Can Anyone Explain Christianity?

shnkrmn said:

If god is eternal and uncreated, when did he get the idea to create everything? And what was keeping god busy before the creation? Was he busy writing the bible? Does god get bored? Can god have an idea he hasn't had before? How come god doesn't have a girlfriend? If god was in your reading group what books would he like?

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Your question is a result of thinking god is some bearded dude sitting on a cloud. God isn't a man though.

Operation 420 said:

What about spirituality? You just think you're flesh and blood, no spirit? Forget religion, it's been poisoned by man.

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Why do you NEED a spirit? Do you know why prayer helps people? Its a form of meditation that allows people to relax. Animals have no concept of a "spirit" and they seem to do fine and certain animals are better to their own kind than humans are.

Operation 420 said:

Your question is a result of thinking god is some bearded dude sitting on a cloud. God isn't a man though.

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You say he is wrong to think in that way, but offer no other idea of God that is feasible.

Anonymiss1969 said:

You say he is wrong to think in that way, but offer no other idea of God that is feasible.

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Your problem is you want someone to show you who god is, you want physical proof. God isn't physical. Obviously you don't want to learn, and just want to argue. Have fun.

Operation 420 said:

Your problem is you want someone to show you who god is, you want physical proof. God isn't physical. Obviously you don't want to learn, and just want to argue. Have fun.

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I believe I stated at the beginning that if anyone was going to get angry they don't have to read. I haven't found many posts "educational", but theres been a couple.

The fact of the matter is, christianity is based on something that has NEVER had any proof whatsoever, other than the Bible, which can't be proved to be real. What do you think the first Bible said, before it was perverted by secular priest and others trying to reap the benefits of its ability to control masses?

Anonymiss1969 said:

What do you think the first Bible said, before it was perverted by secular priest and others trying to reap the benefits of its ability to control masses?

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I think the first thing the "priests" did was erase the fine print..." this is a work of fiction. don't take this literally. "

shnkrmn said:

If god is eternal and uncreated, when did he get the idea to create everything? And what was keeping god busy before the creation? Was he busy writing the bible? Does god get bored? Can god have an idea he hasn't had before? How come god doesn't have a girlfriend? If god was in your reading group what books would he like?

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/creationist mode on

1 there's no when and where
2 the idea
3 no
4 yes, god is god
5 because its asexual
6 The adventures of myself


\creationits mode off

God is not real he is you you make him you dont believe its not bad you just need to know there is something out there you dont have to praise it it is just there you feel it inside like I said you is he He Is YOU..... Thats real shit too..

Anonymiss1969 said:

I believe I stated at the beginning that if anyone was going to get angry they don't have to read. I haven't found many posts "educational", but theres been a couple.

The fact of the matter is, christianity is based on something that has NEVER had any proof whatsoever, other than the Bible, which can't be proved to be real. What do you think the first Bible said, before it was perverted by secular priest and others trying to reap the benefits of its ability to control masses?

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Just like you said, the bible was perverted. In order for you to understand, you need to find the truth yourself. Don't ask others. I can only show you where to begin. Start with Shinar, Nimrod and the Tower of Babel. Then study history from that point on.

Anonymiss1969 said:

...The fact of the matter is, christianity is based on something that has NEVER had any proof whatsoever, other than the Bible, which can't be proved to be real....

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If your interested in learning

http://www.biblestudy.org/maturart/is-bible-the-word-of-god/chapter4.html

King Sargon's Existence, Once Doubted, Now Proven
Early nineteenth-century higher critics denied that King Sargon II even existed. Mentioned in Isaiah 20:1 in connection with his attack on the philistine city of Ashdod, he ruled the ancient empire of Assyria in the eighth century b.c. But later archeologists unearthed his palace at Khorsabad (in modern Iraq), along with many inscriptions in stone about his rule. They found his own words about his campaign against Ashdod: "In a sudden rage, I did not (wait to) assemble the full might of my army (or to) prepare the camp(ing equipment), but started out towards Ashdod (only) with those of my warriors who, even in friendly areas, never leave my side. . . . I besieged (and) conquered the cities Ashdod, Gath, Asdudimmu." As the Israeli historian Moshe Pearlman writes in Digging Up the Bible: "Suddenly, sceptics who had doubted the authenticity even of the historical parts of the Old Testament began to revise their views."

