Niether God nor Jesus nor Buddah invented the act or the concept of harmonious and respectful living.  These are OUR concepts to own and enjoy, OURSELVES.  Let's skip the middle men!
133808
It can be done.  Some people need to cling to a father(or mother) figure.  Its part of their psychological make up.  Only through developing insight into oneself can one learn to love oneself.  When one learns to love oneself, then that person can learn to love others without fear or boundaries.
664616
The proof is all around you it doesn't take a genius to reason that everything has a creator. Houses don't build themselves music isn't just herd, paintings don't materialize to be enjoyed they are all made by people. Just as Jehovah made us and everything else. Including all the materials we us to make things to enjoy.
459639
It's not Buddhism because there are Buddhist warriors. Look it up. I would have to say the most peaceful religion is the one that no one practices.
433377
You make a very valid point.  I'm a Humanist, and I think happiness is extremely important, but a good life is not just one filled with pleasurable indulgences.  It is important to live a moral life, and sometimes we have to do things that aren't fun and don't give us immediate pleasure, but they are the right thing to do in the long run and will help to secure our freedoms and make a better life possible for us, our loved ones, and others.  You call this moral motivation righteousness.  We shy away from that term because of its religious connotations.  Instead we call it living a moral, useful, meaningful, responsible, and fulfilling life.  In short, a good life.
300336
I truly don't know how people persuade themselves of this, but you're right--it is a fallacy.  Unfortunately, a lot of people simply cling to tradition and faith because it's safe and comfortable.  Thus, they never grow, and many of them end up divorced or unhappily married, bitter about life, unhappy in their jobs, unhappy with their weight, and then wonder why "god" let them down.  It's so much easier to go through life when you can blame a god, a devil, fate, destiny, or someone else for your troubles.  It relieves you of the responsibility...
388918
lol, the guy above me said both....He practices doublethink! Well, Pagans came first and since the idea was popular then that the Christians "borrowed" it. (Has it been returned yet?)
224902
You make a very interesting argument, and you write far better than I have become accustomed to reading around here.\n\nHowever, you are omitting one crucial fact. There is still a dearth of evidence supporting this claim. Design implies a designer. I have yet to see evidence supporting the existence of said celestial draughtsman. For every instance of, "look at how elegant this is," there are thousands of "if this is a matter of design, it was a very poor choice."\n\nYour claim is certainly possible, then again, so is the idea that we are all brains in jars in some laboratory in the 1890's. It is, however, based on the evidence available, so improbable that I can comfortably say that it is not a viable explanation.\n\nThat said, I am very happy to see someone trying to work with new worldviews when it comes to a discussion of creation, rather than trying to conform the known universe to fit the molds cast in the scriptures.
146133
As it is in life, different religions cannot live in harmony. I personally belong to no religion, and find it easy to tollerate and co-exist with people of other religions. Maybe this is a lesson the children of the future need to be taught.
140601
Not in the traditional sense, I believe that there are things outside our five senses that we have yet to discover. Exactly what these things might be could entail superior "talents" (esp and the like) but I don't think any being takes any special interest in our activities. I do go to church on occasion much for the same reasons that I go to other social events like cocktail party's and barbeque's because there is some human contact that I find satisfying.   I do not have any "religious book" but I do read the Bible, Koran, and Talmud on occasion. The have a wealth of general knowledge, are beautifully written, and because so many people base their lives on the content it is important to understand what they believe.
22968
There's a line from the Katha upanishad (hinduism). "Whom the self chooses, by him is he attained". And as was stated by others who previously posted, the Bible got it right too.  I AM.
657957
I am Christian. Don't argue over other people's teachings. Just ask them to tolerate others, not to disturb us, not to terrorize others, not to press others to accept their customs when we have ours. And don't accept their customs if that infringes on our values. Amen
652305
Nope.  Buddhism teaches peace, tolerance, love, and non violence.
563259
No one can know the mind of God, because I don’t think anything written in ANY religious book is from a divine source, it’s from people who were trying to control the status quo in whatever time it was written.  It had more to do with politics than it did worship.
227097
Well I guess free thinking in  it simplicity isn't the sin, yet God knew when Eve ate the forbidden fruit, her free thinking would allow humankind to sin. He realized it was inevitable, that's why it's seen as sin-like. As for healing and medicine...we were meant to heal. It's our way of correcting the sin our "free thinking" caused.
660274
you are posing the same idea that Lucifer did to Eve. That God had some evil intent in His edict. Why or why not eat of the tree is not the issue. God could have just as well of said "Do not pee where the grass does not grow" The real issue is whether to obey God or not. The exercise of free will as according to Gods plan was initiated here so that after the full consequence of self interest is evident and the world is impacted as it has been God could then show that the exercise of the will by choosing to Love God through Christ would be possible, to the intent that the manifold wisdom of God might be known by the church to the principalities and powers in heavenly places.
214558
A discussion is a great idea.  We can learn from each other about the good and fruitful parts and ignore what is harmful. I have a Buddhist background but I respect others'\nbeliefs.  One day maybe we can open the "Church of all Faiths" where the services are alternatively Christian, Buddhist, Muslim,Jewish, Hindu, Atheist, Agnostic. I think we will find that we are human first and foremost. Why not?
173550
God never said that. There's no such thing as God. Someone wrote that while most likely high on weed and thought it would be a good laugh.. 'ha ha, that'll scare the crap out of them, fools' ... Unfortunately, he didn't realise at the time people would take the fairy story book so literally so the jokes actually on him.