tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17732427.comments2023-06-23T10:26:21.277+02:00Memoirs of an ex-ChristianKevinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16752824290056143050noreply@blogger.comBlogger3244125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17732427.post-80531354242262914642015-08-12T01:57:30.366+02:002015-08-12T01:57:30.366+02:00I hope there is a god and that he isnt petty. That...I hope there is a god and that he isnt petty. Thats all i can do. Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17732427.post-38194005535588906682015-05-09T12:53:15.157+02:002015-05-09T12:53:15.157+02:00FOR ME CHRISTMAS IS A VERY SAD DAY. I REALIZED THI...FOR ME CHRISTMAS IS A VERY SAD DAY. I REALIZED THIS WHEN I READ THE CHRISTMAS STORY IN THE GOSPELS. TEARS CAME INTO MY EYES. EVER SINCE I DO NOT CELEBRATE CHRISTMAS. IT MAKES ME SICK TO HEAR 'MERRY CHRISTMAS 'AND 'HAPPY CHRISTMAS'. THERE IS NOTHING MERRY OR HAPPY ABOUT CHRISTMAS. I FEEL DISGUSTED TO SEE PEOPLE FEASTING ON CHRISTMAS. IT IS A DAY TO REMEMBER AND CRY. IF YOU FIND MY ATTITUDE ODD, DO NOT BE SURPRISED. I AM NOT INSANE. I HAVE VERY GOOD REASONS TO CRY ON CHRISTMAS, BECAUSE I HAVE READ THE GOSPELS THOROUGHLY LINE BY LINE. TO CONFUSE YOU I WISH TO ADD THAT I AM AN ARDENT FOLLOWER OF JUDAS ISCARIOT AND I HAVE NO REGRETS. I DO NOT WISH TO REVEAL MY REASONS - BUT IF YOU WANT TO FIND OUT MY ADVICE WOULD BE PLEASE READ THE GOSPELS CAREFULLY AT LEAST FIVE TIMES. s d fernnadesnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17732427.post-13276778276722822182015-05-09T12:17:33.112+02:002015-05-09T12:17:33.112+02:00THE VIRGIN BIRTH IS NOT SO SIMPLE AS IT APPEARS. B...THE VIRGIN BIRTH IS NOT SO SIMPLE AS IT APPEARS. BUT SOMETHINGS ARE VERY CLEAR. THE ANGEL HAS DEFINITE INFORMATION FOR MARY THAT A HUMAN IS NOT INVOLVED IN EFFECTING THE BIRTH(A MOST FRIGHTENING PROSPECT FOR ANY WOMAN). BUT MARY IS ENGAGED TO JOSEPH. BUT THE MOST HIGH IS GREATER THAN JOSEPH AND HE WILL EFFECT THE BIRTH. AN ANGEL REASSURES JOSEPH, BECAUSE JOSEPH WANTS TO DIVORCE MARY BECAUSE THE CHILD IS NOT HIS. JOSEPH IS PLACATED AND CLAIMS MARY AS HIS WIFE.HOWEVER A CONTRADICTION IN TERMS OF SACRED LAWS LOOMS LARGE. GODS LAW CLEARLY STATES- THOU SHALT NOT COMMIT ADULTERY(GOD IS EXEMPT FROM THIS LAW). THE BOOK OF DEUTERONOMY AND LEVITICUS PRESCRIBE STONING TO DEATH OF ANY WOMAN WHO CONCEIVES OUTSIDE MARRIAGE - A STATUS A HELPLESS MARY HAS ACQUIRED PASSIVELY. JOSEPH WHO HAD NO ROLE IN THE AFFAIR BOLDLY CLAIMED TO BE THE FATHER OF THE CHILD. HE PREVENTED MARYS IMMINENT DEATH BY STONING(JEWISH LAW). HE MARRIED HER FOR THE SAKE OF THE CHILD. THE MORAL OF THIS INCIDENT IS- ANY CHILD CONCEIVED WHETHER INSIDE OR OUTSIDE MARRIAGE IS MORE PRECIOUS THAN ALL THE LAWS OF GOD. s d fernnades s d fernnadesnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17732427.post-30237168219402110662015-03-05T22:18:33.724+02:002015-03-05T22:18:33.724+02:00One thing I notice on all these atheist ex Christi...One thing I notice on all these atheist ex Christian sites is you all mention the closeness you had to other Christians and miss that connection. I've been a Christian for over 25 years and never had a great deal of that. I have always worked things out for myself which has caused a lot of friction especially in my younger years as I won't be told what to believe. My best friends are all non Christians and I'd say during the years I was away from the church I never missed fellowship that much. What I did miss was hearing the word of God from preachers and being challenged about my beliefs on different subjects at the time. I'm still pretty rebellious and not bothered about the opinions of my Christian brethren, but I'm not here to please men so they will have to live with it. No1Spankhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00338108152433722400noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17732427.post-119962580565818572015-03-05T22:06:27.825+02:002015-03-05T22:06:27.825+02:00Christmas is 100% and nothing to do with Christian...Christmas is 100% and nothing to do with Christianity. Santa Claus was actually based on a pagan God that actually did fly through the air on a chariot pulled by goats.<br />The 25th December is the birthday of most of the Pagan Gods and is celebrated as the nights draw out and worshippers get more sun. The day was celebrated by giving each other gifts.<br />Jesus was born in August / September but the Catholics celebrated his birth in December to get more converts from the pagans.<br />Catholacism is not Christianity either and actually wiped out most of the early Christians.No1Spankhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00338108152433722400noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17732427.post-63498017590412578972015-02-28T01:34:36.823+02:002015-02-28T01:34:36.823+02:00This is a lovely post. I too am a former christian...This is a lovely post. I too am a former christian, and I couldn't have put it better. Please continue to write! Hopefully more people will be encouraged to find out how something really comes to be. Because it is far more beautiful. All the best :)Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02574930525588486184noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17732427.post-33561727899966504062014-12-30T06:43:03.908+02:002014-12-30T06:43:03.908+02:00Perhaps you should extend your dots to the time wh...Perhaps you should extend your dots to the time when God made summer and winter. The Psalmist says:<br /><br />"Thou hast set all the borders of the earth: thou hast made summer and winter." (Psalm 74:17).<br /><br />Wow! Think of that. If it hadn't been winter and below freezing, the woman could have left the sprayer on until the cows come home and nothing, zilch, nada would have happened. As you can see, it wasn't the woman who accidentally left the spray on that made the beauty you saw. <br /><br />This reminds me of what Paul says in Romans.<br /><br />For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness;<br /><br />Because that which may be known of God is manifest in them; for God hath shewed it unto them.<br /><br />For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse:<br /><br />Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened.<br /><br />Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools, (Romans 1:18-22)<br /><br />Discerning the Worldhttp://www.discerningtheworld.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17732427.post-22929351980786547082014-12-08T00:06:38.398+02:002014-12-08T00:06:38.398+02:00It's always sad to me that so many would-be or...It's always sad to me that so many would-be or new Christians are instructed in such incompetent ways. I’ve believed in God all of my life thanks to my grandparents and parents of classmates who took me to church. I remember sometimes hearing more about the consequences of rejecting Christ outright than learning that Christianity didn’t mean living in a constant state of paranoia or feeling above or better than the next person. I also remember as a teenager being shown a video at a church featuring what happens to unborn babies during an abortion. Yes, it was too much reality too fast, and that pastor lost his congregation as he should have.<br />About four years ago, when I was 43, I bailed out of a popular secular online university (disgusted with a brazen assignment) and enrolled at Liberty University where I came to understand the nature of the loving gift that’s available to us. All we have to do is believe in what was accomplished for us and say yes to it…to Him. We’re given a choice. How can we resent having options when we make hundreds of decisions every day, many that don’t end well?<br />We can make one faithful decision to believe what Jesus taught before, through, and after His voluntary suffering and death. He earned a pardon for our bad decisions so we don’t have to worry about or avoid thoughts of what happens after this. I think we all sense time to time that this can’t be all there is.<br />Jesus believed in hell. He talked about it and “the evil one”. He cried for our lack of belief when He was on earth, and I think He still does and will until He’s told it’s time to come clean up the messes we’ve made.<br />Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17732427.post-11754714274469024012014-12-06T10:51:55.320+02:002014-12-06T10:51:55.320+02:00The religion of Hill Evidencism is only based on e...The religion of Hill Evidencism is only based on evidence and logic: http://hill-evidencism.blogspot.com/.Michaelhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09251374769887688775noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17732427.post-50092963740684905532014-11-28T15:56:25.116+02:002014-11-28T15:56:25.116+02:00somebody once asked: 'what is truth?' ...I...somebody once asked: 'what is truth?' ...I noticed that he did not wait for the answer.Purpose and Directionhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11928985792508398107noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17732427.post-66150544935765895872014-10-10T18:59:18.517+02:002014-10-10T18:59:18.517+02:00Firstly, I want to apologize for my lack of unders...Firstly, I want to apologize for my lack of understanding on atheist ideology, and if I say something wrong or insulting towards this targeted population. Forgive me if I offend you but it's my opinion and ideas I held from past.<br />if you are an atheist person, all I understand here is you trying to find some sort of support system or perhaps an approval from your non-believer peers to what it is right, wrong, and in between. All the atheist people I have met, gives me the idea that they are only here to question, or look for answers that won't be really found in gazillion years or perhaps never. As if their function were to question anything that has to do with religion or the existence of a something, at times referred as God. They don't believe in anything, but they are still going on and on about where we came from or what we really are. Is it that hard to follow some rules, take it as if your boss is commanding you to do something. You don't know the origen of human beings but you atheist are still believing in them one way or another. I don't get that. If you can believe and trust in human being at times without really knowing their existence. Why is it so hard to hold onto something "a God" that can provide for many things even eternal life even if it was not real according to atheist ideologists. I want to understand a bit more as in what do you atheist people gain? What sort of satisfaction do you acquire by questioning the existence of the universe, life or even God?Informeaboutatheisthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12339541163260191332noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17732427.post-75579161764518412472014-03-08T17:02:44.088+02:002014-03-08T17:02:44.088+02:00Hi BC500. Good to hear from you! It has been a whi...Hi BC500. Good to hear from you! It has been a while. To answer your question about my beliefs: over the last few years other interests have taken over (eg, I completed a marketing diploma and in 2012 I read for my Masters), so there hasn't been much time - and no longer the same amount of interest - to explore the atheist/religion discussion. But most importantly, I came to a point where I realised that the burden to find the truth related to 'god' (whatever that means) is not my responsibility. Rather, if a god exists and wants to interact with me, then the burden is on her/he/it/them to make itself known to me in a way that I understand. I am an atheist, but I am no longer a seeker; life is too short give every religion a chance. But I won't abandon this blog entirely. I will still post very periodically if an interesting thought pops up. Thank you for checking up :-)Kevinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16752824290056143050noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17732427.post-75500806150274854832014-02-28T21:06:03.200+02:002014-02-28T21:06:03.200+02:00Kevin, It has been several years now where are you...Kevin, It has been several years now where are you at on your beliefs? I did not mean to limit you to one but was only suggesting that you start with one to begin the discussion. <br />Hope you are well. BC500https://www.blogger.com/profile/00460196372432198497noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17732427.post-51787803537618311772014-02-14T23:07:44.313+02:002014-02-14T23:07:44.313+02:00got everything right about the Bible apart from. ....got everything right about the Bible apart from. . . #notbelievingAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17732427.post-91365318982942978462013-11-15T02:35:54.077+02:002013-11-15T02:35:54.077+02:00Please read about the studies done in psychology: ...Please read about the studies done in psychology: http://publications.aare.edu.au/00pap/mcc00072.htm <br /><br />People who really believe and practice their beliefs tend to have higher internal locus of control. <br />Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17732427.post-80712774886578247662013-07-26T21:32:25.829+02:002013-07-26T21:32:25.829+02:00DENYING THE WORDS OF GOD THE FATHER!
