Only read if you are NOT religious and/or do not believe in any 'supreme' being (othe

Who can say for sure? As an agnostic who is not a fan of 'organized religion' I try to live my life as a good person. IMO one doesn't need to have follow the (insert religious text here) to know right from wrong. Also, if there is a god I don't think that they would demand everything being asked in the (insert religious text again).

That's where I will fall back on this post: https://slickdeals.net/forums/showpost.php?p=9013793&postcount=22

Especially the last paragraph.

So which takes more guts? To believe in an afterlife and live life accordingly, or not believe and think this is it?

I think what he was saying was "believing in god" and "going to heaven*" are not mutually exclusive. Someone could not believe in god, and live his life as a good person and still go to heaven*.


*assuming there is heaven/hell.

Good question!


I always told myself that believing in God, the Bible, etc., was the right thing to do. If I turned out to be wrong, no harm, no foul. I believed in God, but I didn't go to church (well, I went, but rarely), I prayed daily, and I lived my life however I wanted to. I asked for forgiveness many times, and basically did all the things that many believers do. I made mistakes, but basically lived my life as a good person. I believed, although my life was not 100% reflective of living a Christian life.

As time went on, my faith strengthened. I became deeply involved in the church, started teaching Sunday school, and it even seemed that things in the Bible that had made no sense to me before suddenly became clear. I could read the Bible without thinking "huh?" and I could explain it to anyone who cared to listened. I glowed with faith. I got "it".

Fast forward: Without going into details as to why, I began to notice doubt. I was told this is normal. Over the years, that simple doubt turned into major questions and doubts, until one day I heard myself say "I don't think I believe in God".

I felt like a brick hit me in my chest. How could I think this? How could I not believe in God? I didn't want to be influenced by anyone and their personal beliefs, so I studied and read, explored, searched on my own.

Sometimes I find myself saying "Thank you Lord". Is this a natural reaction because I have believed in a god my entire life, or is there some speckle of faith left in me? These are things I ask myself.

Do I hang on to that last possibility that there is a god because I am afraid to let go, or because I really believe?

I think that the choice to believe in God and live life as a Christian is gutsy, but I also think it's gutsy to go in the opposite direction, especially for someone who once did believe in God.

I feel in my heart that there is probably not a god. Every single time I say that, my heart quickens just a bit. Is it because there is a god & somewhere in my heart I know this? Or does my heart quicken simply because I am a little scared and perhaps even a little excited to be free from a lie?

Either way, I want to live my life the best I can. I really, really, do.

I can't speak for him, but based off of experience with Christians, I believe he was meaning spiritual freedom. And I completely understand where he is coming from.

That being said, I don't expect everyone to agree or choose to understand why I believe what I do... in fact, those issues are addressed within the Bible itself.

It is everyone's personal decision to make... whether they choose to believe in God or not. And from there, it's even more decisions... whether they choose to actually follow God or not. Someone will eventually make the wrong decision and reap the consequences... whether the consequences are on this earth or in the next life.

He wouldn't have the freedom to worship that cross if it weren't for that flag. He was definitely not talking about spiritual freedom. He was talking about freedom in general. Not to mention the weak ass farker was crying while saying this. I wanted to say "You're a grown ass man! Stop crying you wuss!" Crying when your child is born? Cool. Crying when you lose a loved one? Fine. Crying when you are singing? Oh no.

I would hope that an American would attribute their freedoms to the flag before the cross. But, that's me. I prefer to give credit to something tangible and physical over something that may or may not exist.

This is a great post!

You know, you've illustrated what I believe life to be... it's a path, full of twists and turns. People often go through times of doubt and times of faith.

I guess the only advice I can give or thing I can say is to think of the times in your life when you had different feelings or opinions... When did you feel the most fulfilled? When did life just seem to make sense? Why do you think it did at that point in time?

Keep persevering... search out everything you can and ultimately, remain true to your heart... you'll find the answer if you truly are seeking it. And I can tell that you are.

that's right

p.s my reasons that new religion propped up cause ppl were sick of paganistic ceasars if rome and this was sorta a 'f u' to them that gained momentum for that reason

in reality, paganism probably had more freedoms for a woman than christianity until mid 1920's in the usa!

(obviously there were bad things about pagan religion i am not saying it's the best etc, but just comparing'

He wouldn't have the freedom to worship that cross if it weren't for that flag. He was definitely not talking about spiritual freedom. He was talking about freedom in general. Not to mention the weak ass farker was crying while saying this. I wanted to say "You're a grown ass man! Stop crying you wuss!" Crying when your child is born? Cool. Crying when you lose a loved one? Fine. Crying when you are singing? Oh no.

I would hope that an American would attribute their freedoms to the flag before the cross. But, that's me. I prefer to give credit to something tangible and physical over something that may or may not exist.

But at the same time noone can actually prove that Jesus ever existed. During a time of turmoil was when the Christian religion was brought forth, nearly 1000 years after his death. By then, noone could actually prove that he even existed. But it turned everyone that was rich and powerful more rich and powerful because everyone followed them and believed in what they taught. And it turned the poor people(pagans) into outcasts, 'heathens' for lack of a better word. It is all built around money and power. Heaven was made to ease the fear of death. As, I'm sure, my perspective of reincarnation is as well.
But as to the Karma, you're right...for every three things that go good, sometime or another something bad has to happen. It's life. Probability says that even if you roll 3 sevens in a row, you're bound to roll a snakeyes sometime.

i'm not religious and i believe in a supreme being. can i still play?

I agree with pretty much all of the above. I don't get the appeal of organized religion and I don't think I ever will. My 7yo joined the choir at a local Methodist church where he goes for after school care. I got stuck going to the Sunday service and it was painful for me. I did like when they passed the plate around and said "don't feel obligated to give". Then the prayer while the plate was going around said "please let us give to you in a way that you will know we love you". Huh? Then they told the story of John the Baptist and how his parents couldn't conceive until Zecheriah saw an Angel. The story then says that once John was born his mother was no longer disgraced in front of the community. So a woman who can't conceive should be disgraced? This was when I told my 3yo he had to go potty. He watched Spongebob in the van until service was over.

Man, this sure would be tough having my 7 year old join these things when I am not there to monitor what they teach him. I've been to a Baptist church quite a few times. Some of them are pretty wacky people. I wanted to tackle the singer off the 4th of July service when he stopped singing God Bless America and proceeded to tell everyone that that flag on the wall did not give him his freedom.....that cross did. He then started crying. Wackos I tell you.

So which takes more guts? To believe in an afterlife and live life accordingly, or not believe and think this is it?

I hate to say it, but I really don't think you understand the Christian mindset. And that's ok. But it's still not cool to call him a "weak ass farker". You just don't understand his point of view... but that doesn't make yours better.

Show some respect to your fellow man, Mav... I thought you were better than reducing yourself to simple name calling just because you don't understand someone.

i think this question is utter BS and here is why: have guts and to believe in afterlife, what do you mean? u mean that to believe in afterlife takes guts? to me that's not true, to believe in afterlife means u are weakminded and confused and think that there is something after this. most people(religious) believe and fear hell and that fear perhaps is what keeping them from doing things they would do otherwise(at least thats the hope) and you saying that if u dont believe in hell/etc that u can rob, pillage, murder and nothing will happen to you. i disagree as well, there is such things as personal rules that people live by and trying to scaring them with hell and eternal damnation, is just BS