My Personal Views About Religion: Beliefs & Questions

Islam

I am appalled at what is done in the name of religion – Islam especially! Moslems commit suicide killings, killing as many innocent people as possible believing their treacherous acts glorify God and will gain them entry into heaven. It's impossible to respect a religion that condones this heinous practice! And although I am not being politically correct, I also find it difficult to respect the only religion that was founded by a militant – who literally spread his religion by sword.

Christianity

Most organized religions claim that THEIR religion is the only true religion. No religion is more arrogant than Christianity which teaches that anyone not accepting Christ as their savior is doomed.

The conceit of some church-going Christians bothers me. They feel their attending church makes them better than non-churchgoers. Going to church doesn’t make one a Christian any more than standing in a garage makes one a car. I can’t stand hypocritical behavior – professing one’s belief on Sunday morning yet disregarding those beliefs as they go about their daily life. I believe the way one acts and treats his fellow man is much more important than professing to worship a certain religion.

The Bible

I personally have problems with the Bible. I don’t understand how the God of the Old Testament can be so different from the God in the New Testament. In the Old Testament, God seems to play “games” as he “meddles” with human interaction – similar to the Roman and Greek gods.

How could the God of the Old Testament, who was involved so openly with humans, not be that same way now?

How can the Old Testament, which stressed an eye for an eye, be so different from the New Testament which teaches “turn the other cheek”? I personally believe in forgiveness, AND in capital punishment.

The story of Abraham is particularly disturbing to me, where God tests Abraham by telling him to sacrifice his son, Isaac. Then just as Abraham is about to slay Isaac, God stops him. The God I believe in would not DO this; He would not play games like this! God would not HAVE to set up such a test to know how someone feels about Him. I feel God knows our innermost thoughts and feelings.

Organized Religion

I have trouble with “organized” religions. I envy those who are completely comfortable and fulfilled in a church. Although I have utmost respect for most churches, I am concerned with churches’ agendas and dogmas.

It is atrocious what has been done in the name of religion throughout history! Today’s world is in chaos because of Islamic extremists, and the Crusades, in the name of Christianity, was inexcusable. Some contemporary churches and leaders of churches have their own agendas that have nothing to do with the true spirit of the religion they are supposed to represent.

I realize there has to be certain ceremonial rituals which allow congregations to actively worship together. But I am troubled with the superficiality of some of the ceremonial rituals and procedures. How can all worshipers truly feel or believe the prayers they read or listen to a leader recite for them? Do they believe, or even pay attention to, the words in the hymns they sing?

I also have a problem with those who wear their religion on their sleeve. I respect a person who worships in a private, non-public way. I admire the person who LIVES his religion and who treats those who can do him absolutely no good with respect and dignity.

More Questions and My Beliefs

I have MANY questions.

I don’t understand how God allows so much misery and tragedy and injustice to occur on Earth. I understand the concept of “free-will,” but it still mystifies me. I wonder how that ties in with prayer. Does God answer prayers or doesn’t He? I certainly pray – and hopefully it is not just in times of stress and need.

I pray. I believe in God. I feel one’s relationship with God is a VERY private and individual one. At times throughout my life, I have felt VERY close to God. I try to be a good person, treating others with respect and dignity. I try to do the right thing. I also realize that I am a DISMAL failure. I NEED God’s grace. I NEED God’s strength. I am VERY blessed in this life – yet SO unworthy.

I don’t feel that God would recognize just one religion. I feel God KNOWS what kind of person each of us is inside, understanding our struggles and trials.

I’m not sure I believe one can “earn” their way into Heaven, but I do believe how one treats others and how one lives one's life has a large bearing on whether one enters Heaven.

I believe in Heaven. I don’t believe in Satan. I also don’t believe that there is a PLACE called Hell. I think Hell might be “nothingness;” when one dies, they just cease to exist. I believe Heaven, although I have no idea where it might be, is a place where our spirit joins God and our other loved ones.

Is there PROOF of God's existence? We certainly can't prove God exists through our five senses. But neither can we prove that love exists, yet we KNOW it does. Is love itself proof of the existence of God? Is the love that we give and feel, the essence of God here on Earth? Is our desire for God, or our search for God, in itself proof? Is our self-consciousness or self-awareness proof? Great persons far more intelligent than me believed and had faith in God.

Those reasons that God does exist are logical. For me there is also intuitive proof that God exists. At specific times in my life, I have felt VERY close to God; I could FEEL His presence.

For these reasons I do believe in God.

I believe “Intelligent Design” is a no-brainer. I really can’t understand how any intelligent person can NOT believe that a higher being designed this wonderfully ordered and intricately complex universe! The EXTREME order of science – chemistry, physics, biology – seems to me to be a fingerprint of God's intelligent design. It is totally ILLOGICAL to think that all of this could have been just the result of some cosmic accident!

The question remains – is God INVOLVED in our lives? Or did He just create this miraculous universe for us, give us life, and then abandon us? I choose to think not. I suppose that is where faith comes in.

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