The Historical Jesus is real and He rose from the grave

[Tonus]

Is tithing optional?

Absolutely not. No matter what, you make sure you give that ten percent.

That's why some people refer to it as "tithing pains."

[DarkHorse]

I wish I could get back all the money I gave the church over the years. What a waste.

[Minimalist]

Makes me wonder if "being saved" is incompatible with being a Roman Catholic. Could one be "saved" and not attend church at all? Is tithing optional? What precisely are the contractual obligations for staying "saved"?

Apparently it involves becoming a total asshole.

[no1453]

You mention we hear about Jesus every day, songs sung to his name and so on; the unfortunate fact (for your reasoning) is that you could say most of the same things about Santa Claus. (One of my favorite theories is that god and Santa Claus have a lot in common as to how they interact with our psychology.)

[Thackerie]

Aww and I was about to show you the resurrected Last Supper...

Ah fuck it, enjoy!

I guess you are not on board with mutual respect.

You've been given far more respect than you deserve ... and far more than you've given us. You're failure to even attempt to engage in an honest intellectual discussion is dispectful in and of itself.

You telling us to repent -- i.e., judging that we're not as good as you -- is as OFFENSIVE to me as a rotten jesus corpse is to you.

Your religion stinks. It OFFENDS me.

[Brian37]

Restrictions apply, see store for details, void where prohibited, requires goal post moving, consult your doctor upon cognitive dissonance, 5 cent refund in HI, WA, ILL AND NH.

Visit participating franchise dealers. Contractual obligations vary according to locally owned franchises. Any similarities between what God wants and what the local franchise owner wants is purely coincidental. Really.

If there really was a God everyone would need a lawyer to get in. The entire bible is nothing but mice print. Nonsense mice print mind you.

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I guess you are not on board with mutual respect.

You've been given far more respect than you deserve ... and far more than you've given us. You're failure to even attempt to engage in an honest intellectual discussion is dispectful in and of itself.

You telling us to repent -- i.e., judging that we're not as good as you -- is as OFFENSIVE to me as a rotten jesus corpse is to you.

Your religion stinks. It OFFENDS me.

Lets be fair here. All religions offend me. The human invented construct that allows us to pit each other against each other over stupid promises of utopias that do not exist.

Stupidly however, the believer(insert religion here), will falsely make it a human rights issue, when my criticism and blasphemy is about our species bad logic that leads us to concoct such nonsense.

[ThomM]

Is tithing optional?

Absolutely not. No matter what, you make sure you give that ten percent.

That's why some people refer to it as "tithing pains."

Sorry - but the bible clearly says NOT to give money to the church

Give to Caesar what is Caesar - give to god what is god's.

THe bible instructs one to give their money to the POOR - not to the church

[Brian37]

Absolutely not. No matter what, you make sure you give that ten percent.

That's why some people refer to it as "tithing pains."

Sorry - but the bible clearly says NOT to give money to the church

Give to Caesar what is Caesar - give to god what is god's.

THe bible instructs one to give their money to the POOR - not to the church

No, both are true, depending on the cherry picking the believer does. If the bible had clear instructions everyone would be the same sect and on the same page with the same interpretations.

You can find a believer who can find a passage that they use to justify giving to the church. You can find another believer that justifies giving to the poor. The rich right wing believers love the "teach a man to fish" to justify tax dodging and crappy wages.

It always depends who you are talking to, but no matter which side of the political or economic fence they sit, both will claim they got it right.

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I'd submit to both the believers on the left and right in the west, that they water their interpretations down to a great degree. If they want to see people get it right and take a book word for word literally, look no further than the east and a great degree of Islam full of theocracy, sexism, calls to violence, religious based law.

Believers miss our time frame issue. It was not that long ago where people picked up that bible and justified sexism, slavery, and and witch burnings, the dark ages, inquisition. It would not shock me in the least, if our secular government laws were suddenly removed Christianity would not take long to slip back into it's prior barbarity.

[Revelation777]

I guess you are not on board with mutual respect.

Respect is earned, not freely given fool. I have a certain modicum of respect I hold for people I've just met, and whether that stays, grows, or erodes is entirely up to the person.

Besides, your religion isn't above being mocked.

God will not be mocked. You can mock me all you want.

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Rev, when a Christian comes to an atheist message board (and don't get me wrong, you've every right to do just that) and voices the fact that they find some things offensive, that's rather like petting a hedgehog and whinging because no one told you about the quills.

Boru

I was just looking for some common courtesy. We may not agree on our views but we can still be civil.

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But the non-sequiters that he responded with suggest that he did not actually read what I wrote.

Perhaps the problem lies more with his inability to comprehend?

I am not sure if I understand what you're saying.

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People deserve respect. Their beliefs, not so much.


Your beliefs will deserve respect when you are able to support them with evidence, logic and reasoned argument.

Evidence: The bible
Logic: The bible says so
Reasoned argument: "Bible quote. Bible quote. Bible quote. Blind assertion. Opinion. Bible quote"

I do rely on the Bible. I also believe it is more than reasonable. I also appreciate everyone else's views.

[The Valkyrie]

Your deity is as open to mocking as the other gods humans have invented over the centuries. Your religion is as open to mockery as any other non sensical belief.