Christians. Why do you respect a God that kills humans and does not denounce slavery?

Thanks for explaining, but I know what he meant, I just don't see his point...
I believe in God, and I was raised going to the methodist church multiple times every week. As I got older, I started to lose faith in the Christian tradition, and I got very skeptical of organized religion. I still consider myself a "Christian" because it is an inescapable part of who I am, and I do believe in God, although I believe "he" "it" or whatever name you want to attach to a unifying spirtual power of the Universe, probably appears in different ways to different people. I want to search for THE truth, not A truth. And as far as Im concerned (and I know many people disagree) the Bible is a book, with a divine purpose sure, but still written by mortal men. To say that somehow by not putting my absolute faith in every word of a book written by men, a book with flaws and inconsistencies, that I am "making myself God" is pretty insulting.

But like I said, If I must be labeled and if I were to fall into some tradition, it would be the protestant Christian tradition. My entire family is methodist, and some of my best friends and memories came from the church. My Christian experience has absolutely nothing to do with that of right wing fundamentalist Christians, and frankly Im sick of having to defend myself and explain that to people left and right. Im not so much mad at those who lump me in with them as I am at the right wing sect themselves for hijacking the Christian faith.

I am very interested in Christianity (all major world religions for that matter) and the life of Jesus Christ in a historical sense, although I don't believe that Jesus was the son of God, or God incarnate or any of that. And historically speaking, there is no factual evidence that he himself even implied that to be true. I also will defend Christians coming under fire...just as I will defend any other group. Because as you religion bashers complain about Christians being stupid and evil and intolerant etc etc..First of all, realize that you are generalizing a large population of the world, but really are only talking about certain sects within that population. And more importantly, are you any better? and do you realize that for centuries Christians were persecuted, tortured and killed for their beliefs? I don't have any problems with calling certain people out on their hypocrisy or anything like that...but why extend your disaproval to the lot of Christians? There are many Christians that are really on your side, but with this kind of stuff you're just being divisive.

 

I don't understand your's.

Reread it and we will see if you have at least half a brain.

I promoted independent thought. Not stupid thoughts or negative one's.

Regards
DL

 

Not quite.

The information recieved from any source must be evaluated for it's own merit and accepted or rejected.

As to Christianity. I do not need to believe in talking snakes to be a good Christian.

Regards
DL

 

Is this your first stupid statement today?

Regards
DL

 

I want to be divisive. I want to separate Christians from some of the more stupid notions that the Bible sells.

God can be found in the Christian Bible as well as in other places. You just need to know how to look.
Believing that God is a genocidal maniac that plays with talking snakes is not a good way to begin the search.

As for you, a quick scan of Gnostic teachings and how we all have a direct connection to God may be in order, From what you have written anyway.

Regards
DL

 

Now if you had said I want to separate Christians from some of the more stupid notions they have, I would say that was an admirable goal.
But when you say: stupid notions that the Bible sells, you put yourself in the same category as those who call themselves Christian and parrot what they’ve heard from others without checking the Bible for themselves. A simple reading of the Bible will show that these stupid notions do not come from there.

 

Huh.

Notions in the Bible do not come from the Bible. Huh???

Let's pick two. Talking snakes and parting water as in Moses.

Where doe these come from if not the Bible? How will a simple reading of the Bible show that they do not come from there?

Regards
DL

 

Looks like checkmate to me..........

 

Only if the opponent sees it.

Thanks.

Regards
DL

 

Are you defending biblical literalism and inerrancy? I thought from previous posts you indicated you didn't go along with some parts of the Bible. The assumption that being skeptical about some parts of the Bible is tantamount to calling oneself God places paramount faith in a Book as the infallible source of divine revelation. Not all Christians do this. Catholics, for example, rely on a church, reason and natural law to guide them through scripture, which from the very early days of Christianity was not taken literally. Methodists rely on Wesley's "Quadrilateral', including scripture, reason, tradition and faith. The problem with Greatest I Am's approach is that he insists that talking snakes and flood myths must be taken literally, and then tells us, over and over again, how ridiculous awful a God must be who would behave like that. It's a pointless game--unless you're a Biblical literalist. I really don't feel that the literalists are somehow more faithful to God or macho than I am, and using judgment and reason is not the same as "cherry picking".

 

Im not concered if you are insulted or not. There is no need to even bring it up. The fact is that you say you search for THE truth. where will you find this truth? Why do you disregard the bible, and where do you get your knowledge of the nature of God? If they are wrong, what makes you right?

