Times a Changin'
Alright... It's been a long time since I've had this discussion, and it's time to open a new forum for it.
Religion....
I've read a lot lately, and I'm confused on several issues. Have you ever read "Power for Living"? I'm about 3/4 of the way through it, and there's some questions I have. To go on a small tangent, over Thanksgiving break I went to Wisconsin with my dad to visit family in Amish country. I was having a really meaningful conversation with my aunt and she said that this is the time in my life that I should be questioning and trying to find my faith. This is normal. But is it right?
Here's some things that I don't understand. Why in the Bible is there no reference to the dinosaurs? Eve only had boys, so where did the rest of creation come from? Its not like she could have sex with her sons, and even if she did, she only had sons. Wouldn't creation have stopped there? Why does the Bible not talk about Jesus in his teenage years? It just jumps from he's a baby, to a 30 year old prophet saving the world. If God sent His only son (Jesus Christ) to save the sinners of the world, does it matter what we do as sinners now? We've all already been saved. How do we know that Christianity is the "right" religion? What if the Catholics are right? Or the Buhhdists? Or even the Mormons? How do we know what is true? Why is the Bible sexist towards women? It was written by men, and blames a lot of the world's problems on the mistakes of Adam and Eve, especially Eve. Eve was weak, I would've done better. Why do a lot of churches preach about what used to be? It doesn't pertain to what is occurring in the world today. What if the Bible is wrong all together? What if over the thousands of years that it has been written and re-written, men have added passages here and there to what they "perceived" what was right and wrong. Could parts of the Bible be completely false? Is questioning any of this blasphamy? If I'm not babtized (which I am not) will I go to hell? I heard from one denomination that no one is in heaven right now. That everyone is waiting for the heavenly gates to open and receive the chosen ones. The 44,000. What if I am not a chosen one because I questioned my faith? I was also told that people in heaven do not recognize each other. So when I go to heaven, I won't know my mom and dad? How depressing is that.... I've also been told that the animals don't go to heaven. I'm sorry, I want to be where ever the animals are. I can't imagine a heaven without Peaches, Charro, and Chauncy (and whom ever else I attain in the future). If God loves us unconditionally, then does it really matter whether we accept him or not? Are we God's pets? If Jesus is God's one and only son.... then why are we all called God's children? Why doesn't God talk to us anymore? Some people says he does through divine intervention, but I'd still like to actually talk to him. My mom was told that when she was little, in her faith she can pray and stay loyal, and in return she can bring one soul to heaven with her. So she is going to take my dad. But if she won't know him in heaven, then what is the point? I want to understand all of this. But I'm having a hard time. I feel like just stating that "seeing is believing" is blasphamy. But in the same respect, one of my friends feels she cannot pray because she turns around and does things on the weekends that wouldn't be permitted in God's eyes. So if I pray, but then under-age drink, does that mean that my prayers cancel out and I am not worthy of God's ear? Is everything that i do being tallied? So everytime I speed, cuss, drink, do drugs, etc.... is that being marked on a bed post somewhere in heaven? Will my judgement/ punishment be worse as my list lengthens? Can I make it up? I went to a Babtist church once, and they said that Hitler asked Jesus into his heart right before he died and was forgiven and allowed into heaven. Is that right? Who am I to say what is right and what isn't? Who is anyone to say what is right/ wrong on Earth? I believe in aliens, I think the universe is too large for us to be the only ones. Is that blasphamy as well? The Bible doesn't talk about that. The Catholic church believes in praying to the saints and Mary, as well as Jesus. They believe that we must go to confession and pray through a priest to talk to God. Why can't I talk to God myself? Why do I need representation? Especially how corrupt the churches of the world have become. Its all about money. The Christian church that I used to work at just built an indoor pool with spa and workout center. I don't think that our 10% money that is supposed to go to God's good work should have been spent on a health spa. Some say it will bring more people to the church.... So now we need to bribe the public to come to the light of the Lord? And why do Catholics pray to the saints? They were saints, not our Lord Christ. And praying to Mary? I understand that she was blessed to bring our Savior into the world, but does that mean that we should pray to her? She was only human. I was also told that reading the Bible creates an extra blessing in your favor. Does that mean that I have a tally up on those who haven't? What about the mormons.... does having a monogomous marriage hinder us as Christians compared to mormon polyigamy? Jesus was Jewish. He never stepped foot inside a church. He went to temple. Should I go to temple? But then secretly pray to Him and denounce the Jewish faith? Does watching things like the Simpsons or anything along those lines mean I am going to hell? Does Hell even exsist? I know there is good/ evil.... but isn't most evil man made? Is there really a lucifer? Was he really a fallen angel? How do you become an angel? Can I be an angel? Why can't I die on the cross for everyone's sins? I think we're in for another Savior, why can't I do it? I'd do it right now. Why should I even care about my life now, a family, etc. if this earthly body and the 70 or so years that I am here means nothing compared to eternity? There are so many people on this earth.... is 44,000 really enough? Or was that just an "all around" number that was given like 40 days and 40 nights, 7 days, etc.? Is revelations really true? If so, why doesn't everyone sin, then the 7 years of pure hell on earth when you can come towards God or be banished from heaven forever.... why doesn't everyone just wait until those times? Then they will be saved. There's so many loop holes. Are lesbians and gays really against God? Is freedom of choice a bad thing? If God loves us so much, why does he let bad things happen? Are we really just rats in a maze called life?
Ok, I'm done.... that took a lot out of me... I'm actually crying. I'm so scared that I won't make it into heaven. I've cried a lot the past few days about it too. I guess when you're alone (i pretty much work by myself and my roommates been at home a lot this break) you just think about things like that. I don't know.... any thoughts? I'm at a loss at this point... I'm just not sure what to believe anymore.
