If God is so merciful, then why did Jesus have to be sacrificed?

[Harbal]

Greta, we are not within eternity, we are eternity looking at itself. Eternity is another word for NOW, and there is only NOW.

Now is just another word for Oneness...herenow nowhere. Being itself, looking at itself...in this CONCEPTION..

Everything is eternity right here now conceiving itself, but never conceived. Everything is no thing, and no thing is every thing, and so negating each other...resulting in illusory reality.

Meaning, life is, but no one is living it.

There was no sacrifice...except in this conception.

What is conceived is not.

What is inconceivable is.

You do realise that, by comparison to yours, you are making IC's posts look almost sensible.

[Dontaskme]

You do realise that, by comparison to yours, you are making IC's posts look almost sensible.

IC's gone beyond belief. He's reached pure clarity.

Providence my son, providence.

[thedoc]

For instance: that all atheists insist that god doesn't exist.

That is the definition of an atheist, to say that you just don't know is an agnostic.

[Arising_uk]

For instance: that all atheists insist that god doesn't exist.

That is the definition of an atheist, to say that you just don't know is an agnostic.

No its not. An atheist is one who lacks the belief that a 'God' exists.

[uwot]

For instance: that all atheists insist that god doesn't exist.

Actually, that was me.

That is the definition of an atheist, to say that you just don't know is an agnostic.

I cannot believe that I am having to repeat this:
A theist says: I believe in god.
An atheist says: I do not believe in god.
Either can say: I don't know whether god exists.
An agnostic says: Nobody can know whether god exists.
It is the difference between a statement of belief and a claim to knowledge. Mr Can refuses to accept the obvious difference, because he has invested so much of his limited capacity into the arguments he has based on premises which are not true. What's your excuse? Can you really not see the difference?

[Immanuel Can]

For instance: that all atheists insist that god doesn't exist.

That is the definition of an atheist, to say that you just don't know is an agnostic.

You are correct. And backing for your claim comes from no less a self-declared "agnostic" than Richard Dawkins.

[Immanuel Can]

On the topic of the OP, today of all days, that question should be on everyone's mind.

God is merciful.

Because of that, Jesus Christ had to be sacrificed.

If it wasn't him, it was going to be the ones who had committed the sins, or else God could never be just.

God is just. God is merciful.

Because He is merciful and just, you are offered salvation. Take it while you can.

This is not just Good Friday. For us all, it's the best of all Fridays.

Happy Easter.

[Reflex]

An atheist is one who lacks the belief that a 'God' exists.

This is a perfect example of what I mean. It's third-grade sophistry trying to sound coherent. "Atheist" is from the Greek word atheos: from a- "without" + theos "a god."

[Belinda]

On the topic of the OP, today of all days, that question should be on everyone's mind.

God is merciful.

Because of that, Jesus Christ had to be sacrificed.

If it wasn't him, it was going to be the ones who had committed the sins, or else God could never be just.

God is just. God is merciful.

Because He is merciful and just, you are offered salvation. Take it while you can.

This is not just Good Friday. For us all, it's the best of all Fridays.

Happy Easter.

The question does worry many thinking believers, atheists and agnostic though. Most atheists , believers, and agnostics no longer believe in the efficacy of human sacrifice; and human sacrifice is undoubtedly one of the historical and emotive elements that seeded the great Christ myth of atonement. Devotional language won't help people who are intellectually puzzled.

Another worry for thinking believers, atheists , and agnostics is the historicity of Jesus . All Christian denominations compound the Christ of faith with the Jesus of history that's to say that believers are expected to believe that the supernatural bits of the Easter story are as real as the few historical facts. Your devotional language, Immanuel, wont help people who are intellectually puzzled.

Atonement for sins is a sort of forgiveness . The enormity of the Atonement of Christ, is while being tortured and near death, He asked God to forgive the sins of the sinners . This is a difference in kind from the sorts of atonement or forgiveness people can do, because the atonement of Jesus doesn't require any remorse or reparation from the sinners to the sinned- against. God is not like a person who in order to forgive needs the other to say sorry and make some reparation if possible.God is supposed by Jesus Christ to be able to forgive without exceptions. Since Jesus Christ is supposed to be God incarnated Jesus Christ has the authority to speak on behalf of God. The myth as a whole story is internally coherent.

The fact that the idea of human sacrifice is one of the ancestral ideas that went to make up the myth of Christ doesn't matter. Ideas grow from previous ideas.

[Belinda]

It's said it was done for the salvation of mankind. Wasn't there a better way?

PhilX

. Not really. The top moral people are usually sacrificed, assassinated or impoverished or something.

[Harbal]

You are correct. And backing for your claim comes from no less a self-declared "agnostic" than Richard Dawkins.

I don't know why you seem to consider Dawkins to be a great authority on religion, you really should try to stop thinking about him, it's going to eat you up if you're not careful.

[thedoc]

For instance: that all atheists insist that god doesn't exist.

That is the definition of an atheist, to say that you just don't know is an agnostic.

You are correct. And backing for your claim comes from no less a self-declared "agnostic" than Richard Dawkins.

Thankyou, I have heard many atheists and agnostics define their position just as I have, but there are a few who claim the label and then try to redefine the term to suit themselves. Most atheists will claim "there is no God", most agnostics will claim that "they don't know if there is a God", but they do not claim to know the knowledge of others. Claiming to know what others know is a bit presumptuous.

[thedoc]

On the topic of the OP, today of all days, that question should be on everyone's mind.

God is merciful.

Because of that, Jesus Christ had to be sacrificed.

If it wasn't him, it was going to be the ones who had committed the sins, or else God could never be just.

God is just. God is merciful.

Because He is merciful and just, you are offered salvation. Take it while you can.

This is not just Good Friday. For us all, it's the best of all Fridays.

Happy Easter.

I hope you enjoy your Easter, later this evening we will be picking up the grandkids, then on Sat. they have an Easter egg hunt at the church, then we will take them home. I think their mother wants to have them home for Easter. Coming with us will give the parents a bit of a break, they have had off school Thu. and today.

[thedoc]

For instance: that all atheists insist that god doesn't exist.

Actually, that was me.

Sorry, I got the quote tags mixed up.

[Harbal]

then on Sat. they have an Easter egg hunt at the church,

You would think they'd have chocolate Jesuses instead of eggs, with a full year's forgiveness for any kid that finds one.