Hello Danni for my part i do believe like a lot of people in the concept of a greater power despite being told on numerous occassions that the bible is the biggest book of fiction ever written.

I however do believe that the bible is authentic and it predicts the future as well as telling us what has gone and what is happening right now that's true.

I think the whole idea of christianity and church however is a bit like going to a funeral we need comfort and compassion from fellow human beings we need something to believe in throughout our lonely lives but i totally agree with your statement "BEING BAD IS REALLY QUITE GOOD AND MORE THAN THAT IT'S COOL" this comes from our friendly natives of africa who spread their wings and flew to many a nest including the U.S and the U.K everybody likes to be associated with the rapp crap and dangers of gangland because these people are thrill seekers and they want to be part of the action.

When i die i will be either a pile of old bones or a pile of dust that is my shell but the soul which makes up the human being and gives it energy,vibrance,personality and determination will live on and probably end up somewhere in the spirit world have you checked out my novel "twilight-spirits of the lost world?"

Finally i used to be a christian and now i am just a believer my church's policy was modernesque with sowing the seeds of revival and young kids being made to feel important with the youth work etc,missionaries working overseas and all that jazz.

They also qualified you as a christian depending on your financial standing in the local community which i found hard to swallow so i left.
The excellent leader of that church has also gone now and a female pastor has taken over there was a power struggle and i got out at the right time.

I did try the traditional church for a year but the congregations were too small and never felt part of the set up besides i was only made welcome by the pastor in that instance.
It's been a while since i attended service and i do miss it but i also believe that being a jesus follower is the right course to take, there was one other church Jesus army which again i have been a part of over these past few years but it's too post modern with their 1970's deco and flag waving i nearly moved in to one of their houses but you must surrender all of your wealth and material items this proved a hard bullet to bite.
Good luck with your thread and remember i'm always hear for a chat.

I don't know how to e-mail you but maybe that can be sorted soon bye for now BD PS i've changed my profile,photo and written two more poems about the ANGEL OF DEATH AND KNIFE CRIME please let me know what you think of them BYE BUFFERDUDE

Posted: Aug 21, 2008

Be honest, do you truly believe in God?
I cant say that I don’t. but I know I don’t truly..

- - by this I don't mean - do you read the bible, do you go to church, are you planning on being a priest(ess)?
I don’t read the bible but I’ve read Mathew 5,6,7 and I believe that’s the rules that jesus wants us to live by… not the ten commandment. I believe Jesus come down to earth to teach us just that.. I believe Mathew 5,6,7 is the most important thing in the bible..i hate it when people say gods rules are he teth commandments. Yes they were but not anymore..
I go church every Sunday but by force so I don’t listen to a thing they say.. my parents come from a none English speaking background so they don’t go to a church that speak English so I don’t quite understand what the priest is saying.. so I think church for me is pointless when its being force. No don’t plane to be a priest(ss). never

~ Are you the one who believes in a higher power - but you don't really believe in Jesus, and the whole bible thing? I cant say I don’t believe… but theres a part of me that doubt the whole thing higher power thing
~ Are you the one who thinks an asteroid blew up, and created planets, and stars - - and people? With fingernails? Did I mention, I have ADD? Seriously now, think about it. Some giant piece of rock, exploded - and somehow - creating boiling hot stars/suns, and well formed planets...and then it created Earth - and it even created micro-organisms that eventually turned into people?
I think that’s it’s the most stupidest idea… (No offence to scientist)
IT’S SOO STUPID!!! It give you no reason to live..
All its saying is that life is a accident and there’s no point of living..

I don’t believe in hell or heaven the way most people believe it..
I don’t think there’s a place such as eternity.
To me hell doesn’t exist..
And heaven is a place on earth where you feel truly happy with the people you love…
That’s my idea of heaven …

I have a question for you. I was thinking about how he knows everything, and wondering "well, if He knows everything - does he know if we're going to follow Him into Heaven already? Is that why he keeps pushing us?
.
I don’t think he knows if we’re going to follow him into heaven already..
That’s why he’s always open to us.. in case we choose to turn back to him at the last moment…
I believe he always hoping that someday we might turn back… always hoping, always loving us.
He’s not pushing us, he’s testing us…
The greater the test, the greater we prove our faith…
He pushes us so that he know that we are willing to leave ever thing for him…or not?

“Why don't you believe in Him? What are the reasons? “
A part of me don’t believe in him cause I’ve lost touch with what I once felt with him.. and I know it…
Hopefully someday I might be able to feel him again.
one other reason is that church is boring

“When you picture Hell - - what do you see?”
I see nothing in hell
Just a plainly darkness.. nothing else..
This is my fear, that’s why its my hell..
No-one to reach out within the darkness
I think hell is something you fear the most, so hell would be different for everyone.
...

ok.. i dont know what else to say...
soo bye...
sis
.x

Posted: Aug 21, 2008

i am a christian to be christian is to be christ like which is another name for jesus. now you say you don't believe in church but the bible says do not forsake the gathering with follow believers i 'll can the scripture tonight and post it for you. if you go to church twice a year now to get feed ? reading the bible is not enough for in the book of corithians it is said that God gave pastors, evanglists etc to edify his word. but i must say i agree with u in almost everything you say

Posted: Aug 21, 2008

OMG I LOVE YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
*hug*
let me tell you something. i'm in 10 grade right now. when i was in 6 i hated life. i was depressed and sad and bitter because my sister was hurt, my parents were divorced, and my step parents were mean. i went to bible camp that summer and gave up my music....so in 7 grade i was a goth kid who didn't listen to music and siad that i hated guys...even though i was just scared of them >.> longer story

ONWARD! the next summer i went to the same bible camp (which is THE best bible camp EVER) and i gave up a few of my friends. and i let go of some of my amazingly large black jackets that i wore everyday cuz i'm anemic and cold all the time. anyway the jackets aren't important...or are they >.>
so i started talking to guys now...it was hard...but whatever...

the next summer (same camp) i FINALLY gave up my past. along with my past i gave up my bitterness with my parents (even though they put me through SO much. you seriously have NO idea)
Onward
this past summer i gave him my life. i have never been happier. seriously.. the bible says to find a closet in Matthew 6 and meditate with Him in there. i love to do that. it is the highlight of my day. i love to go to church now. even though i have to see my step mother there i still enjoy it thoroughly. i love god. i can't get enough of him. and i want him to use me in his will. i hope that one day i will be strong enough to say proudly (and not be lying) that i'm a CHRISTIAN. i hope that i can love as much as he did. and give people what He has done for me. he died on the cross. i think that it's the LEAST i can do to just give him my life. i can't wait to see what he does with me. until then i will walk with him everyday. i hope you go to church every chance you get. cuz it's there that you will find the most amazing opportunities....

