Comments on: God, Heaven, and Other Controversial Beliefs http://www.steve-olson.com/god-heaven-and-other-controversial-beliefs/ On a Quest for Personal Freedom Sat, 05 Jul 2008 20:00:42 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.3 By: Laura http://www.steve-olson.com/god-heaven-and-other-controversial-beliefs/#comment-82254 Laura Mon, 03 Mar 2008 19:01:05 +0000 http://www.steve-olson.com/god-heaven-and-other-controversial-beliefs/#comment-82254 Dear Steve, I am inspired by your words. For all 18 years of my existence, I was brought up Catholic. This past year, however, I started to question my faith. I knew I believed in God and Jesus, but I disagreed with many aspects of the Catholic church. In addition, I was moved by various aspects of other religions such as Buddhism. I felt ashamed that I had questioned the church, but something was not right, and I knew it. Your beliefs reiterate mine. I don't believe there is a right religion. I think all denominations offer something valuable. People get so caught up in what their parents believed or what their parish tells them. I'm not saying following those beliefs is wrong, but following them without questioning is. I think people are so scared to question. An open mind has opened my heart, and has actually increased my spirituality. So thank you again for sharing your thoughts. I think kids out there need someone to tell them that there is not one right answer. Also, I think you would like the movie Saved! starring Mandy Moore. It comments on religion today and the misconceptions in society. Laura Dear Steve,
I am inspired by your words. For all 18 years of my existence, I was brought up Catholic. This past year, however, I started to question my faith. I knew I believed in God and Jesus, but I disagreed with many aspects of the Catholic church. In addition, I was moved by various aspects of other religions such as Buddhism. I felt ashamed that I had questioned the church, but something was not right, and I knew it.

Your beliefs reiterate mine. I don’t believe there is a right religion. I think all denominations offer something valuable. People get so caught up in what their parents believed or what their parish tells them. I’m not saying following those beliefs is wrong, but following them without questioning is. I think people are so scared to question. An open mind has opened my heart, and has actually increased my spirituality.

So thank you again for sharing your thoughts. I think kids out there need someone to tell them that there is not one right answer. Also, I think you would like the movie Saved! starring Mandy Moore. It comments on religion today and the misconceptions in society.

Laura

]]> By: Randos http://www.steve-olson.com/god-heaven-and-other-controversial-beliefs/#comment-33846 Randos Wed, 01 Aug 2007 03:47:44 +0000 http://www.steve-olson.com/god-heaven-and-other-controversial-beliefs/#comment-33846 Nichole is exactly right. I agree with her. Read my response to the post that brought about this topic about what was learned from children. Children are awesome and they can teach us great things about life! The thief on the cross next to Jesus believed and it was granted to him when Jesus told him that he'd be with him in paradise. The thief witnessed everything. He saw what Jesus went through. And he still believed that it was Jesus to die for his sins and to bring him into fellowship with God in heaven. It's not all the religious acts and traditions that are going to grant us fellowship with Christ in heaven once our earthly lives are completed. We can be good people all we want or even act like we are good people, but that will not grant us the fellowship with Christ in heaven or even here on earth until our time of life is finished. It doesn't matter if you are claiming to be part of a Christian Denomination (Pentecostal, Methodist, Baptist, Lutheran, Baptist, etc. = denominations), because there are those religions that are not Christian, but it is trusting in the Lord Jesus Christ, believing that upon death on the cross, he died for our sins, and when we believe in him, we will have eternal life because Jesus is no longer dead. But he ascended up to heaven after he rose from the dead, three days, as he and Hebrew prophets had wrote. He spent about 40 days or so with his disciples and then ascended to heaven at the right hand of God. Religion and Spirituality will not grant you passage to heaven. It's simply taking up the attitude like that of a child and humbling yourself to trust in the Lord Jesus Christ to save you from the absence of the love of God in hell. So you ask, how does trusting in Jesus help us in our lives...? As he taught his disciples and those that heard, he told them that he must endure the cross because there would be a helper coming. Simply put, Jesus is speaking about the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit comes into our hearts once we accept Christ as our Saviour and Lord and helps us live in accordance with how the scriptures teach us to live. Our churches are just buildings. Just buildings. The Church is the bride of Christ. The Church are those that pledge their allegiance to Christ and Christ alone. So when you go to church you are going to a building. Going to a building doesn't make you anything except a goer. Originally the word Christian was a term to insult those that followed Christ. "-ian" is a suffix that means 1. Of, relating to, or resembling: Bostonian. 2. One relating to, belonging to, or resembling: academician. (The American Heritage On-line Dictionary) Put it all together and you get a person that relates to, resembles, belongs to Christ. Therefore: a Christian. So to conclude any misconception of what a Christian is there you go. I share my heart because I agree with Nichole. I'm giving my reasons and responses based on scriptural truth of events that truthfully happened that I believe in because I have faith in a man that died for our sins. Steve and all other readers, I hope that you will allow this short message of truth continue to encourage you to seek after the person that you were made to be in the image of God, in the image of Christ. Good day, randos Nichole is exactly right. I agree with her. Read my response to the post that brought about this topic about what was learned from children. Children are awesome and they can teach us great things about life!

