Your opinion is a fragment crucial to the whole truth.



If people didn't share contrasting opinions, humanity certainly would be down the ****ter...

Don't you think?

Dear Quick,

The actual question was about accepting those who don't choose the path of your religion and having willingness to communicate about your experiences, relating them to those with "contrary" beliefs.

Never suggested you entertain anyone else's beliefs. What works for you still stands as your good. Never wished to take anything away from that.

Peace

Perhaps this will seem ridiculously naive...

Perhaps if they didn't feel that their beliefs were being challenged, they'd wish more to relate.

Trouble is, telling a militant Christian that you're an agnostic or an atheist is like claiming you're just a little pregnant. If they know nothing about you, it's like flipping a light switch when you out yourself to them. They feel challanged by your mere honest expression of your unbelief.

And it shows.


-Kerry O.

Well I just state what I believe. That's how I communicate with others. They share their belief & I share mine. Hopefully people would be open minded enough to try the Christian faith that way.

No, I'm not thinking anymore


It's 12.30am here and my brains are asleep already

Good night

Don't we all experience the same journey, regardless of beliefs?

If we ALL have within our selve's the ability to pass through this process with or without religion, wouldn't accepting those who don't choose the path of religion allow for ALL to move into peace?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Repentance

Repentance is a change of thought and action to correct a wrong and gain forgiveness from the one wronged.

The religious contexts are derived from two translations... one from Hebrew and one from Greek.

Old Testament Repentance, translated from Hebrew, contains two verbs to suggest the meaning:

a.) to return

b.) to feel sorrow

New Testament Repentance, translated from Greek, the word Metanoia suggests the meaning:

To perceive, to think, the result of perceiving or observing. "To think differently after".

An after-thought, different from the former thought; a change of mind accompanied by regret and change of conduct, "change of mind and heart", or, "change of consciousness".
_________________________________________________


Repentance occurs in every-day thought processes, whether one is religious or not.

This internal dialogue reveals self-evaluation of our own actions (after the fact). Those learning through feelings of guilt reach that point in thought process where they look at their own action(s) and feel regret. It is more difficult for guilt-ridden to reach the point of "change of mind and heart" or "change of consciousness" because they tend to linger and even wallow in regret, leading to self-condemnation, rather than resolution.

The Christian solution to this phenomenon is to hand it over to God and recognize that Jesus Christ who died, absolves us for all our sins.

To actually really believe this to be true must be a very liberating feeling, indeed.

For those who have not accepted Christianity, the internal struggle to move through this natural learning process seems far more daunting.

Of course it would seem silly to a Christian to not accept the Christ concept. This whole process would appear to a Christian as a whole lot of unnecessary suffering.

What if, to navigate the mind's maze, one's heart could provide all guidance? Here, its called "heart", elsewhere, it could be called "Higher Power" or "God".

Don't we all experience the same journey, regardless of beliefs?

If we ALL have within our selve's the ability to pass through this process with or without religion, wouldn't accepting those who don't choose the path of religion allow for ALL to move into peace?

Perhaps this will seem ridiculously naive...

Perhaps if they didn't feel that their beliefs were being challenged, they'd wish more to relate.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Repentance

Repentance is a change of thought and action to correct a wrong and gain forgiveness from the one wronged.

The religious contexts are derived from two translations... one from Hebrew and one from Greek.

Old Testament Repentance, translated from Hebrew, contains two verbs to suggest the meaning:

a.) to return

b.) to feel sorrow

New Testament Repentance, translated from Greek, the word Metanoia suggests the meaning:

To perceive, to think, the result of perceiving or observing. "To think differently after".

An after-thought, different from the former thought; a change of mind accompanied by regret and change of conduct, "change of mind and heart", or, "change of consciousness".
_________________________________________________


Repentance occurs in every-day thought processes, whether one is religious or not.

This internal dialogue reveals self-evaluation of our own actions (after the fact). Those learning through feelings of guilt reach that point in thought process where they look at their own action(s) and feel regret. It is more difficult for guilt-ridden to reach the point of "change of mind and heart" or "change of consciousness" because they tend to linger and even wallow in regret, leading to self-condemnation, rather than resolution.

The Christian solution to this phenomenon is to hand it over to God and recognize that Jesus Christ who died, absolves us for all our sins.

To actually really believe this to be true must be a very liberating feeling, indeed.

For those who have not accepted Christianity, the internal struggle to move through this natural learning process seems far more daunting.

Of course it would seem silly to a Christian to not accept the Christ concept. This whole process would appear to a Christian as a whole lot of unnecessary suffering.

What if, to navigate the mind's maze, one's heart could provide all guidance? Here, its called "heart", elsewhere, it could be called "Higher Power" or "God".

Don't we all experience the same journey, regardless of beliefs?

