I think all atheist, non-believers, agnostics are in this category searching for REAL truth. Am I right?

I, a practicing Pagan do not have a hatred toward Christians collectively. I strongly dislike being told that I am going to "go to hell," but who wouldn't? I thoroughly enjoy discussing the differences & similarities of my religion with intelligent, information-seeking Christians.

I am not angry. And the hurts that I have suffered in my life would warrant my carrying a chip on my shoulder that would crush the life out of most people. I find love & joy in every day. It's a rare occasion for me to get angry, as there are much healthier ways to feel, and resolve differences.

Probably the nearest thing I could use to describe "who influences" my belief is Providence. My belief is not based on a "who" but rather on a sensory guideline. I believe what I do because I have strong faith in Universal Spirit. When the Spirit is combined with proper intent, then all things are possible.

Jesus Christ is the man who faithful Christians believe to be the Son of God. Admitedly, it confuses me how he became the God of choice over his father, but that would be a different topic.

After studying Christ-based religions, and living my own Faith-based religion, I just can't be convinced that Jesus Christ is the only way to eternal life. If it were true, then I suppose I would have to make the best of what I've got & know that I've made a positive mark on this world with the one & only chance I had. No, I would not choose him.

My heart swells with love. In fact, my love cannot be contained within me. It radiates to my friends & family, and even onto strangers. Nor is it limited to peoples. I love every day wherein I see the magic of beauty in my life. Perhaps it's something so small as a butterfly landing near where I sit to eat my lunch. Perhaps it's a spectacular sunrise, thus I know that I have a fresh canvas upon which to paint another living day.

My hope lies in my pain. I hope that on just one day, I will be surrounded by people who have found a faith that works for them...one where they find both freedom and support when they need it. Seeing so much conflict over the title of God causes me pain. All religions seem to have the same basics, do they not? So why must any religion have a title?

Myself, I cannot believe in a gendered God. The universe is in balance only when you have either equality in genders, or neutrality in gender. I choose neutrality. This gives me a Universal Spirit which enfolds the strengths of all.

Thank you for asking. It is a rare pleasure to be invited to tell my viewpoint. I hope that by learning the similarities of our faiths that you can learn acceptance and tolerance of our differences. You will be a valuable person to the world if you do.

May your God bless you with strength and joy.

That's a lot of questions.

I don't hate believers although I sometimes pity them.

I haven't been hurt in life, my life has been pretty good.

Everyone influences my belief system and there is no way for you or I to tell why we believe what we do. Beliefs are not chosen willfully (just try to not believe in God for an hour or two).

Jesus to me is an ideal created by people to represent what they think the very best human could be. And that turns out to be the Son of God for many.

If I 'knew' what you say, I wouldn't be choosing, would I?

I have a great deal of love for too many things to list. It's just that Jesus isn't on the list.

My hope lies in small, day to day things. For instance, my nephew will be visiting soon, and I hope we get along, that I can teach him some interesting things.

Your last question I already answered. We do not choose to not believe no more than we choose to be right handed. We believe the same way you do- it makes sense to us. It is a grand world that allows more than one way to understand it. If you wish to know what it is like to not believe, just remember the time before you first believed if you can. It's not an easy thing to do, but you must know that there was such a time, even for you. A time before you believed.

No most people here are not searching for real truth, you are forcing your beliefs on others, which is why people don't hang out with you. Nobody hates Christians, we just all hate stupid bleeding heart questions like this, which just happen to always be written by some Christian who thinks they need to tell the world what they believe. I am not angry. My belief system is influenced by reailty and logic. Jesus is my landscaper. There is no such thing as eternal life, it is impossible as time is only a concept which exists in the human mind. I have lots of love in my heart, it's for people who don't try to push their beliefs onto others. Where does my hope lie? What does this even mean? I do believe in God, I just believe that God is a personal choice, and a personal decision, just like politics, and I don't need any bodies help coming to God, or rules to help me act godly. Do you even know what beligerance means? It is people like yourself that make people sick of hearing from Christians, so congratulations on being a dumbass.

I don't "choose" not to believe in God, any more than I "choose" not to believe in Santa Claus or aliens from outer space. I simply find it unbelievable, so I don't believe.

The reason I'm here is to try to get people to think about their religion, in order to try to stem the tide of Christians who are trying to destroy my country by destroying the United States Constitution. I do not want to live in a Christian theocracy that uses the Bible as the basis of its laws. I've read the Bible 3 times, and have studied it quite extensively (which is an on-going process, by the way), and I find the God represented in its pages to be despicable, cruel and brutal, and I wouldn't worship it even if it did exist, because it is not worthy of my praise or worship.

I believe what I do because I've read about 10,000 books and given a great deal of thought to the things I've read and experienced. I do my own thinking, I don't rely on the thinking of people who only CLAIM to know the truth.

