To Belly.

Thank you for the encouragement. I've got the impression that my thought and opinions are like a scourge to everyone else here. If that's your thoughts too, I wouldn't be surprised by that anymore. But thank you for the uplifting thoughts that you think I have the best in mind for humanity.

If we are talking about rights, then yes I think you and everyone else has the right to believe what they want and to think as they will. If we are talking about the truth then I would encourage anyone the same way my dad encouraged me when I was younger to investigate on my own about God and what is true and what isn't.

If we go more then that though, there's one more element to the equation. Regardless if my faith is true or not, many people hate the idea of religion being publicly taught, or to have religion shoved down their throats. On the other hand if a certain religion is true and isn't taught it's to the detriment of the community around it that no one goes to and teaches. It is in that light that many Christians feel a calling to save others. The knowledge might be enough to bring a nonbeliever to God and save their soul. I can't say if that's the same motivation from a muslim's point of view, but I have to assume that many who teach, do so because they believe it is good to be an outreach the rest of the community. With that in mind I don't think it's my gift or my calling to save people (hopefully I can still teach though). But in spite of any religion being true or not, there is a dynamic of a need to share the truth and a countering dynamic of those who don't want to hear anything resembling religion or a belief in God.

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As for your questions here are my thoughts.

<If he/she did why let so many others exist, why kill in his/her name?>

I don't know why God let do many other false religions come and go. But my best guess is because we are a fallen people, and God allowed our lies about Him or about other gods to be there along with our other lies in the world.

Regarding those who kill in God's name, I don't think I know of anyone who can say they kill because God told them to. In the bible there were times where Israel was at war with the nations in Canaan. In those times I think there are parts where God said to Israel to go to war as an extension of His judgment of the people of Canaan. Outside of that kind of thing, It's my impression that religion has been used to fuel wars by identifying the people as the same people under the same beliefs. However by using religion in that way, I think it's been done in spite of what that religion teaches. My understanding as a Christian is that Jesus said to turn the other cheek, and that there is no teaching to kill in God's name.

<why acts of pedophilia by his/her servents?>

I wish I knew. Best guess is that mankind is a broken people, and a lesson to trust God instead of trusting men. (Not that that teaching is alone, because there's also a teaching that it's wise to have many advisers. But just that we should put the amount of trust we give to God only to God, instead of trusting ministers to be free from corruption or as much evil as the rest of us can be part of). Either way I wish I had a better answer so to cleanse the church from pedophilia and other abuse.

To David F.

Am I free to believe what I want? Or is it your job to try and shove your opinions down my throat?

Conversely you are free to disbelieve in the world around you. In modern day events of people's lives that shed light on a spiritual and supernatural side to the world, you are free to not believe any of it. But it's living in the dark if you can't tell there's something more out there. You're free to believe that way though. Several people do.

I've given you counterpoints to the assertions you gave earlier. There's no need to get ugly and angry as you seem too inclined to do.

david f, if God "spoke" *directly* to people's minds their heads would explode. Hence special intermediaries, who may have evolved to a sufficient level over many reincarnations.

"but more and more humans are becoming aware that it is rubbish"

The particular representational forms of "God" may be inaccurate, but modern science actually postulates that consciousness creates the universe. That's a mighty powerful Consciousness!

Ancient people intuited this, but did not know how to express that, so anthropomorphised it.

It is the materialist universe that is the soon-to-be-extinct outdated belief.

Dear NNS,

You are a human being as I am. I believe you are a sincere human being. We are often at odds and will continue to be at odds. My first awareness of you was when you posted "Hear me out." It was you who wanted to shove your beliefs down other people's throats. I merely reacted to you. Taking exception to your nonsense is not shoving my beliefs down anybody's throat. It is you who claim to be saving people not me. It is you who are concerned about people going to hell if they don't subscribe to your particular brand of nonsense. I believe hell is simply something made up which frightens gullible people. It is not a good thing to frighten gullible people. We will all die, and that will be the end for us. There is no need to be frightened of anything after that.

I like this quote:

Go to heaven for the climate.
Hell for the company. :)