Religious beliefs need to stop.

[Bad Writer]

An interpretation of this verse somehow gives Christians the idea that they are SUPPOSED to Cherry Pick their favorite passages from the Bible in order to form a religion that suits them. That's called the blind leading the blind, in your case.

[downbeatplumb]

Where did you get these quotes from?

http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/author...itler.html

[Sword of Christ]

An interpretation of this verse somehow gives Christians the idea that they are SUPPOSED to Cherry Pick their favorite passages from the Bible in order to form a religion that suits them. That's called the blind leading the blind, in your case.

Jesus gives you the completed interpretation of the scripture and ultimately God himself upon which everything in the Bible was based. Jesus himself had little time for the man made laws and regulations of the Bible/Jewish traditions as he flouted them on many occasions. When questioned about this by the more pious Jews he essentially told them to fuck off.

Atheists seem to think that people who have faith need to check their minds at the door and blindly follow everything written to the letter. It says stuff about not mixing clothes of two different kinds in Leviticus. Do we have to obey these laws today? Well no. Do we still have to adhere to the one God of the universe and the teachings of Christ? Absolutely yes we do. Focusing on the entire point is not cherry picking.

[max-greece]

Hello sword I don't think we have conversed before.

The others are beating up on you perfectly well without my help but I just wanted to add a couple of questions of my own.

Jesus without sin? Please read the story of the canonite woman in Matthew (or the story of the Greek Woman in mark - same story). Tell me you see a man behaving morally there.

The reason we are improving morally is Jesus? I don't see anything in the bible on equality, slavery, exploitation or any of the other ills that have beset humanity over the last 2000 years.

I do a great many advances that do not come from Christianity however, minor stuff mainly like democracy, philosophy, science, mathematics, medicine .... or even such things as sporting competition, drama, comedy, literature.....

I am sure you would agree that these are the foundations of our improving morality in reality and these were all borne before Jesus.

Just a thought.

[Sword of Christ]

Hello sword I don't think we have conversed before.

The others are beating up on you perfectly well without my help but I just wanted to add a couple of questions of my own.

They're not denting my faith particularly, quite the opposite if anything. If these are the best arguments for atheism/against Christianity you can come up with.

Jesus without sin? Please read the story of the canonite woman in Matthew (or the story of the Greek Woman in mark - same story). Tell me you see a man behaving morally there.

He was testing her faith/resolve if you read it. His initial reaction would have been typical for a Jewish holy man and no-one around him would have raised an eyelid. Jesus parable of the good Samaritan more than demonstrates his stance on the racial/ethnic equality of mankind you simply can't make the claim that he was a racist this is very easily refuted.

The reason we are improving morally is Jesus? I don't see anything in the bible on equality, slavery, exploitation or any of the other ills that have beset humanity over the last 2000 years.

We're evolving collectively toward a more Christlike state through Christs power working it's way within and through the hearts of mankind.

"1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was with God in the beginning. 3 Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. 4 In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind. 5 The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it. (John 1:1-5 NIV)"

For all your efforts that light is not ever going to be overcome by your atheist philosophy, it will shines on regardless of whether you see it or not or whether you like it or not.

I do a great many advances that do not come from Christianity however, minor stuff mainly like democracy, philosophy, science, mathematics, medicine .... or even such things as sporting competition, drama, comedy, literature.....

Are those all advances in human morality and ethics/spirituality? I'm not talking about politics, science or education. However the way these things are used are certainly influenced by our moral advancement through Christ. For instance the poor members of society are entitled to a free state education, in the UK we have the NHS.

I am sure you would agree that these are the foundations of our improving morality in reality and these were all borne before Jesus.

Just a thought.

You do know that the all things you mentioned can be used immorally or to benefit the rich or an elite few? Democracy representing the collective desires of the common man is certainly a moral political system we developed. You know Jesus's stance when it came to the elite rulers and the common man/poor. He wouldn't have approved of totalitarian controlled states.

[The Reality Salesman01]

An interpretation of this verse somehow gives Christians the idea that they are SUPPOSED to Cherry Pick their favorite passages from the Bible in order to form a religion that suits them. That's called the blind leading the blind, in your case.

Jesus gives you the completed interpretation of the scripture and ultimately God himself upon which everything in the Bible was based. Jesus himself had little time for the man made laws and regulations of the Bible/Jewish traditions as he flouted them on many occasions. When questioned about this by the more pious Jews he essentially told them to fuck off.

