I know some of you are just gonna say the religion that you belong to, but after you do, please check this page out that I came across:\n\nhttp://www.near-death.com/experiences/research06.html\n\nI found it very thought-provoking and totally feasible as well.
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There is no best religion - only the spiritual path that fits you best. An awful lot of trouble stems from different faiths declaring themselves the righteous path .... maybe there is NO religion and faith is a figment of peoples deep desires to be led and comforted by an intangible entity, being or force ... I don't know. I just know that none of them are 'best'.
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it is difficult to exist without it.\n\nIt sounds like one of those overanalyzed philosophical bs topics. It is as if there was a choice as to whether the universe should exist or not. It is not a debate, just as death is not a debate. It is...just is. \n\nOne could argue that God is he source of the universe or perhaps that it preceeded Him. We don;t know and frankly, it isnt that important to spend such an effort over...just as the discussion of death is kinda pointless...it just is. \n\nWhy not spend the effort discussing topics that make a diffeence? Stem cell research, nuclear power for a cleaner environment, the morality of killing terrorists (OK, I threw in an easy one)
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Ok... so... is this the REALLY true religion?\n\nor is this the really, really true religion... or maybe this is the really true/truest religion.  Oh well... welcome to your new religion... I'm laying odds you'll recruit many new members.\n\nPersonally, I'd join, too... but you'd have to take the god part out of it.
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Last night I went to a great agnostic and atheist websit with 20,000 articles, let me see if I can find it...\n\nOh, and d man, being agnostic is not so simple. I am one too, you should open your mind up slightly.
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You should listen to your friend - once you realize that god is imaginary, you'll find that you are free, and you will also know that this life is what matters and is what is most pecious.  Once you die, that's it.  You only get to live beyond your death if you have children that you've passed your DNA onto too
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Dear Sinful:\n\nIgnore the ignorant.  Goes without saying.  Don't want to post it all here, too private for me.  If you want to know my story then contact me off board:  filmjeff@yahoo.com\n\nIt's quite a unique experience but not "near death" as clinically defined.\n\nJ
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I had some very personal unexplained experiences that helped me.  I'm not religious though. I believe religion is politics and people. I love God and I believe in the virgin birth, death and Resurrection of Jesus Christ.  I was not raised with any sort of Christan up bringing.  I also do not currently attend church. I was hurt by people there. I still love God and Jesus, they did not hurt me.  I want a church that is a reflection of heaven...all races, gay and straight, bikers, rappers, prostitutes, homeless, rich and poor, skinny and fat and everything in between, no judgments everyone just doing their best to be more like Christ. Sometimes we get it right and sometimes we will fail miserably but in this church it will be OK to fail. You'll admit it and do better next time and the people will love you and encourage you just the same.  If you know where this church is let me know, I've got to meet these people.
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i am very tollerant of other peoples religion on the condition that they don`t try and shove it down my throat! my beleifs can`t really be put into a neat little box. maybe i could say i beleive in Katherineism?! (my name is Katherine) i beleive everything happens for a reason, we will meet all our departed loved ones when we die, there is some higher power or force up there, i`m just not sure if it`s god? Also, the spirits of departed loved ones show themselves in the form of birds.  i`m going to keep checking your answers, because i`m also interested in other people spiritual beleifs.
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That's amazing... I've found a new religion.  FSMism!  :-P
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I totally know what you mean. I used to think about that all the time, but I would just exhaust myself. I think the only sure thing we know is that we know nothing. I am a bit of an agnostic, but certainly don't think that everything just happened by chance. Was there ever nothing? If so how did we ever get something? If scientist say there is an end to the universe, what is it like a wall? Plexi Glass that you just bounce of of? Or is it like Pacman where you just pop out on the other side? There is so much that is just unexplainable in t his world. I am just glad to be a part of it. I have pretty much given up on trying to figure it all out. While I am in no hurry to die, I am somewhat excited at the possibilty of everything being answered once I go. Good luck in your search for answers. We need the Teacher's Edition of the bible, one with all the answers in the margins( I wonder how much that would go for on eBay?)
