Christianity and You!

[Ghostkai]

"Why is Christianity so famous?"
It was adopted by the Romans...

Panda nailed it on the first page people.

 

[Captain Blackout]

"why is Christianity so famous?"

Just to get this out of the way, I'm a Taoist Christian who loves hate threads because I love the conflict but I'll try to be nice here.

Christianity is famous because of a guy named Constantine. He was emperor in Rome, maybe more than once. In 313 A.D. he passed an edict that removed all penalties for being Christian. Shortly after that he slowly drained resources from Pagan establishments. He was the founder of the Holy Roman Empire. Emperors after him went even further, persecuting Pagans and establishing the concept that Christianity through force of arms was ok. As one of the worlds most successful theocracies it's effects are present even now, hundreds of years later and Christianity is a popular world religion. Currents levels of evangelicalism go a long way towards keeping it popular.

I highly recommend you read the Dune series by Frank Herbert if you haven't. After you finish all 6 books (and to truly get to the meat of Herbert you need all 6) you'll have to tools to look at real world religions and understand their flow better.

"Preaching to the choir" i think is appropriate, ancient history is very interesting to me, and i come into contact with religion influencing decisions of famous men and women in various circumstances, and Rome, Greece and China are my forte so as you can tell, yes it pops up a lot.

So it's kind of a dead end discussion. I suppose we could argue whether God intended things to happen the way they did...

 

[Taylorcrw]

*please, read my whole post before you make a reply... some people might reply before they see my point*

I'm a Christian and here's my opinion on atheists:

They're misinformed, judgmental, elitist, hypocritical, closed-minded, and patronizing. They make a lot of rampant generalizations about Christianity and then that's that. What's worse is that they've also killed millions and yet they throw so much at Christians for the crusades and all that. Atheists are horrible, horrible people who have committed so many atrocities yet continue to point fingers.

Do you see what I just did there? Do you? Tell me you're smart and reasonable enough to see what I just did there.

I just put all atheists in the same place as Stalin and Hitler. Both of those were atheists and the two of them killed more people on this planet than any single religion. Put's a hell of a lot on atheism doesn't it?

What? You don't like it?

Neither do I

So stop generalizing Christians. It's not fair and I'm not sure at all why you're allowed to get away with it.

Yes, men posing as Christians have committed atrocities in the past. The crusades were a horror. But did you that since then the church has changed? A man named Martin Luther wrote 95 thesis against the church back then and ever since, modern Christianity has taken its shape. Those are not the same people. We just happen to share a name and I'm ashamed of that.

And then there's Westboro. I swear to you... those people simple cannot worship the same Jesus that I do. The Son of God is a man of mercy, compassion, humility, and servitude. He warned his followers of persecution and told them not to persecute. Does that sound like Westboro? They're hypocrites and I refuse to be put even in the same league as them.

I'm sorry for all the horrors that Christianity caused. They were wrong and I can't support them. But please, please... stop harassing and judging a group you clearly don't understand.

I would love to answer any questions about what a real, Biblically-based Christian believes.

I was hoping someone would say that after all the comments I've been reading lol

 

[TikiShades]

True, Christianity has been used to kill thousands upon thousands of people and it is quite simplistic but I guess simplicity is what people back than needed and the basic values are good to follow.

Me, I'm in the middle between Atheisim and Agnostic( Believe in God But don't follow any religion).

1. The Church has done the harm, not the religion itself.
2. Believing in God without a particular religion isn't either Atheism and Agnostic. That's just the belief in a higher power. It's really only a hint of Agnosticism, because you don't know what or how "God" is.

 

[darthzew]

Not sure that works either since the penalty of raping a married woman is always death. Add that it would be worse for the woman because she now has to spend her life with a man who will continuously abuse her....just that it's legal now because they're married. The guy wouldn't really give a damn because he could still visit prostitutes, which was common at that time frame. Not really "hell on the rapist" and punishing a victim is absolutely unjust.

Technically you called me evil. You said "moving away from god is evil" and it's obvious that Atheists don't even believe in the deity. You know that, so technically you called me evil. Not a big deal since we judge something and someone everyday. That's why we have prisons, girl/boy friends, best friends, and schools.