Anonymiss1969 said:

I grew up with extremely religious parents and believed in god for a while. I know believe it is a ton of bullshit and if you look into the history of christianity around the midieval times, it seems that it was just a way to control the masses and profit.

So I'm challenging anyone to make me believe in "God" because it seems to be a bunch of bullshit.

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i didnt read the whole thread, but heres my simple explanation of Christianity. im also raised christian/catholic, but i doubted it my whole life, now i consider my self agnostic

Christianity is the belief that the newest edit/interpretation of the bible should be followed to the letter. also they belive jesus christ is the savior/massiah rised(rose?) from the dead and will return again before the apocolipse

in my oppinion jesus did exist, and did alot of great things, i doubt he was gods son(because mary would have been killed at the time for cheating on joseph) but he did do great things that were confused with miracles

KaleoXxX said:

Christianity is the belief that the newest edit/interpretation of the bible should be followed to the letter.

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thats not christianity

the christians i know it is

and by newest edit/version i dont mean the book of mormon

I'm an athiest. To me, christianity is about as believable as any other set of myths: greek, norse, hindu, etc.. But, I can see how people might need religion... there's a lot that we can't explain, the idea that death is the end of it all is scary, and the friendship/community of a church has its appeal.
Anyway, regarding interpretation of the bible... here's a funny letter to Dr. Laura that was posted in another forum recently:

Dear Dr. Laura:

Thank you for doing so much to educate people regarding God’s Law. I have learned a great deal from your show, and try to share that knowledge with as many people as I can. When someone tries to defend the homosexual lifestyle, for example, I simply remind them that Leviticus 18:22 clearly states it to be an abomination. End of debate. I do need some advice from you, however, regarding some of the other specific laws and how to follow them:

When I burn a bull on the altar as a sacrifice, I know it creates a pleasing odor for the Lord - Lev.1:9. The problem is my neighbors. They claim the odor is not pleasing to them. Should I smite them?

I would like to sell my daughter into slavery, as sanctioned in Exodus 21:7. In this day and age, what do you think would be a fair price for her?

I know that I am allowed no contact with a woman while she is in her period of menstrual uncleanliness - Lev.15:19- 24. The problem is, how do I tell? I have tried asking, but most women take offense.

Lev. 25:44 states that I may indeed possess slaves, both male and female, provided they are purchased from neighboring nations. A friend of mine claims that this applies to Mexicans, but not Canadians. Can you clarify? Why can’t I own Canadians?

I have a neighbor who insists on working on the Sabbath. Exodus 35:2 clearly states he should be put to death. Am I morally obligated to kill him myself?

A friend of mine feels that even though eating shellfish is an abomination - Lev. 11:10, it is a lesser abomination than homosexuality. I don’t agree. Can you settle this?

Lev. 21:20 states that I may not approach the altar of God if I have a defect in my sight. I have to admit that I wear reading glasses. Does my vision have to be 20/20, or is there some wiggle room here?

Most of my male friends get their hair trimmed, including the hair around their temples, even though this is expressly forbidden by Lev. 19:27. How should they die?

I know from Lev. 11:6-8 that touching the skin of a dead pig makes me unclean, but may I still play football if I wear gloves?

My uncle has a farm. He violates Lev. 19:19 by planting two different crops in the same field, as does his wife by wearing garments made of two different kinds of thread (cotton/polyester blend). He also tends to curse and blaspheme a lot. Is it really necessary that we go to all the trouble of getting the whole town together to stone them? - Lev.24:10-16. Couldn’t we just burn them to death at a private family affair like we do with people who sleep with their in-laws? (Lev. 20:14)

I know you have studied these things extensively, so I am confident you can help. Thank you again for reminding us that God’s word is eternal and unchanging.