Here is the most wisest thing that has ever been said by my pastor (i'm baptist) he said "Don't look at something as an obstacle, instead look at it as an opportunity" i love my pastor, i love my life, i love writing, and living, and having my friends, but what i love more is my God who gave that all to me

Posted: Aug 21, 2008

hi dannika,

i like the way you exp[lain your beleifs and what they mean to you and what they can mean to anyone.

however, i think it would be good, if you tried to open ur mind some more by studying islam aswell.

being a muslim, for me, i also find it useful to look into the other religeons closest to mine i.e judaism and christianity, seeing as they all have many aspects in common. all except one, the book itself.

the bible and the torah, have been edited throughout time, but the quran is known for its authenticness. it would be great if just once, you could read the english translation, and hear the voice of the quran. although the translation may not be as accurate and moving as the original arabic text...

Posted: Aug 22, 2008

I hope someday you evolve beyond this.

You believe in a deity who will send you to a place of eternal torment if you fail to worship him? If God exists he hasn't made a personal appearance in over two thousand years yet he expects us to believe or suffer in everlasting fire?

Beliefs are dependent on where one is born and what one is taught or exposed to. If you were born among South American natives you would worship the Gods of the forest and believe in them as much as you believe in Christ. Are the people who are of differing faiths going to burn in hell as well?

Yet he loves us?

Sounds more evil than divine to me.

Posted: Aug 22, 2008

^///^
um thanks? XD
i'm nowhere as good as you think. trust me XD
i just pray with God when i'm in my "closet"
i talk to him as if he were right there and had no idea what was going on in my life. it usually helps me figure out my feelings too ^^
if i have a problem i bring it to him...i tell him the details about it and ask him to give me wisdom and for me to do the right thing for that situation. and then i read a chapter in the bible. i'm in matthew right now..(which is why Matthew 6 contents were so fresh in my mind :3

praying is just talking with God. the bible says in Matthew 21:22 that when we pray we should expect to recieve. and if we don't recieve it then accept it as God's greater Will.
Philippians 4:19 "But my God shall supply all your need ACCORDING to his riches in glory" or according to what we've done so far

I peter 5:7 tells us to Give God All of our problems and he'll take care of us. (i hope you don't have a NKJV)

James 4:2 "Ye have not, because ye ask not"

and james 4:10 says that we should humble ourselves before god. i personally think that we should do this in our closet, not infront of people.

Hebrews 10:25 talks about church and Romans 12:1-2 is what convicted me to give my life. those are only a few of the amazing verse in my bible.
i want to learn more though XD
anyway....didn't mean to preach just thought those verses would help you grow :3

Posted: Aug 22, 2008

to Bruce:

let me tell you that the Bible has proven itself over and over, and only an incompetent fool would deny it.
would you like to nkow why you dont believe in God???
it's because god aks us to love him more than anything else in this world, more than a spouse, family, child, and life itelf. and if you admit that you DO have an obligation to him because he DIED FOR YOU then that means you have to serve him. and you're just selfish cuz you don't want to give him your life. i do admit that there are a lot of hypocrites in the world that claim to be christian, but if you meet an actual christian then you would have no doubt about God because they just seem to have a light about them. something that makes them uniquely different. a joy. something you don't have.
all you have to do to go to heaven is to believe in god and admit that he does exist and that he's the only one that can take you to heaven.
you don't see the natives carrying a bible do you?
i hope you read this. i hope that you actually look at the bible and try to find one thing that disproves it. i pray one day you'll be able to believe. whether it's in this lifetime, or at the Great White Throne Judgment Seat of God.

Posted: Aug 22, 2008

Be honest, do you truly believe in God?
No. Why? Sure, religion helped many people, but I do not want to believe in a god that lets children be hungry all their lives, die or be born with retarded. Because of that, I am an atheist.

Did everything came from a big bang you ask? Everything in the universe was created by itself? Yes. Thats why it took billions of years. No, God did not create anything.

When you picture Hell - - what do you see?
I see a good story plot for a movie or a novel.

Honestly, if there is a God, and I ever get to meet him, I would punch him in the face.

I hope you will understand this and forgive me for being kind of bitchy.

Posted: Aug 22, 2008

Right so what the guy said above me hurt me, you wanna know the reason why children in africa are hungary? IT OUR FAULT THE WESTERN WORLD DID THAT TO AFRICA AND ALL THOSE POOR COUNTRIES! Why did God allow it? God isn't one who just says "I AM THE MIGHTY ONE, EVERYONE MUST FOLLOW ME OR I'll punish them." no The amazing thing about our Glorious God is he gives us a choice. We can choose life or death for ourselces, he won't minupilate us or take over our minds, he lets us choose the path we are to take. So the westeners that came to africa are the ones that did this, they divided up the continent all wrong so that ethnic groups that shouldn't be anywhere near each other are placed in the same country, causing ear corruption and starvation! And also alek 92, do you know that there is a devil, he is the one the comes into the lives of those who sinned, people in africa have sinned and so have brought it among themselves, God doesn't allow it...they allow it. I know its hard to grasp but try to think about.


Any way Danika I'm so happy I found your article! I just loved, your on fire for God and I'm glad your christian camp helped you with this!

You have a good sense of humor, anything about marylin manson makes me laugh, he's so weird. Comment on my page and I'll tell you more about myself! I'd love to get to know you better and how you came to know God!

Oh and I'm wondering what you think of what I said about poverty, I tried man...anyway stop by my page read my Jesus inspired poetry!!

God bless you sista!

Posted: Aug 22, 2008

I commented before. See above. Sure, if he does exist, and he doesn't, then I wouldn't let me punch him if I were him.

