Psycho-Babble Faith Thread 385323

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Re: Why are people offended by God?

Posted by Cass on September 2, 2004, at 13:17:38

In reply to Re: Why are people offended by God?, posted by verne on September 1, 2004, at 17:26:58

I'm not offended by the mention of God unless I feel the person speaking believes that their interpretation of God is right and mine is wrong, or that God is on their side and not on the side of others. I appreciate it when people know that their experience of God is fulfilling for them but recognize that no one else has to have the exact same experience. I love God talk. I love when people acknowledge the spiritual force, God, the well-spring or however a person wants to phrase it.

 

Re: Why are people offended by God?

Posted by rayww on September 2, 2004, at 18:23:51

In reply to Why are people offended by God?, posted by Miss Honeychurch on September 1, 2004, at 15:31:37

People are offended by the mention of God.  Even more so by the mention of Jesus.
 
Most associate God with the Judeo-Christian beliefs, as in God in the Bible.  In the Bible God is pretty clear that He is God, and the rest of us aren't.  He lets us know that He's in charge, and that if we want eternal life, as well as blessings in this life, we need to do things His way. That becomes a problem when His way is not our way.
 
Political correctness insists that ALL ways lead to God and that all ways are equally "right", but God says only His way is right. 

Further, He says that Jesus is the only way to Him.  No other way is given by God, except through the salvation offered by Jesus. 

Since no two religions teach the same on this matter, it is easy to see why there is offense taken, but I wonder how much of this offense has to do with pride, ego, conscience, and misunderstanding.

I personally believe we are born with a conscience that is near to heaven. It is very easy to teach a baby to pray. The first jibber jabbers can be their version of the blessing on the food. Amen is another first word. God is so easy for a child to comprehend. The other is a learned behavior, and if you leave out the teaching how will they learn?

I can 100% guarantee that no young child in my circle will take offense to the use of the name, "God". Why else do we have the Bible if not to teach the children? It is not just a true historical record. My memories of being taught stories from the Bible are very dear. They gave me a good foundation, and good feeling because they taught me right from wrong, and so many other valuable lessons. What parent hasn't been taken back by the questions and comments of a child? If you want to know about God, ask a child.
http://scriptures.lds.org/query?words=out+of+the+mouths+of+babes&search.x=31&search.y=10

 

Re: please clarify that » rayww

Posted by Dr. Bob on September 2, 2004, at 20:11:08

In reply to Re: Why are people offended by God?, posted by rayww on September 2, 2004, at 18:23:51

> Most associate God with the Judeo-Christian beliefs, as in God in the Bible.
>
> Political correctness insists that ALL ways lead to God and that all ways are equally "right", but God says only His way is right.
>
> no two religions teach the same on this matter, it is easy to see why there is offense taken, but I wonder how much of this offense has to do with pride, ego, conscience, and misunderstanding.

Since it's easy to see how offense could be taken, could you clarify whether you're saying (a) only one way is right, (b) people of some religions believe that only one way is right, or (c) something else? Thanks,

Bob

 

Re: please clarify that

Posted by rayww on September 3, 2004, at 12:15:08

In reply to Re: please clarify that » rayww, posted by Dr. Bob on September 2, 2004, at 20:11:08

c, as neither of the other two even entered my mind.

 

Re: please rephrase or clarify that » rayww

Posted by Dr. Bob on September 5, 2004, at 2:14:25

In reply to Re: please clarify that, posted by rayww on September 3, 2004, at 12:15:08

> > > God says only His way is right.
> >
> > could you clarify whether you're saying (a) only one way is right, (b) people of some religions believe that only one way is right, or (c) something else?
>
> c, as neither of the other two even entered my mind.

Sorry to belabor this, but could you either rephrase what you originally said or explain how it's neither a nor b? Thanks,

Bob

 

Re: please rephrase or clarify that » Dr. Bob

Posted by rayww on September 5, 2004, at 10:41:15

In reply to Re: please rephrase or clarify that » rayww, posted by Dr. Bob on September 5, 2004, at 2:14:25

In response to the question, "Why are people offended by God?

>  
> Most associate God with the Judeo-Christian beliefs, as in God in the Bible.  In the Bible God is pretty clear that He is God, and the rest of us aren't.  He lets us know that He's in charge, and that if we want eternal life, as well as blessings in this life, we need to do things His way. That becomes a problem when His way is not our way.
>  
> Political correctness insists that ALL ways lead to God and that all ways are equally "right", but (in the Bible) God says only His way is right. 

