Are you religious?

[artradley]

Was Jesus a real historical figure? I don't actually know, but I do consider the stories of the life and teachings of Jesus as perhaps the best role model available to humankind.

But really?

People say that without giving it much thought, but I find his teachings to be antithetical to living a happy and productive life. He is almost entirely dedicated to how to get to The Kingdom, with most of that advice emphasizing a total lack of concern for your life here on earth. An abused woman should just take it, she should not seek divorce. You should abandon your family. He has no rebuke of Old Testament support for barbaric practices such as slavery. This isn’t particularly surprising; if you view life here as nothing more than a weigh station to an eternity in heaven, it is unlikely you’re going to offer much useful advice for the time you spend on earth.

In the entirety of the New Testament his teachings that are not barbaric and actually useful can be summarized in a paragraph.

 

[Jimmy McGill]

The only purpose to life I can think of is to attain the Beatific Vision through sanctification after death.

Well I have a feeling you might be disappointed.


Do God and Jesus get credit for all the good in the world?

 

[Funky Bunch]

Well I have a feeling you might be disappointed.


Do God and Jesus get credit for all the good in the world?

God is usually in the winning team's locker room during most sporting events

 

[BrianNole777]

But really?

People say that without giving it much thought, but I find his teachings to be antithetical to living a happy and productive life. He is almost entirely dedicated to how to get to The Kingdom, with most of that advice emphasizing a total lack of concern for your life here on earth. An abused woman should just take it, she should not seek divorce. You should abandon your family. He has no rebuke of Old Testament support for barbaric practices such as slavery. This isn’t particularly surprising; if you view life here as nothing more than a weigh station to an eternity in heaven, it is unlikely you’re going to offer much useful advice for the time you spend on earth.

In the entirety of the New Testament his teachings that are not barbaric and actually useful can be summarized in a paragraph.

Jesus was 100% real historical person.

He said the most important teachings are to love God, neighbor and self.

Did you study the New Testament in depth?

 

[BrianNole777]

Well I have a feeling you might be disappointed.


Do God and Jesus get credit for all the good in the world?

Humans get some credit, too.

What do you think is the purpose to life?

 

[Jimmy McGill]

Humans get some credit, too.

So if credit is to Baby Jesus (Partially) What about the holocaust, slavery, nukes, Aids, cancer, pedofiles, mass shooters? Do they get credit for those as well?

Pope complicit with the Nazis? Global warming? I just don't see how credit can be given for good and not bad, hence I call most organized religion horseshit. You keep ripping on Buddhists. The Dalai Lama exemplifies peace.

 

[BrianNole777]

So if credit is to Baby Jesus (Partially) What about the holocaust, slavery, nukes, Aids, cancer, pedofiles, mass shooters? Do they get credit for those as well?

Pope complicit with the Nazis? Global warming? I just don't see how credit can be given for good and not bad, hence I call most organized religion horseshit. You keep ripping on Buddhists. The Dalai Lama exemplifies peace.

Evil is based on human free will and Satan. Natural evil is a mystery.

I like the Dalai Lama.

Pope Pius tried to help Jews behind the scenes

"Those rescued by Pius are today living all over the world. There went to Israel alone from Romania 360,000 to the year 1965."

860,000 Lives Saved - The Truth About Pius XII & the Jews

Encyclopedia of Jewish and Israeli history, politics and culture, with biographies, statistics, articles and documents on topics from anti-Semitism to Zionism.

www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org

 

[Jimmy McGill]

behind the scenes

Profile in Courage

 

[BrianNole777]

Profile in Courage

He was worried if he spoke out publicly, the Nazis would destroy the Church.

That's what happened when the Dutch Bishops spoke out. The Nazis killed saints like Edith Stein and Maximilian Kolbe.

How many lives have you saved, Jimmy?

Nazi persecution of the Catholic Church in Germany - Wikipedia

en.m.wikipedia.org

 

[Jimmy McGill]

How many lives have you saved, Jimmy?

Nazi persecution of the Catholic Church in Germany - Wikipedia

en.m.wikipedia.org

Probably more than you want to know. So I got that going for me....which is nice

 

[BrianNole777]

Probably more than you want to know. So I got that going for me....which is nice

That's great!

Although probably not more lives than Pope Pius did.

 

[Obviously Oblivious]

But really?

People say that without giving it much thought, but I find his teachings to be antithetical to living a happy and productive life. He is almost entirely dedicated to how to get to The Kingdom, with most of that advice emphasizing a total lack of concern for your life here on earth. An abused woman should just take it, she should not seek divorce. You should abandon your family. He has no rebuke of Old Testament support for barbaric practices such as slavery. This isn’t particularly surprising; if you view life here as nothing more than a weigh station to an eternity in heaven, it is unlikely you’re going to offer much useful advice for the time you spend on earth.

In the entirety of the New Testament his teachings that are not barbaric and actually useful can be summarized in a paragraph.

