Why I Am Not A Christian

[Cecilie1200]

Cecille wrote:

Might've had something to do with the nasty, combative, hostile tone of your OP.

I'm just saying . . .

I am sorry you were offended, Cecille. I tried to be honest but it wasn't written to annoy christians. How would you like for me to phrase "I find some of this just plain ridiculous"?

You could start by recognizing that no one ever requested you to pass judgement on the validity of other people's beliefs in the first place. In short, get over yourself.

 

[Madeline]

So lemme see if I understand you correctly. Christians must be accommodated to such a degree that non-christians should not even voice their beliefs?

 

[SmarterThanHick]

You could start by recognizing that no one ever requested you to pass judgement on the validity of other people's beliefs in the first place. In short, get over yourself.

Hi there. It looks like you're new here, so I wanted to take this opportunity to welcome you to THE INTERNET.

All people are created equal. Beliefs are not.

 

[THE LIGHT]

Someone else questioned this as well. Graciously? I must have missed which part of being unwillingly arrested and tortured to death is gracious. Please clarify.

I didn't say gracefully, I said graciously. He didn't have to do it for us but he did.

And no, it was not "unwillingly" but willingly that he gave his life up for us.

And "by his blood" you're referring to the wine you believe is magically transformed into blood because some dude in a white cape waves his hand over it while you're on your knees? Or those little wafers are part of his body? Do you even realize the cannibalistic undertones of these ceremonies? Do you even realize the Jesus wafers are made in a packing plant next to the Jersey shore?

That which is spirit is spirit. That which is flesh is flesh.

No, what I am referring to is the blood that Jesus shed for us on the cross. The blood that washes you clean when you accept Him as your savior.

He said to take communion often in "remembrance." The grape juice is grape juice and the crackers are crackers, but what they represent is the blood shed for us. The crackers, be they crackers, are not just simple crackers, but rather as part of the whole passover Seder they are a perfect representation of the death of Christ. And to think the passover was instituted centuries before Christ but foretold his sacrifice for us. Amazing ain't it.

 

[THE LIGHT]

"Christians and your bloody religion!" I have heard that a hundred times. So that is the verse that it applies to????

You either accept the price he so graciously paid for us or not. The choice is yours. But if I were you, I wouldn't hesitate to give some thought to your eternal destiny at a minimum. And who knows, maybe along the way you will see the light and realize how much your Creator and eternal Father in heaven cares for you. But remember, there is only one way to the Father and that is through the LORD Jesus Christ.

Sez you.

Yes, sez me, and G-d, and a whole bunch of other people that have seen the light. But that isn't what matters. What matters is that you find out your eternal destination on your own. All I am saying is that you search it out and you do it soon; because it IS that important. Eternity is a really long time, so I would venture to say that it is something worth researching with an open heart.

We know that time is the 4th dimension in which we live, but time as we know it is running out. The creator of the universe and time itself is fulfilling what he said he would according to His Word. All of our lives are as a vapor just as he says in James 4:14. Death is something that we are all certain of, but are you certain of where you are going when you die? Time is scientifically not constant but varies and is just something our mortal flesh is stuck in. We also know that everything before our eyes is made up of things which are not seen just as the Bible says in Hebrews 11:3. Scientists cannot tell you what holds an atom together but I can.

 

[Madeline]

The Light, do you seriously revise scientific facts with religious dogma? Why?

 

[CurveLight]

Someone else questioned this as well. Graciously? I must have missed which part of being unwillingly arrested and tortured to death is gracious. Please clarify.

I didn't say gracefully, I said graciously. He didn't have to do it for us but he did.

And no, it was not "unwillingly" but willingly that he gave his life up for us.

And "by his blood" you're referring to the wine you believe is magically transformed into blood because some dude in a white cape waves his hand over it while you're on your knees? Or those little wafers are part of his body? Do you even realize the cannibalistic undertones of these ceremonies? Do you even realize the Jesus wafers are made in a packing plant next to the Jersey shore?

That which is spirit is spirit. That which is flesh is flesh.

No, what I am referring to is the blood that Jesus shed for us on the cross. The blood that washes you clean when you accept Him as your savior.

He said to take communion often in "remembrance." The grape juice is grape juice and the crackers are crackers, but what they represent is the blood shed for us. The crackers, be they crackers, are not just simple crackers, but rather as part of the whole passover Seder they are a perfect representation of the death of Christ. And to think the passover was instituted centuries before Christ but foretold his sacrifice for us. Amazing ain't it.

