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Starting to Believe Again

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Re: Starting to Believe Again

Unread postby alpha480v » Wed 02 Aug 2006, 05:53:50

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('ElijahJones', '
')
And BTW, it was not God who did to you whatever hurt you cling to, it was other people listening to the worst that is in them, and inspired by the worst that is without them.



This is the quote that pretty much sums up my current belief in christianity.Thinking like this is why I doubt.

What kind of loving,benevolent god would allow the bad things to happen to his followers?Why is evil allowed to persuade so many people to follow the devil?(Thus losing their place in heaven).Why are so many different religons allowed to co-exist and deceive mankind?Truly they can't all be right?

There are many,many inconsistencies in modern christianity,and they can't all be explained away by saying it's god's will,or it's not for man to know the way of god.If you want to believe in religon then fine,what-ever floats your boat.I'm not knocking you.But for the skeptic in me,I need evidence.
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Re: Starting to Believe Again

Unread postby firestarter » Wed 02 Aug 2006, 09:53:16

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('alpha480v', '')$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('ElijahJones', '
')
And BTW, it was not God who did to you whatever hurt you cling to, it was other people listening to the worst that is in them, and inspired by the worst that is without them.



This is the quote that pretty much sums up my current belief in christianity.Thinking like this is why I doubt.

What kind of loving,benevolent god would allow the bad things to happen to his followers?Why is evil allowed to persuade so many people to follow the devil?(Thus losing their place in heaven).Why are so many different religons allowed to co-exist and deceive mankind?Truly they can't all be right?

There are many,many inconsistencies in modern christianity,and they can't all be explained away by saying it's god's will,or it's not for man to know the way of god.If you want to believe in religon then fine,what-ever floats your boat.I'm not knocking you.But for the skeptic in me,I need evidence.


Your sentiments to a large degree are the same as mine. They cannot and should not be whisked away with pious platitudes by anyone, much less religious folks.

I agree with rogerhb's general criticism that Christianity appears to be populated with with more than its fair share of hucksters and intellectual lightweights who build their faith on fideistic fictions. Unfortunately this seems to be the majority report, especially in the good old US of A. As for the rest of the world, it's probably a somewhat different picture in that their faith isn't tempered with the same degree of prosperity induced selfishness as that of the typical American.

The atheist intellectual, George Smith, is right to ask why is there so much gratuitious suffering in our world if an omnipotent God exists. I have no easy answer to this one, and I'm afraid neither does anyone else, pious platitudes notwithstanding.
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Re: Starting to Believe Again

Unread postby rogerhb » Wed 02 Aug 2006, 16:24:15

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('ElijahJones', 'I') had said I would not post hee again, but I have to say that the question of pain is still a real question for me. Why God would allow that.... platitudes aside, the best answer I have ever heard is that He respects our freewill.


Well that explains so much, it explains the black death, spanish influenza, leprosy, still-births, deformaties.

All because god respects our freewill?

(a) god doesn't, otherwise there would not be a judgement

(b) what has freewill got to do with my above list

(c) god mysteriously did not respect freewill until the "age of reason".

And you say that is the best answer you have? You sell yourself very cheap.
"Complex problems have simple, easy to understand, wrong answers." - Henry Louis Mencken
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Re: Starting to Believe Again

Unread postby firestarter » Wed 02 Aug 2006, 17:02:33

EJ,

I didn't have you in mind with my pious platitude comment, although it probably seemed that way realtive to the timing of my posts. Sorry if you took it that way.

You seem like a thoughful , caring person who's going through an existential crisis of sorts. You've laid your soul bare on this forum in a very unvarnished, raw way, and I for one feel a great deal of compassion for you. No matter what anyone around here thinks about your views I'd be surprised if they'd wish you any ill will or misfortune.
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Re: Starting to Believe Again

Unread postby rogerhb » Wed 02 Aug 2006, 17:24:02

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('ElijahJones', 'D')o you believe there is a God?