When men den...DENYING THE WORDS OF GOD THE FATHER!<br /><br />When men deny the truth found in the Scriptures; they are denying the words of God the Father. When men deny the truth spoken by Jesus; they are denying the words of God the Father. When men deny the doctrine of the apostles; they are denying the words of God the Father.<br /><br />All Scripture is the word of God the Father.<br /><br />2 Timothy 3:16 All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness,(NKJV)<br /><br />All that Jesus spoke was from God the Father.<br /><br />John 12:49-50 "For I have not spoken on My own authority; but the Father who sent Me gave Me a command, what I should say and what I should speak. 50 "And I know that His command is everlasting life. Therefore, whatever I speak, just as the Father has told Me, so I speak."(NKJV)<br /><br />All of the apostles doctrine was from God the Father. Why was that? Because Jesus taught the apostles and all of the words of Jesus were from God the Father.<br /><br />John 14:26 "But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you.(NKJV)<br /><br />John 16:13-14 "However, when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth; for He will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak; and He will tell you things to come. 14 "He will glorify Me, for He will take of what is Mine and declare it to you.<br /><br />All the teaching from the Holy Spirit came from Jesus and all the words of Jesus came from God the Father.<br /><br />There are no Scriptures that declare that church creed books, (catechisms) or any other extra-Biblical writings are that of God the Father. Remember; all Scripture is inspired by God. Creed books are not Scripture. No extra-Biblical writing is Scripture.<br /><br />HOW DO MEN DENY THE WORDS OF GOD THE FATHER?<br /><br />1. When men claim there is more than one God; they are denying the words of God the Father.<br /><br />Ephesians 4:6 one God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all.(NKJV)<br /><br />2. When men declare that Jesus did not say water baptism precedes salvation; they are denying the words of God the Father.<br /><br />Mark 16:16 "He who believes and is baptized will be saved...(NKJV)<br /><br />3. When men say that Christians cannot fall from grace; they denying the words of God the Father.<br /><br />Galatians 5:4 You have become estranged from Christ, you who attempt to be justified by law; you have fallen from grace.(NKJV)<br /><br />All Scripture is inspired by God the Father. <br /><br />YOU ARE INVITED TO FOLLOW MY CHRISTIAN BLOG: You can can find it by a google search, steve finnell a christian view. <br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /> <br /><br /> <br />Steve Finnellhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12863026367048527526noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17732427.post-17182398432797272482013-04-23T18:47:45.419+02:002013-04-23T18:47:45.419+02:00'I didn't mean that God doesn't want y...<b>'I didn't mean that God doesn't want you. He loves you and wants to come to Him.'</b><br /><br />A father who loves his children would make it easy for them to find him, rather than requiring them to make a leap of faith. Surely a supreme being can do much better than the faulty, sketchy method of narrating an ancient book originating in the most backward regions of the planet and then expecting his children to drop to their knees in agreement. You yourself admitted that there's no evidence for God. Why then should anyone take seriously a 'father' who acts in so elusive and error-prone a manner?<br /><br /><b>'And God doesn't order evil things to happen, rape, murder and those things. Not now. In Israel's day He ordered the Canaanites destruction, first of all because they were a cursed people. Noah cursed Ham's son Canaan, therefore cursing the nations that came from him. Secondly God did it to protect the line of His Seed, so that the Canaanites would not intermarry. That is why He was always so angry when they disobeyed, intermarrying, and not driving the people out. He punished them like a father punishes his son, to turn them back to Him.'</b><br /><br />This is silly and vacuous. You're trying to convince me that a father engages in torture and rape to 'turn' his children back to him. That's admittedly a rather odd claim.<br /><br /><b>'God is allowing the evil in the world even after Christ's death so that the full amount of gentiles can come to him.'</b><br /><br />Sorry to be rude, and no disrespect to you as a person, but you actually believe this drivel? And you just said that Satan is out there turning people AWAY from God. How can God get the 'maximum' amout of anyone with Satan turning them away? Do you not stop to consider these most elementary contradictions in what you say? Do you feel that you have no obligation to do so?