Or, I can be self-dependent and responsible for the consequences of my actions.
Or, I can work at devloping relationships with family and friends, you know, real people
Don’t believe in him, so none of that applies
This reminds me of a Catholic lady I used to work with who become aware that I was a non-believer. She was stunned by this, incredulous really. She said I was the first atheist she had ever met. :dubious: I told her we rarely wore our hats, so we are hard to spot. Anyway, she asked “So what happens to you when you die?” I responded “My body will be interred in a green burial, so it will decompose, as all dead things in nature do.” She clarified “what about your soul?” “no such thing” I replied. “There is no soul, no afterlife, you die, and that’s it.”
This was the part she could just not accept. That there was no “after” that follows this life. I wonder how many Christians are Christians just because they can’t wrap their heads around their own mortality.
If we’re going to just throw Bible quotes out there, let’s widen the playing field a bit shall we?
How do these scriptures make you feel do they have any meaning to you whatsoever? If not, perhaps you can now see what impact quoting scripture from the Bible has on others, regardless of how they make you feel or how firmly you believe them to be the Truth. Every one of those scriptures above make others feel exactly the same way, or even more fervently.
Um, yeah it does…
1 Corinthians 7:2
But because of the temptation to sexual immorality, each man should have his own wife and each woman her own husband.
Does it say, each man should have his own wives, and each woman her own husbands?
There a lot of figures in the Bible (David, Solomon, Jacob) who had multiple wives or wives and concubines. None of it is spoken of disapprovingly and it’s not banned in the commandment against adultery. Are you really going to argue that the word “own” takes are of all of that?
By the way, if you’re going to respond to this, I’d appreciate it if you would take the time to address that idolatry stuff or the posts about belief. They’re much more central to this discussion.
Define and quantify that statement, and explain how it’s any difference from the intense feeling of peace and understanding that adherents of other religions get when they read their respective scriptures.
Okay, Jesus is God. He came down as a human. Doesn’t mean He still isn’t God.
Do you want a human to just pop up without any ancestry, without a lineage? Wouldn’t that make it harder to believe. And besides, maybe part of the reason he was born our of a womb in the lowest of low births, was to not only show that it was a humble birth, nothing like what people would expected, and to show that He knows what we go through. He was human. He was even tempted by Satan himself.
This isn’t part of the back and forth, really, so no need to reply. But if you’re trying to understand a world view with a different reaction to that, try reading “Mono no Aware” a short story by Ken Liu. It’s been nominated for a Hugo award this year.
Perhaps having an impact on this world is better than hoping that there is something ‘after death’ - so - go, have an impact on this world now, while you have a chance - hopefully you’ll do it in a positive fashion, otherwise, we’ll read about it in the papers and can use you as an example of what not to do.
You over estimate the importance of “having an impact”.
The amazing thing is, if that’s true, Jesus talked to his father (who was in heaven at the time) while he was on earth. Maybe that was an assistant God.
I doubt this is going to accomplish anything. This is one of the places where it would be useful if Timo knew the history of the Bible the way Christian posters like Polycarp and tomndebb do.
Yeah, I tried answering that in the previous posts to the best of my ability. But it’s just going to have to be answered by another brother or sister who has more experience.
I agree, knowing that 66% of the world’s population to eternal damnation is pretty gruesome. But gospel is being spread, how much? probably not good enough. But think about it, you’re part of that 66% populations. Why? because you can’t believe that there can be good people going to hell, which makes you a great person for believing so. And I can assume that there are many others who have the same feeling. But aren’t you contributing to the number of great people going to hell? Now, say you wanted to be saved, not because of not being able to answer this question that even I don’t know, but because you know, that by doing so, you can help spread the Gospel, you can help save more great people."
But now, to try to answer your question, I’m going to use this analogy.
I’m not saying everyone has great parents or loving ones, but let’s try to ignore that for now.
Say that your mother was loving. You know that if you stole a cookie out of the cookie jar, she’ll still love you. You know that if you lied to her, she’ll still love you. You know that if you stole money from her purse, she’ll still love you. You know that even if you don’t listen to her, she’ll still love you. You know that if you were suspended from school, she’ll still love you, You know that if you were put in jail, she’ll still love you. Now, you haven’t committed murder, but do you think you can assume that even if you commit it, she’ll still love you?
This love is the same as God’s love for us. Except He knows us better than our moms. He knows our secrets that we hide from others. Yet he still loves us. Pretend that this is true, I know you don’t believe, but pretend.
Now it says in the Bible, that God loves all of us. In fact he gave His only Son for us. Would you sacrifice your son, or child, assuming that you have one, to people that hate you, that do something against what you say, that mock you, that belittle you, that may hate you? I know I wouldn’t. But He did.
Going back, God loves us all. If He loves us all, and like how a mother loves us, don’t you assume that He’s going to at least give you chances to believe in Him? Now, what happens to people’s lives, we don’t know, we don’t know every detail in a person’s life. We don’t know whether they were touched by God but decided to ignore it, or whether they had a small feeling that He could be real. However, we do know that God is loving. God is just. Would God be loving and just if He sent those who never had a chance to hell? For me, no. But He is loving, He is just. He loves us more than we love each other. He knows us when we were just babies. He knows our troubles and pain.
So, while I don’t really know the answer, this is what I believe in.
Plus, read verse Romans 1:20. Maybe they have a different name for God. I believe He’s also called Yahweh before He was called God. Point being, if they never heard of the Bible or the Gospel was never preached to them, they can still believe in the same God. He doesn’t have to be called “God” to listen. You can say like…“Father or Yahweh” Or you know…chinese or indian or a spanish way of saying God.
Your loving mother, as patient as she is, if you continue to defy her or claim someone else is your mother, is going to toss you in the oven, and lock it on the clean cycle. :eek: