I grew up atheist for 16 years. I had always kept an open mind towards religion, but never really felt a need to believe in it. My sister started going to a Wednesday night children's program at a church. Eventually, I was dragged into a Christmas Eve service. Scoffing, I reluctantly went, assuming that this was going to be a load of crap, but when I went, I felt something. Something that I've never felt before. I felt a sense of empowerment and a sense of calling. Jesus called upon my soul, just like he did with his disciples. he wanted me to follow him. Now, my life is being lived for Christ. He died on the cross for my sins, and the sins of everyone who believes in him. He was beaten, brutalized, struck with a whip 39 times, made to carry a cross up to the stage of his death. This I believe to be true, and I can never repay him for what he has done. I still have my struggles with Christianity, but I've found this bit of information most useful. Religion is not comprehensible in the human mind, because we cannot comprehend the idea of a perfect and supreme being, a God, but we can believe it in our heart, and that's the idea of faith. Faith is, even though everything rides against me believing in Jesus, I still believe in him because I know that it's true in my heart. I invite my fellow Brothers and sisters of the LORD to talk about how Jesus has helped you in your life. No atheists and no insults please
1) Why? So you can all pat each other on the back about how good your beliefs make you feel? That's not a discussion. If you want to do that, talk in your profiles.
2) It's not an insult to point out logical fallacies, inconsistencies, and hypocritical views. I agree with no insulting.
3) The mod's post on the first page, in direct response to this...
Just so you know you can't dictate who may or may not post in a thread or what they may or may not say so long as no one is breaking the rules. Nice try at censorship though.
No, it's more like an atheist bash-all-religion convention.
Not entirely. There are some moderates skulking around the thread. They just don't really appear because many of the religious folk appearing lately have been of the more zealous kind.
Anyway, I have a few questions for Christians.
Why are there so many starving people in our world? Why is there so much war and disease?
Or a more theological one:
I would like to know how people deal with the different variations of the Bible, and how they view different Christian denominations.
I would like to know how people deal with the different variations of the Bible, and how they view different Christian denominations.
Hmm, well, the Bible, I would think they're kinda displeased with it, and the different denominations, me thinks that they don't care, as long as we believe in the same giant floating man in the sky and his zombie son.
I would like to know how people deal with the different variations of the Bible, and how they view different Christian denominations.
I don't really care. Just because I'm not the kind of guy who cares what religion you practice. Though I have friends who believe that other denominations will go to hell. And that they could possibly be saved. So I guess those would sort of be the two extremes of the Christian spectrum; When dealing with other denominations.
Why are there so many starving people in our world? Why is there so much war and disease?
I've asked this question to a christian friend a few years ago, and her answer confused me.. I'm pretty sure what she said basically meant that it's their fault in the end, but when I confronted her with that she said that's not what she meant. Maybe I really misunderstood her but I can't imagine how she would justify this otherwise. I'm really curious how some people around here would answer to that.
Why are there so many starving people in our world? Why is there so much war and disease?
The typical answer is 'to test our faith'. Also, satan is said to control the governments of the world. There's that scripture where he takes Jesus to a high mountain or something and says 'Bow to me and all the kingdoms of the world are yours' (paraphrasing). He couldn't have offered if he didn't own them.
I would like to know how people deal with the different variations of the Bible
My mom, a JW, usually starts by showing that her bible is not really different from theirs, other than it dosen't contradict itself and is easier to understand.
and how they view different Christian denominations.
A lot of religious groups are quite intolerant, such as Catholics: 'ay the church or go to hell/purgatory'. From the JW point of view, as long as you accept Christ and serve God, you'll be raised up to live on a paradise earth forever. If you've been serving God the wrong way, such as to kill enemies of God or something, you'll have 1000 (or more) years in paradise to redeem yourself, then you'll be judged. If you simply lead a good life without knowing about God or believing, you also get the same 1000 (or more) years of redemption. There is no firey hell/purgatory, just simply death or a common grave. If you lead a bad life and completely rejected Christ and God, you simply stay dead.
I would like to know how people deal with the different variations of the Bible, and how they view different Christian denominations.
I'm not a very good Christian and am going to hell according to most denominations. I don't belong to any church and I don't identify with any denomination. So, I can only speak for myself and say I don't really care about different denominations. I don't remember in the bible it saying "thou shalt worship me according to these very specific guidelines I've listed". As for the different variations of the bible, It was written by man and then various councils of priests got together and decided what to include in the bible.
Why are there so many starving people in our world? Why is there so much war and disease?
I suspect the likely answer would be the non answer of sin and the devil with a sprinkling of free will.
My mom, a JW, usually starts by showing that her bible is not really different from theirs, other than it dosen't contradict itself and is easier to understand.
What version of the Bible does she use?
If you've been serving God the wrong way, such as to kill enemies of God or something, you'll have 1000 (or more) years in paradise to redeem yourself, then you'll be judged. If you simply lead a good life without knowing about God or believing, you also get the same 1000 (or more) years of redemption.
Nice to know that murder is on equal footing as not believing. That's more than what some denominations give for not believing.
According to some religious people, being atheist makes us drug addicts, violent, spawns of Satan, etc. There must be something wrong with me then because I don't beat up people, I don't worship Satan, I don't do drugs, I don't belong in a gang and I help my elderly neighbor by getting his mail, taking his trash out, clearing his driveway when it snows, etc. Actually I clear two of my neighbor's driveway.
There's probably an X and a Satan icon on the maps used by those annoying Mormons and Jehovah witness knocking from doors to doors 2 times a year, trying to convert me and other evil people. xD Seriously, the first two times I remain polite but after 4,5,6 times I tend to become irritated.
There's probably an X and a Satan icon on the maps used by those annoying Mormons and Jehovah witness knocking from doors to doors 2 times a year, trying to convert me and other evil people. xD Seriously, the first two times I remain polite but after 4,5,6 times I tend to become irritated.
Ah, those. A tip: Just say "Okay, that's nice, but I'm not going to be 'saved' by you." Then say goodbye and close the door.
"New World Translation of the Holy Scriptures Rendered from the Original Languages by the New World Bible Translation Committeeâ"Revised 1984" You can download the PDF here.
Nice to know that murder is on equal footing as not believing.
Murder, defined as for greedy or selfish actions such as anger, self-gain, etc, is condemned and you'll probably just stay dead. It depends on the reasoning for the crimes. If you killed to save someone's life or other selfless reasons, then you get the 1000 years.