Hi. First Post.

[stephen]

Stephen,

Thanks for you reply.

"But I hope you also are not offended when I say "religeon" (whatever)....offers no hope beyond the grave"
- Not at all. I don't consider Buddhism (really) to be a religion because there is no worship of God or Gods--at least not in Soto Zen, which is the particular branch I practice. It is more of a philosophy to me. And the activity is limited to nothing more or less than meditation.
- In any case, I have no hope, need or desire for anything "beyond the grave".

Perhaps it just comes down to personal experience. Whether I seek it or not. I have never perceived any evidence what-so-ever concerning any form of supernatural phenomena.

I now believe this is the fundamental difference between a theist and an agnostic. You have had, or do have, some perceptions which you choose to interpret as non-delusional (who am I to disagree with you?).

At this point, I consider the matter closed and wish you all well.

Take care. I have no more questions.

- Not at all. I don't consider Buddhism (really) to be a religion because there is no worship of God or Gods--at least not in Soto Zen, which is the particular branch I practice. It is more of a philosophy to me. And the activity is limited to nothing more or less than meditation.
- In any case, I have no hope, need or desire for anything "beyond the grave".

Ken....I thank you for the info........I had no idea re ....forgive me........and I did not want to offend. "life beyond the grave" Christianity is the only message to offer such....via Jesus and His saving (historical) sacrifice on the cross. BC/AD ect

it comes down to personal experience. Perhaps I seek it or not.

Dear friend Ken....I reach out to you.....Please seek Jesus....and be blessed...in life.



I wish youi well.....and blessings........in Jesus

 

[spirit1st]

After we accept HIS gospel and Him as LORD! Then We are Born -Again and get His Spirit with our spirit! And start hearing Him well and things begin to make sense !
We feel great joy and peace and start a learning process !
Personally I have had the Holy Ghost help me lots in life !

I ask Him question a lot and ask for His help lots 1

I made a test once! I was in business painting homes and condos 1
I would go into the job and start painting 1 I would get along Great with the people 1 Then i would start talking about salvation and my LORD JESUS CHRIST ! Most of the time the people got really upset and starting finding fault with everything !

I would go out to my van and pray and ask the HOLY GHOST to touch those peole minds and that I would find the same grace and joy i found before with them and that I would not have any problems when I finished getting my pay 1

i did this time after time for months ! I never had trouble getting my money and every time 100% the people were great after praying !

Once I was needing to get a water pump put on my car the guy wanted over $600.00 and i thought it was too much !
The guy had told me it was going to take over 6 hours! The water pump was not the kind in the front !

but i went out to look at my car and had bought the correct pump and had not seen one like it ?

i ask the Holy Ghost to show me how to put it on ! It took me about 15 minutes it was so simple ! The hardest part was taking of the belt and putting it on !

Another thing about that was the guy said i had to buy the pump from Him and I had already got the pump and He wanted to charge me more than double for the pump and that was one of the reasons i did not hire Him !

I would be writting here a very long time if i gave all the testimonies I have had with the LORD1

There is of course after so much , I would not believe in my Lord JESUS Christ and God My Father and the HOLY GHOST God Power He put within me !

We cannot take these things that take place in our lives and show it to others ! Or the voice of our LORd So they too can Hear HIm !

all we can do is give our testimonies and reveal the scriptures that back up what we say is truth ! But few if any would accept them whjo have no Relationship with Him !
The most we can expect of others and that they begin too seek the same lovingly Relationship from our Creator and friend !

I was sitting here on the computer one night ! The LORD told me to go out and stand by the road in front of my home, which He gave me too !

There are no street lights here and it was very dark ! I said ? LORd it dark out there and no one on the road ! He said in my mind go out there !
I said ok LORd not really wanting too ! a lady came by in a car and stopped and said hello to me ! I knew who she was ! Not real well but enough to say hello also ! And i asked Her did your brother tell you I led Him to the LORD ? She said No , but come around here to my drivers side and lead me to the LORD ! So I did !

God saw it all and knew He could use me to bring eternal life to this lady and gained a New child into His eternal family !

The reason mankind alive and on this planet is Because GOD wanted a Family to join Him and too share His vast Kingdom with !

His mind is so Far above all our minds put together ! He saw it all 100% because He ever created the foundations of the earth ! which are the Planet He made and put in place to hold our world in the proper place !

GOd hates sin ! It only took one sin to destory this planet and all things on it ! His kingdom is in perfect order with nothing out of place and no rebellion at all !

