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 A church sign from Sunday in a town on Long Island, New York.
October 30th, 2012
04:54 PM ET
Online conversations around Sandy feature God, prayer and atheismBy Conor Finnegan, CNN (CNN) - As millions of Americans begin to clean up from Superstorm Sandy, many will turn to insurance companies to cover damages caused by an “act of God.” It’s legalese for natural disasters. Some of the online conversation around Sandy have treated it as such an act, with the term “prayer” trending on Facebook on Monday, as the nation awaited the storm’s landfall. We noticed four themes emerging that touch on God and religion on Facebook, Twitter and in CNN.com’s comments sections: 1. God bless: It was a message expressed by well-wishers around the world. Those spared by Sandy took to social media to show their support and sympathy as the images proliferated of New York’s flooded streets and New Jersey’s eroded beaches. Despite different faiths and nationalities, the upshot was the same: Our prayers are with you. From Facebook:
From Twitter:
2. Thank God: For those caught in Sandy’s path, the conversation was different. More than 7.5 million in the mid-Atlantic and Northeast were without power on Tuesday. Those who could post online expressed gratitude, with “thankful” the 8th most shared term on Facebook by Tuesday morning. And from Twitter:
3. God’s wrath: A small minority saw Sandy as God’s judgment. This Tweet is from a leader of Westboro Baptist Church, the Kansas congregation known for its anti-gay pickets at military funerals:
We found these on Facebook:
4. God does not exist: Some used Sandy to question religion or at least the idea of blaming the storm on God, employing science, humor and venom. A back and forth between believers and nonbelievers sparked a tense conversation in the comments section on CNN.com. From Facebook:
From Twitter:
What do you think? What role should faith or God play in the conversation about Sandy? Post your thoughts in the comments section. soundoff (2,260 Responses)« Previous 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 Next »
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The CNN Belief Blog covers the faith angles of the day's biggest stories, from breaking news to politics to entertainment, fostering a global conversation about the role of religion and belief in readers' lives. It's edited by CNN's Daniel Burke with contributions from Eric Marrapodi and CNN's worldwide news gathering team.  |
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i believe that God is, all powerful, and that God is good. He did not intend for evil to happen. I dont believe that God is punishing us or that he is showing us his might, rather. this is something we brought upon ourselves. Does God control yes he can but he dosent always.
p.s why are some christians so jugmental and upfront, jesus says to be graceful and gentel, with the truth not "Belive or you will burn"
can we ever prove God? no i dont believe that we can ever have physical evidence of him... UNTIL he returns. until then he is in a different realm.
We as human beings, either believers or the unbeliever can never fully understand Gods purposes.
afatcow, can't you see the contradiction in your first line in view of Sandy? All-powerful, but intent not successfully made real...
intelligence comes from intelligence. To say there is no God, is to say you can stick 20 newborns in a room and 20 million years later they will be intelligent. Not logical. They will be dead. Logical. Occam's razor proves atheism to be a false doctrine, yes..I call atheism a doctrine – it's a belief that there is nothing to believe in. atheism is a cult, just like all other established one true religions. – just love each other ...why is that so hard ? logical answer – sin is in the world.
Atheism is a lack of belief. Why is that so hard for you to understand?
Occam's razor? Really? Do you even know what it is?
Occam's razor states that the hypothesis that makes the fewest assumptions is probably the correct one. Theism is nothing but assumptions!
What intelligent being made God intelligent?
You have won this months stupidest Belief Blog Post Award! Congratulations!
Really, I could hardly get past the first two sentences before I wondered – how can someone reason like this – religious or not? Be sure to pick up your award on the way out. I left it in the last stall of the men's room.
I agree, Amen. Only repentance of sin and allowing Jesus to enter in to your life and allowing Him to change your life into something so awesome. He is the reason we live.
Clearly, you have no understanding of atheism, or of evolution. Sad. But yes, people should be nice to each other. That does not require religion.
Intelligence is clearly a relative term; a post-hoc attribute often construed in purely anthropocentric terms (like your example). Which is more intelligent?
1) Humans which employ antibiotics to cure infections; OR
2) Bacteria which invariably evade human antibiotics?
Occam's Razor is a helpful guide, but not some controlling logical rule. Nonetheless, which is simpler?
