Religious question

[anon_snp6dc585nnj4]

I see all the time things online and around the community: God first, family second. Is this something really taught in the bible or at churches? Seems a little crazy and over the top. If I was religious there is zero chance I would ever follow this notion.

 

[Huey Grey]

I believe most religions require you to put God first. Otherwise, their followers would not prioritize the religion and it would be at risk of being put on the back-burner.

 

[Funky Bunch]

 

[jscott78]

I see all the time things online and around the community: God first, family second. Is this something really taught in the bible or at churches? Seems a little crazy and over the top. If I was religious there is zero chance I would ever follow this notion.

That's the message of the christian church. Give up everything for God. Otherwise you will burn.

 

[KennyPowers_96]

I believe most religions require you to put God first. Otherwise, their followers would not prioritize the religion and it would be at risk of being put on the back-burner.

If they thought valuing family first would bring in more donations, God would be in the back seat.

 

[LuteHawk]

The 10 commandments are part of the Christian theology.
The First Commandment says, "You shall have no other
gods before me." God is to occupy first place in our life,
God forbids us to have other gods and this is called
idolatry. Jesus tells us, "Love the Lord your God with all
your heart, soul, and mind."

Bottom Line: In a self-centered culture it becomes very
difficult to make a whole-hearted commitment to God.

 

[fivecardstud14]

If you try to put logic into anything religion related you are only wasting your time.

 

[anon_snp6dc585nnj4]

The 10 commandments are part of the Christian theology.
The First Commandment says, "You shall have no other
gods before me." God is to occupy first place in our life,
God forbids us to have other gods and this is called
idolatry. Jesus tells us, "Love the Lord your God with all
your heart, soul, and mind."

Bottom Line: In a self-centered culture it becomes very
difficult to make a whole-hearted commitment to God.

That quote seems like God is being self-centered here, IMO. Love thy neighbor, but not more than me. Thou shall not kill, unless I tell you too.

 

[LuteHawk]

Baseballer......God is the Almighty and Majestic Creator
of heaven and earth. He is the one who gives YOU air
to breathe on a daily basis. God is the One who made
us and He deserves our love and trust, thanksgiving and
praise for everything He has done for us.

Bottom Line: God is the Creator and man is the creature.
This puts everything in proper perspective.

 

[ANYCHawk]

Yes. That is taught. One of the more fundemental stories is Abraham and the sacrifice of his son.

 

[swagsurfer02]

Can I fight the OP?

 

[Thomas Barnes]

Baseballer......God is the Almighty and Majestic Creator
of heaven and earth. He is the one who gives YOU air
to breathe on a daily basis. God is the One who made
us and He deserves our love and trust, thanksgiving and
praise for everything He has done for us.

Bottom Line: God is the Creator and man is the creature.
This puts everything in proper perspective.

You write weird and think even more weird. How dumb, God is giving me air? At least god nuts are more decent than the gun nuts and druggies in the other threads. Did he say we have to love him?

 

[hansenhawk]

No, you don't have to love him.

Enjoy eternal damnation. Heard they have pretty good BBQ down there.

 

[Thomas Barnes]

Why do I have to love him? How do I know he and you aren't false gods or the devil? Why should I believe when humans tell me to love god? Did he really say that? Nobody has ever answered this and a few other questions for me.

 

[ANYCHawk]

Why should I believe when humans tell me to love god?

That's kind of the basis for the word faith. You believe without seeing.

Did he really say that?

Ex 34:14: "Do not worship any other god, for the LORD, whose name is Jealous, is a jealous God."

 

[cruhawk]

I see all the time things online and around the community: God first, family second. Is this something really taught in the bible or at churches? Seems a little crazy and over the top. If I was religious there is zero chance I would ever follow this notion.

Biblical teaching: 1.) God; 2.) spouse; 3.) children; 4.) job/occupation

 

[longliveCS40]

That's kind of the basis for the word faith. You believe without seeing.