Heb_2:8 Thou hast put all things in subjection under his feet. For in that he put all in subjection under him, he left nothing that is not put under him. But now we see not yet all things put under him.

He allowing lots of evil , until HE gets all those who are to be part of HIS family and household !

Also it not only this little small planet that is at stake !
He has a great kingdom , who many are watching us and Him to see what He doing ! until the angels rebelled . They had never seen anyone rebell ! It must be very confusing to them to see 1/3 of all His angels rebell and a entire planet to rebell ?


1Pe_1:12 Unto whom it was revealed, that not unto themselves, but unto us they did minister the things, which are now reported unto you by them that have preached the gospel unto you with the Holy Ghost sent down from heaven; which things the angels desire to look into.


Heb_12:1 Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us,


We kind of like on T.V. being watched all the time to see how we handle things ? I doubt if people really knew they were being watched ? They would not do some of the dumb stuff we do ?

I LOVe knowing truth and learning and blessing others ! Our Joy comes from Him and our Peace ! People every person on earth seeks love ! Even the most evil on the earth want to love and be loved 1 Because ,e were created by LOVe to Love and give LOVE!

We die without LOVE! That why many with Everything this life can give ? take drugs or drink ot even kill them selves !

Pro_29:18 Where there is no vision, the people perish

We All know before salvation , Something is missing in our lives! We just do not know it a relationship with Him we need More than we need the air we breathe!

Some will admit it ? Other refuse too ?

 

[Rev T.S.Perkins]

Ken .been busy so I haven't been on ,let me ask this .i thought you said in one of you're posts you were a mathematician .so what are the numerical odds of knowing the exact balance and chemical relations to create us ? Wouldn't that invoke a creator that had all knowalge and power to execute such a formula ...or to know how to create the human mind as a reasoning tool so fine we can never understand its full potential ..once that is answered here is the next part ....why create such a thing with out a reason ? If not to help bring us to a point of decision that we need Christ in our lives to fullfill that reason and complete the the last ingredient .our own will and a faith in all mighty God the creator ,of heaven and earth our Lord God ..The word tells us God knew us before our mothers womb .and we were created with a purpose .....Rev

 

[ken.rubin]

"so what are the numerical odds of knowing the exact balance and chemical relations to create us ?"
- I would say the probability is 1 (or 100%). Here is how I see it: the universe is at some set arrangement of forces and factors. Life arises from this set of conditions. It looks around and wonders at the amazing coincidence that all the numbers "line up" to allow such fragile beings. However, if you take a step back and imagine a fundamental change to any or all of these factors, life would still arise and marvel that the set is just right for it. Change the factors, and the resultant organisms would be different, but each set of factors would produce a resultant range of potential life forms.

To answer your larger point: no. No NEED for a creator due to the beings of a universe fitting the factors from which they arose. However, I admit that this does not PRECLUDE a creator. And thus, what I consider to be the most reasonable position: agnostic.

 

[kyval82]

hhi
honestley i must say that faith is belief. belief in GOD on my standpoint as a christian. the question you have asked does baffle me a bit so i apologize. i dont know any of my perceptions of christianity and GOD to be deceptful. on the contrary really, from the beginning HIS WORD is the only truth to remain. HE laid it all out perfect and correct. When everything else has changed, HIS WORD remains true.
When everone assumed the earth was flat, GOD had already told us it is round. And when those same people assumed somthing must be holding us, GOD explained how the earth is suspended in air. Truley i have enjoyed every scientific breakthrough to disprove GOD be dispproved BY GOD every single time!!!! HE is truley amazing!!!!

 

[Asanima]

"so what are the numerical odds of knowing the exact balance and chemical relations to create us ?"
- I would say the probability is 1 (or 100%). Here is how I see it: the universe is at some set arrangement of forces and factors. Life arises from this set of conditions. It looks around and wonders at the amazing coincidence that all the numbers "line up" to allow such fragile beings. However, if you take a step back and imagine a fundamental change to any or all of these factors, life would still arise and marvel that the set is just right for it. Change the factors, and the resultant organisms would be different, but each set of factors would produce a resultant range of potential life forms.

To answer your larger point: no. No NEED for a creator due to the beings of a universe fitting the factors from which they arose. However, I admit that this does not PRECLUDE a creator. And thus, what I consider to be the most reasonable position: agnostic.

My understanding regarding Agnosticism/gnosticism has to do with knowledge, and not belief. I, for example, am an Agnostic Atheist. You said you were a Buddhist, so depending on what type of buddhism, are you an atheist or a theist? It might be best to start from there.