Atheists seem to think that people who have faith need to check their minds at the door and blindly follow everything written to the letter. It says stuff about not mixing clothes of two different kinds in Leviticus. Do we have to obey these laws today? Well no. Do we still have to adhere to the one God of the universe and the teachings of Christ? Absolutely yes we do. Focusing on the entire point is not cherry picking.

You're focused on the point that suits you. You just said "no", but no where does it say that YOU get to choose what you give credence to and what you dismiss. That is cherry picking dude! The stuff I put up there about God saying he was gonna send wild animals in to eat people's babies...You can't just glaze over that stuff. It's in your book! You really can't see the sense we're making to you right now? You've got to get out of those trees. You're in the forest...just walk out!

---

There are Christians that would dismiss you as being Christian for the types of things you have dismissed here so far. Christians that believe so many things are to be taken literal, and they believe it with the same certainty as you when you casually dismiss it. These people think THEY are right, and YOU are wrong. But guess what? It doesn't say that either! There's no limit to the amount of embellishment that God has given you permission to add to that book. This is a problem for your religion. You people can't even get on the same page about the God you're serving, and yet you all call yourselves Christians. Why in the world would we believe, that out of the countless other Christians in the world preaching about a different bible, YOU are the one that ACTUALLY knows the right stuff, and that we should listen to YOU when you tell us to just ignore the crazy shit God wanted, threatened, authorized, sanctioned, and demanded in some parts, because YOU say that's not the REAL God? Do you realize how stupid you sound? Everything you say in support of the bible is intellectually bankrupt and morally corrupt. But, you know what? Screw it. Reason be damned, you just keep on rocking that foil hat, dude!

[Sword of Christ]

You're focused on the point that suits you. You just said "no", but no where does it say that YOU get to choose what you give credence to and what you dismiss. That is cherry picking dude! The stuff I put up there about God saying he was gonna send wild animals in to eat people's babies...You can't just glaze over that stuff. It's in your book! You really can't see the sense we're making to you right now? You've got to get out of those trees. You're in the forest...just walk out!

Your point may be valid if I were a bronze age Jew living under the Rabbinical Jewish Law, which I'm not. Your point would be valid if I were a very strict Biblical literalist, which I'm not. The Bible is a spiritual tool, the most potent known to man, that describes humanity relationship to God, to each other and to the world. It doesn't matter that we don't still offer God burnt offerings at the temple, or have our foreskins cut-off, or believe/follow literally every single word, we can think for ourselves. Anyway if Gods threats kept his chosen people from straying and worshiping Baal or whatever then perhaps it did it's job. You can't argue with the results.

There are Christians that would dismiss you as being Christian for the types of things you have dismissed here so far. Christians that believe so many things are to be taken literal, and they believe it with the same certainty as you when you casually dismiss it.

And there are Christians who would agree with me so whats your point?

These people think THEY are right, and YOU are wrong. But guess what? It doesn't say that either! There's no limit to the amount of embellishment that God has given you permission to add to that book.

Christ, his teaching and his eternal salvation from sin and death is the only embellishment you need. The rest is academic, of historical interest concerning an ancient culture who God chose to set the way for the coming of the Christ on Earth. And you have all the prophecies concerning him in there of course. There were early Christians who wanted to ditch the OT for the reasons you bring up but then there is a lot of very good content we would have lost.

This is a problem for your religion. You people can't even get on the same page about the God you're serving, and yet you all call yourselves Christians.

Because we're individuals, we're all different.





We're going to disagree and have different interpretations/opinions. We're not a clone army just regular everyday people with a faith in a God and Jesus Christ.

Why in the world would we believe, that out of the countless other Christians in the world preaching about a different bible, YOU are the one that ACTUALLY knows the right stuff

It's just my own views on it. I think I have the right idea but some Christians are going to disagree with me, certainly the right wing/conservative Christians would seeing I'm a liberal Christian with a modernist approach.

and that we should listen to YOU when you tell us to just ignore the crazy shit God wanted, threatened, authorized, sanctioned, and demanded in some parts, because YOU say that's not the REAL God?

I'm just defending my own take on the Christian faith against the points you're making. Some of the defenses are what I have read elsewhere some of it is my own interpretation. I'm perfectly happy to acknowledge that there are parts of the Bible I don't particularly follow or like but I'm not particularly a bronze age Jew either. Jesus Christ what he taught and did I certainly like and there are various books of the OT I like such as Genesis (most of it), Exodus, Psalms, Job, Wisdom of Solomon, Wisdom of Sirach, Ecclesiates and Ezekiel.

