Do you care if others believe what you do?

Originally posted by Star428
Guess it's better for their kids to turn to drugs or even suicide when their problems become too much for them rather than telling them the truth that God will always help them/comfort them/give them much needed strength if they ask Him, huh?

Eh, a bit of a scaremonge argument don't you think? I don't think that was the point Riv intended to make.

Originally posted by Bentley
While this is true, I would clarify those faux Christians don't represent the majority of people who claim themselves Christians.

If you believe in Rodney Stark's particular school then people are more Christian (or spiritual) now than they were in the supposed dark ages and whatnot.

Regardless of how devout people were I've seen very little research proving that people actually understood what the hell their religion entailed. Even the priests/shaman/clergymen themselves had a wildly differentiating grasp on what they preached.

Indeed, it kind of sounds like the people who expect flawless historical basis in the scriptures without considering they were written before History was a proper discipline.

It's also a problem about mistaking our method of understanding the world with the actual world.

Originally posted by Star428
How do they hurt themselves exactly? By stating facts that you will continue to laugh at until you die or Christ returns and proves that they were right all along? How is caring about their children by telling them truth about Christ and the consequences of rejecting Him hurting them? If you think educating children about the truth of Christ and salvation is hurting them then you have a strange idea of what hurting someone is, riv.

I guess you think they should lie to them and tell them there is no creator right? Tell them that there is no God to comfort them or give them strength when they are going thru a difficult period or crisis in their life, right? Guess it's better for their kids to turn to drugs or even suicide when their problems become too much for them rather than telling them the truth that God will always help them/comfort them/give them much needed strength if they ask Him, huh? LOL.

Yeah, you're right. Christian scientist are only hurting their children. 🙄

If more parents educated their children on the truth of Jesus Christ and how to obtain salvation then the world would be a much better place today.

Thanks for putting all those words in my mouth. Now i can skip lunch. 😆

Originally posted by riv6672
This is like a person who watches wrestling but posts in a wrestling forum saying its all fake.

and it's pure hypocrisy, right?

in Shakyamunison's case, he dismisses Christianity and Bible as myth, whereas when you questioned him about Buddhism - the religion he practices and advertises - it's also a myth to him...

http://www.killermovies.com/forums/showthread.php?threadid=603795&pagenumber=7

Originally posted by Bentley
Well, that's accounted for when people answer yes to the very question of this thread don't you think?

i think, you mean those people who answered no...

"Do you care if others believe what you do?"

Originally posted by riv6672
Does it matter to you?

One thing i've always distrusted are religions that actively go around trying to convert/recruit people.
The nock on doors wont just go away types that want to give you pamphlets.

Are you in any way associated with this type of activity? Is it something your religion does?

And again, do YOU personally care what others choose to believe, and seek to turn people onto your way of thinking?

in Shakyamunison's case - "yeah, i don't care, i just want to make fun at your religion... and don't bother to rebut some things about Buddhism, because it's also a myth... but i'm still a Buddhist..." 😆

Originally posted by dyajeep
i think, you mean those people who answered no...

[b]"Do you care if others believe what you do?"[/B]

I probably phrased it wrong, what I meant was "if people do care about others believing like them, then they are likely to keep discussing to convince others or just because it's a sensible point for them". So if you answer, "yes, I do care about what others believe (whether it's the same as me)", then you probably can hang into the discussion even after hitting an impasse, while if you don't care, rationality and laziness should keep you from posting.

That was the idea, not sure if I managed to clarify it 😮

Originally posted by Bentley
I probably phrased it wrong, what I meant was "if people do care about others believing like them, then they are likely to keep discussing to convince others or just because it's a sensible point for them". So if you answer, "yes, I do care about what others believe (whether it's the same as me)", then you probably can hang into the discussion even after hitting an impasse, while if you don't care, rationality and laziness should keep you from posting.

That was the idea, not sure if I managed to clarify it 😮

got it... no worries... 🙂

Yeah, interesting few posts, guys! 👆

Originally posted by Star428
How do they hurt themselves exactly? By stating facts that you will continue to laugh at until you die or Christ returns and proves that they were right all along? How is caring about their children by telling them truth about Christ and the consequences of rejecting Him hurting them? If you think educating children about the truth of Christ and salvation is hurting them then you have a strange idea of what hurting someone is, riv.

I guess you think they should lie to them and tell them there is no creator right? Tell them that there is no God to comfort them or give them strength when they are going thru a difficult period or crisis in their life, right? Guess it's better for their kids to turn to drugs or even suicide when their problems become too much for them rather than telling them the truth that God will always help them/comfort them/give them much needed strength if they ask Him, huh? LOL.

