Religion - Can You Be Converted? (Not A Troll)

[MonkeySlap Too]

Tell them you don't need imaginary friends...

I am a big beleiver in luck. The more I work, the more luck I have.

[Nexus]

LOL@Monkey.

- Nexus

[KC Elbows]

I'm sorry. The post I was about to place was so heinously wrong that I am taking the high road, and keeping all the chuckles for my evil old self. So there. :p

[yin lion]

as have I heard in religon class I attended when I was younger, but hear spoken seldom in the catholic (please excuse the spelling) god is every where in everything and everyone. I think they ment to say it differently but the prist jumbled the words. what he was trying to understand but could not was that I AM EVERYWHERE BUT NO WHERE EVERYONE BUT NO ONE. This the the mind no mind idea of somme religon I don't care which one it is but a lot of them say things like this in buddaism, taoism, zen.... It means that the nature of all things is emptyness. I know this and feel this and it has changed me and my thoughts we are not our body we are not our mind we are the thinker that thought the thought the silence between thoughts. our nature is emptyness the good and bad, right and wrong, yes and no, full and empty, finaly yin and yang. that is what the symble is empty and full and in each there is a little of the other, black fish with a white eye or vice verca

you must unlearn what you have learned then and only then will you be wise and have knolage

[Ky-Fi]

Well, I'm a Christian, and the point I would bring up is that there's quite a variety of Christian denominations out there. I've been attending church more regularly the last couple months, and I would just like to emphasize that there's a lot more out there than fundamentalism--and even though every denomination does believe that they are the closest ones to the truth, not every denomination focuses on differences between faiths. I've been attending a Congregationalist church, which is a quite liberal Protestant denomination, and I've felt very comfortable there. There's no preaching about divisions of "believers" vs. "non-believers"---last Sunday was World Communion Day, and the minister stressed that different people might bring different levels of faith and belief to the church--and that was OK. What was really important though, was that we were all on the journey, and the destination was based on shared values. There's a lot of community outreach programs, discussion groups on various pressing current events(Christian response to terrorism, etc.), and a sense of just trying to lead a life that's beneficial to your fellow man. These are the type of things that are stressed, rather than the rigidity of your doctrine or beliefs. The Friday after September 11, there was an interfaith candlelight service in my town, held at the local Jewish temple, and co-hosted by the clergy of 6 or 7 Christian denominations in town---I don't think we really have much of a Muslim or Buddhist population in town, but they were certainly welcome. It was just a really great sense of community and shared values, even though there were some pretty different faiths represented. Just speaking for myself, these are the type of things that would draw me to a denomination---someone constantly stressing their strict view of the "truth" would tend to drive me away.
So, I guess the point I'm making is that if you're looking for a faith, sometimes the vibe, emphasis or spirit of a denomination/organization is just as important as their doctrine of beliefs.

[toddbringewatt]

Why should you have to combat anything?

If it isn't true for you, then it isn't true. You don't have to fight any incoming beliefs. You can simply acknowledge whatever is communicated and think whatever you want about it and refrain from getting into it with them about whether or not you agree.

I don't recommend combating points of view. I would simply observe, compare with your own experience and knowledge, and decide for yourself whether or not it is true for you, or whether or not you need more data to make up your mind, or whether or not you really even care enough to bother with it.

I would say just be interested in what you are interested in and think for yourself and don't give or recieve communication unless you yourself desire it.

I wouldn't "be skeptical" or even "keep an open mind". I would just look at what you're looking at when you're looking at it and honestly make up your own mind about it. Keep it simple.

Hope this helps. :)

"Bruce Leroy. That's who!"