Chistian religion

[Chronis]

Ok i used to be a christian when i was a young lad who did not understand what it meant. a few years ago i began to read the bible to myself and started asking myself why are there so many punishments? why should someone who believes in somthing different get cast to hell by your all loveing god?

[TheReveiwer]

BEcause down to it's roots it's full of hyprocrites

[Chronis]

well said

[SteveGuzzi]

At 8/6/05 11:49 PM, Chronis wrote: i began to read the bible to myself and started asking myself why are there so many punishments? why should someone who believes in somthing different get cast to hell by your all loveing god?

The Bible is a big book. Which part are you referring to?

[seventy-one]

Well if you get really basic and forget all the "rules", most religions have the basis that if you're a good loving person on Earth, you will be rewarded when you die. If you're bad person, then you will experience eternal suffering. Also, God in most religions tend to be forgiving.

[idle]

At 8/6/05 11:49 PM, Chronis wrote: why are there so many punishments? why should someone who believes in somthing different get cast to hell by your all loveing god?

Because religion is all about conformity. Saying that anyone who believes in something different is going to hell is nothing more than a scare tactic used to keep everyone in line. This goes for pretty much all religions - the people who worship are the life force of the church. Why would they want people going and doing their own thing, when they can force people into conforming to their strict set of guidelines?

If there is a god, I think he would be impressed by people who choose to think differently, rather than just blindly accepting what they are told. He did after all supposedly give us the ability to question and provide different opinions. If the things in the Bible were to be believed, and god actually wanted us to only follow one religion and belief, then why did he give us free thought?

This god doesn't seem very wise at all.

[fli]

Remember that there are many rewards written in that book too.

[Camarohusky]

At 8/7/05 01:57 AM, fli wrote: Remember that there are many rewards written in that book too.

These people seem to forget that...

[Lhotun]

I, myself, never really took to the idea of 'hell' as a place of 'eternal torment'. After all, it didn't really fit with the idea of 'a forgiving, loving God'.

Besides, the soul that sinneth, it shall die. Well, things that no longer exist probably won't be suffering extreme pain, now will they?

The meaning is (in my opinion, and contrary from... ahem... 'popular' Christianity) that one who sins will be destroyed and cease to exist (described metaphorically by the burning of trash in Gehenna, as you are 'dirty' or impure due to your sins; ala the fires of hell).
So basically, there is no punishment, other than to stop existing.
Of course, considering the alternative route for those who kept true; well, 'stop existing' isn't the best choice, is it?

Then again, what do I know?

[capn-g]

At 8/7/05 02:36 AM, Lhotun wrote: I, myself, never really took to the idea of 'hell' as a place of 'eternal torment'. After all, it didn't really fit with the idea of 'a forgiving, loving God'.

Convert to Judaism then, they have no concept of "hell" but rather believe that punishment is to be set at a distance from god.

You can thank the Catholics for 99% of christian dogma regarding hell, it's appearance and purpose. According to the bible itself, hell is not eternal, it's just a waiting room. In revelations all the sinners are brought up out of hell and given final judgement. Many will be forgiven and granted a clean slate on the new earth. The most wicked and those who are truely unrepentant on the other hand will be cast into the lake of fire and destroyed utterly.

[fli]

Roman Catholicism and the Orthodox Church aren't much disimilar. If I remember correctly,

they used to be one in the same.
That is, before the Great Schism...

Seems like when Christianity was still considered a cult,
and people kept praying secretly in Rome. This secrecy and non-communication sort of created two types of Christianity-- and thus were began the orgins of Roman Catholicism and Orthodox Church after many disputes on who are the popes, who are the authorities, etc.

Even differences of language arose... (Latin or Greek...)

One people stuck with Roman Catholicism, others became Orthodox-- but they're so similar in traditions and etc, I imagine I could visit an Orthodox Church on any given Sunday, and know what to say and do.

Pope John Paul II was the only Pope who tried to fix this 700 year old conflict.

As for the Protestants...
Well,
Their religion is an offshot of Lutherism, which is the offshot of Roman Catholicism.
But I believe they've eliminated certain traditions such as the Saints and Martyrs, and the reduced the rites into 3. Roman Catholics believe in 7 rites. (Baptism, attonment, confession, etc. I can't remember the rest.)

[Pluto-from-Below]

At 8/7/05 02:44 AM, capn_g wrote:

At 8/7/05 02:36 AM, Lhotun wrote: According to the bible itself, hell is not eternal, it's just a waiting room. In revelations all the sinners are brought up out of hell and given final judgement.

sounds a bit like earth :P

but on-topic:
A monk told me once that the important thing o the bible is the main-line that goes through the whole bible; That sounded for me a bit like: only believe the things you like in the bible.

[capn-g]

At 8/7/05 02:56 AM, fli wrote: As for the Protestants...
Well,
Their religion is an offshot of Lutherism, which is the offshot of Roman Catholicism.
But I believe they've eliminated certain traditions such as the Saints and Martyrs, and the reduced the rites into 3. Roman Catholics believe in 7 rites. (Baptism, attonment, confession, etc. I can't remember the rest.)

