I don't really have an agenda.
As I previously mentioned, I don't care what you people believe just so long as it doesn't affect my way of living.
I'm here to debate just for pure entertainment purposes, and if I am wrong, then I'll be the first to admit it (as evidenced by the discussion in the 'Sexual Orientation: What Are Its Causes' thread).
You're a breath of fresh air.
I don't really have an agenda.
As I previously mentioned, I don't care what you people believe just so long as it doesn't affect my way of living.
I'm here to debate just for pure entertainment purposes, and if I am wrong, then I'll be the first to admit it (as evidenced by the discussion in the 'Sexual Orientation: What Are Its Causes' thread).
Is your Gawd not a loving Gawd?
As I said before, I never really bought much about my religion, but the Gawd I learned about would be in favor of living and letting live, as long as you don't hurt others in the process. Yeah, he's not a big fan of sin, but He loves everyone, even sinners like me.Hmmmm. As it has been a long time since I had any religious instruction, I still recall a few things from it.
"Love thy neighbor as thyself" rings a bell with me.
And, as I hear the Lord's prayer quite a bit, "Forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us".
Oh well, I guess I got it wrong. But, I sorta like what I DO recall from it.
Christianity was never intended to be a religion. It is a relationship. But, people being people, they are more comfortable with rules and rituals and they have made a religion out of it. Or more correctly hundreds of religions out of it, each one developing their own scriptural interpretations, installing they own customs and practices, and each attempting to be the most Christlike. In the process to many judge the others as inferior or in error or sinful. Or that group that rejects it all and considers those who believe as the bad ones.
And thus we have exchanges like too many on this thread--people blaming each other, accusing each other, insulting each other, and feeling self righteous about their own sense of virtue and purity and demonstrating smugness about how superior their point of view is to that of everybody else.
And I feel pretty safe in thinking that it probably makes Christ weep.
Your god is not my god.As I said before, I never really bought much about my religion, but the Gawd I learned about would be in favor of living and letting live, as long as you don't hurt others in the process. Yeah, he's not a big fan of sin, but He loves everyone, even sinners like me.
God's forgiveness of our sins does not translate into "live and let live" by any stretch of the imagination.
Yes God forgives us all our sins, if we ask for forgiveness. That doesn't mean we are to turn a blind eye to sin, or that we should cease to object to sinful practices, or start teaching children that they are "okay" because God forgives everybody everything.
God doesn't forgive everything, and he won't forgive everybody, and just because a person can be forgiven for any sin doesn't mean we forget that sin exists.
Your god is not my god.As I said before, I never really bought much about my religion, but the Gawd I learned about would be in favor of living and letting live, as long as you don't hurt others in the process. Yeah, he's not a big fan of sin, but He loves everyone, even sinners like me.
God's forgiveness of our sins does not translate into "live and let live" by any stretch of the imagination.
Yes God forgives us all our sins, if we ask for forgiveness. That doesn't mean we are to turn a blind eye to sin, or that we should cease to object to sinful practices, or start teaching children that they are "okay" because God forgives everybody everything.
God doesn't forgive everything, and he won't forgive everybody, and just because a person can be forgiven for any sin doesn't mean we forget that sin exists.
Sorry.
Of course I don't dictate that.
The commandment means that God doesn't want people to use his name to claim a false authority. You know, like you do. And the OP did.
Of course I don't dictate that.
I DO dictate what MY beliefs are, or even if I have any.
Sorta nice living in the USA for that reason (and many others).
And, as an aside, I would bet the atheist community loves you. You probably turn more away from any faith in one year than ten of them can do in a lifetime.
You're the one that is attempting to "teach" people what isn't true.
The commandment means that God doesn't want people to use his name to claim a false authority. You know, like you do. And the OP did.
No, it means God doesn't want people to misuse his name.
Which I certainly haven't done. This discussion is beyond you. But then, pretty much every conversation is. You might want to take a peek at the second one.."Whoever breaks one of the least of these commandments, AND TEACHES MEN SO, shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven;"
It's one thing to hate the bible yourself. But incorrectly teaching people that sin is okay puts you in a special class.
