Christianity the biggest scam ever!!!

by William Penwell 54 Replies latest jw friends

Phantom Stranger

I still thought the German-Soviet nonaggression pact of 1939 was the biggest scam ever...
Kenneson

If there is no God or Satan , then they are not to blame for evil. Does that leave anyone or anything to blame? If there is no God and no Satan, than everything is happening just as it is supposed to. So why do we get upset when earthquakes and natural disasters occur, when people get sick and die, etc.?
frankiespeakin

Ken,
If there is no God or Satan , then they are not to blame for evil. Does that leave anyone or anything to blame?
Nobody but ourselves maybe? Maybe we are just blip in time, but permant in eternity, maybe we are everything and just don't know it, because we have preconcieve concepts that hinder us from seeing.
If there is no God and no Satan, than everything is happening just as it is supposed to. So why do we get upset when earthquakes and natural disasters occur, when people get sick and die, etc.?
You could be right, maybe our sorrow is just an illusion, for we don't really know what the world is going thru, and frankly I don't want to know,,,,but just think,,,, that if God gave you the ability to see eternity,,,,, it would only take less than an instant and forever change you. I think you would be so different that people would be alittle uneasy around you.
Love_Truth
Christianity the biggest scam ever!!!

I originally decided not to respond to this post, but, upon further consideration, here goes:

First, we need to define ?scam?:
noun : a fraudulent business scheme; a swindle. [syn: cozenage] (Source: American Heritage Dictionary)

Second, we need to define ?Christian?
adjective.
Professing belief in Jesus as Christ or following the religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus.

Relating to or derived from Jesus or Jesus's teachings.

Manifesting the qualities or spirit of Jesus; Christ-like.

Relating to or characteristic of Christianity or its adherents.

Showing a loving concern for others; humane.
noun.
One who professes belief in Jesus as Christ or follows the religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus.

One who lives according to the teachings of Jesus.
(Source: American Heritage Dictionary)
So now, lets see if the title of the thread holds up to scrutiny. Can ?Christianity? be a scam?
Premise #1: According to adjective definitions 1 (questionable), 2 (questionable), 4 (questionable), and noun definition 1, and based on, for instance, the Catholic Church?s wealth, adding to that other ?Christian? religions, one could certainly be of the opinion that this qualifies as a ?scam?.
Premise #2 : However, using the other definitions of ?Christian?, 1 (questionable), 2 (questionable), 3 (questionable), 4, 5, and noun definition 2, this would clearly not meet the requirements for the definition of a ?scam?.
So, let?s assume (for the sake of argument), that some undefined percentage of ?Christianity? is really all about making money, swindling, and scamming the members of that segment of ?Christianity?. Further, lets assume (for the sake of argument), that an established Religion, sect, cult, division, etc (or a collection thereof), can be called a ?business?.
We now would have to take that percentage of ?Christianity?s? material holdings, wealth, income, and compare that to other businesses, to determine what is ?bigger?. I?m not sure anyone could prove that, so based on Premise #1, your assertion that ? Christianity is the biggest scam ever? , has no factual basis. Unless, of course you can prove irrefutably that is the case, the title of this thread is a lie.
Now, having stated that, upon examining the evidence, using the other definitions of Christianity, in Premise #2, we come to the same conclusion, the title of this thread is a lie.
So, then, on to the statement you made within the post itself:

Reading a number of posts here it seems like a fair amount of posters are still into and pushing the Christian philosophy. I would like to start a discussion here that objectively examines the evidence and not base a belief on "blind faith".

Let me stop you there. Whatever your philosophy, whether atheist, agnostic, religious, etc, all philosophies are based on ?faith? in something. As to whether that faith is ?blind?, is, and always will be, an opinion, not an irrefutable fact.

After leaving the Jdubs, I have read a number of books over the past few years. I wanted to see if there was ever any actual historical evidence to support the existence of a fellow by the name of Jesus existing. Out side of the bible and Christian writers, there is no evidence that a man by the name of Jesus even existed. What is others view about this topic?

Here?s my view-
You read a number books, and put your faith in those. Elsewhere, had you examined the evidence, you would have found evidence to support the belief that Jesus Christ literally came to Earth and existed, just as recorded in Scripture.

(1)- Just a few of the prophecies fulfilled by Jesus Christ can be found here: http://www.comfortfortoday.com/prophecy/700pro.htm
And elsewhere, in numerous sources.
(2)- Was Jesus just a myth?
http://www.carm.org/evidence/Jesus_myth.htm
http://www.carm.org/evidence/1Cor15_3-4.htm
http://www.carm.org/evidence/Josephus_Jesus.htm
(3)- Archaeological evidence of Jesus? existence?
http://www.probe.org/docs/ossuary.html
(4)- His legacy- he left behind contemporaries of his, Apostles and Disciples who wrote about him, about his teachings, and the fact that that he has a had a greater influence on humanity than arguably any other, would lead to the conclusion that this recent trend to discredit the historicity of Jesus Christ, which was accepted for thousands of years, has ulterior motives.
There are numerous other sources for information on the historicity of Jesus Christ. What is the bottom line? No one can prove, nor disprove, that Jesus Christ walked the Earth, although there is much more evidence that he did.
So, in summary, it appears that the post met it?s intent, to draw replies, rather well.
Incidentally, for those of us who do consider ourselves Christian, and have faith in Jesus Christ, the following scriptures apply to those who deny that Christ came in the flesh:
Warning Against Antichrists

1 John 2:18: Dear children, this is the last hour; and as you have heard that the antichrist is coming, even now many antichrists have come. This is how we know it is the last hour.

