Christianity and You!

[Singularly Datarific]

Yeah, I never got the whole point of Christians saying you're going to hell. Loving God and hell don't add up. Am I right?

Those are the crazies talking who take everything absolutely literally. But believe it or not, there are "normal" christians who don't actively crusade against anything mildly pagan, and those who do are an embarrassment to us all...

 

[keinushi]

The reason for Christianities "popularity" can only be for one reason, because its true! I myself have had several conversations with God and one miracle to boot! Christian spread Christianity because they know it to be true. Other religions aren't as zealous because deep down in their hearts they know that what they believe in is wrong.

Also, some religions just don't make sense! like the one's that celebrate perversion, such as the muslim's 70 virgins waiting for them in heaven. I ask you though, what happens when they run out of virgins to rape?

btw, Catholicism is not true Christianity, because they worship pagan gods in their religon. Such as Jesus's mother Mary, whose picture is identical to an ancient pagan god.

 

[keinushi]

Yeah, I never got the whole point of Christians saying you're going to hell. Loving God and hell don't add up. Am I right?

Those are the crazies talking who take everything absolutely literally. But believe it or not, there are "normal" christians who don't actively crusade against anything mildly pagan, and those who do are an embarrassment to us all...

Although, where would we be without our Zealots?

 

[Chipperz]

Yeah, I never got the whole point of Christians saying you're going to hell. Loving God and hell don't add up. Am I right?

Those are the crazies talking who take everything absolutely literally. But believe it or not, there are "normal" christians who don't actively crusade against anything mildly pagan, and those who do are an embarrassment to us all...

Although, where would we be without our Zealots?

I've seen this place. It is a calm world where everyone gets along, believing whatever the hell they want...

 

[Skeleon]

The reason for Christianities "popularity" can only be for one reason, because its true!

I'm going to assume that this whole post was sarcasm, but it's good to illustrate my point nonetheless.

The one thing I dislike most about Christianity and most other religions is their claim to be the true answer. They're all based on belief, not on fact or evidence. And none of them are any more "right" than any others.

Think about the ancient Egyptians. Romans. Greeks. Germanic tribes. Millions and millions of people.
Their religion was real to them. Their religion was their true answer.

The audacity of some people calling their religion the right one and thereby calling all others wrong is unbelievable.
This is of course not specific for Christianity.

 

[keinushi]

Yeah, I never got the whole point of Christians saying you're going to hell. Loving God and hell don't add up. Am I right?

Those are the crazies talking who take everything absolutely literally. But believe it or not, there are "normal" christians who don't actively crusade against anything mildly pagan, and those who do are an embarrassment to us all...

Although, where would we be without our Zealots?

I've seen this place. It is a calm world where everyone gets along, believing whatever the hell they want...

I had a dream where I was a jedi once, but that probably won't happen either. But it is more likely than your dream. Because it is man's very nature to hate one another. Heck, I go to church every week, and am a great friend, but if I could, I would still destroy all of either mexico or africa in a heart beat. because I, like everyone else, hate my fellow man.

 

[Del-Toro]

I'm an atheist too but I actually like religion. The way I see it there is a lot of potential for good, such as the Christian Children's Fund or Samaritan's Purse. Other Atheists can cry secular government and indoctrination until the cows come home but that doesn't change the fact that A) Almost every group (Shinto and Buddhism don't care) thinks it should govern, and thinks it has all the answers, Atheists are no different, and frankly I don't think a group that can't stand itself is going to make a good house united. At least the Christian right's opposition to socialism means that they think the government should not be solidly up our asses in whatever we do, where I am sure our hyper liberal atheist friends would love the government up there, and then still have the gall to talk personal freedom. B) Atheist parents indoctrinate their children too, this is a blatant case of "it's alright if WE do it" hypocrisy. Every group is going to pass it's beliefs onto it's children, no exceptions.

I know all this because I am a recovering radical Atheist.

 

[keinushi]

The reason for Christianities "popularity" can only be for one reason, because its true!

I'm going to assume that this whole post was sarcasm, but it's good to illustrate my point nonetheless.

The one thing I dislike most about Christianity and most other religions is their claim to be the true answer. They're all based on belief, not on fact or evidence. And none of them are any more "right" than any others.

Think about the ancient Egyptians. Romans. Greeks. Germanic tribes. Millions and millions of people.
Their religion was real to them. Their religion was their true answer.

The audacity of some people calling their religion the right one and thereby calling all others wrong is unbelievable.
This is of course not specific for Christianity.