I think Jesus was a fictional character, just like the many other dying and rising saviour gods of antiquity, whose cult was spread by the sword by wealth-seeking power-mongers.

If Jesus were the only way to eternal life, I still would choose death rather than to be an eternal slave of the brutal God of the Bible. If I were to die and find out that such a despicable being really did exist, I'd spend the rest of eternity trying to kill it.

My hope? I'm a pessimist, so I don't have much "hope". I think it would be great if the human race could colonize other planets, thereby reproducing the Earth, which is a planetary organism and so must reproduce to remain viable. But since my death will keep me from ever learning one way or the other if that occurs, I'll just live my life and die, like all the other billions who've lived and died before me.

Jesus said, in John 12:47, "If any man hear my words, and believe not, I judge him not."

So, if Jesus doesn't judge us unbelievers, why should you?

Science has questions that may never be answered, and Christianity has answers that may never be questioned.

"Why do you have such hatred and beligerance toward Christian's all of you who choose not to believe in Christ?"

Actually I really don't have hatred towards Christians, I am probably way more accepting than most Christians, I simply treat the Bible as any other form of mythology. I mean, once you can prove that Jesus was the son of God, I'll believe it.

"Who has hurt you so bad in life that you've become so angry?"

I am not at all angry, I mean sure i get mad when someone eggs my house but who doesn't?

"Who influences your belief system? And why do you believe what you do?"

I suppose I let everyone influence my belief system, it's not really a system, I guess I tend to believe what has been proved to me. I believe that IF there is a God he is so much more advanced than us that we can't even comprehend him. So Why bother trying and worrying about what is going to happen when we have no control anyway. I believe that religion grows off of what we can't understand. It must be something like, someone way back when wanted to know where we went when we died so he thought about it, but our minds simply can't comprehend nothing. So instead they made up something that helped them rest easy and it just became the accepted reality.

"To you who is Jesus?"

Jesus is a character in a story of Mythology. Well actually I am not sure about that. I mean, maybe he was a magician and that is how he did all his miracles. I mean it seems like he has had such a huge influence that he must have been a real person, but that doesn't make him the son of God, I mean, I bed Marlin Luther King Jr. has influenced nearly as many people. Or Einstein.

"If you knew that Jesus Christ was the only way to eternal life, would you choose Him?"

I don't believe in Eternal life. And if there is one, i want no part of it, I think it is ridiculous to live your life for an afterlife that you can't truly be sure is there. I know... FAITH. Well, if I have faith that there are walnut M&M's does that mean there are? No.

"Of those who do not believe, do you have any love at all in your heart? Who is it for or what is it?"

Of course I have love in my heart. I have love for my friends, for my family, for people in need. My passion is children, I want to work with kids forever. I poor my love into my music, and my Art. I Poor my love into helping people who I don't know but I know need me. Isn't that better than pooring your love into someone you are not sure is there who doesn't need you in the slightest?

"Where does your hope lie?"

I am a bit unsure about the nature of this question. If you mean what do I hope for then... Everyone to be a conservative. That I can someday own my own successful and thriving daycare. To be happily married with many healthy children etc. If you mean, what do I use to keep myself hopeful, everyday life. Every good day gives me hope and happiness, every smile gives hope.

"I've always wanted to know why or how people cannot/do not choose to believe in God when He loves you so much....."

Prove to me that he loves me, I mean, if you met some guy online whom you had never talked to before, who claimed that he loved you eternally, would you belive it. Of course not, you would probably call the cops.

If you have any other questions by all means e-mail me, I would love to chat with you.

P.S. Why do you think I am angry?

I don't hate Christians. I hate ingnorance. Bible thumpers are impervious to logic. Take their word "Faith" and replace it with blindly believing in something that has no basis in Science, Reason, or Logic. Most people would not follow this in their daily lives yet they do with something as important as the Truth.

I don't hurt. I've had so many questions about this mystery called life. And thankfully I've found Atheism. Atheism answers every question I have about life. And if it can't explain something it doesn't pretend to. Unlike religion which claims to have all the answers to everything, even though the facts dont' support these claims. Religion just doesn't sit right with me.

My hope lies with the knowing that when you die. You die. That's it. No heaven hell or "purgatory"... give me a break. So I just hope that I can live this one life to the fullest and accomplish all of my dreams and when I am laying on my deathbed I hope to have no regrets.

Oh and if God loves me so much, then why did he give me such an inquisitive brain that needs proof? If he knew that what he gives us wouldn't be enough for me then why the games? Ahhh I get it. A God that likes to mess with us, test us, roll the dice with us....

