Originally posted by PrinceofBlades
So I guess the christian faith isn't so shakable eh?
It' s rather ironic that a religion which so publicly proclaims absolute love as its basis should, over the course of history, spawn so much unmitigated hatred and violence. Is it simply that Christianity is a failure in inspiring better conduct from otherwise hopelessly evil human beings, or is there some aspect of Christianity which in fact encourages or promotes some of the baser aspects of human behavior? Perhaps it is a bit of both.
However, even if a person were to successfully argue that none of the violence was caused by religion, the fact would remain that religion not only failed to stop it, but has actually served as a useful tool for those perpetuating it.
Is Christianity only a religion of peace and love? I do not think that anyone can honestly and objectively examine American or European history and answer "yes" to that question. Christianity can encourage peace and love, but it quite often has done just the opposite. Although the people responsible for violence might have found a way to express their hatred without Christianity, it cannot be ignored that Christianity offers a convenient divine mandate for hatred and violent acts against a wide range of people.
Originally posted by Storm
At the cost of millions of lives.It' s rather ironic that a religion which so publicly proclaims absolute love as its basis should, over the course of history, spawn so much unmitigated hatred and violence. Is it simply that Christianity is a failure in inspiring better conduct from otherwise hopelessly evil human beings, or is there some aspect of Christianity which in fact encourages or promotes some of the baser aspects of human behavior? Perhaps it is a bit of both.
However, even if a person were to successfully argue that none of the violence was caused by religion, the fact would remain that religion not only failed to stop it, but has actually served as a useful tool for those perpetuating it.
Is Christianity only a religion of peace and love? I do not think that anyone can honestly and objectively examine American or European history and answer "yes" to that question. Christianity can encourage peace and love, but it quite often has done just the opposite. Although the people responsible for violence might have found a way to express their hatred without Christianity, it cannot be ignored that Christianity offers a convenient divine mandate for hatred and violent acts against a wide range of people.
Christianity has been picked and chosen by many people. The magority of them picking and choosing what they like, and not the whole entreau. It's like sending little kids to a buffet, 9/10 will probably go strait to the dessert isle, pizza, and maybe protiens. But how many of them would go to the vegetables or soups? Same goes with Christianity, except without the foods. People will pick up a bible without any knowledge of how to read it or translate it's meaning and take things directly into proportion. When infact the bible is quite opposite.
Other religions, such as Buddism and Hinduism, that teach that a life of sacrifise helps a person ascertain happiness, aren't far from the truth. The Jews and Muslims also follow a similar path of sacrifise when they fast, and substain from meat. But if you notice, Christianity outside this country, is one of the most joyuos and accepted religions. Because Christianity excepts all, and gives those people a new form of hope. Because Christianity is very much a humble religion. I a religion based on to have very little, and to still be happy. But how can you do that in one of the worlds most rich and powerful nations?
A place where people swim in money and waste food like there aren't people in the world that would kill for food. Just the crumbs even. To be Christian here is life's toughest challenge. Because much of the bible asks them to help others less fortunate than yourself. To go to church and donate money, which is the churches way of helping you achieve helping others. How many people have you seen go out and clothe, feed, give drink, house, the poor? Visit the sick and in jail? Bury the dead, spread the Gospel of the Lord with Love and Kindness, patience and acceptance? Nill to none. Why? Because this is a country where people get off thinking that they don't have to anything, and show it in their actions.
I have seen every single type of Christian. Name it, and i'll even give you their names. But I've only seen a handful of people (kids most of them), how actually demonstrate what a true Christian is supposed to act like. And hopefully one day you will meet these type of people. Because trust me, with the world as it is today, it's everything we need and more.
Originally posted by debbiejo
How?? Little Pygmy's haven't heard..And millions of the already dead haven't heard..
To be honest, I do not know how. All we know is that Jesus will return when the gospel has been spread to all the ends of the earth. Missionary work has grown tremendously and they are working amongst tribes in even darkest Africa. God is not unjust and will not judge you if you have never heard of Jesus or the gospel. Further more He said that the invisible things of God can be seen in His creation and therefor no one will be able to stand before him with an excuse, but that many people will listen to the foolishness and lies of the world and its false doctrines and will accept this rather than acknowledge what they already know in their spirit. It comes back to you making conscious choices.
Originally posted by PrinceofBlades
They will do it of their own free will. They will see the greatness, and fall. Because no one can see the face of God, and live...
"Then I will take away My hand, and you shall see My back; but My face shall not be seen."
It is important to observe that God made it clear that Moses saw His back, which is to say, His back parts. He did not refer to the nape of His neck or the back of His head, in contraposition to His face. Thus, it is evident that He was not speaking of face and nape or face and back of the head - He spoke of the front and the back parts.
As two friends - Moses had such easy access to the LORD that, in the same chapter of Exodus, in the previous verse (verse 11), the description of their encounters was compared to the meeting between two friends.
"So the LORD spoke to Moses face to face, as a man speaks to his friend. ..."
The expression 'face to face' is found in the four translations of the Book of Exodus that were consulted, including the King James Version. There is not doubt that Moses saw the face of God on those occasions, even if He presented Himself as a man. Furthermore, each time Moses walked away from these encounters, his own face was radiant. Consequently, there is an apparent contradiction between verses 11 and 23. In the latter, Moses could not see the face of God, whereas in the former, he saw it with considerable frequency.