"Protestant" is vastly becoming a redundancy. "Non-catholic Christian" might be better, since there are far too many different christian sects that are each as different from each other as they are fom catholicism that lumping tham all under one name seems silly.

Anglicans, for instance, believe in saints but not martyrs. They don't pray to saints because you're not supposed to pray to anybody but god. That includes statues of Mary, statues of Jesus, painted icons and dashboard ornaments, all of which would technically fall under idol worship.

[Solthiel]

At 8/7/05 01:15 AM, -idle- wrote: Because religion is all about conformity. Saying that anyone who believes in something different is going to hell is nothing more than a scare tactic used to keep everyone in line. This goes for pretty much all religions - the people who worship are the life force of the church. Why would they want people going and doing their own thing, when they can force people into conforming to their strict set of guidelines?

If there is a god, I think he would be impressed by people who choose to think differently, rather than just blindly accepting what they are told. He did after all supposedly give us the ability to question and provide different opinions. If the things in the Bible were to be believed, and god actually wanted us to only follow one religion and belief, then why did he give us free thought?

This god doesn't seem very wise at all.

Well I'll be, the first good argument against Christianity I've heard since I've been posting on these boards. This is logical, open-minded, and truthful. I hope more statements like these can be made in the future.

[TheReveiwer]

At 8/7/05 01:15 AM, -idle- wrote:

At 8/6/05 11:49 PM, Chronis wrote: why are there so many punishments? why should someone who believes in somthing different get cast to hell by your all loveing god?

Because religion is all about conformity. Saying that anyone who believes in something different is going to hell is nothing more than a scare tactic used to keep everyone in line. This goes for pretty much all religions - the people who worship are the life force of the church. Why would they want people going and doing their own thing, when they can force people into conforming to their strict set of guidelines?

NOw that's a very strong point

If there is a god, I think he would be impressed by people who choose to think differently, rather than just blindly accepting what they are told. He did after all supposedly give us the ability to question and provide different opinions. If the things in the Bible were to be believed, and god actually wanted us to only follow one religion and belief, then why did he give us free thought?

Good questrion very good question

if god exsists he probibly would want us to think it's the high ups inc hurch who dont

This god doesn't seem very wise at all.

Or those in power in church who use God as a basis for power

[mythdragon]

At 8/7/05 02:56 AM, fli wrote: Roman Catholicism and the Orthodox Church aren't much disimilar. If I remember correctly,(...).

You are corect about that.

Beside catholicism + islam had it begining in judaism. Im Roman Catholic but I wonder why we call judes brothers in faith we shoudnt call them fathers in faith or something like that, they was first right? And Jesus was jude... :o

[MortifiedPenguins]

At 8/7/05 06:24 AM, mythdragon wrote:

At 8/7/05 02:56 AM, fli wrote: Roman Catholicism and the Orthodox Church aren't much disimilar. If I remember correctly,(...).

You are corect about that.

Beside catholicism + islam had it begining in judaism. Im Roman Catholic but I wonder why we call judes brothers in faith we shoudnt call them fathers in faith or something like that, they was first right? And Jesus was jude... :o

i hope your meaning jew rather than jude. well we call jews brothers in faith because they share a same god with us but haven't taken the lessens of the messiah yet.

[mythdragon]

At 8/7/05 08:30 AM, fenrus1989 wrote:

At 8/7/05 06:24 AM, mythdragon wrote:

At 8/7/05 02:56 AM, fli wrote: Roman Catholicism and the Orthodox Church aren't much disimilar. If I remember correctly,(...).

You are corect about that.

Beside catholicism + islam had it begining in judaism. Im Roman Catholic but I wonder why we call judes brothers in faith we shoudnt call them fathers in faith or something like that, they was first right? And Jesus was jude... :o

i hope your meaning jew rather than jude. well we call jews brothers in faith because they share a same god with us but haven't taken the lessens of the messiah yet.

Yes, I had Jew In mind, knowig of few languages have thier disadvantages. You maybe have right but Jew culture(religon) give base for christianity. Well I think that Is matter of interpreting that phrase.

[IllustriousPotentate]

At 8/7/05 01:15 AM, -idle- wrote:

At 8/6/05 11:49 PM, Chronis wrote: why are there so many punishments? why should someone who believes in somthing different get cast to hell by your all loveing god?

Because religion is all about conformity. Saying that anyone who believes in something different is going to hell is nothing more than a scare tactic used to keep everyone in line.

What? If that's the case, then why are there so many sects and demominations of every religion on this earth? If people are afraid to have different views in fear of them going to hell, why did so many people found different sects and denominations worshipping the same God?

This goes for pretty much all religions - the people who worship are the life force of the church. Why would they want people going and doing their own thing, when they can force people into conforming to their strict set of guidelines?

If there is a god, I think he would be impressed by people who choose to think differently, rather than just blindly accepting what they are told.

Personally, I think He would be more impressed by people who used simple instructions that he provided to salvation and followed them, rather than someone who thinks that they can ignore Him and achieve his favor by not following directions.

