Is there a Christian message without the element of fear/perceived threat? (page 3)

choosing life

What if we are just evolving and our lives are lessons learned. The ultimate lesson to learn is to love unconditionally. Maybe the creator has put into motion all the necessary pieces to reach that level of consciousness and it's up to us to work out the details.

Maybe everyone will be able to reach that level in time. When our words and actions cause hurt to others, the greatest punishment is the sorrow we feel when we realize the hurt we have caused. When we learn from that, we evolve.

Sorry, I guess that is off topic, but it makes more sense to me than the reward/punisment theme so prevalent in Christian and other religions.

XJW4EVR

Christianity has been historically one of the least loving religions out there.

ROTFL!

AK - Jeff

Christianity has been historically one of the least loving religions out there.
ROTFL!

Why is this a ROTFL comment? The crusades were not exactly a picnic. Many wars have been fought over religion. Christianity has pretty blood-stained hands in this matter. Not that they are more/less loving in general - but the statement, aside from it's general lack of objective evidence, is not funny in the main. Just my opinion - I didn't make it. Jeff

nvrgnbk

ROTFL!

Nice.

Glad you think it's funny.

Tell that to the guy that was disemboweled to extract a confession from him.

Tell that to the Jews expelled from their homes for rejecting the Messiah.

Tell that to the African sold into slavery because he belonged to the cursed race.

XJW4EVR

I do like the form of Christian thinking that highlights 'love, mercy, and grace'

Why should God "love" us when we consistently violate His laws? What is God sparing us from if He has "mercy"? What should we have gotten if we are getting something that we do not deserve, which is the Biblical definition of "grace"?

but it seems that it often, if not always, subjugates those who don't fall under certain acceptable 'Christian practices' to the use of force to prove God's power.

If people, by their, thoughts, words & deeds, indicate that they do not want to live according to God's laws, then why should they be allowed to live forever with Him?

I could never do what those claiming to be his 'children' expect Him to do. Hellfire or Eternal death at Armageddon represent to me a God that is Vengeance, not a God of Love.

Ah, the doting grandpa in the sky. The parent that allows his/her children to continue in their self-obsessed temper tantrums, without repercussion. This is not a God of Love, as you describe, but a god of "wuv".

beerose

People do repent and ask their grand creator for forgiveness.Thats just it they ask HIM! Where in the bible does it say,you have to bow down to JW men? Where in the bible does it say you have to ask JW men for forgiveness? Nowhere, because than you would be bowing down to men! Seems to me you are putting yourselves on that throne,handing out judgements,just saying dope!

BurnTheShips

The crusades were not exactly a picnic.

The Crusades were a reaction to invasion despite the fact that they were imbued with a religious character. Read your history!

BTS

nvrgnbk

The crusades were not exactly a picnic.
The Crusades were a reaction to invasion despite the fact that they were imbued with a religious character. Read your history!
BTS

What about the Inquisition?

BurnTheShips

Tell that to the guy that was disemboweled to extract a confession from him.

A practice inherited from pre-Christian Roman jurisprudence.

Tell that to the Jews expelled from their homes for rejecting the Messiah.

The action of an monarchy wanting complete uniformity and compliance to its rule which in those times was not merely temporal. That is what happened in Spain in the 1400's. Ditto the inquisition. These are the result of State Religion. Not Christianity itself.

Tell that to the African sold into slavery because he belonged to the cursed race.

Slavery was a business practice, not a religious one. Asia, Africa, and preColumbian America all had slave economies. Africans were not captured and sold because of religion, but because it was "good business". Slavery was nearly universal regardless of religion. There were plenty of white slaves before the African slave trade and it had naught to do with the color of their skin. The "cursed race" doctrine was used later to provide a justification for keeping black slaves.

BTS

BurnTheShips

Christianity has been historically one of the least loving religions out there.
ROTFL!

ROTFL is right, less loving compared to what major historical state religion?

Is there a Christian message without the element of fear/perceived threat?

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