Paperback: $15.95 USD
Hardcover: $28.95 USD
|
|
|
 There was a time, not long ago, that the well-dressed man had his suits custom-made by a tailor. There were ready-made suits for sale in all the stores, but for those who cared a great deal about their appearance, nothing “off the rack” could compare to the fit of that tailor-made suit.
When it comes to our relation with our Creator, churches encourage us to shop for a good fit by choosing from the religions that have been designed to fit everyone. For something so personal as a relationship with our maker, can something “off the rack” really suffice?
|
 |
If the Bible was written by or inspired by God, the attitudes described in it must be the attitude of God. If we are God’s children, we should emulate those attitudes in our effort to please God.
Ask yourself why you had children. Did you create these new lives in the hope that they would fall on their knees and worship you? I hope not! Do you want to nurture them and teach them? If you are a good parent, the answer must be a resounding yes! Do you hope they will become independent, responsible adults capable of making wise decisions and enjoying a healthy, prosperous and happy life? Of course you do! Do you make sacrifices to provide for them, or do you expect them to make sacrifices to you?
Why would you believe that the Creator thinks differently than you do?
|
| |
Many Religions teach us that God created “the Heavens and the Earth” for Mankind – His children. And yet, if that were true there would seem to be no purpose for Mars, Venus, Jupiter… meteors, comets…. other stars, other galaxies….because we can’t live anywhere but here.
If God had a purpose for all that He created, we cannot possibly know what that purpose was. No one can know the mind of God or if, in fact, there even is a mind of God. There will always be people who think they know – some have even written books about it - but they are just fooling themselves. Worse than that, they are fooling the people who choose to believe them.
|
| |
Heaven and Hell, the Bible tells us, are places we go when we die. The choice, though, is made while we are still living. Hmm….
But we need not wait! Standing in a checkout line for what seems like an eternity, while the person ahead of us argues over the price of each item and then can’t find the right change - can be Hell!
When kicking back on my day off, with nothing demanding to be done, time seems to stand still - and life is Heavenly.
It would seem like a good idea to enjoy all the Heavenly moments we can, and avoid all the Hellish situations as much as possible. Why wait until life is over?
|
| |
First, let me say that I am NOT religious. I am not “reborn”. I am pretty sure being born once was enough. I do NOT believe in a personal God, with human characteristics, that personally takes care of each and every one of us.
When I use the term “God”, I am referring to an intelligence that I believe exists throughout the universe – intelligence far greater than our own. This “God” is responsible for the creation of the Universe and everything in it, but we are responsible for our own day-to-day thoughts and actions. You can blame God for the fact that you have a life, but you can’t blame God for all the less-than-intelligent things you may have done with your life.
Now that we have established my definition of a God that I cannot see, it could be said that I take God’s existence on faith. But, I can prove God exists, using accepted scientific methods!
|
| |
Government is inevitable. Government, in the wrong hands, is dangerous.
Religion is inevitable. Religion, in the wrong hands, is dangerous.
Strict, tyrannical governments are the enemy of progress.
Strict, tyrannical religions are the enemy of progress.
When government is conducted openly, encouraging a free exchange of views from its constituents, all of its people flourish. The same could, logically, be said of religion. Democracy is conditioned upon the belief that each of us has a right to determine our own fate. Imagine a democratic religion! It shouldn’t be difficult to imagine.
After all, isn’t that what “free will” means?
Religions, as with other arbitrary societal distinctions, tend to make us aware of our differences and blind to our similarities. The result is to make us less moral, not more so! The evils of organized religion IMO far outweigh the benefits, but we are a communal species. We will always seek the company of those who are like us in some way - religious beliefs, ethnicity, political views, etc. - because there is a perceived safety in the familiar.
As a species, we survived in part by banding together and we will continue to do so. (Even Atheists seek the company of other Atheists). Those who leave the beaten path and seek new ways to think have always been a small percentage. The majority - despite all the talk of individuality in our society - follow like sheep. And using that analogy, we all know that the sheep that strays becomes easy prey for predators, which is why the sheep tend to stay with their fold.
I've met many people with whom I agree on some things, but I have never met anyone with whom I agree on everything! In order to belong to a group - whether it is a church or a political party - one is expected to agree with everything that group stands for! Considering the entrance requirements for group membership, how can anyone be truly ethical while also willing to concede one's own opinion to that of the group?
|
| |
All the self-help books merely touch the surface. Yes, many of them contain much good advice, but until we alter our basic thinking – our most primitive conditioning – we cannot succeed in building a happy life.
Everything we do to find happiness can seem selfish. We gain an education in order to improve our ability to produce an income, but then ask; is this what God wants for us? We look for the perfect mate, someone who will make us feel complete and alive, but then ask; is it in accordance with “God’s Plan”? While we are doing things to make our lives and the lives of our loved ones better we are made to feel guilty, fearing that maybe we aren’t pleasing God enough. The basic assumption that pleasure is a sign of selfishness undermines our conscious efforts to direct our own lives.
This is because religion teaches us that the primary reason for our existence is to serve God.
|
|
|
Which is your favorite book?
61 votes
|
|