<br /><br />Sorry, but so far, you've only spouted a bunch of stories.<br /><br /><b>'Ultimately what I wanted to say is my best argument, my finest words, my wisest discussions, cannot change your heart.'</b><br /><br />No 'arguments' have been provided. I'm still waiting for you to tell me how any of this stuff makes any sense.<br /><br /><b>'What pains me is that trying to reason with you, I try to bring you to Christ in my own power and I cannot do that.'</b><br /><br />Again, no 'reason' seems forthcoming. You've only cited scripture and various images. You've not even begun to reason your way to an argument. You need to understand that citing scripture to atheists is a complete and utter waste of time, especially when the stories under perview are patently contradictory, barbaric and/or absurd.Luis Cayetanohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05210714337197709016noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17732427.post-3524175043390412212013-04-10T09:45:55.975+02:002013-04-10T09:45:55.975+02:00Luis
I do not denigrate life. I don't hate li...Luis<br /><br />I do not denigrate life. I don't hate life. While I am here, my goal is to live to God's glory. My life is enhanced. So whatever I do, I do to the fullest of my capability. <br /><br />I didn't mean that God doesn't want you. He loves you and wants to come to Him. A very difficult thing to understand is election. I don't fully understand it, and your arguments make life very difficult.<br /><br />And God doesn't order evil things to happen, rape, murder and those things. Not now. In Israel's day He ordered the Canaanites destruction, first of all because they were a cursed people. Noah cursed Ham's son Canaan, therefore cursing the nations that came from him. Secondly God did it to protect the line of His Seed, so that the Canaanites would not intermarry. That is why He was always so angry when they disobeyed, intermarrying, and not driving the people out. He punished them like a father punishes his son, to turn them back to Him. <br /><br />God doesn't tolerate sin. He gives us over to what our hearts desire. What you also forget is that it is not just God and His angels out there. Satan is also very real and he and his demons are actively at work in this world. God is allowing the evil in the world even after Christ's death so that the full amount of gentiles can come to him. Also, There are some prophecies need to be fulfilled. 70 prophetic weeks were prophesied for Israel. Only 69 have passed. The last week is the seven years of tribulation which God will use to bring His chosen people back finally and forever to Him. Remember it is not a cosmic battle between good and evil. It is Satan trying to be God and God is simply fulfilling the plan he had before he even created the earth.<br /><br />Ultimately what I wanted to say is my best argument, my finest words, my wisest discussions, cannot change your heart. The Bible is my foundation and if you don't accept the Bible as the final authority, then it won't matter what I say. In the end, I can't change your mind or your heart, Only God and His Word can do that, but God leaves you with the choice. On the moment you don't want to believe, don't want God in your life. So He simply allows you to live with your decision and to bear the consequences of your actions.What pains me is that trying to reason with you, I try to bring you to Christ in my own power and I cannot do that.<br /><br />It's your choice, your life, and your consequences, be they good or bad in the end.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17732427.post-32303309754551372972013-03-27T15:40:54.905+02:002013-03-27T15:40:54.905+02:00''All that I have written here won’t chang...<b>''All that I have written here won’t change your mind the slightest bit if God does not want it to happen.''</b><br /><br />Another contradiction: that God gave us the 'chance' to be one of his children, and yet that he wouldn't want me to be brought closer to him. Does this make sense to you?<br /><br /><br /><b>''I know for a fact that faith defies all logic and all science. If you try to analyze it, it makes no sense. The only thing that makes sense is Jesus Christ and Him crucified.''</b><br /><br />Actually, that also doesn't make sense, as I explained earlier, and as you yourself suggested just a few sentences ago when you said ''if God does not want it to happen.'' So he sacrifices his son for humanity's sins, but then he doesn't want your words to move me? This <i>definitely</i> defies logic.