Question for Christians.

[yeaseth]

its is simple to be a true Christian, all you need to do is believe 100% that Jesus died on the cross for our sins and rose three days later, and you will have eternal life! That means you will never die! how can anyone not want that? A lot of people make it more confusing or difficult then it needs to be

[mar1t1me]

We can debate minutiae forever, or simplify the argument to the main issue:

Either the revealed religions of the world, and their sacred texts which tell us how to live and worship in great detail are truly the Word of God who created us, and therefore must be followed, including slavery, rape, animal sacrifice and many other things that tend to be universally found in such texts.....things that the followers of said God are commanded to do by the sacred texts....

....or.....

We accept that religions, and their attendant gods are nothing more than an attempt by an ancient, largely ignorant and illiterate people trying, without the tools and methods of scientific inquiry, to comprehend the world around them and to give reason to their existence.

If the first is not absolutely correct, then ALL religions are invalid, and their practices rendered irrelevant.

If our species is to survive, we must quit looking to an invented deity for enlightenment. As long as people can claim God tells them what to do, true personal responsibility will continue to elude us.

[der affe]

i am just here to stir the pot.....continue on

[Vtec?lol]

The issue with christianity is it lacks so much discipline and people all over misuse it because it's one of the most free religions in the world.
I have Christian beliefs but unfortunately I have a hard time believing religion. Maybe It's because I'm young and dumb but as of now, I can see why so many frown upon it. I come from a christian family and christian friends but that didn't stop some of them from being murderers, rapist, drug dealers, or just bad people.

So many people run to it as a last resort. I have faith in myself and in God and his son. I read the new and old testament and the bible is what I base my beliefs on.

[OniKyan]

'cept he was a jew.

Yeah and his name wasn't Jesus. If the guy existed at all, which historical documentation suggests that he didn't, his name would have been Yeshua.

Victims of Roman brainwashing tend to call him Jesus Christ and believe they're following his philosophy though.

[Fourbanger]

'cept he was a jew.

[OniKyan]

The only true Christian died on a cross, if he even existed at all.

[quickjones]

in 2000 years we are all going to worship steve jobs as the true herald of our new age.

mark my words. 4000 AD. steve jobs. god.

Lol, thanks for my first sig, hope you don't mind.

[Fusion]

If the practice of disagreement or putting forth one's opinion is psychological punishment, than we're faced with punishment and we punish on a daily basis. Non of that is true, nor logical.

On the other hand, censorship is a means of punishment.

[Kershaw]

No, Fusion, atheist do use a similar system of what you call "psychological punishment" and anyone reading these threads can see the basic formula:

prioritize "logic"
label theists as illogical
the further away a theist is from agreeing with the atheist, then degrade the theist on the basis for lack of logic
the closer the theist is to agreeing with the atheist, then approve of the theist as finally making sense

similar method of acceptance vs. shame

hey, it's not my fault you're crazy, ok?

:P

[Mr. Tasty]

I'd post a retort, but the critical thinkers bible is down and I'm incapable of forming a sound argument or opinion of my own without the inclusion of my sacred texts, Wikipedia.

haha win.

[cale]

I'd post a retort, but the critical thinkers bible is down and I'm incapable of forming a sound argument or opinion of my own without the inclusion of my sacred texts, Wikipedia.

[smooth]

No, Fusion, atheist do use a similar system of what you call "psychological punishment" and anyone reading these threads can see the basic formula:

prioritize "logic"
label theists as illogical
the further away a theist is from agreeing with the atheist, then degrade the theist on the basis for lack of logic
the closer the theist is to agreeing with the atheist, then approve of the theist as finally making sense

similar method of acceptance vs. shame

[Fusion]

It's the same struggle I find with Christian's. Christ never said go bug the shit out of everyone. Why does it matter if so and so doesn't (or does for that matter) go to Church and believe in God? Get the fuck over it and stop putting intellectual stipulations on those with different views.

Helpful Not Helpful
2 Chronicles 15:12-13 ESV / 37 helpful votes

And they entered into a covenant to seek the Lord, the God of their fathers, with all their heart and with all their soul, but that whoever would not seek the Lord, the God of Israel, should be put to death, whether young or old, man or woman.

2 John 1:9-11 ESV / 29 helpful votes

Everyone who goes on ahead and does not abide in the teaching of Christ, does not have God. Whoever abides in the teaching has both the Father and the Son. If anyone comes to you and does not bring this teaching, do not receive him into your house or give him any greeting, for whoever greets him takes part in his wicked works.

The whole bible is based on reward and punishment, aka a form of psychological tyranny. If you want a child to do something he/she dislikes, you can either reward him or make up a form of (usually mild - no Xbox) psychological punishment. Believe = heaven, doubt = hell, this is the base of most religions.
Even if an atheist were to bug a christian about this topic, he can't threaten him with punishment. Atheism isn't based on the punishment of those who don't agree. The only thing an atheist can do is get theists to logically think about things that are a taboo to them, outside the box, and the reason a theist feels uncomfotable is because a discussion like that is near punishment for the theist.

People often say governments are most powerful when the people are in fear. I agree, but it's no surprise to me, because the creators of religions thought this through way before any goverment was formed and now have hundreds of millions of followers. Governments would have to be crazy not to imply a plan so successful.

[z31maniac]

Apparently some don't see the difference between:

1. Go fuck yourself.

2. Go perform a physical impossibility.


You can get to the point without being an asshole AND without being "intellectually dishonest to yourself."

For fucks sake.