Religion....
I've read a lot lately, and I'm confused on several issues. Have you ever read "Power for Living"? I'm about 3/4 of the way through it, and there's some questions I have. To go on a small tangent, over Thanksgiving break I went to Wisconsin with my dad to visit family in Amish country. I was having a really meaningful conversation with my aunt and she said that this is the time in my life that I should be questioning and trying to find my faith. This is normal. But is it right?
Here's some things that I don't understand. Why in the Bible is there no reference to the dinosaurs? Eve only had boys, so where did the rest of creation come from? Its not like she could have sex with her sons, and even if she did, she only had sons. Wouldn't creation have stopped there? Why does the Bible not talk about Jesus in his teenage years? It just jumps from he's a baby, to a 30 year old prophet saving the world. If God sent His only son (Jesus Christ) to save the sinners of the world, does it matter what we do as sinners now? We've all already been saved. How do we know that Christianity is the "right" religion? What if the Catholics are right? Or the Buhhdists? Or even the Mormons? How do we know what is true? Why is the Bible sexist towards women? It was written by men, and blames a lot of the world's problems on the mistakes of Adam and Eve, especially Eve. Eve was weak, I would've done better. Why do a lot of churches preach about what used to be? It doesn't pertain to what is occurring in the world today. What if the Bible is wrong all together? What if over the thousands of years that it has been written and re-written, men have added passages here and there to what they "perceived" what was right and wrong. Could parts of the Bible be completely false? Is questioning any of this blasphamy? If I'm not babtized (which I am not) will I go to hell? I heard from one denomination that no one is in heaven right now. That everyone is waiting for the heavenly gates to open and receive the chosen ones. The 44,000. What if I am not a chosen one because I questioned my faith? I was also told that people in heaven do not recognize each other. So when I go to heaven, I won't know my mom and dad? How depressing is that.... I've also been told that the animals don't go to heaven. I'm sorry, I want to be where ever the animals are. I can't imagine a heaven without Peaches, Charro, and Chauncy (and whom ever else I attain in the future). If God loves us unconditionally, then does it really matter whether we accept him or not? Are we God's pets? If Jesus is God's one and only son.... then why are we all called God's children? Why doesn't God talk to us anymore? Some people says he does through divine intervention, but I'd still like to actually talk to him. My mom was told that when she was little, in her faith she can pray and stay loyal, and in return she can bring one soul to heaven with her. So she is going to take my dad. But if she won't know him in heaven, then what is the point? I want to understand all of this. But I'm having a hard time. I feel like just stating that "seeing is believing" is blasphamy. But in the same respect, one of my friends feels she cannot pray because she turns around and does things on the weekends that wouldn't be permitted in God's eyes. So if I pray, but then under-age drink, does that mean that my prayers cancel out and I am not worthy of God's ear? Is everything that i do being tallied? So everytime I speed, cuss, drink, do drugs, etc.... is that being marked on a bed post somewhere in heaven? Will my judgement/ punishment be worse as my list lengthens? Can I make it up? I went to a Babtist church once, and they said that Hitler asked Jesus into his heart right before he died and was forgiven and allowed into heaven. Is that right? Who am I to say what is right and what isn't? Who is anyone to say what is right/ wrong on Earth? I believe in aliens, I think the universe is too large for us to be the only ones. Is that blasphamy as well? The Bible doesn't talk about that. The Catholic church believes in praying to the saints and Mary, as well as Jesus. They believe that we must go to confession and pray through a priest to talk to God. Why can't I talk to God myself? Why do I need representation? Especially how corrupt the churches of the world have become. Its all about money. The Christian church that I used to work at just built an indoor pool with spa and workout center. I don't think that our 10% money that is supposed to go to God's good work should have been spent on a health spa. Some say it will bring more people to the church.... So now we need to bribe the public to come to the light of the Lord? And why do Catholics pray to the saints? They were saints, not our Lord Christ. And praying to Mary? I understand that she was blessed to bring our Savior into the world, but does that mean that we should pray to her? She was only human. I was also told that reading the Bible creates an extra blessing in your favor. Does that mean that I have a tally up on those who haven't? What about the mormons.... does having a monogomous marriage hinder us as Christians compared to mormon polyigamy? Jesus was Jewish. He never stepped foot inside a church. He went to temple. Should I go to temple? But then secretly pray to Him and denounce the Jewish faith? Does watching things like the Simpsons or anything along those lines mean I am going to hell? Does Hell even exsist? I know there is good/ evil.... but isn't most evil man made? Is there really a lucifer? Was he really a fallen angel? How do you become an angel? Can I be an angel? Why can't I die on the cross for everyone's sins? I think we're in for another Savior, why can't I do it? I'd do it right now. Why should I even care about my life now, a family, etc. if this earthly body and the 70 or so years that I am here means nothing compared to eternity? There are so many people on this earth.... is 44,000 really enough? Or was that just an "all around" number that was given like 40 days and 40 nights, 7 days, etc.? Is revelations really true? If so, why doesn't everyone sin, then the 7 years of pure hell on earth when you can come towards God or be banished from heaven forever.... why doesn't everyone just wait until those times? Then they will be saved. There's so many loop holes. Are lesbians and gays really against God? Is freedom of choice a bad thing? If God loves us so much, why does he let bad things happen? Are we really just rats in a maze called life?
Ok, I'm done.... that took a lot out of me... I'm actually crying. I'm so scared that I won't make it into heaven. I've cried a lot the past few days about it too. I guess when you're alone (i pretty much work by myself and my roommates been at home a lot this break) you just think about things like that. I don't know.... any thoughts? I'm at a loss at this point... I'm just not sure what to believe anymore.