What are your reasons for believing whatever you may believe about Christianity?

[GoldenLego]

So God isn't so merciful. Exacting praise from your creations is considered a bad quality in our society. Does that mean that the God we look up to and praise is not truly benevolent? I mean, he offers everyone a chance to repent their sins and change themselves so they can go to heaven, but true benevolence means unconditional forgiveness. This can be observed in the practices of Gandhi.

Again, not defying the Bible, just putting stuff out there.

Think about it this way, if you force you're wife to love you, will they love you? No they will hate you, he gives us a choice so we have free will. Of course you could say that why didn't he just make us actually love him in our heart, but God has a plan and it will be fulfilled. What is the creation to say to the creator, "why have you done this?" When the creator is much more wise and had spent time to make the creation.

[Ad Bot]

[Wesley Williams]

So God isn't so merciful. Exacting praise from your creations is considered a bad quality in our society. Does that mean that the God we look up to and praise is not truly benevolent? I mean, he offers everyone a chance to repent their sins and change themselves so they can go to heaven, but true benevolence means unconditional forgiveness. This can be observed in the practices of Gandhi.

You're looking at this from a human perspective. Without God we wouldn't even exist. He created us, and thus is worthy of our utmost respect and praise.

This may be an incorrect way to view things, but I see the point of life as a test. Those who accept Christ pass and those that don't fail. God collects all that pass this "righteous test" in his kingdom. The purpose of life would be voided if forgiveness was dished out unconditionally. And a test really doesn't get much easier than just having faith.
Of course, then the question is why bother with this life in the first place, instead of just sorting people as they are created. And I think the answer to that goes back to free will, as GoldenLego states. God doesn't determine if we'll accept him or turn our back on him, we do.

This is getting a bit off topic though, instead of discussing the details of what Christians believe, maybe we could backtrack and discuss why we think God doesn't/does exist.

[IkeTheGeneric]

You are not born gay, it's just the sin in you're heart, just like how many young men struggle with lust, or women with insecurity, you are born with it because the sin was passed down from you're father.

I was raised on this sentiment, that being gay is a sin. I'm also gay, so it was equally confusing when I was a kid. For the longest time I'd figured that I was either sick or that I just didn't believe in God enough, and to be openly about it, I tried to pray the gay away pretty often. Everything that I was brought up on was telling me that there was something wrong with me and I just wanted to be normal like other kids. This just made me resent other gay people and some of that resentment still exists.

I thought if people knew this about me, that they would hate me or think there was something wrong with me, or that they would hurt me. Along with that, I thought that if my parents knew, they would disown me and hate me. This really forgeted me up the most, and it was hard making friends with people while subsequently being afraid of them.

I don't have proof beyond word of mouth, but I'm pretty sure people are born gay. I honestly want to know how to stop being gay, or a lustful sinner, or whatever the forget. I didn't want to be some kinda freak and I really didn't have any sort of choice. I don't mean to antagonize you, but this whole belief ruined my childhood.

[Trogtor]

its ok ike. ill try my best to pray the gay out of you.
me and ike are friends ok so dont take this the wrong way ty

[Satan From Wreck-It-Ralph]

#prayforike

[GoldenLego]

I was raised on this sentiment, that being gay is a sin. I'm also gay, so it was equally confusing when I was a kid. For the longest time I'd figured that I was either sick or that I just didn't believe in God enough, and to be openly about it, I tried to pray the gay away pretty often. Everything that I was brought up on was telling me that there was something wrong with me and I just wanted to be normal like other kids. This just made me resent other gay people and some of that resentment still exists.

I thought if people knew this about me, that they would hate me or think there was something wrong with me, or that they would hurt me. Along with that, I thought that if my parents knew, they would disown me and hate me. This really forgeted me up the most, and it was hard making friends with people while subsequently being afraid of them.

I don't have proof beyond word of mouth, but I'm pretty sure people are born gay. I honestly want to know how to stop being gay, or a lustful sinner, or whatever the forget. I didn't want to be some kinda freak and I really didn't have any sort of choice. I don't mean to antagonize you, but this whole belief ruined my childhood.

I am truly sorry this had been your experience, but if you're born again being gay won't just go away, it's a process that takes many many years, I personally struggle with lust, and I hate it. But surely the problem gets shaved away, it's a test of character. It gets easier and easier every time you say no.