I was not being sarcastic. there is only one religon, and while others may bring comfort, when they die and begin to burn in hell, then they will be very much uncomfortable

 

[Skeleon]

*snip*

You're funny.
I know a guy who can talk like that with a straight face.
It's easier over the internet, of course, because it's just text, but it's no less funny.

 

[Sharpeye42]

religion gives you something to believe in and someone to turn to, personally im not religious but i enjoy Depak Copra's ideas on life.

 

[Azraellod]

im a former christian. i still keep most of the values of Christianity, and have a vague belief in god, but that's about as far as it goes. i decided that i wasn't christian when i compared some of my beliefs to the christian beliefs and found that they completely contradicted each other.

 

[Xender90]

Zombie_fish "Science is the study of facts and is mainly based in facts, however, a lot of it, especially the stuff that contradicts the ideas of religion, is also based on theory and not 100% reliable."

What do you mean, science contradicts religion?

 

[Ashbax]

at least in Ancient Egypt there religion had about over 20 gods all with a backstory and a such, even the Norse people had just below a dozen. All of which are very interesting, on how they influenced the lifes of the followers. With Christianity, its just so basic.

I get the feeling you dont understand how a religion works.

Its not about who has the most gods (Also, religions with more than one are considered pagan, and christians arent meant to like pagans...) or whos god looks the coolest, its just what you feel makes the most sense to believe in, what you agree with and which afterlife (If your religion has one) You want to go to.

Im catholic, but I believe every religions afterlife exists - Its all about pocket universes.

In fairness, our religion has a war where winged angels use flaming swords to kill disgusting demons, so thats the main reason I went with it...

Kinda fucks up the rest of my post doesnt it?

 

[ben---neb]

Now to get this out of the way, im Atheist and this is no hate thread, this is just everyone's opinions (no fighting please, debating, fair enough, but no fighting).

...

With all its simplicity aside, it did give way to keeping some human values intact such as no rape, murder etc. which was brought on before, but it helped during the dark ages. But now or days it seems so...unnecessary, now i don't mind Christians; some of them its hard to tell they even believe in god, but its the ones who throw it in your face about how your going to hell and that god is still forgiving and bleh (FYI: Satan is more appealing, 1. he has killed far less people, 2. he takes the bad people and punishes them, while being made out to be evil, commitment much?).

Because i would write about 19 pages on my own, i think i'll just leave it at that, my point is put across and my opinion is it.

Whats yours?

Right, where to even begin? There is only 1 God because that God is all powerful and why should there be more. "Be a nice guy" is not actually a way to please God or get to Heaven. No, the Bible says all our good deeds are like dirty rags. Instead we must seek God's forgiveness and repent of our sins.

You say that Christianity is unneccessary. Over the past fifty years then it has declined in the Western world. Are we really better off as a result? Crime levels are still high, divorce rates climb higher, youth crime increases, morally we are worse off today than back in the hey day of Christianty.

Next you insult Christians who tell you you are going to Hell. Look at it from their perspective: regardless of what you believe Christians believe you are going to Hell. How can they then not tell you about this? Imagine walking past someone pointing a gun at their own face and doing nothing. That's what it would be like. Christians are warning you because they care about what happens to your soul. Although you might not, please respect their concern.

And finally you argue that Satan taked bad people and punsihed them. Wrong, you are confusing the fact that Satan is IN Hell with your view that he RUNS Hell. The true teaching is that God will put Satan and all non believers in Hell and punish them for their sins. God punishes "bad people" Satan supports them.

And as for your point that Satan has killed far more than God I'll think you'll find that MAN has killed far more. Also on what basis do you rest this arguement? Who has God so called "killed"?

Please do not be offended by what I say. I am, after all, debating.

 

[ItsAChiaotzu]

My opinion on Christianity? Well, you asked for it.

I view modern Christianity as a near abomination. A bastardization of the true message and ideals of Christianity. You have racist idiots calling themselves Christians, people using the Bible as justification for horrendous deeds. And then that spawns people who say that Christianity is the source of all evil in the world.

I'm what is called a Deist; that is, I believe that the Lord God created the universe and natural laws and allowed it to run its course. He plays very little hand in the world. The Bible? Well... that's a good question.

The Bible is a distressing question for me. At once, it holds a lot of messages that I think should be taken to heart, yet at the same time I realize that it was written by mankind in an attempt to understand the words of a Holy Being more powerful than the mind can conceive. Therefore, I interpret the Bible in a non-literal sense; that is, the message is more important than the details of the story.

This thread will not end well, if threads with even the mention of Christianity hold true.

