What is your Favorite Religious Contradiction?

[Cinjin]

I still don’t think you supported your argument that it’s a majority. In fact I think your side is less supported. You admitted that your experience was from your childhood, whereas I’m an active participating member of Christianity. In my locale (local community, multiple Churches I teach at, and internet communities) I see it as a very small minority view, especially in today’s climate, eternal torture is inconsistent with God’s nature as most Christians feel when I’ve asked. Most don’t think about or question what they believe or read the Bible, which is one thing we can agree on I think.

I do indeed agree that most christians do not question what they read in the Bible ... which I think lends some credence to my argument. The sheep will believe what the shepherd tells them. My parents are members of a fundy baptist church numbering about 1500 members. This is typical of the kind a church's we attended in my youth. I would say I personally know of a least a dozen other church's of that size that are full of parishioners that feel the same. Add that to half the Bible Belt (which I experienced first hand before getting kicked out of Bob Jones University), and you've got a LOT of people who believe in the eternal suffering of a fiery hell. Admittedly, I would have a difficult (if not impossible) time "proving" that the majority of christians (51% or more) still believe in everlasting damnation, but I think you would have the same difficulty proving otherwise.

[DocFNT]

1 + 1 does not equal 3, G-C.

When the plain text fucks you up you invent alternate scenarios. Your kind always does that. I just want you to know that I am on to you.


YOUR BIBLE IS BULLSHIT.

B ook
I ncluding
B iggest
L ies
E ver

I have always thought that to be the best way to depict it.

[Ace Otana]

Yes I believe some of you are going to go to hell in the final judgement, not because you're not nice, but because you reject God.

I didn't reject god. I rejected the claim that a god or gods exist.

[tackattack]

I agree and as I live in VA and don't consider myself part of the Biblebelt you may bery well have the majority. However a sizeable amount on both sides stand clearly on both sides of ths arguement. I wouldn't base an entire belief (or dismissal of) without sampling it, and in my experience (big denominational) churches typically splinter and evolve into smaller and more contemporary interpretation of scripture. The biggest drawback, IMO, of denominations is their unyielding doctrine. If you can't ever change doctrine, even if your understanding was archaic and cultural, then how can you claim accuracy. Especially when even language itself changes regularly.

@Ace- Then it obviously wouldn't apply to you. As long as you're not in denial of any experiential proof, then I can't see where you're culpable Ace

[Ace Otana]

@Ace- Then it obviously wouldn't apply to you. As long as you're not in denial of any experiential proof, then I can't see where you're culbable Ace

Yay!
Though if it's all the same to you and your god, I'd still opt for oblivion.
Heaven isn't heaven if you know that there are good people in hell.
Besides, we both could end up in a burning hell. You could be following the wrong god. Or I'd go to heaven and you won't,
or we both could end up in oblivion because there is no god or afterlife.
Four realities there, only one is right.

[diffidus]

@thoughtful

Some of the happy clappy churches here preach a nifty idea called "prosperity theology",claiming god wants his servants to be prosperous. You can just forget about "it's easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle than a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven"

Diffidus:

Yes - I was much amused to watch the singer Cliff Richard rationalising this one. He pointed out that the saying claims that it is 'easier' for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle, not impossible.

Yes Cliff, and how many camels have you seen passing through the eye of a needle?

[Cinjin]

Yay!
Though if it's all the same to you and your god, I'd still opt for oblivion.
Heaven isn't heaven if you know that there are good people in hell.
Besides, we both could end up in a burning hell. You could be following the wrong god. Or I'd go to heaven and you won't,
or we both could end up in oblivion because there is no god or afterlife.
Four realities there, only one is right.

I would definitely skip out on the Bible's version of Heaven.

I don't want to worship anyone for trillions and trillions of years. What's the point of living forever anyway??