<br /><br /><br /><b>''If you truly believe that God will change your heart, and reveal to you the fallacy of your ways.''</b><br /><br />This contradicts your earlier point that you 'don't have all the answers' and that they are 'secrets'. Indeed, you offered up nothing beyond ''God does it, so it's okay.'' That's not an answer to anything; it's the refusal to provide an answer.<br /><br /><b>''All mankind is steeped in sin, stubborn and refusing the only way to God.''</b><br /><br />Well, no, unless you're the only Christian.<br /><br /><b>''God can change your life and it is a beautiful thing to behold.''</b><br /><br />Contradicted by your statement ''is worth missing out on what this world has to offer.'' First you denigrate life, then you speak of it being ''enhanced'' by a relationship with God. Which is it?Luis Cayetanohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05210714337197709016noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17732427.post-53946646014030616162013-03-27T15:29:28.539+02:002013-03-27T15:29:28.539+02:00''I do not have all the answers. God himse...<b>''I do not have all the answers. God himself wrote to the Israelites<br /><br />"The secret things belong to the Lord"''</b><br /><br />Which would mean that Christianity, by your admission, is a poor way of arriving at the answers to moral questions given that the answers are ''secrets''.<br /><br /><br /><b>''True Christianity is the total opposite. God says that even our good works are like filthy rags.''</b><br /><br />Now you've truly admitted that your worldview has nothing at all to do with morality.<br /><br /><b>''Tossed in the wind. The only way we can be clean before him is through a sacrifice.''</b> <br /><br />But you already admitted that you're a sinner, which means you can't be 'clean' before him.<br /><br /><br /><b>''And the only pure and unblemished sacrifice for our sins was Jesus Christ. No one else would suffice. What does that say of God's love for us in that while we were yet sinners, He sent is only beloved Son to die on a cross, the most humiliating death possible, for our sins.''</b><br /><br />Except that he didn't permanently die. And if God was sated by his son's ''death'', why did he continue to allow evil to exist in the world after that point? Why not just life the burden of sin from humanity and end all evil thereafter? I fail to see how allowing women to have their breasts sliced off in the Congo or Uzbek dissidents being boiled alive adds anything of value. I guess that God's tolerance of evil is yet another sign that he has nothing to do with morality. <br /><br /><br /><b>''Christ was flogged, nailed to a cross of wood. He died and rose again the third day, and offer me and every person out there the hope of being a child of God.''</b><br /><br />That's what every religion offers.<br /><br /><br /><b>''But the joy of listening to what Christ says, the joy of having a personal relationship with God, the peace of knowing that I am never alone no matter the trouble, is worth missing out on what this world has to offer.''</b><br /><br />That's so incredibly sad, coming from a young person. Those who hate life, as you apparently do (sorry to sound blunt, but this is how you're coming across. Maybe I've misunderstood you), end up having very little to <i>contribute</i> to it. If you're only concerned with how to reach God in the afterlife, what value can you attach to life? Wouldn't this outlook just make you the greatest sinner?Luis Cayetanohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05210714337197709016noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17732427.post-32291706529343372342013-03-27T15:08:15.055+02:002013-03-27T15:08:15.055+02:00''It is not the same. Our minds are limite...<b>''It is not the same. Our minds are limited to the fact that we cannot understand God perfectly because our minds are tainted by sin. We look at God through our own style of glasses''</b><br /><br />You contradicted yourself. You say that we're 'limited' by our 'style of glasses', and yet you think <i>you</i> can determine that God represents 'good' by using that same style of glasses. Again, you're engaging an an exercise where you simply pigeon-hole actions into 'good' and 'bad' based simply and solely on whether they're performed by God or by people. You're saying nothing whatsoever about the content of those actions beyond that.<br /><br /><br /><b>''and make decisions which then basically means that we say, "I am God. I know better."''