Your devoted fan,
Jim”

Leothwyn said:

I'm an athiest. To me, christianity is about as believable as any other set of myths: greek, norse, hindu, etc.. But, I can see how people might need religion... there's a lot that we can't explain, the idea that death is the end of it all is scary, and the friendship/community of a church has its appeal.
Anyway, regarding interpretation of the bible... here's a funny letter to Dr. Laura that was posted in another forum recently:

Dear Dr. Laura:

Thank you for doing so much to educate people regarding God’s Law. I have learned a great deal from your show, and try to share that knowledge with as many people as I can. When someone tries to defend the homosexual lifestyle, for example, I simply remind them that Leviticus 18:22 clearly states it to be an abomination. End of debate. I do need some advice from you, however, regarding some of the other specific laws and how to follow them:

When I burn a bull on the altar as a sacrifice, I know it creates a pleasing odor for the Lord - Lev.1:9. The problem is my neighbors. They claim the odor is not pleasing to them. Should I smite them?

I would like to sell my daughter into slavery, as sanctioned in Exodus 21:7. In this day and age, what do you think would be a fair price for her?

I know that I am allowed no contact with a woman while she is in her period of menstrual uncleanliness - Lev.15:19- 24. The problem is, how do I tell? I have tried asking, but most women take offense.

Lev. 25:44 states that I may indeed possess slaves, both male and female, provided they are purchased from neighboring nations. A friend of mine claims that this applies to Mexicans, but not Canadians. Can you clarify? Why can’t I own Canadians?

I have a neighbor who insists on working on the Sabbath. Exodus 35:2 clearly states he should be put to death. Am I morally obligated to kill him myself?

A friend of mine feels that even though eating shellfish is an abomination - Lev. 11:10, it is a lesser abomination than homosexuality. I don’t agree. Can you settle this?

Lev. 21:20 states that I may not approach the altar of God if I have a defect in my sight. I have to admit that I wear reading glasses. Does my vision have to be 20/20, or is there some wiggle room here?

Most of my male friends get their hair trimmed, including the hair around their temples, even though this is expressly forbidden by Lev. 19:27. How should they die?

I know from Lev. 11:6-8 that touching the skin of a dead pig makes me unclean, but may I still play football if I wear gloves?

My uncle has a farm. He violates Lev. 19:19 by planting two different crops in the same field, as does his wife by wearing garments made of two different kinds of thread (cotton/polyester blend). He also tends to curse and blaspheme a lot. Is it really necessary that we go to all the trouble of getting the whole town together to stone them? - Lev.24:10-16. Couldn’t we just burn them to death at a private family affair like we do with people who sleep with their in-laws? (Lev. 20:14)

I know you have studied these things extensively, so I am confident you can help. Thank you again for reminding us that God’s word is eternal and unchanging.

Your devoted fan,
Jim”

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+Rep to you, sir/ma'am! Excellent post.

fish601 said:

If your interested in learning

http://www.biblestudy.org/maturart/is-bible-the-word-of-god/chapter4.html

King Sargon's Existence, Once Doubted, Now Proven
Early nineteenth-century higher critics denied that King Sargon II even existed. Mentioned in Isaiah 20:1 in connection with his attack on the philistine city of Ashdod, he ruled the ancient empire of Assyria in the eighth century b.c. But later archeologists unearthed his palace at Khorsabad (in modern Iraq), along with many inscriptions in stone about his rule. They found his own words about his campaign against Ashdod: "In a sudden rage, I did not (wait to) assemble the full might of my army (or to) prepare the camp(ing equipment), but started out towards Ashdod (only) with those of my warriors who, even in friendly areas, never leave my side. . . . I besieged (and) conquered the cities Ashdod, Gath, Asdudimmu." As the Israeli historian Moshe Pearlman writes in Digging Up the Bible: "Suddenly, sceptics who had doubted the authenticity even of the historical parts of the Old Testament began to revise their views."

Click to expand...

