Zone1 What Christianity Says

[Meriweather]

I think you want it to mean that but what is says is very different: "hell, where the fire never goes out"

That describes the place. Does Satan ever leave the place where the fire never goes out? (It appears so.)

 

[Meriweather]

Have you ever met anyone who is purely evil or purely good? I haven't, we are all a unique mix of both.

Which is why Jews, Catholics, Orthodox believe those who have passed on can go through purification after death.

Have I ever met anyone purely evil? Once--and keep in mind that is only my assessment as up to that point I could see the Divine Spark in everyone. As you say, we are a unique mix. However, most of us believe what we do is right or okay. We are all almost hardwired to this belief in ourselves. It is hard for anyone to do what they believe is wrong. They have to come up with a reason why it must be right.

That one young man...he wanted to do what was evil simply because it created more evil and that amused him. I still pray for him--haven't seen him in decades.

 

[Meriweather]

If God makes vague rules and then judges me by them, He is choosing my fate.

God does not make vague rules. Love and put God first. Love others as yourself/or, what is distasteful to you, don't do to anyone else.

 

[Meriweather]

I thought purgatory is a Catholic invention and not found in any scripture so I have no idea.

Shrug. Catholics/Orthodox see it in scripture. Many non-Catholic Christians hold the belief that when a person dies they either go to heaven or to hell. (Those who believe in Jesus go to heaven if they have been "Born Again"/Saved. Everyone else, including most, if not all Catholics, go to hell.) Some other Christian denominations believe they go into a "sleep" until the world comes to an end.

 

[Meriweather]

Are people evil is they don't obey the gospels? Atheists don't, Jews don't, Muslims don't, etc. You are welcome to write you own scripture but that change the words of Paul.

What is it non-Christians don't obey?

Paul had an interesting verse or two in Romans. It was his thought that atheists are not judged through the mercy of Christ, but are instead judged by their own hearts. It was Paul's thought that we are harder on ourselves than is God's mercy

 

[Meriweather]

Atheists don't, Jews don't, Muslims don't, etc.

You don't believe any of the above feed the hungry, give drink to those who are thirsty, take care of the sick and dying, clothe the naked, take care of widows and orphans? In the Gospels, Jesus noted those who did these things will be welcomed into the Kingdom of Heaven.

 

[Meriweather]

Christians have this ability too see themselves as special.

Everyone sees themselves as special. We see atheists speaking of how special they are all the time. After all, they are doing good things without any expectation of any kind of heavenly afterlife.

Everyone sees themselves as special. Most even take the next step where they see everyone else as special, too.

 

[alang1216]

Christians have this ability too see themselves as special. Of course you are very special if you take for example the virgin birth or talking snakes seriously. It's just this conviction that all of creation happened with my dumb ass in mind that amazes me to no end. Doesn't God hate pride?

Doesn't everyone feel the world revolves around them? Christians come from a time when the general consensus was that the heavens revolved around the Earth so thinking themselves special is understandable as Galileo and Darwin learned.

 

[alang1216]

That describes the place. Does Satan ever leave the place where the fire never goes out? (It appears so.)

Maybe but that is his ultimate fate.

 

[alang1216]

Which is why Jews, Catholics, Orthodox believe those who have passed on can go through purification after death.

I didn't know that about Jews?

Have I ever met anyone purely evil? Once--and keep in mind that is only my assessment as up to that point I could see the Divine Spark in everyone. As you say, we are a unique mix. However, most of us believe what we do is right or okay. We are all almost hardwired to this belief in ourselves. It is hard for anyone to do what they believe is wrong. They have to come up with a reason why it must be right.

That one young man...he wanted to do what was evil simply because it created more evil and that amused him. I still pray for him--haven't seen him in decades.

If he had died as a young man would he have ended up in hell? If he turned his life around and did good deeds, what then?

 

[alang1216]

God does not make vague rules. Love and put God first. Love others as yourself/or, what is distasteful to you, don't do to anyone else.

Vague. Did you discipline your children even though you didn't like to be disciplined yourself? Vague.

 

[alang1216]

What is it non-Christians don't obey?

Accepting Jesus.

 

[alang1216]

In the Gospels, Jesus noted those who did these things will be welcomed into the Kingdom of Heaven.

It is also said in the Gospels that no one gets to God (Heaven?) without going through Jesus.

 

[Arlette]

Doesn't everyone feel the world revolves around them? Christians come from a time when the general consensus was that the heavens revolved around the Earth so thinking themselves special is understandable as Galileo and Darwin learned.

No

 

[Meriweather]

If he had died as a young man would he have ended up in hell? If he turned his life around and did good deeds, what then?

Repentance (turning away from sin) results in the forgiveness of sins.

 

[Meriweather]

Vague. Did you discipline your children even though you didn't like to be disciplined yourself? Vague.

I didn't like being disciplined? News to me. Now, my method of discipline was different from my mother's--for that matter from my grandmother's and brother's as well. Where we were all united was in teaching right from wrong.

 

[Meriweather]

Accepting Jesus.

And accepting Jesus is important to you?

 

[Meriweather]

It is also said in the Gospels that no one gets to God (Heaven?) without going through Jesus.

What is vital in studying scripture is what other way was taught as the way to God?

 

[Arlette]

Repentance (turning away from sin) results in the forgiveness of sins.

Sin is just a made up term to control people. You invent a condition - sin - for which only you have the remedy. That's Christianity in a nutshell. It's also a perfect business model

 

[Meriweather]

Sin is just a made up term to control people. You invent a condition - sin - for which only you have the remedy. That's Christianity in a nutshell. It's also a perfect business model

Sin is missing the target--the target being the ideal response or action.