Quote:I feel like I now live and breathe in a world where some things are actually good and true, not because the majority says so based on a consensus perception, but because good things verily participate in and manifest a real transcendent Good, one that is intelligent, just, and purposeful.

It is not lost on me that many people here speak in an entirely different demeanor in other parts of the forum.  Specifically when conversing with persons considering leaving their faith.  I have learned a lot here and thank everyone for their insight and perspective. 

 I wish I could respond to the OP about some specific instances in my life where I conversed with the Lord and had immediate, tangible results.  I do not think the few times this has happened in my life would hold up to scrutiny, as potentially they could all be written off as coincidence or something else.  I could point to several times my life should have ended.   I could speak to the things I was praying for guidance about, and  finding peace about a decision, that in retrospect proved to be the correct choice.

It is easy to be snarky and attempt to portray Christianity in a negative light with humor and sarcasm, I laugh a lot at what I see here.  Truthfully, a lot of religious people deserve exactly what is said.  I see so many erroneous applications of "religion", a pastor telling a mother to divorce her husband.  Not based in the scripture, and most definitely not what Christ would say.  I really enjoy conversing with religious people that are ignorant in matters such as this.  I would love to have been there to speak with that individual.  I constantly ask people to judge Christianity on it's own merit and intent, not the erroneous and poor application of it they find in the world.

V/R

PETE

(July 14, 2016 at 3:23 pm)Spirian Wrote:

(July 14, 2016 at 2:53 pm)purplepurpose Wrote: Can you give one example from your life, where religion caused harm?

A pastor told my mother to divorce my father because he wasn't a Christian. She divorced my dad - life was fucked after that.

I am working on the assumption that you reject Christianity, is this experience the basis for that sir?

I would love to hear someone address how two Christians, both having a personal relationship with Jesus, can come to contradictory conclusions about what Jesus thinks or wants.

Clearly, something is wrong there. What is the problem?

How does this not bother people?

If you take away the "erroneous and poor applications" from christianity, by which I can only assume you mean all of the other damned christians and their silly beliefs..all that's left is a story about stringing up the better man.  That's not going to come out the other end very well with some folks, Pete.

@Rob, nobody gives a shit what somebody else's jesus wants or thinks.

(July 15, 2016 at 1:39 am)robvalue Wrote: I would love to hear someone address how two Christians, both having a personal relationship with Jesus, can come to contradictory conclusions about what Jesus thinks or wants.

 

If GC is correct, that the Holy spirit is "Gods Google", the same principles would apply .... when you think your talking to a gorgeous girl its probably an old hag,  and dirty old men will be 12 year old boys ....

Fucked if I know how xtians managed before the internet though?

Indeed. I always find the phrase "personal God" painfully ironic.

What's more likely?

1) The boss of everything ever, the whole universe, is interested in you specifically and agrees with you about everything. He's interested in other people too, but either his opinion changes when talking to them or they all get it wrong.

2) You're projecting what you think God would be like, which includes being very interested in you and agreeing with you.

Personally, if I projected what "God" would be like (assuming there is one) I would fully expect he'd have absolutely no particular interest in me. Or this planet.

Ma dog: Google hasn't helped their apologetics. Still the same shit. In fact, it's got worse and more desperate if anything.

(July 15, 2016 at 2:04 am)robvalue Wrote:  

Ma dog: Google hasn't helped their apologetics. Still the same shit. In fact, it's got worse and more desperate if anything.

I agree ... but when they were stuck with talking among themselves they could never agree .... now if they "Google" hard enough they can find people that support their individual delusions 

At least they're not allowed to kill people who disagree anymore. In most countries, anyway.

True, but since when has that really ever stopped them?