Alright...I'll just admit it...

[Guest]

Actually man didn't evolve from monkeys, or some animal resembling monkeys at all. We all evolved from rocks, in fact.

I Know I'm Hard Headed But Did You Have To Tell Everybody?

[IamCurrentlyUnableToBelieve]

1) ToE (Theory of Evolution) does NOT proclaim man evolve from monkeys. So don't hate the poor monkeys

Monkeys, apes. orangatangs...primates are all the same to me, just some bigger and some smaller. And evolutionists say we evolved from some kind of monkey-apeish creature. I'm not buying that and I think it's stupid. I hate primates in general because of it...because each time I see one...I think: evolution.

Well, all I can say is that's sad. Maybe you'll get over yourself someday.

2) Do you believe Hellfire is ceasing to exist? I'm a bit confused.

I believe ceasing to exist is worse than hell because you don't know that you cease to exist, you simply cease to be. It's my greatest fear. Hell...Hell isn't nearly as bad to me. It's just an opinion of course...but I fear ceasing to exist above Hell. So no, I don't believe Hell, or Hellfire IS ceasing to exist, although in God's eyes you are...technically you are still existing...just in a place that's horrible beyond anything imaginable. And yet I rather be there than not exist because...at least I'd know I'd exist.

As much as I would always want to keep my sense of self, I don't think I could take being tortured endlessly. I'm not sure which is the greater evil, being tortured endlessly or ceasing to exist....I just don't know.

I'm still a bit confused, if you believe in Hellfire why do you believe in ceasing to exist, unless you hold both as possibilities??

3) I would suggest canceling your internet access, so maybe you can have some time to reflect and question why you are so angry and defensive.

Naaaah. I'm not the one paying for it. I should probably try and limit it though...I am horribly addicted to the net...and I do question and reflect why...

Okay.

4) Are you prejudiced against Atheists because you're afraid you might lose faith in God because of them?

It's kind of hard to explain my prejudice against atheists. I suppose that could be part of it...I see them as a threat....and the fact that they do exist makes me question my faith, and I feel like I cannot sustain my faith around them because they always seem to have a logical explanation for everything, and no matter what I say to them it's always like they're right, like for some reason they're superior to me or think they are because they don't "need" a religion and have accepted this "higher" status of not needing religion, and accepted that we don't have or need a God and that we are on our own. I feel like if there is no God, and that life is merely an accident...then life has no meaning. If my actions in this life be them good or bad...if they have no affect on what'll happen after I die...then what profit have I to gain from them? The end result, no matter who you are or what you do is always the same. And eventually, you will be forgotten.

Yea, that happens, it's incredibly scary even thinking about ceasing to exist, being forgotten and in the scheme of things life having no bigger purpose other then to live and die and cease to exist forever. I hold this as a possibility, a very frightening one.

I understand there are arrogant Atheists that need a kick in the butt once in a while, but same goes with haughty Christians.

I suppose the other reason is...whenever I'm around an atheist...I feel as though I'm with a creature who is...all brain and no soul. I'm not sure how to really explain that...it's just...like I feel an emptyness around them. I don't feel God's spirit. I don't feel the devil's spirit. I feel...nothing. An empty void of nothingness.

There are other reasons I suppose...but their attitudes, their beliefs or lack thereof of beliefs...make me feel inadequate, uncomfortable...and angry. I want nothing more than for them to be wrong.

Of course, realizing that Buddhists believe that achieving a state of "Nirvana" means to disintegrate and cease to exist...it kind of makes them just as bad. and Technically Buddhists ARE atheists in a sense.

From what I heard, Nirvana is not ceasing to exist. It's a state of absolute enlightenment and I imagine you still have your sense of self.

I suppose that could link back to ceasing to exist when we die...AND believing we aren't anything more or less special than an ape. Granted...it angers me when Christians believe animals cease to exist...and I think it's for a lot of the same reasons. Atheists, I'll give them credit there: they don't discriminate as far as who will cease to exist when we die. Christians do. I realize God loves animals and all...and I know heaven will be great with or without them...but I loved my cats...they are and were my friends. I want to see them again.

Okay, dokey.

I also believe that without God, Morals and Ethics mean nothing. I guess I sort of explained that before with the end result being the same no matter what we do... I don't believe we can just have morals and ethics for ourselves...without Jesus...we'd be nothing. We ARE nothing. Just a bunch of evil, sinful creatures. And I see that things get worse over time, not better. Where does evolution come into play there? I hate evolution. Ick. I can't STAND even hearing the word. When I see it, I just want to burn it.

Yea you sure say the word "evolution" a lot for someone that hates it so much...eh..anyways...I see you think pretty highly of yourself. Morals have been establish, revised, reestablished over the course of humanity by society's laws and regulations, and by previous religions, etc.