Do you realize how stupid you sound? Everything you say in support of the bible is intellectually bankrupt and morally corrupt. But, you know what? Screw it. Reason be damned, you just keep on rocking that foil hat, dude!

Well that's your opinion. I think I've done a good job here of presenting Christianity in a rational and positive light for the 21st century and I've addressed all of your concerns and objections as best I can.

[Bad Writer]

Define spiritual. I have no idea what you mean that the Bible is a spiritual tool.

[max-greece]

Hello sword I don't think we have conversed before.

The others are beating up on you perfectly well without my help but I just wanted to add a couple of questions of my own.

They're not denting my faith particularly, quite the opposite if anything. If these are the best arguments for atheism/against Christianity you can come up with.

Jesus without sin? Please read the story of the canonite woman in Matthew (or the story of the Greek Woman in mark - same story). Tell me you see a man behaving morally there.

He was testing her faith/resolve if you read it. His initial reaction would have been typical for a Jewish holy man and no-one around him would have raised an eyelid. Jesus parable of the good Samaritan more than demonstrates his stance on the racial/ethnic equality of mankind you simply can't make the claim that he was a racist this is very easily refuted.

The reason we are improving morally is Jesus? I don't see anything in the bible on equality, slavery, exploitation or any of the other ills that have beset humanity over the last 2000 years.

We're evolving collectively toward a more Christlike state through Christs power working it's way within and through the hearts of mankind.

"1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was with God in the beginning. 3 Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. 4 In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind. 5 The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it. (John 1:1-5 NIV)"

For all your efforts that light is not ever going to be overcome by your atheist philosophy, it will shines on regardless of whether you see it or not or whether you like it or not.

I do a great many advances that do not come from Christianity however, minor stuff mainly like democracy, philosophy, science, mathematics, medicine .... or even such things as sporting competition, drama, comedy, literature.....

Are those all advances in human morality and ethics/spirituality? I'm not talking about politics, science or education. However the way these things are used are certainly influenced by our moral advancement through Christ. For instance the poor members of society are entitled to a free state education, in the UK we have the NHS.

I am sure you would agree that these are the foundations of our improving morality in reality and these were all borne before Jesus.

Just a thought.

You do know that the all things you mentioned can be used immorally or to benefit the rich or an elite few? Democracy representing the collective desires of the common man is certainly a moral political system we developed. You know Jesus's stance when it came to the elite rulers and the common man/poor. He wouldn't have approved of totalitarian controlled states.

Sadly I cannot interject in the post as I am on my tablet and I have no idea how to do it on this.

There is no way that Jesus was testing her faith. He plainly states to his disciples in Matthew that he is ignoring her as he is only here for the children (of Israel). Sadly the story of the good Samaritan doesn't support your case at all. In fact it confirms Jesus bias towards the Jews and against everyone else.

In Matthew Jesus is instructing the disciples to go out and spread the word. He tells them - go to the Jewish villages, not to the non Jewish villages, nor to the Samaritan villages.

Why does he say nor to the Samaritan villages? Who were the Samaritans? What became of them? Why might the disciples have have misunderstood him? Why is he excluding the Samaritans from the good word anyway.

Now obviously when Jesus is telling the story of the good Samaritan he is attempting to shock his audience - and it works because his audience is a Jewish audience. His audience was always a solely Jewish audience. What does this tell us? Why did he never converse with a Roman for example?

Oh and your most important commandment that you quoted earlier actually reads "Hear oh Israel the lord our God the lord is one...."

He got it, verbatim, from the Jewish daily prayer, known as the Shema. The reason it is called the Shema is that it is the only prayer that starts with that word - Hear.

In short it is the only prayer that addresses not only God but specifies who it is from/for.

The above means that your most important prayer wasn't for you, nor was the following one. Love your neighbour was only said to Jews.

All part and parcel of what we call #messiahfail.

---

"He wouldn't have approved of totalitarian controlled states."

Render unto Caesar that which is Caesar's?

Not exactly a freedom fighter is he.

[Bad Wolf]

Don't bother arguing over what is said in the bible. As a Christian, Sword of Christ is by default right and anyone else be it another denomination of Christian or atheist, is wrong.
Don't worry, i'm sure out of the tons of other interpretations out there, yours is the right one. The sheer arogance of it