The world is the survival of the fittest. Its all about how lucky you are to be born in a different place. And its not just Africa, how about India and other poor Asian countries? What if your God is not the real God? What if Christianity is a big, fat lie? Do you know how the religion was made? There were and always will be stuff people can't explain, and here comes religion and God, the one who did it. But we are wrong in the end.

Posted: Aug 22, 2008

Wow- u posted something concerning the eternal question--I'm impressed.
I grew up in the Baptist church, and was "saved" when I was 7. As I've grown older, things have come out about my family- my father has 4 other kids from 2 women he knew before my mom-and before Vietnam. My half-brother I did know about committed suicide, both my parents were into some heavy drugs, my full sis has a learning disability--and the list never ends.
Anywho- With my experience in chuch--there are people in church who are understanding and love you, and ones who are there to socialize--or to judge. I've had some pretty big things brought out by "Christian" people I trusted who ended up hurting me, but I don't blame them. In the question of church--I believe that if you want to be there, and you are living happier-then you should go. But--I also believe that if- for example, someone is in prison-in solitary-and can't leave- they can have JUST as much of a "spiritual movement" within them as someone in church. I know that many times in church-I was WANTING to experience something like everyone else was, but I now see that EVERYTHING around me is an expeience. Before there were bulidings, there were the trees, and the earth. American Indians and many other religions incorporate the Earth as part of the "collecive soul". You can feel the sould of God eveywhere-even in the air. I know that sounds mystical--but I've done soooo much research and exploring into the Christian ideas, and others. Even C.S. Lewis--in "THe Chronicles of Narnia"- had his character Aslan(who represents Christ)- tell the others that one day, you will know me by another name. Maybe we all know God by different names. I DO think that humans can corrupt what the original ideas are, and I don't know if GOd WROTE the Bible- I wasn't there- but I do know that there were lots of literature written at the time of the Bible that were "apocalyptic"- which is the genre you would classify the Bible in. --tho who knows-- even if people wrote it--I believe that we are all part of God- and part of the world around us--so in acuality--we wrote it-and HE wrote it. In my reading of the Bible--and other religious books-they all seem to follow the same ideals-and that makes me glad-maybewe're all right. Nobody knows what happens when u die--I sure don't, but I think that wondering and doubt (as long as you have the desire to search keep searching is okay. There is alot of contradiction in the Bible, but then again-constantine did trim off the books- If you research it, there were many books taken out that did not follow a cannon(ie:rules like mention the name of God a certain numbers of times, be written by a known apostle---etc....

ALSO-- and most importantly--I think that people have an incorrect idea about GOd. I believe he has good and bad in him. I believe that a Christian, a Jew, a Muslim can be imperfect. Everyone says "Wht would Jesus Do?"--but eveytime I hear that-I say--well--God would have flooded the earth and killed all of the bad people probably- or Jesus would have thrown the table over in the church-- I dunno--there are so many people I love who have made such terrible choices, bu they are still great people and it in no way diminishes them. EVERYONE and everything has good and bad in it--I'm disenchanted by the Chrisitan belief that we should follow this perfect way of living. There's no such thing--and it feels SO much better knowing that. People give u such rehersed ways to talk in a church--many times u can sit in the park and close your eyes- feel the Earth- feel the wind and water- feel you thoughts--THAT"S God!! You don't need to be around other people, but if THAT's what makes u feel stronger, do it. I think mindlessly going because you think you have to fellowship is empty.
I recommend youread and research the writings of C. S. Lewis--or the talks of Rob Bell--he's a youth minister--u can get his Nooma videos--I can send u my notes on them if you'd like.
LAST_-my whole point has not been to say anyone is wrong. I think that once you find what is right for you, you can stop feeling like you're not doing it right. God doesn't want to hear your mindless prayers cuz it's what ur supposed to do--get out in the world--volunteer at a homeless kids daycare like I did and scrub down the bathroom knowing that those kids can't afford drugs--if they get a cold or pneumonia--it could be life threatening--I believe highly in the idea of "service"- you feel better doing that--and more spiritually full than a million hours singing 'shout to the lord' in a Wednesday night service. Learn ur faults, Don't JUDGE- believe me--if u haven't screwed up royally yet in life---ur time is coming, and don't accept that the way u HAVE to do it is what ANYONE says--YOU find a way--and don't let anyone tell u it's wrong to looka t other ideas or ways of thinking. Search for God--don't just swallow the medicine ur given. Become very in tune with how u feel. We have a natural reaction to what is right - try different things-- and ur ideas may change thru the years--it's all a step forward- and most of all---NEVER automatically think someone else is wrong- each person and experience is unique--
LEARN FROM THE PAST- AND MAKE YOUR OWN DECISIONS!

Posted: Aug 23, 2008

First of all, Dani, I think you have expressed your thoughts quite well and coherently. I agree with some of your views - yes, in today's world, bad is considered cool for some reason. And that attitude needs to go.

Having said that, I ought to tell you that I am not a Christian, and never want to be. I have great respect for Jesus Christ, but at the same time, I think all the religions in this worlds taught something valuable to humankind. What I don't like about Christianity (note, I mean Christianity, and not Christ) is that the Christians try to put down the believers in other religions. That is very sad. Putting forth one's own beliefs is good, but putting down somebody else's isn't. What about a Muslim or a Buddhist or anyone else, who lives righteously, but does not call himself a follower of Christ? Does that mean he will go to hell? I am sure God (whatever one pictures him to be) is not so unjust. He would rather you live righteously and do a good job at whatever it is that you are doing rather than labeling yourself 'Christian' or anything else. I am a strong believer in God, but not in organized religion, because I think that organized religion is what has caused most amount of hatred and strife in today's world. People actually KILL other people because they are from different religions. And each is equally convinced of his own beliefs.

To BUFFERDUDE: Don't you know that attributing the ills of American culture to Africa is called being RACIST? Or do you want to join the Ku Klux Klan? It is because of comments like yours that the whole world is against America. Grow up, look outside your coccoon and learn to appreciate the cultures of other people. I am neither an American nor an African, and so I say these things without being biased.

Okay, back to Dani: Billions of people in this world, including I, do not believe in the Creationist theory. Agreed, the theory of Evolution also has many unexplained points as of now, but so does all the other theories. Deriding someone else's thoughts when one's own aren't proven either expresses one's own ignorance and arrogance.