Those are some fair points certainly. I guess my focus and takeaways from Jesus are largely distilled down to:

Love they neighbor as thyself
Love your enemies
Forgive others graciously
Serve others, especially the marginalized and downtrodden
Have faith and obey the commandments

I'm running the risk here of sounding like a damn hippie, but I've always felt love is the key component to life and happiness. Love conquers all and is the greatest driving force in the universe, but sadly we don't have enough of it these days. The absence of love is where the trouble begins.

 

[Jimmy McGill]

That's great!

Although probably not more lives than Pope Pius did.

I can also get partial credit for providing the communications that led to the Hussein family deaths. So either way, if there is a hell, I'm going there

 

[BrianNole777]

I can also get partial credit for providing the communications that led to the Hussein family deaths. So either way, if there is a hell, I'm going there

I hope not.

What's your military background?

 

[Jimmy McGill]

I hope not.

What's your military background?

Baghdad 2003-2004

 

[BrianNole777]

Baghdad 2003-2004

Thanks for your service.

My friend was a Lieutenant in Mosul in 2006.

 

[Jimmy McGill]

Thanks for your service.

My friend was a Lieutenant in Mosul in 2006.

Mosul was a cool town. So was Tikrit. The closer you got to Kurdish lands the nicer it was.

 

[BrianNole777]

Mosul was a cool town. So was Tikrit. The closer you got to Kurdish lands the nicer it was.

He said the U.S. basically blew it up. 😞

 

[Jimmy McGill]

He said the U.S. basically blew it up. 😞

Well that had to have been after I left and ISIS became a thing

 

[ft254]

The vast majority of historical scholars believe Jesus was a real person.

So what? What percentage of those scholars have religious bias?

You use a book written centuries ago by wierdos filled with fanciful nonsense and bullshit to validate your muse.

 

[BrianNole777]

Well that had to have been after I left and ISIS became a thing

What's your opinion of the Iraq War now, in hindsight?

 

[BrianNole777]

So what? What percentage of those scholars have religious bias?

You use a book written centuries ago by wierdos filled with fanciful nonsense and bullshit to validate your muse.

Jesus was real, is my point. Even atheist scholars like Bart Ehrman believe Jesus was real.

He wasn't a myth like the Easter Bunny.

Skeptic Bart Ehrman on Whether Jesus Really Existed

We've devoted many articles on this site to "Mythicism", the belief that Jesus of Nazareth is simply a myth and not a real, historical figure. Today we feature the interesting introduction to Bart Ehrman’s best-selling book, Did Jesus Exist? The Historical Argument for Jesus of Nazareth which deals

strangenotions.com

 

[What Would Jesus Do?]

I also have read up on NDEs since I was in high school and I find them fascinating, but I realize they do not stand up as strong evidence of an afterlife or proof of a heaven or God.

Best fiction about NDEs that I've read from a multiple-award-winning author. In case you might be interested.

 

[jonesy5960]

Well that had to have been after I left and ISIS became a thing

Fuc$ing ISIS. This is why we can't have nice things Jimmy. Terrorists over there. Terrorists over here. It never ends.

 

[Jimmy McGill]

What's your opinion of the Iraq War now, in hindsight?

Bullshit war. And yes I saw where civilization started. I'll probably never vote for another GOP POTUS because of Iraq. GWB was in over his head with the neo-cons

 

[What Would Jesus Do?]

Jesus was real, is my point. He wasn't a myth like the Easter Bunny.

He's more real than the Easter Bunny. Possibly more real than King Arthur.

Is he as real as George Washington.

 

[BrianNole777]

Bullshit war. And yes I saw where civilization started. I'll probably never vote for another GOP POTUS because of Iraq. GWB was in over his head with the neo-cons

Yep.

It was a truly incomprehensible choice to invade.

 

[Jimmy McGill]

Fuc$ing ISIS. This is why we can't have nice things Jimmy. Terrorists over there. Terrorists over here. It never ends.

To be fair, I saw where the missile went into Sadaams bedroom in palace at Camp Victory. We did blow some shit up.

 

[Jimmy McGill]

Yep.

It was a truly incomprehensible choice to invade.

IF you are going to invade, listen to the Generals. We needed 300,000 to occupy. Shinsheki got shit canned for telling the truth. Remind me when and where Cheney, Rumsfeld, and Wolfowitz that their miliary education

 

[ft254]

And I think religion leads to pedophelia.

Some people just can't read tea leaves.

 

[BrianNole777]

IF you are going to invade, listen to the Generals. We needed 300,000 to occupy. Shinsheki got shit canned for telling the truth. Remind me when and where Cheney, Rumsfeld, and Wolfowitz that their miliary education

My buddy said being in Mosul was like being a cop with body armor and tanks in 100 degree heat.

 

[BrianNole777]

He's more real than the Easter Bunny. Possibly more real than King Arthur.

Is he as real as George Washington.

Yep.


McCane defines as a “broad and deep consensus among scholars,” regardless of their religious beliefs. “I do not know, nor have I heard of, any trained historian or archaeologist who has doubts about his existence,” he adds. With the weight of all this evidence, for Meyers “those who deny the existence of Jesus are like the deniers of climate change.”

