I still don't understand why anyone would make up a person like the Biblical Christ..

[The Grand Nudger]

I don't think you'll like it as much after you read it.

[Anomalocaris]

Keep in mind though, there was nothing advantageous about being a Christian until Constantine.

Uhhh, would you care to keep in mind that your christianity preferentially selects those who suffer from vulnerability to promises of advantage that does not exist in the eyes of a rational detached observer?

[Oldandeasilyconfused]

For example Horus, Osiris, Krishna, Dionysus, and Jesus Christ all share the same birthday of December 25th.

Actually they don't. People keep quoting that bloody crackpot movie without actually checking the facts

Nobody knows when Jesus was allegedly born,but sometime in spring is accepted by many Christians. December 25 is the winter solstice. The Christians pinched it from Deus Sol Invictus. (just like the halo) As far as I'm aware, none of the deities mentioned has an ascribes birthday of Dec 25.

Uhhh, would you care to keep in mind that your Christianity preferentially selects those who suffer from vulnerability to promises of advantage that does not exist in the eyes of a rational detached observer?

I guess that's true of all religions. They catch people when they are children,because children accept whatever adults tell them uncritically. These beliefs become part of the person's world view. Few people have the desire ,need or psychological ability to seriously challenge their basic beliefs about anything.Hence atheists are vastly outnumbered.

I have never understood adult conversions,they always seem rather pathetic to me; fits exactly with what you say.

[Joe Bloe]

With all due respect to everyone on this site, why would any of this be made up???

Cash, power and control:

Ask the leaders of the Mormons, the Scientologists and the John Frum cultists on Tanna Island.

Christian leaders - much the same.

Like there was a lot of money and power to be gained from the poor of those days. What kind of power over the poor would have been of use back then, surely you guys are smarter than that,well maybe not. Paul worked as a tent maker during his ministry, he gave up wealth to be a preacher and a tent maker, how does that fit with your theory. My pastor gave up a job as a nuclear engineer to become a pastor, this holds true for many men down through time. Your theory holds no water, check your bucket it has many holes.

Remember the story of the widow's mite, where the people to be most admired were those who donated ALL of their money to the church. Mark 12:41-44

Remember the story of Ananias and Saphira who sold their property and gave the proceeds to the church - but kept a little for themselves and they were struck dead for doing so. Acts 5:1-11

Remember when Paul was preparing for his trip to Spain - but first he was going to take all the cash collected in Macedonia and Achaia and give it to the church leaders in Jerusalem. Romans 15:24-26

Remember when Paul played the Corinthians against the people of Macedonia and Achaia, explaining that he had boasted of how much money the Corinthians would donate to the church and begging them not to let him down. Not only that, he told them they must collect the money immediately and have it ready and waiting when his agents arrived to pick it up. 2 Corinthians 9:1-5

Remember when Paul was preaching the prosperity gospel, telling his followers to give until it hurts. 2 Corinthians 9:6-9

[Not many holes in my bucket]

[Minimalist]

Remember when Paul was preaching the prosperity gospel, telling his followers to give until it hurts. 2 Corinthians 9:6-9

Yeah - reminds me of this quote:

Ministers say that they teach charity. This is natural. They live on alms. All beggars teach that others should give.
-- Robert Green Ingersoll,

[Oldandeasilyconfused]

Remember when Paul was preaching the prosperity gospel, telling his followers to give until it hurts. 2 Corinthians 9:6-9

Prosperity? Hardly, unless you mean that of the Church at the expense of its flock,which it has always fleeced. Christianity has always glorified poverty,the Catholics still do.. Under Catholicism, the rich get richer,the poor get children..

John Calvin indirectly invented what has become known as 'prosperity theology'. The basis came from the idea of predestination.IE God has already decided who is saved and who is damned. How can one possibly tell if one is saved? Why, personal prosperity is a clear sign of God's favour. Conversely,if you're poor,you're damned. Very smug, very self serving ,this idea produced the perception of 'the undeserving poor' still endemic in our society.

[Joe Bloe]

Remember when Paul was preaching the prosperity gospel, telling his followers to give until it hurts. 2 Corinthians 9:6-9

Prosperity? Hardly, unless you mean that of the Church at the expense of its flock,which it has always fleeced. Christianity has always glorified poverty,the Catholics still do.. Under Catholicism, the rich get richer,the poor get children..

Prosperity gospel: Where the preacher says, "Give your money to me and you will get it back again, plus a whole lot more besides - you will prosper." [see 2 Corinthians 9:6-9 for Paul's precise words]

All but the truly devout are well aware it doesn't work, but that, nevertheless, is what it's called: The Prosperity Gospel.

[Godscreated]

Remember when Paul was preaching the prosperity gospel, telling his followers to give until it hurts. 2 Corinthians 9:6-9

Prosperity? Hardly, unless you mean that of the Church at the expense of its flock,which it has always fleeced. Christianity has always glorified poverty,the Catholics still do.. Under Catholicism, the rich get richer,the poor get children..