Having said that, I would like to add that I really like the way you have written your piece in a cool, rational way and avoided attacking someone else. Your responses to people's comments also show that you have a mature thinking process and are not trying to push others into changing their beliefs. I commend that and wish you all the best for life.

Posted: Aug 23, 2008

*sigh* I've read this ALL, so now I feel morally obligated to respond...'kay, here we go...I'll just answer your questions(the ones I CAN answer) as to not go into a too-extensive rant(just thinking of you, here)

1. No, I do not believe in god. Why? I find it hard to believe that one spirit/thing/whatever created EVERYTHING. I mean, what IS he, exactly, anyway? Like, literally. I have no idea.
2. I am the one who believes in evolution and the big bang...sort of. I'm still looking for the religion that tells me that there was a giant ball of matter, compacted and squeezed together, that exploded...but that explains WHERE that ball of matter and such CAME FROM.
3. I'm NOT too busy. My life is pretty boring all the time.
4. Yes, church is boring, but that's not an excuse.
5. My family's not religious, but I think the rest of 'em believe in god, at least. And, no, my dad's NOT Marilyn Manson
6. My friends don't think it's dumb. We frequently get into EXTENSIVE conversations pertaining to this topic, and most of them belive(to an extent, which makes it harder for ME, who finds it difficult to belive)
7. It's not that I gave up on god(even though i don't believe, I think it's a little cliche when people say they 'gave up' on him cuz life didn't work out...okay, i'm probably confusing you...sorry.)
8. I live for life and what life has to offer. I don't necessarily belive that we were put here(Earth) for a reason, but I'm currently contemplating that we're a freak of nature and when we die, we're nothing. Electricy runs through our brains and bodies, and, when it's gone, or turned off, there's nothing of US left, really...so...
9. and, it's not that I don't have enough money, it's just that I think it's unnecessary to give money to, well, basically the church, that does who-knows-what with it. it's like god is saying, "okay, give the church money, follow my command, and come to heaven." it just confuses me a little...i guess i don't see the point.

okay, that's all i'm going to say...oh, one thing, though...if god is truly opposite sin, and is all things good, then why(if he created everything) did he create sin and bad things? and, if he knows everything, then he would've known that humans were going to be well, basically a failed experiment, so why did he create them in the first place? or did his power of all-knowing kick in after he plopped adam and eve in the garden and told them to behave, leading him into an, "aw, crap! what did I just do?" moment? just curious. i can't seem to understand those points, in particular.

and, it's not that I(or any other nonbelievers, for that matter) REFUSE or CHOSE not to believe, it's that(for me, anyway) we CAN'T. And I speak for myself, here, and anyone else who agrees with me, when I say: I just find it a little(okay, a LOT) hard to comprehend and find plausible. Some people believe what is in front of them and can be proven...literally proven, and find it honestly difficult to believe anything else. I hope you don't think of me(us) as close-minded, but it's hard to explain right.

I hope I didn't offend you at any point in my comment. I promise, that WAS NOT my intention. I just wanted to explain to you my views, and I don't want to bash you, or what you belive. I'm sorry if I DID offend you, though. Truly sorry.

Posted: Aug 23, 2008

To ANGELASTEELE:

For some reason I'm not getting your comment, probably because I'm on my blackberry.

So, I decided to write it here.

1stly, thanks SooOoo much for commenting and bring nice and opinionated about it.

2nd - I totally know what you mean about how Religion tears is apart, that's why I don't like it that much. I love God - not people or a building. I love the earth - which is part of God - and I love myself because He is in a part of me. :)

Haha. I laughed. Seriously that would be funny if somebody thought it was a mouse, just coz mice are so cute!!! Haha. But it could be, dude, I mean, God is in everything! Haha.

Okay? Well, I'm sorry I shared my thoughts. I simply wanted to see what people thought, because it's a really interesting topic, but some teenagers (like myself) don't really think God is interesting. And of course, some think it's uncool. Well, the only reason they think that is because, well, church is boring to some and "lame" to others, and therefore, God is "lame".

Yeah, so, I was just wanting to know people's opinions and that's what I like doing. Plus - I got a lot of help uh that department just by others' comments!!


Thank you ohsodifferent!! And thank you wandiola!!! PennieRitchie!!!! And Dom!!

And thank you Angela for commenting.

Posted: Aug 23, 2008

Hey what a way to write,good.God exist regardless how we call Him,He listen , i know this as a fact.Remember God give us what we need when we need it and the devil give us what we want when he wants to.

Posted: Aug 23, 2008

Eternity is not after or before you die - It is all time . Time and space- there was no space or time before te big bang; nothing was measureable- Thats the current thinking , and that the universe from a singularity- an infinitely small mass with infinintely massive density
Ok so far ; Oh and that this all happened at a point in time mathematically described as ' ten to the power of minus 28 seconds - that works out as a couple of billion years -
But this is all as mystifying as your basic Adam and Eve fundamental belief system.
Did you know that they have traced the human genome back to a single woman - genetically . call her what you will - but she was almost certainly black.
God is unknowable ; we can only grasp at a system of faith based on the evidence of life; its order -and how it could have evolved from the primordial soup- first you get an assembly of atoms .. forming a molecule - because of the magnetic attractions of these to one another; then in the right climate - fused with energy you could get a strand of DNA - a virus - which replicates - and then a unicellular organism .. then following Darwin - we arrive .Its not a faith based system ; rather one based on empirical evidence .
But stick at it .
Tell me ; If God is allpowerfull could that God make a weight that He could not lift ?
Im curious

Posted: Aug 24, 2008

Organized religion makes the world rot...
No offense to you personally...

Posted: Aug 24, 2008

Wow, alot of different views in comments, that's cool! I believe the bible and I believe that Jesus Christ walked on her and was raised from the dead.