1) The combination of all known and unknown natural causes; OR
2) The combination of all known and unknown natural causes plus an infinitely complex deity supernaturally providing all known and unknown natural causes?
Rick,
God is eternal, which means He never had a beginning, He always was. Our minds can't grasp that because we rely on time with a beginning and end. With God, He always was and forever will be, no one was before Him, all intelligence was created by Him and in all things He created. He is pure love and has a plan and purpose for your life just as He has a plan and purpose for all of us, it's up to us to either receive or reject his plan. You make the choice.
more cult responses – your atheist religion is better than anyone elses – why is being kind and caring about fellow human beings so hard ? answer – sin is in the world . Don't use your religion to put down other peoples beliefs. Truth is you have no facts, no one does ...thats why it's called a "BELIEF"....atheism just has a "Theory" of evolution ( of gaps ) – speak logical – show me facts ..not your arrogance and lack of facts thereof. I've yet to lose a debate, your ad-homs are not a valid debate – just a lack of facts and lack of a reasonable answer.
Fact – atheism is a religion of non belief. Learn to be honest to yourself.
Well, I beg to differ – about the babies, in particular. If you put 20 of them in a room and just ,left them to their own devices, they would, in all probability, perish within a few days. But if the room was allowed to receive energy in the form of photons from a nurturing sun, and molten pools of magma underneath the room were permitted to seep into the floor of the room, warming a small pool of water (H2O, if you will) some of the decaying biomass from the abandoned babies would degrade to provide billions upon billions of carbon backboned molecules that would, in turn, form a gelatinous goo, that, given time and continued energy, would evolve into something resembling our most primitive ancestors. If nothing else, microbes from the GI tract of the poor babies would be liberated after their decaying bellies bloated and ruptured due to extreme gastric distention, thus "spring boarding" evolution into full swing. (Reminder – Closed systems are only hypothetical here.)
believer: your last post is so totally flawed in logic that I wouldn't even know where to begin. That's why your perception is that you "win" debates. It's because logical and intelligent people simply throw their hands up at your ignorance. Atheism is not a religion at all. The usual analogy is that atheism is to religion as bald is to hair color. You don't understand evolution (or the scientific use of the word "theory"). That's ok. But just because you don't understand something doesn't mean the default explanation is that "god did it". That's as silly as Russell's Teapot. Google it if you're not familiar with the philosopher.
Bob: well said!
still more opinions – I've debated this with hard core atheists for many many years – they actually became friends and I appreciate them very much – I do have a sincere love for atheists because I credit them for being honest ( not intelligent though )
Let's keep it simple – it is easier to believe that we are all born from a living being because that is natural – than to believe some magical mystical comet flew in from outer space and all our sophisticated ecological systems / solar systems / biological systems just happened to fall into place. I'm sorry, thats just blatantly ....non-believable.
As for the original article – Death is a natural process of life – we will all die one day ...no matter how many times we pray.
"...it is easier to believe that we are all born from a living being because that is natural – than to believe some magical mystical comet flew in from outer space and all our sophisticated ecological systems / solar systems / biological systems just happened to fall into place. I'm sorry, thats just blatantly ....non-believable."
I agree! But once again, you are showing a complete lack of understanding of evolution, and also of geological time scales. We're talking 4 1/2 BILLION years, not some sky fairy dust that magically turned into the Garden of Eden. Now *that's* non-believable.
As for intelligence, I am very well educated in the sciences and was brought up in a religious household many years ago. And no, we didn't believe in Jesus the Savior either.
nonsense!! – i can appreciate evolution as an observation of how things have progressed. Not as how they started!
I think atheists lack understanding of evolution as they have turned it into the beginning of life. you guys are a hot mess!!
"Let's keep it simple – it is easier to believe that we are all born from a living being because that is natural – than to believe some magical mystical comet flew in from outer space and all our sophisticated ecological systems / solar systems / biological systems just happened to fall into place. I'm sorry, thats just blatantly ....non-believable."
You are conflating your personal incredulity with the number/complexity of as-sumptions/premises underlying Occam's proposition. "Believability" reflects one's education and experience but has no bearing on empirical reality. It was far more "believable" that breathing bad air ("Mala"-bad "Aria"-air) caused disease than it was to believe the related disease was caused by tiny, tiny animals which were invisible to the naked eye. If we understand anything from science, it's that our intuitive thought processes are notoriously flawed, particularly when applied in the context of a palpable fear of one's own inevitable mortality.
well, until you show me a child that can give birth to itself – you have no basis for an argument. But you can believe what you want -tee hee!!