It's the basis for the word naivety, too.

 

[cruhawk]

It's the basis for the word naivety, too.

Well....I would rather be "naïve" now than find out later that I was wrong about this...when it's too late to change my mind. Look at it this way: if you're right & Christians are wrong, then when we die, it's over. We're dead, gone, finis. Nothing to lose.

But if they're right & you're wrong, well........

 

[longliveCS40]

Well....I would rather be "naïve" now than find out later that I was wrong about this...when it's too late to change my mind. Look at it this way: if you're right & Christians are wrong, then when we die, it's over. We're dead, gone, finis. Nothing to lose.

But if they're right & you're wrong, well........

I hear this argument all the time but to me, what you've stated is not "belief".

It's faking it for fear that those who really do believe are right. If Christians are correct, I doubt you will be allowed through they pearly gates simply because you faked it while you were on earth. Only the true believers are walking through those gates.

 

[swagsurfer02]

I hear this argument all the time but to me, what you've stated is not "belief".

It's faking it for fear that those who really do believe are right. If Christians are correct, I doubt you will be allowed through they pearly gates simply because you faked it while you were on earth. Only the true believers are walking through those gates.

I'm a Christian and have also wondered if infact it's a love of God or the fear of Hell which motivates Christianity?

For me it's both, but it's fair.

 

[ANYCHawk]

It's the basis for the word naivety, too.

I don't belittle you for not believing, please extend the same courtesy.

 

[PCBHAWK]

Well....I would rather be "naïve" now than find out later that I was wrong about this...when it's too late to change my mind. Look at it this way: if you're right & Christians are wrong, then when we die, it's over. We're dead, gone, finis. Nothing to lose.

But if they're right & you're wrong, well........

Not true, I believe in God, but not the murdering Biblical Christian God. I believe in an afterlife and we will continue after death.

Why is my faith any less than yours?

 

[naturalmwa]

Well....I would rather be "naïve" now than find out later that I was wrong about this...when it's too late to change my mind. Look at it this way: if you're right & Christians are wrong, then when we die, it's over. We're dead, gone, finis. Nothing to lose.

But if they're right & you're wrong, well........

Remember that Bible story about the servants who get the talents? Those that use their gifts get rewarded, while those who are afraid to risk get punished. I think there is every reason to believe that the God who inspired that story would reward the rational skeptic over the fearful faithful.

 

[at4iowa]

Well....I would rather be "naïve" now than find out later that I was wrong about this...when it's too late to change my mind. Look at it this way: if you're right & Christians are wrong, then when we die, it's over. We're dead, gone, finis. Nothing to lose.

But if they're right & you're wrong, well........

With that logic, why aren't you a Muslim? If you are wrong about their religion, you go to hell, too. I never really understood that line of reasoning. You should read about Pascal's Wager if you are interested in knowing why that belief doesn't really hold water. Or don't, I don't care.

 

[naturalmwa]

With that logic, why aren't you a Muslim? If you are wrong about their religion, you go to hell, too. I never really understood that line of reasoning. You should read about Pascal's Wager if you are interested in knowing why that belief doesn't really hold water. Or don't, I don't care.

Aren't they both just different forms of Judaism? They all worship Yahweh with different window dressing. So you could believe and love that God as a member of any of those 3 faith traditions, right?

 

[What Would Jesus Do?]

Aren't they both just different forms of Judaism? They all worship Yahweh with different window dressing. So you could believe and love that God as a member of any of those 3 faith traditions, right?

Try googling "do Jews believe in hell?"

Apparently the answer is "who knows?" There may or may not be heaven or hell in Judaism; people disagree on that. And certainly there are no clear descriptions of what those terms or concepts signify in the OT. There may or may not be an afterlife. Again, people disagree. It's referred to but not spelled out in the OT.

Or at least that's what I ran across when I googled it.

