Having A Hard Time With Religion Because Of People

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That alone kind of shows why I hate religion. You say one thing, but I've heard many, many other people say it's another. Some say hell is a physical place where everyone who doesn't believe in god goes, others it's a separation from god. Well if there is a god I am separate from him now and I wouldn't call this hell, so unless god makes things much, much worse when we die for being separate from him, then I don't see any reason to join up with him.

So Jesus didn't come to die for original sin, but for everyones sins. So the few years before Jesus came, no one got into heaven because of unforgiven sin? Or were their rituals and blood sacrifices enough for their sins? If it was enough then why did Jesus show up just to die? If Jesus came to save the non-chosen people... Then why did he show up to the jews and preach to them, ignoring the vast majority of non-chosen people?

And as for punishing people for their sins, why hasn't god cast plagues and boils down onto the truly horrific people of this world? The warlords in Sudan that rape and kill across the country? The world leaders that allow the warlords to rape and kill across the country? He use to do it in the old testament, why isn't he doing it any more?

In closing, I see no reason what so ever to believe in a god, a loving one or not.

I see Hell less as a physical place and more as a spiritual place. your test isn't over yet, so you still have time to change your answer. Since you still have time to change your answer, you are not in hell.

Actually one of the non-paul guys who wrote epistles went into this: he said that people who where making sacrifices where trying to mimic what Jesus would one day do. But goats and sheep where not, if you don't mind my choice of words, "strong enough". Something perfect was needed.

What I read in the Bible implies that nobody but Jesus is in heaven yet: everyone will go there at the same time: both the worthy who died before and those who died after. and the Bible says multiple times God has a system for determining wether people who didn't get to hear the word reach heaven.

Who's to say God doesn't still send plagues? I just think we interpret them as something else, and I don't think it's something he does "all the time". many of the plagues in the bible happened centuries apart.

I think taking my own path through spirituality is the best plan. I think I'll be able to do much more on my own than listening to people telling me what to do anyway.

I personally question free will and strongly don't believe in supernatural forces or anything to do with religion. Once I die, there'll be nothing. And I'm extremely happy with that. Living forever would be exhausting torture. I hardly think about religion but sometimes I think 'How did the universe begin?' and I can only say that it's unknowable as it's unobservable.

My idea of free will is questionable as everything should be able to be predicated without enough variables and calculations, everything is caused by something before it. If there was a supernatural creator, that'd add an additional unpredictable variable outside the realms of the universe which wouldn't be able to be predicted.

If people give you crap about religion, tell them that it's your choice in what you believe.
But I think you should go on a spiritual journey to strengthen beliefs and find out what you really believe in then take that to the core.

One of the hallmarks of true religion as outlined by Jesus himself is found in John 13:34-35 where John records: "34 I am giving YOU a new commandment, that YOU love one another; just as I have loved YOU, that YOU also love one another. 35 By this all will know that YOU are my disciples, if YOU have love among yourselves." Did you notice what Jesus said in verse 35? He said "all will know that YOU* are my disciples, if you have love among yourselves." I placed an emphasis on the "if." That would not only be the hallmark of true Christians but it would also help identify them in the last day, which Jesus spoke about in Mark 13:4, Matthew 24:3, 36.

*the spelling of YOU in the Bible generally is referring to a large organization of people instead of a single individual

As the chapter 15 of the book What Does the Bible Really Teach, published by the Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society of Pennsylvania, puts it:



I see my brothers and sisters as just that: brothers and sisters. I don't see race, creed, or economic status, or anything. They are all my friends and an extension of my family. In fact if I travel to another country I would be warmly greeted by my brothers and sisters there. We work together to unselfishly deliver free, biblical truths because Jesus commissioned us to do this until the end comes. It's a work we never retire from become we live in critical times hard to deal with. (2 Timothy 3:1-5). There's an urgency to this discipline making work!

Last edited by kxmode on 06 Oct 2010, 2:32 am, edited 2 times in total.

The vast majority of the human race are NOT your brothers and sisters. They are your cousins by some degree and removal. Why? Because we all share common grandparents of some generational degree. We are all the descendants of a single female as is shown by our mitochondrial DNA. She was the Super Grandma of the human race as it exists today.

ruveyn

I know this. We are spiritual brothers and sisters. Our love for one another is just as strong as family.

I think you and I have a very different set of acquaintances. I am indifferent to most people, but I make sure I am polite to them, if it is possible to be polite.

ruveyn

That's a fundamental difference though.

You love other people because Jesus commissioned you to.
I do it because I'm a good person, not because I was commissioned to or for anything in return.

It sounds to me as though you're now at an age where you're starting to see through all the BS and questioning the rationale and hypocrisy put forth by religion. Don't let fear be your guide and trust your own insticts and morality as a human being. Religion has absolutely nothing do do with being a good person. Take your time with it. You may find that Christianity does suit you, but then again, you may find that it does not. Be true to yourself and avoid salesmen.

Why do you put words in my mouth? I said no such thing. The preaching of the good news is a commission from Jesus. (Matthew 24:14; Matthew 28:19, 20) But love for Jehovah and for fellow humans (Matthew 5:43) is what compels us to do this work. Why is "commission" a bad word in your mind? As one definition puts it commission is "authority granted for a particular action." Preaching the good news about God's kingdom is an action that has been granted to us from the most high authority in the universe, and it truly is a privilege for if we kept silent Jehovah would make the stones cry out! (Luke 19:40) As it stands this preaching campaign is an extension of God's love and mercy to save as many humans from adamic sin and death before the end comes. (Matthew 13:24-43; Matthew 24:14; Mark 13:4; Hebrews 9:26) He doesn't want anyone to die, but through accurate knowledge of his word anyone can be saved. (John 17:3) For his witnesses (Isaiah 43:10) we want to show him our love by our faith in his word the Bible and by our works to obey his commands. Telling people of the nations about the good news of his kingdom is one of ways in which we can express this love for both Jehovah and our fellow human. But to be honest the response we get out in the field ministry makes the preaching work difficult at times. I would be dishonest if I said it was easy. Jesus said in John 7:7 "The world has no reason to hate YOU, but it hates me, because I bear witness concerning it that its works are wicked." He also said in John 15:19 "If YOU were part of the world, the world would be fond of what is its own. Now because YOU are no part of the world, but I have chosen YOU out of the world, on this account the world hates YOU." Our message in a world that is lying in the power of the wicked one (1 John 5:19) under the influence of the god of this system of things (2 Corinthians 4:3) is unpopular because it exposes Satan the Devil for what he is and where his world is going. Under Satan's earthly influence the world will collectively refuse and reject the message (2 Corinthians 4:4), some times angrily.

From what I read I thought it was implied that you did it because the bible told you to rather than by a sense free will.

Your assumption that just because someone believes they will be rewarded for their actions means that they are doing it solely for said reward is judgmental, and if you ask me, a little arrogant given how you worded it. I mean, I could just as easily ask if you're doing what's right because it's right or because you like to go around and tell people how good a person you are and how much better you are than everyone else.

sure there are plagues. i exist.

michael vick exists. a COMPLETELY different kind of plague.

glenn beck exists. a king among plagues. the plague of all plagues leading plagues to DOOM.

yes, if god exists, he certainly has a sense of humor.

commissioned? commissioned? i was commissioned while in the air force. only one left to take the rank. does that count? did not know jesus was involved. another failure. woe to me.

What makes you good?

False. John 17:3 says "This is eternal life: that they may know You, the only true God, and the One You have sent--Jesus Christ."

No amount of "accurate knowledge" is sufficient for eternal life. Only faith in Jesus Christ.