Homosexuality no longer a sin

[CDF47]

The Christian God loved us so much that He came to this world Himself and suffered and died a terrible death.  All we need to do is believe in Him to be saved.  The Christian God loves His people and even His enemies as He offers them enough time and opportunity to choose Him.

So your god is dead, then?  That would explain why prayers are only "answered" in the context of things that are already possible without the assistance of gods.

If you claim that your god subsequently came back to life, one of the following things apply:

• Jesus didn't 100% die;
  
• Jesus did die 100% and had to be resurrected by a completely different god;
  
• The death scene was faked;
  
• The whole thing is just a story.
  

I choose the bolded option -- There was never a resurrected Jesus.  It's just a fable that's hundreds of years past its "best before" date.  At most there was an insignificant mortal preacher who died and stayed dead.  People who die and stay dead only have power in the imaginations of people who believe in them.  I do not believe in your imaginary friend and I have no use for this "salvation" you speak of.

As for "suffered and died a terrible death" -- three hours on the cross is not particularly impressive for a god.  In the Eddas, it states that Allfather Oðinn spent nine days and nights impaled on Yggdrasil by His own spear.  FFS, *I've* had a hamstring tear that was a 10/10 on the pain scale and lasted more than three hours.  (Don't even get me started on all those years of menstrual cramps...)

No, he rose in 3 days.  He is the living God.  He always was and always will be.  He was scourged, humiliated, spit on, had to carry His own heavy cross, get nailed to the cross, and then suffocate to death.  It was a terrible death used by the Romans.  That is why they used it, for psychological warfare.  They would even line the hill tops so passer-bys would see the crucifixions and not even think about opposing Roman rule.

[Astreja]

No, he rose in 3 days...

I don't believe you.  I believe that if there ever was a real-life Jesus, his mortal remains are currently in a Roman mass grave somewhere under the streets of modern-day Jerusalem.

I do not believe in resurrection, or in life after death.

[CDF47]

No, he rose in 3 days...

I don't believe you.  I believe that if there ever was a real-life Jesus, his mortal remains are currently in a Roman mass grave somewhere under the streets of modern-day Jerusalem.

I do not believe in resurrection, or in life after death.

You're entitled to that belief.

[robvalue]

So all of that “design” shit is to justify your bigotry to yourself.

Who cares what we were designed to do. We were given brains, so we should use them rather than be puppets.

---

If you designed a life form, and it ended up doing something you didn't design it to do, which of these responses would be appropriate:

1) Take responsibility for this, figure out what you did wrong and fix the design

2) Be impressed that your creation has grown beyond your perceived limitations

3) Do nothing until the life forms in question die, then annihilate/torture them

[Gawdzilla Sama]

But then again, has anyone seen the photo of Francis leering at the bosom of that well-endowed woman, at the Vatican?

[Jehanne]

I am surprised that none of our resident Catholics have replied to this thread???

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GL,

When I was 12 to 13, I used to wake-up in the middle of the night running around my house screaming that I had died and gone to eternal Hell, sometimes having multiple such night terrors (a term that I learned much later in life) during the same night's "rest'.  Do you think that my experiences were a lack of "self control" or were my night terrors the work of the Devil?  You see, GC, I was wearing skirts and dresses as a biological male preteen and was taught that such was due to my sinful nature and that I would burn in eternal Hell as a consequence.

Dawn

 First of all the devil doesn't want you to believe there is such a place, if everyone was certain hell was real then there would be no atheist, at least sane ones. So no the devil did not do it. I'm not sure what you mean by lack of self control, generally dreams are not controlled and come from an resting mind and body. Your dreams may have stemmed from what others were telling you, who these others are I have no idea but they must have been influential in your life. What you did as a preteen could have lead you down a wrong path but since I wasn't there how can I say, you seem to think I know more about you than I do. I know little about you and do not pretend to know enough to say much. What I d think I already explained, your night terrors probably were influenced by what others were saying.

GC

---

I still wear skirts, and I don't have night terrors.

[Gawdzilla Sama]

Lava lavas are great in a hot climate.

[Astreja]

You're entitled to that belief.

How could I possibly *not* be "entitled" to it?  Belief is not something that one chooses.  It is the way that one perceives the world.

[Mystic]

We definitely choose our beliefs or Hammy is right in his argument, there is no free-will, as acts are results of our states and acting according to them, and our states are a result of our beliefs/views.

In fact, it can be said an action is a belief put into real time.

[Gawdzilla Sama]

You're entitled to that belief.

How could I possibly *not* be "entitled" to it?  Belief is not something that one chooses.  It is the way that one perceives the world.

People switch religions (aka "beliefs") all the time.