The Reasons why "Just Following Jesus" Doesn't work

[Rekeisha]

He is a Father and a son even though he is a spirit. So He refers to Himself that way.

All you're doing is telling me what you claim to know. You still aren't telling me how you know it.

I know because He told me. To know this for yourself you must acknowledge God or else you will not understand the world around you correctly.

[Iroscato]

For that, I'd need some solid evidence beyond an old book that it isn't a load of made-up bollocks. So far, nothing has been forthcoming.

It isn't made up and you do have more than than the bible. Just look around you people are not good so the question is why.

I swear, if I hear that 'Just look around you!' bullshit one more time I shall tear off my own arm and beat people to death with the soggy end.

Most people are good, because being a social species that interacts positively with its own kind meant they had a better chance of surviving against those that did not. Millions of years later, you get us. Being 'evil' is a fairly subjective thing, and is caused by recessive genes, upbringing, and other environmental factors.

I'm sure you like to think that almost everyone lives in sin and is unclean, blah blah fucking blah. That shit doesn't wash in today's society, mercifully it's dying out, and fast.

[Rekeisha]

Surprised that I have to be the one to break this to you...but you're going to die regardless of whether or not you choose to obey.  Death isn't affected by fealty.

Now, personally, I don't think that a concept of "sin" that -doesn't- include stringing up the better man for ones own misdeeds is workable.  If there is sin...christianity is sinful.

I may die or Christ may come back before I die physically but I am spiritually alive because of the forgiveness of my sins. There is sin and God is the one that defines what sin is not man. As I said the wages of sin is death and we see it throughout the world. No one wants to die and if they take their lives it is because they don't see their life as actually living. There is a lack of harmony and joy in the world as a whole. There is discord and hate there is murder and war. There is the murder of the truly innocent. We live with death but we know this isn't what it should be. There is eternity written in our hearts. We long for something more and this isn't an accident. God the father sent Jesus to die for our sins in order to fix what is broken. He will fix all of creation. All those who long for wholeness in God will receive it through the acceptance of Christ death for their sins. All those who reject this will be removed with everything else that is wrong with the world.

[Cyberman]

All you're doing is telling me what you claim to know. You still aren't telling me how you know it.

I know because He told me. To know this for yourself you must acknowledge God or else you will not understand the world around you correctly.

In other words, "I'll see it when I believe it". As an advocate of the xtian position, you leave much to be desired.

[Rekeisha]

My mother's stepfather was a preacher. He was an angry man. (not saying that your father is) She felt like Christianity was bondage too. After she got out of her mother's house she didn't regularly attend church until I was in junior High. She now has a real relationship with God and does not feel bound like she did when she was under that man's rule.  My pastor also was a preacher's kid. In college he would talk people out of their faith in Christ. Then He met Jesus while he was in college and has lead our church for more than 20 years. It is not religion that keeps me in this faith it is a relationship with God. Through Jesus sacrifice on the cross for my sins and the grace of the Holy Spirit that keeps me in this relationship.

We need an emoji of a smiley setting a straw man on fire.


My lack of belief has nothing to do with my father. He's a good man and he did his best to raise me to be a moral man and a critical thinker. Ironically enough, I'm of the opinion that he more or less succeeded on that front. My atheism has nothing to do with familial rebellion. I'm too old for that petty teenage shit.


At what point did I say I felt like Christianity was a bondage on my life? I probably do think that in retrospect, but at the time I was happily and wholly devoted to worship, ministry, and study. Most of my doubts were restricted to young childhood and very recent years; throughout my teens and early twenties I was intensely devout, passionate, and sincere in my belief. I regularly engaged in prayer ministry, mission work, "spiritual warfare," the whole nine yards. For many years there was no doubt whatsoever in my mind that Gaud was real, that I was going to heaven when I died, and that I was doing good work in the name of my home-boy Jay-Zeesus, with whom I regularly spoke both through scripture and through personal revelation. I was practically bathing in Kool-Aid.


I, like you, was indoctrinated. The influence of christianity in my life had left me disappointed, depressed, and fearing for my mortal soul. Then, my critical thinking led me to embrace Reality, and once I began my personal relationship with Reality, I was truly reborn. Now, I lead a happier, much more fulfilled life. I'm less depressed, less anxious...it's like I'm a whole new person. Reality did that for me...it saved me from my ignorance, and it can save you, too. Will you accept Reality as your personal Lord and Savior, Rekeisha? Will you do it right now? Will you forsake your idols and become a disciple of the Truth?


I would pray for you, but I think I'm actually following God on Twitter, so I'll probably just hit him up there and ask him to reveal his fictional nature to you so you can begin your relationship with Reality and start undoing all the damage that religious indoctrination has done to your critical thinking skills. If he responds to me I'll screen-cap it so you can see what he says.

