I want to leave religion, not from others posts but mine.
And after this post I will.
Every religion can not be in the name of the same God, no God surely would ever separate one human from another.
I refuse to think any human is lessor.
But in every God we can find the very best in mankind, and the worst, we can find control and road rules of life.
We can find reason to unite conform even fight and die.
If we need a God, let it be a new all inclusive one.
Remember my fear at visitations? my attempts to stop that fear.
I never had it on my mate/cousins visited.
Fishers Ghost, research it, a part of our country's history, its appearance seen by a few bought about the conviction of his murderers.
I a year after my mothers death, mowing the lawn , had made much change to our once crowded home.
Out of the silence unexpected my mum told me she was proud of me!
Self deception? why then was I not even thinking of her?
Something of great value exists that is very much a spiritual thing.
It I admit may be an unknown present from regions of our brain we do not understand, I prefer to think other than that.

Dear runner,

The fact that people died for a belief does not make the belief worthwhile or reasonable. Many people have died as a result of their support for Christianity, Nazism and Marxism. Other people live on and are of the opinion that none of those beliefs are worth a pail of warm spit.

Do you think Islam is worthwhile because many 'martyrs' have given their lives in suicide bombings? It appears to be fairly easy to get people to give their lives for an ideal. What is much harder is to get people to think and recognise nonsense whether that nonsense is your superstition or some other ideology or superstition.

Just on the subject of linking "spirituality" with Christianity. Somewhere in the bible it states that any "ghosty spiritually " stuff that goes on here on earth is NOT from God, but from the devil, OUG may have a clue on the appliant bible texts.

My father told all we kids that the only ghost we need to fear is one with two legs. My only comment on ghosts and why or where they haunt is that half a dozen places in Poland should have the shrieking of the millions of innocents murdered by the NAZI's cranking up every midnight, the witching hour. But most killing fields are quiet after dark.

Thank You everyone for sharing your thoughts and
experiences on this thread. It has been interesting
reading them all. I've read Richard Dawkins,
"The God Delusion." I actually bought a copy.
I found it to be a very worthwhile read.
However for me - it did not change my faith and what
I believe. I was raised as a Catholic, and I'm
probably not a very good Catholic. But it's my faith.
As I stated previously - I don't feel
any compulsion to convert anyone.

davidf

I realise many people are willing to die for many causes whether religous or not. The fact is that Jesus close followers were all cowardly before their Saviour died but went willingly to the grave after they saw the Resurrection Christ.

Your assertion that no believers in Christ think is arrogant and plainly wrong. You have to plainly close your eyes if you can't see design in this universe. Many greater thinkers much more intelligent than you have and do hold a belief in Christ. A thinker can easily see the sinful nature of man. It takes a little humility to accpet God's solution (something fundamentalist athiest severley lack).

Belly

You rightly point out shocking experiences you had with church/Christianity. You rightly point out corruption and disiluisment. What I find interesting is your love affair with Labour/Unions whose corruption is at such high level and yet you still defend them to death. I would of thought an honest look at all organisations reveals a corruption that we are all vulnerable to.The Liberal party certainly have had their share of corrupt figures. You obviously never got to know Christ who is still the only incorruptible One.