(December 24, 2017 at 1:57 am)Dnte Wrote: I could turn christian after being an old man who has lived a worldly life.

That was kind of the original idea in christianity. It wasn't until well after it became the official religion of the empire that on your deathbed was no longer the accepted place of conversion.

---

(December 24, 2017 at 8:40 am)Catholic_Lady Wrote: I'm not a Christian because it "benefits" me. I'm Christian because I think it is true.

Even though the most basic level of thought towards it would show it false.

(December 24, 2017 at 9:01 am)Starhunter Wrote: What benefit is there to being a Christian, as opposed to someone who rejects the truth?

None really, as you said. 

If you want to follow Christ, you may expect persecution from society, from your own friends and relatives, and a life of trials, hardship, poverty and suffering etc.
Jesus said, whoever wants to be my disciple, let him take up his cross and deny himself.
The Christian life isn't about desperately seeking the best way to pamper yourself.

But there are benefits of being a Christian which the worlding cannot experience even with the most powerful drugs. And that is an inner calm and peace, cheer, hope and integrity that will not cave in under pressure.

The genuine Christian also lives a life of the highest order, he gains wisdom, insight, perseverence, a refined character, a clear conscience and eternal life, with incredible rewards.

The life of the wicked, is one of self interest, their ambitions get them the best of this world, but there is no inner calm, just envy, anger, and restlessness. Their will becomes morally weak, and the character perverse. The end result for the wicked, is not only a wasted character, but a ridiculous struggle with no victories, except in personal gain, a vain hope, misery and death.

It is for the victims of sin/selfishness, all of humanity, that Christ makes every effort and sacrifice to save. Every sin that they have committed has been paid for, and they are entitled to the full reward of eternal life, if they turn up now to work for Christ and not against him.

Well said.

---

(December 24, 2017 at 1:57 am)Dnte Wrote: I want to ask christians, what are the benefits of being a christian while being alive? All I hear is what is going to happen AFTER you die. That you go to heaven and that God will not throw you into the pits of hell. BUT I want to know, what are the benefits of being a christian while being alive. And I want benefits that don't aply to muslims, buddhists, atheists, etc.

Inner peace and joy regardless of your circumstances.

Quote:I could turn christian after being an old man who has lived a worldly life. I'd repent of my sins, turn to God and put my soul into Jesus' heart before dieing and I'd be the first!

You could in the sense that God would accept you. But, after a lifetime of rejection of God, you probably won't. And if you do, you won't be thinking, Cool, I got the best of both worlds, but rather Damn, I wasted my life on sin, wish I would have seen the light decades ago.

Quote:That doesn't make sense either. If an 80 year old man who has lived a christian life of perfection, for some reason, decides to abandon God and become an atheist. Why does he have to go to hell?

He doesn't. God restores us from falls. You guys all act like salvation is a magic formula. Maybe that's why you disparagingly refer to religion as magic - your understanding of it is so shallow. Salvation is in god's hands, and if he wants that person, he'll have him no matter what he does.

Quote:Anyway. Why should I be a christian?

Because you're a sinner deserving of judgment and Christianity offers salvation for eternity. If you're just interested in this life, then don't be a Christian. As Paul says:

1 Cor 15
19 If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men the most pitiable.

(December 24, 2017 at 9:01 am)Starhunter Wrote: What benefit is there to being a Christian, as opposed to someone who rejects the truth?

None really, as you said. 

If you want to follow Christ, you may expect persecution from society, from your own friends and relatives, and a life of trials, hardship, poverty and suffering etc.
Jesus said, whoever wants to be my disciple, let him take up his cross and deny himself.

Again with the persecution complex! for over a thousand years Christianity has been the main persecutor of other faiths ruthlessly suppressing and murdering all dissenters.
Now that people are starting to see it for what it is they get all butt hurt.

Quote:The Christian life isn't about desperately seeking the best way to pamper yourself.

The implication here is that non-Christians do this. It is an insult disguised as humility.

Quote:But there are benefits of being a Christian which the worlding cannot experience even with the most powerful drugs. And that is an inner calm and peace, cheer, hope and integrity that will not cave in under pressure.

This is not what I see when I see people who self identify as Christians, at least not in the US where they seem to have a lot of anger and hostility and that is before any pressure is applied at all.

Quote:The genuine Christian™ also lives a life of the highest order, he gains wisdom, insight, perseverence, a refined character, a clear conscience and eternal life, with incredible rewards.

