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May-11-2006 15:34

I'm a senior in high school and so close to graduating... but I still have a homework assignment to do that I need your help with. I have to make a survey of people and what they believe. Is there anyone willing to aswer about ten questions for me? actually, if a could get three people, that would be better. I appreciate any and all help. Thanks!

May-15-2006 16:36

1. Do you believe in God? Yes.

2. Why or why not? Because I can't see how this universe just came about by chance.

3. Who do you think God is/ what is He like? A father

4. Is Jesus the Son of God? If not, who is he? Yes

5. If not God, who/what do you put your faith in? N/A

6. Do you believe in an afterlife? What is it like? a) Yes b) I don't think anyone knows exactly.

7. How does one get to heaven? Follow God's commandments because they love Him. And trust in God, etc.

8. How did you come to believe all of this? That's how I was brought up, I guess.

9. What do you think about the Bible? I think it's God's word through his inspired writers, and that all of it's valid for us today.

10: What do you think of the modern American church? I think that most "modern" churches are too interested in entertaining people and not in the Bible and truth.

11: What would you change about church? Don't know.

May-15-2006 18:23

Ooops, typo on q. 7. That is supposed to say "follow God's commands because YOU love him." Sorry 'bout that.

May-15-2006 20:08

I am so grateful to all of you for taking the time share your beliefs and opinions with me; your responses and support has been overwhelming. When I started this thread I was just desperate to complete an assignment, (and certainly stressed out over the last weeks of school) but after carefully reading over these responses I have come to think of this thread as a really valuable learning experience. I am so impressed that we have all been able to make ourselves vulnerable to one another and that there haven't been any attacks or quarrels. Thank you all!! I can say that I've learned a lot over the past few days and this thread has renewed my faith in the human race as one absolutley capable of love and understanding. Thanks again everybody!

May-16-2006 00:11

1. A higher being as a possibility, yes
2. There are things we cannot explain supported with factual evidence
3. He is to each individual what the individual believes him to be. he is omnipresent
4. Maybe but what if God is Allah.
5. Humanity
6. yes its either really great or its just a bunch of dirt in your face
7. Faith, Humility and a little luck doesn't hurt
8. The life I have lived and seen lived by others
9. Never read the whole thing but how you interpret what is written makes a big difference in what it means
10. Not familiar with that term. Latter Day Saints, Mormon, Scientology
11. Not alot really because people should be aloud their religious beliefs

May-16-2006 01:53

(OMG Chron posted!!!!!)

May-24-2006 16:38

I'm bumping this up 'cause it was interesting reading.
Definately a great post and I wish there were more like it.

May-27-2006 00:02

I'll just list the questions here in the meantime:
1. Do you believe in God? No, I do not believe in God or any other "Higher Power."
2. Why or why not? If I cannot prove satisfactorily to myself that I exist outside of this current moment, then I have no place proving that a large, abstract, infinitely powerful entity exists. Not only that, but it would be vastly hubris of me to try and do so, if one should exist. As far as any experiences that would seem ghostly, ethereal, or in any way spiritual, I've had a few of those but they can all be described and dignified by science as we know it.
3. Who do you think God is/ what is He like? Nonexistant. I say this without trying to rile anyone, but I just can't put faith in something like God/Et.
4. Is Jesus the Son of God? If not, who is he? To me, Jesus was a man who may or may not as existed; who may or may not have been a conglomeration of many different people over the course of time, as the Bible was; who may or may not have been divinely inspired; and who may or may not have, in fact, preached love and joy. But I'd prefer it if he did exist as a good person who preached culturally beneficial things.
5. If not God, who/what do you put your faith in? I put my faith solely in myself. I accept all outcomes of my actions upon myself, good and bad alike. I understand that I affix my own moment, and that I am the sole driver of my own actions excluding how environments and genetic predisposition affect me, if those actually do exist, which I think they do based off of looking at interactiong between family that's never met before and habits.
6. Do you believe in an afterlife? What is it like? No, I do not believe in an afterlife. I think that the NOW is all I have, win or lose, good or bad, healthy or sick. I'm striving to do what I think is correct with that time.