This is fallout from people buying poor biblical exegesis. Jesus did not say "do this in rememberence" because he wanted cannibalism to be symbolized. He was saying they should break bread together in Peace in rememberance of his teachings. There was a lot of strife between the 12 disciples as well as many other groups and this is easily seen in the epistles written after the crucifixion.

 

[CurveLight]

Someone else questioned this as well. Graciously? I must have missed which part of being unwillingly arrested and tortured to death is gracious. Please clarify.

I didn't say gracefully, I said graciously. He didn't have to do it for us but he did.

And no, it was not "unwillingly" but willingly that he gave his life up for us.

And "by his blood" you're referring to the wine you believe is magically transformed into blood because some dude in a white cape waves his hand over it while you're on your knees? Or those little wafers are part of his body? Do you even realize the cannibalistic undertones of these ceremonies? Do you even realize the Jesus wafers are made in a packing plant next to the Jersey shore?

That which is spirit is spirit. That which is flesh is flesh.

No, what I am referring to is the blood that Jesus shed for us on the cross. The blood that washes you clean when you accept Him as your savior.

He said to take communion often in "remembrance." The grape juice is grape juice and the crackers are crackers, but what they represent is the blood shed for us. The crackers, be they crackers, are not just simple crackers, but rather as part of the whole passover Seder they are a perfect representation of the death of Christ. And to think the passover was instituted centuries before Christ but foretold his sacrifice for us. Amazing ain't it.

That might be a fair criticism, CurveLight -- but anger at christians is obviously not directed at me. What would you like me to do? Take anyone who insults someone else on this thread to the woodshed? I think you've been out of line, and so have others. Maybe I have as well...I did say Newby claimed all non-christians were going to hell and that was an error.

Quite apart from trying to play the "USMB Miss Manners", a role that obviously does not suit me, I rather prefer to engage in the conversation. At the moment, I am hoping for a reply to this question:

Why's it necessary for any christian to form a belief about the worthiness of anyone else's beliefs? I don't have an opinion about yours, not if you invested time and sincere effort in forming it. So why's there so much effort made by christians on judging others, rather than on focusing on their own personal spiritual growth?

Shouldn't matter if it's directed at you or not. You want to police posts by Christians but give everyone else a free pass. You've noticed this and made an effort to be more even keel as shown by your response to blu.

The reason I called out the bullshit masochistic charge is the same reason I call out people who claim islam was founded by a pedophile. Bullshit excuses to justify bigotry deserve to be called out regardless of the target.

 

[nraforlife]

.......................................Wouldn't it be a little easier to believe in God if you looked around and saw more Justice??

define justice

.....................................BTW, I don't see you and I as enemies. Why do you?

clearly you have chosen your side and I have chosen mine.

 

[Madeline]

And? Holding different beliefs makes us enemies IYO?

 

[nraforlife]

because combat against your sort builds the Faith & Character of the Elect for the Long Haul aka Eternity. Your short and ultimately futile existence (and all like you) will be imvisible in the Bright LIght of Eternity.

That is sick reasoning. It's like saying getting assaulted or living in filth as a child helps build character and that it's a good thing. No.

................................

YES

Romans 8:28 (New International Version)

More Than Conquerors
28And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him,[a] who have been called according to his purpose.


Footnotes:
a.Romans 8:28 Some manuscripts And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God
b.Romans 8:28 Or works together with those who love him to bring about what is good—with those who

 

[Madeline]

Are these scripture passages supposed to be on-point? How's about you reply using words you've written, nraforlife?

 

[CurveLight]

Newby wrote:

The minute that you stop forming opinions about me and my belief systems, then maybe you can talk. Pot meet kettle.

Fair enough. In your view, what lies beyond death for non-christians?

The same exact things that wait for Christians, agnostics, chocolate lovers, muslims, buddhists, hindus, jews, and even....bush supporters.

 

[CurveLight]

Here's an often overlooked great book:

[ame=http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d.html/ref=redir_mdp_mobile/179-9687168-3227015?a=157174357X]Putting on the Mind of Christ: The Inner Work of Christian Spirituality:Amazon:Books[/ame]

 

[CurveLight]

Are these scripture passages supposed to be on-point? How's about you reply using words you've written, nraforlife?

It's a backhanded way of saying you are a piece of shit but since he quoted scripture (out of context) he can pretend he didn't say anything bad.

 

[SmarterThanHick]

Someone else questioned this as well. Graciously? I must have missed which part of being unwillingly arrested and tortured to death is gracious. Please clarify.

I didn't say gracefully, I said graciously. He didn't have to do it for us but he did.

And no, it was not "unwillingly" but willingly that he gave his life up for us.

I didn't say gracefully either, I said graciously. You may want to upgrade to fifth grade reading levels before claiming someone is putting words in your mouth.

