Something that I thought about even when I considered myself a Christian is the amount of gratitude given Jesus for dying on the cross. I don’t know if he really did die and resurrect, but for the sake of argument suppose he did. He died on a cross, certainly horribly and was dead for possibly as long as 3 full days during which time the Bible talks about him going down into Hell to argue with the Devil or something like that. Probably not a good experience either, but then he is alive again and as far as Christians tell the story he is still alive, an immortal. All other men on the other hand have died forever. Many men in war die for something as meaningless as a piece of ground that may never be won or if won may be lost again, and they stay dead forever. Meanwhile, Jesus is back at it, breathing in the sweet air (a requirement of being alive), etc. I think if you average out the number of seconds he was dead versus the number of people he was potentially saving, it must average to thousands or millions per second. And again as I said, he gets the old ghost back again and enters the land of the living.
Don’t you think a good act is reward enough? Even if he did it, why the excessive worship? How about a simple thank-you and leave it at that? I am all for canceling Easter and Christmas myself unless they can be declared as simply a time of gift-giving to those we love.
If you’re going to accept that Jesus died for our sins, then you also have to accept the progression – that by our sins we were condemed to eternal damnation and indescirbable suffering, and that He spared us from that.
I think that puts the gratitude in perspective.
I understand all the words, they just don’t make sense together like that.
Personally, even if someone saved me from physical death my gratitude would probably be a heartfelt thank-you and that is about it. No one even knows what is really out their after death so I don’t see how thanks for something as uncertain as that can supersede something like having your physical life saved.
Yes, but Christians really do believe that Jesus gave them an entirely undeserving chance at an eternal life of bliss. The fact that it’s “uncertain” to those who do not believe in eternal life after death does not change the gratitude of those who do.
I found a link to an article originally from the Journal of the American Medical Association, on the physical death of Jesus. It describes, in great clinical detail, exactly what happens during a crucifixion. It’s fascinating reading, though not for the squeamish.
Lots of ways to die excrutiatingly. Hope you also appreciate those WWII, Korean and Vietnam vets (to name some of the recent ones, don’t know if any Gulf War vets had horrible deaths) who died horribly to help preserve the freedoms you enjoy today.
Why the excessive worship? Because to those who worship him he is a deity. A “heart felt gratitude and that’s about it”? You never been in that situation have you ,Ls? There is a life long,deeply heartfelt, even excessive gratitude Ask some of those men you were talking about. who have been involved in “trading " that piece of ground back and forth. that’s where you said " All other men who have died are dead forever,” well that’s just the point. Some people beleave that because Jesus died, all other men are NOT dead forever. And for some that is more important than physical life. Again you can take a look at that piece of land and find the bodies of men who gave up their physical life because they felt there was something more important. Go ahead cancel Easter and Christmas, no one is forcing you to celebrate the religious parts of them. you don’t have to celebrate the religious parts of St Patricks day or St Valentines day either if you don’t want to. Understand I am not arguing with your beleifs, just your logic.
Oh, and ,Dad, your short again.
“Pardon me while I have a strange interlude.”-Marx
I certainly do appreciate veterans, as we all should. Back on topic, assuming that Jesus died for peoples’ sins, then the New Testament would be true, Jesus basically is God, and certainly worthy of praise just for that. That He is willing to listen, help us, and all the rest is a wonderful bonus.