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(March 7, 2014 at 8:29 pm)fr0d0 Wrote: [quote='Deidre32' pid='618142' dateline='1394230300']
My question is, why in the Bible, does Jesus instruct his followers to forgive 70x7 (I'm going by memory) ...meaning, ALWAYS forgive your 'enemy,' etc. But, God sends those who 'disobey' to hell for all eternity?
Hey Deirdre, nice to meet you.
Likewise. :=) Nice to meet you.
Quote:God always forgives everyone unreservedly. People refuse to accept it is all.
When I followed Christianity, I believed that we all struggle between a carnal nature, and a spiritual one. Flesh vs spirit, so to speak.
Now, I don't believe that. I do believe though, that people struggle with everyday decisions, right vs wrong, etc. That said, I believe now that if a god exists, perhaps he doesn't expect all this worshipping as Christianity would cause us to think. I think that it's our human nature that feels we should be bowing down and ''worshipping'' a Deity. That a Deity requires us to always be asking for favor and forgiveness. How do you know that this is what God even wants? Because 'the Bible says?'
Quote:A little held belief I confess, but people only stay in hell as long as they resist.
As a Christian, one believes that once one enters hell after death, that's it. They're there forevaaaa!
I don't believe in heaven and hell, and didn't believe in those 'concepts' even as a Christian.
May I ask, why do you believe in hell? And does this belief cause you even in the slightest, to keep you staying faithful to a god? (God)
I think religion breeds fear. Hell is a fear tactic (to me) created by man. Not all religions support heaven and hell, though. This is a common tenet of the Abrahamic faiths, and all 'versions' depict heaven and hell a little differently.
To add something else. Christians can't even agree on what hell really is. The Truth About Hell
(March 6, 2014 at 9:36 am)shep Wrote: I did not realize there was such a thing as unforgivable sin - blasphemy. Do you think this is a 1 way ticket to Hell?
Whoa, guys. This is an interesting question.
The dreaded "Unforgivable Sin" is different (surprise!) depending on what religious group you ask.
For the Southern Baptist group I was raised with the unforgivable sin was not accepting Christ as your personal savior. Anything could be forgiven, even blasphemy of any kind, if you accepted Jesus.
I was led to believe for Catholics (Please any former Catholics correct me), the unforgivable sin was suicide. Because you couldn't tell the priest and say hail marys I guess.
Can we maybe come up with a list for what the "Unforgivable Sin" is for which denominations?
(March 7, 2014 at 8:29 pm)fr0d0 Wrote: [quote='Deidre32' pid='618142' dateline='1394230300']
My question is, why in the Bible, does Jesus instruct his followers to forgive 70x7 (I'm going by memory) ...meaning, ALWAYS forgive your 'enemy,' etc. But, God sends those who 'disobey' to hell for all eternity?
Hey Deirdre, nice to meet you.
Likewise. :=) Nice to meet you.
Quote:God always forgives everyone unreservedly. People refuse to accept it is all.
When I followed Christianity, I believed that we all struggle between a carnal nature, and a spiritual one. Flesh vs spirit, so to speak.
Now, I don't believe that. I do believe though, that people struggle with everyday decisions, right vs wrong, etc. That said, I believe now that if a god exists, perhaps he doesn't expect all this worshipping as Christianity would cause us to think. I think that it's our human nature that feels we should be bowing down and ''worshipping'' a Deity. That a Deity requires us to always be asking for favor and forgiveness. How do you know that this is what God even wants? Because 'the Bible says?'
Quote:A little held belief I confess, but people only stay in hell as long as they resist.
As a Christian, one believes that once one enters hell after death, that's it. They're there forevaaaa!
I don't believe in heaven and hell, and didn't believe in those 'concepts' even as a Christian.
May I ask, why do you believe in hell? And does this belief cause you even in the slightest, to keep you staying faithful to a god? (God)
I think religion breeds fear. Hell is a fear tactic (to me) created by man. Not all religions support heaven and hell, though. This is a common tenet of the Abrahamic faiths, and all 'versions' depict heaven and hell a little differently.
I believe that our nature is fallible. We're tempted to do things that would be detrimental to our overall health.
I'm totally with you on the heaven/ hell thing. I give very little importance to them. Hell to me is submitting to those detrimental desires which then worsen out lives. Heaven is resisting and dancing the dance.
When I think of worshipping God that's an incredibly beneficial thing for me to do. He doesn't need it, we do. That's my only experience of it. Acknowledging beauty and being in awe of it is a pretty nice thing to do. It makes me feel good anyway.
I have to agree with you on the fear thing too. The only way I fear God is in utmost respect in a form of awe. He's the ultimate law which makes me feel above human law. I guess we all think that sometimes... the law isn't perfect.
To me hatred is used by people to control people. Is the opposite to what I think Christianity is, although we could both find very many people claiming to be doing Christ's work and spouting hatred. I just hate that
(March 6, 2014 at 9:56 am)ChadWooters Wrote: It's more like having full awareness of God's Grace and hardening your heart against it until you can no longer receive it.
Surprisingly well put.
For Religion & Health see:[/b][/size] Williams & Sternthal. (2007). Spirituality, religion and health: Evidence and research directions. Med. J. Aust., 186(10), S47-S50.-LINK
The WIN/Gallup End of Year Survey 2013 found the US was perceived to be the greatest threat to world peace by a huge margin, with 24% of respondents fearful of the US followed by: 8% for Pakistan, and 6% for China. This was followed by 5% each for: Afghanistan, Iran, Israel, North Korea.-LINK
"That's disgusting. There were clean athletes out there that have had their whole careers ruined by people like Lance Armstrong who just bended thoughts to fit their circumstances. He didn't look up cheating because he wanted to stop, he wanted to justify what he was doing and to keep that continuing on." - Nicole Cooke
(March 8, 2014 at 4:50 am)fr0d0 Wrote: When I think of worshipping God that's an incredibly beneficial thing for me to do. He doesn't need it, we do.
That makes it seem kind of pointless, though, doesn't it?
"Well, evolution is a theory. It is also a fact. And facts and theories are different things, not rungs in a hierarchy of increasing certainty. Facts are the world's data. Theories are structures of ideas that explain and interpret facts. Facts don't go away when scientists debate rival theories to explain them. Einstein's theory of gravitation replaced Newton's in this century, but apples didn't suspend themselves in midair, pending the outcome. And humans evolved from ape- like ancestors whether they did so by Darwin's proposed mechanism or by some other yet to be discovered."
I wouldn't think he'd need anything, but he seems to want it to the point that he gets pissed when we don't. Despite having who knows how many angels around already telling him how great he is. He's petty and lazy. He wants everything his way, but can't be bothered to at least put in enough effort to at least end the debates over his very existence. Nevermind actually making sure his followers all know exactly what he wants, and stop all the infighting.
Poe's Law: "Without a winking smiley or other blatant display of humor, it is impossible to create a parody of Fundamentalism that SOMEONE won't mistake for the real thing."
(March 8, 2014 at 4:50 am)fr0d0 Wrote: When I think of worshipping God that's an incredibly beneficial thing for me to do. He doesn't need it, we do.
That makes it seem kind of pointless, though, doesn't it?
Both God and I need it like the sunshine needs the rain. It's a kinda irresistible attraction. God doesn't need it otherwise. Seems beneficial to me. I wouldn't call it pointless.
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