im a strong christian, i am just confused on how a person could disrespect a religion that teaches to love another like you love yourself, the truth is, Christ came, and died for us all, that is the truth, and weather you believe it or not, it happened. people like thomas just want a reason to argue and offend people, i have a feeling if anyone, and i mean anyone went to a living word service they would instantly convert, my best friend, had a 1000 dollar a day drug habit, drank, beat his wife, he was a mess, then Christ found him, he quit everything, cleaned his life up, in 48 hours, no rehab, just Christ, thing like this is what make me believe, Christ is real, he is in all of us, its just if we have or havnt accepted him into our lives
Hate to rain on your parade, but there’s a hole in that paradox. Just because something’s wrong, doesn’t mean the opposite’s correct. Take math, 2+2=5 is wrong, but -2+(-1)2=-5 is the opposite and that’s wrong too. Analogy reasoning sucks, but you get my point.
Hey there. There have been some real interesting responses to this issue and it’s great to see a lot of people are showing interest. Now to business… In response the reply’s concerning what good religion has contributed I must once again repeat that religion is a crutch. A grownups for grownups. Life is challengening and uncertain to say the least. Growing up as children we have our parents (those of us who are fortunate enough to have had positive role models in the home) who teach and reassure what are good decisions and what are bad ones. As adults however, life is not simple and those all-knowing role models can only help so much. To make a long story short…I don’t buy that crap about people being saved. We are speaking of weak minded individuals who are scared and are seeking relief from this scary world. I occasionally use drugs and alcohol for recreation and to explore my own thoughts. Say what you will about this (some will surely use it as leverage). So i can say that those with addiction problems are missing something from their lives to begin with…I’ve know a few in my life. Im sure those of you out there who are recreational drug users and are not addicts (believe it or not, we do exist!!!) will agree… So does it not seem logical for these individuals to swing from one extreme to the other and become a born again christian? I certainly think so. Just like heroin addicts; switch um from heroin with methadone. Sure, sure…they have faith now and are off the drugs…but at what cost? and is it not but just a band aid for what is really wrong? …i have to go do work now…but until later…peace, I’m out
-Thomas
Actually, I don’t take offense. It’s a good question. I think everyone should be asked that question about all their beliefs. Are you 100% sure that Christianity is bad? Are you 100% sure that Democrats are right? Before someone can really believe, they should have their beliefs questioned. One of my favorite books is Catch-22 because it questions everything. I don’t find it threatening. I find it reaffirming, because I have to question as I read whether or not I really do believe what I do.
Thomans-
I didn’t think I’d say this, but I have to agree with you. Some people do use religion as a crutch to avoid thinking for themselves or dealing with real issues. I was a missionary for my church for two years, and during that time, I met some people who refused to form any opinions that were against their pastor’s views. They were using religion to tell them what to think.
There is an opposite, however. Many Christians (and other religious people) are very intelligent, very thoughtful people who use religion as a standard to measure their own lives against. People are easily swayed, and public opinion and attitudes changes from one year to the next (for example, look at what is allowed on the TV nowadays compared to a few years ago). With something like religion in your life, it helps to have a stable point of reference to see where public opinion is going as opposed to what you really do value. Without something solid to believe in, people believe in anyone and anything that comes along as their “savior,” from political figures to diets to new age mysticism. It’s not a crutch. It’s stability. It is possible to be an intelligent, free-thinking christian, although the most outspoken Christians generally aren’t these types.
And I know that there is such thing as recreational drug use. I grew up in Oregon, and almost everyone I knew smoked pot, which did not mean they were addicts.
I would suggest watching the film “Inherit the Wind” for a very interesting views of all sides of this debate.
I’ll look into it…would blockbuster carry it? not many indy video stores around here.
-Thomas
hi!I’ve seen a lot of christian unicyclists, and im a christian, too. Plus, theres a world record holder for speed who is also a christian. I think UR right about all of the christian unicyclists, and the only explination I have for it is that i guess that somebody up there just really likes unicycles. 
RE:I’m a Christian too
I am SOOO sorry, when i clicked on the christian unicyclists heading, it sent me here, and it keeps doing that, and whenever i try to delete the post, it says i have no athourity to do so. sorry again.
Special_liz,
My family and I are also Christians. Thanks for the thread. We’ve been involved in unicycling for about 3½ years now and still insist that, of all the communities to which we’ve been exposed, there are more good and respectible folks and a greater number of believers in the unicycling community than any other. For whatever the reason, we have thoroughly enjoyed getting to know our newfound unicycle friends over the past several years. Every get-together is almost like a family reunion for us.
By the way, when we first learned to uni, we rode around in the church and out in the church parking lot after the services. It was our first exposure. We even started our club back in July 2001 with six charter members from our church.
We’ve always though it would be great to have some sort of get-together at the conventions for Christian-folk in order to get to know fellow believers. We won’t make this years conventions but maybe someday…
Make it a great day!
Bruce
I beg to differ.
I would suggest watching “Robocop” as it is the superlative cinematic presentation of diverse worldviews that answers those really tough questions.
Two quotes, one from a children’s movie, the other from a Wang Chung song:
Kid: “Rem Lazaar, why are we here?”
Rem Lazaar: “Why not?”
“True love is the answer to everything,
true love is the answer, true love is the thing!”
Not to rain on anyones parade or anything, But I’m not sure what religion has to do with unicycling…I may be wrong.
-Sabin
At first I thought that too, and was kinda thinking this should be posted in “just conversation”. But if you think about it, it’s unicyclists who are Christians, so it does have something to do with unicycling I guess.
Anyways, i’m a christian, and I unicycle. I’m thankfull that Gods given me the ability to learn new things, like unicycling, someday playing violin hopefully, and flying my rc plane without sending it way far away to land in a tree, although i’m thankfull to God it didn’t hit a house, or a person, and I found it after walking through a big grassy feild, but thats another story.
God wants the best life for us, thats why he gives us things like unicycling, and he helps us through the rough stuff that comes everyones way, so God does have a whole lot to do with unicycling, as he’s the one who invented it. And thanks to Jesus and his love for us we get to go to heaven, even if theres no unicycles up there, I dunno yet.
Andrew
…no comment…
-Sabin
Ok, I don’t know what that means.
But who made us, made metal and other things in a unicycle, gave us brains to think round and not square for a wheel, gave us balance? The list goes on.
Andrew
war, cancer, hatred ??? why?
-eric
Because of the other thing he created, choice. He lets us choose between life and death. Adam chose death in the garden, people chose death everyday. Sometimes the wrong choices we make affect others, sometimes theirs affect ours, but wrong choices always hurt and in the end bring death.
Without choice we’d be forced to live in a world of forced submission to God, he didn’t want that for us, he wants us to choose him. Then we can choose not to hate, not to make war, although some people will still do both, and i’m not really sure what causes cancer medically, but God can heal that, and even if he doesn’t if we choose him theres heaven after this life.
Andrew
uhh…I am pretty sure the laws of physics gave humans the ability to balance…I’m done with this topic…its a mute point.
-Sabin
sometimes logic is like trying to catch a greased pig.
its a test, God is testing us to see if we are worthy to enter his kingdom
AAAUUUGHHHHAHAHAHAHAHAH!!!
You pass the test when you die in unbelievable agony!