As CurveLight and I established earlier in this thread, he was unwillingly arrested. CurveLight can even point out the biblical reference of when he prayed to escape. What did you think happened? He just walked into the Roman jailhouse and turned himself in? What we also established was that he did not take a drug that could have lessened the pain, which is what lead to the discussion on masochistic overtones.

But why do you think he willingly gave up his life, when it's clear to everyone else he was hunted down, unwillingly arrested, and then tortured to death?

That which is spirit is spirit. That which is flesh is flesh.

No, what I am referring to is the blood that Jesus shed for us on the cross. The blood that washes you clean when you accept Him as your savior.

He said to take communion often in "remembrance." The grape juice is grape juice and the crackers are crackers, but what they represent is the blood shed for us. The crackers, be they crackers, are not just simple crackers, but rather as part of the whole passover Seder they are a perfect representation of the death of Christ. And to think the passover was instituted centuries before Christ but foretold his sacrifice for us. Amazing ain't it.

Where does passover foretell this? And why is eating a cracker representing a human body not cannibalistic in meaning?

This is fallout from people buying poor biblical exegesis. Jesus did not say "do this in rememberence" because he wanted cannibalism to be symbolized. He was saying they should break bread together in Peace in rememberance of his teachings.

I would see breaking bread as sharing a meal together, the Judaic symbolism that he saw and practiced his entire life, not getting on your knees in front of a priest and being given a piece of bland cracker.

clearly you have chosen your side and I have chosen mine.

once again:
[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wgpytjlW5wU[/ame]

 

[CurveLight]

There was nothing that "lead" to the discussion of masochistic overtones. It was a straight up unsupported charge by Anguish. Some tried to argue his refusal to drink wine somehow equates to masochism but accepting responsibility for one's actions is never masochism. To alter the consequences is to alter accepting responsibility.

 

[Anguille]

because combat against your sort builds the Faith & Character of the Elect for the Long Haul aka Eternity. Your short and ultimately futile existence (and all like you) will be imvisible in the Bright LIght of Eternity.

I'm not following you, nraforlife. The presence of Evil in the world "builds Faith"? How? Wouldn't it be a little easier to believe in God if you looked around and saw more Justice?

BTW, I don't see you and I as enemies. Why do you?

Might've had something to do with the nasty, combative, hostile tone of your OP.

I'm just saying . . .

yes, you are just sayin' , talking out out your ass really. There is nothing nasty, combative or hostile in Madeline's OP. What you have just described is your own MO. For which you are well known.

Instead of trying to denigrate Madeline, how about addressing the questions she raises? Or aren't you brave enough?

 

[SmarterThanHick]

accepting responsibility for one's actions is never masochism. To alter the consequences is to alter accepting responsibility.

False. The two have nothing to do with one another. One can accept responsibility and be masochistic. One can reject responsibility and be masochistic. Altering a ridiculous man-made "consequence" does not alter responsibility. If he had been lashed 10 more or 10 fewer times, would the religion in any way be changed? No, the end result is the same.

Now call me dishonest. I want to feel you chastise me as I take responsibility for my naughty naughty dishonesty.

 

[Anguille]

You either accept the price he so graciously paid for us or not. The choice is yours. But if I were you, I wouldn't hesitate to give some thought to your eternal destiny at a minimum. And who knows, maybe along the way you will see the light and realize how much your Creator and eternal Father in heaven cares for you. But remember, there is only one way to the Father and that is through the LORD Jesus Christ.

Sez you.

Yes, sez me, and G-d, and a whole bunch of other people that have seen the light. But that isn't what matters. What matters is that you find out your eternal destination on your own. All I am saying is that you search it out and you do it soon; because it IS that important. Eternity is a really long time, so I would venture to say that it is something worth researching with an open heart.

We know that time is the 4th dimension in which we live, but time as we know it is running out. The creator of the universe and time itself is fulfilling what he said he would according to His Word. All of our lives are as a vapor just as he says in James 4:14. Death is something that we are all certain of, but are you certain of where you are going when you die? Time is scientifically not constant but varies and is just something our mortal flesh is stuck in. We also know that everything before our eyes is made up of things which are not seen just as the Bible says in Hebrews 11:3. Scientists cannot tell you what holds an atom together but I can.

I know you mean well but you make some false assumptions that know it alls often do. I've probably done more "soul searching" than you have (even though I don't have a soul ) and my mind might just be more open than yours. The fact trhat you claim to know better than scientists what holds an atom together and that you call yourself The Light leads me to suspect you might have delusions of grandeur. Or be a con. Get back to me when you have something more substantial to peddle than fairy tales.