Well, beliber, until you can show me proof of your God from ancient fable, then that's all he is – fable – regardless of what is unknown about creation. tee hee.
hypothetically – if such a being existed on a 4th dimension – It would be impossible for me to point him out. On a philosophical level if I were to believe God is love – and the word was God, about the most I can show you is kindness.
Check and mate.
Believer must have graduated from the mitt romney school of debate. Seriously weak arguments, pal. I mean, really really weak. I think you need to google "checkmate, too"
lol... Just because I have now given the task of having to disprove the possibility of a 4th dimension to all atheists, doesn't mean you guys should give up. Have faith!!
Believer: please get over yourself. Google "Russell's Teapot" and also "Flying Spaghetti Monster". Both use the same logic as you are trying to employ. It's obviously deeply flawed. I must go to bed, but will leave you with one final quote:
"I contend we are both atheists, I just believe in one fewer god than you do. When you understand why you dismiss all the other possible gods, you will understand why I dismiss yours." -Stephen F Roberts
I haven't seen my old Atheist debating friends in a while, talking to you guys made me miss them – we had some seriously notorious debates!! In the end I won because I loved em – so thank you for taking the time to respond to this post – I actually enjoy the banter and sincere responses. While I believe in God and Christ – I do not affiliate myself with any modern established religion, I don't worship religion – I worship God. ...and I do have to give credit to some of the arguments I've heard from atheists as it makes me sad to see how some religions use religion in less than honorable ways. So cheers to you guys – when I win, we win – accept your losses from someone that appreciates you :p 😀
Religion is a joke.
Mark, God hates religion as much as you do. He doesn't want us to be religious, all that is, is a bunch of man made rules. Religion is man pursuing God. True Christianity is God pursuing man. He wants a relationship with us and to pour out His love for us. Only He can set a person free on the bondage of religion. We have to make the choice to follow God or follow religion or don't believe in Him at all. It's up to you to make your decision.
I wonder if you would think that if you were being nailed to a cross or one better if your child is going to be put to death for a crime that you know for certain that it did not commit but nobody would listen would you be joking then joker?
Debbie: according to your fable, god sent his son to earth knowing what would happen, so we really can't feel too sorry for either one. Also, if jesus is part of the holy trinity, then isn't he immortal anyway? So, he never really died. It was just an act put on by him and his dad with the sick and twisted sense of humor. So really, I'm not sure if there's anything thought-provoking here at all. It just seems like a pretty dumb story with a very flawed story line.
God lives through us. Prayer sends his angels into motion. So whomever thinks of his presence as "imaginary" is simply naive and blind. For those whom believe disaster suits us for your own disrespect of your god you are the same. Grow up and get on the bus you stubborn child.
There's certainly room to discuss global conditions we affect.
Anti gay girl. You are the reason people cannot accept faith. You judge like an adolescent who has been beaten and locked in a cellar. The world sends its prayers to the front doorstep of your own hell. Maybe someday you will step into reality.
Serbia. We'll live. Did you deserve it???
We are still holding the east coast in our prayers. May God and our Citizens be here in support~
Pray for an angel to come and show me that god exists. If it happens, I'll believe you.
I'm waiting...
You're right, anonymous. God is nothing of not mysterious. His mysteriousness is normally beyond our corporeal comprehension and even if we find ourselves basking in His beauteous and radiant aura (a “glow” that can be seen if you are saved) we still may not be able to explain, for example, the Intent behind causing a legitimate rapist’s sperm to join with its legitimate victim’s hapless, innocent egg. I happen to like toads, but I would just know that if it started raining them I probably have offended God badly even though it would strike me as quite mysterious. Although rare, there are some people who are blessed with the ability to grasp and counsel others on God’s ultimate purpose in exacting pestilence, rivers of blood and even herpes upon us. And sometimes they leave lucrative careers as businessmen to devote themselves to us as Republican US Senators and Congressmen.
