A loving God that instills fear of punishment as His "love"?

Accepting Jesus is a choice not an act.

 

A concession would have to made by those of the Jewish faith. A concession that the Messiah could indeed be a spiritual savior rather than the enemy conquering "King of Israel".

 

Wasn't the whole "accept Christ and get salvation" thing constructed by a guy who never even met Jesus?

Paul.

Perhaps the religion should be called Paulism.

 

semantics

 

be good and don't fuck with other people's stuff

this is how I read the tenants of every religion I know anything about
Granted I don't know that much, sometimes even of my own

Heaven, what it is, how to get there, who will get there varies even among Christians. I a glad that Eddie and I beleive differentely, his way is cunfusing and ask me not to think for myself when Jesus himself walked around challenging evrything in the state and church

choice IS an act by the way

 

Not a physical act. I'll concede that it's an act of volition.

 

LOL, you are a fool, pure and simple. You quote only what you wish of the Bible, then proclaim you are not a Christian but yet you are saved. All after bashing me for admitting I looked at other religions. You bash others for their beliefs but you have no beliefs except your little game of pick and choose. I believe, and you may know verse and chapter, but somewhere Christ states, "Deny me and I will deny you to my father."

Like I stated I have never had a problem stating I am a Christian who doesn't necessarily believe in organized religion, for those are ways to use the teachings as a control. I'd rather READ what the Christ taught and try to live by His teachings. But I will not deny Him or being a follower of Him.

You Eddie are the typical Mega church goer. You go to be seen, you learn ONLY what you believe will empower you over others and think that will save you. You are truly the scariest of Christians because you portend to know everything, and yet, you know just enough to mess with people and try to dissuade them from the truth.

If you are an Atheist who has studied the Bible then admit it to begin with. Don't start quoting and passing judgment on others beliefs when later it comes out you don't know what you believe.

 

I don't go to church.

 

Again, Eddie you show your ignorance.

The whole purpose of knowing and accepting Jesus, is that your life will become better. As for Gandhi and Buddha, they will reside with God, questioning and doing their thing. I believe God judges based on how firm your belief was. Did you live by what you believed? Gandhi and Buddha did and taught others their ways. I don't believe in a fire and brimstone Hell and that God banishes people there for an eternity.

Jesus doesn't just "give you a pass" it is HOW YOU LIVED LIFE AFTER KNOWING HIS WORD." It's how criminals "are saved", their bodies are serving their punishment, but their souls at least get heard by God because Christ stands before God stating he knows them and thus they may be judged by their life AFTER knowing and accepting Christ. It's not a "freebie".

As for those before Christ, I believe and hope God bases his judgment on how they lived their lives. Or they get another chance through reincarnation. (BTW I believe in the Metaphysical also such as reincarnation, UFO's, and ghosts, so will my believing is such things send me to Hell, Eddie?)

Again, much of what is in the Bible itself (esp. the KJV and Bibles based from that) try to scare people into submission and fear. If you truly know Christ, or are truly secure in what you believe then there should be no reason for fear. But that is my belief, I am open in it, but firm with it. It doesn't allow me to judge others and that is what I like most about how I believe.

 

No it's not. The purpose of accepting Christ as your savior is to have new life, not make the old, flesh life better.

 

on that same note, who is anyone to pass judgement on anyone else for what they believe out of faith? it's called faith for a reason: because it isn't logical to believe that some dude turned water to wine, raised some guy from the dead, and made a thanksgiving buffet out of a few fishes and loaves, but then again it isn't logical to believe that the results of an experiment can be changed by how it is observed but fuck me, that happened right? (in reference to the results of wave-particle theory of electrons in a double-slit experiment changing on whether the electrons were observed before or after they went through the slits)

my view: people are going to believe what they're going to believe. Jesus, Mohammed, Budda, Brahma, the absence of a supernatural being... i couldn't care less, just keep your faith to yourself we'll get along fine.

 

For one who claims to not be a follower you sure do pretend well. I do have a question, you over and over and over state you will be in Heaven and the "non believers" here will be "thrown into a Lake of fire, because they have not accepted Jesus." So which is it Eddie are you "saved" or are you just judging others?

I think you'll say whatever you want just to keep attention on yourself. Because in this way the debate becomes about Eddie's circular posts that lead nowhere but back to Eddie. I think I understand you Eddie. Until you come forth with your belief and choose to stand by it regardless of pressure, then I truly have no doubt you believe and stand for nothing. In that aspect you'd make a great politician.

 

When did I ever mention the word "follower?" I said I'm not a christian, and then I explained why I don't consider myself a christian. I don't use labels to describe what I believe. If someone wants to know what I believe, I'll tell them.

 

Ah so if I am John Wayne Gacy and I find Christ but still kill little boys, I'm saved. Not. Because by believing Christ/Buddha/Mohammed etc, it leads to knowing we are not perfect BUT that we have a WAY of life that leads to internal peace. Is it tough? Yes. Is it easy to fail? Of course we are human. That's where Jesus preaches that if you cannot forgive, the father cannot forgive you, do unto others, etc." THOSE are what Jesus taught, if you are a follower than you try to live by those words.

The whole purpose of Jesus is that you will live a better life in this human tent and he gives hope "if" there is an afterlife. The way you teach is that of watching Pat Robertson and the faux prophets that teach what you do here doesn't matter. It allows for them to be greedy and drive Mercedes', wear Rolexes, and have these multi-million dollar churches and mansions. Jesus talked about them in Matthew 21:12-17 Jesus entered the temple and began to drive out the merchants and their customers.He knocked over the tables of the money changers and the stalls of those selling doves. He said, "The scriptures declare, 'My templewill be called a place of prayer,' but you have turned it into a den of thieves." (cough cough mega churches cough cough)

 

Well, Eddie seeing as how you are not a follower, then I put little credence into how you feel and your opinion.Truly Eddie, there is no purpose for you to discuss "your" version of what I follow any longer. I know the truth in which I believe I am not a confused man child proclaiming to know things and damning everyone because they refuse to believe the way I tell them to.

Is that harsh of me? Perhaps, but I am becoming heavily offended by a jerk who believes he has all the answers, yet knows nothing.

 

So what steps do you take, if any, to address your "sins" in such as way as to prevent repeating them or to make amends to others for harm done by your actions? Or is it, "I'm going to church Sunday and profess my acceptance of Jesus as my savior and drive home clean and virtuous?"

 

ah, the old "deeds versus beliefs" distinction. Looks like the Protestant reformation all over again around here, minus the burning of heretics.
Carry on............