The thief on the cross next to Jesus believed and it was granted to him when Jesus told him that he’d be with him in paradise. The thief witnessed everything. He saw what Jesus went through. And he still believed that it was Jesus to die for his sins and to bring him into fellowship with God in heaven.

It’s not all the religious acts and traditions that are going to grant us fellowship with Christ in heaven once our earthly lives are completed. We can be good people all we want or even act like we are good people, but that will not grant us the fellowship with Christ in heaven or even here on earth until our time of life is finished. It doesn’t matter if you are claiming to be part of a Christian Denomination (Pentecostal, Methodist, Baptist, Lutheran, Baptist, etc. = denominations), because there are those religions that are not Christian, but it is trusting in the Lord Jesus Christ, believing that upon death on the cross, he died for our sins, and when we believe in him, we will have eternal life because Jesus is no longer dead. But he ascended up to heaven after he rose from the dead, three days, as he and Hebrew prophets had wrote. He spent about 40 days or so with his disciples and then ascended to heaven at the right hand of God.

Religion and Spirituality will not grant you passage to heaven. It’s simply taking up the attitude like that of a child and humbling yourself to trust in the Lord Jesus Christ to save you from the absence of the love of God in hell.

So you ask, how does trusting in Jesus help us in our lives…? As he taught his disciples and those that heard, he told them that he must endure the cross because there would be a helper coming. Simply put, Jesus is speaking about the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit comes into our hearts once we accept Christ as our Saviour and Lord and helps us live in accordance with how the scriptures teach us to live.

Our churches are just buildings. Just buildings. The Church is the bride of Christ. The Church are those that pledge their allegiance to Christ and Christ alone. So when you go to church you are going to a building. Going to a building doesn’t make you anything except a goer. Originally the word Christian was a term to insult those that followed Christ. “-ian” is a suffix that means 1. Of, relating to, or resembling: Bostonian. 2. One relating to, belonging to, or resembling: academician. (The American Heritage On-line Dictionary) Put it all together and you get a person that relates to, resembles, belongs to Christ. Therefore: a Christian. So to conclude any misconception of what a Christian is there you go.

I share my heart because I agree with Nichole. I’m giving my reasons and responses based on scriptural truth of events that truthfully happened that I believe in because I have faith in a man that died for our sins.

Steve and all other readers, I hope that you will allow this short message of truth continue to encourage you to seek after the person that you were made to be in the image of God, in the image of Christ.

Good day, randos

]]> By: Samuel Williams http://www.steve-olson.com/god-heaven-and-other-controversial-beliefs/#comment-28745 Samuel Williams Wed, 27 Jun 2007 20:10:49 +0000 http://www.steve-olson.com/god-heaven-and-other-controversial-beliefs/#comment-28745 Well I went from Agnotic to Seventh day Adventist. So we are just the opposite. Well I went from Agnotic to Seventh day Adventist. So we are just the opposite.

