Death.. Then what?

[Scotty]

I've heard of plenty of people converting to different religions... Most of the time it is to convert to their significant other's religion, not necessarily because they believe in it. But I'm sure there are plenty who do that as well.

Yeah, I didn't really clarify that enough.  What I was getting at was those who converted for the reasons of believing more in a different religion, not necessarily because they feel obligated to, such as with marriage (as my mother did).

[Jake]

You didn't offend me, for the record, I dont get offended, ever. I actually thought that was a rather hilarious story, but I will confirm the fact that we do not beleive in poligamy, there is that one church that broke off from us because they do, and I feel sorry for those people.

May I ask why not? Why should societies' limited view of right and wrong influence your religions view on polygamy? It seems that the taboo's of American culture have made a pretty profound impact on your beliefs. According to Mormonism, Jesus was a polygamist, Joseph Smith was a polygamist, etc. So why do so many Mormons not believe in polygamy? Even worse, Mormons caught practicing polygamy today are ex-communicated for it! This to me is completely absurd. If you believe whole-heartedly in a religion, then why pick and choose your beliefs based on what society thinks is proper? Please enlighten me on this, because I feel disappointed that Mormons would conform to something like this so easily.

Anyway, to answer Scotty's question, I was brought up Christian. Although, I would not consider myself a Christian anymore. The best way to really describe myself is to say that I am an Agnostic/Theist/Christian/Atheist. I find it hard to pick just one, because I see strong evidence for all of them. Being agnostic would be the best way to probably label my beliefs, but I wouldn't agree that it's necessarily what I am. Many of the people I have debated with in this topic would probably immediately write me down as a Christian, but they would be assuming, because I am only a Christian sometimes. Other times, I am an Atheist. I believe that there is no God, and it's quite a long shot to think that our minds (made of matter), will continue to exist after death. Other times, and this is probably what I exist as the largest amount of time, I am a Theist. I believe that our intelligent design is influenced by a more complex intelligent design. I believe the emotions we feel can not ever be expressed in terms of science, because they exist in another realm from it. Explaining the paths of neurons and how they interact with the synapses of my brain will never convince me that that's why I am sad, or happy. I hold the belief that consciousness cannot be attained simply through complexity. Computers will never experience the feelings that we feel because there is no substance to the 1's and 0's that comprise their brains. I hold the belief that laws of the universe don't exist because they exist. That matter is a substance that holds to these laws, and therefore cannot exist by itself.

But... That's only what I believe some of the time. The truth is, I don't know what I believe, but I am constantly looking for the answer.

On the other hand, we have no evidence whatsoever of God. Being able to see, touch, feel, smell, etc an object in our Universe is completely different than having a "feeling" that God loves you (or w/e). You can say that that feeling is imagined... you can also say that your senses of the object is imagined as well, but there are much more real ramifications of that. If you are hit over the head with that object, is the pain imagined? If you bleed to death because of it, doesn't that change things?

Do you see how there is a clear difference?

The definition of evidence has a much more broad meaning than that. "Evidence in its broadest sense includes everything that is used to determine or demonstrate the truth of an assertion" -Wikipedia. If I simply have a feeling that God exists, that alone can be evidence that God exists, even if it is only self applicable. No one else will probably believe me, but they can not denounce my view point, because they did not have the feeling that I had. They can try to explain it through medical conditions, or simply how the brain works, but this only seems more plausible to them. To the person who has the feeling, the plausibility that the feeling is from a higher source makes much more sense. Are they simply being narrow-minded? One can not say. That is why I get confused when people say there is no evidence for God. There is simply no evidence that you see as applicable.

I like your comparison of senses to the feeling of God. It's crazy fun to think about stuff like that, but it usually leads me to a dead end of "Well there's no point in believing in anything because I don't know what's real and what isn't."

[ARTgames]

How many of you think deductive reasoning would be the best way to solve a problem? just would like to know to help me make better post.

[Mystery]

Im basically saying that ever one is different and this is why people bleave in all these different things.

That captures the essence of the whole topic. Although people are becoming more and more influenced by others these days, as most people nowadays have blended beliefs. I myself am not 100% atheist, more like 55%. I guess you could call me an agnostic atheist druid. (Yes, Druidism IS a religion. I don't believe in many parts of it, but some of it I agree with wholeheartedly.)

EDIT: 55% atheist, 25% agnostic, 10% druid, 10% still questioning everything to be exact.

[ARTgames]

Im basically saying that ever one is different and this is why people bleave in all these different things.

That captures the essence of the whole topic.

I need to wright things better. I right these longer post and it seems to be like 50% chance some one will understand it the way i meant it to be due to my bad wording. I should keep it shorter.

[HamsterPants]

You didn't offend me, for the record, I dont get offended, ever. I actually thought that was a rather hilarious story, but I will confirm the fact that we do not beleive in poligamy, there is that one church that broke off from us because they do, and I feel sorry for those people.

May I ask why not? Why should societies' limited view of right and wrong influence your religions view on polygamy? It seems that the taboo's of American culture have made a pretty profound impact on your beliefs. According to Mormonism, Jesus was a polygamist, Joseph Smith was a polygamist, etc. So why do so many Mormons not believe in polygamy? Even worse, Mormons caught practicing polygamy today are ex-communicated for it! This to me is completely absurd. If you believe whole-heartedly in a religion, then why pick and choose your beliefs based on what society thinks is proper? Please enlighten me on this, because I feel disappointed that Mormons would conform to something like this so easily.

