To everyone saying that because Adam sinned everybody sinned:
That's like saying because someone's father was involved in a bank robbery the children of that man should be punished also?
But they did nothing wrong, but apparently being the children of a bank robber is enough to put them in jail.
I'm not trying to convince people out of your religion, I respect that you believe in it, but actually try this. Put all your beliefs aside, and look at your religion. Does it even make any SENSE?
"prove it"
I understand your skepticism and reluctance to accept religious beliefs, I was once skeptical about religion and spirituality myself. Like I said before I was born into a very devote Roman-Catholic family. I went to Sunday school every week before we went to church, I was an altar boy, and I went to a private Catholic elementary school.
I tried to find every fault, inconsistency, and contradiction I could to disprove or falsify my Catholic upbringing. I did this in somewhat of a rebellion, but mainly because I didn't understand.
"Put all your beliefs aside, and look at your religion." Belief and faith is an integral part of religion/spirituality, putting it aside isn't an option.But if I did put aside my beliefs I still know that there is a being that created all this. I can't even begin to comprehend or imagine anything about that being, but I know. How do I know? I just open my eyes and see the world in all it's marvels and complexities.
That being said.
"Put all your beliefs aside, and look at your religion." Instead try this. Put all the superficial things in your life aside: your computer, cell phone, PDA, ps3, television, car, etc... Then look at yourself.
I personally feel that with religion and spirituality individuals and the people they interact with, live happier and healthier lives. Again I refer to people that actually practice their beliefs and not just show up to a sermon or say they are a Buddhist to be cool. People that dedicate themselves to believing in a religion or people that have come to a deep spiritual understanding are more apt to be an active member in their community and be involved with what's going on around them in society.
I feel that our relationships with the people we interact with in our lives is more important than anything. How we relate to our spouses, parents, siblings, aunts, uncles, etc. How we treat our personal relationships with friends and co-workers. Does your family have a loving relationship? Do you inconvenience yourself or go out of your way to help people around you? I personally would like to, and could do more.
For a long time I wasn't the happiest person and I was even diagnosed with depression. I started to look at my life and wonder why I was in such a crap state of mind when everything was good. I have money, I have great health, I have everything I can pretty much ask for, so why? I am a self-serving and self-absorbed person, and I have been known to be an asshole.
I started to research some philosophy and psychology to find some answers; I studied different religions and some religious texts to find answers. I really didn't find anything that helped me personally. I discovered that through my studies I have developed a better understand of things, in regards to religion and spirituality. I really feel that with the better understanding I have about these things it has made me more spiritual.
Even though all these religions differ there are an enormous amount of similarities in ALL the religions, so I am assuming that these trends in all these religions must have some validity.
Religion and spirituality is something very personal, although people share in their religious beliefs with people that share in those same beliefs, it's still something personal about it.
I find that people that are very skeptical about religion or the ones that are very defensive about their personal beliefs are the ones that truly don't believe or understand.
Religion and spirituality isn't something that can be cataloged, proved, or solved. It's something you need to explore and nurture for yourself.
Do yourself a favor and set aside your skepticism and just do some reading, you just may get enlightened. I found my own spirituality and hopefully a path to religion through doing this. I also sat down with a few different clergy members to ask a few questions; Pastor from a non-denominational church, minister from a Baptist church, Catholic priest, and I even went out of town to speak with a Buddhist monk.
I may never find a religion that I can truly "believe" in, but I can find spirituality and in my experience people with the most profound and deepest sense of spirituality have found it in some kind of religion.
These are just my personal views, not stating anything as fact.