Austin,
This world is ruled by Satan and most of us bow to him with the way we live. Real Christians live by the word of God and know we are in his hands. We pray for God's will to be done and DO NOT BLAME HIM when we deviate and must pay the consequences. We are not able to answer for other's faith or lack ot it, but we can pray for those who are Christians in harm's way- Christians welcome prayer– all others welcome money and things of this world– both are needed but only those who have God welcome prayer above all else.
Way to talk and talk and still not address what I said.
As long as the religious people cannot prove the existence of God physically, they should start getting wisdom by studying
atheism.
@ Agustin
I think that we can never fully come up with real scientific evidence, we Christians can experience God through feelings and thoughts and actions, but that does not mean that he doesn't exist he is out of our realm.
Experience that depends on own belief is not true experience. It is self-suggestion, instead. The wisdom of atheism is there is no separation between God and self. Therefore, if religious people still believe there is the existence of God that is separated from self, that God is no other than their own delusion, because God is still secondary to the believers.
There are times for God and atheism, and there are times to set all that stuff aside and think about real things. This isn't a time for playing around with religion. This is a real event involving real people. Please hold off on all the talk about prayers and blessings, or criticism of prayers and blessings. This is not the time. Right now, you should be thinking about all the people affected by the hurricane, and not selfishly thinking about your religious beliefs.
I like that. Don't think about religion; think about the real world and your fellow man.
What a perfect description of atheism!
(It is possible to donate generoously and still discuss religion. I have)
How will this help anything to think about all the victims? I don't put a lot of stock in prayer, but just thinking about them seems to be an exercise in passivity and may achieve nothing more than causing one personal guilt.
Dave,
This world is ruled by Satan and most of us bow to him with the way we live. Real Christians live by the word of God and know we are in his hands. We pray for God's will to be done and DO NOT BLAME HIM when we deviate and must pay the consequences. We are not able to answer for other's faith or lack ot it, but we can pray for those who are Christians in harm's way- Christians welcome prayer– all others welcome money and things of this world– both are needed but only those who have God welcome prayer above all else.
I have to agree with Bob, though I think Dave meant well. Do what you can and get on with your life. I've done both. I see no gain in wallowing in the news. Beyond a donation, there is darn little I can do from 2,000 miles away.
Take your damn thorazine, CaliforniaAC! Your psychosis is getting extreme again!
DID YOU KNOW?
Before and during the founding of the U.S., different Christian sects were feuding and persecuting each other in several states (or soon-to-be states). Because this feuding between these sects annoyed the key founders so greatly, they made it a top priority to establish guidelines for the separation of church and state (and to make it Amendment #1 to our Constitution). This is also reflected in what they had to say on the matter:
James Madison (our 4th President, was the chief architect of the U.S. Constitution):
During almost fifteen centuries has the legal establishment of Christianity been on trial. What has been its fruits? More or less in all places, pride and indolence in the clergy; ignorance and servility in the laity; in both, superstition, bigotry, and persecution.
(A Memorial and Remonstrance, addressed to the Virginia General Assembly, 1785)
and then ten years later:
Who does not see that the same authority which can establish Christianity, in exclusion of all other religions, may establish with the same ease any particular sect of Christians, in exclusion of all other sects?
(A Memorial and Remonstrance, addressed to the General Assembly of the Commonwealth of VA, 1795)
Thomas Jefferson (our 3rd President, was the key author of the Declaration of Independence)
Because religious belief, or non-belief, is such an important part of every person's life, freedom of religion affects every individual. State churches that use government power to support themselves and force their views on persons of other faiths undermine all our civil rights. Moreover, state support of the church tends to make the clergy unresponsive to the people and leads to corruption within religion. Erecting the "wall of separation between church and state," therefore, is absolutely essential in a free society.
(Letter (as POTUS) to the Virginia Baptists (1808))
and then of course we have clarifying moments in history such as:
President John Adams and the U.S. Senate on behalf of the U.S.
As the Government of the United States of America is not, in any sense, founded on the Christian religion;
(from Article 11 of the U.S. treaty ratified with Tripoli in 1797)
Senator John F Kennedy said on Sept. 12, 1960, just prior to his winning the Presidential election:
I believe in an America where the separation of church and state is absolute.