Alas we part at one of your first axioms. The reasons I don't believe in any gods are:

1. My mental model of the universe has no need of gods to make it consistent.

2. I have full acceptance of the concept and implications of mortality.

3. The arguments for gods, to me, are arcane, tortured, illogical, redundent, self serving and circular.
"Complex problems have simple, easy to understand, wrong answers." - Henry Louis Mencken
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Re: Starting to Believe Again

Unread postby firestarter » Wed 02 Aug 2006, 18:08:14

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('rogerhb', '')$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('ElijahJones', 'I') had said I would not post hee again, but I have to say that the question of pain is still a real question for me. Why God would allow that.... platitudes aside, the best answer I have ever heard is that He respects our freewill.


Well that explains so much, it explains the black death, spanish influenza, leprosy, still-births, deformaties.

All because god respects our freewill?

(a) god doesn't, otherwise there would not be a judgement

(b) what has freewill got to do with my above list

(c) god mysteriously did not respect freewill until the "age of reason".

And you say that is the best answer you have? You sell yourself very cheap.





Freewill is another thorny area in Christianity. I understand very well how Luther, Calvin, Edwards, and Augustine dealt with concept, but they all left me wanting regarding the biblical end state of redeemed man. Actually Edwards had few peers regarding this concept, as even pagan philosphers refer to his works here quite liberally (viz, Kai Neilsen, RW Emerson, et al).

Still, if freewill is what seals our doom (for unbelievers) on this side of life, then why does it not on the other, resurrected side? In other words if freewill is crucial to being fully human, then why is it not crucial in the resurrected, perfected state in heaven? The bible states clearly that the saints in heaven have no chance of falling away in sin anymore for they have been perfected in Christ, thus sealed with the Holy Spirit. They will not sin, ever again. Have they lost their freewill.?

The obvious question, then, is why didn't God create man in this perfect state in the beginning (thus avoiding humanities subsequent untold pain and suffering). The answer from Christans usually come back to the freewill argument, but as I demonstrated above if freewill is so sacred then how is it that man suffers no more suseptibility to sin in Heaven because his proclivity to sin has been forever removed? If you argue mans new heavenly liberation is because man will not sin anymore then it begs the question as to why he had to sin in the first place (remember, in Genesis, when God created man it was a good creation, and yet man sinned, or as the many would say, He gave man freewill to possibly sin). Talk about a conundrum...

In summary:

1-Man is created "good" by God.

2-In waht seems like a slam dunk argument for dualism, man succumbs to sin (tempted of the devil) and hereby rejects God because God supposedly gave him freewill.

3-A portion of mankind, because of his freewill (he chooses God), makes it to the last state of man and will never sin again ( no more freewill, I guess).


To be continued....
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Re: Starting to Believe Again

Unread postby rogerhb » Wed 02 Aug 2006, 21:01:42

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('ElijahJones', 'I') don't see where one can find fault with the way he told us to treat each other or the vision he tried to show us for society.


Absolutely, there is nothing wrong with "do unto others as you would have them do unto you", and you don't need gods and demons to practice it.

Alas, most Western religions spend alot of time trying to justify exactly why not following this rule is not hypocritical.

Western capitalism would not haved existed in it's current form if Christianity had not been twisted and contorted for political ends.
"Complex problems have simple, easy to understand, wrong answers." - Henry Louis Mencken
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Re: Starting to Believe Again

Unread postby EndDays » Wed 02 Aug 2006, 22:08:23

Brother Elijah,

Good to read your posts.

For those who aren't familiar with Biblical prophecy, before the return of Christ, there will be a rise to power of the Man of Sin. He's also known as the Beast, Son of Perdition, or "Antichrist". See 2 Thess 2 and Rev 13.

This man will work all kinds of signs and wonders and deceive the whole world, minus the true followers of Christ into worshipping him.

Think about world events and our global economy. If things go south really bad and we enter a global crisis, how do you think people will receive someone who "rescues" us. If it doesn't happen this time, it will happen some day. It is His Word, it will happen.

The problem is, this man is no saviour. He's done nothing to rectify the problem seperating us from God - sin.

Our true Saviour, Jesus Christ, didn't rescue us for a better earthly life, He died on the cross to take our punishment for our sins on Himself. God is Holy and Perfect, we are sinful and wretched. Thus we are seperated from Him. In order to enter Heaven and be in God's presence, we must be righteous and Holy. In order for that to happen, Christ had to take our punishment for our sins on Himself.

The link in my sig has a great test which shows us how we will do on Judgment Day.

