Stephen Baldwin praying for Tom Cruise

**SammysMom** · September 14th, 2006, 04:33 PM

I too Bella am Catholic, not raised on it but in 2004 I decided to go back and give it a try. I dont believe alot of what the Catholic religion believes. My mom and husband were brought up very very strict Catholics. They both do not attend mass because of the "guilt" drilled into them. I too cant wrap my head around God/Jesus being so mean or whatever you want to call it that you are "damned to hell". One good thing my father did teach me about God is he is a forgiving God and when it comes to it he wants us all to be happy with our lives and how we live it.
I will look for that book at the library.

**Bellatheball** · September 14th, 2006, 04:38 PM

^^ I haven't read it so I can't speak to it. It sounds interesting though.

**WickedHo** · September 14th, 2006, 04:44 PM

I believe in "good." And I believe in "evil."

I believe "Hell" is nothing more than a concentration of evil/negative energy.

I believe "Heaven" is nothing more than a concentration of good/positive energy.

Energy is neither created nor destroyed. (according to physics)

The soul is intangible energy. It is tuned in to the negative and the positive.

Like some instruments produce different sounds depending on the size/shape of the instrument and the frequency/vibrations of the strings (or fabric, etc.), our souls are strummed by our life's experiences.

If your soul gets a lot of negative strumming, it will become tuned in to that negative energy, and you'll end up in "Hell" as a result. (see below) Same thing for "Heaven," vice versa. (see below)

And, finally, "Heaven" and "Hell" are nothing but concentrations of energy that attract like concentrations of energy (souls). But, unlike light from a black hole, souls can escape. And since energy is neither created nor destroyed, this energy gets recycled into the universe, and sometimes it gets reattached to a human form. Thus: Reincarnation.

^^^ Yeah, like none of THAT was confusing.

**mistify** · September 14th, 2006, 04:45 PM

THat is what I believe too.. God is a loving and forgiving God.. I also believe that most of us that believe in a higher power are praying to GOD. I was always taught Allah was God..... To me organized religion kinda misses the point of so many things. Sylvia Browne wrote a book about Jesus actually studying Hinduism, Buddhism, and that he traveled to India and a few other places, this would say to me he was willing to listen to all different kinds of beliefs. And in the bible doesn't it say he threw out people in the synagogues for taking money??? I dont know if I am wording this right am a little rusty on alot of my scriptures... Besides Jesus taught anywhere. So many churches now a days are just corrupt.... Has anyone noticed the rudest drivers almost always have a freakin religious fish on them???????????????

**WickedHo** · September 14th, 2006, 04:55 PM

Jesus was cool. He was a maverick, the ultimate Revolutionary. Yea, Jesus!!

Don't tell anybody, but I have a bit of a crush on him.

**ediebrooks** · September 14th, 2006, 05:09 PM

I can't believe this thread is 13 pages long! As I stated early in the thread, I don't have a problem with Stephen Baldwin praying for Tom Cruise, because Tom Cruise definitely needs some kind of help. Baldwin may be a jerk, but beggars can't be choosers.

As far as religion goes, I have never found much inspiration in a church setting. I do think there is a God energy and I think it is very likely He was active in creating the universe, but I'm not sure how involved He is in our daily lives. I can't picture Him agonizing over folks' lives like a soap opera viewer.

And, I agree, WickedHo, Jesus was cool. He talked a lot about gentleness and tolerance, but when he turned over those moneychangers' tables in the Temple, he showed he was no wimp. Go, Jesus!

**savansa** · September 14th, 2006, 06:05 PM

Jesus was cool but a little too codependant. Christianity is ok but I don't like the negativity to it, the part that says we're sinners that need redemption. I feel bad for Christians for having that in their brain all the time.

**Lobelia** · September 14th, 2006, 11:16 PM

Bless your heart, but no need to feel bad for me! If there's anything in my brain all the time, it's that God loves me. Btw, how was Jesus "codependant?" Such a trendy word, & I just can't imagine how it applies here.

**Laurent** · September 14th, 2006, 11:35 PM

Originally Posted by Lobelia

Sorry to disagree with you, PB, but I have only met a handful of these people in my entire life, but I've met hundreds like me - under the radar, minding our own business, not out there getting attention for aggressively shoving Jesus down the throats of nonbelievers.

