If it's true that Americans are losing faith, then things will only get worse, not better

[Lysistrata]

In the past at least decade the U.S. has experienced what, in modern times, I hope is the worst that "Christianity" (both Catholic and Protestant, not sure about the Orthodox) has to offer.

It's not the people who are "losing faith" who are doing it. It's the people who say that they are "people of faith." They should never have taken Jesus' teachings out of "Christianity," and reduced him to a mere figurehead while they turned on their fellow human beings and acted like sick authoritarians without a shread of Jesus in them. Some things were supposed to be sacred.

 

[james bond]

Again, doesn't this make your sky pixie kind of a sadist? He sets otherwise decent people against each other so he can "enjoy conflict".

Why do you blame God???!!!???!!! It's like blaming Obama for handing out tax breaks. Isn't it Satan and sin that caused all our troubles?

 

[JoeB131]

Why do you blame God???!!!???!!! It's like blaming Obama for handing out tax breaks. Isn't it Satan and sin that caused all our troubles?

Um, well, God Created Satan.
God knows all that is going to happen.
God knew exactly what Satan was going to do.

If you believe that shit, which I don't.

 

[Fort Fun Indiana]

Nonsense. The advacement of the human race has happened because we have been slowly clawing out from under the shroud of iron aged religious superstition.

 

[james bond]

Why do you blame God???!!!???!!! It's like blaming Obama for handing out tax breaks. Isn't it Satan and sin that caused all our troubles?

Um, well, God Created Satan.
God knows all that is going to happen.
God knew exactly what Satan was going to do.

If you believe that shit, which I don't.

No, he created Lucifer and gave all his angels free will. Lucifer was a good angel at first and became the best and most powerful one.

Yes, God knows what is going to happen because he can see into our universe's future and he saw what "Lucifer" was going to do.

Now, are you going to say why didn't he stop it?

 

[JoeB131]

No, he created Lucifer and gave all his angels free will. Lucifer was a good angel at first and became the best and most powerful one.

Yes, God knows what is going to happen because he can see into our universe's future and he saw what "Lucifer" was going to do.

Now, are you going to say why didn't he stop it?

No, I'm really not going to say that because your "mythology" is more based on Milton than the Bible.

Now, all that said, here's a wonderful video which shows how "Satan" (or Lucifer, or whatever) evolved in western culture.... and proves he's more of a construct than an actual thing.

 

[james bond]

No, he created Lucifer and gave all his angels free will. Lucifer was a good angel at first and became the best and most powerful one.

Yes, God knows what is going to happen because he can see into our universe's future and he saw what "Lucifer" was going to do.

Now, are you going to say why didn't he stop it?

No, I'm really not going to say that because your "mythology" is more based on Milton than the Bible.

Now, all that said, here's a wonderful video which shows how "Satan" (or Lucifer, or whatever) evolved in western culture.... and proves he's more of a construct than an actual thing.

Your vid is somewhat long for this type of forum, so my answer runs a bit long.

Now, you are going on to something else and think my worldview is mythology or similar to the writings (Paradise Lost) of a 16th century author because you do not want to answerable for your moral actions to anybody. You want to do whatever*, and get away with it.. But also take look at your worldview. It is exactly the same thing you thought of mine. It's mythology. You can't "prove" it as much as I can. At least, I can provide you evidence and these stories by Milton or Dante before him (Dante's Inferno) is part of it. They are based on the Bible, i.e. word of God. We also have many stories being put out as film from the Bible. Why is that?

Here is one evidence for Satan. In the vid, it makes a big deal of Satan being written in lower case. We know from the Bible that Satan became the "god of the world and the prince of the power of the air." This is through Adam's sin. He was able to take Adam's title and what was rightfully his. Look at how internet atheists today write God. They write it in lower case. Why is that with no reason for it found anywhee? In academia, it is written in upper case or one is not being academic or serious. We also have secular science and they believe in things with only circumstantial or forensic (historical) evidence and not evidence of the scientific method. They believe in cosmology or another word for philosophy for science.

By prove, God has to convince every single "non-believer" to believe. At least, this is the atheist bar of proof to God and the only way to do that is pain and suffering. The catch is it's in the next life FOREVER. "Oh, there is no next life. When one is dead, they are dead. They do not remain conscious." How do you know that?

* - Hollywood values: These are a person's moral values that are characterized by public obscenities, decadence, narcissism, hypocrisy, rampant durg use, extramarital sex leading to the spread of sexually-transmitted disease, abortion, lawlessness and the promotion of the homosexual agenda. Such values have a very negative influence on the life of individuals, and very often lead to death.

 

[hobelim]

No, he created Lucifer and gave all his angels free will. Lucifer was a good angel at first and became the best and most powerful one.

Yes, God knows what is going to happen because he can see into our universe's future and he saw what "Lucifer" was going to do.

Now, are you going to say why didn't he stop it?

No, I'm really not going to say that because your "mythology" is more based on Milton than the Bible.

