feral cat lady wrote "I look at church this way......I go all week in the rat race we call life....full of all the wordly things that life has. I go to church and here a sermon and it's like my filling station to get me through the next week and do the work I'm intended to partake in which is spreading the gospel...."

I'm wondering then if it would be a better use of your time to gather at a place of choosing between you and your friends that are like minded and discuss scripture for your refueling needs. After all church isn't in a building its in the fellowship of christians.

Where are all the good women at?

General Statement

For those who haven't looked at my profile i'll have you know first and foremost, I'm not christian, however i'm a spiritual person that believes in a higher power.

The reason i started this message board is to debate faith(s) vs the orginizations that are based on them. I do have many christian friends though and value them because of their kindhearted nature.

I'm only saying this so you're all clear on where i stand, many time's I have been mistaken for christian. (once upon a time i was)I left that faith because it was too taxing on my free will. I do value the morals and ethics i have learned from christianity, however I don't think the stories they are written in are valid. I will call my higher power god, until i come up with a better name.

I'm not out to sabotage anyone's faith, because i believe that everyone who has faith regardless of what it may be, rely's on it for one reason or another.

My faith is not open for attack, feel free to post whatever you want if "your faith demands it" but know this I wont respond
to it, i have had many discussions with my christian friends about it and we have reached an understanding.

I will respond to any posts regarding my opening question, or any questions you have as far as my viewpoint towards spirituality and life goes.

Nothing has ever caused more seperation between people through out history and even till today, than Religion.

Spirituality is the answer....no judgement of others for the way they beleive.

Faith need not be founded on anything: not on fact, not on justification, not on proof. That's the essence of faith: 'faith has to be taken on faith'! as a new fellow poster reminded me of on another thread.

IMO, faith is a perfect human concept to cope with the unknown as the unknown, and doubt for exactly what it is: doubt!

Faith has this metaphysical dimension unhampered by the physical or pragmatic nature of the known. And that is a good thing.

Quite to the contrary with religion though. With its imposed dogma, religion seeks to reduce what most perceive as an overwhelming and unbearable 'amount' of doubt (as if it could be reduced). It provides a false sense of known of that which is 'unknowable'. This represents comfort to some, for which they must trade a big chunk of freedom of thought and conscience!

IMO, religion at worst, is a perversion of faith through the 'false reduction' of doubt, and the real loss of freedom,

and at best… ,

… religion simply has nothing in common with faith.