Yeah, you're right. Christian scientist are only hurting their children. 🙄

If more parents educated their children on the truth of Jesus Christ and how to obtain salvation then the world would be a much better place today.

Strange that you would advocate lying to children.

They are already hurting and you would straddle them with supernatural belies?

Shame on you.

Regards
DL

Owtch.

Originally posted by Greatest I am
Strange that you would advocate lying to children.

They are already hurting and you would straddle them with supernatural belies?

Shame on you.

Regards
DL

there are plenty of good stories written in the Bible that children can listen to... you don't have to tell stories about death, adultery, fornications, etc.

and there's no problem telling stories about God... not unless you want to depict God as evil, then that's YOUR belief, not mine... the God i believe is full of love, grace, care and mercy...

I've always thought of God's seemingly mercurial nature (eye for an eye/turn the other cheek), as indicative of the fact that the bible, like all holy books, was written by people. People with differing temperaments.

People who BELIVE something different probably just don't want to be defeated.

😂 😂 😂

I believe you over used that smilie thinking you were being funny. 🙂

Originally posted by riv6672
I've always thought of God's seemingly mercurial nature (eye for an eye/turn the other cheek), as indicative of the fact that the bible, like all holy books, was written by people. People with differing temperaments.

i'm a Christian, and i do believe that the books and epistles in the Bible were written by people... who says otherwise?

"I, Paul, write this with my own hand, I will repay it -- to say nothing of your owing me even your own self."
Philemon 19

it's for the people, so it's by the people... 🙂

Yeah, I don't know of anyone who is naïve enough to think that the Bible just dropped out of the sky from Heaven written by God Himself. Everyone knows that it was written by men but the fact is they were inspired by God when they wrote it.

Originally posted by riv6672
I've always thought of God's seemingly mercurial nature (eye for an eye/turn the other cheek),

another thing, this is a common mistake:

"Your eye shall not pity; it shall be life for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot."
Deuteronomy 19:21

this is God's commandment for Israel, and for Israel only - and for the time of the prophets only...

"Remember the law of my servant Moses, the statutes and ordinances that I commanded him at Horeb for all Israel."
Malachi 4:4

"The law and the prophets were until John; since then the good news of the kingdom of God is preached, and every one enters it violently."
Luke 16:"16

God does not have that "mercurial nature"... the eye for an eye is only for Israel... that's the reason why Jesus clarified that in His time, the law should not be eye for an eye:

"You have heard that it was said, An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.
But I say to you, Do not resist one who is evil. But if any one strikes you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also;"
Matthew 5:38-39

well, that's what i believe... 🙂

Nice.

So, i ask then: is God benign or wrathful? In YO. Is he a "lets be excellent to each other" type or "flood the world get a clean slate" type?

I've said many times i'm a biblical layman. Seems like God is presented one way, but shown to be another.
Its like grown ups teaching their kids to share, when AS adults, we hardly ever do...?

Originally posted by GaryTheGoo
People who BELIVE something different probably just don't want to be defeated.

😂 😂 😂

Originally posted by riv6672
Nice.

So, i ask then: is God benign or wrathful? In YO. Is he a "lets be excellent to each other" type or "flood the world get a clean slate" type?

I've said many times i'm a biblical layman. Seems like God is presented one way, but shown to be another.
Its like grown ups teaching their kids to share, when AS adults, we hardly ever do...?

situational... it would be pretty unfair, for example, you got angry once or twice and got labelled as "the hot-headed riv", right? you see, we as humans, have emotions - moreso, God who created us... He also has feelings: He can be happy, sad, angry, etc...

i think the misconception came about when reading the Old Testament... God was somehow seen by others (who do not understand) as Someone who is very willing to kill people just because He wants to, but it's wrong... people who really knew God describe Him as:

"For the Lord is good; his steadfast love endures for ever, and his faithfulness to all generations."
Psalms 100:5

"And he prayed to the Lord and said, I pray thee, Lord, is not this what I said when I was yet in my country? That is why I made haste to flee to Tarshish; for I knew that thou art a gracious God and merciful, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love, and repentest of evil."
Jonah 4:2

these are people are involved in the very situation, and they describe God as good... now these bashers - who are not involved - see God as Someone who is evil, manipulative and always angry...

what we should know is that, Old Testament is mostly centered on Israel... but the salvation for all people was elaborated in the New Testament... so i think that people who bash God, then uses the Old Testament as proof does NOT understand the Bible nor the very Being they are criticizing...