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On the "Global Warming is..." thread, I noticed people talking about God. That thread took a long time to load for me, so I am posting here.
People were saying that there is no evidence that God exists. Here are some questions:
1. Where did humans come from? Some of these ideas circulating *coughbigbangtheorycough* are just outlandish- something exploded and a whole race of humans was born? *skeptical snort*
2. Where did that ideas about religion come from? If God doesn't exist (which He does!) then where did these ideas come from? I believe that Jesus came down from Heaven to save the World from sin. And that is why He would save us from anything (@ people on GW thread). He loves us.
3. If we don't believe that there's something bigger than us, we really are in trouble. We start thinking that we are above everything else and all-powerful, and this isn't true. SOMEONE had to create everything in the universe, and if we don't at least acknowledge that then we have no hope.
I believe very firmly in God. I'm a Catholic and proud of it. People were saying that there's no proof that God exists. I disagree, with flying colors. There is so much proof from people everywhere that it's undeniable, in fact. I've prayed to God and He's pulled through in the most amazing ways. My friends agree with me; it's happened for them too, and many other people I know. We've all experienced miracles. I know I have.
Please post your opinions on God here. Summarizing my post: I very firmly believe.
submitted by Mary W., age 11, Bordentown, NJ
(March 21, 2009 - 1:27 pm)
(March 21, 2009 - 1:27 pm)
Maybe God permits us to suffer because it will make us stronger in the end. Also, suffering often brings us to pray, which makes us closer to God. And our faith is definitely a fact. Nobody is forced to believe it (just like nobody is forced to believe history, math, or science!), but that doesn't make it any less true.
(March 23, 2009 - 3:27 pm)
Okay. First of all, I completely agree with Pirocks and Lena. You need to have faith in what you believe in, and if you believe in God, then that's fine, and if you don't, that's fine too. Also, what is mostly every religion based on? God, right? Everyone wants to go to heaven.
But what if you treated everyone with kindness and respect just because it was the right thing. Not because you wanted to go to heaven, but because you want to make your life and everyone's around you as pleasent as you can. And if you are saying that humans can't do that without some higher power telling them to, isn't that insulting humans? The way to make a good world, and a difference in the world, is really just to follow that golden rule. "Treat others the way you would want to be treated." And not just other people. Animals, plants, the world around you in general.
That's the reason we have this global warming crisis anyway. People think they can treat the environment like an everyday object. If it breaks, you get a new one. No one really truly realizes what might come of our bad actions. If everyone thought like a Budhist, we would have such a great world! I think that there was a Jesus. I think that He wished everyone to be kind, thoughtful, generous and good. But what if that's all He thought?
Sometimes I wish I were a Druid...:)
(March 22, 2009 - 7:12 pm)
Yayayayay, Mary!!!!! Your posts on religion are so awesome, as are you!!!! I am Catholic, and, yes, ever so proud to be so!!! God rocks!!!!!
(March 22, 2009 - 8:45 pm)
*grins* *grins more* Thank you, Mary Jo! I am so complimented! You are also awesome! I agree- GOD ROCKS!!
@ JFB: Golden rule? Well, if you really think about it, the Golden Rule doesn't make much sense. I mean, Queen Elizabeth expects to be treated like a queen, but Ella and Mia and all those other wannabe-not-royals want to be treated like regular people. I'm absolutely cool with being called insane, but other people take serious offense. My teacher expects everyone to fear her (which is why, perhaps, she dislikes me so much- I don't), but your mom expects you to love her. Different people want to be treated different ways, and if we go around assuming that everyone wants to be treated the same way we do, that's very close-minded of us.
Global warming. Please don't go into that. This is not the time or place.
Mary Jo, have you read anything by Bruce Wikinson, or The Five Pepople You Meet in Heaven by Mitch Albom? BW and MA are both extraordinary Catholic authors. I recomend that you read their books. This goes for anybody else out there too. Terrific books. There's an example of a miracle.
(March 23, 2009 - 6:46 pm)
No, but I plan to check 'em out of the library. Lately, I've been reading "Beginning Apologetics 1" I made a post on it, but no one has written back. It's really cool (meaning the book). I've also been reading Eucharistic Miracles by Joan Carrol Cruz which some non-Catholics might find very interesting.
(March 24, 2009 - 11:46 am)
First off, I'll say that I would never try to prove that God doesn't exist. (Jesus is a whole 'nother deal... I won't even go into that here.) Clearly, there are things that science and the study of the physical world can't explain. That's where religion comes in. I think we all agree on this, if not, my bad. As I see it, the difference between religions is what name you call the divine, and what you think the nature of it is. JFB, you said it great. (Oh, and by the way, there are people who are trying to recreate the religion of the Druids out there.)
On the issue of creation vs. evolution, I'm not going to say anything much. We're all here. Why does it matter so much how we got here? It's pretty incredible how much conflict that question causes in the world.
I agree with Mary Liz that humans are not the center of the universe. We're part of it, along with everything else. Everything's important, because it's connected to everything else - um, if that's clear.
On the point about Hitler being Christian, I think that he twisted it to fit in with his - uh - evilness is the word that comes to mind. So you could argue that he wasn't really Christian. But then again, he probably thought he was. The question becomes, does that make him a Christian?
Willa, yes, that's how you spell it, and if you want to know more about my religion, you can look up 'Wicca'. I disagree with some of their tenets, but you'll get an idea.
And, Laura M., is it about winning?
(March 24, 2009 - 1:29 pm)
Go Falmriel! And I totally agree about the Hitler thing. Now let's keep Hitler out of this, because I think his evil went against every religion in the world, including Christianity. He was an extremist. Every religion has them. Some just DO more about their extremity than others. Something I think we can all agree on is that we should never base our opinions of religions on extremists like Hitler. (That's what's happening to Muslims these days.)
(March 24, 2009 - 5:20 pm)
What can't science explain about the natural world?
(April 28, 2009 - 6:03 am)
ALOT
(April 28, 2009 - 11:52 am)
Such as? Give me SPECIFIC EXAMPLES.
(April 29, 2009 - 5:56 am)
Ok, correct me if I'm wrong here :). Science is based on things that we can sense with one of our five senses right? Do you think there's a possibility of things that can not be sensed by us? Cause if so then maybe there are a lot of things science can't explain.
(May 1, 2009 - 10:03 pm)
To non-Catholic Christians: Did you know that teachings in your denominations contraversial to Catholicism did not exist until 1517 A.D?????? Before people started to disagree with Catholicism, everyone Christian was Catholic, because Catholicism was the only Christian Faith; meaning that it was the one established by Jesus Christ.
(March 25, 2009 - 12:42 pm)
Well, if I was a non-Catholic Christian I would argue with that, because I see a gaping hole there, but I'm not, so I don't think I'll try to defend something I don't really know about.
(March 25, 2009 - 3:45 pm)
What's there to defend? It's a fact, not an opinion.
(April 10, 2009 - 12:03 pm)
Not exactly, but I won't argue because 1) the Admin would snip it and 2) I want to keep the peace. :)
(April 11, 2009 - 8:31 am)