do you belive that god punishes us in the other world?
44902
God. (cheating) This explanation is what everyone eventually resorts to when the other answers fail. Now, before I go any further, I should make clear that I'm not talking about any of the gods defined in various religions. Throughout all of human history, we've been trying to explain existence. But nobody has ever succeeded. And it's likely that nobody ever will. So we create the concept of God, whose only necessary property is being "that which explains existence." \n\nThis doesn't tell us much about god, though. It doesn't mean that any particular religion is correct. It merely defines god as something which answers The Question, because we have not been able to.
243274
Ummmmmm No, I don't.\n\nGod let's you choose to make choices in your life, and you choose.  Life DOES continue to go on outside your realm - for example people dying....that's not something God DOES TO YOU, that's a decision God made for the person that died.  We are supposed to rejoice death because we know our loved one is with God.  \n\nSo at the end of the day, my heart says absolutely not in reply to your question.
1076342
sure  but not the same way that the "world" does.  \nWe shouldn't do anything that leads us into temptation.
83263
Answer: Of course\nDo you think God would put you on a planet where none were right? Especially if you like Him?? Same goes that all can't be right thus only one can.\nMost folks don't follow truth B/c I think it actually hurts them to. I think it makes them invent their own "truths" instead.
645573
haha God doesnt punish you for future mistakes.  sometimes He doesnt punish you for mistakes you've already done, if you repent to Him and ask forgiveness.  you have a horrible day because you are only focusing on the bad things that went wrong instead of the good.  you dont know how many times today God has saved your life, or tried to show you something beautiful. at least you didnt get abducted and tied to a tree and beaten.  thats something positive
709438
God has given to us free will.  We can believe in Him or not.  It is not His Will that any of us should perish.  But He gives us that choice.  He says in the Bible that His people are destroyed from lack of knowledge.   May God Bless
200224
Not all Christians believe that. I am a christian and I personally believe that god will not punish those who were not taught correctly. Not saying that what I believe it the Correct thing from one religion to another, but it is what I believe. But I do believe that if you are taught about god, and what is right and wrong and you chose to disobey him then you might not end up in heaven. I believe that god is forgiving, and not judgmental to those that know no better.
399583
God does not stop loving you no matter what you do. God loves killers and homosexuals and republicans and everyone else.\n\nI do not understand why God chooses to punish us for sinning, but rest assured that he does not do it out of hate. God wants us to make our own decisions to worship him or not because God is very insecure and needs the unforced love of his creations to feel whole, but just as you can love or a child even when they have done bad, the sky daddy loves you.
302966
I believe there is a spiritual realm of which if you decide to be a part of, you must be very careful!!  The Bible tells us that the things we do in the physical effect the things in the spiritual.  He tells us that if we cleans ourselves of negative or evil that we MUST replace it with Godly things, if not it will return and be 7 times worse.  I've personally heard of experiences of the physical and spiritual realms conflicting but I've never personally seen it.  I think that just like any world (physical and spiritual) you're going to have good and evil.  You can't be somewhere in the middle, you're either one or the other.
733613
If God is, God allowed for all types of people, on and beyond this Earth.\nEither it was Gods intention, or God is forever making huge mistakes.
817431
If you look at the world around you and consider how awful the world can be, you have to believe that this isn't it.  Do you ever feel like you're trapped...like you want to escape and there must be something more than this?  \nHave you ever heard any logical explanation for the existence of the world besides creation?  Even those who purport the "big bang" theory, which ,in itself, is manifestly ridiculous and illogical, cannot and will not attempt to explain the origin of the universe itself.  That is because the only logical explanation is a creator.  Have you ever driven a car that was not created by someone?  Have you ever eaten a meal that someone did not prepare?  Just because you didn't see them create those items doesn't mean you believe they just "appeared."\nThis world was made to be a perfect place for us, but we destroyed it when we turned from the plan the Creator had.\nAnother person who answered this question stated that there has been no one who has died and come back to tell of it.  That isn't true.  Jesus Christ (who was perfect) died to pay the penalty for the sins of those who trust him.  After three days, he came back and appeared to hundreds of people (many of whom were named in the first four books of the New Testament).  The penalty of sin is death for our terrestrial bodies and eternal punishment and separation from God for our souls.  If you believe that Christ's perfect sacrifice saves your soul, He will remember you on the day of judgment after you die and you will have life with Him forever.  \nSo the answer to your question is, yes there is always an afterlife.  Where you go depends on if you put your faith and hope in Christ.  That's all you have to do to be saved.  It's incredibly easy, and much better than suffering for eternity.  If you have any questions or want to question me on the proofs I have for what I have written (and I have tons of proofs), email me at bcchase@hotmail.com.\n\nSincerely Yours,\nB.C.CHASE
263601
Yes I do. But I don't believe in religion, because religion generally preaches intolerance and attributes human traits to god, which I think is inaccurate. I do believe that a loving and beautiful entity created us, and that it is "god" or whatever you feel more comfortable calling it. But I believe many things, using a mixture of logic and instinct. My instincts tell me there is a presence that loves us all. But that is just my simple understanding. Any suffering that we feel is our own creation, so the argument that "why would god cause pain" is an inaccurate argument. God, I believe, has infinite patience, and that is why we cause eachother pain without being stricken from the earth. And that is why I think that the atheist logic is flawed as well. Both sides use either the bible or "logic" to either bring down or deny god for their own agendas. Both sides use emotions, mostly anger; anger at god or anger at those who deny god. Please understand that I am not trying to bash anyone, this is just people that I have known personally, not everybody. Suffering is an emotion, which is a blessing and a curse, to quote a cliche.  With true enlightenment can come love and happiness, and for me that enlightenment is my bond with my creator. I feel happier than I have in years, and it gets better every day that I allow it inside. Every time I try to understand another human being and their pain and joy I think that things are more clear to me. I used to be agnostic, because of my anger at god, but one day, I just realized that my pain didn't have to own me. God is not something you can logically prove, or logically disprove, it is just something you believe one way or the other.
473844
my guess is that God finds appalling
1132544
There is and are no "best" responses. When we stand before God in judgement...maybe you can ask HIM ...yourself. Please invite me to witness that moment....
909840
Ha Ha, I used to think god was going to throw big ice-blocks on ppl's heads (and kill them)  for sinning.   (I was very very young).\n\nNot sure exactly why I thought this, but I think my mom's friend told me that.
879723
Yes. We were placed here to love and worship God. We are to become what He intended us to be. That's fine with me.
722118
Yes, I used to have this view of God as being a Judge, always watching, waiting to catch me doing something wrong so to punish me. A basic teaching of most religions. When I decided I would never be good enough and decided to be as bad as I could I learned about God. I learned that he is love and full of grace and forgiveness. I learned that his most admirable quality is is forgiveness. That when I sin, I am hurting him and when I am sorry he is happy.  So while I regret that I took "the wrong way" in a way I am grateful I did as I learned what God is really about.