Prosperity gospel: Where the preacher says, "Give your money to me and you will get it back again, plus a whole lot more besides - you will prosper." [see 2 Corinthians 9:6-9 for Paul's precise words]

All but the truly devout are well aware it doesn't work, but that, nevertheless, is what it's called: The Prosperity Gospel.

Who taught you that 2 Corinthians 9:6-9 was a prosperity gospel, Paul never taught such things and Christ never sanctioned such. Paul never mentions money in those verses (even though it takes money to run a ministry), the only thing I see Paul talking about is blessings and Paul is talking about someone being a blessing to another. A person that gives of theirselves and their time for another is a blessing to them, most of the NT is about giving of your self not your money. Verse 7 puts the so called prosperity gospel to rest, you should read it and take it to heart. Verse 8 Paul says that you will abound in grace for your good deeds, this in no way means one will gain financially, these verses are about spiritual growth with God when you lovingly give of your self to another. You might read to the end of chapter 9 to see a fuller meaning to this passage.

---

With all due respect to everyone on this site, why would any of this be made up???

Cash, power and control:

Ask the leaders of the Mormons, the Scientologists and the John Frum cultists on Tanna Island.

Christian leaders - much the same.

Like there was a lot of money and power to be gained from the poor of those days. What kind of power over the poor would have been of use back then, surely you guys are smarter than that,well maybe not. Paul worked as a tent maker during his ministry, he gave up wealth to be a preacher and a tent maker, how does that fit with your theory. My pastor gave up a job as a nuclear engineer to become a pastor, this holds true for many men down through time. Your theory holds no water, check your bucket it has many holes.

Remember the story of the widow's mite, where the people to be most admired were those who donated ALL of their money to the church. Mark 12:41-44

Remember the story of Ananias and Saphira who sold their property and gave the proceeds to the church - but kept a little for themselves and they were struck dead for doing so. Acts 5:1-11

Remember when Paul was preparing for his trip to Spain - but first he was going to take all the cash collected in Macedonia and Achaia and give it to the church leaders in Jerusalem. Romans 15:24-26

Remember when Paul played the Corinthians against the people of Macedonia and Achaia, explaining that he had boasted of how much money the Corinthians would donate to the church and begging them not to let him down. Not only that, he told them they must collect the money immediately and have it ready and waiting when his agents arrived to pick it up. 2 Corinthians 9:1-5

Remember when Paul was preaching the prosperity gospel, telling his followers to give until it hurts. 2 Corinthians 9:6-9

[Not many holes in my bucket]

To start with there was no church while Christ was still on earth, this lady tithed all she had to God, she gave from her heart and this is what the story is about, giving in love and not to be noticed, the rich wanted to seen as good givers so people would notice them and praise them, they did it to be noticed not for the glory to God. Hole #1

The story of Ananias and Saphira had nothing to do with them wanting to keep a little of the money, Peter told them that they could have keep all they wanted, they had said they were going to give all of the money they received for the land to the church, they lied, this lie was held against them by God for their lie was against the Holy Spirit. Now the church did not take their lives God did because of the nature of their lie. Hole#2

That money went to the poor saints in Jerusalem not the leaders, the verses make that very clear. Hole#3

You sure seem to have a hard time understanding scripture, read chapter 8 of 2nd Corinthians and you will see what Paul is saying in the first five verses of chapter 9. Paul is not playing one church against another and he says that one should only give as they can afford to, Paul ask them to give from the heart just like the woman that gave the mite, do this in love not in pride. There are great spiritual teachings in these verses, I do not expect you to see them but they are there. Hole#4

I explained 2 Corintians 9:6-9 above. Hole#5.
Careful you are leaking a lot of water from your bucket.

[Minimalist]

In 2007, U.S. Senator Chuck Grassley opened a probe into the finances of six televangelism ministries that promote prosperity theology. The six ministries under investigation were Kenneth Copeland Ministries, Creflo Dollar Ministries, Benny Hinn Ministries, Bishop Eddie Long Ministries, Joyce Meyer Ministries, and Paula White Ministries. In January 2011, Grassley concluded his investigation and stated that he believed self-regulation by religious organizations was preferable to government action.

I will explain this for you G-C since you don't catch on very quickly to most things.

The holy fuckers bribed Grassley to stop his "investigation." Letting these two-bit phonies "regulate themselves" is like allowing alligators to decide who gets to swim in a stream.

Religion is about money...no matter what the holy assholes say.

[DeistPaladin]

In 2007, U.S. Senator Chuck Grassley opened a probe into the finances of six televangelism ministries that promote prosperity theology. The six ministries under investigation were Kenneth Copeland Ministries, Creflo Dollar Ministries, Benny Hinn Ministries, Bishop Eddie Long Ministries, Joyce Meyer Ministries, and Paula White Ministries. In January 2011, Grassley concluded his investigation and stated that he believed self-regulation by religious organizations was preferable to government action.

How similar in that respect is the worship of Yahweh to the worship of the Invisible Hand Of The Market. "Let it regulate itself and abundance shall flow".