Well, you're quick to dismiss the other laws in the rape case. You know, that rapist now has to follow the marriage laws perfectly. There were laws about having a good marriage that this guy now has to follow. He now has a responsibility to a woman. Also consider that Hebrew marriage was nowhere near easy.

He couldn't visit prostitutes because that's extramarital sex and that's illegal. Prostitutes were considered evil back then.

I can't say anything for the woman here, other than that back then people probably had a different perspective on all this. I don't think we'll ever fully understand.

Anyway, sure, think what you will about what I may have call you. I don't think YOU are evil, I think the choice is evil. Ever heard that old saw "don't hate the player, hate the game"? Christians are supposed to love the players and hate the game.

 

[TikiShades]

What I don't like about organized religion is that they make quite a few atheists that simply don't understand. I don't believe the Bible is the word of God, because it isn't. God didn't write it, Jesus didn't write it, and there's a good chance the Apostles didn't either. Organization was required back then to help the people believe, otherwise people's stories would twist and conflict, and fall apart before it could ever finish building.

But people now think that if they don't agree with the Bible in any way, that must mean God doesn't exist. You believe in Evolution? Fine. You believe in the Big Bang? Ok. You think gays should marry? Go right ahead. Religion is a belief, not a system.

 

[tsb247]

*please, read my whole post before you make a reply... some people might reply before they see my point*

I'm a Christian and here's my opinion on atheists:

They're misinformed, judgmental, elitist, hypocritical, closed-minded, and patronizing. They make a lot of rampant generalizations about Christianity and then that's that. What's worse is that they've also killed millions and yet they throw so much at Christians for the crusades and all that. Atheists are horrible, horrible people who have committed so many atrocities yet continue to point fingers.

Do you see what I just did there? Do you? Tell me you're smart and reasonable enough to see what I just did there.

I just put all atheists in the same place as Stalin and Hitler. Both of those were atheists and the two of them killed more people on this planet than any single religion. Put's a hell of a lot on atheism doesn't it?

What? You don't like it?

Neither do I

So stop generalizing Christians. It's not fair and I'm not sure at all why you're allowed to get away with it.

Yes, men posing as Christians have committed atrocities in the past. The crusades were a horror. But did you that since then the church has changed? A man named Martin Luther wrote 95 thesis against the church back then and ever since, modern Christianity has taken its shape. Those are not the same people. We just happen to share a name and I'm ashamed of that.

And then there's Westboro. I swear to you... those people simple cannot worship the same Jesus that I do. The Son of God is a man of mercy, compassion, humility, and servitude. He warned his followers of persecution and told them not to persecute. Does that sound like Westboro? They're hypocrites and I refuse to be put even in the same league as them.

I'm sorry for all the horrors that Christianity caused. They were wrong and I can't support them. But please, please... stop harassing and judging a group you clearly don't understand.

I would love to answer any questions about what a real, Biblically-based Christian believes.

What's wrong with Martin Luther?

And yeah... I think that's Eastborough if you are referring the the Phelps church. I've driven by there before. I thought about stopping in and raising some hell (no pun intended), but then I realized that the entire congregation consists of misguided hatemongering lawyers.

I suppose I misinterpreted your writing.

I was raised (and still am) Lutheran. I have found that the idea of being saved by grace makes the most sense to me. God gave his only son to show us how much he loves us (as a sacrifice so that we may be saved), and so long as we remember that sacrifice and repent for our wrongs, we will be forgiven and saved. No man or woman can tell us we are going to hell, nor does God need to make his will known through another human being. We can speak to God on our own.

It just seems to jive with the idea that God loves us, but will still let us know when we screw up (like a father to a child).

And yes, it probably is Eastborough. It was the same church I drove by, I just forgot the name. Yeah, the Phelps crew does tend to give Christians a HORRIBLE reputation. What worse is that he gets all the attention he does. He's just ruining Christianity's reputation for the rest of us.

 

[Spirultima]

"why is Christianity so famous?"

Just to get this out of the way, I'm a Taoist Christian who loves hate threads because I love the conflict but I'll try to be nice here.

Christianity is famous because of a guy named Constantine. He was emperor in Rome, maybe more than once. In 313 A.D. he passed an edict that removed all penalties for being Christian. Shortly after that he slowly drained resources from Pagan establishments. He was the founder of the Holy Roman Empire. Emperors after him went even further, persecuting Pagans and establishing the concept that Christianity through force of arms was ok. As one of the worlds most successful theocracies it's effects are present even now, hundreds of years later and Christianity is a popular world religion. Currents levels of evangelicalism go a long way towards keeping it popular.

