I have always felt this to be true. I do know that this is a very common theme I have heard and read as well. That religion was created to control people and the proper way to do that was to use the deterrents of hell and a vengeful God. I do know the Catholic church really grasped onto this. For instance, they did not allow regular people to read the bible; only priests could. Was this to keep out all the stuff they did not want the masses to see? What are your thoughts?

(March 22, 2018 at 11:17 pm)Libertarian God Wrote: I have always felt this to be true. I do know that this is a very common theme I have heard and read as well. That religion was created to control people and the proper way to do that was to use the deterrents of hell and a vengeful God. I do know the Catholic church really grasped onto this. For instance, they did not allow regular people to read the bible; only priests could. Was this to keep out all the stuff they did not want the masses to see? What are your thoughts?

I do not think Christian and Jewish  priests deliberately concocted myths to control people. I do think it made it easier to do so.

It evolved to that eventually, but at first it was just a convenient and lucrative way for Apostle Paul to make a living. He was also sensitive to crowd response/reaction to his theology and was not afraid to retcon Jesus apocalyptic Judaism into something MUCH more palatable to the masses and obviously, the more followers he attracted the more $$$ and attention he received.

Sucks to be Jesus, worked out OK for Paul who was, technically, the first heretic, but no one noticed till it was too late and by then Paul was a Saint. They never made Jesus a Saint . . . .

(March 22, 2018 at 11:17 pm)Libertarian God Wrote: I have always felt this to be true. I do know that this is a very common theme I have heard and read as well. That religion was created to control people and the proper way to do that was to use the deterrents of hell and a vengeful God. I do know the Catholic church really grasped onto this. For instance, they did not allow regular people to read the bible; only priests could. Was this to keep out all the stuff they did not want the masses to see? What are your thoughts?

That might be with other religions but with Christianity it's not true, Christianity is a religion with free will, including free thought. Do some use Christianity to control others, yes, as people use many different things to control others, outside of governments it's all on a small scale. 

GC

(March 23, 2018 at 1:52 am)Godscreated Wrote:

(March 22, 2018 at 11:17 pm)Libertarian God Wrote: I have always felt this to be true. I do know that this is a very common theme I have heard and read as well. That religion was created to control people and the proper way to do that was to use the deterrents of hell and a vengeful God. I do know the Catholic church really grasped onto this. For instance, they did not allow regular people to read the bible; only priests could. Was this to keep out all the stuff they did not want the masses to see? What are your thoughts?

 Christianity is a religion with free will

LMAO Free will? Get outta here with that crap! Is that why if you don't obey God he will throw you down to hell to suffer if you don't worship him? What a loving free choice of a God you got there.

(March 23, 2018 at 5:30 am)Libertarian God Wrote:

(March 23, 2018 at 1:52 am)Godscreated Wrote:  Christianity is a religion with free will

LMAO Free will? Get outta here with that crap! Is that why if you don't obey God he will throw you down to hell to suffer if you don't worship him? What a loving free choice of a God you got there.

No matter you have the free choice to choose heaven or hell, you are the one who decides where you spend eternity and God will give you your choice. You seem to think God is threatening you with hell, that's not true not even close. People might do that and atheist want to believe this because they do not want to believe there's a God, but God doesn't threaten you with hell and He came and died as a man so you wouldn't have to suffer hell. God through his word tells us we have a choice and it is ours to make.

GC

(March 24, 2018 at 12:08 am)Godscreated Wrote:

(March 23, 2018 at 5:30 am)Libertarian God Wrote: LMAO Free will? Get outta here with that crap! Is that why if you don't obey God he will throw you down to hell to suffer if you don't worship him? What a loving free choice of a God you got there.

No matter you have the free choice to choose heaven or hell, you are the one who decides where you spend eternity and God will give you your choice. You seem to think God is threatening you with hell, that's not true not even close. People might do that and atheist want to believe this because they do not want to believe there's a God, but God doesn't threaten you with hell and He came and died as a man so you wouldn't have to suffer hell. God through his word tells us we have a choice and it is ours to make.

GC

So I can choose not to go to hell? Why did god have to turn into a man and die in order for me not to go to hell if I could just choose not to go?

According to Bible prophecy, dating from around 500 BC, the Christian era began within the fourth world empire, secular Rome, but a world wide trend of corrupted Christianity became the Roman Catholic empire in the 6th century, which lasted for 1,260 years until 1798.
That reign is identified as the antichrist system, and it has been predicted that it would gain global support again from a final unification of world powers.
That is already in place, and it is waiting for an impetus to bring it to life.

Christianity was not a political movement, but it fell from that calling to become the world's worst persecuting power. What is now mistakenly called Christianity is nothing more than the worship of the religions of Rome.

Religions - plural, since her demise as a politically supported church, the many religions which have since spawned are under her new umbrella.

The Vatican rules the world in trade and finance, and all the governments of the world pay homage to its representative the Pope.

Their tribute is in finance, handing over the control of the economy and business, and the formation of laws which encroach on every natural and human freedom.

(March 23, 2018 at 1:52 am)Godscreated Wrote:

(March 22, 2018 at 11:17 pm)Libertarian God Wrote: I have always felt this to be true. I do know that this is a very common theme I have heard and read as well. That religion was created to control people and the proper way to do that was to use the deterrents of hell and a vengeful God. I do know the Catholic church really grasped onto this. For instance, they did not allow regular people to read the bible; only priests could. Was this to keep out all the stuff they did not want the masses to see? What are your thoughts?

That might be with other religions but with Christianity it's not true, Christianity is a religion with free will, including free thought. Do some use Christianity to control others, yes, as people use many different things to control others, outside of governments it's all on a small scale. 

GC

Tell that shit to Cardinal Torquemada you asshole.

The church is about nothing but control.  Did it start out that way?  No.  But that was its attractiveness to the Roman emperors who used it to keep the dolts in line.

You're still in line.

(March 23, 2018 at 5:30 am)Libertarian God Wrote: LMAO Free will? Get outta here with that crap! Is that why if you don't obey God he will throw you down to hell to suffer if you don't worship him? What a loving free choice of a God you got there.

It would be unfair NOT to inform you of the results of rejecting the one who gives you the breath of life.