Okay let’s talk religion…why yes of course religion, this is Muslim, Christian, Jew blog spot! Here we go, I was on Facebook selectively browsing through comments to issues of religion. Many people who answered these post were claiming to either be Christian, Muslim or atheist (where's the Jews?...anyhow...). I noticed many people angered quickly or were very judgmental of opposing beliefs. So out of curiosity, I decided to view whoever responded to the post personal Facebook pages and I just had to shake my head on the things I saw.
To keep us all on the same track as to what “religion” is, time for good old Webster!…okay maybe not Webster but Encarta lol:
1. beliefs and worship: people's beliefs and opinions concerning the existence, nature, and worship of a deity or deities, and divine involvement in the universe and human life
2. system: an institutionalized or personal system of beliefs and practices relating to the divine
3. personal beliefs or values: a set of strongly-held beliefs, values, and attitudes that somebody lives by
Encarta ® World English Dictionary © & (P) 1998-2005 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.
Hmmm let’s define “lives” too:
1. vti lead particular type of existence: to spend your life in a particular way or under particular circumstances
2. vt experience something: to experience or go through something
living a dream
3. vti make life conform: to make your life conform to something such as a philosophy or religion
Encarta ® World English Dictionary © & (P) 1998-2005 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.
Oh gosh, why do you all make me do this…okay “philosophy”:
1. examination of basic concepts: the branch of knowledge or academic study devoted to the systematic examination of basic concepts such as truth, existence, reality, causality, and freedom 2. school of thought: a particular system of thought or doctrine
3. set of beliefs or aims: a precept, or set of precepts, beliefs, principles, or aims, underlying somebody's practice or conduct
Encarta ® World English Dictionary © & (P) 1998-2005 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.
Okay, so basically we have:
“religion” is strongly held beliefs that somebody lives by
“lives” is to make your life conform to a philosophy
“philosophy” is a particular doctrine underlying somebody’s conduct.
Are we all on the same sheet of music? Hope you’re dancing, well maybe the too serious folks and those without rhythm lol
Moving along, back to the issue at hand! So I was on people’s Facebook pages and got an eye full! I saw people professing to be “loving the Lord” dressing like they don’t know “the Lord” sees them. I saw people “stating pray for me to get something” and on the same page verbally degrading themselves and others…Do they not think God can read? I see in people’s profile pages that they love to watch things like “Family Guy”, “Bad Girls Club”, and “Noah's Arc” (and I’m not talking about the biblical one either) as if God does not see what they see…I found that they enjoyed drop it like it’s hot/degrading music, gambling, drinking alcohol and getting wasted! Wait, Wait, Wait, are we still talking about the “religious” folks? Uh unfortunately, YES!!! What’s up with that?!?!?
Now I hate to be the cat calling the pot black, but before I knew any better I have been guilty of a few things. All you guilty ones reading, don't get offended because really that's between you and our Maker. But I have to ask, when does one put foolish things behind and desire to be pleasing to YHWH/God/Allah (SWT)? When does that reverence for YHWH/God/Allah(SWT) kick in?
If this is the “religious” people, no wonder the world is a mess! A majority of “religious” people are so blinded and are willfully doing the work of our adversary, shatan, satan, devil, iblis! Remember religion is not just a belief, it is a way of life that you chose! Now besides lip service, when are we Muslims Christians and Jews going to start living it?
Now before all the non Muslims, non Christians and non Jews start making comments, this blog is ONLY intended for Muslims, Christians and Jews. Thanks! …
Saturday, August 28, 2010
Does faith mean you give up the God given ability to think?
Today I had an online discussion with a young lady who is of Christian faith. I was curious to know if she was aware of the many discrepancies within the bible and gave her an example. Let me go back a bit, in the beginning of our discussion things were peaceful. Once I made the statement of the discrepancies, she became angry. She made statements about her faith and that I just wanted to start a problem.
Basically after this discussion, I questioned if I understood what "faith" was, so off to Webster I went (okay Encarta):
1. belief or trust: belief in, devotion to, or trust in somebody or something, especially without logical proof
2. religion or religious group: a system of religious belief, or the group of people who adhere to it 3. trust in God: belief in and devotion to God
Encarta ® World English Dictionary © & (P) 1998-2005 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.
