God does not exist

No, but they are interlinked in many cases. For many, they're one in the same and that's a-o-k by me.

Exactly, if Christianity was seen as destructive cult, child protective services would definitely get involved. The thing with that is why don't they get involved? It could be that experts have concluded that it isn't destructive so they let it be. Personally, I think you're venting over a group of people who themselves don't seem to be going along with the tenets of their own beliefs. Jesus had a lot to say about this. I am not exactly thrilled either but it's a huge stretch to group all religious people like this.

Would you think this of Gandhi? Martin Luther King Jr. ? Teresa? Bhagat Puran Singh?

 

Sorry, I was being a bit ...

Well anyway, what I was saying was that there is no need for the religion that teaches true Christianity to call itself anything other than Christianity, although they might.

The big problem that occurs is that many religions that do not teach true Christianity also call themselves Christianity.

So the question is not what true Christianity is called but how do we tell the difference between the wheat and the tares.

Jesus said by their fruitage you will know them and then said that they will will display love among themselves and show love toward others and that they will being doing God's will.

For one thing, showing love would mean that you would not kill others in wars, so if a Christian or Christian religion backs carnal or worldly warfare, that would pretty much show they are not true Christians.

Next Jesus did God's will when on Earth and what he did was preach God's Kingdom, so if the primary purpose of a Christian or Christian religion is not preaching God's Kingdom, then that would pretty much show they are not true Christians.

 

the essence of christian is universalist - the god of creation is god
for all . the tribal god does not exist . i think this is what got jesus in
big jewish trouble .

the chosen
people of god ? this ego is old , persistent and not
peculiar to judaism . sure , it can be annoying and
especially to whoo?

 

No, religion is not necessary for teaching morals, but as I and Def made reasonably clear, a parent's values are usually not compartmentalized. For a religious person, morality is integrally involved with a broader belief-value system or system of meaning which is based on religion. I think it's more important (and hard enough) for a parent to impart good morals than to bend over backwards to avoid religious influence. But it's important for the parent not to be crazy (i.e., extreme), which I think some religious folks are--not necessarily clinically so, but functionally so, as a result of their pathological beliefs. I don't think there's a practical solution to this in a society that's committed to religious liberty. The best we can do is avoid extremism in our own beliefs and practices, and try, if the occasion arises, to challenge it in others as best we can.

As for how believers can accept the behavior of non-religious people as moral, I can only speak for myself. I'm not an ethicist, but I rely on rough and ready criteria like the harm principle, Kant's categorical imperative, and of course Jesus' teachings of unconditional love for everyone, including society's rejects. I've seen atheist parents in action whom I'd judge to be good parents, because they're decent people with good values and impart them to their kids effectively.

"Cult" is usually defined in terms of mind control, and it's a matter of degree. Most mainline Protestant churches I know wouldn't be meaningfully characterized as cults. Churches like the Westboro baptists or those polygamist groups, whose leaders are in the members' business trying to micromanage their lives and turn the women into Stepford dolls, are cults. Certainly, there would be groups in between where it would be difficult to draw the line.

 

the cult gets defined as an unlovable enemy by the pretentious
authority of the chosen . who of the light has or is authority ?

 

Tikoo:

Bring out your god! bring out your god!

Where are the goddies hiding god?

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CMThz7eQ6K0"]David Bowie - Ashes To Ashes - YouTube

 

God and Jesus.

I have been accused of relying on my own interpretation before and probably will be again but if my "interpretation" is correct, it really doesn't matter whether you say it is "my interpretation" or not, does it?

As for the "New" versus the "Old", although the "Old" is fulled with principles we can use to guide our lives, Christians are no longer under the Law Covenant.

I gave a couple of litmus tests that can be used to find the "religion" that teaches the true Christianity and those tests should narrow down the field quite a bit for you.

 

OWB's argument is basically that if everyone followed the precepts of true Christianity, the world would be a much better place.

Okay, and if everyone followed the precepts of My Little Pony, the world would be a much better place too (too many rainbows and unicorns for me, but it's better than all the death and disease we have now). That doesn't mean the My Little Ponies are real, though, so it's skirting the issue.

As for whose interpretation of Christianity is correct, I imagine it's the same as whose interpretation of history is correct: the Victors'. And since nobody knows how the entire thing plays out, nobody can claim to be more correct than anyone else.

 

It is clear that there never is one interpretation, so when people are dissing religion it makes no sense to proclaim one christian's interpretation as subjective, yet to disprove the existence of god and the relevance of a holy book they are focussing on the one interpretation that made the less sense to them and project on christians as a whole.

 

I can't stand the comparison of proving leprechauns or gods existence. It's a total different matter, talk about taking things out of context. I think the only situation where your argument rings true is when people are bothering you about God's existence.
So if there's no need to disprove the existence of god why did you make this thread? When it comes to personal faith (which by defintion is something that cannot be proven) in God there isn't any burden of proof on the person who believes so by definition.

 

My bad, I must be confused with another thread. The one about religious faith is bad I guess. Yes, when peeps are pushing their beliefs, wether they are atheist or religious, onto others it is wrong. Not so the belief in God by definition and neither is there any burden of proof for the person who happens to be blessed with faith in hope, God, the force and so be it fairies or other nature spirits. :2thumbsup:

 

space : in the wild light

the completeness of space is yet a revelation , and
then we are home . to the bumbling space hobo , homelessness is a laughable complaint - since itsa here i stand and here i is , the light
is wild , and thissa space for me is more than evil will let you know .

a sublime feeling of home is a primary
aspect of extending into all existence .

just as jesus children say god is kind , the
extraordinary existence is kind .

 

God is hidden in the wild light? Or the darkness where it is born?

Does this mean the engoddened prefer their god dead 'on the whole'? Is their conception all important to their kind of life?

Of course proof is no burden to the believers, it is not god they believe in at bottom but themselves like everyone else. lol

Home is where the heart is, but never without its head!

 

the proof of god should be an experience with existence . i do not
believe humanity has had a mass experience . an unquestionable mass
experience with the divine is a christian prophesy .

the experiences that believers may account as proof are diverse .
some may speak of an ecstacy . i do not .

the wild light ? it's wonderfully common to life , and there is
a kindness it gives . first though , its story must begin and this
shall be beyond the stories you have heard and all because your
first story has been misplaced . shh ... it's in the meadow , hidden
in tall grass .