I would not argue that the entire bible is fiction. I also would not, though, throw away common sense to believe that a man parted the Red Sea and another walked on water, turned water to wine, or rose from the dead. The length of some of the peoples lives in the Bible are ludicrous as well. Why would the life span of man be so ridiculously long, then shorten to around 25 years, and then go back up to where we are today (I know we increased because of technology and health awareness)?

Anonymiss1969 said:

The only real criticism I have of your post is the quoted above. It's not the only way to explain it, its the extremely lazy way to explain it. You don't have the knowledge or technology to explore this further, so you decide to believe the first idea you are given.

I don't think anything we do is really random. Theyre are a set amount of environmental factors that lead to us making decisions (if my brother smashes my toe intentionally, I'll punch him. Factors: my relationship to him, how much pain is caused, my mood that day caused by things that have happened to me that day, chemical imbalances in my brain (emotions))

I'd equate our actions to the game of mouse trap. If you look at each individual piece of the trap, it looks like a ball is randomly hitting a see-saw (or some other piece of the trap), but if you are able to step all the way outside and examine the entire thing, you can see there are many calculated things that cause a tiny ball to capture a mouse.

I hope that makes as much sense to you as it does to me.

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o of course that stuff isn't random, thats why I said completely and truly random, i should have explained it more but i was afraid the post would get as rediculously long as it did, I thought about what that could really be and i concluded that even if I try and say something random it's usually not because the mind has a process of picking nouns and adjectives in relation to a category or idea. Ya it's pretty lazy, I was just going through ideas in my head that could explain it and that was the first one that stood out, and once it made sense to me i stopped looking for another way to explain it and i'm sure there are more. I understand your mouse trap explaination and completely agree but it tracks back to what caused the ball to drop in that random spot like what caused us to think of something random. Most general things we do in life are exactly like u said, decisions made based on environmental factors. But what I meant by random was when there no environmental factors contributing to the decision, or there's no stimulus that initiates a response, of course that's virtually impossible to prove.

I also forgot to comment on the controlling the masses, ya it was horrible and it'll never be forgotten, I still don't trust any denomination's interpretation of the bible because they're only human, they can make mistakes and dilute something that was correct to begin with. I find my interpretation over time and go to a denomination (not that's closest to mine: it's fine to disagree as long as it's respectfully done) but that goes about looking for answers in the way I do so I get other people's ideas, don't get the same ones echoing in my head and their interpretation won't be completely worthless after I take it through my process of finding the answer. I also would not be too confident thinking that the bible says now exactly what it says in other languages or what it use to say. Theres some bullshit stuff put in there that was written for the survival of either the human race or christianity or a certain societal organization. Things like leothwyn mentioned in that post which btw i pretty funny. A LOT of christians who claim the bible is infallible ignore the rediculous ones that are put in context with the ones that appear to be true and get away with it because of social taboo, like homosexuality, or natural tendancies like the male should be the leader of the household. I'm not someone who memorizes stories in the bible (I remember very few specifics but of course the main ideas) but I remember jesus went to a temple when he was little and he was sort of respectfully argueing with their misinterpretations of the old testament and it seems analogous to what all churches do, even though most try to do good, they can misinterpret and mislead, the jewish religious leaders killed jesus because he disagreed (hence anti-jewish sentiments by ppl like mel gibson, even though i love his films). If that was supposed to be a metaphor I don't think it was important that the Jews did it, just that religious leaders did. They did throw books out of the bible a long time ago, like theres one that says women have to turn into men before they can get into heaven, I think the notion that the whole thing was true came from the catholic church when they wrote it in english and released it to the public: they didn't want ppl trying to weed out more than what they had taken and remove what they supported. Its probebly a good idea to read it n the original languages because english is a very easy-to-screw-with language.

PS: thanks leothwyn, there are a lot of times i wish i had a list of the rediculous stuff in it, now i have one

I'm not a scientist but I was reading about ageing yesterday and what causes death at an old age and it was the degradation of repetitive sequences on the ends of our DNA caled telomeres, someone used the analogy that they were like plastic on the ends of shoelaces, once the plastic breaks off the shoelace is exposed and falls apart. When radiation and other stuff that messes with genes hits the DNA it messes some of it up and that part is discarded making the protecting telomere shorter. Theres We might have had much longer repetitive sequences on the ends of our DNA than we do now, causing us to live longer. I don't know what would cause the change in length of the telomeres. It's clear the reason we live longer now is because of proper healthcare, that means there could have only been a major change in telomere length once.