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welcome to the club sister.  I don't think you have a problem at all.  I think that you are a free thinking and open minded person.  It's when you feel that pressure to conform and be like everyone else and resist it, that you truly begin to gain a greater perspective of reality.  I suggest you read "the herd" chapter from Nietzsche's "Beyond Good and Evil".  This is the book in which the phrase was coined "God is dead".  Don't let that scare you.  What I think he really meant to teach was that organized religion and the God they invent is dead.  He challenges you, in the chapter entitled "the herd", to ask yourself if all these things that people are telling you that "God" has said are indeed from "God".  Or, are they something made up by leaders of church to influence the masses opinions to get a desired social result.  That result is control.  Don't let anyone but God control you.  He wouldn't force control on you.  He doesn't want to control you.  He offers suggestions and you choose freely.  To me though, all this damnation and hellfire are not products of Christ at all.  Christ is like the sweetest friend I have ever had.  I don't live right at all.  I have done bad things in my life.  Yet, he has never left me.  People, on the other hand, have behaved terribly...  and for that matter... so have I at times.  I decided that I would not be controlled by "the herd" either.  People will accuse you of rebellion.  Rebellion it may be, but against whom?  God?  I don't think so...  The "herd", definitely.  I had to separate myself from them, and while it is lonesome at times, it is at least free.  Knowing God should never feel like being in a social or political prison in which you are interrogated and punished.  They're like religious nazis and they have confused social control with God.  Welcome to freedom sister.  You may find groups that you "fit" with...  I never did.  This is the tragedy of the genuine individual.  Perhaps you should start your own "group" on yahoo groups.  If you do, let me know, and I will join.  This topic is certainly worthy of discussion.  Don't feel like you are alone.  There are many, many, people who have went through this...
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not the field of science, totally different realms of magisteria.  Science will never have an answer.  Science can only say that near-death experiences can be explained by oxygen loss to the brain.
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I am with you, hon.  Your response to that question inspired me to answer my self.  I think there is something new here.  \n\nIt reminds me of Jerry Seinfeld's pronouncement of "Festivus for the rest of us".  I think that group is growing, but you know I think that it doesn't really need a name.  Universalist and Unitarians are as close to it as an organized relgion can be, but it's the Organization that most of us want to stay away from isn't it?  \n\nI have been toying with the idea of Omians (like Om) or a United Ministry of Earth - and if you are interested, I can send you the url privately - but I don't know where to go with it.  It is tempting to try to put us all together under the same umbrella and help us to feel our strength in numbers, even in an organization that says we all believe different things - but some of our beliefs are similar and that is where we need to focus.  The strongest tenents are the golden rule and tolerance.  I don't know - I feel close to a very interesting idea, and yet it is so elusive...lol\n\nPeace!
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That sounds neat? I like my spirituality in soft, non-threatening packages, give us the link!!\n\nu know, just by posting this, u r exposing more people to the lies.  shame on you.   Oh, I'm an atheist by the way :)
26210
Ghost stories are Bull**it!!! I did watch someone die once. It was an extremely moving experience. The woman was dying of kidney failure (very painful)and was struggling quite a bit to stay alive.She was thrashing around and was in and out of consciousness for several hours. As the last moments approached I stared deeply into her eyes to see what was going on inside her mind (so to speak). What I saw really shook me quite a bit. In her eyes I saw a change taking place. As I looked I began to see other faces in her face. Not anything like a ghost, but more like a percieved image of all the people I have ever known. My parents, freinds and even my own face. I guess it was empathy or something, but I saw death and stared it in the face. I saw us all there. we are all of one "soul" I would say. All of lifes experiences will happen to us all ultimately. Enjoy it while you can. And keep in mind we are all the same. There are no seperations when it comes to "soul".
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I had always believed in God because I was taught this through the religion my family raised me with. Yet as I got older I started to find other philosophical answers and I am more of a spiritualist now rather that say follow a religion.  Yet I had a near death experience in 2001 and saw a place that my ethereal body was heading for which gave me complete understanding that there is life after death and God is that maker of life and light/love. Without believing in God in this life creates a lesser understanding of the next one.
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My friend, I agree with you, yet I also see a more pressing matter at hand. What about those persecutors and all the non-believers? If they die, they will not rejoice with all of us in heaven with the Lord God. I will pray for both the believers and the non-believers. There isn't much I can do from my present state but pray and preach the Word, since i'm not in a position to do anything but that. Email me if you have questions or are a fellow believer in Christ at questinchrist@yahoo.com. God bless