Take a look from the past and then tell me that GOD and his Angels were not stopping satan from getting what he thought he would. The ship Bounty yes it sank and maybe three died but who made sure that those choppers and rescue team got there safely and were able to get the survivors to safety? And when the Hospital had to get very sick patients out to other hospitals tell me who helped those flash lights light the way as the responders carried them so many floors to safety as well as gave them the strength and peace in a storm to do it?Who held that crane up all through the night?When the calls came in that people were on top of mobile homes in towns flooded suddenly through the night because of a levee or damn who got the rescuers to them not knowing what they were going into? Yes I know that this storm is far from over it is a real miracle that the World has lost so few compared to what it could have been and at least there was warning days before it got here that it was gonna be something that none of us had ever seen.So yes there's pain for the families of lives lost but by the grace of GOD these people knew before it happened that it was a possibility and in that final thought I would love to think that satan did not get one thing out of this storms destruction.GOD Bless our world once again you see all the trouble that she's in wash her pretty face dry her eyes and and then GOD Bless our world again. AMEN!!!!
So you're saying that god was either unable to stop the destruction completely, or that he purposely did a half-ass job. But either way we should praise GAWD!
"Who made sure that those choppers and rescue team got there safely and were able to get the survivors to safety?" Sikorsky Helicopters did that.
"Who helped those flash lights light the way as the responders carried them so many floors to safety?" The Energizer Bunny.
"When the calls came in that people were on top of mobile homes in towns flooded suddenly through the night because of a levee or damn who got the rescuers to them not knowing what they were going into?" The dispatcher.
God. Satan. That's really insane. Why don't you give humans credit for what they did, instead of crediting childish illusions of magic?
God helps flashlights?
Excellent response, Debbie does dumb!
GOD! GOD! GOD! KILL THE LIBS! THANK YOU GOD! I LOVE YOU GOD!
NOW KILL 50 MILLION OF THEM WITH A PLAGUE PLEASE.. GO GOD! GO GOD! OH YEAH! GO GOD! KILL THE BLASPHEMOUS AND THE UNBELIEVERS YESSSSS
Do you bore your mother this much, too, or do you use a French tickler?
The storm quieted down before hitting the shore because while god was casting his hurricane magic the visibility was low and Santa Clause collided into him with his slay, they both spun out of control and god lost his mojo.
How can anyone in this day and age believe in a "supernatural," and if they do believe in a "supernatural" and a believe in a specific god, how can they have faith in a god that harms the" innocent" as well as the "wicked." Surely with all that power, he should be able to be a little more accurate and discerning with his weapons of retribution. If there is a "Christian" god, it seems that these storms would only be devastating non-Christian countries or that only non-Christians would have been flooded, but here in St. Louis, I'm pretty dry. Thank you Lord!
I am not Religious and even I know that's not how it works. If you want to insult something, at least understand it.
Meanwhile, the area that seems to get hit hardest from natural disasters and other hardships is the Bible Belt, and they actually believe that God favors them? Amazing!
This world is ruled by Satan and most of us bow to him with the way we live. Real Christians live by the word of God and know we are in his hands. We pray for God's will to be done and DO NOT BLAME HIM when we deviate and must pay the consequences. We are not able to answer for other's faith or lack ot it, but we can pray for those who are Christians in harm's way- Christians welcome prayer– all others welcome money and things of this world– both are needed but only those who have God welcome prayer above all else.
God is Mother Nature... and look how all the church goers have been desecrating her for generations. We're the only species that is destroying our own habitat
Wrong! Let me educate you, climate change has been happening since the dawn of time, loooooong before any humans were on the Earth. It is not a man made thing, it is natural and normal cycle of the Earth and voting "democrat" is going to stop it lol.
You people are intensely stupid.
That was worded nicely, monique. Pay no attention to the fool. the fool that didn't pay close attention to how you worded your post. For instance, fracking and conducting nuclear testing and not planning nuclear facilities well in proximity to unstable areas are stupid things that impatient humans do that is having an impact on their own habitat, even if it is not destroying the planet. So take a chill-pill, truth and think for a second before you post.
Just because something is already happening doesn't mean that greedy meddlers can't make it worse. That's just common sense, truth fairy.
Sorry left wingers and blacks, you CANNOT use our money to abort your fetuses. Pay for it yourselves. Romney will be the next King and hopefully he is intensely oppressive to you disgusting libs, the more he crushes you, the more I will like him.
Go Romney! Romney/Ryan 2012! I love you!
Are you lost?
Did you decide to pick up somebody elses name and troll with it? Cheap.