Anonymiss1969 said:

I would not argue that the entire bible is fiction. I also would not, though, throw away common sense to believe that a man parted the Red Sea and another walked on water, turned water to wine, or rose from the dead. The length of some of the peoples lives in the Bible are ludicrous as well. Why would the life span of man be so ridiculously long, then shorten to around 25 years, and then go back up to where we are today (I know we increased because of technology and health awareness)?

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If you believed in god and that god created everything it wouldnt be hard to believe he parted teh red sea, walked on water....

about the age of people and i dont know if other christians agree but those people who lived hundreds of years lived before the flood and shortly after the flood the life span droped. its alittle more than that i just dont think you will care anyways lol

Leothwyn said:

I'm an athiest. To me, christianity is about as believable as any other set of myths: greek, norse, hindu, etc.. But, I can see how people might need religion... there's a lot that we can't explain, the idea that death is the end of it all is scary, and the friendship/community of a church has its appeal.
Anyway, regarding interpretation of the bible... here's a funny letter to Dr. Laura that was posted in another forum recently:

Dear Dr. Laura:

Thank you for doing so much to educate people regarding God’s Law. I have learned a great deal from your show, and try to share that knowledge with as many people as I can. When someone tries to defend the homosexual lifestyle, for example, I simply remind them that Leviticus 18:22 clearly states it to be an abomination. End of debate. I do need some advice from you, however, regarding some of the other specific laws and how to follow them:

When I burn a bull on the altar as a sacrifice, I know it creates a pleasing odor for the Lord - Lev.1:9. The problem is my neighbors. They claim the odor is not pleasing to them. Should I smite them?

I would like to sell my daughter into slavery, as sanctioned in Exodus 21:7. In this day and age, what do you think would be a fair price for her?

I know that I am allowed no contact with a woman while she is in her period of menstrual uncleanliness - Lev.15:19- 24. The problem is, how do I tell? I have tried asking, but most women take offense.

Lev. 25:44 states that I may indeed possess slaves, both male and female, provided they are purchased from neighboring nations. A friend of mine claims that this applies to Mexicans, but not Canadians. Can you clarify? Why can’t I own Canadians?

I have a neighbor who insists on working on the Sabbath. Exodus 35:2 clearly states he should be put to death. Am I morally obligated to kill him myself?

A friend of mine feels that even though eating shellfish is an abomination - Lev. 11:10, it is a lesser abomination than homosexuality. I don’t agree. Can you settle this?

Lev. 21:20 states that I may not approach the altar of God if I have a defect in my sight. I have to admit that I wear reading glasses. Does my vision have to be 20/20, or is there some wiggle room here?

Most of my male friends get their hair trimmed, including the hair around their temples, even though this is expressly forbidden by Lev. 19:27. How should they die?

I know from Lev. 11:6-8 that touching the skin of a dead pig makes me unclean, but may I still play football if I wear gloves?

My uncle has a farm. He violates Lev. 19:19 by planting two different crops in the same field, as does his wife by wearing garments made of two different kinds of thread (cotton/polyester blend). He also tends to curse and blaspheme a lot. Is it really necessary that we go to all the trouble of getting the whole town together to stone them? - Lev.24:10-16. Couldn’t we just burn them to death at a private family affair like we do with people who sleep with their in-laws? (Lev. 20:14)

I know you have studied these things extensively, so I am confident you can help. Thank you again for reminding us that God’s word is eternal and unchanging.

Your devoted fan,
Jim”

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Old Testament law was given to Israel not to Christians.

for christians:
gal 3:24 So the law was put in charge to lead us to Christ that we might be justified by faith. 25 Now that faith has come, we are no longer under the supervision of the law.