Ha e you deeply studied every religion in the history of mankind?
Belief in God in U.S. dips to 81%, a new low
- Thread starter Morrison71
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Ha e you deeply studied every religion in the history of mankind?
My wife is Catholic. I'm an atheist. I have always said the kids are free to develop their own belief system but the most important aspect in life is to treat others with kindness and your word is all this world gives you. When my son was 13 he struggled because his interactions with his Christian friends who spoke poorly of gays. After some introspection he basically told me the following:
1. Jesus teaches love and caring. How could Christians come up with the idea it's ok to ridicule gays.
2. Most people are religious because their parents are. If they grew up in the Middle East they would be Muslim and not Christian.
3. Finally he felt his friends were being duped. He said it's like when I was a kid and used to believe in Santa Claus. "Jesus is one big Santa Claus. I don't understand how intelligent adults can come to the conclusion he's real." They don't even think about what it really means to be Christian and believe in God.
1. Jesus teaches love and caring. How could Christians come up with the idea it's ok to ridicule gays.
2. Most people are religious because their parents are. If they grew up in the Middle East they would be Muslim and not Christian.
3. Finally he felt his friends were being duped. He said it's like when I was a kid and used to believe in Santa Claus. "Jesus is one big Santa Claus. I don't understand how intelligent adults can come to the conclusion he's real." They don't even think about what it really means to be Christian and believe in God.
That's why I like the doctrine of Purgatory for repentant sinners. They don't go straight to Heaven.
Also, the doctrine of free will. A man who is an "amazing Father" but doesn't want to go to Heaven won't be forced to.
We all get a choice.
I believe there is evidence that he is real, wether he did the things he is claimed to have done is another argument.
I won't ask you your personal beliefs but I went to college as an agnostic and felt guilty for questioning religion. I sort of thought there was something wrong with me. So I decided to dive into religion after taking an Eastern religion class that satisfied both philosophy and history credit requirements. I found it fascinating. So I took more classes. I have almost as many classes in religion as I do in the sciences for my bio degree. The more I studied the more it drove me to the conclusion that there is no "one truth". An agnostic was converted to an atheist in a rapid fashion.
Side note- My bioethics class was run by a Catholic priest. He kept this secret the entire semester. We debated abortion, withdrawal of medical care, etc. That guy was one of my favorite professors. He always stayed completely balanced and played the best damn devil's advocate. I had a ton of respect for him after I found out.
I believe that Jesus was real. I think there is a fair amount of evidence that he was. He was probably the Martin Luther King or Ghandi of his time. I should clarify my post on number 3 that God/Jesus was interchangeable and my son was referring more to the divinity aspect of Jesus and the presence of God.
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anon_911569jwrmy3z
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Personally, I believe we are all going to Heaven. My view is God loves us unconditionally. This is the only sermon we need to hear. He loves us so much He sent Jesus to be crucified to pay the ransom of all sins. His Resurrection destroyed death.
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I suppose you would just have to rely on the interpretations of those that were there. I don’t know.
I fall in the category of there being a higher power. That could be different things. It’s hard to look at the world we live in with all the different types of life and not feel something greater than us was involved.
You can tell your son these responses:
1. Christians aren't supposed to ridicule gays or anybody else. There are plenty of non-Christians that ridicule gays. Many Muslim countries give them the death penalty. Many atheists ridicule gays, too.
2. Most atheists are that way because they grew up in atheist majority countries like Western Europe and now America. Just because someone grew up in a Christian country doesn't make Christianity false. Imagine if one grows up in a Christian country, becomes an atheist, yet Christianity is true? That's a massive error.
3. The vast majority of scholars believe Jesus was a real person. Even atheist scholars like Bart Ehrman argue that Jesus was real. Most atheists believe Jesus was a myth because they grew up in atheist cultures and haven't actually studied the evidence. So, you can tell your son that and give him this link.
Jesus didn't say we are all going to Heaven. Not even close.
Matthew 7:21-23
New King James Version
I Never Knew You(
“Not everyone who says to Me, 'Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven. Many will say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?’ And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!’
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anon_911569jwrmy3z
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I like the way you said it in an earlier post. We will all have the opportunity, but we won't be forced to enter His Kingdom. I just can't get my mind around the idea that someone would reject entry when invited.
A lot of non-believers change their tune on their death bed, when a loved one is sick, etc.
You have to explain away the miracles and Resurrection, though.
Even Jesus's enemies said he performed miracles: they just claimed her performed them because of the devil.
Lots will. Just read this thread.
I had a friend that was a college film professor. He said he'd get "bored" being in Heaven forever and would prefer being in Hell.
I don't have to prove a negative. The burden of proof is on believers.
No, just the main ones.
Pagan, Islam, Christianity, Judaism, Mormonism, Scientology.
Most of their founders were either myths (Zeus, Thor, Odin) or charlatans (Joseph Smith, L. Ron Hubbard.)
Only humans have ever conveyed this message to me, and almost never humans whose judgement and intellect I respect. So I am unaware of any such invite.
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anon_911569jwrmy3z
Guest
I hope that was an attempt at a joke by your friend, but the Devil does his best to hurt God and God's children.
You have to explain what happened to Jesus after the crucifixion given the historical facts that His tomb was empty, His followers claimed they saw Him resurrected and His body has never been found.
SOMETHING happened to Him. There must be a natural cause, right?
Good thing this belief is not necessary for Christian faith.
He was completely serious.
I've heard many atheists say they wouldn't want to go to Heaven.
We all have to make a choice. It's forced because we exist and will die soon.
There's plenty of proof for Jesus.
Further, millions of people in history over thousands of years have had experiences of God and the supernatural. I've talked to some myself; college professors, Ivy League graduates, not frauds.
If you think they are ALL lying or mistaken, that's on you.
The overwhelming evidence is that God is real.
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anon_911569jwrmy3z
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The poll results explain a lot about the attitudes of a lot of posters on here. Riley, Flick, Fred, and Lucas have all been very hostile from what I have seen in just over a month.
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anon_911569jwrmy3z
Guest
My belief is if someone goes to Hell, it would be only be because they chose to go to Hell. He gives us free will. He loves us unconditionally, but He is not going to force us to love Him back. It saddens Him beyond anything we could possibly understand to see one of His children choose Hell over Heaven. The Devil seeks the ruin of souls, because he hates us and knows the best way to hurt God is separate us from Him. These are my beliefs. I am not trying to convince you.
The idea of spending eternity with people like you is horrifying. While you would provide bouts of unintentional comedy, it would be brutal. Plus the lack of chairs...
Exactly why I'm agnostic, you're speaking in absolutes for which no data exists
There's plenty of historical data for Jesus.
Why not make a choice rather than sitting on the fence forever?
I would love spending eternity with a group of whores and an endless supply of drugs, alcohol, and cigarettes with no consequences.
It's 10:30 on a Sunday. Shouldn't you be praying for the poor souls in purgatory right about now, & not be on your electronic device?