Basically, I see it like this...... There is Good and there is Bad. Why would man come up with good and bad? Because there was God (good) and Satan (bad). Unfortunately, God made the good, and Satan introduced the bad. Since God basically gave Adam & Eve a choice in the garden....eat all the fruit except off the one tree, because he knew Satan to be there. He wanted them to choose him. I mean if you loved someone and you weren't sure if they loved you? Wouldn't you want to know for sure if they really did? Well, yes Satan came from heaven and was cast out because he was jealous of God. He wanted to do all the things like God and be Powerful like God. God couldn't allow it. So he cast him out of heaven. Satan chose to go to earth. Since there was only Adam and Eve first he wanted to see how powerful he could be on earth. So he placed temptation in front of Eve. He saw it was quite easy to whisper lies to Eve and get her to choose him over God. God wanted Adam & Even to love him, to choose only him. But because of Satans whisper of lies they gave in to him. He made it enticing, desireable, delicious and knew the consequences of their choice would be great. So good and bad began. A Battle.....a everyday battle of fighting "For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms." God would of preferred us to choose him. To love him instead of choosing the bad. That's why there are commands from the GOD. If he is King, there are commands set by his kingdom. Say at first, in the old testament he set forth the 10commandments. The golden rules of living. But people didn't do too well with these commands because of the lies of whispers they would receive. So God wanted to make it easier. He decided to show my love I will give them another choice. I will offer them my gift of "Eternal life", life after death to come live in my kingdom forever if they will choose me over Satan. Since I want nothing to do with Satan and his evil. I will have to offer a sacrifice like the old testament ways. I will create a son in my own image and he will the resemblance of me in all things. He will be perfect. He will know no sin. So there came Jesus. Jesus was chosen as a male, perfect, no flaws, and he would walk on this earth and endure the hardships of every kind that will be on this earth because of Satan. So Jesus, walked on earth to tell everyone about God and his goodness, his love he had for everyone if they would choose him over the evil one, he would give them eternal life. But the commands would have to be only to simple..."For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son, that whosever believeth in him should not perish but everlasting life." and also said, If you confess with your mouth that Jesus died on the cross for your sins (our evil nature that started with Adam & Eve)believe that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved" (meaning have eternal life), but yet also to sum it all up, was "Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world but be transformed by the renewing of your mind so you can test and approve what God's will is, his good pleasing perfect will." But seek ye first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all the things shall be added unto you."

Well, He decided that if Jesus would walk on earth and be perfect, he would be the living sacrifice for our wrongdoings. But only if we believe and walk by faith, knowing what we believe in and follow his ways. People didn't want to believe or accept this because Satan was running around whispering the lies we still believe today and so the lies have manifested itself through the years in which have become bigger and harder for others to believe in God. Jesus died as a sacrifice for our sins. So when we do sin and do wrong or the bad if we believe and walk by faith, he will give us forgiveness and we can live with him eternally. But, "no one comes to the father except through Jesus Christ his son." Meaning you can't get to God and his kingdom except through Jesus, by believeing and confessing he is God. So there's our choice.

We choose to do wrong we suffere the consequences through that wrong. The suffering of children or hunger, the innocent children taken or molested? God has shown himself in many ways to his people. Even if we get that miracle, we go back to our old ways our sinful ways. Man has chosen to go his own way. I believe the results of starvation and hunger is because there is no love in the world. Not alot of love in the world to want to go over there in other countries to help each other. Love goes along way, such as God's love for his own son to sacrifice for us. We have chosen not to help those in need, we.....no one else. Responsibility for one's actions seem to lie on someone else nowadays.....its our fault. Our wrong.....for the innocent who die? There is sin in the world from the evil one who wants to destroy. The man that chose to do bad.

Just my take on it all.......thank for letting me comment and give my view like everyone else.

Posted: Aug 25, 2008

lots of people say, they dont beleive in god, but why is it when they are in pain, they turn to him? they say 'oh my god'. why is it when their death nears, then they think oh god forgive me?

i am a scientist,i beleive in the big bang theory, i beleive god made the big bang happen. i do not however beleive in evolution. there is evidence of human bones, and monkey bones, but there are no bones for a human-monkey?

humans and animals and every other living creature were not formed randomly and did not evolve out of ameoba-like cells. god almighty made them.

think about how each persons DNA is unique? in the holy quran, this fact is mentioned, and it was discovered centuries later.

i beleieve in scinece, that science is a way of god showing us what he can do. nobody in the world can create a human being, with everything precise, its too complicated, the sytems to thecells.

even flowers, can anyone make a flower?

can anyone make crude oil???

god made man from scratch, gave us intelligence and so many other gifts, and each one he made unique.

if there is no god, what happens when you die? u dont go sleep?

i think everyone in the world beleives in god, they jus find it hard to admit because they think its hard, or they think so much is expected of them.

islam teaches you to be good to one another and really jus decency and honesty, its not just a religeon, its a way of life.

muslims beleive in the holy prophet jesus (may peace be with him), and amongst all of the prophets he was the miracle worker. in the holy Qur'an jesus is mentioned many tyms. muslims beleive that mohammed (may peace and blessings be upon him) was the final prophet. amongst all other prophets in islam, these two are honoured, amongst moses (may peace be with him). but we beleive there is only one god, only Allah, we can only pray to allah, he created us, nobody else can be prayed to.

allah gave us free will, and we will be rewarded for good deeds and punished for bad deeds. so due to this fact there is no such thing as reincarnation in islam, nor is their such thing as somebody else paying for someone elses sins. everyone goes to his/her own grave.

i think, if anyone read about islam, they would love it, because its easy, its a religeon of peace, and its not strict at all, everythingas about your free will, its your will to choose.

think about this, has anyone ever learned about islam and then left god? never. the holy qur'an proves manythings which could not be proven. the first hospitals, first chemists, doctors, scientists came from muslim origin.

to those people who dont beleive in god, you do, u know you do, dont choose to ignore it.

Dannika, hope i havnet offended you in any way at all, becuase that wasn't the aim,i just wanted to give my oppinion because when people say they dont beleive in god, it hurts me, it disturbs me in many ways, beause they dont see the consequences of it.

Posted: Aug 25, 2008

Very intriguing question my friend!

No - Its not.
Its not really; its just a conundrum ; the question does not make any logical sense; the question suggests that this a plausible task - it is not ; It is an implausible question - the simpler version of which would be ' when did you stop beating your wife' - as lawyers do, Its the conjures trick with words; rather than rabbits
And I'm not so smart but I do feel I may have pitched this rhetoric a bit above your pay grade as they say .
But here's something you might think about;
What convinces you that God is of necessity - Good;
Why could he not equally be evil and this whole bit be a macabre joke .
The reason we cant countenance such a proposition is that its consequences are too subversive and appalling to perceive.
But if you had to write an essay in defense if such a proposition - how would you approach it ??

