Agnostics “R” Us...
- Thread starter Jazzer
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I have always believed that the primary motivation for 'belief' in the god of Christianity is fear.
Matthew's 'lakes of fire,' wherein one can be tortured for eternity.
This from our Loving Heavenly Father, who gives us the free will to choose to 'follow' him, but for this blackmailing threat.
This particular god sounds viciously sub-human.
Falling at the feet of such a 'god' could only be an act of cowardice.
Matthew's 'lakes of fire,' wherein one can be tortured for eternity.
This from our Loving Heavenly Father, who gives us the free will to choose to 'follow' him, but for this blackmailing threat.
This particular god sounds viciously sub-human.
Falling at the feet of such a 'god' could only be an act of cowardice.
- Jun 8, 2018
- 159
- Tinnitus Since
- 10/2011
- Cause of Tinnitus
- Loud sound via earbuds from a digital device.
You can read up on the psychology of religion here:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Psychology_of_religion
The American Psychological Association has Division 36 for members called Society for Psychology and Religion. You can learn more about them here: https://www.apa.org/about/d...
There is also the Society for the Scientific Study of Religion that has over a thousand members across many fields including the social sciences and other fields. You can learn more about them here: https://sssreligion.org/
Then there is the American Academy of Religion that has over 8,000 members across many disciplines you can learn about here: https://www.aarweb.org/.
Thus, there seems to be a lot of activity studying the subject of religion and spirituality and how folks get to the spot they get to with respect to religion.
I am sure at least part of the reason is fear of rotting in hell forever as taught in Christianity. That said not all of Christianity has that teaching. There are Christians who believe in "universalism" that says Christ died to save everyone rather they are Christian or not as well as regardless of whatever sins/crimes they committed. Now that is my kind of Christian, he says with a smile. You can read up on it here:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chris...ism is a school,a right relationship with God.
To be very frank, I have no appetite for the views and interpretations of other bible scholars.
I am capable of reading and comprehending what I read.
Those words were written by somebody determined to coerce people through fear, into adopting a faith.
Jesus himself wrote nothing.
The earliest gospel to appear is reputed to be that of Mark, written approximately 30 years after the death of Christ, which also sourced the gospels of Matthew and Luke.
As none of these are believed to be eye witness accounts we must assume that the history was oral and anecdotal.
This evidence seems a bit fragile to base the conviction of one's religious faith on.
- Jun 8, 2018
- 159
- Tinnitus Since
- 10/2011
- Cause of Tinnitus
- Loud sound via earbuds from a digital device.
I sure understand. I like to understand the nature of the "beast" shall we say that I was gripped by and to a certain extent I still grapple with be it in the political sphere or with others in my life who are religious. I also thought others in this stream might find value in these links in some way. Thanks for making this possible.
I suppose we should assume that the man Jesus did exist.
Perhaps he was a teacher, preacher, prophet, philosopher of his day.
The aspect I cannot come to terms with is the aspect of deity - a belief in a supernatural being - a creator, and therefore the 'Son of God.'
No one can possibly know.
Hence agnosticism.
Perhaps he was a teacher, preacher, prophet, philosopher of his day.
The aspect I cannot come to terms with is the aspect of deity - a belief in a supernatural being - a creator, and therefore the 'Son of God.'
No one can possibly know.
Hence agnosticism.
Why did Christianity become so popular. I don't understand. It has it's origins in a middle eastern war deity. Jesus has valuable teachings, but it's so out of place compared to the God of the old testament.
The creation myth, noahs ark, moses and all the other mythology at the time was cited by Jesus as if he believed it was real. If Jesus was a real person, he was probably just a weird middle eastern mystic but history doesn't have proper evidence he existed.
The creation myth, noahs ark, moses and all the other mythology at the time was cited by Jesus as if he believed it was real. If Jesus was a real person, he was probably just a weird middle eastern mystic but history doesn't have proper evidence he existed.
- Jun 8, 2018
- 159
- Tinnitus Since
- 10/2011
- Cause of Tinnitus
- Loud sound via earbuds from a digital device.
These two books by Bart Ehrman who is a world-renowned religious historian who was a fundamentalist Christian but evolved to be an agnostic will answer your questions.
Did Jesus Exist? (spoiler alert, yes he did)
And
The Triumph of Christianity: How a Forbidden Religion Swept the World
Hope this helps.
