Religion question about the different diversity?

[randomperson]

Ok. I believe in God. But my beliefs are not like most peoples.

In a Christians eyes, "only those who believe in christ go to heaven,". Umm, I don't know about you, but I personally find it very unpleasant that you think that 6/9 people go to your "hell". (33% of the world's population are christians.)

Also, about creationists. I am a evolutionist, and that doesn't mean I am a atheist. I am a deist. My point I am trying to prove is that don't you think God created everything with intelligence, or, do you believe what you have been told which is God just said "ABRA-KADABRA!" and everything was just right there.

Atheists, I know you do not believe in God, so answering this question is kinda useless. I want to know religious opinions on this matter.

 

[imacatholic2]

Your beliefs are not a different as you think.

+ Non-Christians +

The Catholic Church teaches:

About Judaism: "The Jewish faith, unlike other non-Christian religions, is already a response to God's revelation in the Old Covenant. To the Jews "belong the sonship, the glory, the covenants, the giving of the law, the worship, and the promises; to them belong the patriarchs, and of their race, according to the flesh, is the Christ"; "for the gifts and the call of God are irrevocable.

About Islam: The plan of salvation also includes those who acknowledge the Creator, in the first place amongst whom are the Muslims; these profess to hold the faith of Abraham, and together with us they adore the one, merciful God, mankind's judge on the last day.

About other non-Christian religions: All nations form but one community. This is so because all stem from the one stock which God created to people the entire earth, and also because all share a common destiny, namely God. His providence, evident goodness, and saving designs extend to all against the day when the elect are gathered together in the holy city.

For more information, see:
• Nostra Aetate, the Declaration on the Relation of the church to Non-Christian Religions: http://www.vatican.va/archive/hist_councils/ii_vatican_council/documents/vat-ii_decl_19651028_nostra-aetate_en.html
• The Catechism of the Catholic Church, sections 839 and following: http://www.usccb.org/catechism/text/pt1sect2chpt3art9p3.htm#839

+ Evolution +

Most Christians do not take the stories of creation in the Bible literally. Catholics believe the book of Genesis tells religious truth and not necessarily historical fact.

One of the religious truths is that God created everything and declared all was good.

Catholics can believe in the theories of the big bang or evolution or both or neither.

On August 12, 1950 Pope Pius XII said in his encyclical Humani generis:

The Teaching Authority of the Church does not forbid that, in conformity with the present state of human sciences and sacred theology, research and discussions, on the part of men experienced in both fields, take place with regard to the doctrine of evolution, in as far as it inquires into the origin of the human body as coming from pre-existent and living matter - for the Catholic faith obliges us to hold that souls are immediately created by God.

Here is the complete encyclical: http://www.vatican.va/holy_father/pius_xii/encyclicals/documents/hf_p-xii_enc_12081950_humani-generis_en.html

And here is the Address of Pope John Paul II to the Pontifical Academy of Sciences on October 22, 1996 speaking of the Theory of Evolution: http://www.newadvent.org/library/docs_jp02tc.htm

Here is an interesting article about Pope John Paul II's opinion in the matter: http://www.americamagazine.org/content/article.cfm?article_id=4627

The Church supports science in the discovery of God's creation. At this time, the theories of the big bang and evolution are the most logical scientific explanations. However tomorrow someone may come up with better ideas.

As long as we believe that God started the whole thing, both the Bible and responsible modern science can live in harmony.

The Clergy Letter Project an open letter endorsing the Theory of Evolution signed by over 10,000 clergy from many different Christian denominations: http://www.butler.edu/clergyproject/rel_evol_sun.htm

With love in Christ.

 

[SeniorIC:UUAtheist]

Deism is good. I'm down with that.

 

[RayG]

Funny you should use the word ABRACADABRA in your post. Do you know what it means? It is a corruption of the Hebrew phrase Abera kadabera, which means "I am creating as I am speaking." Why do you think it is a classic among magicians? Anyway, to the question, I also believe that God used intellect to make everything. I further believe that He does not use "magic" at any time since that would mean He had to break His own rules. This does not mean that I reject the idea of miracles, I just think that they are possible within the laws of nature, if you know how to manipulate them.