Ok, hopefully I can clear up some of your confusion. First question's answer: we don't HATE the churches or christians, we just don't believe in what they believe in and, like them, aren't afraid to stick up for our beliefs when pressed. People see this and think we hate churches or christians, but that's just not true.

Second question's answer: Not all of us are just angry at the world, some of us, especially agnostics, just don't see any evidence for God's existence and choose not to believe

in God because of that, not because of anger or hatred.

Third question's answer: Who influences us the most changes from person to person. For some people it's their parents. For others it may be certain scientists or atheists. For example, perhaps somebody is an atheist just because their parents were. Maybe they are because of the work of a scientist, perhaps Darwin's evolution pushed them over, perhaps Hawking's theories did. It depends on the person. Maybe they read an article written by an atheist about atheism and that pushed them over. It just depends on the person.

Fourth question: To us, Jesus is just a good guy who lived in an unforgiving time where claiming yourself as the son of God came with consequences. Maybe Jesus really existed, maybe not. It doesn't really matter to us, but we don't think he was divine. At best, he was a smart teacher.

Fifth question: That's a pointless question, because we know that (who in america doesn't, since it's crammed down our throats almost constantly?) but we still choose not to take his "generous gift" of sorts.

Sixth question: Yes, we do have love in our hearts. Just because we aren't christians doesn't mean we're heartless people who have no feelings (or, to most people, no feelings other than hatred) I love my parents, and eventually I'll find a girl I can honestly say I love.

Seventh question: Hope? We just don't need hope, simple as that. Perhaps you have to have the idea that there's an afterlife, that you'll be rewarded when this is all said and done. We just don't need to believe that.

Understand us any better now?

Im a British Marxist (yes, we do exist :o )

Nothing has made me personally hate the church..its more to do with control. I dont believe the church should have so much control in peoples lives. Lets take the new pope and his denial 'almost' of the Germans part in the Holocaust. How dare he stand their and say nothing? Also, the current AIDS crisis is beign made worse by Catholic doctrines against contraception. I also think that beliefs come from fact, a concrete foundation on which we stand. I believe in gravity because i see it working. God? nope, i cant see any evidence of that.

My hope lies in Humanity. We are the greatest creation this planet has ever given, we are in ways our own gods.

The question about if jesus lead to eternal life, i still would not worship him. My question to Christians is on what authority does 'god' claim to be our rulers. I didnt say he could rule my life, my life is my own. If belief in jesus meant eternal salvation, then i would stay to my ways. Why abanoden my ideas for my own selfish cause.

As to why i dont search for an answer to life, i dont believe their is one. Life is not a question, it is a state of being. Our concerns should be worldy. Who cares about this 'god' when children starve in the streets of the majority world?

Does that help you understand?

In general people are atheists because there is no science to back up the theory of there being a God. A lot of atheists i know don't consider themselves to be against God but simply for the truth.

I do not hate christians or even dislike them. I respect their beliefs as I hope they would respect mine.

I am not angry. I am a good person but its because I want to be not because I think I will be rewarded in 'heaven'.

I form my own opinions -- my parents are agnostic and my friends are christians. I just can't make myself believe some of the things that the bible would like you to believe.

Jesus was a good man who wanted others to be 'good' as well but he was by no means a "son of god".

I would chose to go to hell instead of take up all of the christian views (ex: their stance on homosexuallity) in order to have an eternal life, that is if it was proved that jesus and God truly exist.

My love is for my family and my friends as well as the strangers who smile at you just to be kind and the people who will do you a favor and never expect anything in return. My love is not restricted by race, gender, religion or any other trivial matter.

My hope lies in a better tomorrow and a better life for my children than the life I have lead. (Not that it has been bad.)

How can I know He loves me if I do not believe he exists?

I hope this helps! If you have any quesions or just want to discuss this issue email me. skibnny120@yahoo.com

i think this is a waste of time but hey i will give it a shot-1-always searching for the truth only someone who is ingorant thinks they have all the answers-2-dont hate anyone-3-lots of people have hurt me in my life but still not angry have gotten even many times-4-no belief system therefore no influence on it-5-jesus is a man who might have lived about 2000 years ago-5-choose him for what?-6-lots of love for all things even people who ask silly questions-7-my hope lies in the human race maybe someday growing up and getting way past where we are now-8=dont believe there is a god-9-dont think at this stage in your life you are capable of understanding my world-think that covers it if i missed anything shout back at me-lots of love keep the peace old hippie

I think you are placing a stereotype on atheists, non-believers and agnostics.

I don't go around condemning people for their beliefs. My belief system is supported by facts or lack there of.

Jesus Christ being the only way to eternal life, show me the proof of that. You don't have to be a Christian to have hope.

I'm not saying that I don't believe in Jesus Christ and I'm not saying that I do. I think you are in your way showing hatred and belligerence towards people that do not choose to support your definition of Christianity.