I used my free and independent mind too, when I decided to accept salvation. No one can force you to believe anything--you have to make that call yourself, using the mind and decision making to make that decision.

[poxpower]

At 8/7/05 02:44 AM, capn_g wrote: The most wicked and those who are truely unrepentant on the other hand will be cast into the lake of fire and destroyed utterly.

so instead of giving them a second chance, God will just burn them and kill them?

Damn, he's such an asshole :o

[bulletskygod]

"religion" translates to "re-li-gio" (latin) or "fear of god".

Almost all the world's religion is based on the "Reward and Punishment" system (The Carrot and The Stick).

On a side note, seeing that there are so many religions in the world...we must either have pretty damn smart ancestors or a god does exist (well, the GOD). Your choice.

[kLpO]

At 8/6/05 11:49 PM, Chronis wrote:

a few years ago i began to read the bible to myself and started asking myself why are there so many punishments? why should someone who believes in somthing different get cast to hell by your all loveing god?

Kid dont trust all the things thats is written on the bible, and specially dont take them literaly. As far as I know the Christian church have change some parts of it

[Joystick-Productions]

In revelations all the sinners are brought up out of hell and given final judgement. Many will be forgiven and granted a clean slate on the new earth. The most wicked and those who are truely unrepentant on the other hand will be cast into the lake of fire and destroyed utterly.

But if you've been in hell for thousands of years, wouldn't you like both options? I mean, anything would be better than hell, even being atomized by a lake of fire...

[Memorize]

Yes, lets think about all of the punishments and completely ignore the rewards...genius.

[Lidov]

This is sompley because they christianity doesn't want you believing in other religions, so they say that you will go to hell if you don't do that and that.

[IllustriousPotentate]

At 8/7/05 03:29 PM, Lidov wrote: This is sompley because they christianity doesn't want you believing in other religions, so they say that you will go to hell if you don't do that and that.

If they use this tactic, then how is it that many Christians who have accepted salvation still go out and commit less than Christian acts? If they tell everybody that if they screw up, they're going to hell, how do they keep people in the church using this tactic if the people make mistakes?

[Nylo]

At 8/7/05 01:15 AM, -idle- wrote: Because religion is all about conformity. Saying that anyone who believes in something different is going to hell is nothing more than a scare tactic used to keep everyone in line. This goes for pretty much all religions -

So what about the theif that died on the cross next to Jesus? Arguably, this man had lived a life with values very different from that of his common practitioner of faith, yet Jesus says he will see him in Heaven?

the people who worship are the life force of the church. Why would they want people going and doing their own thing, when they can force people into conforming to their strict set of guidelines?

I was under the impression that one has to knowingly submit his/her will first in order to confrom. *Forced* is a very strong word and doesn't reallly apply today the way it did in the past.

If there is a god, I think he would be impressed by people who choose to think differently, rather than just blindly accepting what they are told. He did after all supposedly give us the ability to question and provide different opinions. If the things in the Bible were to be believed, and god actually wanted us to only follow one religion and belief, then why did he give us free thought?

This god doesn't seem very wise at all.

As someone stated earlier, everyone has a religion. You seem like the kind of person that has a talent in figuring things out. In looking at all sides of the issues. That's a great trait to have in politics. But it won't get you squat if you're trying to find meaning in religion.

From your point of view, I don't know why you would think God would be impressed by a set of parents telling their eight year old son that He doesn't exist. Or that the idea that we're a mass of evolved shit-throwing apes and monkeys is funded to be taught in school, but the mere mention of God frpm a teacher is very taboo.

Why is it that you guys are so angry with the concept of going to hell? Are you really that bad that you have to worry about it so much? You all need to stop listening to both sides of the propaganda and figure it out for yourselves.

[Me-Patch]

Can't anyone just forget about the contradictions and problems with the Bible for 5 seconds and focus on the message, Love your enemy, treat others as you would want to be treated, and live a good life. Big deal if the Bible is full of crap, all religous books are filled to the brim with crap, instead of disecting it and pointing out it's flaws just appreciate the message.

[Memorize]

At 8/7/05 02:56 PM, Joystick_Productions wrote: In revelations all the sinners are brought up out of hell and given final judgement. Many will be forgiven and granted a clean slate on the new earth. The most wicked and those who are truely unrepentant on the other hand will be cast into the lake of fire and destroyed utterly.

what verse did you get that out of? Just out of curiousity.

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And on a side note: Usually when people say there's a contradiction, they usually take something that's a metaphore and compare it to something else, or they fail to realize something called time. That goes to any religion.

[Lidov]

At 8/7/05 03:39 PM, -Illustrious- wrote: If they use this tactic, then how is it that many Christians who have accepted salvation still go out and commit less than Christian acts? If they tell everybody that if they screw up, they're going to hell, how do they keep people in the church using this tactic if the people make mistakes?

Because there is always a chance to go to paradise, even if you kill someone, you may go to the priest and he will forgive you and blah blah blah. But if you kill a person, you are not a very religious guy, or you know that you are going to hell anyway so it doesn't realy matter, the important thing is to keep them christian. Even if they go to hell, they will keep believing in Jesus.