Dr Bob, I was referring to the beginning of the first paragraph which stated "most associate God with the Judeo/Christian beliefs, as in God in the Bible. In the "Bible" God is pretty clear that only His way is right.
http://scriptures.lds.org/lev/26/3#3
To further document God has the authority, power of creation, and control over the elements:http://scriptures.lds.org/query?words=%22peace+be+still%22&search.x=32&search.y=10

So, according to the "Bible", we should worship He, whose creation this is. Christians, including Mormons believe Jesus Christ is also God. Mormons believe it was Christ who communicated to Noah, Moses, and the other prophets in the Old Testament. There are many different beliefs, even stemming from the Bible, yet all agree that God (whomever He is), through recorded history, both religious and otherwise in the "Bible", states His way.

http://scriptures.lds.org/matt/16/13#13
Whom do "you" say He is?
http://scriptures.lds.org/matt/17/3#3

 

Lou as amicus curie-Dr.Hsiung, rayww

Posted by Lou Pilder on September 5, 2004, at 12:51:07

In reply to Re: please rephrase or clarify that » Dr. Bob, posted by rayww on September 5, 2004, at 10:41:15

Dr. Hsiung and rayww.
I come to this discussion as a friend of the forum to give my thoughts about how this situation appears to me and how the administrative rules apply.
First, the rule in question here is mentioned prominatly on the opening page of the faith forum. The rule states that there is a principle that is to be followed in posting that [...whoever dares to say: Outside the church there is no salvation is to be driven...].
In rayww's post in question, rayww writes,[...He, (God}, says that Jesus is the only way to Him.] and, [...No other way is given by God, except through the salvation offered by Jesus...].
The forum has to consider the following;
A. Does the post say what one would be driven from the community for? ie; [...that whoever dares to say tha there is no salvation outside of the church...]
B. Is the rule violated by rayww's post
Lou
http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/faith/20040729/msgs/385777.html

 

Redirect: administrative rules

Posted by Dr. Bob on September 6, 2004, at 16:52:12

In reply to Lou as amicus curie-Dr.Hsiung, rayww, posted by Lou Pilder on September 5, 2004, at 12:51:07

> I come to this discussion as a friend of the forum to give my thoughts about how this situation appears to me and how the administrative rules apply...

I'd like to redirect follow-ups regarding administrative issues to Psycho-Babble Administration. Here's a link:

http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/admin/20040902/msgs/387241.html

Thanks,

Bob

 

Re: please be supportive » rayww

Posted by Dr. Bob on September 6, 2004, at 17:21:44

In reply to Re: please rephrase or clarify that » Dr. Bob, posted by rayww on September 5, 2004, at 10:41:15

> In the "Bible" God is pretty clear that only His way is right.
>
> So, according to the "Bible", we should worship He, whose creation this is.

Thanks for clarifying. Referring back to my example of what I'm considering generally supportive:

http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/admin/20020918/msgs/7889.html

I think I need to ask you in the future to phrase comments like the above more like:

> People of my faith believe that only His way is right.
>
> People of my faith worship He, whose creation this is.

Follow-ups regarding these issues should be redirected to Psycho-Babble Administration. They, as well as replies to the above posts, should of course be civil.

Thanks,

Bob

 

god talk

Posted by tai daluna on September 10, 2004, at 4:02:03

In reply to Re: Why are people offended by God?, posted by verne on September 1, 2004, at 17:26:58

i think a lot of people are offended by the mention of god, because it is so often followed by condemnation and/or oppression. for example, as a woman, i find a religion offensive when it takes away freedoms i feel are personal and mine to have: such as control over my own body and reproduction. for this reason, i know that many of my friends have violent reactions to the mention of god or church. unfortunately, for them it is not about faith, but politics; the politics of oppression. personally, when my personal freedoms are threatened by a community that wants to tell me what i can do with my own body, i feel angry and militant. it is not my place to tell others how to live their lives. i do not appreciate being told how to live mine. also, a lot of people get very angry when they are told there is only one god and that they are going to hell for not believing in it. i know i sure do. and for a long time god= exclusion for me, because i didn't have that sort of absolute faith. most people don't take well to being told that they are going to hell.
peace.
tai

 

Re: god talk » tai daluna

Posted by Miss Honeychurch on September 13, 2004, at 11:53:26

In reply to god talk, posted by tai daluna on September 10, 2004, at 4:02:03

Good points. I have been in that boat of being told I was going to hell because I was Catholic, that I wasn't really a "Christian."

i think your point about the politics of religion being offensive as opposed to God being offensive is a good one. I wish that weren't the case.

