Britain bends the knee

[BillyCarpenter]

Yes, I make decisions based on my own judgement. Whose judgment should I be basing my decisions on? If I used the Bible I would be stoning people for the choice to wear two different fabrics at the same time. I would be killing people because they planted two different crops side by side.
If you can't decide things for yourself, you would be so easy to lead in any direction.

I get your point but that's not entirely true. Our values are formed in many ways, including our parents that raised us. That's why many killers were raised by abusive parents.

[BillyCarpenter]

A God that demands justice does not seem unreasonable to me. Would a Judge that lets a thief and murderer free because he claims he's a good person be a good judge?

Hey, I don't understand why you said this? Is it because I said that burning in hell for eternity seems unreasonable? No offense but that sounds like something out of the Al Queda handbook.

[Copier Addict]

So your decisions are based solely upon your own judgement? That's a flimsy thing you know. It's subject to the broader culture, your tendency to be pessimistic or optimistic, whether you woke up on the wrong side of bed...

Yes, I make decisions based on my own judgement. Whose judgment should I be basing my decisions on? If I used the Bible I would be stoning people for the choice to wear two different fabrics at the same time. I would be killing people because they planted two different crops side by side.
If you can't decide things for yourself, you would be so easy to lead in any direction.

[nullskull]

I also looked at it from another angle. They say all sin is equal. And you'll burn in hell for eternity for any of them if you don't ask for forgiveness. That seems totally unreasonable to me and not someone I want to worship.

A God that demands justice does not seem unreasonable to me. Would a Judge that lets a thief and murderer free because he claims he's a good person be a good judge?

[BillyCarpenter]

People reject the true God because he isn't who they want him to be. And no someone simply can't pull out salvation at the last second. That's disingenuous at best. Not that it'd be impossible for someone to turn to faith before they died. But to think it's as simple as saying a few words no. I believe the Holy Spirit is what touches our hearts and minds.

I didn't grow up in the church and neither of my parents were religious. I never remember discussing religion with my parents I had no idea what God was about and didn't want him to be anything other than what he is, or isn't.,

Look, I respect most religion but don't assume that because you had a certain religious experience that I did something wrong or failed to do something. I gave it an honest shot.

[nullskull]

I've had that conversation with a believer when I was much younger. I won't bother going over it but lets just say I wasn't satisfied with their answer. I think if someone is going to believe in God that they should go into very skeptical and ask the toughest of questions. Hell, I grew up in the bible belt and finally realized that I was holding on to God out of fear. That ain't no way to live.

People reject the true God because he isn't who they want him to be. And no someone simply can't pull out salvation at the last second. That's disingenuous at best. Not that it'd be impossible for someone to turn to faith before they died. But to think it's as simple as saying a few words no. I believe the Holy Spirit is what touches our hearts and minds.

[nullskull]

I use my critical thinking abilities to decide between good or bad. It's really that simple. I don't need an almighty deity to decide that for me.

So your decisions are based solely upon your own judgement? That's a flimsy thing you know. It's subject to the broader culture, your tendency to be pessimistic or optimistic, whether you woke up on the wrong side of bed...

[BillyCarpenter]

But the get out of jail free card is simply accepting on your deathbed. So one could do the most horrific things and still go to heaven as long as they accepted Jesus before they die.

I've had that conversation with a believer when I was much younger. I won't bother going over it but lets just say I wasn't satisfied with their answer. I think if someone is going to believe in God that they should go into very skeptical and ask the toughest of questions. Hell, I grew up in the bible belt and finally realized that I was holding on to God out of fear. That ain't no way to live.

[Copier Addict]

I also looked at it from another angle. They say all sin is equal. And you'll burn in hell for eternity for any of them if you don't ask for forgiveness. That seems totally unreasonable to me and not someone I want to worship.

But the get out of jail free card is simply accepting on your deathbed. So one could do the most horrific things and still go to heaven as long as they accepted Jesus before they die.

[BillyCarpenter]

What got me is how people insist on using the Bible to prove the Bible. And nobody ever had an answer to what happens to the all the people and civilisations that predate the old and new Testament. Do they all go to hell simply because they were born before Christ?

I also looked at it from another angle. They say all sin is equal. And you'll burn in hell for eternity for any of them if you don't ask for forgiveness. That seems totally unreasonable to me and not someone I want to worship.

[Copier Addict]

As a kid, young man and adult, I did everything to make myself believe in God. Went to church and saw folks talk in tongues. Had many conversations with believers. They always told me that they knew god was real because they could feel him. I never felt shit and tried. Finally I had to be honest with myself based on my experience.

What got me is how people insist on using the Bible to prove the Bible. And nobody ever had an answer to what happens to the all the people and civilisations that predate the old and new Testament. Do they all go to hell simply because they were born before Christ?

[BillyCarpenter]

By the way, I'm not trying to convince anyone that God isn't real.

[BillyCarpenter]

Wow! Is that a consensus? Could this be a breakthrough?

As a kid, young man and adult, I did everything to make myself believe in God. Went to church and saw folks talk in tongues. Had many conversations with believers. They always told me that they knew god was real because they could feel him. I never felt shit and tried. Finally I had to be honest with myself based on my experience.

[Copier Addict]

No, I actually agree with you. Nobody knows. However, you can't get something from nothing. I'm pretty sure that's true.

Wow! Is that a consensus? Could this be a breakthrough?

[BillyCarpenter]

Okay. I'll tell you what, I'm not going to try to debate a topic I don't fully understand. But feel free to debate amongst yourself.

The next time someone asks this question, I would simply say that I don't need to prove how the world came to be to prove that God isn't real.