God bless.

[Rigel]

I really don't care if there is or isn't one, I'm just gonna go on with my life without relying on some celestial being.

And if I really had to believe in a god, I'd worship the nordic pantheon.

[Headcrab Zombie]

You are not born gay, it's just the sin in you're heart

Then why has conversion therapy (attempting to remove homoloveuality desires through prayer and other spiritual means, "pray the gay away") been proven to be ineffective?

[Path]

True benevolence is providing without the expectation of anything in return.
Although it's pretty richardish for me to say 'god doesn't deserve to be praised' and i'm not even saying that.

I mean to say that the most benevolent and kind-minded entity in existence would create miracles, entire universes, and life, without expectation of praise.

[Blue Screen]

Then why has conversion therapy (attempting to remove homoloveuality desires through prayer and other spiritual means, "pray the gay away") been proven to be ineffective?

we gotta upgrade it

[Red Spy]

-"The intelligent design movement is based entirely on scientific evidence."

I'm sorry, I truly am. I can't get past this statement.
Every fiber in my being is shouting "WHAT UNEDUCATED TWIT SAID THAT"
But I'm not going to say that, I know the trouble that'll cause me.

The intelligent design movement is based of a ancient book written by hippes in the desert 2,000 years ago. There is literally NO loving EVIDENCE to support god, or intelligent design for that matter. Everything in science displays that the Earth is billions of years old.

To quote Bill Nye,

If you want to deny Evolution in your world that is completely; inconsistent with everything we observe in the Universe, that's fine. But don't make your kids do it.

[Wesley Williams]

I'm sorry to hear that, I have a Christian friend that went through the exact same thing. He tries not to act on his desires but has found it very difficult and still struggles to this day. I'm the only person he's told about it and he's constantly afraid of others finding out. It's a difficult place to be. I can only hope you and others in similar situations can find encouragement in the knowledge that Christ's forgiveness is for everyone. Churches are meant to be a place for the broken, but I see more and more simply casting aside those they should be cherishing.

The intelligent design movement is based of a ancient book written by hippes in the desert 2,000 years ago. There is literally NO loving EVIDENCE to support god, or intelligent design for that matter. Everything in science displays that the Earth is billions of years old.

I question whether you've done any research on Intelligent Design, or are just going by what you've heard people say about it.

First, I'd like to get it out of the way and say that evolution does occur, and is observable. We haven't, however, observed evolution on any kind of large scale that is necessary to explain the existence of diverse species.
Anyways, here are some links for evidence of Intelligent Design I got from a quick Google search:
http://www.faithandevolution.org/topics/intelligent-design/scientific-evidence-for-id.php
http://www.gotquestions.org/evidence-intelligent-design.html
The Kalam cosmological argument is one of my personal favorites.

[Path]

The intelligent design movement is based of a ancient book written by hippes in the desert 2,000 years ago. There is literally NO loving EVIDENCE to support god, or intelligent design for that matter. Everything in science displays that the Earth is billions of years old.

Science is broken in so many aspects. Want proof? Too bad. You'll never find it.
Religion is broken in so many aspects. Want proof? Too bad. You'll never find it.

See the juxtaposition?

[Path]

There's no sense defending the science of our observable universe and using it against religion, when religion is clearly based on more than our observable universe. You can't take principles that apply to one universe and throw them into another universe.

[Lego lad]

I was raised on this sentiment, that being gay is a sin. I'm also gay, so it was equally confusing when I was a kid. For the longest time I'd figured that I was either sick or that I just didn't believe in God enough, and to be openly about it, I tried to pray the gay away pretty often. Everything that I was brought up on was telling me that there was something wrong with me and I just wanted to be normal like other kids. This just made me resent other gay people and some of that resentment still exists.

I thought if people knew this about me, that they would hate me or think there was something wrong with me, or that they would hurt me. Along with that, I thought that if my parents knew, they would disown me and hate me. This really forgeted me up the most, and it was hard making friends with people while subsequently being afraid of them.

I don't have proof beyond word of mouth, but I'm pretty sure people are born gay. I honestly want to know how to stop being gay, or a lustful sinner, or whatever the forget. I didn't want to be some kinda freak and I really didn't have any sort of choice. I don't mean to antagonize you, but this whole belief ruined my childhood.