Originally Posted By dshyates News from the front: Rev. Jones just had 10 pepperoni pizzas delivered from the local Hungry Howie's. Film at 11.
Originally Posted By ecdc >>But hey, I believe a lot of crazy things to most of you, right, ecdc?<< Depends on how you define it. Actually, I think Mormonism gets a bad wrap in a lot of ways. They certainly don't believe anything weirder than any other church. They're just newer and don't have the respectability that time inevitably bestows yet. Remember too, I used to believe everything you do. But it is true, the farther away you get from it, the stranger it definitely all seems. You'll call that loss of the spirit; I'll call it the gaining of perspective. But here's what I don't get. If a person believes that something is a myth, doesn't it follow that they don't take much of anything relating to it seriously? I mean, if you Josh don't believe in vampires, if a group of people held weekly ceremonies and prayed to the head vampire, would you really think all that much of it? It doesn't mean you have to necessarily be offended or disgusted, but chances are you won't exactly be impressed. So that's what I don't get about the demand for legitimacy from religious believers or why they're so hypersensitive sometimes. I think your god is a total myth. So of course anything you do regarding it is going to get me feeling like it's a bit of a waste of time at best. It seems fairly obvious to me, but some religious people seem perpetually offended at non-believers.
Originally Posted By ecdc <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/09/10/atheists-erect-billboard-_n_712468.html" target="_blank">http://www.huffingtonpost.com/...468.html</a> Case in point. Here's an entirely harmless billboard merely advertising the existence of an atheist group people can join. But locals are up in arms. So we don't believe in your god and think your ceremonies worshipping him are a bit silly. So what? Chill out.
Originally Posted By Dr Hans Reinhardt I think the sensitivity stems from doubt. When it comes down to it I bet a good portion of people who profess to be hardcore Christians don't know for sure if what the believe is really true. In my experience the people who have a genuine belief in God seem to be far less defensive or concerned with how other people live their lives. My grandmother was a steadfast Christian and nothing, and I mean nothing, could shake her. If she were alive today and saw that billboard while driving down the highway she'd say a quick prayer for the folks who erected it asking God to forgive them. lol.
Originally Posted By mawnck >>News from the front: Rev. Jones just had 10 pepperoni pizzas delivered from the local Hungry Howie's. Film at 11.<< Breaking News Update! Now he's claiming he didn't order them.
Originally Posted By CuriouserConstance "The existence of Satan never seemed crazy to me. Doesn't mean every ounce of evil done on earth is his fault." Josh is what form does Satan take shape? Is he like the horned guy you see in pictures? Can he walk around earth? Can he walk through walls? I'm not being smart. I really want to know what you think of when you're picturing Satan.
Originally Posted By LPFan22 I'm with Josh... I believe Satan exists but know that God gave us free will. So it isn't all Satan's fault.
Originally Posted By SpokkerJones It should be noted that extremists have already burned our flag before anybody burned a Koran, but I guess the lesson is to not stoop to their level or something.
Originally Posted By CuriouserConstance Hans, Yay! I think there are way more atheists in the world than admit to it. Or at least those that don't really consider themselves "religious" but aren't ready for the "atheist" word quite yet. Look at me. I'm a closet atheist. I don't tell anyone in my family my true views. For one, I see no point. I would never change their minds about how they feel, and I just know my mom would worry about me going to hell, lol. So why worry her?
Originally Posted By utahjosh <Josh is what form does Satan take shape? Is he like the horned guy you see in pictures? Can he walk around earth? Can he walk through walls? I'm not being smart. I really want to know what you think of when you're picturing Satan.> I believe that before this earth was created, we all lived as children of God, spirit children without bodies - and Satan was one of us, too. Before the earth was created, Satan rebelled against God and was cast out of heaven down to earth. Many followed Satan, too. I really have a hard time understanding why. I don't picture him with horns or red and such. Closest thing to what you find in the movies is a ghost. Those spirits and Satan I believe are unhappy. Misery loves company, so they want us to make choices that lead to unhappiness. Thus temptation is pretty easy to come by here on earth. But that works out - I believe we are here on earth to learn and grow in faith and obedience to God so we can become more like him. You can read more about what Mormons believe about the purpose of life here: <a href="http://mormon.org/faq/#Purpose+of+Life" target="_blank">http://mormon.org/faq/#Purpose+of+Life</a>|question=/faq/purpose-of-life/
Originally Posted By CuriouserConstance What is the purpose of Earth if we were all already in heaven with God before Earth was created?
Originally Posted By utahjosh The goal, naturally, is to grow and become like our father. We believe God has an eternal body of flesh And bone. In order to become like him we needed one, too. Also the opportunities to learn faith and have unique experiences required us to come to Earth.
Originally Posted By CuriouserConstance Do you think that there is any amount of evidence presented before that would ever convince you that there might not be a God?
Originally Posted By utahjosh My personal experiences with prayer, scriptures, and the doctrines of the Gospel are too many and too powerful to deny them or write them off as anything less than from God through the Holy Spirit. Critics have published countless points that seem to invalidate the source of my testimony. I've read many, many of them and, though compelling, have yet to find anything that makes me doubt the existence of God. So I choose to follow whole heartfelt the path I've chosen, strengthening my faith more often than questioning it.
Originally Posted By CuriouserConstance So what do you think of the people who don't believe in God? Do you think they are bad people? Do you think they are being influenced by Satan or ?
Originally Posted By utahjosh I've known many great people who don't believe in God. I've met some jerks, too, who don't believe. I could say the sAme thing about people who do believe. I really don't know how it is that Satan encourages us to make bad decisions. But I do believe he works hard to tempt believers and non believers alike.