I highly recommend you read the Dune series by Frank Herbert if you haven't. After you finish all 6 books (and to truly get to the meat of Herbert you need all 6) you'll have to tools to look at real world religions and understand their flow better.

"Preaching to the choir" i think is appropriate, ancient history is very interesting to me, and i come into contact with religion influencing decisions of famous men and women in various circumstances, and Rome, Greece and China are my forte so as you can tell, yes it pops up a lot.

So it's kind of a dead end discussion. I suppose we could argue whether God intended things to happen the way they did...

True, but to be fair if there is a god, my one major qualm, is with why he would create being before humans, the "replic" of him, and if we are suppose to be, how come we don't control a universe of our own?

 

[TikiShades]

So far as I've seen, Atheists tend to understand Christianity alot better than Christians because they won't ignore segments or close off their mind to scientific explanations.

My favorite being a discussion where I talked about Jonah being swallowed by a whale. A Christian told me "It wasn't a whale, it was a great fish".

And? Does that make it any more rational?

I don't think you can say that you know the first thing about Christianity. I saw a post by you a minute ago that said Christianity says to kill homosexuals.

Have you ever even sat through a church service?

Leviticus 20:13 If a man also lie with mankind, as he lieth with a woman, both of them have committed an abomination: they shall surely be put to death; their blood shall be upon them.


Yes, I have. Through many denominations. Explain the verse please.

Old laws. When Jesus came a lot of those old laws were thrown out. When you went to these churches, did any of them talk about the whole "let he who is without sin cast the first stone" thing?

I'm guessing you've just read a bunch of anti-Christian sites and collected a ton of quotes that make Christianity look bad. Am I right? What's your problem with religion anyway? Somebody crucify your dog?

Oh, good. Flaming. Operation: Pool's Closed is a go.

 

[Cliff_m85]

So far as I've seen, Atheists tend to understand Christianity alot better than Christians because they won't ignore segments or close off their mind to scientific explanations.

My favorite being a discussion where I talked about Jonah being swallowed by a whale. A Christian told me "It wasn't a whale, it was a great fish".

And? Does that make it any more rational?

I don't think you can say that you know the first thing about Christianity. I saw a post by you a minute ago that said Christianity says to kill homosexuals.

Have you ever even sat through a church service?

Leviticus 20:13 If a man also lie with mankind, as he lieth with a woman, both of them have committed an abomination: they shall surely be put to death; their blood shall be upon them.


Yes, I have. Through many denominations. Explain the verse please.

Old laws. When Jesus came a lot of those old laws were thrown out. When you went to these churches, did any of them talk about the whole "let he who is without sin cast the first stone" thing?

I'm guessing you've just read a bunch of anti-Christian sites and collected a ton of quotes that make Christianity look bad. Am I right? What's your problem with religion anyway? Somebody crucify your dog?

Oh, so at one point God thought it was perfectly reasonable to brutally murder homosexuals....but not anymore. That makes sense. I guess he saw the, shall we say, error of his ways.

My problem with religion can be summed up with one word: "Faith".

 

[Cliff_m85]

Not sure that works either since the penalty of raping a married woman is always death. Add that it would be worse for the woman because she now has to spend her life with a man who will continuously abuse her....just that it's legal now because they're married. The guy wouldn't really give a damn because he could still visit prostitutes, which was common at that time frame. Not really "hell on the rapist" and punishing a victim is absolutely unjust.

Technically you called me evil. You said "moving away from god is evil" and it's obvious that Atheists don't even believe in the deity. You know that, so technically you called me evil. Not a big deal since we judge something and someone everyday. That's why we have prisons, girl/boy friends, best friends, and schools.

Well, you're quick to dismiss the other laws in the rape case. You know, that rapist now has to follow the marriage laws perfectly. There were laws about having a good marriage that this guy now has to follow. He now has a responsibility to a woman. Also consider that Hebrew marriage was nowhere near easy.

He couldn't visit prostitutes because that's extramarital sex and that's illegal. Prostitutes were considered evil back then.

