Are Christians harmless? (page 14)

Narkissos

The destruction of those nations by the Israelites was done because God had pronounced judgment on them. Since God knows all, He knew the hearts of everyone there and whether they wanted to spend eternity with Him or not. Of course, there are those who asked for mercy and received it. There are countless examples of non-Israelites who chose God. These include the prostitute Rahab, the Moabite Ruth, Caleb, etc.

Interestingly, most of the OT slaughters never happened in real life because they are part of a fictitious (Deuteronomistic) reconstruction of history. What still amazes me is that fundamentalist Christians would rather take them as true history and rationalize them than admit they never occurred, preferring a God who can kill children to a God who can lie. Harmless?

JamesThomas

Jeff S.,

Only a god that is limited and finite can anyone be "eternally separated from". Look close at what you say.

I hear in your words conflict similar to what I once had. I called God all-loving, and in the same breath as you did, narrowed him down to a "Christian God".

A time came when I realized that the only limits God had, the only boundaries and restrictions, were illusions of my mind.

Then, it was no-longer important to call myself a Christian or anything, for to do so would be to belittle God to a specific way, when in my heart I knew our Source has no beginning or end. So I let go of religious personalities and dogma all together.

A time comes when everything one has ever been told, or read, or has learned about God, is meaningless (The Bible becomes useful only to separate the other two books on either side).

I sense you are there, if you would just see past the old religious language and programming.

No offense meant in any of this.

j

Utopian Reformist

The points I made about religoius belief systems, their organizers and adherents being dangerous due to the control, propogation and discrimination policies usually cleverly hidden as biblical agendas was not directed at individuals. The level of presumption and arrogance is collective to all religions.

And it is arrogant to assume that an ancient set of man made writings is somehow divinie in nature, inspired by another intelligence, or includes absolute truth. All religious writings fail two important tests that contradict one of the purposes religion claims to pursue:

1. All religions and their writings claim that all mankind will be united; however, it is ironic that all religions require that mankind submit and obey their own particular requirements. How is that liberating? From what authority, other than a book written by other humans does any group acquire the audacity to dictate how the rest of mankind should regulate their personal beliefs, and condemn all others to death or conversion? Is that loving or logical, no, but it exists in Islam, Judaism and Christianity and Hindism. It is supreme arrogance on display.

2. All religions and their writings claim and publish the origin of nature, death, the future, the spirit dimension, and base promises of life and punishment and death in the form of warnings, accounts, and so called good news in order to garner control by fear over people. It is only the irrational fear of the unknown that further prolongs the fear of natural death and continues propogating superstition. Thus, religion thrives without having actually proven anything, accomplishing anything or delivering any results. It is the greatest marketing phenomenon, better than Microsoft.

So, as soon as people realize you will never find an answer about the existence and state of being in any other realms, or even after natural death (no matter what cause), people can then accept the current life span, make logical balanced decisions based on facts, not faith, and actually make better progress and achieve a higher form of personal spirituality realizing there is no absolute truth about our origins, YET.

That was the crux of my discussion. I was not out to make Jedi. I could easily post in a number of superfluous threads and stack up numbers for making Jedi. Simon can make me a novice all over again, I do not care.

myelaine

Dear Utopian Reformist,

So, as soon as people realize you will never find an answer about the existence and state of being in any other realms, or even after natural death (no matter what cause), people can then accept the current life span, make logical balanced decisions based on facts, not faith, and actually make better progress and achieve a higher form of personal spirituality realizing there is no absolute truth about our origins, YET.

First of all, are you saying you have personally died and are now coming back to tell us that we will never find an answer about our existence in any other realms?

Second of all, a personal relationship with God is not "religion", Religions and different Faiths dictate that you adhere to their individual tenents, but God desires to have a relationship with you, based on mutual love and respect. If you honestly turn to Him he will help you find the highest form of spirituality, that which is outside yourself!

love michelle

Utopian Reformist

Dear Myelaine (obviously still a believer of sorts):

Did I mention anywhere in my post that I died and returned form the grave to report nothing exists after death? Obviously I did not, thus, your question/statement about that was irrelevant, out of context and absurd.

Since NO ONE has ever died under examination and observation by others and returned under the same observation and examination by others, NO ONE can confirm any of the superstitious ideas contained in religious writings about death. Thus, to allow your psyche to be held hostage by an unscientific, unproven human writing over fear of punishment and fear of death is ludicrous.

I guess when the popular evangelists, religious leaders, popes, imams, etc can show me absolute eyewitness documented, physical, audio-visual proof of the state of things beyond death, I might acquire a religious faith. Until then, my personal spirituality is about my own internal reflections, my constant struggles to survive, to produce good, to avoid bad, and to attempt to harmonize and co-exist with all forms of life in the best way possible every day I am alive. Inner peace is accepting the unknown without accepting responsibility for the unknown. I did not create life or death, thus I am not responsible for their explanation. I can only respond to their effects.

myelaine

Utopian Reformist,

You did say this.....So, as soon as people realize you will never find ...... it sounds pretty "been there, done that".....

michelle

William Penwell

So, as soon as people realize you will never find an answer about the existence and state of being in any other realms, or even after natural death (no matter what cause), people can then accept the current life span, make logical balanced decisions based on facts, not faith, and actually make better progress and achieve a higher form of personal spirituality realizing there is no absolute truth about our origins, YET.

Utopian Reformist,

Good point. As soon as people start living as this is all there is too life and stop living in a dream world of fantasy, we will be better off. Not living as a Christian, Muslim, Jew, Hindu etc, but by being a human being first. We need to get rid of all the labels and live to better the human race and future generations first. With religious thinking of "why should we worry if we end up killing each other because we have our reward in heaven after we die". Unfortunately I feel we are all domed to destroying ourselves with this type of archaic philosophies that should have been left in the dark ages.

Will

sleepy

Are Christians harmless? Without reading through this enormass subject I'll just have to answer ,no.

gumby

Hey willy my ancient sidekick poster. I got a question for you if you see this..... but if you do not, ....I welcome others answers

Here's what you said in brief,

Good point. As soon as people start living as this is all there is too life and stop living in a dream world of fantasy, we will be better off. Not living as a Christian, Muslim, Jew, Hindu etc, but by being a human being first.

Unfortunately I feel we are all domed to destroying ourselves with this type of archaic philosophies that should have been left in the dark ages.
Will

William Penn...or anyone who agrees with this........WHY would we be better off without a religious/spiritual belief system, if those individual beliefs bring no harm? Do you think mankind would be more productive and advance further since he would not be waiting on god to fix things? Do christians today not get things done because they wait on god? Who are they?(dubs not included)

Also......in what way do you think mankind will destroy himself if he keeps being religious? Why isn't man dead now since he has 'believed' since his beginning?

Gumby

ozziepost

Hey Gumbles mate,

Unfortunately I feel we are all domed to destroying ourselves with this type of archaic philosophies that should have been left in the dark ages.

You could have added another question: Was the emerging from the Dark Ages a result of belief or unbelief?

Or simpler perhaps, was it countries that were predominantly religious the ones to create the conditions necessary for the Enlightenment?

Cheers, Ozzie

Are Christians harmless?

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