Eternal life is a free gift, given by God's awesome grace and goodness, and received by us through repentance (turning from sin) and putting our whole trust in Christ as Lord and Saviour.

I gladly accept Jesus Christ as my Lord and Saviour. Thank-you Lord!

In Him,
ED
Have you ever thought about God and eternity? What will you say when you stand before our Creator after you die?

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Re: Starting to Believe Again

Unread postby DesertBear2 » Thu 03 Aug 2006, 01:25:51

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('EndDays', '
')
Our true Saviour, Jesus Christ, didn't rescue us for a better earthly life, He died on the cross to take our punishment for our sins on Himself.


I don't get it....if Jesus took punishment for our sins, how come Christians still threaten everybody with flames and hellfire? There should not be any flames or hellfire if this is correct.

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('EndDays', 'G')od is Holy and Perfect


If God is perfect, why would he need a bloody and horrible human sacrifice of Jesus to make his point? Why couldn't he have just had a thousand burning bushes and told everyone that they are forgiven? And could Jesus have been better employed in spreading god's word by going on an international speaking tour instead of undergoing a torturous blood sacrifice in a hellish backwater of the Roman Empire?

None of this Christian dogma makes any sense to me.
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Re: Starting to Believe Again

Unread postby lateralus » Thu 03 Aug 2006, 03:45:45

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('EndDays', '
')For those who aren't familiar with Biblical prophecy, before the return of Christ, there will be a rise to power of the Man of Sin. He's also known as the Beast, Son of Perdition, or "Antichrist". See 2 Thess 2 and Rev 13.


He's also known as George W. Bush. See shrub, vol 1 chapter 6
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Re: Starting to Believe Again

Unread postby Eli » Thu 03 Aug 2006, 11:15:25

laterus you can find some Christians that believe George Bush is the anti-Christ.

I can tell you for sure that his membership in Skull and Bones makes him suspect in my mind. Also the neocon new world order that both he and his Father are all gun-ho about, makes me question where their true allegiances lie. (pun intended)


I think there is also something interesting about the promise held in Christ. I think most people would like to see peace and love rein over all the world, that is what Christ is. People working together where the highest value and importance is placed on charity and mercy.

When we look at the world it is obvious that this not how things work currently. The physical world we live in is much more Darwinian, it is kill or be killed it is do it unto the other guy before he does it to you. All too rarely are peace and compassion appreciated.

I find it very interesting that people like Hitler and Stalin were able to wreak so much death and destruction on this earth. They were both regarded as demi-gods too. Stalin lived to a ripe old age and Hitler still was in control to the very end, then at the time of his choosing and his murderous rein was closing he took his own life.

Meanwhile men like Gahndi and Martin Luther King were cut off by an assassins bullet. Just look at how often people who reach out and stand up for peace are wiped out and killed, Sadat Itzhak Rabin. When good comes into the world the world hates it because many men prefer evil. Compassion is for the weak and feeble minded.

At the end of PO and the coming world collapse and all the death that will come I think most people hope that the world will some how end up a better place. That is also the promise held in Jesus Christ , I see in Jesus a better world a world as it should be and not as it is.

Rev 21:4
" And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away."
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Re: Starting to Believe Again

Unread postby lateralus » Thu 03 Aug 2006, 13:24:52

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Eli', 'l')aterus you can find some Christians that believe George Bush is the anti-Christ.


I know, I've met a lot of them.

I remember the run up to the 2000 election quite clearly. When dumbya won the Republican ticket I had an awful sinking feeling inside, and my arms broke out in goosebumps. I turned to my girlfriend and said "that man is a warmonger and will drag us into World War III."

Here's what scares me about dumbya. He believes in the rapture, but more importantly, he has the power to tilt his foreign policy to make events "on the ground" conform to "biblical events". See where I'm going with this? It's one thing to let events happen, and it's something else to "force" them to happen.

The piped piper of stupidity.

There is an ancient Indian legend that my neighbours house would burn down during a thunderstorm on a Wednesday evening, killing the family inside. After the house burned down, so the legend goes, a man would appear and lead the community to glory in the re-construction of the house, and go on to become the Mayor. This legend grew and a cult developed around it, waiting for the prophecy to be "fulfilled".
Every Wednesday night there is a man who sits behind my neighbours house with a book of matches, waiting for a thunderstorm.
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