 

Re: Why are people offended by God? » Miss Honeychurch

Posted by NikkiT2 on September 13, 2004, at 17:25:53

In reply to Why are people offended by God?, posted by Miss Honeychurch on September 1, 2004, at 15:31:37

I'm not offended by talk of God. I have spoken oftem on here of my deep interest in all aspects of spirituality. I love talking to people about their own personal Gods, who ever they are and whatever religion they are.

What I get offended about is being told that my way, because I don't follow or believe in the Christian God, is the wrong way.

Nikki

 

Re: Why are people offended by God? » NikkiT2

Posted by rayww on September 14, 2004, at 18:25:43

In reply to Re: Why are people offended by God? » Miss Honeychurch, posted by NikkiT2 on September 13, 2004, at 17:25:53

How do you (and others outside of Christianity) define the Christian God?

 

Re: Why are people offended by God? » Cass

Posted by rayww on September 14, 2004, at 18:51:41

In reply to Re: Why are people offended by God?, posted by Cass on September 2, 2004, at 13:17:38

Is it mostly we Christians who make you feel God is not on your side? I think God would be happy to have anyone acknowledge him, no matter how they perceived him to be or where they lived. However, I can't see him answering a prayer that was said to a rock, as God cannot lie and will not deceive and the real God would not want us thinking we could pray to this thing and get answers like magic.

Perhaps one common thread in all beliefs concerning God is that we have been created by some power greater than our own. We didn't just happen, and since there is such 100% complete order in the universe, that creator must be pretty perfect.

 

Re: god talk

Posted by rayww on September 14, 2004, at 18:56:39

In reply to Re: god talk » tai daluna, posted by Miss Honeychurch on September 13, 2004, at 11:53:26

> Good points. I have been in that boat of being told I was going to hell because I was Catholic, that I wasn't really a "Christian."
>
> i think your point about the politics of religion being offensive as opposed to God being offensive is a good one. I wish that weren't the case.


I like how you have separated God from the politics of religion. God is a good focus point. I believe He has zero tollerance for the abuse and misuse of women (and children).

 

Re: god talk » tai daluna

Posted by rayww on September 14, 2004, at 19:03:56

In reply to god talk, posted by tai daluna on September 10, 2004, at 4:02:03

If you are saying what I think you are saying, this absolutely breaks my heart. If women all over the world would unite in faith and pray for this kind of oppression to end, it would crumble to the ground. I'm sure of it.

 

Re: Why are people offended by God? » rayww

Posted by NikkiT2 on September 15, 2004, at 13:30:25

In reply to Re: Why are people offended by God? » NikkiT2, posted by rayww on September 14, 2004, at 18:25:43

Um.. the guy that was Jesus's father? I'm not sure how to explain.. The person commonly known as "God". As in, the God believed in by Christians, Jews, Catholics, Muslims etc.

Sorry, even having studied some theology, I suddenly find I can't explain who I mean, as most people seem to kow exactly who I mean when I say the "Christian God" as by saying that I mean the Father of Christ.

Nikki

 

Re: Why are people offended by God? » rayww

Posted by Cass on September 15, 2004, at 14:17:10

In reply to Re: Why are people offended by God? » Cass, posted by rayww on September 14, 2004, at 18:51:41


Dear ray,

When you write "there is such 100% complete order in the universe...", what exactly are you referring to? The natural environment excluding human beings? The natural environment including human beings? The laws of physics?

The way I see it, human beings are a part of nature, and human beings can create unatural devastation to the environment, social injustice and all kinds of situations that seem very "ungodly".

I don't draw the conclusion that God is imperfect because of this. I simply suspect that God is not omnipotent.


 

Re: Why are people offended by God?

Posted by Jai Narayan on September 15, 2004, at 20:08:21

In reply to Re: Why are people offended by God? » rayww, posted by Cass on September 15, 2004, at 14:17:10

My beliefs are that God is evolving just as we are. Everything grows. We all evolve.
I like that.
Jai

 

Re: Why are people offended by God? » Cass

Posted by rayww on September 16, 2004, at 16:29:19

In reply to Re: Why are people offended by God? » rayww, posted by Cass on September 15, 2004, at 14:17:10

I mean 100% order in creation, in balance, in our ecosystem. I agree, man sometimes thinks he knows better, and creates havoc with nature, but nature itself is a house of order.