</b><br /><br />You haven't shown why moral decisions are a problem on your view of ''our own style of glasses'', since, being a human full of ''sin'', you yourself are unqualified to judge one way or the other.<br /><br /><br /><b>''Consider your life as it is now. Do you lie? Do you get angry? Do you become greedy? Do you covet what other people have? If so... how would you have done any better than Adam did at the start of the world?</b><br /><br />You've now admitted that God is inconsistent and hypocritical when he punishes his creation, since even Adam, who you hold up as a sort of Platonic human, sinned. Christians are always talking about how humans are by their <i>nature</i> sinful. If they're by their nature sinful, then sin isn't a choice but a permanent condition of our existence, which means that, if you believe that God created us, then he also created us with sin. And yet you think it's just that he punishes us.<br /><br /><br /><b>''What you forget is that you <br />do wrong things. And looking back at your mistakes I might say, "Oh, but I wouldn't have done THAT!" when I probably make the same mistakes every day.''</b><br /><br />The thing is, my mistakes every day don't include genocide, ordering my armies to rape and pillage the nations that are disloyal to me, and kin-sacrifice.Luis Cayetanohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05210714337197709016noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17732427.post-41942787384665086442013-03-27T14:56:20.468+02:002013-03-27T14:56:20.468+02:00-- That's just the same as saying that what...<b> -- That's just the same as saying that what's selfish and human is holy. -- </b><br /><br /><b>''It is not the same. Our minds are limited to the fact that we cannot understand God perfectly because our minds are tainted by sin.''</b><br /><br />''Sin'' is just a word you're using to describe behaviour that, when done by humans, is ''bad'' (against God) but when done by God is ''beyond our knowledge'' (but still ''good'' because God did it). This adds absiolutely nothing to the moral content of these terms, only a pigeon-holing exercise in which you're connecting actions to whether they're done by God and others to whether they're done by people. At the end, you're still left holding an empty bag.<br /><br /><br /><b>''We look at God through our own style of glasses''</b><br /><br />Well, if that's a problem, how then can you come to the determinaiton that God is good (in <i>any</i> sense more meaningful than ''What God does is automatically good because God does it'') if you yourself are using this ''style of glasses''?<br /><br /><br /><b>''and make decisions which then basically means that we say, "I am God. I know better."</b><br /><br />Since you're not using any criteria to judge God's actions one way or another (i.e. everything he's purported to have done, you approve of, because of your self-admittedly limited ''style of glasses'') how do you judge against people making moral decisions? I hope you realise that you're arguing <i>against</i> morality, not for it.<br /><br /><br /><b>''Consider your life as it is now. Do you lie? Do you get angry? Do you become greedy? Do you covet what other people have? If so... how would you have done any better than Adam did at the start of the world?''</b><br /><br />You've now admitted that God is wrong to punish his creations, since if even Adam sinned, it would mean that we're 'inherently' sinful, and this sin was a feature of God's design.<br /><br /><b>''What you forget is that you do wrong things. And looking back at your mistakes I might say, "Oh, but I wouldn't have done THAT!" when I probably make the same mistakes every day.''</b><br /><br />This has nothing to do with judging God's actions. Surely, atrocities like flooding the entire planet, ordering the rape and pillage of nationals disloyal to you, and the gruesome spectacle of kin-sacrifice rank more highly than wanting to bang your neighbour's wife.Luis Cayetanohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05210714337197709016noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17732427.post-67404934174875250402013-03-25T10:17:41.927+02:002013-03-25T10:17:41.927+02:00I do not have all the answers. God himself wrote t...I do not have all the answers. God himself wrote to the Israelites<br /><br />"The secret things belong to the Lord"<br /><br />And that is as true today as it was back then. All of the other religions that I know of state