>> “So the DISorganized kind is better? How about None_at_all?”
Actually, it really doesn’t matter because:
1. God and religion are not the same thing;
2. God does not care what we believe. If our beliefs help us in any way in our lives without harming others, then they are good with Him.
I know such concepts run contrary to everything we have been taught in the Bible. So I will add the following:
1. God is literally the force holding the Universe. His power is so immense NOTHING even comes close to being capable of even thinking about challenging Him. But you won’t feel any of this greatness reading the Bible. Instead, we read how Yahweh was being challenged by an angel, how he played with poor Job, how full of wrath and quick to anger he was with his people, etc.
2. Our lives on earth are very transient, just like the blink of an eye compared to eternity. We will go back to God and live in His physical presence once we leave this world. Since He is the real deal, why should He care whether we believe or not while on earth? Of course a belief in God helps when going through life’s hardships. But that is all there is.
3. The notion of a jealous God only comes from the Bible. No true God will feel threatened by man-make gods or idols. God knows very well why we appeal to a higher power in our times of need. Those gods and deities are nothing more than crutches to help make life easier, especially in generations past.
And the good news is, there is no need to wait for a second coming because there won’t be one. The moment we leave this earthly life we will go back to God and immediately realize the truth: that God has nothing but love for us.
“God does not care what we believe...God is literally the force holding the Universe. His power is so immense NOTHING even comes close to being capable of even thinking about challenging Him...We will go back to God and live in His physical presence once we leave this world. Since He is the real deal, why should He care whether we believe or not while on earth? No true God will feel threatened by man-make gods or idols. God knows very well why we appeal to a higher power in our times of need. And the good news is, there is no need to wait for a second coming because there won’t be one. The moment we leave this earthly life we will go back to God and immediately realize the truth: that God has nothing but love for us.”
Question(s):
How do you know what you [claim to] know? What is the basis for your beliefs? What “religion” are YOU following (yes, yours appears to be a religion - a man-made system of “beliefs” that seeks to explain the spiritual/supernatural realm)? Is it some set/sub-set of an existing/identified sect of those who have developed their own set of beliefs about the “creative force” (God) at work in the universe? Or is it your own individual “best guess” as to the nature of all things, based on your own experiences? What are these, your tenets, based on? How should we come to trust them with our eternal existence (your doctrine identifies this concept; readers must assume you believe in one?) How can we know to place enough confidence in YOUR spiritual practices (which seem to allow for an awful lot of, shall we call it, wiggle-room) so that when we “Go back to God” we will find Him waiting there with open arms, and not a book of record? You seem to suggest that, based on His character, He would not be like the latter, but the former. How do you KNOW about His character? How did you come by this information?
(Please consider as you answer that how you respond may very well serve as a sort of “spiritual map” for those who might be seeking to understand the God you seem to know about. You based all this on the following assumption: “Actually, it really doesn’t matter...” How do you KNOW this? What if you are wrong and, in the end, it does matter? What if, instead, things like this matter: Prov. 14:12? What then?)
And just HOW did you come by this information?
Some final thoughts.
1. Is the Bible the word of God?
A book that can be and has been altered by man can NEVER be the word of God that man should abide by (cf. The immutable physical laws on Earth); not to mention the fact that it was written in a form suitable only for theologians, not ordinary man.
(If God truly has any written message for man, He probably will have to write it in outer space seen only with a telescope to keep it safe.)
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2. Does the church/bible really provide answers?
Not to the questions that humans have always wanted answers to. Religion can only offer vague, tentative and unsatisfying non-answers.
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3. What is my motive?
A desire for others to know that they can have REAL AND SATISFYING answers to all the bewildering questions that human beings have always had regarding life and death, and why God seems silent and absent, etc.
My posts are actually intended for everyone, especially to let people know that there are good reasons to question the things that the church has taught us. I don’t belong to any religious sect or denomination, and therefore have no need to proselytize and convert anyone.
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4. What is the truth then?
Just some simple knowledge that will change our entire outlook on life and that makes no much sense. As everyone must have guessed, eternal damnation is not part of it.
There is no roadmap required, no complicated ceremony needed (God has no need for our praises or ceremonial rituals), no church dogma involved (God and religion are not the same thing), no incredible things like virgin birth to wrestle with, no public or private renouncement of old beliefs (they will simply be replaced).
And this knowledge is not new and has been readily available for years, so it is not a secret and can be summed up in a short paragraph. But most Christians don’t know about it because they have an irrational fear of false teachings the church has instilled in them. And unfortunately, only people who look can expect to find the truth.
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5. Is Jesus God?
Not only was Jesus a human being, a mortal just like you and me, he did not even die on the cross, but was rescued and died in France in his old age.
For those not in denial, here is a comprehensive and well-researched book to get started. Look for it in the library:
Holy Blood, Holy Grail by Michael Baigent, et al.
http://www.amazon.com/Holy-Blood-Grail-Michael-Baigent/dp/0440136482