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Post by Deleted on Mar 31, 2020 9:33:42 GMT
It is a major part of the Christian religion to tell people what to think & believe, on pain of eternal damnation. Well I haven't read the whole thing. But Jesus also preached loving thy neighbour as thyself, the second most important command. To me (I could be wrong) this can mean treating others as you would want to be treated yourself. And I would not want someone telling me that I would go to Hell unless I believed what they did. Different churches have different beliefs. I was reminded recently by a Christian friend that people have free will. She is open about being a Christian, but she would never force or tell anyone to become one. She is a very loving and forgiving person, very humble, and very compassionate towards people who are oppressed in this society. I don't think it helps, telling people what to think. You need to make your own mind up. You're right. It is not Christian's job to force people. Only to let their words and actions be a sign for Christ and His Kingdom. Ultimately, only God can truly reveal Christ to someone. He just often chooses to use people. People tend to do what they want. It can be years before they consider turning to faith, especially if they've been burned before. However, that doesn't mean I ever give up praying. As long as the person is alive, they can always reconsider. And every human being has value, regardless of their choices. Our love has to be real. People can see through manipulators. Jesus faced execution to demonstrate His love for mankind. We must be willing to grow and match that humility to win others. We don't win by being high and mighty or self-righteous. Without God's extra extra kindness, I'd be nothing.
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Post by Admin on Mar 31, 2020 9:36:01 GMT
I don't think it helps, telling people what to think. You need to make your own mind up. Why is a God of Infinite Love, Wisdom & Perfection into all this Eternal Damnation, Punishment & Hell stuff? & then the inference that if you're Not Christian & don't believe in Christ / the Bible you are off to burn? i think it's incredibly sick.
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Post by Deleted on Mar 31, 2020 9:40:03 GMT
I don't think it helps, telling people what to think. You need to make your own mind up. Why is a God of Infinite Love, Wisdom & Perfection into all this Eternal Damnation, Punishment & Hell stuff? & then the inference that if you're Not Christian & don't believe in Christ / the Bible you are off to burn? i think it's incredibly sick. Because Jesus faced that same punishment to rescue those who's believe in His name. He experienced Hell for our sake to give people a way of escape. What makes Christianity unique is that it considers mercy to be a virtue. There are instances of mercy in other religious texts. But Christianity goes out of its way to teach it as a virtue. By mercy, I mean not getting the punishment that is deserved.
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Post by Admin on Mar 31, 2020 9:40:43 GMT
I don't think it helps, telling people what to think. You need to make your own mind up. How & Why does Christianity have a monopoly on God, Truth & Spirituality???
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Post by Admin on Mar 31, 2020 9:41:23 GMT
Why is a God of Infinite Love, Wisdom & Perfection into all this Eternal Damnation, Punishment & Hell stuff? & then the inference that if you're Not Christian & don't believe in Christ / the Bible you are off to burn? i think it's incredibly sick. Because Jesus faced that same punishment to rescue those who's believe in His name. He experienced Hell for our sake to give people a way of escape. What makes Christianity unique is that it considers mercy to be a virtue. There are instances of mercy in other religious texts. But Christianity goes out of its way to teach it as a virtue. By mercy, I mean not getting the punishment that is deserved. According to your religious Belief - that i disagree with.
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Post by Deleted on Mar 31, 2020 9:44:11 GMT
Because Jesus faced that same punishment to rescue those who's believe in His name. He experienced Hell for our sake to give people a way of escape. What makes Christianity unique is that it considers mercy to be a virtue. There are instances of mercy in other religious texts. But Christianity goes out of its way to teach it as a virtue. By mercy, I mean not getting the punishment that is deserved. According to your religious Belief - that i disagree with. Yes.
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Post by Admin on Mar 31, 2020 9:47:11 GMT
According to your religious Belief - that i disagree with. Yes. Have you considered that Christ Never Existed in the way that organised / exoteric Christianity & the Bible says that he did? www.jesusneverexisted.com/
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Post by Deleted on Mar 31, 2020 9:58:24 GMT
Have you considered that Christ Never Existed in the way that organised / exoteric Christianity & the Bible says that he did? www.jesusneverexisted.com/Yeah. I was agnostic. I used to read about Mahatma Gandhi and felt like I wanted to be exactly like him. Well, him and Martin Luther King Jr. I knew I liked Jesus but didn't know how to square the Bible with Darwinian Evolution and other competing religions. Even when I became a Christian, I still doubted I could trust the Bible as a reliable source of truth. It took a lot of reading, questioning, and research before I found solid answers.
