses: "They can rightfully claim to be the only major conscientious objectors in the Third Reich." During that conflict, Witnesses in many lands chose to suffer reprisals rather than to promote or support the war.
What other fruits did Jesus have in mind that would identify genuine disciples? In what is commonly known as the Lord's Prayer, Jesus started by saying: "Our Father in the heavens, let your name be sanctified. Let your kingdom come. Let your will take place, as in heaven, also upon earth." Jesus assigned priority to the sanctification of God's personal name, Jehovah. He expressed the wish that through God's Kingdom, Jehovah's will should be done on earth. Which religion is known for publicizing the name Jehovah and for proclaiming that God's Kingdom is mankind's only hope for peace on earth? Jehovah's Witnesses publish the good news of the Kingdom in 236 countries and territories, disseminating literature in over 470 languages.—Matthew 6:9, 10.
Moreover, Jehovah's Witnesses follow Jesus' example in staying clear of political and social controversies. "They are no part of the world, just as I am no part of the world," Jesus said of his disciples. In addition, the Witnesses accept the Bible as God's Word and are convinced that "all Scripture is inspired of God and beneficial for teaching, for reproving, for setting things straight, for disciplining in righteousness, that the man of God may be fully competent, completely equipped for every good work."—John 17:14, 17; 2 Timothy 3:16, 17.
True Religion Is Set Apart
These fruits—self-sacrificing love, the desire to sanctify Jehovah's name, the proclamation of God's Kingdom, separateness from the world, and faith in the Bible—all characterize true worshippers. Such fruits also set genuine worshippers apart from other religions
Further, they cannot accept the fact that they simply evolved like the rest of he world.
This insecurity demands a reason for existence they COULD accept, hence, religion. This goes a long way in explaining why "God created man in his own image (actually the reverse).
The most damaging thing about religion (besides the numerous wars started in the name/cause of religion) is the fact that con artists and other power hungry and greedy people have taken full advantage of those naive enough to believe/trust just about anyone who claims to "believe in god".
Anyone that believes that ANY politician in our government could have attained office without professing religion in one form or another is the very definition of "naive". The same goes for anyone who believes these politicians actually truly believe as they claim (considering how EACH and EVERY ONE of them performs.
One last thing; The fact that people believe that god is all-knowing and has/can forecast what will happen in the future (read the book of revelations) and still has given man freedom of choice in their destiny is unbelievable.
The ONLY way god could possibly know in advance how a person is going to spend eternity; is for the decision to have already been made, therefore man does NOT have a choice.
Again: Religion and logic are mortal enemies.
I have read your discussions and have some comments:
Religion is not just based on "facts," faith plays a big role also.
----
No religion can prove to have any facual basis whatsoever, which is why they are all peddled on a "faith" basis.
"I do not believe in the creed professed by the Jewish Church, by the Roman Church, by the Greek Church, by the Turkish Church, by the Protestant Church, nor by any Church that I know of. My own mind is my own Church. Each of those churches accuse the other of unbelief; and for my own part, I disbelieve them all." - Thomas Jefferson