Next I thought I'd look up "logic":
1. philosophy theory of reasoning: the branch of philosophy that deals with the theory of deductive and inductive arguments and aims to distinguish good from bad reasoning
2. system or instance of reasoning: any system of, or an instance of, reasoning and inference
3. sensible argument and thought: sensible rational thought and argument rather than ideas that are influenced by emotion or whim
Encarta ® World English Dictionary © & (P) 1998-2005 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.
And lastly of course I had to look up "think":
1. vti form thoughts: to use the mind to consider ideas and make judgments Think carefully before you start writing.
2. vt have something as opinion: to believe something, or have something as an opinion I don't think it will rain today. She seems to think she's a good dancer.
3. vti comprehend something: to imagine or understand something or the possibility of something I can't think of letting you leave so soon.
Encarta ® World English Dictionary © & (P) 1998-2005 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.
From those definitions I come up with:
"faith is believing in something without logical proof"
"logic is sensible rational thought and argument rather than ideas that are influenced by emotion"
"think is to use your mind to consider ideas and make judgment"
Okay now that we all are on the same set of definitions, let's bring the point home. I believe when God/religions implies that we are to have faith He/they are not intending for us to completely ignore our ability to think. I seriously doubt God wants us to believe in Him based strictly on our emotions, because let's face it those change like the wind. And since faith is something that requires no logical proof and is more so an emotional decision I dare to state that this is not how God wants us to base our belief in Him. The faith aspect of God would come to play when we want to figure out how God does what He does. With all the knowledge we have in science we still really don't know how God created the earth (out side of Him speaking it into existence). Since we can not logically explain this, that is where our faith kicks in! You see, I don't need logical proof as to how God created the heavens and the earth, my faith in God covers that.
I wish others could see and understand this distinction, that is what started this blog. Now before all the non Muslims, non Christians and non Jews start making comments, this blog is ONLY intended for Muslims, Christians and Jews. Thanks!
Basically after this discussion, I questioned if I understood what "faith" was, so off to Webster I went (okay Encarta):
1. belief or trust: belief in, devotion to, or trust in somebody or something, especially without logical proof
2. religion or religious group: a system of religious belief, or the group of people who adhere to it 3. trust in God: belief in and devotion to God
Encarta ® World English Dictionary © & (P) 1998-2005 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.
Next I thought I'd look up "logic":
1. philosophy theory of reasoning: the branch of philosophy that deals with the theory of deductive and inductive arguments and aims to distinguish good from bad reasoning
2. system or instance of reasoning: any system of, or an instance of, reasoning and inference
3. sensible argument and thought: sensible rational thought and argument rather than ideas that are influenced by emotion or whim
Encarta ® World English Dictionary © & (P) 1998-2005 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.
And lastly of course I had to look up "think":
1. vti form thoughts: to use the mind to consider ideas and make judgments Think carefully before you start writing.
2. vt have something as opinion: to believe something, or have something as an opinion I don't think it will rain today. She seems to think she's a good dancer.
3. vti comprehend something: to imagine or understand something or the possibility of something I can't think of letting you leave so soon.
Encarta ® World English Dictionary © & (P) 1998-2005 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.
From those definitions I come up with:
"faith is believing in something without logical proof"
"logic is sensible rational thought and argument rather than ideas that are influenced by emotion"
"think is to use your mind to consider ideas and make judgment"
Okay now that we all are on the same set of definitions, let's bring the point home. I believe when God/religions implies that we are to have faith He/they are not intending for us to completely ignore our ability to think. I seriously doubt God wants us to believe in Him based strictly on our emotions, because let's face it those change like the wind. And since faith is something that requires no logical proof and is more so an emotional decision I dare to state that this is not how God wants us to base our belief in Him. The faith aspect of God would come to play when we want to figure out how God does what He does. With all the knowledge we have in science we still really don't know how God created the earth (out side of Him speaking it into existence). Since we can not logically explain this, that is where our faith kicks in! You see, I don't need logical proof as to how God created the heavens and the earth, my faith in God covers that.
I wish others could see and understand this distinction, that is what started this blog. Now before all the non Muslims, non Christians and non Jews start making comments, this blog is ONLY intended for Muslims, Christians and Jews. Thanks!
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