Posted: Aug 25, 2008

love those who deserved to be loved hate those who deserve to be hated, christianity is a plague on humanity, people devote there entire lives to a fairy tale because of brain washing, aulturism is retarded, you know you exist, be selfish, a free spirit, do everything for yourself, thus spoke, Lucien Remeese 666

Posted: Aug 25, 2008

All im gonna do is say one thing.
The way everyone sees Marilyn Mansen is actually an act.
Behind that makeup and clothes is a very very smart man.
and im SICK of people juding him

Posted: Aug 25, 2008

I think that your Article is awesome! It is well written!
=) I for one am a Christian or at least view myself as one. It use to be that my mom forced me to go to church every Sunday. Well, that is after she split up with my dad and she started going to a different church. Every time i went there i just hated it, hated change. Ever since than i have gotten used to that church and willingly go. The problem i think now is that i don't think i have a close relationship with God. Which leaves me to go to church on Sunday and not feel the holy spirit in me as we worship. I don't exactly understand why though. I know that i need to read the bible and i have (but not the whole thing). I have confessed my sins. It really saddens my heart to think that i don't feel the holy spirit within me and I'm not sure what to do. So i just wanted to see what your opinion was on that.

Posted: Aug 25, 2008

Wow, sorry about that. (XxsportsmvpxX is my "best" friend) He gets like that, and as usual people get really offended. (You should have seen him leaving messages on the jonas brothers myspace about how they aren't that go and that he doesn't get have people could be there fans or something like that.) He isn't a Christian like i am, but we became really close. I wish he would go to church. Maybe than he would. I don't want him to go to hell "because we are really close" despite his many problems. I pray for him but i don't really know what else to do if he doesn't want to. =(

Posted: Aug 25, 2008

Ya thank you for the advice. I really shouldn't beat myself up about it. I just don't really know what to do when it comes to worship. I use to think that "I'm really great full but do i have to really sing about it." The sign in the beginning of church says prepare your heart for worship but i don't know how. Anyways, i sent him the url to this article thinking maybe it would help and i guess that was the only thing that stuck out at him. =/ Oh well.

Posted: Aug 25, 2008

Good question. I've pondered this question as well.
I think about the verse "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God."
John1:1

I was talking with someone last night about this very thing. Have you ever loved someone so much but yet they didn't love you back? It's hurts right? I started thinking.....here is this Most Powerful , awesome God that knows everything before it happens and if he created all things and he is the beginning? Perhaps he wants to feel loved as much as he loves us. Perhaps he wanted it to be our choice to love him and it not be forced upon us. That's why he wanted us to choose him. But yet, we still wouldn't love him the way he loved us because of his greatness. Knowing that he had to give us the free will, our choice to choose to love him and need him. That's when Satan came in to play. Allowing him to choose, letting him create such emotions as jealousy, anger, hate, leading the whole thing in which we would have to choose him over evil. The love he had for us was so great that he thought perhaps I can't force it on someone because it won't be true, therefore, I allow them to go their own ways and choose the paths given. If they choose me, eternal life.....if they choose the other path, then so be it. Knowing already what will become, but needs that fullfilment of knowing we chose him. But due to his own prophecy he created he has to let everything be until it us fulfilled. Does that make sense?
Anyway, that's what I have felt led to say to your question. I guess when the time comes will all know.
Thanks for letting me share my view once again.

Posted: Aug 26, 2008

To me i think the greatest commandment is to love. Love one and other as yourself. Love the lord your God to the best of your ability's. Love your neighbor. Its all basically the same. Just Love. =)

Posted: Aug 26, 2008

O.O wow awsome! Hello sister in Christ, this is AMAZING! AMEN! Oh and I want you to know a random interesting fact =P In Genesis it says God seperated the "waters" not water from the sky, and the sky became the exapnce between "Them" it says other stuff too but this is the interesting part. There is a theory that God made an atmosphere of water around the earth. This water layer doubled pressure on earth, doubled the amount of oxygen and it blocked all of the UV rays from the sun wich cause aging. Therefore the idea that Adam and Eve lived to be houndreds of years old is actually scientificaly possible. The pressure doubles growth as does the oxygen, and that not only gives proof for the fist mens' age it only gives proof for dinosouars. Reptiles actually never stop growing. So imagine a snake or iguana that lived longer, and grew two to four times as fast. Interesting isnt it? Even fruits grew bigger, including the apple, who's seeds hold a special chimical that fight cancer ;) They even had better health then, and less risk. Yet before Noah, there was actrually no rain, water tunnels under the earth feed the plants, thats why no one belived Noah about the flood. So the flood wasd porobrably that large atmosphere falling onto the earth, and thats why its no longer there. Some dinosaurs merely shrunk over time and lost health and life span, just as we did and others probrably died since without that atmosphere the oxygen provided was not enough. =P Sorry it was so long. I go to a Christian school and they teach us this stuff.

Posted: Aug 26, 2008

For answers, please visit www.sphyrex.com and go to the PROPHECY Page. You should also visit the NIM page. Download The Apocalypse of Jeremiah and Other Revelations by James Trusty from the PROPHECY page and of course, read it.

Posted: Aug 26, 2008

Personally, i think reigion is completely rediculous, which is why I am Agnostoc. I mean really...if god created the earth in seven days, what about all of the evidence of evoloution? and where are the dinosaurs that lived before humans? there are no dinosaurs in the bibe. And really...the entire earth flooding for 40 days and nights, with two of every single animal on board of a giant ark? come on, lets be realistic, here. I used to be christain, i guess, but i never really beleived in jesus, god, moses, whoever is in the bible.
Everyone thinks their religion is right...hindus, buddhists, christians...so which one is "right?" they cant all be right.
I think religion was created because people didnt know how the earth was made, or people were cured of sickness. It's just science, but because people were too..primitive?...to know that, they made something up. Similar to myths, which were made up to explain something that was otherwise un-explainable.
I do appreciate your beleifs, though, and am simply leaving my honest opinion...please dont think i'm trying to be an ass or something. :)

Posted: Aug 27, 2008

TO WOLF ENCHANTRESS!!!!

This is what that amazing person said. It makes so much sense!!!