Yeah, I'll admit I'm a little touchy about this, because I don't like being stereotyped. I don't like the insinuation that I'm part of a defective bunch of folks who require extra assistance in this world because we're not equipped to handle it on our own. Like we're the Special Ed people of society, and our resource class is church.

I'm glad you posted this. I couldn't have said it nearly as well, but I agree with every word. I'm a Christian, but I try not to judge and to be tolerant of others and that's what I think being a Christian is about.

**Lobelia** · September 15th, 2006, 12:00 AM

Thanks for speaking up. Those of us who feel this way hesitate to speak up for fear of being labelled one of those pushy preachy Jesus bigots, but maybe that's where we've gone wrong. Obviously, we're like fairies...people don't think we exist.

**buttmunch** · September 15th, 2006, 02:08 AM

I'm curious, though: How are you raising your kids? To think/believe like you or to decide for themselves what their beliefs (or non-beliefs) are?

As I said earlier, my kids are free agents in this area. When they have questions about God (like when the ultra-religious kids at school tell him he's going to hell if he doesn't believe in God) I tell him lots of people believe in lots of different things. His school has religion class--which I was a bit unsure about at first--and it explains all the major religions, which I like. Knowledge is a powerful thing and no matter how my kids end up viewing religion, at least they'll be working from a base of knowledge. I'm in no position to tell them what to think since it's taken me years to sort this out for myself and I can only do what I think is right for me. And that's pretty much what I tell them: learn all you can and take it from there. They're not all that interested except in a very abstract way, mainly brought on by the aforementioned 'you're going to hell' classmates. I figure as long as I give them a good moral structure, teach them to treat others well and live a good and productive life, they'll be fine.

**Sojiita** · September 15th, 2006, 03:09 AM

Originally Posted by SlimandSexxy

Someone needs to setup a prayoff......Now that I want to see!!!!

It really would be fun: $cientology versus extreme Krazy Kristian Fundamentalism!

*"Krazy Kristian" is copyrighted and maynot be reproduced in any form without the express written consent of the owner and originator of said phrase, the Supreme Sojiita.
-this phrase in no way refers to people of the "Christian Faith" who are not zealous crazy fundamentalists.
-no animals were harmed in the production of this phrase.*

Originally Posted by WickedHo

Jesus was cool. He was a maverick, the ultimate Revolutionary. Yea, Jesus!!

Don't tell anybody, but I have a bit of a crush on him.

That is another thing..the way Jesus has been portrayed in so many paintings and things...Jesus was HOT!

I have seen one painting of Jesus in a church here in town that made Jesus look DAMN HOT! I wanted that painting!

*if 'they' are right I am sooo going straight to the hottest part of hell!

*

**savansa** · September 15th, 2006, 05:24 AM

Originally Posted by Lobelia

Bless your heart, but no need to feel bad for me! If there's anything in my brain all the time, it's that God loves me. Btw, how was Jesus "codependant?" Such a trendy word, & I just can't imagine how it applies here.

I never understood why he cared what people thought of him. I think if he loved us he wouldn't put conditions on it. I also have a problem that it doesn't matter what you do as long as you believe in Jesus you'll be saved. So you can act like Stephen Baldwin and harrass, shame, and scare people in God's name (re: the porn shop) and that's fine and dandy. I think if Stephen really had God in his heart he wouldn't behave that way.

**WickedHo** · September 15th, 2006, 10:20 AM

Originally Posted by Sojiita

That is another thing..the way Jesus has been portrayed in so many paintings and things...Jesus was HOT!

I have seen one painting of Jesus in a church here in town that made Jesus look DAMN HOT! I wanted that painting!

*if 'they' are right I am sooo going straight to the hottest part of hell! *

At least the view is nice!

You wanna be roommates?

**buttmunch** · September 15th, 2006, 10:37 AM

Jesus is incorrectly portrayed in most western churches, etc. If he to be portrayed correctly, he would not have flowing blond hair and be dressed like the pansy of Palestine, he'd instead be dark complexioned with kinky/afro hair...and dressed like the pansy of Palestine.