Christianity

[Gary Childress]

Matthew 11:29 "Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls."

You get to choose to accept the yoke (burden): it isn't forced on you, and, as you will, you can lay that yoke down and walk away.

There is no leash, and I haven't been inconsistent.

Sure you can put the yoke down. You can disobey the police too and there will be penalties.

[Gary Childress]

That seems fine.

Seems fine to you maybe because you were born and raised in the "correct" religion. How do you think others of us may feel? Apparently we weren't chosen or matter enough to God.

No, a quick read of the first two chapters in Romans finishes that worry off. All men know.

Take my case. I was born a Gentile. If Judaism was "the right religion," and Christ is the Jewish Messiah, then I was born in the wrong place and time, wasn't I? It didn't stop me, though, and it didn't prevent God reaching me. God loves me and you just as much as he loves the most devout rabbi in Jerusalem. That's what the Bible tells us.

And he's reached you, Gary. So whomever you're worrying about, it isn't yourself. You have heard.

How has God "reached me", IC? He has yet to materialize and prove his existence. He has yet to show me there is justice in this world. All I see is what is written in the Bible and not all of it is apparently true--creation, the flood. Does God really expect us to convert over a dusty old ancient book? If that were so, then we may as well go read some other sacred historic text and convert to that religion.

[henry quirk]

There is no part way in evangelical Christianity. You either follow Christ or you're going to hell.

That's the story. Do you believe it?

[Gary Childress]

There is no part way in evangelical Christianity. You either follow Christ or you're going to hell.

That's the story. Do you believe it?

I'd like to think that anyone who is good to their fellows will go to heaven. I hope there is justice in this world and I hope there is an afterlife, or at the very least that most of us won't go to hell in the end just for being skeptical about Jesus, God or the Bible or whatever.

[henry quirk]

Matthew 11:29 "Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls."

You get to choose to accept the yoke (burden): it isn't forced on you, and, as you will, you can lay that yoke down and walk away.

There is no leash, and I haven't been inconsistent.

Sure you can put the yoke down. isobey the police too and there will be penalties.

[Gary Childress]

You get to choose to accept the yoke (burden): it isn't forced on you, and, as you will, you can lay that yoke down and walk away.

There is no leash, and I haven't been inconsistent.

Sure you can put the yoke down. isobey the police too and there will be penalties.

According to IC, the penalty is hell if you don't accept God's yoke. Or to put it more concisely, Romans 6:23 "For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord."

[henry quirk]

There is no part way in evangelical Christianity. You either follow Christ or you're going to hell.

That's the story. Do you believe it?

I'd like to think that anyone who is good to their fellows will go to heaven. I hope there is justice in this world and I hope there is an afterlife, or at the very least that most of us won't go to hell in the end just for being skeptical about Jesus, God or the Bible or whatever.

Well, you aren't a Christian (neither am I) so why worry about what the ECs believe?

I notice a lot of folks who aren't Christians are awfully worried about things like hell and heaven. They go out of their way to reduce and discredit sumthin' they dismiss. Damned odd.

[henry quirk]

Sure you can put the yoke down. isobey the police too and there will be penalties.

According to IC, the penalty is hell if you don't accept God's yoke. Or to put it more concisely, Romans 6:23 "For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord."

Yeah, I get that.Why does any of that matter to a non-Christian?

[Gary Childress]

According to IC, the penalty is hell if you don't accept God's yoke. Or to put it more concisely, Romans 6:23 "For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord."

Yeah, I get that.Why does any of that matter to a non-Christian?

Because I'm agnostic and not necessarily non-Christian. But according to the Bible, I will go to hell just the same.

[Gary Childress]

And to be honest, it kind of pisses me off that God created such a shit world. So I can't worship God except if you put a ball & chain on me and dragged me to be baptized.

[henry quirk]

According to IC, the penalty is hell if you don't accept God's yoke. Or to put it more concisely, Romans 6:23 "For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord."

Yeah, I get that.Why does any of that matter to a non-Christian?

Because I'm agnostic and not necessarily non-Christian. But according to the Bible, I will go to hell just the same.

So you don't know but mebbe suspect there's sumthin' to Christianity: is that fair to say? If so: mebbe you need to stop lookin' for what might be wrong with Christianity and follow your gut on what you suspect might be right. Go to church (several). Look at the strains of Christianity. Talk with some other Christians (Mannie is just one...there are tons of others). Read Mere Christianity .

Bad analogy: if fire burns, it's a waste of time to keep lookin' for reasons why it shouldn't or can't. Instead, figure out how it works and how best to make use of it.

[Immanuel Can]

How has God "reached me", IC?

In His Creation, in His Son, in His Word, and now, in me as well. Because I've pointed you to all of the aforementioned. But I'll bet that in the deeper recesses of your own conscience, He's been speaking to you there, as well.

He has yet to show me there is justice in this world.

No, of course, there is not. The Righteous Judge has not yet passed a just sentence.

He promises that He will. Fully. Completely. Utterly. And beyond possibility of question.

But not yet: because your status with regard to Him is not settled yet. And He is "not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance" (2 Pet. 3:9) and know Him.

This is your chance. For "He says, 'At a favorable time I listened to you, and on a day of salvation I helped you.' Behold, now is 'a favorable time,' behold, now is 'a day of salvation'..." (2 Cor. 6:1-3)

But no chance lasts forever.

[Gary Childress]

How has God "reached me", IC?

In His Creation, in His Son, in His Word, and now, in me as well. Because I've pointed you to all of the aforementioned. But I'll bet that in the deeper recesses of your own conscience, He's been speaking to you there, as well.

He has yet to show me there is justice in this world.

No, of course, there is not. The Righteous Judge has not yet passed a just sentence.

He promises that He will. Fully. Completely. Utterly. And beyond possibility of question.

But not yet: because your status with regard to Him is not settled yet. And He is "not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance" (2 Pet. 3:9) and know Him.

This is your chance. For "He says, 'At a favorable time I listened to you, and on a day of salvation I helped you.' Behold, now is 'a favorable time,' behold, now is 'a day of salvation'..." (2 Cor. 6:1-3)

But no chance lasts forever.

I'm pissed right now, IC. I can't worship anything or anyone. I've been screwed enough in life and certain others who are comparatively better off are living the high life in spite of the shit they cause.

[Immanuel Can]

I'm pissed right now, IC.

If you're going to be angry, doesn't it make sense to be angry in the right direction?

Maybe you should think about what's been the cause of your unhappiness. If there's no God, then you can't be angry in that direction. If there is, then there's no point in being angry with Him. So let's pick the right target, no?

[Dubious]

Duplicate!