Taking offense is a stupid thing to do, atleast according to Mormonism, we are tolerant people, but we have our limits, we beleive that it is nescessary to act upon a matter if it is an explicit threat to our freedom to say and beleive in what we want to, and to our families. Those are nescessary motives to go to war or any other form of battle, nothing else. Also, we do not beleive that Jesus was a polygamist, I don't know who made that up, but it's nonsense, we beleive that he had to marry someone, but there's not need for more than one wife, and it's honestly a difficult thing to do these days unless you're a pervert.

[Torch]

You didn't offend me, for the record, I dont get offended, ever. I actually thought that was a rather hilarious story, but I will confirm the fact that we do not beleive in poligamy, there is that one church that broke off from us because they do, and I feel sorry for those people.

May I ask why not? Why should societies' limited view of right and wrong influence your religions view on polygamy? It seems that the taboo's of American culture have made a pretty profound impact on your beliefs. According to Mormonism, Jesus was a polygamist, Joseph Smith was a polygamist, etc. So why do so many Mormons not believe in polygamy? Even worse, Mormons caught practicing polygamy today are ex-communicated for it! This to me is completely absurd. If you believe whole-heartedly in a religion, then why pick and choose your beliefs based on what society thinks is proper? Please enlighten me on this, because I feel disappointed that Mormons would conform to something like this so easily.

A religion that goes against society's view of right and wrong is a religion that probably won't last very long. All religions have to adapt to survive.

[ARTgames]

Taking offense is a stupid thing to do, atleast according to Mormonism, we are tolerant people, but we have our limits, we beleive that it is nescessary to act upon a matter if it is an explicit threat to our freedom to say and beleive in what we want to, and to our families. Those are nescessary motives to go to war or any other form of battle, nothing else.

I think in today age this is vary common. But its when things like choices that effect many people, life or death situations, and extremist is when peoples beliefs become something that start's a problem.

All religions have to adapt to survive.

All religions have everything hast to adapt to survive.

[HamsterPants]

You didn't offend me, for the record, I dont get offended, ever. I actually thought that was a rather hilarious story, but I will confirm the fact that we do not beleive in poligamy, there is that one church that broke off from us because they do, and I feel sorry for those people.

May I ask why not? Why should societies' limited view of right and wrong influence your religions view on polygamy? It seems that the taboo's of American culture have made a pretty profound impact on your beliefs. According to Mormonism, Jesus was a polygamist, Joseph Smith was a polygamist, etc. So why do so many Mormons not believe in polygamy? Even worse, Mormons caught practicing polygamy today are ex-communicated for it! This to me is completely absurd. If you believe whole-heartedly in a religion, then why pick and choose your beliefs based on what society thinks is proper? Please enlighten me on this, because I feel disappointed that Mormons would conform to something like this so easily.

A religion that goes against society's view of right and wrong is a religion that probably won't last very long. All religions have to adapt to survive.

I did forget to emphasize that the mormons who still practice poligamy are a different church, they have a different prophet, and different beleifs, members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints do not practice poligamy.

Taking offense is a stupid thing to do, atleast according to Mormonism, we are tolerant people, but we have our limits, we beleive that it is nescessary to act upon a matter if it is an explicit threat to our freedom to say and beleive in what we want to, and to our families. Those are nescessary motives to go to war or any other form of battle, nothing else.

I think in today age this is vary common. But its when things like choices that effect many people, life or death situations, and extremist is when peoples beliefs become something that start's a problem.

All religions have to adapt to survive.

All religions have everything hast to adapt to survive.

Yes, but it makes a difference who starts the fight, if passive people start beleiving in something and it becomes rapidly popular, alot of people will feel threatened by it, throughout the history of our Church, we have been assaulted by angry citizens, and even the military, simply because of the outrage our presence has caused, so we had to travel to the middle of nowhere just to live in peace, and that was no easy trek, mind you.
There was a point when we formed a militia but we never used it.

[ARTgames]

@HamsterPants,
what do you think of some one who is not a Mormon?

[HamsterPants]

@HamsterPants,
what do you think of some one who is not a Mormon?

Someone who is not a Mormon, is someone who has not been baptized into the Church by the power and authority of God, or has been baptized, but has not continued to live righteously.

[ARTgames]

I did not ask what makes some one not a Mormon. I asked what do you think of some one who is not a Mormon.

[HamsterPants]

I did not ask what makes some one not a Mormon. I asked what do you think of some one who is not a Mormon.

Oh, My apologies, I misread you question.

What do I think of someone who is not a mormon? I have no opinion, I do not judge people.

[ARTgames]

So what is the reason to be a Mormon if you never thought about how it would be if you were not one? I think to be fair you need to give all view points a try. Agree? If not why so? And if you answer this question you have just judged.

[HamsterPants]

So what is the reason to be a Mormon if you never thought about how it would be if you were not one? I think to be fair you need to give all view points a try. Agree? If not why so? And if you answer this question you have just judged.

Ok, so.... You ask me a question and then point out that I shouldnt answer? why did you even ask me?