I wasn't saying you father was like may mother's step-father, like a posted in parentheses . I was just giving you example of people who grew up in Christianity walked away and then truly found God. If you were depressed and disappointed with Christianity that may be because you were not following God. That does not mean that those who believe in God do not struggle with these things, but it isn't because they are following God but seeking to control their own life. I see God freeing me of anxiety and enables me to lead a fulfilled life although at times it is difficult. If you began to doubt wither you were saved the Holy Spirit would have reassured you of that reality. Since it would seem that you didn't receive that reassurance that leads me to question, not your devotion to Christianity, wither you actually knew God.

Did you do things for God or did God lead you to do thing and you accomplished those tasks through His grace and power? Did you find that you loved people more because of you knew God? Where you experiencing victory over your sins through the power of the Holy Spirit? Were you humble in spirit and saw that you needed a savior more and more? Could you identify the specific sins that God had saved you from?

I don't fear reality because I know the one who controls it. Since I don't need to follow God on twitter to know what He wants I will keep on praying for you and allow God's will to be done.

[Rekeisha]

He is a Father and a son even though he is a spirit. So He refers to Himself that way.

That's a pile of shit inspired by mental acrobatics. There's actually nobody able to explain why Jesus' supposed sacrifice should have any meaning given the above. God the father, god the son and god the holy spirit. What's left is god, who can't die by definition.

When Jesus became flesh then that body could die. Our souls will live on after our physical bodies die. The question is where will they spend the rest of eternity. Your choice to accept or reject Christ death on the cross for your sins will determine that..

[abaris]

As I said, nobody is able to explain it on a rational level.

Even according to your definition, Jesus willed himself to become flesh. So here we are. A god, who can't die by definition and a perfect example of a meaningless circus trick.

And here's a hint - preaching doesn't work with most of us. Otherwise we wouldn't be here.

[Redbeard The Pink]

I wasn't saying you father was like may mother's step-father, like a posted in parentheses . I was just giving you example of people who grew up in Christianity walked away and then truly found God. If you were depressed and disappointed with Christianity that may be because you were not following God. That does not mean that those who believe in God do not struggle with these things, but it isn't because they are following God but seeking to control their own life. I see God freeing me of anxiety and enables me to lead a fulfilled life although at times it is difficult. If you began to doubt wither you were saved the Holy Spirit would have reassured you of that reality. Since it would seem that you didn't receive that reassurance that leads me to question, not your devotion to Christianity, wither you actually knew God.

Did you do things for God or did God lead you to do thing and you accomplished those tasks through His grace and power? Did you find that you loved people more because of you knew God? Where you experiencing victory over your sins through the power of the Holy Spirit? Were you humble in spirit and saw that you needed a savior more and more? Could you identify the specific sins that God had saved you from?

I don't fear reality because I know the one who controls it. Since I don't need to follow God on twitter to know what He wants I will keep on praying for you and allow God's will to be done.

Yes, in my perception, I was all the things you describe. I now realize, of course, that I wasn't, and neither are you. This is just more scripted garbage from your history of indoctrination. No matter how many different ways you say it, you can't tell me what I believed or why I believed it, or why I stopped. You can't, and neither can your stupid book. You don't even really know why you hold your own beliefs. There are whole sciences devoted to why people have religious experiences like the ones you have and I used to have, and they provide better explanations of the phenomenon than "Gaud did it."


This is, of course, more evidence of the fact that you don't really believe in Gaud because he's real or because of evidence, but because you lack the perception and critical thinking skills to see reality as it truly is and realize that Gaud is not a part of it. You need to accept reality and save yourself from your ignorance and delusions. We're really just trying to help you. Why won't you accept our help? Why do you hate reality?

[Wyrd of Gawd]

That's a pile of shit inspired by mental acrobatics. There's actually nobody able to explain why Jesus' supposed sacrifice should have any meaning given the above. God the father, god the son and god the holy spirit. What's left is god, who can't die by definition.

When Jesus became flesh then that body could die. Our souls will live on after our physical bodies die. The question is where will they spend the rest of eternity. Your choice to accept or reject Christ death on the cross for your sins will determine that..

Jesus said that he only came for the Jews.  So how will you ever be able to get on his wagon?

[Rekeisha]

As I said, nobody is able to explain it on a rational level.

Even according to your definition, Jesus willed himself to become flesh. So here we are. A god, who can't die by definition and a perfect example of a meaningless circus trick.

And here's a hint - preaching doesn't work with most of us. Otherwise we wouldn't be here.

I am here to tell you the truth nothing more nothing less. It is not my job to get you to believe. Also if you could understand all of God He wouldn't be God. His ways are not our ways his thoughts are not our thoughts.