Chastity cages and Christianity

Not sure what church was like for you but some churches are worth leaving. Jesus has left a few himself! I'm referring to the opening chapters of Revelation.

Yes! I agree! I have the same belief! Women don't seem probable to me either, and it seems even less probable that one of them wants to spend the rest of her life with me. Being unprobable is what makes romance, God wants a relationship, not calculated probables, and not religion.

I'm going to suggest that you don't want to be convinced or your looking to the wrong sources. It's like proving wind exists. How can I see the wind? Prove to me it exists!

 

Church had great people, so no. A large amount of people have wives so not improbable. And don't be silly, next time you see a cloud move, or a tree rustle. That's wind! And I'm looking in the wrong place?...That old arguement. Wrong again.

 

There are many who do evil in the name of Islam, just as there are many who do evil in the name of Christianity.

Your own comments seem an awful lot like religious radicalization. The weird comments about England, for example. You should consider the possibility that you've been indoctrinated (TV? Internet?) with lies.

 

Regarding Islam. It is the only religion that seems to guide its followers to violence. It seems like the more devoted some people are to Islam, the more violent they become. I think the jump to radicalism is to easy with Islam. With Christianity it is a much more difficult task to warp the teachings of Jesus to be used for evil. How do you take a man that wants you to love one another and to turn the other cheek and turn it into an excuse to do evil?
At least you believe in evil. Many in today's world deny it exists.

 

And for those here that think religion is a bad thing and hasn't shaped morality today. Take a look at a government without religion. Communism. In Russia Stalin alone is responsible for the deaths of over 100 million people. Without the teachings of religion man can do great evil.
So don't come here and tell me a world without the 'Sky King' (as some of you here have called him) would be a great place. 100 million. That is one third of the population of the world during the time of Jesus.

 

Islam was a religion born from a military leader. Some of the early writings reflect that mindset. Some sick fucks use that today to rile up people to do violence, and that is obviously wrong.

Most Muslims that I have known completely reject the notion of violence and that ancient and idiotic warlord mentality.

I am a Christian. But I am painfully aware of how often (even today) Christianity is used as an excuse for committing cruelty, violence, and even atrocities.

The world would be a much better place if we Christians would try following the teachings of Jesus.

 

Can you share some recent examples of that from the news? I'm not seeing them in the news sources I read or maybe I'm just overlooking them. I hear that claim thrown out a lot but don't believe it's entirely valid.

 

Jerry Falwell Jr.? Joel Osteen? Donald Trump?

 

You can't even agree amongst yourselves.

 

The world would be a boring place if everyone agreed all the time.

 

Clever turns of phrase True.

So are you REALLY trying to say modern day Christians kill for the sake of their religion in the same numbers that muslims kill for the sake of theirs?

I don’t recall any suicide Christian bombers trying to get to Heaven in the last ten years.

Watch out for those radicalized Christians! A dangerous lot!

Perhaps you are watching a bit too much TV?

 

Great point. And let’s not forget Mao, Hitler, Pol Pot, Castro, et al.

Fact: bible says thou shall not kill.

Koran says convert, tax or kill.

Tyrants just love to kill. It’s for your own good.

 

Thank you for an honest and straightforward answer Jay.

If I can offer this: Do not wait for “evidence”. It will not come to you as such. God reveals himself to those who seek Him.

Please allow me a logical question. IF an omnipotent being exists, why would you rationally expect that that being feels the slightest compunction to prove to you their abilities?

And which being is more worthy? The one who must prove their power over you and demand fealty? Or the one who desires your faith and trust while leaving you perfectly free to reject him?

As I’ve said before, you must make your choice. As do the rest of us.

 

I see where you are going with those and I agree with you. But those types committed sexual sins which are pervasive in all of mankind at equal levels in whatever cultural, religious or ethnic group you can find.

When you say "cruelty, violence, and even atrocities", I'm thinking murder, physical maiming, bloodshed, terrorism etc. I think that's what most people interpret a comment like that to mean. Where are your examples of that?

 

I sought God in the past, and thought at the time he was revealed to me. Wishful thinking on my part. If an omnipotent being isn't prepared to reveal themselves I would doubt they would have any interest in the affairs. Which is more worthy? Irrelevant to me, sorry.

 

Yes! We agree so much! But clouds and trees moving don't prove wind, that only indicates something is going on. Same with God, you can't prove He exists! We agree! He states in His word people will never tangibly prove He exists.

And what are you so mad at God for?

 

What makes you think I'm mad at God?

 

A moving tree only indicates that wind is going on? Ridiculous, it is evidence of wind. Wind is the word we use to describe the movement of air currents caused by high and low pressures and the movement of the planet in it's rotation. It obviously more complicated than that, but you know that. Or you need to go back to school. Wind is not the same as God, but I agree he or she (God not wind) cannot be proved. I'm not saying God doesn't exist. I'm saying I don't believe God exists. How can I be mad at nothing?

 

Jay, we all have secrets. But your commentary sure do seem to indicate an event or series of events that caused you to reject Christ.

We might be wrong. But where there’s smoke, there’s usually fire.

 

Because giving up your faith feels monumental to you, I can see why you may think that. My life has not been without troubles, who can say theirs hasn't? But honestly, probably no more than the average and I think my mild trauma predates my own decision to follow Christ. I enjoyed my time from 15-20ish very much, and the time I spent with my fellow Christians. There was no dramatic event, or sudden realisation that made me stop going to church, I just started to feel my interests shift slightly. I continued for many years thinking...

"Well I'm sure there's something, I'm not 100% sure if that something is God".
"I don't think the Bible, fascinating though it is, can answer my questions"
"Maybe karma is how it all works"

Things like that. For some time, I did feel a little resentment toward the church, but it's hard to hold on to that when one of the people you loved and respected most in the world was a CofE Minister. Pa was amazing, funny and TBH never a vicar to me, though always in a dog collar. Fond memories. Lol.

Eventually anything metaphysical just seemed not to be the conclusive answer to the bigger questions that may never be known. So now I am at a point where religious belief fascinates me but never angers me. Religion sometimes does anger me, and it should do for everyone. It also makes me smile, and feel the generosity of community and compassion. Love thy fellow man. I can get on board with that.

 

Yeah, we are ALL one of the four types of soils.....

Matthew 13:1-23

 

And which type do you perceive me in?

 

I’d say type 1 or type 2.

 

As he was scattering the seed, some fell along the path, and the birds came and ate it up.

5 Some fell on rocky places, where it did not have much soil. It sprang up quickly, because the soil was shallow.

6 But when the sun came up, the plants were scorched, and they withered because they had no root.

7 Other seed fell among thorns, which grew up and choked the plants.

8 Still other seed fell on good soil, where it produced a crop—a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown...

19 When anyone hears the message about the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what was sown in their heart. This is the seed sown along the path.

20 The seed falling on rocky ground refers to someone who hears the word and at once receives it with joy.

21 But since they have no root, they last only a short time. When trouble or persecution comes because of the word, they quickly fall away.

Interesting perspective.

So either I was captured by Beelzebub and I am some kind of evil force in the world? Thanks for that.

or

My faith didn't have deep roots, withered and died. Partially true but I would turn that around.

The scriptures and teachers, ministers I read and heard from over the first 20ish years of my life, taught nothing deeply rooted in fact. It is not my understanding of the scriptures, or lack thereof. I understand alright, understand and still disagree. Fair comment to someone who has never experienced or read the Bible perhaps, but insulting to someone who has, yet chose not to believe.

 

This is such great evidence for God. God designed us and implanted in us certain traits from birth. One of those is an element of right and wrong. People who do bad things have to work to overcome it.