You CAN game Christian morality

[robvalue]

Right. It's kind of like the "death penalty" for your soul. A punishment that can't be taken back.

Except much worse, because your body is still alive, and if you really believe this stuff, you have absolutely no reason to try and be a good person at all. You may as well "enjoy your life" as much as possible before your inevitable trip to hell.

[robvalue]

Hah, I see no christians want to bite into this one.

The holy spirit is a piece of shit.

Is there any point me becoming christian now? I can't be saved. May as well go around ripping off candy from little kids and drawing rude pictures on windows.

Kind of a dumb rule.

[orangebox21]

Yes.

Can they sin intentionally or only "accidentally"? By this, I mean, at the time they're doing it, they weren't thinking about it consciously as a sin. Picture the difference between a person taking God's name in vain when they hit their thumb with a hammer as opposed to them saying it intentionally as part of a conversation.

By "can they" do you mean is it possible, or is it allowed (morally)? Yes it is possible for a Christian to sin intentionally and accidentally. No it is not allowed (morally).

I've talked so much smack about that dumbass Holy Spirit that I'm fucked. So I've no incentive to even bother repenting, right?

Kind of serious question. Once you do that, the game is up and you might as well all-you-can-sin?

No, for two reasons.

First, the specifics of what blaspheming the Holy Spirit entails is debated among theologians. That being said I will never advise a person he/she is beyond salvation no matter what he/she has done.

Secondly, if in fact you are in a position unable to be forgiven, then multiplying your sins will multiply your punishment. While hell is the final destination of all unbelievers, the degree of suffering is related to the life of the unbeliever. The greater the crimes the greater the punishment.

[IATIA]

While hell is the final destination of all unbelievers, the degree of suffering is related to the life of the unbeliever. The greater the crimes the greater the punishment.

What, a bigger fire? I thought hell was just not being with god.

[vorlon13]

So, 10000 degree molten iron poured into your rectum instead of 5000 degree molten iron ??

[GrandizerII]

First, the specifics of what blaspheming the Holy Spirit entails is debated among theologians.

Theologians can argue about it all they want, but I think it just simply means to question the divine authority of the Holy Spirit (and imply that it is from Satan instead). The context of why Jesus warned against blaspheming the Holy Spirit in the Gospels was because his power to heal and drive out demons was being attributed to the devil when instead he was doing it by the power of the Holy Spirit.

So if I reject the divine authority of the Holy Spirit (which I do), then I have already blasphemed the Holy Spirit. And therefore, I am in an unforgivable state.

[RobbyPants]

Can they sin intentionally or only "accidentally"? By this, I mean, at the time they're doing it, they weren't thinking about it consciously as a sin. Picture the difference between a person taking God's name in vain when they hit their thumb with a hammer as opposed to them saying it intentionally as part of a conversation.

By "can they" do you mean is it possible, or is it allowed (morally)? Yes it is possible for a Christian to sin intentionally and accidentally. No it is not allowed (morally).

What I mean is, if a person is saved, what happens if they deliberately take God's name in vain (or lie, or steal, or commit adultery, or whatever)? Assuming their sin isn't blaspheming the Holy Spirit, it seems that it is forgivable.

What does it take for the sin to be forgiven? At what point is it forgiven (some imply it was already forgiven 2,000 years ago)? How does this affect people going to heaven?

[orangebox21]

By "can they" do you mean is it possible, or is it allowed (morally)? Yes it is possible for a Christian to sin intentionally and accidentally. No it is not allowed (morally).

What I mean is, if a person is saved, what happens if they deliberately take God's name in vain (or lie, or steal, or commit adultery, or whatever)? Assuming their sin isn't blaspheming the Holy Spirit, it seems that it is forgivable.

If a saved person sins, their sin is forgiven. See Romans 5 and 7-8 for a discussion about sin, grace, and salvation.

What does it take for the sin to be forgiven? At what point is it forgiven (some imply it was already forgiven 2,000 years ago)?

Christ's sacrifice on the cross is the payment for the forgiveness of sins.

How does this affect people going to heaven?

Once saved, sin has no effect on a person going to heaven. It can have an effect on the reward a person receives once there.

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Both Romans 14:10 and 2 Corinthians 5:9 speak of the “judgment seat.” This is a translation of one Greek word, the word bema. While bema is used in the gospels and Acts of the raised platform where a Roman magistrate or ruler sat to make decisions and pass sentence (Matt. 27:19; John 19:13), its use in the epistles by Paul, because of his many allusions to the Greek athletic contests, is more in keeping with its original use among the Greeks.

This word was taken from Isthmian games where the contestants would compete for the prize under the careful scrutiny of judges who would make sure that every rule of the contest was obeyed (cf. 2 Tim. 2:5). The victor of a given event who participated according to the rules was led by the judge to the platform called the Bema. There the laurel wreath was placed on his head as a symbol of victory (cf. 1 Cor. 9:24-25).

In all of these passages, “Paul was picturing the believer as a competitor in a spiritual contest. As the victorious Grecian athlete appeared before the Bema to receive his perishable award, so the Christian will appear before Christ’s Bema to receive his imperishable award. The judge at the Bema bestowed rewards to the victors. He did not whip the losers.”2 We might add, neither did he sentence them to hard labor.

In other words, it is a reward seat and portrays a time of rewards or loss of rewards following examination, but it is not a time of punishment where believers are judged for their sins. Such would be inconsistent with the finished work of Christ on the Cross because He totally paid the penalty for our sins. Chafer and Walvoord have an excellent word on this view:

With reference to sin, Scripture teaches that the child of God under grace shall not come into judgment (John 3:18; 5:24; 6:37; Rom. 5:1; 8:1; 1 Cor. 11:32); in his standing before God, and on the ground that the penalty for all sin—past, present, and future (Col. 2:13)—has been borne by Christ as the perfect Substitute, the believer is not only placed beyond condemnation, but being in Christ is accepted in the perfection of Christ (1 Cor. 1:30; Eph. 1:6; Col. 2:10; Heb. 10:14) and loved of God as Christ is loved (John 17:23).3

Again, Chafer writes concerning the Bema, “It cannot be too strongly emphasized that the judgment is unrelated to the problem of sin, that it is more for the bestowing of rewards than the rejection of failure.”4

Full Article Here

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[robvalue]

I just beat the Holy Spirit to death with a barbed wire metaphysical baseball bat. It was an accident. Am I still good with the boss? He's got more of those, right?

[Thumpalumpacus]

Blasphemy is unforgiveable?

God-damn, I'm screwed.

A penitant blames no one else for his condition, but rather condemns himself under God’s eternal wrath because he deserves it.

This is sickening about Christianity: it preaches self-loathing.

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I feel like I'm taking crazy pills. Am I the only one that can't for the life of me decipher Emily's posts? Can someone translate?

You're not alone, brotha. One reason I so rarely interacted with her is that her points were as straightforward as overdone pasta.

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I've talked so much smack about that dumbass Holy Spirit that I'm fucked. So I've no incentive to even bother repenting, right?

Kind of serious question. Once you do that, the game is up and you might as well all-you-can-sin?

I'll meet you in Vegas for hookers and blow, brotha.