Genesis it says God seperated the "waters" not water from the sky, and the sky became the exapnce between "Them" it says other stuff too but this is the interesting part. There is a theory that God made an atmosphere of water around the earth. This water layer doubled pressure on earth, doubled the amount of oxygen and it blocked all of the UV rays from the sun wich cause aging. Therefore the idea that Adam and Eve lived to be houndreds of years old is actually scientificaly possible. The pressure doubles growth as does the oxygen, and that not only gives proof for the fist mens' age it only gives proof for dinosouars. Reptiles actually never stop growing. So imagine a snake or iguana that lived longer, and grew two to four times as fast. Interesting isnt it? Even fruits grew bigger, including the apple, who's seeds hold a special chimical that fight cancer ;) They even had better health then, and less risk. Yet before Noah, there was actrually no rain, water tunnels under the earth feed the plants, thats why no one belived Noah about the flood. So the flood wasd porobrably that large atmosphere falling onto the earth, and thats why its no longer there. Some dinosaurs merely shrunk over time and lost health and life span, just as we did and others probrably died since without that atmosphere the oxygen provided was not enough. =P Sorry it was so long.

Posted: Aug 27, 2008

This is just beutiful. ive never been a strong christian, or believer, but this really did apeal to me. Truly amazing. thank you.

Posted: Aug 28, 2008

hi Dani, this is a nice article...i am a hindu but i ave been working in a Christian missionary hospital since last 6 years of my life....and i appreciate the religion and I respect and bow my head for JESUS...i believe in him even though we r hindus...i have got famiy BIBLE with me next to GITA...( I hope u know what is GITA?)....
well my experience in that Instituition called "CHRISTIAN MEDICAL COLLEGE, VEllore, INDIA was not great...My HOD ( when i joined was very affectionate and loved me...she is a christian...) but when she stepped down, the next HOD made a rule that Hindus won;t be accomodated and even though i was a topper and ready to work for a meagre pay, she was biased because i was fav of the previous HOD....of course....won't i be biased to my mentor??
And one more terrible thing they do there , is to try to convert you to christianity when u r in pain...that is like ' accept christianity and we will treat u for free'.....sickening.....poor patients do that for survival....

did Jesus ever want that...I am sure NOT....
they even tried that for me so that i get a job....i refused and left....i mean "WHY"....i love my religion and I don't want to be a Christian....why force me??

U must have heard about the van being burnt with the Pastor and his sons in India....u know why?? becaue they were forcibly converting tribals in poor areas...after all this i started HATING Christianity....

Sorry, i don't mean to hurt you....may be this article would be an eye opener....

Posted: Aug 28, 2008

Christ (no pun intended!), this is one terrible essay. Completely figures though that someone who pulls their character and thought process entirely from the bible would display similar ill logic and, hell, even your fallacies contradict one another. This isn't even worth the time beyond that. Also, you write just like you are a simple teenage girl, and the people who've written positive comments rightly sound like they of about the same mindset.

I only hope you free yourself of this brainwash one day.

At the very least, engage yourself in at least a couple writing classes before you go looking to proliferate your ridiculous views. No one with a brain is going to buy crap like this coming from a speaker like you.

Posted: Aug 29, 2008

wow!..
ii lov yhoo soo much ryt now..
dis is xactly what i need ryt now..

i mean i am a christian - Jesus follower - child OF God - daughter of The most high... whatever you want to call it..
i've been goin 2 church since i was 2 weeks old.. but I became a Christian - a REAL Christian - this summer!.... and it's the best thing that EVER happened to me...

i mean I was born into a verii religious family.. so for a long time i was doing everything in my power to rebel against that.. my policy was "they got to make their mistakes before coming to the Lord.. so why can't I??"
v.v stupid i kno...
but unfortunately i didn't know dat when I ran away from home and lost my virginity at 11..
orr.. snuck out to a nightclub/disco type thing, got wasted and left wivout mi underwear... or when I decided that I should stop eating & survive on only coffee in order to drop from about 8 stone to maybe 6..
nd on nd on ..
d list is incredibly long beleive me..

but this summer something changed..
i mean i was at rock bottom.. seriously.. there was nothing left for me to do but go up.. of course that wasn't my first choice.. i lay in bed at night debating exactly what way i'd prefer to end my life.. but I couldn't do it.. seems despite everithing some of my mother's words had somehow sunk in, whether i liked it or not I simply didn't beleive in suicide..
i mean if murder is wrong -[nd im hopin we r all in agreement of dat fact]- then isn't suicide simply murdering urself.. i figured no point trading my hell on earth for the real deal..

so nehoo.. this summer was my turning point..
it happened while I was at a sleepova.. me nd bout 5 of my m8s were just chatting bout random things.. den somehow the convo traversed frm the trivial.. to the ... er.. not-so-trivial.. i.e death, hell, e.t.c
suddenly we started singing som gospel songs.. then out of nowhere we began praying.. I can't explain it.. I can't put it into logical words or sentences.. but it was nothing like i've ever experienced.. HE was there.. the holy spirit was there.. even under pain of torture & death.. I could never deny the events of that night..
suddenly everything changed.. looking back on my life I literally cringed at some of the things I'd done..
nd it just hit me.. i mean this awesome .. incredible.. HOLY God.. loved me despite all that.. loved me even when my own mother almost didn't..
nd soo for the past 3 months.. I've put my heart in2 the choir.. nd church
daily real my bible.. [well most days]
nd generally cut out stuff i knew full well i shouldnt be doin..

alsoo to "bruce"-- if yhoo say He's not real.. orr wateva. dats ur biz..
but,, nowadays, I have joy and hope and peace.. -[nd just 2 clarify.. joy nd happiness r ttly different.. happpiness is bein happy when good things r happenin.. joy is feelin unexplainable.. happiness x a million even when things are not so good]..
-hope and assurance of a future..
most importantly..
when in need all i need 2 do is ask my heavely Father.. and somehow, he provides/ makes a way/ cheeers me up/ makes it happen..etc..
haha, tel me if yhoo had all of dat would yhoo giv it up?? nope! not even if some guy was tellin yhoo dat the Most High God - who provides for yooh, protects yooh, who created yooh!and asks nothing in return... isn't real