]]> By: nichole http://www.steve-olson.com/god-heaven-and-other-controversial-beliefs/#comment-24053 nichole Sun, 03 Jun 2007 18:17:03 +0000 http://www.steve-olson.com/god-heaven-and-other-controversial-beliefs/#comment-24053 Dear Steve, I am a Christian. I believe in a triune God, the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. I do care about other people and salvation. If I did not care, I would simply skim over these writings and then move on without response. All this to say... Jesus loves you. He died for you on Calvary. God is faithful to us- it is this world who is not faithful to Him. I have had bad experiences with organized religion- as have other Chrisitan friends of mine. Please don't give up. I do not know why I feel so strongly to share my thoughts with you- except to say that I feel the Spirit of the Lord is upon me. God bless you Steve! - Love in Christ, nichole Dear Steve,
I am a Christian. I believe in a triune God, the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. I do care about other people and salvation. If I did not care, I would simply skim over these writings and then move on without response. All this to say… Jesus loves you. He died for you on Calvary. God is faithful to us- it is this world who is not faithful to Him. I have had bad experiences with organized religion- as have other Chrisitan friends of mine. Please don’t give up. I do not know why I feel so strongly to share my thoughts with you- except to say that I feel the Spirit of the Lord is upon me. God bless you Steve! - Love in Christ, nichole

]]> By: Link http://www.steve-olson.com/god-heaven-and-other-controversial-beliefs/#comment-19150 Link Thu, 03 May 2007 14:22:34 +0000 http://www.steve-olson.com/god-heaven-and-other-controversial-beliefs/#comment-19150 I am gay. I am an Atheist. But most importantly I am a human being. Steve Olsen is a great philosophical writer, thinker, who actually cares about people. I will judge him by his ideas and values, not by what his religion is. If his ideas are in accordance with human nature, then he is right and everybody else is wrong. But nature or reality will be the final judge. Those who disagree may do so, and if they are wrong reality will correct them. But both parties will profit because we only learn by making mistakes and sharing our mistakes and experiences with others. Unfortunately, its this kind of reasoning and thinking that America lost long ago. I am gay. I am an Atheist. But most importantly I am a human being. Steve Olsen is a great philosophical writer, thinker, who actually cares about people. I will judge him by his ideas and values, not by what his religion is. If his ideas are in accordance with human nature, then he is right and everybody else is wrong. But nature or reality will be the final judge. Those who disagree may do so, and if they are wrong reality will correct them. But both parties will profit because we only learn by making mistakes and sharing our mistakes and experiences with others.

Unfortunately, its this kind of reasoning and thinking that America lost long ago.

]]> By: Steve Olson on Freedom, Politics, and Spirituality - Spirituality Applied to Life - Balanced Life Center http://www.steve-olson.com/god-heaven-and-other-controversial-beliefs/#comment-17781 Steve Olson on Freedom, Politics, and Spirituality - Spirituality Applied to Life - Balanced Life Center Fri, 27 Apr 2007 01:25:59 +0000 http://www.steve-olson.com/god-heaven-and-other-controversial-beliefs/#comment-17781 [...] His post on God, Heaven, and Other Controversial Beliefs caught my attention. Then he followed up with classics like ‘10 Things I Wish I Never Believed‘, ‘10 Reasons Target is Better Than Walmart‘ (I agree whole heartedly), and the recent ‘When Did America Become a Nation of Frightened Wimps?‘ [...] […] His post on God, Heaven, and Other Controversial Beliefs caught my attention. Then he followed up with classics like ‘10 Things I Wish I Never Believed‘, ‘10 Reasons Target is Better Than Walmart‘ (I agree whole heartedly), and the recent ‘When Did America Become a Nation of Frightened Wimps?‘ […]

]]> By: sckrap http://www.steve-olson.com/god-heaven-and-other-controversial-beliefs/#comment-15984 sckrap Fri, 13 Apr 2007 21:40:26 +0000 http://www.steve-olson.com/god-heaven-and-other-controversial-beliefs/#comment-15984 Steve, like it or not, the beliefs you now claim to have are nothing more than new age beliefs. A hodgepodge of whatever you want to paste together that fits your comfort zone. I don't mind having beliefs that require some effort and resolve. Every belief group has people that can make things miserable. It's important to look past them and at the credo. Steve, like it or not, the beliefs you now claim to have are nothing more than new age beliefs. A hodgepodge of whatever you want to paste together that fits your comfort zone. I don’t mind having beliefs that require some effort and resolve. Every belief group has people that can make things miserable. It’s important to look past them and at the credo.