Now, all that said, here's a wonderful video which shows how "Satan" (or Lucifer, or whatever) evolved in western culture.... and proves he's more of a construct than an actual thing.

Satan may have evolved in western culture into an invisible disembodied entity that tries to enter peoples minds to make them do bad things but this does not prove that satan is more of a construct than an actual thing. It only proves that western culture has absolutely no understanding of Jewish thought and belief and its original purpose as a character in a story to identify and demonize a specific human archetype reflected by the Hebrew word, nachash, which is a not so subtle reference to a religious deceiver, a person who practices divination,. sorcery, what we call hypnosis or mind control, the stars of the ancient world.

At the time of Jesus the Roman oppressors 'the enemy' was called Belial, which denoted worthless, unable to rise, a metaphorical generic term for a human demon that became a mythological being in both 2nd temple period Jewish and Christian writings.

When Jesus said that Satan was a murderer from the beginning, a reference to the talking serpent in the fairy tale, he was just trying to restore sanity to original the idea of the devil as a metaphor for an actual type of deceptive person disguised as a luminary, not a construct, not a mythological being, not disembodied or invisible preternatural entity.

This rather simple revelation of Jesus about their own holy book identified the talking serpent as the spiritual ancestor of their own very real corrupt and deceptive religious leaders.

Its as if the word conman morphed into a belief in an invisible scary mythological being perpetuated by conmen.

 

[JoeB131]

Why do you blame God???!!!???!!! It's like blaming Obama for handing out tax breaks. Isn't it Satan and sin that caused all our troubles?

God created Satan... (According to your backward ass bronze age mythology, anyway.) That makes him responsible for any bad Satan does.

Although reading the Bi-Bull, God kills a whole bunch of people and Satan only kills 10.

 

[hobelim]

Why do you blame God???!!!???!!! It's like blaming Obama for handing out tax breaks. Isn't it Satan and sin that caused all our troubles?

God created Satan... (According to your backward ass bronze age mythology, anyway.) That makes him responsible for any bad Satan does.

Although reading the Bi-Bull, God kills a whole bunch of people and Satan only kills 10.

To teach others to set aside the law of God which results in death is the kind of murder satan was guilty of from the beginning.

According to my calculations that makes the body count in the billions. Most of the people in the world are dead.

 

[JoeB131]

Now, you are going on to something else and think my worldview is mythology or similar to the writings (Paradise Lost) of a 16th century author because you do not want to answerable for your moral actions to anybody. You want to do whatever*, and get away with it.. But also take look at your worldview. It is exactly the same thing you thought of mine. It's mythology. You can't "prove" it as much as I can. At least, I can provide you evidence and these stories by Milton or Dante before him (Dante's Inferno) is part of it. They are based on the Bible, i.e. word of God. We also have many stories being put out as film from the Bible. Why is that?

Well, here's the thing. You really don't have any proof, other than stories written by dudes. The fact that you have conflated the writings of Milton for what is actually in the Bible, isn't much proof, at the end of the day, the Bible Writers and Milton were just dudes. Milton was just a better writer.

I am answerable for my moral actions, to myself and to society. Things that I know are real and there will be real consequences.

* - Hollywood values: These are a person's moral values that are characterized by public obscenities, decadence, narcissism, hypocrisy, rampant durg use, extramarital sex leading to the spread of sexually-transmitted disease, abortion, lawlessness and the promotion of the homosexual agenda. Such values have a very negative influence on the life of individuals, and very often lead to death.

Dude, everything leads to death! No one here gets out alive, as Jim Morrison once wisely opined. As for "Hollywood values", I'm sorry, the only people doing movies about abortion are the crazy religious right. If you won't want to do those things, don't do them. I don't think you guys can restrain yourselves as we find some minister next to a boy-hooker and a pile of blow every month.

By prove, God has to convince every single "non-believer" to believe. At least, this is the atheist bar of proof to God and the only way to do that is pain and suffering. The catch is it's in the next life FOREVER. "Oh, there is no next life. When one is dead, they are dead. They do not remain conscious." How do you know that?

Here's the thing. The ancient Hebrews didn't believe in an afterlife. Modern Jews are a bit shifty on the subject. This whole "Puppies and Sunshine Heaven/Flames and Torment Hell" Is a Christian invention. And understandable. Because good things happen to bad people and bad things happen to good people, which is not the case if there was an omnipotent sky pixie rigging the game. But that's okay, there's an afterlife, and everything will balance out.

It's a scam. I refuse to fall for it.

 

[whoisit]

American life will become more coarse, more brutal, less forgiving, less merciful, and more hateful as people lose faith, if that is indeed, what is happening.

You think things are bad now, they will get worse in time.

The churches have been infiltrated and compromised, including my own Catholic Church, so it is hard to see the churches leading us out of this mess.

Christians listen with itchy ears to their leaders.
Maybe reading what Jesus said would be the thing to do. He warned us about these sheep in wolves clothing that could fool even the elect if possible.