OTOH, if they didn't believe in heaven/hell/afterlife, why would Isaac and Job and others submit to God's sadistic will? Would you kill your own kid just because you were told to do so by someone who might punish you in the here and now?

 

[at4iowa]

Aren't they both just different forms of Judaism? They all worship Yahweh with different window dressing. So you could believe and love that God as a member of any of those 3 faith traditions, right?

Yes, they all believe in God, but the window dressing is what's important.

Christians believe that the only way to heaven is through belief in Jesus and Muslims believe the only way to heaven is belief and total submission to Allah and prohibit belief in the Trinity. So, since Muslims don't believe that Jesus is the savior, they won't go to heaven and since Christians don't submit themselves totally to Allah and do all the stuff dictated in the Quran, especially about belief in the Trinity, they won't go to heaven, either. Neither Christians or Muslims think Jews will go to heaven.

 

[KennyPowers_96]

 

[cruhawk]

I hear this argument all the time but to me, what you've stated is not "belief".

It's faking it for fear that those who really do believe are right. If Christians are correct, I doubt you will be allowed through they pearly gates simply because you faked it while you were on earth. Only the true believers are walking through those gates.

So you are allowing that there is a Heaven. And that there are true believers.

 

[cruhawk]

With that logic, why aren't you a Muslim? If you are wrong about their religion, you go to hell, too. I never really understood that line of reasoning. You should read about Pascal's Wager if you are interested in knowing why that belief doesn't really hold water. Or don't, I don't care.

Again, somebody's wrong. Can't both be right. So the statement DOES "hold water". You can't have it both ways. I believe that accepting Jesus Christ & what he did for me on the cross is being on the right side of the "equation".

 

[cruhawk]

Remember that Bible story about the servants who get the talents? Those that use their gifts get rewarded, while those who are afraid to risk get punished. I think there is every reason to believe that the God who inspired that story would reward the rational skeptic over the fearful faithful.

The parable of the talents is a picture of what awaits believers in Heaven. Everyone who goes to Heaven will be rewarded according to how they lived their lives. It's not a comparison between believers & non-believers. All believers go to Heaven, whereas non-believers do not.

 

[cruhawk]

Not true, I believe in God, but not the murdering Biblical Christian God. I believe in an afterlife and we will continue after death.

Why is my faith any less than yours?

So how many "gods" do you think there are?

 

[fredjr82]

The parable of the talents is a picture of what awaits believers in Heaven. Everyone who goes to Heaven will be rewarded according to how they lived their lives. It's not a comparison between believers & non-believers. All believers go to Heaven, whereas non-believers do not.

This is what has always pissed me off the most about "heaven". Let's say someone who has lived their life to the fullest, gave to charity, voluenteered their time to help the less fortunate, etc, etc, etc but they were a non-believer. Because they are a non-believer they don't get access to this divine afterlife. Yet some asshole who doesn't live the way Christ intended is granted access because he once stated that he accepted Jesus Christ as his personal savior. It's such a hypocritical viewpoint. It's almost a cult mentality which is what organized religion has really become.

 

[longliveCS40]

So you are allowing that there is a Heaven. And that there are true believers.

I'm allowing that there is a possibility of that. I personally do not believe in heaven and I may burn for eternity as a result.

I can't force myself to fake belief in something that has such a low likelihood of being real.

Then you get into the issues already covered of which religion is correct. The followers of the thousands of other religions that prove to be incorrect are going to hell too.

I'd rather live a moral life and take my chances.

 

[at4iowa]

Again, somebody's wrong. Can't both be right. So the statement DOES "hold water". You can't have it both ways. I believe that accepting Jesus Christ & what he did for me on the cross is being on the right side of the "equation".

Your response tells me that you really do not have a fundamental understanding of Pascal's Wager. I don't know what to say. It's like trying to argue with somebody about what's better an Audi A6 or a BMW 5 series and the person you are trying to argue with says "The A6 is better, but what's a car?"

