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From: ptl@fluke.UUCP
Newsgroups: talk.religion.misc,net.religion.christian
Subject: Re: Why believe in religion?
Message-ID: <677@cal-asd.fluke.UUCP>
Date: Tue, 7-Oct-86 15:15:54 EDT
Article-I.D.: cal-asd.677
Posted: Tue Oct  7 15:15:54 1986
Date-Received: Wed, 8-Oct-86 04:13:54 EDT
References: <1165@cybvax0.UUCP> <664@cal-asd.fluke.UUCP> <1174@cybvax0.UUCP>
Reply-To: ptl@cal-asd.UUCP (Mike Andrews)
Distribution: na
Organization: John Fluke Mfg. Co., Inc., Everett, WA
Lines: 47



Hi,

[regarding seeing religion as a tool]
In article <1174@cybvax0.UUCP> mrh@cybvax0.UUCP (Mike Huybensz) writes:
>...Having a tool doesn't guarantee that the tool is good for the claimed use.
>By your analogy, every religion is a tool.  And I strongly doubt that you
>would conceed the others are all good for their claimed uses.

Every religion is a tool.  Not all are established by God, and even of the
ones that are, not all the tools are always used correctly.  I look at the
Christian church as the people who make it up.  No one is perfect, not
even Christians :-) .  So pointing to imperfect Christians, telling how
they've messed up at times, while overlooking the many good things they
have done and are doing, then saying this shows God is non-existant, or
imperfect, or evil --- is comparing apples to oranges.  Someone could be
the world's worst worker, but that doesn't mean the president of the
company doesn't exist, otherwise he'd get rid of the guy; or that he must be
a rotten president to allow this guy to continue to work there; or that
the president must have it in for everyone who purchases his products
because he has a poor worker involved in making some of them.

[regarding why Mike Huybensz would believe God has no interest in him]
>I don't believe that at all.  It never comes up because I don't believe in
>gods. ...
>Mike Huybensz		...decvax!genrad!mit-eddie!cybvax0!mrh

Why do you fight so hard against the God you don't believe exists, and
specifically get involved in net.religion.christian to spend time and
energy to attack those who do choose to believe in Him?  Will you move
your discussions over to mod.religion.christain, or do you think expressing
your sincere doubts and concerns will be not allowed there?  Give it a try.

I have a real hard time believing in God sometimes, more often than I wish.
There are times I get more than just angry with Him, tired of trying to
act Christian when it doesn't get me anywhere.  It's at these times I learn
more about myself - if I get tired of acting like a Christian because I don't
get anything out of it, then why do I act like a Christian in the first place?
So others will be impressed with the me they are shown - strong, faithfilled
Christian ... etc, or so God will be pleased to see me loving those same
others for Him?


God Bless,

Mike Andrews