 

Re: Why are people offended by God? » Jai Narayan

Posted by rayww on September 16, 2004, at 16:53:09

In reply to Re: Why are people offended by God?, posted by Jai Narayan on September 15, 2004, at 20:08:21

I believe that too. Evolving into a more perfect or more evil self is what we call eternal progress. http://scriptures.lds.org/query?words=eternal+progression&scripturesearch_button=Search


 

Re: Why are people offended by God? » NikkiT2

Posted by rayww on September 16, 2004, at 17:00:48

In reply to Re: Why are people offended by God? » rayww, posted by NikkiT2 on September 15, 2004, at 13:30:25

Isn't that the crux of the problem? No one agrees exactly on how to define God. Even when God defines Himself there is disagreement. If it's a heavenly problem there must be a heavenly solution. things of the world are physical and worldly, but things not of this world are spiritual and supernatural. Since there is both good and evil in the spiritual realm, then it is up to us to sort it our for ourselves. Just as satan willingly reveals himself to those who ask, so does God. What happens when you ask? If it is a spiritual problem, we need to employ the spiritual powers of faith and trust in order to empower ourselves in that realm.

 

Re: Why are people offended by God? » rayww

Posted by Atticus on September 20, 2004, at 10:32:11

In reply to Re: Why are people offended by God? » NikkiT2, posted by rayww on September 16, 2004, at 17:00:48

As someone who was raised in a strict Irish Roman Catholic household, and has since abandoned any form of organized religion, perhaps I can add another perspective. I believe there is a difference between believing in a spiritual presence (whether you call it God or something else) and between belonging to an organized religion. As I grew older, I began to perceive so many contradictions between what Jesus is alleged to have preached (which I agree with philosophically and morally) and what the Catholic Church put forth as dogma that I came to the conclusion that organizied religion can be as much an impediment to communion with a divine spirit as a help. I saw (and still see) no reason why someone can't simply meditate or talk or pray or chant or sing individually as a form of spirituality. And then I look at the acts that have been committed in the names of various organized religions. In the case of Christianity, for example, many seem to run utterly counter to Jesus's teachings. Take, for example, the notion of being a soldier and being a Christian simultaneously. For the first four centuries of the Christian church, the organization followed a decree by Peter, personal friend and follower of Jesus and his hand-picked successor, if you believe the Gospels to be accurate. Peter ruled that belonging to the Roman army and being a Christian were utterly contradictory. He argued that you could not be a professional killer and then turn around and say that you adhered to the teachings of Jesus. This was asking people to give up a lot in those days. For people who were not ethnic Romans, the only way to acquire full Roman citizenship and a chance to really get ahead in life was to serve in the Roman legion. Citizenship was the main perk that lured recruits into the fold. After the Roman empire collapsed about 470 A.D., Peter's rule was disregarded. Peter's argument had been that the commandment was not "Thou shalt not kill ... except in cases of (X) and (Y)." It was simply, "Don't kill anyone." Period. No exceptions, not even for self-defense. And Jesus himself made this explicit, calling on someone who is attacked to "turn the other cheek." Yet if you look at the Crusades and the Spanish Inquisition, just to name two examples, you see an awful lot of blood being spilled in Jesus's name. I can't imagine he'd be too thrilled about that. All of this is a long way of saying that people in my family have long equated my rejection of the Catholic Church with atheism, when nothing could be further from the truth. I think the real questions to ask are these: Why do people equate participation in an organized religion with faith, and the absence of such participation as a lack of faith? I don't believe most people are "offended by God." I think some, though, like me, are very much offended by the policies and actions of organized religions that purport to be God's only valid messengers and mouthpieces on Earth. This is not to say that people shouldn't feel free to participate in any organized religion they want, and that all organized religions have only negative effects. If everyone practiced his or her own faith/religion in his or her own way and let everyone else do the same, I think the world would be a much nicer place in which to live. But we all know that's not the way it works in real life. And I don't like being the target of proselytism simply because I choose not to identify myself with this religious organization or that one. I've come to feel that that someone doesn't need a church or even a name for his or her faith to be spiritual. The real problem, as I see it, is that religion and spirituality are indistinguishable in so many peoples' minds. Atticus

 

Re: Why are people offended by God? » Atticus

Posted by verne on September 20, 2004, at 11:51:30

In reply to Re: Why are people offended by God? » rayww, posted by Atticus on September 20, 2004, at 10:32:11

beautifully put. I agree completely. I've given up on organized religion but still read the scripture - from all religions although for cultural reasons I lean towards the new testament. Most of what the churches are doing doesn't resemble anything in the sermon on the mount. It doesn't take long for man to distort scripture - the letter kills, the spirit gives life.

verne

 

Lou's response to Atticus

Posted by Lou Pilder on September 20, 2004, at 11:54:08

In reply to Re: Why are people offended by God? » rayww, posted by Atticus on September 20, 2004, at 10:32:11

Atticus,
You wrote,[...I don't believe...people are "offended by God"...some are offended by ... actions of ...religions that purport to be God's ...mouthpieces...].
I like that you separate God from "religion".
Lou


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