 

[naturalmwa]

Yes, they all believe in God, but the window dressing is what's important.

Christians believe that the only way to heaven is through belief in Jesus and Muslims believe the only way to heaven is belief and total submission to Allah and prohibit belief in the Trinity. So, since Muslims don't believe that Jesus is the savior, they won't go to heaven and since Christians don't submit themselves totally to Allah and do all the stuff dictated in the Quran, especially about belief in the Trinity, they won't go to heaven, either. Neither Christians or Muslims think Jews will go to heaven.

Its more than they all believe in God. All religions believe in some god concept. These three religions all believe in the same exact God; Yahweh, the God of Abraham. So who knows which set of windows Yahweh likes best, but it isn't the religion that gets to determine who gets to heaven. If Yahweh really exists, he will decide, right? And if love and belief play a part in the decision, then all three religions can check that box.

Now why half the world decided to worship a minor Canaanite god out of all the thousands of gods that one might choose from is a mystery to me, but thats the reality. So if worshiping Yahweh is important to the real god, then half the planet is in good shape. Of course if the other thousands of god options are also real, that might be a problem for all but the skeptic. A good case could be made that the non-believer is really playing the Pascal's wager game best.

 

[naturalmwa]

The parable of the talents is a picture of what awaits believers in Heaven. Everyone who goes to Heaven will be rewarded according to how they lived their lives. It's not a comparison between believers & non-believers. All believers go to Heaven, whereas non-believers do not.

This view works for me too. I'm fine with a god who rewards based on how one lives his life rather then his feelings and attitudes towards any particular belief system. A just god like that wont have any issues with a skeptic who used his brain and senses to find holes in ancient mythology. If God is just, skeptics have nothing to fear. If God isn't just, who wants to live with him for eternity?

 

[naturalmwa]

So how many "gods" do you think there are?

Billions, trillions maybe. How many people have existed over time?

 

[longliveCS40]

Natural killin it. I mean really he's laid out the landscape of the world when it comes to religion.

One of the thousands of gods may exist and one of the thousands of religions that worship that god may be correct but only the followers of that religion are making it to the "afterlife."

Christians are Christians not because they've studied the other religions and decided Christianity is the true real religion but rather because that's the faith taught to them by their families.

Religion does interest me from the standpoint of how they might have gotten their start. It seems likely to me that religion either started as, or was morphed into, a way to give guidance to the masses and give them a set of standards to live up to for the betterment of society.

I think that for a lot of people, religion makes them better people. It may be the sole reason they're not robbing banks and killing people. On the flip side, religion is probably responsible for more deaths in the history of mankind than anything else.

 

[at4iowa]

Its more than they all believe in God. All religions believe in some god concept. These three religions all believe in the same exact God; Yahweh, the God of Abraham. So who knows which set of windows Yahweh likes best, but it isn't the religion that gets to determine who gets to heaven. If Yahweh really exists, he will decide, right? And if love and belief play a part in the decision, then all three religions can check that box. You are interjecting your own beliefs here. To the Christian, they believe that you must believe in Jesus to get to heaven (i.e. religion matters)

Now why half the world decided to worship a minor Canaanite god out of all the thousands of gods that one might choose from is a mystery to me, but thats the reality. So if worshiping Yahweh is important to the real god, then half the planet is in good shape. Of course if the other thousands of god options are also real, that might be a problem for all but the skeptic. A good case could be made that the non-believer is really playing the Pascal's wager game best.

I'm trying to argue Pascal's wager based on the way it was presented in this thread. To the Christian, it doesn't matter if you believe in God, you must believe in Jesus to get to heaven. So if you use Pascal's Wager (Pascal was Catholic, I believe), not only must you believe in God, you must also believe in Christianity.

If it's your belief that "if God exists, he/she/it will decide", then there is no use for religion and no use for Pascal's Wager. It's fine to believe that, but it's not really pertinent to the argument. By the way, I agree with you.