& when yooh worship him yhoor worshiping him out of.. almost like a compulsion to show your love and gratitude.. i mean if someone hands yhoo a million dollars no strings, no questions.. you're tellin me yhoo wouldn't say profuse thanks?! wel if your life is worth more than that.. nd He gave it to you .. as wel as everitin else since then..
your worship should comes from deep wthin you because you can't help but feel unbeleivably grateful...
- nehoo as i was sayin.. thanks but no thanks.. I ain't giving up the best gift I've ever received.. dat would jus be stupid!!..
I do however wish to share the gift.. so if your interested.. - if for no other reason than to have proof of ur conviction..- then ask him for a miracle to prove his existence to you.. [yooh av nothing to lose..]
nd il be praying for yhoo.. =D

once again from the bottom of my heat thank u for doing this Dannikka.. yhoo hav no idea how uplifting it is to kno dat ppl my age hav the same beleifs i do..
x

Posted: Aug 29, 2008

Wow; deleting comments that do something other than tell you how great your article is. You might check the the current level of your Humility reserves: I think you are a little low. While you are at it, you might want to check in the King James Bible, Timothy 1:2, verses 11 through 14:

"11 Let the woman learn in silence with all subjection. 12 But I suffer not a woman to teach, nor to usurp authority over the man, but to be in silence. 13 For Adam was first formed, then Eve. 14 And Adam was not deceived, but the woman being deceived was in the transgression."

Now, I happen to hold a non-literalist position on this; that Paul was a raging egotist who was tired of women calling on the things he said that didn't make sense, but if you are going to take a literalist position on the Bible, then you, as a woman, are clearly commanded to not try to teach men anything about God.

As I said before, I am glad that you have felt the touch of God. But it didn't make you always right. If you are going to Witness about how you feel, and what God means to you, go to it. If, however, you plan on telling people about theology and the interaction of religion and science, then you have a lot of homework ahead of you. When you Witness in a way that can be shown to be factually in error you do not advance God's cause, but harm it (and yes, you can harm God's cause, even though you love Him. It happens all the time). You need to do some serious study, and spend a lot of time talking with people who know more than you do; even, and especially, those who disagree with you.

Or, I suppose, you can continue to delete any comments that give advice that you don't want to hear. Personally, I don't think that is a very adult approach to life.

Posted: Aug 31, 2008

to mike brennan:
meanie!
Proverbs 31:10-22
just because we're women doesn't mean we have to be so submittive that we're stupid. the proverbs 31 woman is smart, kind, strong, and willing....i think that has a lot more character than a man's egotistical mindset...like yours....

Posted: Sep 1, 2008

Dani,
I trully respect that you stepped out and told us what you believe. It takes boldness and a call from the Lord to put yourself out there.
I believe in Jesus Christ and that he died on the cross for our sins to give us a chance to live eternity with him. I agree with you alot of people go to church and read the bible, yet they do not live it.
However there are a select few that do live it and beleive that Jesus is their savior, follow the commandment and pray for others.
I beleive that the key thing is for everyone to pick up the bible and read it having an open mind and an open heart. It does take faith to believe in what you cannot see or touch. However, God has other ways of making himself known to us. For instance all of the good things in life are because he loves us. We would not exist if it were not for him, for that we can be thankful. He also comes to us through our dreams and by placing people in our lives that teach us about Jesus. If you look around you, you can see the miracles of God. He created this world we live in and everything on it.
The bible tells us that there is good and bad in this world. He gave us a gift when he created us and we all have it, freedom of will. Yes, there bad things happen, however good things happen too. It is the will of people that make either things be good or bad. It is through our decisions that we either reap good things or bad things.
The bible teaches us that there is a heaven and a hell.
Heaven is where God and the angels live and where Jesus has prepared us a mansion. Hell is a place that was made for the devil and his demons, it was never meant to be a place for people. However,we are all given the choice to believe in Jesus Christ and live eternally or deny him and face hell. You were right in saying that we all have a choice.
I believe the most important thing is have a personal relationship with Jesus, to trust and believe in him with all your heart, mind and soul. He will never leave you nor forsake you. We become closer to the Lord by praying, reading our bible and attending church as much as possible. Going to church lifts us up spiritually and teaches us things we cannot learn by only reading the bible. As far as church being boring. There are alot of good churches that offer the youth alot of wonderful things. They allow them to be a true part of the church by singing in the choir,putting on gospel plays, taking the youth group out to eat and things of that sort; to help them stay in church and close to Jesus.
I loved what you wrote and I applaud your efforts. I hope that something I said will help in some way.
God bless you and your family

Posted: Sep 1, 2008

Ohsodifferent:

I don't think your quote is on point: 10 An excellent wife who can find? She is far more precious than jewels. 11 The heart of her husband trusts in her,
and he will have no lack of gain. 12 She does him good, and not harm, all the days of her life. 13 She seeks wool and flax, and works with willing hands. 14 She is like the ships of the merchant; she brings her food from afar. 15 She rises while it is yet night
and provides food for her household and portions for her maidens. 16 She considers a field and buys it;
with the fruit of her hands she plants a vineyard. 17 She dresses herself with strength and makes her arms strong. 18 She perceives that her merchandise is profitable. Her lamp does not go out at night. 19 She puts her hands to the distaff, and her hands hold the spindle. 20 She opens her hand to the poor and reaches out her hands to the needy. 21 She is not afraid of snow for her household, for all her household are clothed in scarlet. 22 She makes bed coverings for herself; her clothing is fine linen and purple.

This argues strongly against those who feel women should not have their own income, though it does argue for women earning that income by working out of the home. A stronger argument against Timothy 1:2, 11-14 would be Proverbs 31:26; "26 She opens her mouth with wisdom, and the teaching of kindness is on her tongue." Though there is the old "Timothy trumps Proverbs because Timothy is New Testament" nonsense.

Personally, I think Paul, or perhaps Timothy using Paul's authority without permission, was trying to shut up women because women are so good at spotting when a man is blowing smoke, and he was tired of them pointing out that a lot of what he was saying didn't fit with what Christ said and did. But to believe that you have to be able to let go of the idea that the Bible is a simple source of all answers.

Christ didn't send his people out to witness on their own the first day, or first week, or the first month they followed him. He had them learn to be wise as serpents before he sent them out among the wolves.

Posted: Sep 1, 2008