this... Do good and maybe your good will out way your bad and you will go to paradise. <br /><br />True Christianity is the total opposite. God says that even our good works are like filthy rags. Tossed in the wind. The only way we can be clean before him is through a sacrifice. And the only pure and unblemished sacrifice for our sins was Jesus Christ. No one else would suffice. What does that say of God's love for us in that while we were yet sinners, He sent is only beloved Son to die on a cross, the most humiliating death possible, for our sins. Christ was flogged, nailed to a cross of wood. He died and rose again the third day, and offer me and every person out there the hope of being a child of God. <br /><br />I will agree with you that it is hard to obey God. Hard to follow in Jesus' footsteps. But the joy of listening to what Christ says, the joy of having a personal relationship with God, the peace of knowing that I am never alone no matter the trouble, is worth missing out on what this world has to offer.<br /><br />I didn't mean to sound doubting. I was trying to get to a point and I don't think I did very well.<br /><br />In the end like I said before:<br /><br />All that I have written here won’t change your mind the slightest bit if God does not want it to happen. I know for a fact that faith defies all logic and all science. If you try to analyze it, it makes no sense. The only thing that makes sense is Jesus Christ and Him crucified. If you truly believe that God will change your heart, and reveal to you the fallacy of your ways. All mankind is steeped in sin, stubborn and refusing the only way to God. God can change your life and it is a beautiful thing to behold.It's your choice how you will live your life. But For me... I will serve Christ till the day I die.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17732427.post-48766953051362880652013-03-25T10:03:47.479+02:002013-03-25T10:03:47.479+02:00Reply Luis
I read your points. I am also afraid I...Reply Luis<br /><br />I read your points. I am also afraid I cannot agree with you. I will try to be gentle but please bear with me if I sound condeming.<br /><br />"That's just the same as saying that what's selfish and human is holy."<br /><br />It is not the same. Our minds are limited to the fact that we cannot understand God perfectly because our minds are tainted by sin. We look at God through our own style of glasses and make decisions which then basically means that we say, "I am God. I know better." <br /><br />We say, He is unfair to judge based on one man's sin. He is unloving because He sends people to hell. He is unjust because He does not condone what is good and right in our eyes. He is like any other God. and so forth.... I have a question for you, Luis. And I want you to think very carefully. <br /><br />Consider your life as it is now. Do you lie? Do you get angry? Do you become greedy? Do you covet what other people have? If so... how would you have done any better than Adam did at the start of the world? Looking back we say, "Oh, but I wouldn't have done THAT!"<br /><br />What you forget is that you do wrong things. And looking back at your mistakes I might say, "Oh, but I wouldn't have done THAT!" when I probably make the same mistakes every day.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17732427.post-81071411177319811182013-03-25T09:29:18.975+02:002013-03-25T09:29:18.975+02:00Hi Kevin,
I was researching on this subject and c...Hi Kevin,<br /><br />I was researching on this subject and came across your blog.<br /><br />I was of another religion that I was born into but at the age of 40, received Jesus as my Lord and Savior.<br /><br />In the first few years, the faith was an exploratory journey. The point about Jesus' death on the Cross really hit home only some years later when I came to have a strong conviction that I am a sinner and have wronged my loved ones, others around me and especially God.<br /><br />Knowing that a Savior had unconditionally took my place of punishment that I alone deserve, knowing the worthless scum that I was that everyone who knew my past would gleefully condemn as deserving of eternal fire, that is the love I have for the Lamb that was sacrificed. And I was certain that it was not a guilt trip or anything of that sort that lead me to be moved by what Jesus did.<br /><br />Just thought I share my journey.<br /><br />Keep searching ...<br /><br />Any further conversation at isaactan777@gmail.com<br /><br />Shalombergkampdudenoreply@blogger.com