I have read the fictional book known as "The bible" and that Jesus character seems like a fairly nice guy. He seems friendly, responsible and kind.
At no point did i think that the character of Jesus would celebrate the torture and death of someone because of something that he had done. many times i have heard people say "Jesus died for our sins". A man died for their sins. And they celebrate it. Their entire religion celebrates the torture and death of this innocent man.
Where is the logic? How can a religion that claims to be based on his teachings celebrate something which Jesus himself would find utterly repugnant?
If you think Jesus is a "fairly nice guy" you clearly have not read the Bible. And a man dying for ones sins does not make sense, however God in flesh does. He paid a price as God no man ever could and it is an eternal price His divine life fulfills, those who fail to heed the command to believe will pay an eternal price themselves.
ReplyDeleteThis being Mother's Day, I would like to point out the positively crummy way Jesus treats his Mom. She goers to talk to him, and he comes back with, "Woman, what have I to do with thee?"
ReplyDelete(Not exactly a phone call on Sunday night, now is it?) His disciples say that his mother and brothers are outside, and he points to the other people in the room and says, "These are my mother and my brothers."
Maybe Jesus has the reputation for being a fairly nice guy, but I know people with reputations far worse who treat their mothers better than this.
Are you just stupid? It tells you the answer to your question in the Bible(You claimed you read it). Do you think with your ass? Do you just miss the point of WHY he CHOSE to die for man's sin?
ReplyDelete"Claim" I read it? Well, I certainly read the part where calling someone a fool (or stupid? or someone who thinks with his ass?) puts you in danger if hellfire. I guess that's one part I read that you missed. I'm sure a literalist would point out that after all, you didn't actually use the word "fool."
ReplyDeleteAs for the answer to my question, I never asked one. That's because I don't have one.
The Christian faith is based on the fact that someone (meaning Jesus) was so selfless that he would give his life in our place. It is not something he wanted, but he knew there was no other way. We celebrate because we believe that we will live on after we die in Heaven, and it's all because of Jesus. Ultimately, although we don't deserve it (don't you agree that we are constantly doing something wrong eg. hurting someone, saying/thinking things we shouldn't, or don't need to??) Jesus, one who has never sinned, gave up his perfect life for us, who sin every day.
ReplyDeleteRemarkable that in the first decade of the 21st century anyone imagines it is necessary to explain basic Christian mythology to any adult. The overwhelming majority of Americans grew up on these fairy tales, and they are no more convincing for appearing in the comments section of a blog page.
ReplyDeleteIf you are so content with yourself as an athiest, then why do you spend all this time on a blog purely insulting any form of religion?
ReplyDeleteBecause of the huge amount of damage that false beliefs like Christianity can do. (Please don't ask, "Like what?" I would suggest you do your own homework of course, but no amount of evidence or reason would ever satisfy a true believer.)
ReplyDeleteHow does atheism improve you as a person?
ReplyDeleteThat's like asking how does a hammer build a house. It doesn't. An atheist can be a truly miserable person or a truly wonderful one, or anything in between.
ReplyDeleteJust like a christian.
I do not believe that is true. The whole idea of the christian faith is to build (with a LOT of God's help) yourself (and the people around you) into better people. If one is a true christian, their lives, and their attitude towards other people and the world around them improves.
ReplyDeleteA true christian is one thing - happy. And because they are happy they have a whole lot of other things too. I'm not saying that they're never miserable, or never angry, but on the whole, in general a true christian is simply happy with where they are in life and happy with where they are going and what they are doing.
I have doubts, for sure I have doubts. I am human. But I have seen God's work so much in my life and the lives of the people around me, and I can't imagine a life without him.
I'll be honest with you, I don't fully understand how one would rather believe that there isn't God than believe there is one.
Ruby, People don't believe things on the basis of what they would rather be true. I would rather be rich, I know im not so there is little sense in me believing i am.
ReplyDeleteThere are lots of things i would like to be true (though having a celestial dictator isnt one of them), but it's nonsensical to walk around believing things are true just because it makes you feel better than admitting it's bullshit.
So Ruth, you don't know any Christians who are also unhappy? I could introduce you around if you like.
ReplyDeleteYou asked how being an atheist "improves you as a person." But your subsequent comments indicate you are confusing being happy with being good. There are lots of people who will report "being happy" even though they are rotten individuals. And I'm sure we have both known people who were never happier than when they were making others miserable. Some of them are even Christians.
Even christians (surprise) make mistakes.
ReplyDeleteOk, you make a point. There are people who believe they are happy, even though they are horrible individuals. But what happens when their beliefs are shaken?
I am not confusing being happy with being good. I understand the difference. But someone who loves God and follows his word would never take delight in making someone else miserable. And someone who both loves God and follows his word is both happy and growing every day - in more ways than one.
To [matt]:
But - when you choose to follow God, you choose to believe there is a God, true? And don't you choose to believe in something because it feels right, not because you know it's right?
Ruby you said; "I'll be honest with you, I don't fully understand how one would rather believe that there isn't God than believe there is one."
ReplyDeleteWe can't make ourselves believe something on the grounds that believing it might make life easier or ourselves happier, Or that we might prefer believing it.
Beliefs based on what you would rather be true are delusions. it's no different than pretending you are rich, Pretending that you aren't ill or pretending that your dog didn't die. We call these people delusional. Their reality is based not on what they see but on how they wished things were.
It is so easy to pick on a group of people that will not fight back in the way others typically do or resort to being unkind. Our belief is based on so much evidence the world did not recognise or reveal because of their ignorance hence not having a conprehensive perception of unfailing truth. You cannot comment on a book that you have not reead all the way through or make comments about a believe that you have not studied. there are several undeniable facts that prove the authenticity of the bible. God reveals that the world is round and that is found in the Old Testamnet in the book of Isaiah. scientists claimed that bible times did not match with the kings of Old and they later found that the align perfectly. The bible tells you how to cover dead bodies so that they dont cause infections or spread disease. the bible was written over 3000 years ago. the bible also tells you that there will be people like you that even when you see final events before your eyes and when bible prophecy is meeted out, you will not repent of your evil. the bible is locked away from those who are ignorant and have never taken the time to sit down and read it to see the AMAZING TRUTH that not only edifies our Lord Jesus but explains why Jesus had to die for ours sins. as with people of old who did not accept the coming of our saviour so it shall be now as in times to come where people will mock our belief. millions of people believe in God and they are some of the worlds most intelligent people who are wise not in their own understanding or what they are brainwashed by the world into believing that we all came here through evolution or by chance. but by an amazing creator, who made eveything. when you can explain the beginning of good and evil, when you can explain where the feeling of love and affection can be located. when you can explain why even Isaac Newton was more interested in working out the bible code until he died and he was a scientist. when you can explian that your persecution of christians was already prohesised and non-believers will do worse to those that believe. The Lord said to Adam and Eve that unto dust you came and unto dust you shall return and then scientists uncovered the same components that make up the human body are found in the dust of the earth-fact. educate yourself before you speak and dont believe what you think you know because you dont know anything at all. Jesus died for us because we were wicked and wanted our way and did not honour him the way he intended even though he gave us all we needed to live comfortably. now because we have messed up this world and not God (who people always want to blame) we are desiring all that we could have had anyway if we had not been disobedient and listened and not leaned on our own understanding. The world has created destruction and decay and because God forsaw this he sent Jesus so that we would not perish and have the chance to regain what we foolishly threw away and are still doing. i pray that God opens your eyes so that you can see clearly andv change your attitude and your understanding so that you can enjoy the peace and joy that millions and millions of people have always enjoyed and God Bless you
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