If we ALL have within our selves the ability to pass through this process with or without religion, wouldn't accepting those who don't choose the path of religion allow for ALL to move into peace?

well, that is what I always say. I believe what I believe, and I'm convinced that is the truth in my life. I guide my life through it.
Other people can believe in flying pigs if they want to or if they are happy with that.
Fundamentalistic approach in christianity is the one that asserts that everybody else is evil and is going to hell.
I'm a catholic. Even myself, being a catholic, am condemned to hell as far fundamentalism preaches.

good afternoon SL, well now that I've had some rest i would respond yes to this, with a disclaimer - as long as there is a religion that says there is only one way it wont happen. the proponents of these beliefs will not allow it to, because they are led by gods very words to preach and evangelize and persuade others to what they believe to be the only "meaningful" truth that exist. Now - if you can convince them differently my little female Antichrist, then you will have done more than i believe a mortal person is capable of. good luck with that -

Where did this notion come from that if Yahshua would not of died and been ressurrected that we can not have forgiveness of sins. By that then no one in the OT ever got forgiven. King David committed adultry then found out she was pregnant so he had her husband sent to the front line in a battle knowing he would be killed to cover up what he had done. And he is going to be by the throne. It says that in the OT. I do not believe you all really know what all Yahshua did when he died and afterwards..Shalom...Miles

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Repentance

Repentance is a change of thought and action to correct a wrong and gain forgiveness from the one wronged.

The religious contexts are derived from two translations... one from Hebrew and one from Greek.

Old Testament Repentance, translated from Hebrew, contains two verbs to suggest the meaning:

a.) to return

b.) to feel sorrow

New Testament Repentance, translated from Greek, the word Metanoia suggests the meaning:

To perceive, to think, the result of perceiving or observing. "To think differently after".

An after-thought, different from the former thought; a change of mind accompanied by regret and change of conduct, "change of mind and heart", or, "change of consciousness".
_________________________________________________


Repentance occurs in every-day thought processes, whether one is religious or not.

This internal dialogue reveals self-evaluation of our own actions (after the fact). Those learning through feelings of guilt reach that point in thought process where they look at their own action(s) and feel regret. It is more difficult for guilt-ridden to reach the point of "change of mind and heart" or "change of consciousness" because they tend to linger and even wallow in regret, leading to self-condemnation, rather than resolution.

The Christian solution to this phenomenon is to hand it over to God and recognize that Jesus Christ who died, absolves us for all our sins.

To actually really believe this to be true must be a very liberating feeling, indeed.

For those who have not accepted Christianity, the internal struggle to move through this natural learning process seems far more daunting.

Of course it would seem silly to a Christian to not accept the Christ concept. This whole process would appear to a Christian as a whole lot of unnecessary suffering.

What if, to navigate the mind's maze, one's heart could provide all guidance? Here, its called "heart", elsewhere, it could be called "Higher Power" or "God".

Don't we all experience the same journey, regardless of beliefs?

If we ALL have within our selve's the ability to pass through this process with or without religion, wouldn't accepting those who don't choose the path of religion allow for ALL to move into peace?

I'm coming in late here but, "better late than never" I don’t think it is necessary to obtain forgiveness in order to “move into peace”.

I think it is important to differentiate between the two separate issues involved in “repentance”:
1) a change of thought and action to correct a wrong
2) gain forgiveness from the one wronged

The change of thought and action to correct a wrong falls into the realm of personal ethics. It is the essential factor in attaining inner peace. As “wrong” is an entirely subjective evaluation, so “correcting a wrong” brings about an entirely subjective state of “rightness” which is personal peace. This really has nothing to do with anyone else’s (i.e. “the wronged person’s”) evaluation of right and/or wrong. In this sense, it is absolutely true that “we ALL have within our selve's the ability to pass through this process with or without religion”. But the simple fact that the rightness is completely subjective makes the forgiveness of another important only if that forgiveness is the only means of verifying that the wrong has actually be corrected. In other words, the inner peace comes from the personal knowledge that the wrong has been corrected, not from the forgiveness of another. In fact, the act of forgiving intrinsically brings inner peace to the “forgiver”, not the “forgivee”.

For that reason, I see the requirement for “repentance” as being a subversion of one’s personal integrity. Requiring repentance serves no purpose other than to allow one person to impose their personal code of ethics on another.

I don’t think it is necessary to obtain forgiveness in order to “move into peace”.

I agree except when I state my opinion or belief about the bible or Christianity, the religious get highly offended and feel personally attacked.

My beliefs are my own and belong to me. I do not ask for acceptance nor approval. I just state my belief and opinion.

When I am "threatened" by their hell or some other "threat" it is of no consequence to me but it makes me frustrated because I do not "threaten" them with my version of hell if they continue to believe their way.

I don't take it personally when someone disagrees with me so maybe that is the difference.

I get a chance to think differently everyday. I have noticed it especially with people that are over me since sometimes I don't think they see my point of view or care less if I have a point of view differently than theirs. It allows me to be more forgiving of others which helps me to get along with others. Sometimes it makes me wonder if having a point of view or even an opinion is like something evil. It seems like some days I have a better day if I just run on remote and just act brain dead. I think too much anyways.

SkyHook wrote:


Again... I concur.

Although, there is the self-forgiveness component to perhaps consider.

Actually, self-forgiveness isn't really the word or description I'm getting at... Perhaps Acknowledgment, Understanding and Acceptance would better fit for me.