]]> By: Ken B http://www.steve-olson.com/god-heaven-and-other-controversial-beliefs/#comment-14626 Ken B Tue, 03 Apr 2007 20:11:16 +0000 http://www.steve-olson.com/god-heaven-and-other-controversial-beliefs/#comment-14626 Hi, read this entry and the "10 things" one. Good stuff. I wanted to say that I find these sort of attacks on everyday religious thoughts overzealous and dangerous, on par with McCarthyism, Stalinism, and radical Islam. Radical atheists embarass and shame me as an agnostic, scientist, and humanist. How did you go from atheism to agnosticism to renewed belief anyway? Just curious, not going to start a debate or anything. Hi, read this entry and the “10 things” one. Good stuff.

I wanted to say that I find these sort of attacks on everyday religious thoughts overzealous and dangerous, on par with McCarthyism, Stalinism, and radical Islam. Radical atheists embarass and shame me as an agnostic, scientist, and humanist.

How did you go from atheism to agnosticism to renewed belief anyway? Just curious, not going to start a debate or anything.

]]> By: Charlotte http://www.steve-olson.com/god-heaven-and-other-controversial-beliefs/#comment-9741 Charlotte Sun, 04 Mar 2007 15:01:20 +0000 http://www.steve-olson.com/god-heaven-and-other-controversial-beliefs/#comment-9741 Hi: I liked your comments. I was raised Episcopalian, and I don't ever remember anyone getting too far entrenched in miracles, or phenomenology. The sermons were mostly geared toward things like work as hard as you can, don't steal, the 10 commandments, treat each other well. My parents would laugh that the deacon was always drunk on Saturday and a corrupt lawyer. He also had affairs. I have been in different protestant sects. I couldn't be a catholic because they're too rigid and tell you what to do too much. As far as I'm concerned, Americans have a huge amount of freedom, and they must have some sense of morals and ethics because they obsess endlessly about the right and wrong. The legal system tests principles almost too much, flipping and flopping, interpreting, sometimes capriciously. The biggest fear I have is that the basic Protestantly enlightenment influenced bills of rights and constitution will be changed by people with more extreme religious beliefs than protestants. Protestantism stands for protest and leave people alone. I believe that anything that is more stringent that is imposed on americans will doom the system to failure. Hi: I liked your comments. I was raised Episcopalian, and I don’t ever remember anyone getting too far entrenched in miracles, or phenomenology. The sermons were mostly geared toward things like work as hard as you can, don’t steal, the 10 commandments, treat each other well. My parents would laugh that the deacon was always drunk on Saturday and a corrupt lawyer. He also had affairs. I have been in different protestant sects. I couldn’t be a catholic because they’re too rigid and tell you what to do too much. As far as I’m concerned, Americans have a huge amount of freedom, and they must have some sense of morals and ethics because they obsess endlessly about the right and wrong. The legal system tests principles almost too much, flipping and flopping, interpreting, sometimes capriciously. The biggest fear I have is that the basic Protestantly enlightenment influenced bills of rights and constitution will be changed by people with more extreme religious beliefs than protestants. Protestantism stands for protest and leave people alone. I believe that anything that is more stringent that is imposed on americans will doom the system to failure.

]]> By: Steve http://www.steve-olson.com/god-heaven-and-other-controversial-beliefs/#comment-5129 Steve Sat, 20 Jan 2007 19:45:34 +0000 http://www.steve-olson.com/god-heaven-and-other-controversial-beliefs/#comment-5129 Scott, I was going to delete your comment, but I decided to approve it. I wanted leave it as further testimony to how far we have to go to create a tolerant society. Scott,
I was going to delete your comment, but I decided to approve it.

I wanted leave it as further testimony to how far we have to go to create a tolerant society.

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