Did Jesus of Nazareth actually exist? The evidence says yes | OpenMind

Jesus Christ is the most influential person in history but did he really existed? What evidences can we count on to prove that he walked the Earth?

www.google.com

 

[BrianNole777]

He's more real than the Easter Bunny. Possibly more real than King Arthur.

Is he as real as George Washington.

Here's atheist scholar Bart Ehrman:


"And so, with Did Jesus Exist?, I do not expect to convince anyone in that boat. What I do hope is to convince genuine seekers who really want to know how we know that Jesus did exist, as virtually every scholar of antiquity, of biblical studies, of classics, and of Christian origins in this country and, in fact, in the Western world agrees.

Many of these scholars have no vested interest in the matter. As it turns out, I myself do not either. I am not a Christian, and I have no interest in promoting a Christian cause or a Christian agenda. I am an agnostic with atheist leanings, and my life and views of the world would be approximately the same whether or not Jesus existed. My beliefs would vary little."

Skeptic Bart Ehrman on Whether Jesus Really Existed

We've devoted many articles on this site to "Mythicism", the belief that Jesus of Nazareth is simply a myth and not a real, historical figure. Today we feature the interesting introduction to Bart Ehrman’s best-selling book, Did Jesus Exist? The Historical Argument for Jesus of Nazareth which deals

strangenotions.com

 

[What Would Jesus Do?]

Here's atheist scholar Bart Ehrman:


"And so, with Did Jesus Exist?, I do not expect to convince anyone in that boat. What I do hope is to convince genuine seekers who really want to know how we know that Jesus did exist, as virtually every scholar of antiquity, of biblical studies, of classics, and of Christian origins in this country and, in fact, in the Western world agrees.

Many of these scholars have no vested interest in the matter. As it turns out, I myself do not either. I am not a Christian, and I have no interest in promoting a Christian cause or a Christian agenda. I am an agnostic with atheist leanings, and my life and views of the world would be approximately the same whether or not Jesus existed. My beliefs would vary little."

Skeptic Bart Ehrman on Whether Jesus Really Existed

We've devoted many articles on this site to "Mythicism", the belief that Jesus of Nazareth is simply a myth and not a real, historical figure. Today we feature the interesting introduction to Bart Ehrman’s best-selling book, Did Jesus Exist? The Historical Argument for Jesus of Nazareth which deals

strangenotions.com

Sure. I like Ehrman. But when he says Jesus existed, he's NOT saying divine Jesus existed. Nor can he be 100% certain that the mythology of Jesus was necessarily built around just a single figure. But that's his best guess based on lots of records that he trusts.

 

[BrianNole777]

Sure. I like Ehrman. But when he says Jesus existed, he's NOT saying divine Jesus existed. Nor can he be 100% certain that the mythology of Jesus was necessarily built around just a single figure. But that's his best guess based on lots of records that he trusts.

Yeah. Ehrman is an atheist.

My point is that Jesus existed historically in spite of people saying otherwise.

 

[CRazzle]

Jesus was 100% real historical person.

He said the most important teachings are to love God, neighbor and self.

Did you study the New Testament in depth?

A lot of people will be pissed when they find out Jesus wasn't a white american.

 

[BrianNole777]

A lot of people will be pissed when they find out Jesus wasn't a white american.

Yep. 😆

 

[ft254]

Check out these posts and see why I don't get involved in debates on religion. It's pointless. People get stuck on fairy tales and bullshit written by goofballs so long ago no accountability or proofing is possible.

It's nothing more than mythical nonsense worthy of Egyptian or Aztec value.

Moses gathered species from all over the earth. Then put them back. Tell us, how lomg did it take for the world to flood and then recede? Don't pass off an example like this. How many humans? WTF bullshit is this? Did the Egyptians lie like this?

The Bible is loaded with bullshit and nonsense. If you use it as a literal reference, it's a piece of shit. If otherwise you're in the fiction section, so you lose.

I've said my piece. I'm done.

 

[BrianNole777]

Check out these posts and see why I don't get involved in debates on religion. It's pointless. People get stuck on fairy tales and bullshit written by goofballs so long ago no accountability or proofing is possible.

It's nothing more than mythical nonsense worthy of Egyptian or Aztec value.

Moses gathered species from all over the earth. Then put them back. Tell us, how lomg did it take for the world to flood and then recede? Don't pass off an example like this. How many humans? WTF bullshit is this? Did the Egyptians lie like this?

The Bible is loaded with bullshit and nonsense. If you use it as a literal reference, it's a piece of shit. If otherwise you're in the fiction section, so you lose.

I've said my piece. I'm done.

Debates on anything are basically pointless as acts of persuasion. It's like an Iowa fan trying to convert an Iowa State fan to switch teams. Good luck with that.

That being said, the Bible is the most important book in history. It's been studied by millions of people for thousands of years; many wise and brilliant people.

It's like a library. One has to read it knowing there are metaphors; not everything is meant to be taken literally, like Jesus's parables.

The Gospels are historical biography, though.

 

[RagnarLothbrok]

The only purpose to life I can think of is to attain the Beatific Vision through sanctification after death.

You refer to this “Beatific Vision” often. What exactly does that mean?