I can't say anything for the woman here, other than that back then people probably had a different perspective on all this. I don't think we'll ever fully understand.

Anyway, sure, think what you will about what I may have call you. I don't think YOU are evil, I think the choice is evil. Ever heard that old saw "don't hate the player, hate the game"? Christians are supposed to love the players and hate the game.

The player has an valuable point in the game. The game makes the player. Without the game there would be no player. My choices make me who I am, thus I am my choices. Thus you are still judging me as evil.

 

[Donbett1974]

What I don't like about organized religion is that they make quite a few atheists that simply don't understand. I don't believe the Bible is the word of God, because it isn't. God didn't write it, Jesus didn't write it, and there's a good chance the Apostles didn't either. Organization was required back then to help the people believe, otherwise people's stories would twist and conflict, and fall apart before it could ever finish building.

But people now think that if they don't agree with the Bible in any way, that must mean God doesn't exist. You believe in Evolution? Fine. You believe in the Big Bang? Ok. You think gays should marry? Go right ahead. Religion is a belief, not a system.

The Cristian bible was written at least 50 years after all the apostles died.

 

[hannarr]

I just have a problem with something so huge with so much power that was founded on the written word of a collective group of people who had no means of recording these events properly, scientifically, or even in a way that can prove they really happened.
Also, what credentials do these Bible writers have? Some self proclamation that they are "prophets" and speak the word of God? Yeah whatever mate, that's just not enough for me.

Religion to me has always been a way for people to fill in the holes of things that cannot be explained or even understood by humans, which is fine by me.
The problem arises when people start living in these holes.

 

[Guitarmasterx7]

From an intellectual standpoint it seems to be the least thought out religion bar scientology. The bible is at least partially false whether you be Christian or otherwise, as on the assumption that everything in it is true, it directly contradicts ITSELF. Lots of it seems to be rehashed from Judaism and then changed so it seems more appealing for commercialism purposes (For example old testament god being a total dick and Bible god being this loving kind-hearted super friend) and in all it seems exactly like what you described as "Baby's First Religion" Which is the main reason it has so many followers.

Don't get me wrong, I usually wouldn't care. I don't have any scorn towards anything that doesn't affect me. Christianity, however, seems to have a very strict "LETS FUCK WITH EVERYTHING AND ANYTHING THAT ISN'T US" policy. Everyone must be converted! take over the world! I live in america, which is a fucking theocracy. (We've only had one documented Non-christian in a position as high as senate thus far.) Can't buy beer in texas on a sunday because that's god's day. Homosexuals? Can't have that. Picket them, take their rights away. Make sure there's missionaries walking around on sunday mornings door to door. Stem Cell research? That's killing someone. I don't care if it can cure cancer or that you gave that amoebic 2% of a baby life in the first place, or that it wasn't even guaranteed to survive! We have to hinder scientific progress! Atheists? call them unamerican, make them feel outcast in society. Evolution being taught in schools? How dare they teach our children something that we have large amounts of documented proof of! They should be teaching our children something we read in a book that was written by some guy hundreds of years ago that used to also say the sun revolved around the earth. Believe what you want to believe, but make it my problem and logic is going to hit you back really fucking hard.

 

[darthzew]

Not sure that works either since the penalty of raping a married woman is always death. Add that it would be worse for the woman because she now has to spend her life with a man who will continuously abuse her....just that it's legal now because they're married. The guy wouldn't really give a damn because he could still visit prostitutes, which was common at that time frame. Not really "hell on the rapist" and punishing a victim is absolutely unjust.

Technically you called me evil. You said "moving away from god is evil" and it's obvious that Atheists don't even believe in the deity. You know that, so technically you called me evil. Not a big deal since we judge something and someone everyday. That's why we have prisons, girl/boy friends, best friends, and schools.

Well, you're quick to dismiss the other laws in the rape case. You know, that rapist now has to follow the marriage laws perfectly. There were laws about having a good marriage that this guy now has to follow. He now has a responsibility to a woman. Also consider that Hebrew marriage was nowhere near easy.

He couldn't visit prostitutes because that's extramarital sex and that's illegal. Prostitutes were considered evil back then.

I can't say anything for the woman here, other than that back then people probably had a different perspective on all this. I don't think we'll ever fully understand.

