A Question for the Religious Types

[MrFun]

Originally posted by SlowwHand


People who live from the Old Testament are remembering Sodom and Gomorrah.
As a Christian, my contention is that Christ's birth changed how redemption is given.

Me and Slowwhand agree on something?

[Jack_www]

Originally posted by Rufus T. Firefly
Am I the only one here that thinks that God, as depicted by Ben Kenobi, is a complete a55hole?

Here's a guy who says (to gays among others): "Okay, here's the deal: I'm going to lay down a list of rules I want you to obey, but then I'm going to create you in such a way as to be predisposed to break those rules. Then, you get to live for what is, to me, a mere moment, after which I'll see how you did with those rules, then consign you forever to either everlasting bliss or everlasting torment. And why am I doing this? Because even though I'm the all-powerful Lord of the Universe and you, by contrast, are nothing, I get really pissy if you don't revere me and do exactly as I say."

This is the guy I'm supposed to worship -- according to some versions of monotheism, with perpetual prayer? F*ck that. That's not God; that's a middle-school bully, and one that doesn't even have the advantage of being undeniably real.

God did not create humans inperfect. The first 2 humans were perfect, but sin and pass that on to the rest of us. THat is why we have the problems we have and humans are imperfect, not because God decided to play games with humans.

[Az]

Originally posted by SlowwHand


People who live from the Old Testament are remembering Sodom and Gomorrah.
As a Christian, my contention is that Christ's birth changed how redemption is given.

no need to bash judaism. at least my people don't believe in eternal suffering, like you primitives.

[Elok]

Hmm, so what's this "sheol" your heart keeps drawing near to?

[Az]

it doesn't last forever. In the end, the soul is cleansed, and returns to god.

or so they say.

[Japher]

Have you ever seen "Defending Your Life"?

The concept in it is that when you die you must go through a "court" like process that determines if you either go to heaven (if you are 'good') or are "recycled" or reincarnated (if you are 'bad')...

Interesting concept, IMO.

[Whaleboy]

no need to bash judaism. at least my people don't believe in eternal suffering, like you primitives.

Jewish hell rules!!!

[Jon Miller]

I don't (And my denomination doesn't, I beleive) beleive in eternal suffering either

Jon Miller

[Az]

So what happens after you go to Hell? Is all hell a place of purging sins, and then uniting with god?

Jewish hell rules!!!

Better keep that attitude, since you're going there.
(and so am I. )

[Agathon]

Originally posted by Asher

You took issue with it before I said that.

And I think Lincoln's statement was far more offensive than a generic "**** you" can ever be. Hence the "**** you".

So you weren't being a snot in the previous thread? Calling Imran a Muslim Cowboy is way out of order - he's a nice guy and in no way deserves to be treated like that. How many of the Christians here have come out and called you a "****ing Sodomite"? None, because they're all polite people.

Personally I think you're one of the biggest problems on this board, you constantly stir **** when it doesn't need to be stirred. And you've got this big condescending holier-than-thou thought-police vibe about you that annoys me (and no doubt many other people) to no end.

So complaining about racial slurs made against other posters and constant abuse and thread wrecking is being the thought police?

You're not "all that", Agathon, you're merely an instructor in a field that has no direct use anymore. You are way down there on society's food chain, contrary to what you seem to believe.

Still managed to "kick your ass up and down" the last thread we had about that, according to other posters.

[Jon Miller]

Originally posted by Azazel
So what happens after you go to Hell? Is all hell a place of purging sins, and then uniting with god?

Jewish hell rules!!!

Better keep that attitude, since you're going there.
(and so am I. )

no

in my beleif there is no hell

so existence just ends for those not going to heaven

Jon Miller

[Agathon]

Originally posted by Rufus T. Firefly
Am I the only one here that thinks that God, as depicted by Ben Kenobi, is a complete a55hole?

Here's a guy who says (to gays among others): "Okay, here's the deal: I'm going to lay down a list of rules I want you to obey, but then I'm going to create you in such a way as to be predisposed to break those rules. Then, you get to live for what is, to me, a mere moment, after which I'll see how you did with those rules, then consign you forever to either everlasting bliss or everlasting torment. And why am I doing this? Because even though I'm the all-powerful Lord of the Universe and you, by contrast, are nothing, I get really pissy if you don't revere me and do exactly as I say."

This is the guy I'm supposed to worship -- according to some versions of monotheism, with perpetual prayer? F*ck that. That's not God; that's a middle-school bully, and one that doesn't even have the advantage of being undeniably real.

I always liked the Neoplatonists solution to this. I wish it had caught on at the time through their influence on Christians, but alas no.

They think that God is limited in the materials he has to work with, which explains the limitations of the sensible world and our predilection for doing bad things.

Anyway, if people are naturally bad but capable of being good through an act of will, what's the problem. Presumably there wouldn't be any point to this world if everyone was created such that they could not help but be good. That would remove any moral significance from our decisions.

[Agathon]

Originally posted by Jon Miller
I don't (And my denomination doesn't, I beleive) beleive in eternal suffering either

I take it you didn't see "Celine Live in Las Vegas" then?

[Ben Kenobi]

I'm not religious, however if i was i would think that God never said anything about Gay people, rather it has been addedd by the authors of variuos religious texts who of course also said slavery was ok and women should be treated like dirt.

Well, then find the citations where Christianity teaches that women ought to be treated like dirt.

Secondly, how would you prove that the texts have been altered?

[Verto]

Originally posted by Ben Kenobi

Secondly, how would you prove that the texts have been altered?

I thought it was an accepted fact that the Old and New Testaments have suffered from alterations - intentionally and unintentionally...