I'm not saying you can't be a good person if you're an atheist...but atheism is rather self centered. It's survival of the fittest. If caring for someone is nothing more than an instinct....then why should I care? The only thing I should care about is my own survival...and to be quite honest if it was PROVEN that God didn't exist...I'd probably either go completely psycho...or kill myself because life would no longer have a point. And even MORE so if they PROVED that we simply cease to exist when we die...because I want to continue to exist. Even if it turned out another religion was right...I rather that be the case, ANYTHING...even the Scientologists...I rather they were right than the atheists.

And calling me pathetic, calling it illogical, whatever an atheist wishes to say about it...or about me and my desire for God, and my desire for faith...it hurts...and if they say religion is bad...they should look at how their own non-religion can be just as bad, if not worse...because I can guarentee you if atheists ran the world...we'd have a lot more problems than we already do now simply because of religion.

Why? Because God would be absent from the world.

There are some Christians like you that would either kill themselves or just commit all the evil they could possible do...and I think that's very sad because even if God didn't exist and we only had one *known* life, why not live it to the fullest? Why not live a happy life with your family and friends and whatnot, experience as much as you can with the world. No one knows what happens after death except for dead people, but they aren't coming back and telling us what happens. So who knows you may retain your sense of self move on into another body, still have your memories, you just don't know. And if ya don't and you cease to exist, then well you won't be sad because you wont remember if that's any consolation.

God's existence or nonexistence isn't dependent on belief. Compare the countries with the highest percentage of atheists/agnostics to most religious countries, see which has more problems.

5) I understand your frustrations, even though we have different experiences and (lack of) beliefs, I think I understand where some of anger is coming from.

Do you now? Are you an atheist? or agnostic? Either way, I don't mean to insult you...it's just...atheists and atheism give me the willies and so do evolution that seems to support it.

That's okay, I don't concern myself with people's opinions of me, unless it's constructive.

It just seems like you don't want to be wrong or even acknowledge the possibility that you may be wrong because it may turn your world upside down. I think a lot of people feel that way whether they like to admit it or not, including myself. What some atheists propose seems very bleak and depressing and makes things appear to be so meaningless, it's not something I want to believe either, but regardless of what belief system you belong too, it doesn't matter next to the Truth (whatever that maybe) unless of course you belief system matches up with it...

Even other religions who believe in evolution...heck...it really even bothers me when Christianity tries to marry evolution and christianity...I just can't stand the idea of evolving from an ape or some kind of ape-ish like creature thing.

...but admittedly it wouldn't be so bad if I evolved from a cat. Probably because I love cats.

Ah well...anyway I chewed people's ears off no doubt but...this is just how I feel...

I hope that someday is soon.

[Guest Odie]

I have OCD!!!!

[cjrose]

I have been through some of the same struggles regarding anger and arguing and have come to the conclusion that it only hurts myself so why allow it to destroy what little self esteem and self worth I had. I have learned that arguing doesn't solve the issues especially if one is arguing with another who also believes he/she is 100% correct. Both sides usually end up dissatisfied for the most part.

Over the years I have learned that good communication skills are essential in life. There will always be issues that get us heated up but we can make a choice in how to deal with them. An example of that for me is, knowing when to quit while I am ahead, reading books on how to get those communication skills and exercising them at every opportunity. There are classes on learning communication skills, life skills, building self esteem, etc... Truly, the more you exercise these skils, the easier it becomes.

Have you ever thought about channeling your desire to argue into a profession? Attorneys do it all the time and get paid for it Seriously, anger can continue to grow and become destructive if not dealt with. Pick and choose your battles to start with, don't stop praying because God is always listening and loves you. You are His precious child and He is the Great Physician.

I am a bit rusty and hoped to impart some words of wisdom but one thing I can do and will do is pray for you.

[sheya joie]

This is so weird, but as I was reading your OP, the thought came to me to challenge you to wear a headcovering. See the first part of 1 Cor 11.

For what it's worth.

[ALionessinGod'sPride]

A....head covering? O.o Why?

Edited August 6, 2007 by ALionessinGod'sPride

[None]

I always thought "a woman's hair is her glory". God gives us this glory, why cover it up? It makes no sense. If it were meant to be covered, why did God not make Eve a hat when He made them clothing out of animal skins?

[sheya joie]

I'm sorry, I wasn't trying to hijack your thread. It's just that I got such a very strong impression while reading the OP to challenge you to do that.

The headcovering is symbolic of being under authority. I guess that came to me because you seem to have a problem with being under authority - or at least I got that impression?

[None]

Now now...no throwing mud at newcomers. That's why we have so many newcomers and not many who stick around.

[ALionessinGod'sPride]

A head covering....to symbolize people over me?

Nah. I had a funny feeling you were going to imply something along those lines...or say something of the matter that we as women should be under someone else. XP

But I have God to be over me. Isn't that enough?