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Originally Posted by Kristoffer O
Personally I'm an atheist, unfortunately. I believe I would feel better if I found God. Unfortunately I find it unlikely that I will find any god, unless I'm directly approached by God.
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Thanks for your openness. May I ask: Why would you feel better if you found God? Is something missing that you believe that God could provide, if you could only find Him?
I can't speak for other gods, but I can tell you that God works through His people. If you want to find God, go spend some time with a Christian whom you know and respect.
Of course, it's tricky to pick the right one. As a very wise man once said:
"The best thing about Christianity is Christians. The worst thing about Christianity is Christians."
We can be a very motley crew. Still, there are some good-hearted Christians in the world, and I'm willing to bet that there's (at least) one good-hearted Christian who will be happy to help you in your search for God.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Kristoffer O
Later on I have tended to appreciate christianity more. Mostly since I view the core functional message of christianity as being: Just be gentle and love everyone.
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While that message is certainly one of Christ's teachings, it isn't the core message of Christianity. Many other great teachers and wise men have told us to be nice to one another, and it hasn't stuck all that well.
The core message of Christianity is that you can't do it. Thankfully, you don't have to do it. Christ offers to do it through you. Christians don't love other people in order to please Jesus. (When we're loving, that is....) Christians love other people because Jesus lives inside us, and His love shines through us.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Kristoffer O
In a way I am partial to institutionalized religion, where there is a TRUTH. If there is a God , there is a truth, and thus there should be a great plan for life, society and the world. Thus I consider fundamentalists right on Gods track.
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Good points.
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Originally Posted by Kristoffer O
On the other hand I'm quite opposed to fundamentalist teachings, since I find them opposed to some of the values I adhere to. Mainly because of the interpretation of what the TRUTH is. Anyone who claims to know a truth is a potentially dangerous man. I dislike truth. That makes me a postmodernist. I strongly dislike postmodernists.
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You're a post-modernist, and yet you strongly dislike post-modernists? Wow, that must be interesting.
Post-modernism is a self-defeating philosophy. The moment that you claim that there is no such thing as absolute truth, you have made a claim that you believe to be absolutely true. It's serious doublethink. It's like saying, "Everything I say is a lie." But if everything is a lie, then that statement must be a lie, which would mean that not
every statement I say is a lie.....
Quote:
Originally Posted by Kristoffer O
I view religion a as a tool that should guide and aid people respect and love others, aid people in trouble, inspire people to aid and help and build and compose and do good stuff to others and society.
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No, that's ethics. Ethics without religion is perfectly plausible. You don't need God to do all of those good things you mentioned.
Religion is about humanity trying to meet God.
Christianity is about God coming to be with His people.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Kristoffer O
My problem is that I want religion to be something else than I want my own devotion to be, should I become religious.
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I'm not sure that I'm understanding you here. What is the difference between your own devotion and what you want religion to be?
Quote:
Originally Posted by Kristoffer O
I should go for messiah-hood. That would solve my problems. 
I'm actually halfway there. I already have students calling me Jesus, even yelling 'hello Jesus' from the other side of the street the other day. I had to smile |
Does that mean that you have a beard? You can't be Jesus without a beard, you know.
Gandalf's avatar makes me think that he looks a little like the stereotypical Jesus....
