Sooner or later, these and many more questions will come across your path.  If you are reading this and you are not "religious" or  "not practicing" or just don't believe in God and are curious - please continue - this is meant for you.  This is free information.

I was as you are now not long ago.  I did not believe in or had anything to do with religion.   I was at some point an Atheist (does not believe in God / religion - you live you die that is it - nature's way), but most of my life I was an Agnostic (knows there is something bigger than me and you going on - but will not think or do anything about it - better to "fit in" with the surrounding crowd).  I am now a believer!  Now, if you were me - about now you would be saying "Ok - here comes the sales pitch for this scam" or "these guys could be quacks and are trying to start in with the 'brain washing'".  Well, nothing I can type now would instantly change your mind.  Curiosity got you here - what could it hurt to read on?  You have a strong will - you are smart - you can't be brain washed - you make your own decisions - you own choices.  Let's start there - with a choice.

You have a choice to believe something or not to.  Our choices are based on what we have learned, our experiences, our preferences, our environment and our "gut feelings".   If we were born in some far of jungle where it is normal to have your neck stretched and extra 5 inches long - we would think nothing of it - it is the way things are  and it would be "normal" to us.  I was raised in an environment where religion was put down and everything was questioned - "they are just going to scam you - to get your money - look at all the religious leaders that end up on the news - it just starts wars - what hypocrites, etc..."  The news, our entertainment - music, movies - the people we hang with - our work - this is our environment - this is partly what we base our choices on - you know - influences - peer pressure.   Have you ever heard the expression "think outside the box"?  Many times in our lives we reach a point where we have to re-think things - take a stand back and look at our lives and try and see the big picture - If I continue as I am going now - where will it lead - what will the future bring?  Unfortunately it usually takes a life changing/drastic event to make us come to that point - a death of a loved one, hitting rock bottom in our life - no where to go - no where to run to - is this all there is?  Why am I here?  What purpose does all of this have?  We're just the freak result of a big bang?

When people need to make a choice, through out the centuries they have gathered more information before making a decision.  Don't you owe it to yourself to do the same?

To be continued...