Well aren't you just santorum'ing at the mouth.
Oh God! Please destroy yourself or the fanatics will destroy your non-existence by cursing others in your name.
I'm guessing The Truth/Ryan lost his girlfriend to a black man and hasn't been the same since.
Only for the new members of this blog:
So-called god's wrath has been ongoing since the first life appeared on Earth. The addition of prayers did not stop said wrath.
Some examples of "god's" Sandy-a-nalogous-storm wrath and time-wasting prayers to stop these natural occurrences:
Hurricanes and Tropcial Storms in the State of Pennsylvania:
Pre-1900
September 18, 1876- A tropical storm produced 50 knots (93 km/h, 58 mph) sustained winds in at least parts of Pennsylvania. [1][2][3][4]
September 13, 1878- A extratropical storm produced at least 70 km/h sustained winds throughout the state. [5][6]
October 24, 1878- The Gale of 1878 destroys at least 700 buildings, causes $2 million in damage, kills at least ten people and injures more, and produced 80 km/h sustained winds throughout the state. [7][8][9][10]
October 13, 1885- An extratropical storm produced 70 km/h sustained winds throughout the state. [11][12]
August 22, 1888- A tropical storm produced 75 km/h sustained winds throughout the state. [13][14][15]
August 29, 1893- A tropical storm produced 100 km/h sustained winds throughout the state. [16][17][18]
October 25, 1893- A tropical storm produced 65 km/h sustained winds. [19][20]
September 30, 1896- An extratropical storm produced 95–100 km/h sustained winds. [21][22]
November 1, 1899- An extratropical storm produced 95 km/h sustained winds. [23][24]
1900-1950
June 29, 1902- A extratropical storm caused 65 knots (120 km/h) winds throughout the state. [25][26]
September 16, 1903- The V-agabond Hurricane affects Pennsylvania as a tropical storm with winds of 50–65 km/h, after making landfall in New Jersey with hurricane force winds. [27][28]
August 4, 1915- A tropical depression caused winds of 45 km/h. [29]
October 1, 1915- An extratropical storm caused winds of 65 km/h. [30]
October 24, 1923- An extratropical storm caused winds of 75 km/h.[31]
September 20, 1928- An extratropical storm caused winds of 75 km/h. [32]
October 3, 1929- An extratropical storm caused winds of 55 km/h.[33]
September 21, 1932- A tropical depression caused winds of 30 km/h.[34]
August 24, 1933- A tropical storm caused winds of 85 km/h. [35]
August 19, 1939- A tropical depression caused winds of 45 km/h. [36]
September 19, 1945- An extratropical storm caused winds of 45 km/h.[37]
August 29, 1949- An tropical storm caused winds of 65 km/h. [38]
Reality,
This world is ruled by Satan and most of us bow to him with the way we live. Real Christians live by the word of God and know we are in his hands. We pray for God's will to be done and DO NOT BLAME HIM when we deviate and must pay the consequences. We are not able to answer for other's faith or lack ot it, but we can pray for those who are Christians in harm's way- Christians welcome prayer– all others welcome money and things of this world– both are needed but only those who have God welcome prayer above all else.
A prayer of the 21st century:
The Apostles' Creed 2012 (updated by yours truly based on the studies of NT historians and theologians of the past 200 years)
Should I believe in a god whose existence cannot be proven
and said god if he/she/it exists resides in an unproven,
human-created, spirit state of bliss called heaven?????
I believe there was a 1st century CE, Jewish, simple,
preacher-man who was conceived by a Jewish carpenter
named Joseph living in Nazareth and born of a young Jewish
girl named Mary. (Some say he was a mamzer.)
Jesus was summarily crucified for being a temple rabble-rouser by
the Roman troops in Jerusalem serving under Pontius Pilate,
He was buried in an unmarked grave and still lies
a-mouldering in the ground somewhere outside of
Jerusalem.
Said Jesus' story was embellished and "mythicized" by
many semi-fiction writers. A bodily resurrection and
ascension stories were promulgated to compete with the
Caesar myths. Said stories were so popular that they
grew into a religion known today as Catholicism/Christianity
and featuring dark-age, daily wine to blood and bread to body rituals
called the eucharistic sacrifice of the non-atoning Jesus.
Amen
(References used are available upon request.)