Ok so explain the message of the Garden of Eden story?
Or the part that says you can own slaves?
Or the part the condemns homosexuals?

The Bible is full of bigotry and it contradicts itself so many times.
I don't really believe in any kind of creator God because it just doesn't make sense, and in any case the idea that there is one raises just as many questions as it answers, for a start, where did he/she/it come from?

 

[Thy Winter Kingdom]

What can I say? I agree with you.

 

[Abedeus]

I'm an atheist. Have been for about six years now. And the main problem I have with Christianity, indeed the reason I gave up on it in the first place, is the idea that an all powerful God that loves us all would allow all the natural disasters that occur in our world to actually occur. Eg, the tsunami back in 2006 and hurricane Katrina. As such I've come up with a few theories to share with you.

1. All this, all everything is a cosmic coincidence. No God, no afterlife just what we have here. (What I personally believe).

2. God created the entire universe just to see what would happen. (Unlikely, I think a God like this wouldn't bother inventing all the intricate laws of physics that make up the world).

3. God is benign but not all powerful, the Devil is just as powerful. They cancel eachother out. (Newtons third law states that every action has an equal and opposite reaction so why not God?)

These are just my theories make of them what you will.

1. Well, duh. I don't think many Christians actually believe in something like creationism.

2. Well, that's because he is (notice, I didn't write "He") powerful, but also insecure. He has to constantly remind himself of how much he can do. Besides, who says he didn't create the universe few billions of years ago, and then... left after people's stupidity made him doubt in his own creation?

3. God is allpowerful. In his domain. And since his domain is every part of the universe, except for Hell. Same with Satan, he's allpowerful - but only in his domain, Hell. But in terms of Good vs Evil, yes, they balance each other out. God is as good as Satan is evil. There is a bit of evil in God, and a bit of good in Satan. Yes, I know this is blasphemy or heresy or whatever. I'm more of the yin and yang person.

Ok so explain the message of the Garden of Eden story?
Or the part that says you can own slaves?
Or the part the condemns homosexuals?

The Bible is full of bigotry and it contradicts itself so many times.
I don't really believe in any kind of creator God because it just doesn't make sense, and in any case the idea that there is one raises just as many questions as it answers, for a start, where did he/she/it come from?

The Old Testament says you can own slaves and condemn homosexuals. You want to talk about OT, talk with a Jew. Christianity is focused on the New Testament.

Message of the Garden of Eden - LISTEN TO YOUR PARENTS! God was the Father of Adam and Eve, they didn't listen, they got spanked out of the Garden.

Of course the Bible contradicts itself. But we should stop looking at the Old Testament. That's like laughing at science because people used to cure everything with leaches or actually believed in the Rorschach test. Some still believe in both. Does this mean that every scientist is stupid?

 

[Baby Tea]

Ok so explain the message of the Garden of Eden story?
Or the part that says you can own slaves?
Or the part the condemns homosexuals?

The Bible is full of bigotry and it contradicts itself so many times.
I don't really believe in any kind of creator God because it just doesn't make sense, and in any case the idea that there is one raises just as many questions as it answers, for a start, where did he/she/it come from?

Must...resist...urge...have stayed...out of stupid religious threads...for so long....

Baah!

Your ignorance of hermeneutics is shining like the sun in your post.
The story of the garden of Eden, or creation, isn't a 'how-to' guide for world creation. It's not there to say how God created the world. It's there to say that, simply, that God created it. You have to read the passage with the understanding of the mindset of the people at the time. The surrounding tribes and nations were worshiping cows, or the sun, or the sea, and the story of creation was there to say: God created it all. Why worship that? It was created by something greater: God. That's the point.

As for slaves, you are, again, looking at it from a modern perspective. Slaves were treaded almost as family in those days, more like servants today. They would even be, at times, married into the family. Besides that, the Bible is clear that being a slave, or being 'free', doesn't make you a greater or lesser person. (Galatians 3:28 - There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.)

But you're right about condemning homosexuality. However, that, in no way, means mistreating, or abusing, or condemning homosexuals. The 'Christianese' turn-a-phrase is: Hate the sin, not the sinner. I personally don't agree with homosexuality, but I don't hate homosexuals, and I actually have quite a few homosexual friends. They know how I feel, but we never talk about it. It's isn't my job as a Christian to shove my faith down people's throats, not is that the job of any Christian. If someone has a question, I'll answer.

And where does the Bible contradict itself?
So many times I've heard this but nobody ever gives a good example that can't be refuted with theology 101.

...ugh, why did I post here?