1 John 2:21-23: I do not write to you because you do not know the truth, but because you do know it and because no lie comes from the truth. Who is the liar? It is the man who denies that Jesus is the Christ. Such a man is the antichrist--he denies the Father and the Son. No one who denies the Son has the Father; whoever acknowledges the Son has the Father also.
1 John 4:2,3: This is how you can recognize the Spirit of God: Every spirit that acknowledges that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God, but every spirit that does not acknowledge Jesus is not from God. This is the spirit of the antichrist, which you have heard is coming and even now is already in the world.
2 John 1:6-8: And this is love: that we walk in obedience to his commands. As you have heard from the beginning, his command is that you walk in love. Many deceivers, who do not acknowledge Jesus Christ as coming in the flesh, have gone out into the world. Any such person is the deceiver and the antichrist. Watch out that you do not lose what you have worked for, but that you may be rewarded fully.
Bottom line, it all comes down to putting faith in something. What we put our faith in leads to our belief system, or philosophy. And there is inadequate evidence for any belief system, to irrefutably prove a factual conclusion, other than the factual conclusion that there is inadequate evidence for any belief system, to irrefutably prove a factual conclusion, ad nauseum. What you put your faith in is up to you, of your own free will. Choose wisely.
Cheers,
Love_Truth
RubyTuesday

Perfectly put... L _T
ThiChi

LT:
Hear Hear!!
Double Edge

LT.... "Bravo" .. well said!
The Bible says that the Messiah would be descened from King David. If Jesus is the "Son of God", how could he be descened from King David from his father's side?
The Davidic line runs through his mother, Mary.
Purple

Philosophically I will say that like Plato I believe Christianity is there to reflect us away from reality. (Referring to the allegory of the cave). Some one already said that life without it would be empty and meaningless. So if this is the case then isnt chritianity just something to deflect us away from the emptyness and meaningless, pointlessness of life?
However if that is true, then what is it deflecting us away from? Is it the pointlessness and emptyness of life that we try to fill with something relevant and valid to us? Or is it something else. Maybe its our struggle to come to terms with our own mortality and trying to find meaning in our own demise?
I mean isnt it better to think that death after a pointless life has meaning.
Does it not really scare us to think that once we are dead we cease to exist in entirety (sp?). I mean actually I think that all the discussion in the world will not answer the question "what happens when we die"? Isn't that what we all really want to know? Christianity poses one possibility, other faiths pose other possibilities. However isn't it better to focus on the kind of person we are whilst we have life and what we do to others and so on.
Now I think that that is what we are being deflected from. The ultimate fate of everyone of us........death the only subject that has no definitive answer until its too late...you cant tell anybody about it.
Orgasnised religion is a sham, a money making scheme and a way to control the masses. However the underpinnings of Chrisitianity of love, helping others, doing your best and so on I dont think are. If we harm none and lead a good life and leave a good legacy behind us then we have done the best that we can. That I believe is what the original intent of God's word was about. Man has changed its meaning and message and that is what is a shame and a shame!
Phantom Stranger
"Elsewhere, had you examined the evidence, you would have found evidence to support the belief that Jesus Christ literally came to Earth and existed, just as recorded in Scripture."
I will concur that there is some evidence that supports the idea that some man named Yeshua lived in Isreal at that time. It is certainly not conclusive evidence, or proof (see below) - and there's darned little of it. As far as evidence that he "literally came to earth" - I'm pretty sure that's inadmissible hearsay.
ev·i·dence
n.
A thing or things helpful in forming a conclusion or judgment:
Something indicative; an outward sign:
Law. The documentary or oral statements and the material objects admissible as testimony in a court of law.
proof
n.
The evidence or argument that compels the mind to accept an assertion as true.
flower

WOW Flower - I am impressed. I remember when you first came to the site and you were "struggling" as you were exiting. I apologise if I seemed harsh at the time when I questioned what you were sayng. You have grown so much and your thought processes are impressive and the clarity is fabulous.
Congratulations on learning to think for youself ( I can see you do that now vs being controlled by that horrible belief system we once shared) - you are a credit to yourself and to thinkers everywhere
Jack
LOL well a lot of people were hard on me back then but thats ok I forgive ya all, I deserved it!. After I discovered that my entire life as a JW was a colossal waste of time, I eliminated 'blind faith' from my psyche forever. I did however still believe in God because I didnt think that I was using blind faith as much as I was. Emotionally I was still reeling from the truth about the 'truth' and it was getting me really depressed so I decided to take some time off from the subject. Then I spent many hours reading the scripture without the societys wonderful publications , and without 'blind faith' . I spent hours going back and forth with other Christians before I eventually realized there were no answer to any of the questions that came up, When my questions got hard, all of their answers were the same......'we cant question god', 'we are unable to comprehend his plan because he is so superior', 'we have to have faith' yada yada yada. The contradictions in the bible are so huge that I still cant believe I ever believed and accepted the ridiculous explanations that I hear now. I have no idea how life started or why things are the way they are but I am pretty darn sure the concept of God is simply a psychological phenomenon the likes of which have never been seen. Even if the bible were true and divinely inspired, after reading it with a free mind, I find the bibles god cruel and sick and unfit for worship. If he decides to punish me eternally in a pit of fire so be it. If that is the alternative to worshipping a cruel hearted, blood thirsty being that sits back and watches while children wither up and starve to death, I would walk into hell with my head held high.

Christianity the biggest scam ever!!!

Share this