Topic: Questions for religious people...
+Anonymous A — 5 months ago #67,897
1. Why is your religion the one true religion and all other Gods are false gods?
2. If God can predict the future, does that mean we lack free will?
3. If faith healing occurs, why are amputees never cured?
2. If God can predict the future, does that mean we lack free will?
3. If faith healing occurs, why are amputees never cured?
+Anonymous B — 5 months ago, 28 minutes later[T] [B] #673,069
+Anonymous C — 5 months ago, 1 hour later, 1 hour after the original post[T] [B] #673,071
I’m Catholic, but these would be my answers:
1. It’s more complicated than that. Muslims and Jews believe in the same God as Christians. Islam is an extension of Christianity and Christianity is an extension of Judaism. So if Islam is true, Christianity and Judaism aren’t completely false, if Christianity is true, Islam and Judaism aren’t completely false, and if Judaism is true, Islam and Christianity aren’t completely false. And to be honest, I’m kinda okay with that. I don’t hate other religions. If someone belongs to a religion that has nothing to do with mine, for example if someone is a Buddhist and that’s their belief and their culture, I’ll still respect them.
2 & 3. The pope said that God is not a magician that waves a magic wand. God is the creator of the universe, this doesn’t necessarily mean that logic and science are invalid or that magical things can occur for no reason. Whether or not miracles that took place in the Bible are true or false isn’t really relevant to my belief, which has more to do with morality.
1. It’s more complicated than that. Muslims and Jews believe in the same God as Christians. Islam is an extension of Christianity and Christianity is an extension of Judaism. So if Islam is true, Christianity and Judaism aren’t completely false, if Christianity is true, Islam and Judaism aren’t completely false, and if Judaism is true, Islam and Christianity aren’t completely false. And to be honest, I’m kinda okay with that. I don’t hate other religions. If someone belongs to a religion that has nothing to do with mine, for example if someone is a Buddhist and that’s their belief and their culture, I’ll still respect them.
2 & 3. The pope said that God is not a magician that waves a magic wand. God is the creator of the universe, this doesn’t necessarily mean that logic and science are invalid or that magical things can occur for no reason. Whether or not miracles that took place in the Bible are true or false isn’t really relevant to my belief, which has more to do with morality.
·Anonymous C — 5 months ago, 3 minutes later, 1 hour after the original post[T] [B] #673,072
I also don’t think religious faith is a proxy for whether someone is a good person or a bad person. You can’t say someone is good or bad just because they’re Christian or they’re Muslim or they’re a Jew or Buddhist or an atheist. It depends on who they are as a person. There aren’t any shortcuts to that.
·Anonymous C — 5 months ago, 5 minutes later, 1 hour after the original post[T] [B] #673,073
I also think religion provides value beyond truth. For example, black Americans have a lower suicide rate than Americans of other ethnicities because black Americans tend to be religious, and while organized religion does have issues, having a sense of community and shared purpose can be good for people’s mental health. So I’m not really afraid of religion being false. For example, if Buddhism is the one true religion and after you die you reincarnate, I’d probably still identify as Catholic anyway. Even if it was scientifically proven that Jesus didn’t exist and there is no God, I’d probably still call myself a Catholic anyway, because I think it’s socially beneficial.
+Anonymous D — 5 months ago, 42 minutes later, 2 hours after the original post[T] [B] #673,074
It's difficult to 'explain' the Mystery the way this is framed, but...
1 God spoke to the world in various ways through the Prophets, but for those who know Him more fully, He has spoken through His Son and given of His Spirit. It's not a perspective of other faiths being false, only incomplete. The Judge of all has said He will reward the good all according to our deeds.
2 since God is eternal He is not constrained by time except when He subjected Himself to it, and 'the Word became Flesh and dwelt among us.' God doesn't 'predict' the future, but past, present and future simply exist in eternity. The assent of faith or our rejection of it is an exercise of free will and He can't save us against our will or our 'yes' wouldn't be necessary.
3 The signs He performed were in fulfillment of Scripture to bring people to faith. Signs still occur for those who experience them, but this comes with enduring the Cross.
1 God spoke to the world in various ways through the Prophets, but for those who know Him more fully, He has spoken through His Son and given of His Spirit. It's not a perspective of other faiths being false, only incomplete. The Judge of all has said He will reward the good all according to our deeds.
2 since God is eternal He is not constrained by time except when He subjected Himself to it, and 'the Word became Flesh and dwelt among us.' God doesn't 'predict' the future, but past, present and future simply exist in eternity. The assent of faith or our rejection of it is an exercise of free will and He can't save us against our will or our 'yes' wouldn't be necessary.
3 The signs He performed were in fulfillment of Scripture to bring people to faith. Signs still occur for those who experience them, but this comes with enduring the Cross.
·Anonymous A (OP) — 5 months ago, 4 hours later, 6 hours after the original post[T] [B] #673,075
Thanks to Anon C for answering one of the questions.
+Mother Davida — 5 months ago, 18 hours later, 1 day after the original post[T] [B] #673,104
I need a prayboy who knows how to take control as he leads me in the grace of God’s light through the Biblical stories of our Heavenly Father.
(Edited 44 seconds later.)
·Anonymous A (OP) — 5 months ago, 1 week later, 1 week after the original post[T] [B] #673,687
Bump
+Anonymous F — 5 months ago, 18 minutes later, 1 week after the original post[T] [B] #673,688
The wind blows where it wills, and you can hear the sound it makes,
but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes;
so it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit.
but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes;
so it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit.