jlujan69
Full Member
unenlightened, backwoods, no-count fundy
Posts: 113
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Post by jlujan69 on Oct 9, 2010 21:18:24 GMT -5
Would you say anything about your lack of belief in him? For instance, how would you explain your failure to believe? A faith that you just learned was baseless (hypothetically). What would be the point of living in a manner reflective of your faith if that faith was wrong? 1. I'd talk about my culture and its dominant religion that provided the basis for my rejection of other religious systems. 2. I'd hope that those who knew me would see me as a good neighbor, husband, father, friend, co-worker, co-religionist, etc. That would make it worthwhile. No regrets in that case. I realize those of other faiths also have the same ideals and we're all products of our environment, Christians included.
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Post by John E on Oct 10, 2010 0:04:25 GMT -5
1. I'd talk about my culture and its dominant religion that provided the basis for my rejection of other religious systems. [...] I realize those of other faiths also have the same ideals and we're all products of our environment, Christians included. What are your thoughts on people who reject Christianity for the same sort of reasons? Do you consider them good people (assuming they're reasonably good people in other respects)? If heaven exists, do you think they'll get in? (I'm not trying to grill you here, just get a better idea of your beliefs and thought process. Sorry if I come off accusatory.) I respect that. But what about people who often feel (or are) persecuted and bullied by the Christian community? Gays and atheists for example. Do you feel like you're doing right by them?
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jlujan69
Full Member
unenlightened, backwoods, no-count fundy
Posts: 113
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Post by jlujan69 on Oct 10, 2010 2:19:30 GMT -5
What are your thoughts on people who reject Christianity for the same sort of reasons? Do you consider them good people (assuming they're reasonably good people in other respects)? If heaven exists, do you think they'll get in? (I'm not trying to grill you here, just get a better idea of your beliefs and thought process. Sorry if I come off accusatory.) I respect that. But what about people who often feel (or are) persecuted and bullied by the Christian community? Gays and atheists for example. Do you feel like you're doing right by them? 1. I've often admitted to myself and other Christians that if I were "running the show", I couldn't imagine sentencing somebody to an eternity of torment simply for not believing in the Savior I sent. I wouldn't even sentence a Hitler, Stalin, or other mass murderer or utter low life to that punishment. That is a hard one to grapple with, to be sure. There is no answer that'll assuage the feelings of the many who'd find such a god evil. 2. As a Christian, I try to do all I can to treat others with the respect and dignity they're due, in accordance with my own personal convictions and faith, but there are certain things that I feel that I can't support without compromising my faith (a faith that's very important to me). That is the rub because where I stand firm, it's seen as intolerance and bigotry. No doubt, if I was gay or atheist, I'd feel the same about Christians who had the same mindset I have. I believe this is where the "salt and light" teaching in my religion is applicable. FWIW, I believe that a Christian should try to go as far as possible, in keeping with his faith, to make all his fellow citizens feel accepted in this country we share. However, that'll remain but a pipe dream as long as the expectations are so different for each side. Because of that reality, I just have no answer or solution that'd simultaneously satisfy those who feel persecuted by my side and one that'd honor the God I try to obey. Some would call that Christian mindset a setup for failure and therefore illogical and I do understand that claim.
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Post by Haseen on Oct 10, 2010 3:04:35 GMT -5
The biggest issue I have with this whole "standing firm" with your faith is that it harms real, tangible people, and like it or not, it's selective following of the rules. Other things like no shrimp, stoning adulterers, killing rebellious children, etc., are either ignored or hand-waved away when "Jesus changed everything". Why don't attacks on gay people go the way of slavery, genocides, and other objectionable things promoted in the old testament? It's hard to take having a "strong faith" seriously when you pick and choose which rules you want to follow, and include anti-gay bigotry as a keeper when it's only referenced in vague terms in the Bible.
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Post by priestling on Oct 11, 2010 17:21:48 GMT -5
Aren't bunnies supposed to be evil according to Leviticus? I don't see a bunny genocide happening... (The Big Book of Bunny Suicides doesn't count... but it IS damned funny)
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Post by mechtaur on Oct 12, 2010 9:33:16 GMT -5
Aren't bunnies supposed to be evil according to Leviticus? I don't see a bunny genocide happening... (The Big Book of Bunny Suicides doesn't count... but it IS damned funny) See my avatar for any questions of this nature.
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Post by tolpuddlemartyr on Oct 12, 2010 14:53:25 GMT -5
Of course the new testament makes it clear that absolutely none of this matters if you aren't a Jewish Virgin (Rev 7:4-8). Specifically one of the 144,000 Jewish male virgins that get into heaven. So - have your bunnies, lie with men as with women and where your poly-cotton jacket with pride. If jlujan69's scenario ever came to pass we'd all be screwed unless we were chosen, male, Jewish and never been kissed. Somewhere there are a bunch of shy Jewish fella's playing WOW in their mum's basements saying "sweet".
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Post by priestling on Oct 12, 2010 18:25:35 GMT -5
Thought so! Thanks, Mech!
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D Laurier
Full Member
Paying for cable (or satalite) TV, is like hiring sombody to projectile poop all over your brain
Posts: 196
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Post by D Laurier on Oct 26, 2010 16:36:35 GMT -5
I'm going to ask that we borrow a page from Barney the Dinosaur's book and use our imaginations a bit. I'm assuming that all of you here who either reject the existence of God or the teachings of the Christian religion have made an informed choice. So, it's sometime in the future and we're all standing before the God of the Bible for judgment. For those who died in unbelief, God gives each a chance to speak on his own behalf. What do you imagine you'd say to Him? Which *god of the bible? There's only a couple dozen of them. Do you mean Jesus? If so...... I expect I would call him out on his deceptions and lies. As well as roasting him for his failure to protect the children who daily pray to him for protection against the peadophiles who have control of them. Then I would deck the bastard for alowing wars and genocides to be commited in his name, all the while rattling off a long list of crimes that he directly inspired with his cryptic nonsense. *Note the lack of caps abuse
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POSW
Full Member
Still metal, no longer Jewish
Posts: 217
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Post by POSW on Oct 26, 2010 22:35:03 GMT -5
Aren't bunnies supposed to be evil according to Leviticus? I don't see a bunny genocide happening... (The Big Book of Bunny Suicides doesn't count... but it IS damned funny) Bunnies aren't evil, they're just not kosher.
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Post by Meshakhad on Oct 29, 2010 0:34:18 GMT -5
I would say that I followed what I believed were His teachings to the best of my ability. I did not follow all of His commands as well as I should have, but I kept His principles close to my heart, and I tried my best to live by example, to be a light unto the nations as He commanded.
(FYI, I'm Jewish).
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Post by arrowdeath on Oct 29, 2010 3:18:03 GMT -5
Not gonna lie, the first words out of my mouth will probably be "Well, this is awkward."
Which would be followed swiftly by an attempt to get to heaven through sheer personality and sense of humor.
So there's a good chance I'll probably end up in hell, just like everyone in my family and several of my favorite people in history.
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Post by peanutfan on Oct 29, 2010 8:15:33 GMT -5
I'm going to ask that we borrow a page from Barney the Dinosaur's book and use our imaginations a bit. I'm assuming that all of you here who either reject the existence of God or the teachings of the Christian religion have made an informed choice. So, it's sometime in the future and we're all standing before the God of the Bible for judgment. For those who died in unbelief, God gives each a chance to speak on his own behalf. What do you imagine you'd say to Him? How do you justify your endorsement of slavery, rape, religious violence and genocide while claiming to love everyone? Additionally, how do you justify infinite punishment for finite offenses?
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Post by godlesspanther on Oct 29, 2010 19:25:22 GMT -5
If there really is a grand-cosmic whatnot who knows all. Cool, then do I get to ask questions? I can tell him anything that I think, but that would be a waste -- he already knows all that anyway.
So, what about the problem of freewill and an omniscient god? How, exactly, can we have both -- and no outside-of-logic-of-the-mere-mortals cop-out. Problem of evil? Is there life on other planets, such that, it has a kind of intelligence that we would be able to communicate with it? Future of humans on Earth? Future of the universe? Is there some kind of divine plan, or are you just winging it?
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beccs
New Member
Posts: 17
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Post by beccs on Oct 31, 2010 13:52:16 GMT -5
What would I say to the Abrahamic "god" on judgement day?
"You're under arrest for crimes against humanity"
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