Most Christians know NOTHING about Islam and how similar they are. Yet Muslims are taught in depth about Christians. I find that interesting how Islam teaches about Christianity as explicitly false. Christians are usually shocked to find that Jesus is mentioned in the Koran.
- Dec 21, 2019
- 319
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- 2014, 10/2019
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- School Band, Noxious Car Radio
Elmer B Fuddled
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- Feb 11, 2019
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- 2017
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- plugged nasal eustachian tube
Noah's ark I don't believe it, if Noah built a boat large enough to carry 4 couples OF every species on earth and that had to include all insects all flying insects and every species that walked or crawled that boat had to be the size of south America then Noah must have to stop at every country he came to and unload a number of species in each one but the earth was supposed to be flooded so I'm wondering what god or any god sent Noah and his drunken sons on a boat.
False writing by some fool.
False writing by some fool.
At the time they thought the entire Earth spanned from mesopotamia, Egypt, and parts of Africa and India.
They thought Earth was a lot smaller.
Elmer B Fuddled
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- Feb 11, 2019
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- 2017
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Reading the bible makes you a Christian. Reading the bible from page one to the last page makes you an atheist.
Elmer B Fuddled
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- Feb 11, 2019
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- plugged nasal eustachian tube
Elmer B Fuddled
Member
- Feb 11, 2019
- 1,329
- Tinnitus Since
- 2017
- Cause of Tinnitus
- plugged nasal eustachian tube
I don't understand why they have to try and figure out religion when Mark Twain had the whole answer to religion and his quote explains it clearly. I quote
"Religion was invented by a con man, who then found the first fool."
How hard is that to understand?
But why doesn't he help us.........??When I am ill I want God to exist. I am a hypocrite, I know.
Well, if you go to church (in my case Russian Orthodox Church Moscow Patriarchate) priests can always tell you that God makes suffer those whom he loves, whom he wants to change and whom he wants to become better Christians. I don't understand it. I also don't understand why my mother suffers almost all her life from her illnesses. Because she is a bad person, a bad Christian? She is a very good person and I don't understand why good people often suffer. To get a better place in Heaven? My tinnitus and hyperacusis are nothing compared to the illnesses of my mother. If I would have got those illnesses I would have believed in anything just to escape everyday pain or die faster. But my mother is a believer and she goes to church for more than 10 years now. Ans I see that it helps her psychologically, it helps her to live. I understood that church is like a hospice where you can get consolation. And it's true. All I want to say is that it is nice to talk about God when you are healthy, wealthy young priest who has just finished his seminary and academy. And those priests make me sick. They know nothing about life and suffering and they teach you how to live, using the Bible, of course. I am 32 now. I actually started to believe in God but my illness made me doubt and think deeper. I even went to church for a year. Sang there, read psalms, did all kinds of chores all for free in the glory of God. And I am happy that I did it. I've seen the life of Church from the inside. Church consist of ordinary people with ordinary sins. Nothing special. Most of the priests do not live according to a Bible but they teach others. It's just their job and that's all. I'm glad that i started to doubt because at some point of my life I wanted to dedicate my life to church. And, at the same time, I won't going to argue about existence of God because no one has proven that he exists or does not exist. I mean, church has her good functions in society (also has hideous sides because consists of ordinary people) so let her be. If I would have been mortally sick I would go to church and turn to God just to find piece. It would be my last resort.
I am a Christian and I go to church almost weekly. I do go through periods where I question God, but not about God and his existence. Although I waver sometimes I know I can always go back to God and He will accept me. The issue bothering me now is that churches are getting too political. Basically all the churches in DC area are left leaning or very liberal whereas I lean conservative politically, so sometimes that puts me off. Examples include reminders for voting, making sly/indirect anti-Trump comments, etc. If I stop/reduce going to church, it will be because of these reasons. What helps me more is having a few close Christian nonpolitical friends. Through these friends I see how a church is supposed to be, being prayerful, being there for each other, etc.
Very interesting piece Vassili.
At many times, going right back to my desolate childhood, I have begged god to help me, to sustain me, just by his presence..........
'Nothing' - - - -
I do not find 'Nothing' to be of comfort I'm afraid.
If god truly existed - he would have come to hold up a desperate child - or a desperate man.
The bible's hateful blackmailing threats of hell do not bother me... I have found hell on earth.
I cannot sustain any interest in anything that simply does not work.
I like utensils that work,
Cars that work,
Medications that work,
Gods that work.........x
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