I am so greatfull for everyone in this country and for God. I am greatfull for everyones comments even if I dont agree with you. You are important to me and many other Christians. You are valuable and special to God. It doesnt matter if you agree with me or not I do value you. I hope that no matter what you may understand that Gods spirit teaches all to love and respect, as well as do good to others.
Convert to Pastafarianism and be saved by the flying spaghetti monster! He will save you from the hurricanes!
Looks like somebody ate all the pasta.
@Shamoononon
You can deny it now, but it is a FACT that not a single Pastafarian was killed in the storm. Put that in your aspergillum and spritz it!
I have been touched by His Noodly Appendage! R'amen, brother!
love devine
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pzmw6DDEodQ&feature=related
I truly believe with my whole heart that those who lean, and especially vote republican, will have a lot to answer for when they die and meet God.
I mean, we all will – but those republicans??? they're really screwed.
Oh, I see. Vote how you want people to vote or you're going to hell. You have no right to express how you would like your taxes used.
Oh, New York has a Republican mayor. So that's why the hurricane hit them...
Oh yeah! I'm sure god will concern himself with and attack people who lived and used their democratic right to vote Republican.
How dare those people vote for their interests? They must burn in hell!
The ignorance and raw stupidity of you dim leftists is incredible.
Of course, David – the party of "In Greed We Trust" will have a lot to answer for.
We have gone from A COUNTRY UNDER GOD as per our founding fathers to A COUNTRY UNDER GREED as per our current value system– God is on the side of the JUST ALWAYS. So place your bets according to the value system which guides your decision making and reap the consequences.
OK, CaliforniaAC, Mama is getting out the heavy artillery. See above.
"One nation under God" was unknown to the Founding Fathers. It was added to the Pledge (not a legal document of any kind) in the 1950s due to a Red Scare paranoia that was afoot. The reality was that there was no real tendency towards socialism in America (and there still isn't, all hysteria aside), but when people get paranoid . . .
Separation of church and state was a phrase known to the Founding Fathers. It was used by Jefferson, author of the Declaration of Independence, and Madison, Author of theConstitution.
But aside from being totally wrong, you make an interestting point.
Why can't people just respect everyone else and their beliefs and get on with life. If someone want to pray to a God, so be it. If someone doesn't want to, so be it. Well wishes come in many forms. How dare anybody think their thoughts are more genuine than the wishes of anybody else? Religion hating is the new hipster emo on the block.
I, for one, am an atheist who appreciates a Christian who is tolerant and who wants to coexist with other faiths. Unfortunately, I very seldom meet this type of Christian.
HarryJ,
You already sound intolerant. You have not met many yet the Democratic party is full of them? "You must tolerate me and my [lack of]beliefs and screw the rest!!"
DID YOU KNOW?
During his presidency, James Madison vetoed two bills that he believed would violate the separation of church and state. He also came to oppose the long-established practice of employing chaplains at public expense in the House of Representatives and Senate on the grounds that it violated the separation of church and state and the principles of religious freedom**. Starting from their anger over feuding Christian sects in their home state, until the end of their lives, James Madison and Thomas Jefferson were fervent promoters of the separation of church and state.
Who was James Madison? He was the 4th President of the United States and the chief architect of the U.S. Constitution.
** Library of Congress – James Madison Papers – Detached memorandum, ca. 1823.
I was at a yard sale and I saw a shirt with this writing on the pocket Put GOD back in public schools then on the back was this
Student to GOD God why do you let so many horrible things happen in our schools?
GOD to student I'm not allowed in public schools.
You all cannot prove that I am not the creator of the universe. I have not attempted to prove it, nor will I, because I prefer to work in mysterious ways. Worship me or suffer eternal damnation.
God! How can you curse people like this if you only exist in the brain that has been poisoned or brainwashed by religious doctrines?
He IS God after all, He sets the rules, and if that's the way he wants to run the show, more power to Him!
What's the big deal? All you have to do is believe in me because I said so on an internet comment board, and you'll get everything you want in the afterlife, forever.
By the way, it makes perfect sense for the eternal fate of all members of humankind through all of history to be based on what they believe during an infinitesimal portion of their existence, even though I have only informed a tiny percentage of them directly in a totally non-credible way. I know it's hard for you all to understand this, but that's why I'm God, and you're not.