By adding "true" you can discount the vast majority of Christians who in no way resemble what you have put there.

Quote:The life of the wicked, is one of self interest, their ambitions get them the best of this world, but there is no inner calm, just envy, anger, and restlessness. Their will becomes morally weak, and the character perverse. The end result for the wicked, is not only a wasted character, but a ridiculous struggle with no victories, except in personal gain, a vain hope, misery and death.

This seems to describe evangelical perfectly Christians to me.

Quote:It is for the victims of sin/selfishness, all of humanity, that Christ makes every effort and sacrifice to save. Every sin that they have committed has been paid for, and they are entitled to the full reward of eternal life, if they turn up now to work for Christ and not against him.

What does this even mean?

---

(December 24, 2017 at 1:21 pm)downbeatplumb Wrote:

(December 24, 2017 at 9:01 am)Starhunter Wrote: What benefit is there to being a Christian, as opposed to someone who rejects the truth?

None really, as you said. 

If you want to follow Christ, you may expect persecution from society, from your own friends and relatives, and a life of trials, hardship, poverty and suffering etc.
Jesus said, whoever wants to be my disciple, let him take up his cross and deny himself.

Again with the persecution complex! for over a thousand years Christianity has been the main persecutor of other faiths ruthlessly suppressing and murdering all dissenters.
Now that people are starting to see it for what it is they get all butt hurt.

https://www.theonion.com/nation-s-oppres...1819578481

Quote:The Christian life isn't about desperately seeking the best way to pamper yourself.

The implication here is that non-Christians do this. It is an insult disguised as humility.

Quote:But there are benefits of being a Christian which the worlding cannot experience even with the most powerful drugs. And that is an inner calm and peace, cheer, hope and integrity that will not cave in under pressure.

This is not what I see when I see people who self identify as Christians, at least not in the US where they seem  to have a lot of anger and hostility and that is before any pressure is applied at all.

Quote:The genuine Christian™ also lives a life of the highest order, he gains wisdom, insight, perseverence, a refined character, a clear conscience and eternal life, with incredible rewards.

By adding "true" you can discount the vast majority of Christians who in no way resemble what you have put there.

Quote:The life of the wicked, is one of self interest, their ambitions get them the best of this world, but there is no inner calm, just envy, anger, and restlessness. Their will becomes morally weak, and the character perverse. The end result for the wicked, is not only a wasted character, but a ridiculous struggle with no victories, except in personal gain, a vain hope, misery and death.

This seems to describe evangelical perfectly Christians to me.

Quote:It is for the victims of sin/selfishness, all of humanity, that Christ makes every effort and sacrifice to save. Every sin that they have committed has been paid for, and they are entitled to the full reward of eternal life, if they turn up now to work for Christ and not against him.

What does this even mean?

I envy Christians, or anyone with a solid faith. It has to be nice to give over to a higher power and not stress about things.

The vast majority of Christians (or the observant of any religion) were raised into the religion and it is the only worldview they know.  It provides a sense of superiority and tribal belonging.  And it provides an escape from the fires of hell, a threat that is used on developing young minds for any infraction before they're able to string sentences together.

(December 24, 2017 at 1:29 pm)Mermaid Wrote: I envy Christians, or anyone with a solid faith. It has to be nice to give over to a higher power and not stress about things.

Haha, trust me we still stress. But it is a source of comfort and strength during hard times.

Almost forgot, they get to feel smug and superior.

(December 24, 2017 at 1:56 pm)Catholic_Lady Wrote:

(December 24, 2017 at 1:29 pm)Mermaid Wrote: I envy Christians, or anyone with a solid faith. It has to be nice to give over to a higher power and not stress about things.

Haha, trust me we still stress. But it is a source of comfort and strength during hard times.

That's what I mean! It has to feel pretty good to hand some of it over to God.

Bible sez:

drink poison and not die

handle deadly snakes and not die

heal the sick

speak in tongues


Anxious for several here to demonstrate!

(December 24, 2017 at 3:32 pm)vorlon13 Wrote: Bible sez:

drink poison and not die

handle deadly snakes and not die

heal the sick

Yeah, I've witnessed that last one firsthand. The twat didn't even try it again.

(December 24, 2017 at 3:32 pm)vorlon13 Wrote: speak in tongues

I've witnessed this one as well. Creepy as all fuck, especially in a confined space with no immediate escape.