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Post by Deleted on Mar 31, 2020 9:58:29 GMT
Well I haven't read the whole thing. But Jesus also preached loving thy neighbour as thyself, the second most important command. To me (I could be wrong) this can mean treating others as you would want to be treated yourself. And I would not want someone telling me that I would go to Hell unless I believed what they did. Different churches have different beliefs. I was reminded recently by a Christian friend that people have free will. She is open about being a Christian, but she would never force or tell anyone to become one. She is a very loving and forgiving person, very humble, and very compassionate towards people who are oppressed in this society. I don't think it helps, telling people what to think. You need to make your own mind up. The Golden Rule is universal to all religions / spiritual systems. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Golden_RuleRule of Three (Wicca) en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rule_of_Three_(Wicca)"I was reminded recently by a Christian friend that people have free will. She is open about being a Christian, but she would never force or tell anyone to become one. She is a very loving and forgiving person, very humble, and very compassionate towards people who are oppressed in this society." Your friend could be a very loving and forgiving person, very humble, and very compassionate towards people who are oppressed in this society, as an Atheist / secular humanist, Hindu, Muslim, Shaman, Witch etc - i don't necessarily see what the relevance is of the religion? The point is not all Christians are the types that indoctrinate, or condemn others, or are judgemental. Yes there are some who are, have met both. You get both types in all of the groups you have mentioned I should think. I think telling children they are going to Hell if they don't do certain things is abusive, if they are taught any belief system it should be carefully and in a loving way. Is not good for anyone to receive any kind of teaching in a harsh way. And is counterproductive sometimes, as children rebel when they get older. If there are ultimate truths in the Bible that are not down to interpretation can see how not having a formed worldview can help, as I tend to fit things in it round my worldview. As I say I think it's a personal thing. A lot of the Old Testament is punitive, maybe if children are taught anything from the bible, should be the more forgiving, less punitive New Testament. Also a lot of people get hung up around Revelation. I did. So maybe best avoid it, or teach it in a way that isn't frightening. But I do agree you have to be careful with anything you teach to children, any kind of knowledge or belief system.
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Post by Deleted on Mar 31, 2020 9:59:49 GMT
I don't think it helps, telling people what to think. You need to make your own mind up. How & Why does Christianity have a monopoly on God, Truth & Spirituality??? I never said that.
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Post by Deleted on Mar 31, 2020 10:02:08 GMT
I don't think it helps, telling people what to think. You need to make your own mind up. Why is a God of Infinite Love, Wisdom & Perfection into all this Eternal Damnation, Punishment & Hell stuff? & then the inference that if you're Not Christian & don't believe in Christ / the Bible you are off to burn? i think it's incredibly sick. I don't think that, and other Christians don't either. Not all of them, admittedly.
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Post by Deleted on Mar 31, 2020 10:04:02 GMT
A lot of Christians aren't particularly good people, and a lot of people who are not Christians are. You're a good person, Admin. I hold you in higher esteem than most people. And I respect your beliefs.
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Post by Admin on Mar 31, 2020 10:56:58 GMT
I think telling children they are going to Hell if they don't do certain things is abusive, if they are taught any belief system it should be carefully and in a loving way. Is not good for anyone to receive any kind of teaching in a harsh way. And is counterproductive sometimes, as children rebel when they get older. i don't think that kids should be taught / indoctrinated into any belief system - they should be taught to think independently & critically & to make up their own mind. That's the question - what is truth & reality - what is ultimately true? & that's also where all the argument comes in.
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Post by Admin on Mar 31, 2020 11:00:05 GMT
A lot of Christians aren't particularly good people, and a lot of people who are not Christians are. You're a good person, Admin. I hold you in higher esteem than most people. And I respect your beliefs. Thank you - that is kind of you. i find this an upsetting area in ways - in relationship to my own upbringing, life & experiences / perceptions & this schizophrenia diagnosis / condition.
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Post by Deleted on Mar 31, 2020 11:46:24 GMT
A lot of Christians aren't particularly good people, and a lot of people who are not Christians are. You're a good person, Admin. I hold you in higher esteem than most people. And I respect your beliefs. Thank you - that is kind of you. i find this an upsetting area in ways - in relationship to my own upbringing, life & experiences / perceptions & this schizophrenia diagnosis / condition. I know, and I understand as much as I can, obviously I don't know everything you went through but get it. Love and hugs to you. xxx Sometimes it still triggers me reading parts of the Bible, in truth. Is a mixture of emotions.
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