Christianity with no afterlife

[Minimalist]

Right. It doesn't do very well with one.

[robvalue]

I think invisible promises and threats are the main things keeping Christianity afloat. And Islam of course. Without them I doubt they would have grown to be anything like as dominant.

[GrandizerII]

Jesus never came back in their time as he promised to save the Jews, destroy the evildoers and establish a kingdom on earth. So how else were they going to keep their movement going? By promising spiritual salvation, spiritual destruction and a spiritual kingdom instead, leading to these sophisticated Christian notions of heaven and hell.

[Norman Humann]

I had to.

[Nope]

I think that a large portion of
Christians follow their religion for the final payoff. For all their talk about loving god, they wouldn't be a part of a religion that doesn't eventually reward them.

[Crossless2.0]

I think that a large portion of
Christians follow their religion for the final payoff. For all their talk about loving god, they wouldn't be a part of a religion that doesn't eventually reward them.

Yes, the payoff is the thing. For me, the proof is their eager embrace of Paul's teachings, which demand little more than belief in a set of propositions. I doubt Christianity would have nearly the appeal it has if believers were held to a standard of piety and practice such as was generally attributed to James during the first century.

[Nope]

I think that a large portion of
Christians follow their religion for the final payoff. For all their talk about loving god, they wouldn't be a part of a religion that doesn't eventually reward them.

Yes, the payoff is the thing. For me, the proof is their eager embrace of Paul's teachings, which demand little more than belief in a set of propositions. I doubt Christianity would have nearly the appeal it has if believers were held to a standard of piety and practice such as was generally attributed to James during the first century.

Jesus actually said that anyone who didn't feed and clothe the poor would not get to heaven. He also said, if you have two cloaks, give one to the poor. If I believed that an all powerful being who could send me to a place of eternal torture wanted me to share my excess with others, damn right I would be giving things away. I would only own what I needed to survive because that is what Jesus taught. It isn't that there aren't Christians who help the poor but very few give up as many material goods as Jesus required.

Paul's teachings provide Christians a way out from a more strict lifestyle. They can look down on the poor because Paul said that the poor should work or not expect a handout.

[Crossless2.0]

Jesus actually said that anyone who didn't feed and clothe the poor would not get to heaven. He also said, if you have two cloaks, give one to the poor. If I believed that an all powerful being who could send me to a place of eternal torture wanted me to share my excess with others, damn right I would be giving things away. I would only own what I needed to survive because that is what Jesus taught. It isn't that there aren't Christians who help the poor but very few give up as many material goods as Jesus required.

Paul's teachings provide Christians a way out from a more strict lifestyle. They can look down on the poor because Paul said that the poor should work or not expect a handout.

Though I find it no more believable than the Pauline version, I can at least muster something like sympathy (even a grudging respect) for Christianity when it was still a Jewish sect. But once it was sold to the Gentiles and the Hellenized Jews of the Diaspora, it went completely off the rails. My loathing for that liar and charlatan Paul is nearly boundless.

[Norman Humann]

If you just submit all of your crtical thinking and individuality, you can join our club after you die!

It's a one time opportunity! Just stop thinking altogether and you get to sit next to Jesus!

And Hitler!