Other People's Answers to Questions on this Site
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An answer from Bec:Okay, Wissa Head. I'll explain this to you one more time. The reason eclectic pagans "mix" pantheons is because sometimes you need a particular kind of god or goddess for a particular working. Eclectics kind of mix and match as the mood takes us. We don't have a particular belief system as most people view it. I can explain this further if you want, but my typing skills leave something to be desired. -Bec
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An answer from Brian:I was looking over the comments that Eric made in which he was talking
about
original sin, he mentions that because they were ashamed of their
bodies and
God made them in his own image they were showing they were ashamed of
him.
Now by being Catholic I have certain beliefs that have been ingrained
into
me that I was taught. But being halfway intellegent and able to see
things
with my own eyes has led me not to question the beliefs that I have but
the
interpritation of those beliefs. Darwin says that we basically evolved
from
apes, science has shown that it is possible. The church says no it is
not.
Why not? Is it because we were made in his image? If so what image
are we
talking about? We believe in heaven though. Show me where it is on a
map.
Can't do it? So then God lives on another level of existance maybe.
God
may not have a physicall form. So by saying he made us in his own
image, by
applying physical standards to that we may be wrong. And why can both
be
right? Are we so arrogant to believe that God would not look like an
ape.
If you met God and he was an ape would you hold it against him if that
is
what he chose to be? The bible was written a very, very, very long
time
ago. Alot of it was told for years in front of campfires before it was
put
to paper. People believed alot of stuff during that timeframe, like
fire
was in wood we just had to bring it out. Then it was written down and
only
people with money and power could read it. We know that the church has
had
problems in the current day, but it was much worse a few hundred years
ago.
Our faith (speaking as a Catholic) has been determined by politics,
power
and fear of losing that power. While I accept alot of what I am taught
because I have faith that God would not allow me to be misled in his
name,
or that he will forgive me for being misled because I did it with faith
in
him, I must be able to see with my own eyes. The bible was not written
literally, you can take and disect it to mean whatever you want, but it
is
not the words themselves that matter. It is the overall message. It
was
written so that people who knew nothing of the solar system or that the
earth was round would have something to guide them morally. It was
written
so that people would know what God is asking without him (or her)
having to
explain their reasons. If the bible was written saying that God made
Adam
and Eve in a genetically identical manner as himself in a physical form
that
was unaffected by evolution that would be something we could look at
and
say, okay Darwin is wrong. Or maybe it would read God made Adam and
Eve in
his own psycological image where love and compassion were paramount
then we
could say maybe Darwin is right. Either way two thousand years ago
nobody
would know about genetics or psychology so they would not undestand the
message, so the book reads they were made in his image. This has all
been
quite apart from Erics message so do not infer that it is related, it
merely
brought to mind something that had been going through my mind.
My beliefs:
I believe I one God, maker of heaven and Earth.
I believe in all that is seen and unseen.
I believe God gave me two eyes and a brain to figure out the truth.
I believe that the church is good intentioned but that they do not have
a
phone line to God
I believe that I will never understand Gods plan, nor will I be
arrogant
enough to try
I believe that I merely have to have faith in God and ask for his
forgiveness when I wrong him
I believe that the bible is a guide but not an absolute technical
manual to
faith and should be treated as such
I believe that others beliefs are as important as my own and should be
treated as such as there is not a monopoly on faith
I believe that forcing faith on others is morally wrong, as God does
not
even do that, he has just proves he exists in the end
I believe in a God that does not want me to send him money to build a
television station or a waterpark in his name
I believe in seperation of church and state until the day the God is
elected
to office, in which case he has my vote
I believe God does not want any more war in his name and that by doing
so is
the ultimate blasphamy.
I believe God has a sense of humor
I believe God listens more when I talk to him than when I recite
memorized
words as a prayer
I believe church is important, but meaning it is more so.
Hope that this rant is worthwhile and I haven't gone off the deep end.
If
you have read this far I hope it has at least been entertaining or
thought
provoking. If not what do I care, at least God heard it.