what do atheists and agnostics think of Jesus saying they will be condemned

[Meriweather]

I think it's undeniable that a component of Christianity is to be a soothing balm for those who are afraid of death.

It is quite deniable. I have been involved in many parishes throughout my life. Fear of death is not even a component of faith. I am truly sorry that your fear that it is has you keeping your distance.

 

[Fort Fun Indiana]

That's what I am saying. Seek God. I did. He can be found. He is.

And I say he isn't

And no way to tell who is correct.

The #1 sign something is nonsense.

 

[Hollie]

It is quite deniable. I have been involved in many parishes throughout my life. Fear of death is not even a component of faith. I am truly sorry that your fear that it is has you keeping your distance.

I am truly sorry you have invented a version of Christianity that you believe applies to others.

I have to conclude you don't understand a central theme of the religion: eternal life and a father figure who looks over you, protecting you, as long as you follow the program.

famous statement by Voltaire: Si Dieu n'existait pas, il faudrait l'inventer (If God did not exist, it would be necessary to invent him).

Just a helping hand for your Bible'ology. The Biblical references to death refer to spiritual death. Romans 6:23, for example, says God, through Christ, already gave us eternal life. Obviously, physical death still occurs, so Christ did not save mankind from it. If the death from which Christ was supposed to save us was physical death, then Christ was a failure.

 

[Meriweather]

I am truly sorry you have invented a version of Christianity that you believe applies to others.

Is that what you are telling yourself? You forget I have lived and participated in many Catholic parishes, and Catholics are the majority of Christians. I am as middle-of-the-road as it is possible to be. Also, my best friend was the daughter of a Presbyterian minister--yet our views were quite similar.

 

[Meriweather]

I have to conclude you don't understand a central theme of the religion: eternal life and a father figure who looks over you, protecting you, as long as you follow the program.

The central theme of religion is to learn to know, love, and serve God in this life and continue with this in the next. We are also to love others as we love ourselves.

It is not about protection--that isn't mentioned. Loving, serving, forgiving are our goals.

By the way, there is no "program".

 

[Hollie]

Is that what you are telling yourself? You forget I have lived and participated in many Catholic parishes, and Catholics are the majority of Christians. I am as middle-of-the-road as it is possible to be. Also, my best friend was the daughter of a Presbyterian minister--yet our views were quite similar.

I have no information about any history you have had with Catholic parishes. It sure read like your middle of the road Catholicism is in stark contrast to those Presbyterians.

 

[Hollie]

The central theme of religion is to learn to know, love, and serve God in this life and continue with this in the next. We are also to love others as we love ourselves.

It is not about protection--that isn't mentioned. Loving, serving, forgiving are our goals.

By the way, there is no "program".

Strange that the ten commandments make no mention of knowing, loving or serving God. The first commandment is something about, (paraphrasing), ''get with the program''.

 

[Meriweather]

I have no information about any history you have had with Catholic parishes. It sure read like your middle of the road Catholicism is in stark contrast to those Presbyterians.

That is what I was telling you--both are much the same. It is about loving and serving God and one another, and it is not about threatening people with hell. In my family, there are several Protestant denominations, and none of them focused much on hell. Love and service.

 

[Meriweather]

Strange that the ten commandments make no mention of knowing, loving or serving God. The first commandment is something about, (paraphrasing), ''get with the program''.

Ah, the shallow version. One of the reasons The Ten Commandments grew to over six hundred in Judaism is due to explaining what it meant to love and serve One God and to not take His name in vain. Scanning over ten commandments is like reading Cliff Notes.

 

[Hollie]

That is what I was telling you--both are much the same. It is about loving and serving God and one another, and it is not about threatening people with hell. In my family, there are several Protestant denominations, and none of them focused much on hell. Love and service.

Strange. I've often read that Catholics see Presbyterians as unbelievers. I guess the Presbyterians need to get with the program,

 

[Hollie]

Ah, the shallow version. One of the reasons The Ten Commandments grew to over six hundred in Judaism is due to explaining what it meant to love and serve One God and to not take His name in vain. Scanning over ten commandments is like reading Cliff Notes.

It sure sounds like Christianity, a syncretic faith taking its theology from Judaism, used the Cliffs notes.

 

[Meriweather]

Strange. I've often read that Catholics see Presbyterians as unbelievers. I guess the Presbyterians need to get with the program,

Some dogma certainly differs. The main point remains.

 

[Meriweather]

It sure sounds like Christianity, a syncretic faith taking its theology from Judaism, used the Cliffs notes.

If you like. We see it more as our roots are in Judaism.

 

[Fort Fun Indiana]

If you like. We see it more as our roots are in Judaism.

Well of course. The people who read that took the prophecy and fulfilled it themselves by declaring a mangod.