(November 9, 2015 at 12:34 pm)Drich Wrote: I am not disputing the consolidation of the church durning the 'dark ages', but again is that where the church remained?

Serious answer 1: No, it splintered.

Serious answer 2: Yes.

(November 9, 2015 at 11:54 am)Drich Wrote:

(November 9, 2015 at 11:00 am)vorlon13 Wrote: The flexibility in doctrine has to be a tremendous positive for Christians.  With 40,000 varieties of Christerism to select from, negotiating with God about which sect to join to accommodate virtually any lifestyle is a very compelling feature.


- - PLUS - -


most of those 40,000 varieties allow scripture cherry picking, so there will never be any restriction or inconvenience or contradiction between ones personnel life and their professed faith.  The individuals faith can also be precisely 'fine tuned', should 40,000 variations on Christianity be insufficient, just ignore anything undesirable in whatever version of the Bible your faith suggests, and if needed, make up any additional scriptural imperatives as desired.  

Allowing the followers to be in charge of their religion is just so damn convenient, other faiths have to be jealous.

Even so, to a degree you are correct. We do have the freedom to Worship God any way we want. The litmus is not in a set of religious Doctrine or rules as most suppose, it is in the greatest command we have. We are to love God with all of our being, and our neighbor as ourselves. the first part of this command would have us Love God with all of our hearts mind Spirit and strength. Now because we are all different this worship to this degree will look different from person to person depending on what God gave us to work with..

unfortunately modern christianity teaches a LOT more than just " love God with all your heart and love others as you love yourselves " and actually this religion in all its forms no matter what corrupted translated bible they read from everyone interprets differently , and it produces people who were like the hypocritical judgemental pharasees that jesus was so outspoken against .

(November 9, 2015 at 12:21 pm)Drich Wrote:

what eves Wrote:Not sure why you think this is a selling point.  I've never needed to think "that is evil always and forever" in order to feel justified in my moral reactions.

When one looses sight of Evil, he is endangered of being over taken by it.

I strongly suspect this is exactly opposite of the way it actually works. As with voodoo, one would have to believe in evil incarnate in order to be over taken by it. Those who don't fall within the culture of voodoo generally don't respond the same way believers do. I don't believe in evil though I do believe many species have destructive impulses, ourselves included.

I like the way God agrees with me about everything. Other people say he agrees with them too, but I don't agree with them, so they must all be wrong.

(November 9, 2015 at 12:34 pm)Whateverist the White Wrote: I'm Confused here.  Jesus had a hand in our creation?  

Yes, John 1:1 forward.

Quote:How does that work?

Jesus Is God. through Him all things were created.
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?se...ersion=ERV

Quote: Or maybe you're saying he turned a knob to fix us up along the way?

Turned a knob/Nailed to a cross in our place.. same thing I guess.

Quote:Is God lacking in glory?  What exactly is it we're doing for God that means so much to Him?

Do you have a kid?

Can your kid ever do anything to bring you shame?

Can your kid do anything to make you so proud of him you want to tell everyone? or want everyone to know that's you kid?

(Before you give me a platitude answer 'anything' is a all encompassing word that we take for granite think about it a second)

I could mean one of those scum bags who shoot up schools and movie theaters, to the oppsite end what if your kid won the super bowl, won the office of the PotUS?

Now are you lacking anything? If your son became PotUS and throughout his presidency gave citing all the great things he had accomplished was due directly to your influence and the world honored you, and your efforts for all your son has done in your name
Would this not bring you glory

What if your kid killed 100 class mates in a mass murder and like wise (deserved or not) told everyone it was you who pushed him to this act, and the world cursed your name... Would that bring you shame?

Again, i ask are you lacking anything?

The same is true for God. God does not have to lack anything to be brought glory or shame through our acts. We do so in an effort to give back to God. Like a son who wants to give back to honor his father.

(November 9, 2015 at 2:24 pm)robvalue Wrote: I like the way God agrees with me about everything. Other people say he agrees with them too, but I don't agree with them, so they must all be wrong.

I don't know why God even bothers to exist. He can't do anything without my imagining him doing it first.

I like the fact that in a world that stinks, we can have joy, hope and direction, knowing that the future is bright.  It's also a good guide for my life here in this world.

(November 9, 2015 at 3:38 pm)Lek Wrote: I like the fact that in a world that stinks, we can have joy, hope and direction, knowing that the future is bright.  It's also a good guide for my life here in this world.

You mean the delusion of everything's gonna be fine and dandy, once you snuffed it. If you followed the user manual, that is.

(November 9, 2015 at 4:29 pm)abaris Wrote:

(November 9, 2015 at 3:38 pm)Lek Wrote: I like the fact that in a world that stinks, we can have joy, hope and direction, knowing that the future is bright.  It's also a good guide for my life here in this world.

You mean the delusion of everything's gonna be fine and dandy, once you snuffed it. If you followed the user manual, that is.

No. Believe what you want, but that's not what I meant. What does the user manual say abut me snuffing out the world?

(November 9, 2015 at 4:55 pm)Lek Wrote: No.  Believe what you want, but that's not what I meant.  What does the user manual say abut me snuffing out the world?

Whatever you mean by that, but I rather take my chances with my little contributions to better this world than hoping for some saviour.