Mat.24:23

The Abomination of Desolation
…23At that time, if anyone says to you, ‘Look, here is the Christ!’ or ‘There He is,’ do not believe it. 24For false Christs and false prophets will appear and perform greatsigns and wonders that would deceive eventhe elect, if that were possible. 25See, I have told you in advance.…
Berean Study Bible · Download
Cross References

 

[hobelim]

He warned us about these sheep in wolves clothing that could fool even the elect if possible.

lol

Sheep in wolves clothing? Scary...

 

[whoisit]

Now, you are going on to something else and think my worldview is mythology or similar to the writings (Paradise Lost) of a 16th century author because you do not want to answerable for your moral actions to anybody. You want to do whatever*, and get away with it.. But also take look at your worldview. It is exactly the same thing you thought of mine. It's mythology. You can't "prove" it as much as I can. At least, I can provide you evidence and these stories by Milton or Dante before him (Dante's Inferno) is part of it. They are based on the Bible, i.e. word of God. We also have many stories being put out as film from the Bible. Why is that?

Well, here's the thing. You really don't have any proof, other than stories written by dudes. The fact that you have conflated the writings of Milton for what is actually in the Bible, isn't much proof, at the end of the day, the Bible Writers and Milton were just dudes. Milton was just a better writer.

I am answerable for my moral actions, to myself and to society. Things that I know are real and there will be real consequences.

* - Hollywood values: These are a person's moral values that are characterized by public obscenities, decadence, narcissism, hypocrisy, rampant durg use, extramarital sex leading to the spread of sexually-transmitted disease, abortion, lawlessness and the promotion of the homosexual agenda. Such values have a very negative influence on the life of individuals, and very often lead to death.

Dude, everything leads to death! No one here gets out alive, as Jim Morrison once wisely opined. As for "Hollywood values", I'm sorry, the only people doing movies about abortion are the crazy religious right. If you won't want to do those things, don't do them. I don't think you guys can restrain yourselves as we find some minister next to a boy-hooker and a pile of blow every month.

By prove, God has to convince every single "non-believer" to believe. At least, this is the atheist bar of proof to God and the only way to do that is pain and suffering. The catch is it's in the next life FOREVER. "Oh, there is no next life. When one is dead, they are dead. They do not remain conscious." How do you know that?

Here's the thing. The ancient Hebrews didn't believe in an afterlife. Modern Jews are a bit shifty on the subject. This whole "Puppies and Sunshine Heaven/Flames and Torment Hell" Is a Christian invention. And understandable. Because good things happen to bad people and bad things happen to good people, which is not the case if there was an omnipotent sky pixie rigging the game. But that's okay, there's an afterlife, and everything will balance out.

It's a scam. I refuse to fall for it.

There are many possibilities of a Creator. One I kinda lean to is we are all fallen angels here to pay for our past life. Like mos not sure but knowledge is beign increased so maybe the truth will soon appear?

 

[ding]

Still not buying it.

Ya. Except when I tell you this you will smack yourself in the forehead because you have forgotten it. It's 10 years later than what I had.




Charitable choice - Wikipedia

Faith-Based and Community Initiatives: Guidance - Charitable Choice

Obama Expands Faith-Based Programs

Except this ignores all the charity given by we the people.

No.

No what? People don’t contribute to charities?

No, hon. But that's a nice try.

It’s reality.

First of all people do give.

Secondly the only money the government receives comes from the people.

 

[ding]

Why? Everything works itself out.

I’m good with it all because it’s all good.

God loves the conflict and confusion process. He created it. That’s why we have diversity.

Eventually error fails.

Again, doesn't this make your sky pixie kind of a sadist? He sets otherwise decent people against each other so he can "enjoy conflict".

View attachment 254312

Just to you, Joey.

By your logic there can be no God because death occurs at all.

I can see how this might bother a materialist like yourself.

Because if man’s only purpose here is earthly happiness - as you believe it is - man shouldn’t be destined to die, right? But since we are destined to die our existence here must be more than about the pursuit of material happiness.

 

[Fort Fun Indiana]

First of all people do give.

But not enough. Thus, medicare. Thus, public education. Thus, social security. Thus, public housing. Thus, welfare.

 

[ding]

Why? Everything works itself out.

I’m good with it all because it’s all good.

God loves the conflict and confusion process. He created it. That’s why we have diversity.

Eventually error fails.

Again, doesn't this make your sky pixie kind of a sadist? He sets otherwise decent people against each other so he can "enjoy conflict".

View attachment 254312

He doesn’t set us against each other, Joey, we do that. But from that, good does arise.

 

[ding]

First of all people do give.

But not enough. Thus, medicare. Thus, public education. Thus, social security. Thus, public housing. Thus, welfare.

It’s never enough for people like you. Nothing ever will be.

But putting that aside, what have you done to help your fellow man?

 

[Fort Fun Indiana]

It’s never enough for people like you.

Wrong idiot. It wasn't enough for anyone. Those programs began to fill a need.