 

[ItsAChiaotzu]

Ok so explain the message of the Garden of Eden story?
Or the part that says you can own slaves?
Or the part the condemns homosexuals?

The Bible is full of bigotry and it contradicts itself so many times.
I don't really believe in any kind of creator God because it just doesn't make sense, and in any case the idea that there is one raises just as many questions as it answers, for a start, where did he/she/it come from?

Must...resist...urge...have stayed...out of stupid religious threads...for so long....

Baah!

Your ignorance of hermeneutics is shining like the sun in your post.
The story of the garden of Eden, or creation, isn't a 'how-to' guide for world creation. It's not there to say how God created the world. It's there to say that, simply, that God created it. You have to read the passage with the understanding of the mindset of the people at the time. The surrounding tribes and nations were worshiping cows, or the sun, or the sea, and the story of creation was there to say: God created it all. Why worship that? It was created by something greater: God. That's the point.

As for slaves, you are, again, looking at it from a modern perspective. Slaves were treaded almost as family in those days, more like servants today. They would even be, at times, married into the family. Besides that, the Bible is clear that being a slave, or being 'free', doesn't make you a greater or lesser person. (Galatians 3:28 - There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.)

But you're right about condemning homosexuality. However, that, in no way, means mistreating, or abusing, or condemning homosexuals. The 'Christianese' turn-a-phrase is: Hate the sin, not the sinner. I personally don't agree with homosexuality, but I don't hate homosexuals, and I actually have quite a few homosexual friends. They know how I feel, but we never talk about it. It's isn't my job as a Christian to shove my faith down people's throats, not is that the job of any Christian. If someone has a question, I'll answer.

And where does the Bible contradict itself?
So many times I've heard this but nobody ever gives a good example that can't be refuted with theology 101.

...ugh, why did I post here?

Your ignorance of what I meant shines through your whole post.


The Garden of Eden story as in why were Adam and Eve kicked out for wanting knowledge, is that such a bad thing?

http://www.evilbible.com/Slavery.htm Here's a nice link about slavery for you.

http://www.infidels.org/library/modern/jim_meritt/bible-contradictions.html Here's one about contradictions.


What's wrong with homosexuals? You really would think that God would take the time to make sure he didn't make any of those.

Or do you think it's a choice, all the gay people choose to be gay right? Because that makes so much sense.

 

[Baby Tea]

Your ignorance of what I meant shines through your whole post.

The Garden of Eden story as in why were Adam and Eve kicked out for wanting knowledge, is that such a bad thing?

http://www.evilbible.com/Slavery.htm Here's a nice link about slavery for you.

http://www.infidels.org/library/modern/jim_meritt/bible-contradictions.html Here's one about contradictions.


What's wrong with homosexuals? You really would think that God would take the time to make sure he didn't make any of those.

Or do you think it's a choice, all the gay people choose to be gay right? Because that makes so much sense.

Adam and Eve were 'kicked out' for disobedience, if that actually happened. Again, you're missing the point.

As for Slavery, you aren't looking at it with hermeneutics. You're lifting the passages right out of the Bible without any historical or theological understanding. 'Fundamentalists' do the same thing to justify their hate. Slavery was a common practice in those times, it wasn't unusual, or cruel, or bizarre to anyone. Times change, of course, and we don't have slaves today. It's called hermeneutics.

As for those 'contradictions', I can see that nothing was quoted in context, and nothing was quoted with historical and cultural backing. I literally laughed at the first few.

I like, however, that you just assume that you know how I feel about homosexuals, and also how you totally breezed over my first response. I have nothing against homosexuals, which you'd know if you read my first post. And no, I don't think it's a choice. Nice blind assumption though. Your bigotry is shining through.

You know, it's so easy to goto google, and search for 'Bible Contradictions' and the like, get the 'work' that someone else did, and just copy and paste it into a forum discussion. Why not get an actual education on it yourself? Reading non-biased papers and articles and books? Without your obvious bias and bigotry waiting for you in your 'conclusions'?

Oh I know why: because you already made up your mind and have no interest in an actual discussion. You just want the chance to try and put some Christian in their place because you think you know better. Well parroting other peoples work or ridiculous ideas and notions about a faith doesn't make you educated about it. I've had much deeper discussions with people far smarter, and much more respectful, then you. People who actually did their own work, and didn't just throw web link at me because they can't articulate themselves.

I'm sorry I even came back to these freaking threads.
I'm done here. If anyone wants to have a respectful talk about this with a Christian who won't shove this down your throat, then PM me. Otherwise, I'm done with these bigot parties.