May-27-2006 00:10

7. How does one get to heaven? I do not believe in Heaven. If I were to believe in the Judeochristian concept of heaven, sans Zoroastrianism, I would have to do say doing right for the pure joy of doing good. I practice this concept in my belief, believing that all people should make a contribution to society in whatever way possible to promote the viability of human existance.
8. How did you come to believe all of this? I read. And I thought. And I spoke with people. And I looked at my life, and the life of others. I looked for patterns, and I looked for what felt right. For what reverbated and sang as good and correct within me, and made perfect sense to me. I chose what was right for me, and I endorse a policy of freedom because of it.
9. What do you think about the Bible? I think that it is a book of stories. It originally was made as a meme, and is still an effective one, after many translations and edittings. However, I fear people take the Bible, Quran, and Torah too literally in many cases.
10. What do you think about the modern American church? I dislike the concept of an organized religion, as I believe that religion and all internal belief structures should be a personal journey for what you think is the truth. As such, I believe that an organized religious structure prevents such a journey, and hence internal evolution of the person.
11. What would you change about church? I like the concept of the small church. It's a group of people getting together to worship, to have joy, to do good by each other and what they believe in. I believe if everyone did those last three things, the world would be a joyous place for all. However, I do not support a large church as it represents an oppressive beaurocracy that limits the nature of the human being, which is to say, freedom.

Dec-7-2008 12:12

Wow! Found one place to say something. Ah! I don't know how I reached here. Let's see, although the thread is old, I wanna write my answers.
1. Yes!
2. I saw the nature, it could not have existed without God creating it.
3. I know God as ALLAH. No one can see ALLAH in this world and no one can imagine how ALLAH is like. Therefore, we don't know.
4. No! Jesus is not son of GOD.
As ALLAH mentions in HIS Holy book: He begetteth not nor was begotten.
We believe Jesus to be son of Mary and a holy prophet of GOD.
5. I believe in GOD, therefore no one else to put faith in.
6. Two types: Life of heaven and the life of hell.
Heaven: peace, love, no mysteries, murders and crimes. No hatred, no fights. Eat and drink whatever you want. Don't wanna move, don't worry, the food will fly to your mouth. And many other things which would take a whole article to explain.
7. By obeying the commandments of ALLAH and following HIS last prophet MUHAMMAD (peace be upon him).
8. I was told all these things by my parents. But seriously, whenever I bow and prostrate in front of ALLAH the exalted, I feel all the burden on me is removed.
9. As a matter of fact, the real name of the book is Injeel which I firmly believe to be the book of GOD but aabout Bible we know that man made many major changes, therefore I cannot accept it as a book from GOD.
10. No answer.
11. If I get a right from law, I would change it into a Masjid (a place to prostrate in front of ALLAH).
Comments: As all these questions are spiritual, I would request those brothers not to mock with these.
Secondly, if these answers satisfy you, then it's the mercy of ALLAH. And if these answers don't satisfy you, then it's all my fault for not explaining well and I apologize and ask ALLAH to forgive me.
May GOD show us allaight path leading to HIS pleasure.

Dec-7-2008 12:32

Ah! Forgot one thing again. One advice to all:
You know the story of Abraham (Ibrahim) peace be upon him.
He denied things like stars, moon and sun to be GOD and prayed something like this: Dispute ye with me concerning Allah when He hath guided me? I fear not at all that which ye set up beside Him unless my Lord willeth aught. My Lord includeth all things in His knowledge. Will ye not then remember? (taken from the transaltion by Pickethall).

See my brothers and sisters, don't argue with anyone or else bith parties get hot (under the collar) slowly and what happens is that what you all solve in random mysteries. Yes! Arguments many a times lead to death. Maybe not yours. But if you make the other person hate you then he/she may not kill nor will their religion people hurt you but they might hurt the people belonging to your religion. Therefore, please avoid mocking eac's religion and respect your brother/sisters.
Thank you very much and more than much if you take this. And one advice to myself, remind me of this frequently please, that is, I should take up this advice before you do but if you take it before me, then you win and I accept your win with pleasure.