Now incorporating faith and belief.
General Discussion: Religion thread
I know what I believe.
That's one thing, what I don't understand is the need for organised religion. Surely what you believe in is enough in itself for an intelligent person?
but you believe in something which does not exist? Fact.
Can you prove that it doesn't exist?
I just don't understand why folk feel the need to follow and be guided in their life. I'm not saying everyone should lead because that won't happen but think people should think for oneself and question why? People should have more tolerance and understanding in one another's faith as a believer or a non-believer and should not have the others views stuffed down thier throat.
This is pretty much word-for-word my view on the subject.
I know what I believe.
That's one thing, what I don't understand is the need for organised religion. Surely what you believe in is enough in itself for an intelligent person?
but you believe in something which does not exist? Fact.
Can you prove that it doesn't exist?
There may be fairies at the bottom of the garden. There is no evidence for it, but you can't prove that there aren't any, so shouldn't we be agnostic with respect to fairies?
Troll in my distilling of christianity I've gotten that the idea is that repentance of sins is the key to heaven. In my opinion that isn't reliant on belief, just the will not to be a cunt all the time and the realisation of a bigger picture (and I don't mean one that has to include god). But I don't know.
I might as well add that dogma isn't my strong suit, I don't know that any strain of religion completely fits with how I feel god.

I feel (and i think you might agree) based on the last sentence of your last post, your personal feeling of a "a god" doesnt fit in with traditional Christian Theology. Maybe it might be worth delving in a to Dawkins book.
It's lazy, and a bit disrespectful to someone you're engaging with to just meet them with a borrowed quip. If I were better read maybe we could just trade quotes of Dawkins and Pascal (and the rest) all day. I think that my feeling may or may not fit with christianity, and the symbolism used in it, though I doubt it will fit with all of the dogma. That may be arrogance on my part or just staying true to my belief/feeling - I'd rather stick to the second. I haven't got anything against richard dawkins at the moment, especially his work on evolution (I'm not a creationist).
Is there an underlying suggestion to your post though?
I know what I believe.
That's one thing, what I don't understand is the need for organised religion. Surely what you believe in is enough in itself for an intelligent person?
I really enjoy church (I go to a pentecostal service), though I haven't been going for all that long. Plus I want to investigate my belief, dig into it more. Organised church can help me with this and possibly get me more in touch with god/my beliefs and all that. Which I'd welcome. But I wouldn't create a thread or report on it in here.
Also I realise the power of music on emotions, especially when it's you performing. Singing something you feel always feels so much more powerful (usually gospel and blues for me) - singing in gospel choir is something amazing to me. The feeling in that is one of the best feelings I ever have.
I dunno man, my shower might say different
But yeah, people singing together, especially with harmonies (and leads) can (I would say does but you never know) have quite an emotive effect. Some people don't seem to recognise it. I do, and do try to keep on top of what is responsible for what feeling.

But yeah, people singing together, especially with harmonies (and leads) can (I would say does but you never know) have quite an emotive effect. Some people don't seem to recognise it. I do, and do try to keep on top of what is responsible for what feeling.
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