To you, you can make the truth w/e you want it to be. I can swear with all my heard that God is actually my cat, and you can't disprove it. so to me, that is THE TRUTH. everyone nowadays makes their own God for themselves. I dont know if it is to just make their own lives easier, or appealing to their own ego or what.

 

Well, it kind of is the same. Where does your knowledge of God come from? Where does the fucking Pope's knowledge of God come from? You agree with the bible on certain points, such as the message of Jesus, and the fact that God exist, but disregard anything miraculous? cherry picking. Why can miracles not happen? miracles can not happen because they are miraculous wont get you far.
And why do you so look down upon literalists? do you know something they dont?

 

Hee...God doesn't kill people. Chuck Norris kills people.

 

why are you essentially repeating what I just said (God being found in other places, not believing everything it says in the bible) and acting like you are informing me? I dont believe God is a genocidal mainiac or that he plays with talking snakes...Are you even reading my posts??

 

Okay, well I just said insulted because I wanted to be more polite than to just call you stupid. Anyway, just so you know, if you are a protestant, your church was created during the reformation where they basically changed their interpretation of scripture and changed their doctrine to suit themselves. This is nothing new. Religion does not equal spirituality, and religion does not equal God.

 

have i said something stupid thus far? please show me where, if i am stupid.
please stay on topic if you actually want to discuss this, rather than reverting to childish name calling.

I have no idea why you bring up the protestant church, that was really a shot in the dark.
I also did not say this was a new thing. It doesn't change the fact that it still IS.
You seem to think that the Protestant church is not valid. Why dont you continue with your attack on churches? Show me a church who has a valid opinion on the TRUE nature of God.

 

haha wow NO I never said the protestant church wasn't valid. I said that with YOUR logic, it isnt valid. And are you kidding me?? I haven't been attacking churches, Ive been defending them, meanwhile being attacked by both church goers for not being a fundamentalist, and by non church goers for seeing anything worthwhile in religion at all. This is just rediculous. I BROUGHT UP THE PROTESTANT CHURCH BECAUSE APPARENTLY YOU THINK THAT IF YOU DON'T GO ALONG WITH EXACTLY WHAT THE CHURCH SAYS, OR INTERPRET THE BIBLE A CERTAIN WAY YOU ARE "MAKING YOURSELF GOD" IF THIS IS REALLY WHAT YOU THINK, THEN EVERY PROTESTANT (IN YOUR MIND) FROM MARTIN LUTHER IS "MAKING THEMSELVES GOD." THIS IS IN CAPS IN HOPES THAT YOU WILL ACTUALLY READ IT.

 

today on the news [fox] i saw a preacher talking about how god was causing an increase in natural disasters

because we are all so bad

and you wonder why the rest of us think christianity is stupid

[i love fox news as it achieves the same result as sniffing glue]

 

My beliefs and the basis for them seem to be very similar to Bradley1107's. I've explained them in great detail on various posts, but once again:

• Why am I a Christian? Because the life and message of Jesus, non-judgmental unconditional love, equality, and concern for the outcasts and nobodies in the world resonates with me as being self-evidently true;
• How do I know--anything? It's a judgment call based on my experience, reason, assessment of available evidence, and intuitive risk-taking (aka, "faith");
• How did I find out about Jesus and His message? Through the Bible;
• Why am I not then a Biblical literalist? Because the Bible seems to me to contain contradictions and unflattering portraits of God that GreatestIam has been entertaining us with in several threads;and because I find the interpretations of progressive Christian scholars more plausible;
• Can miracles happen? I have no basis for ruling them out; but on the basis of my experience and judgment I've been persuaded by Hume that it makes sense to believe in them only if alternative non-miraculous interpretations, such as the sources being mistaken, can be ruled out;
• Could I be wrong? Absolutely! In fact, I'd almost be willing to bet that I'm dead wrong about many things, and may very well burn in Hell for them;
• How do I go about my "cherry picking"? Very carefully, using my faith in a just and benevolent God as my guide;
• Why do I so look down on literalists? I don't think I look down on them, but I do look down on a belief system that offers such a cramped view of God, science, and the meaning of life. Far from focusing on the "fundamentals", it seems to me they are preoccupied with irrelevant issues about what the Bible says here and there, and miss the point. They are like the Pharisees Jesus debated. That's exactly what they are--latter day Pharisees (of the Shammai school)! Do I look down on Bush supporters? Some of them I know are fine people, treat their wives and children decently, etc. But when it comes to voting, I think they're messed up and dangerous, and I'll certainly express my oppostion to their political views. Same with fundamentalists--Christian, Moslem, Jewish, or Hindu.