Anyway, sure, think what you will about what I may have call you. I don't think YOU are evil, I think the choice is evil. Ever heard that old saw "don't hate the player, hate the game"? Christians are supposed to love the players and hate the game.

The player has an valuable point in the game. The game makes the player. Without the game there would be no player. My choices make me who I am, thus I am my choices. Thus you are still judging me as evil.

See it as you will. But I'm not going to argue words with you. What you do is your choice and I can't hold you to the standards that I follow because you chose against them. Sure, in my mind you've made the wrong choice. But it's your choice and I can't hold it against you. Again, see it as you will.

 

[Cliff_m85]

From an intellectual standpoint it seems to be the least thought out religion bar scientology. The bible is at least partially false whether you be Christian or otherwise, as on the assumption that everything in it is true, it directly contradicts ITSELF. Lots of it seems to be rehashed from Judaism and then changed so it seems more appealing for commercialism purposes (For example old testament god being a total dick and Bible god being this loving kind-hearted super friend) and in all it seems exactly like what you described as "Baby's First Religion" Which is the main reason it has so many followers.

Don't get me wrong, I usually wouldn't care. I don't have any scorn towards anything that doesn't affect me. Christianity, however, seems to have a very strict "LETS FUCK WITH EVERYTHING AND ANYTHING THAT ISN'T US" policy. Everyone must be converted! take over the world! I live in america, which is a fucking theocracy. (We've only had one documented Non-christian in a position as high as senate thus far.) Can't buy beer in texas on a sunday because that's god's day. Homosexuals? Can't have that. Picket them, take their rights away. Make sure there's missionaries walking around on sunday mornings door to door. Stem Cell research? That's killing someone. I don't care if it can cure cancer or that you gave that amoebic 2% of a baby life in the first place, or that it wasn't even guaranteed to survive! We have to hinder scientific progress! Atheists? call them unamerican, make them feel outcast in society. Evolution being taught in schools? How dare they teach our children something that we have large amounts of documented proof of! They should be teaching our children something we read in a book that was written by some guy hundreds of years ago that used to also say the sun revolved around the earth. Believe what you want to believe, but make it my problem and logic is going to hit you back really fucking hard.

Did you hear that the man who walked into a church and shot an abortion doctor is actually getting tons of letters of support from Christians all over the country?

 

[Cliff_m85]

Not sure that works either since the penalty of raping a married woman is always death. Add that it would be worse for the woman because she now has to spend her life with a man who will continuously abuse her....just that it's legal now because they're married. The guy wouldn't really give a damn because he could still visit prostitutes, which was common at that time frame. Not really "hell on the rapist" and punishing a victim is absolutely unjust.

Technically you called me evil. You said "moving away from god is evil" and it's obvious that Atheists don't even believe in the deity. You know that, so technically you called me evil. Not a big deal since we judge something and someone everyday. That's why we have prisons, girl/boy friends, best friends, and schools.

Well, you're quick to dismiss the other laws in the rape case. You know, that rapist now has to follow the marriage laws perfectly. There were laws about having a good marriage that this guy now has to follow. He now has a responsibility to a woman. Also consider that Hebrew marriage was nowhere near easy.

He couldn't visit prostitutes because that's extramarital sex and that's illegal. Prostitutes were considered evil back then.

I can't say anything for the woman here, other than that back then people probably had a different perspective on all this. I don't think we'll ever fully understand.

Anyway, sure, think what you will about what I may have call you. I don't think YOU are evil, I think the choice is evil. Ever heard that old saw "don't hate the player, hate the game"? Christians are supposed to love the players and hate the game.

The player has an valuable point in the game. The game makes the player. Without the game there would be no player. My choices make me who I am, thus I am my choices. Thus you are still judging me as evil.

See it as you will. But I'm not going to argue words with you. What you do is your choice and I can't hold you to the standards that I follow because you chose against them. Sure, in my mind you've made the wrong choice. But it's your choice and I can't hold it against you. Again, see it as you will.

Ironically I chose the standards of your avatar photo. House seems to fit my theological beliefs closely...there is no god and superstition is outdated and nonsense.

 

[Cliff_m85]

My problem with religion can be summed up with one word: "Faith".

So because people have faith and believe in something beyond themselves, you make them out to be murderers.

Makes sense.

Ofcourse not!!!!



It just makes it alot easier for them to murder.