Political Crossfire Forums

[Anyis]

Many religious families I know are no different than my own and many like it that don't attend Church. My next door neighbors have 6 kids, go to Church every Sunday, and Wednesdays, and Sunday school, and the whole works - but their kids (who are in Middle and High school) still curse every now and then like me. Many of the kids I know at school are Catholic. However, quite a few of my High School Catholic friends have had sex or some sort of sexual contact (and no they're not married :P ) . I don't understand how they can so blatantly disobey and blashpemy the God they pray too and Love so; yet, still be so proud of their 'Catholic beliefs' if they don't actually follow them. It all seems so fake to me sometimes. When I do go to my friend's Church occasionally as a guest I see school friends and people that go to my school. And they are all smiling and happy and cheerful; but after Sunday, I see them in the halls and they curse and whatnot. The reason I'm posting this is I was watching channel 14 which is our year round christian relgious channel - and they had a sermon on. And the preacher made an exellent point that I was very proud that he was able to acknowledge. He said to his large congregation. "Most of you are half-Christians." He went on to say something along the lines that - He believed most young Christians today pick and choose what they want to follow. 'O it's ok to go ahead and think what I'd do to that fine girl over there even though God says it's just as bad as actually commiting the atrocity. O it's ok to curse at someone if they tick me off. O it's ok to steal something every now and then if I really really want it...and the other person wouldn't really miss it...and I leave some sort of collateral. O it's ok to say God dammit every now and then if I get really mad even though I'm using His name in vain.' Such little sins commited every day by people who call themselves 'devout worshipers of God'. And the sad part is they know the commandments, they've read the bible, and gone to Sunday school and Bible Study - BUT still they act out against God; and then if someone questions them they say 'O my bad' and just ask God to forgive them during their nightly prayers as if it's ok to sin as long as you ask for repentance. I think, if you want to call yourself a Christion (or Muslim or Jew etc.) you sure better follow the commandments (or rules set forth by your God) set forth by God or at least try.

[mojo]

Anyis wrote: Many religious families I know are no different than my own and many like it that don't attend Church. My next door neighbors have 6 kids, go to Church every Sunday, and Wednesdays, and Sunday school, and the whole works - but their kids (who are in Middle and High school) still curse every now and then like me. Many of the kids I know at school are Catholic. However, quite a few of my High School Catholic friends have had sex or some sort of sexual contact (and no they're not married :P ) . I don't understand how they can so blatantly disobey and blashpemy the God they pray too and Love so; yet, still be so proud of their 'Catholic beliefs' if they don't actually follow them. It all seems so fake to me sometimes. When I do go to my friend's Church occasionally as a guest I see school friends and people that go to my school. And they are all smiling and happy and cheerful; but after Sunday, I see them in the halls and they curse and whatnot. The reason I'm posting this is I was watching channel 14 which is our year round christian relgious channel - and they had a sermon on. And the preacher made an exellent point that I was very proud that he was able to acknowledge. He said to his large congregation. "Most of you are half-Christians." He went on to say something along the lines that - He believed most young Christians today pick and choose what they want to follow. 'O it's ok to go ahead and think what I'd do to that fine girl over there even though God says it's just as bad as actually commiting the atrocity. O it's ok to curse at someone if they tick me off. O it's ok to steal something every now and then if I really really want it...and the other person wouldn't really miss it...and I leave some sort of collateral. O it's ok to say God dammit every now and then if I get really mad even though I'm using His name in vain.' Such little sins commited every day by people who call themselves 'devout worshipers of God'. And the sad part is they know the commandments, they've read the bible, and gone to Sunday school and Bible Study - BUT still they act out against God; and then if someone questions them they say 'O my bad' and just ask God to forgive them during their nightly prayers as if it's ok to sin as long as you ask for repentance. I think, if you want to call yourself a Christion (or Muslim or Jew etc.) you sure better follow the commandments (or rules set forth by your God) set forth by God or at least try.

People sin.

I make no qualms about my sinfulness. I have had sex before I am married. I have gotten drunk. But I stay comforted in the fact that I know that those things were wrong. I do my best to correct those things in the future. The Catholic church recognizes that salvation is achieved through both faith and more importantly action. I have no idea why some people have your impression about religious life. It is entirely wrong but commonly cited.

You are questioning the divine reason instead of the person. It is the person, my friend, that must always be called into question.

[Anyis]

mojo wrote: People sin.

I make no qualms about my sinfulness. I have had sex before I am married. I have gotten drunk. But I stay comforted in the fact that I know that those things were wrong. I do my best to correct those things in the future. The Catholic church recognizes that salvation is achieved through both faith and more importantly action. I have no idea why some people have your impression about religious life. It is entirely wrong but commonly cited.

You are questioning the divine reason instead of the person. It is the person, my friend, that must always be called into question.

I would like to understand - and I understand that people sin, after all God created us with free-will so that we could truly be free. What I don't fully understand is how someone can (trying to figure out how to say this) knowingly disobey God, the same God he has worshipped practically his entire life. For example, many people in this country have sex before they're married. I would say a good chunk of those people are Christians, since we are a predominantly Christian country. But there are still many people who believe in God and even those who don't that obstain from sex till marriage in accordance with their beliefs and / or for moral reasons. So how I interpreted what the preacher was saying is 'if you lovingly devoute yourself to to a cause - to a God, then how come you knowingly disobey him (not all the time of course, people are by no means perfect or close to it) to satisfy your desire or lust?' I really wish I had the preachers name but he's a middle age white guy with glasses on the Christian channel 14. :-D