I think it's more that God wants us to come back to him/her/it/they/whatever but can't force us back. Through our free will we have to be willing to come back. If we show love to each other and take care of our surroundings, we'd be better. But just because bad things happens to good/innocent people doesn't mean God doesn't exist or care. As a matter of fact, bad things often helps us grow spiritually or if a person is hurt or dies, it can help someone else grow spiritually (either in mourning or in action). Or perhaps it can teach the world a lesson. Maybe someone came into this life 70 years ago and died 50 years ago with the express purpose (spiritually) of dying in a car accident without their seatbelt so it could spur on seat belts being required by the law. Whether that's convincing or not, it shows there are more ways to think about things than just assume God doesn't care or is a glutton for punishment.
Oh gee, I guess people who don't know God don't really know love either huh...thanks, you arrogant christian you. What are you even talking about. Someone dying in a car crash so we can have a seatbelt law? That's God's intention and his way of doing things? Remind me again what lessons we're suppose to learn from terminally ill kids. Love your family? Breed better? Kindly ask God to spare some lives, I don't think I need kids dying to teach me those lessons.
YES it possibly would be. In other words, some would volunteer to come and sacrifice their lives so that we can learn a lesson from their death (and by the way, this is something I've actually read and heard about, like on this site so I'm not just pulling that up from my rear. Yeah, yeah cue the "near-death experiences can be induced and aren't real" card but like I said it isn't something I just came up with). Heck, someone could suffer from a disease and we can learn from their suffering or even death why that disease inflicts people or perhaps even learn to cure it. As for the "terminally ill kids" comment, maybe they chose to go through that before they came into this life for whatever reason (keep in mind, in some theologies reincarnation is real so it's not as if this would be their only life according to that viewpoint). And then in turn, maybe their suffering will help their loved ones grow spiritually. For example, someone who dismissed the idea of God or felt he/she/it/they/whatever wasn't worth serving may pray to God as a last resort for saving their loved one since it seems they're out of ideas that would save their child. Then, perhaps, a miracle happens and the child is saved and in turn that loved one stays spiritual. In that case, the terminally ill kid acted as a catalyst for the loved one to get on a spiritual path. I'm just saying that just because life isn't fair and just because bad things happen to good/innocent people doesn't mean God doesn't care or that things don't happen for a reason. Heck, in my own life I'm seeing proof of that because I used to resent the fact I was so different than everyone else, not popular and a few other things but looking back I see that there was a purpose behind it (and it would only make sense to me since you don't know my experiences).
I think that's backwards from what I quoted. What I believe is that the two are synonymous. The way that I believe is that by knowing one the other is also known. I'm not saying saying anybody knows one but not the other. I don't know what's arrogant about that. Sorry if it came off that way. It's actually a quote from the bible. What seems arrogant to me someone telling others who have stated their belief that what they've stated is actually different than their belief.
Seems like i have to because you either are very ignorant about the cult you follow and of its message or you choose to believe what you want to believe and excuse yourself of the bits you dont believe. IE cherry picking. Why would you think i have a problem with what you believe? I couldnt care less. Im an atheist. Most extreme? Im not getting getting my information from the extreme james bible version, im getting my information from the regular bible. If you identify yourself as a christian then all my points stand about what you believe in. You cant just say "i believe god is love end of discussion" and try to excuse the other parts of what your cult believes by saying its "extreme" or "shallow interpetration." Unless of course, you're cherry picking what you want to believe and dont believe. weak sauce. your passive aggressive post are quite lame. I dont have any difficulties at all accepting what you believe. I couldnt care less. That's what YOU BELIEVE. Your cherry picked bootleg version of what the bible and what god means to you is just that, YOUR VERSION. If you actually read the bible there's more to God than just love. You know like the vengeful God, the murderous God, the God who punishes the non believers. The God who asked a father to murder his son for sacrifice. The God who killed the first born sons of egypt. etc. etc. etc.... Yes God is love. God also murders. According to YOUR RELIGION'S HOLY BOOK THE BIBLE. After all , we are still talking about Christianity right? So, still cherry picking i see? Bro, i used to be a christian, i know what YOUR RELIGION, CHRISTIANITY, believes in. What your personal interpretation of Christianity is of no consequence to me. Just because you have YOUR OWN INTERPRETATION doesnt mean that's what is being followed and preached about in the world.
for those who want a recap of franchise blade and my conversations, just watch this video: <iframe width="560" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/3ZK8Xt5fJiI" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>
My beliefs obviously bother you, and you try and tell me that if I'm a Christian I have to believe all this bunk, that I don't believe. What I believe isn't my own interpretation. As I've said there are plenty others who pretty much share my beliefs. I listed the pastor/author Rob Bell as one. You can read his books if you'd like. His views are researched based on studies. It also seems like you have a problem with applying context of the world the writers of the bible lived in and audience it was originally written for into the understanding of the bible. Your stuff about murdering people isn't the point of any story in the bible. It is in there to be sure. I don't argue that, nor do I ignore it. I'm telling you right now that it's in there. But it isn't the point of any single story in the bible. Your idea that if I'm a Christian I have to believe everything about Christianity that you believe about Christianity is silly. There are so many denominations of Christianity because of all the many different beliefs about it. So while I do identify myself as someone who believes in Christ's message, it doesn't mean that I have the same interpretation of the bible that you do or even the same one that millions of other Christians have. The strict interpretation of literal words without study of who the authors were writing for, and what they assumed about the readers of their words would seem to provide less than a full interpretation of the message they were trying to get across. I want as much understanding as I can get. Your more than welcome to call my research into that to broaden my understanding cherry picking if you like, but it doesn't make it accurate.
Oh let me rephrase, it's not bull crap, it's r****ded. It's like saying I believe the invisible blue dragon in my garage is love, if you don't believe in it, you don't believe in love. It is a judgement of one's morality because I can see almost everyone agrees love is important in our lives. Now you see how it works? You are simply enforcing your own belief on to the others and judge them. You are cherry picking verses from the Bible and came up with your very own, unique interpretations, which is fine --- but it does not mean your God is real.
Good to see you on here Rhester and hope you are having a great Fourth! What you describe in the post sounds very similar to Buddhist concepts of the causes of suffering due to human delusions of pride and it is a very interesting parallel. In some schools of Buddhism there is also an emphasis on a faith / devotional practice as a way of ridding human pride and selfishness. I am curious though if you talk about a Hindu as pure, good and righteous as God would be rewarded how does that correspond with the view that salvation isn't achieved of through acts alone?
I see what you're saying. I just don't agree that it's quite accurate. I'm not saying the blue dragon is love. I'm saying I believe in love, and that I think that is God. These interpretations certainly aren't my own, and they certainly aren't unique. I've mentioned books in here that talk about those interpretations. I don't think I'm judging anyone's morality. The more people believe that love is important is great. I'm not going to disagree with people agreeing on the importance of love.
I make it a habit to not watch political videos on YouTube, but I would like to know, for the sake of hilarity, how many references there were to the Middle Ages/Inquisition "destroying science" or some twaddle like that.
So judgmental. FranchiseBlade is just explaining his beliefs; I don't see that he's trying to convince you of anything. Call it God or call it Love, what does it matter? How you live your life is ultimately the important thing, wouldn't you agree?
Its FB in a way taking religious ownership of a concept that isn't based in religion. Love is a universal human emotion and trying to wrap it up as God, that love and god are interchangeable and somehow the same thing is pretty insulting really. He may not intend it that way but to someone that doesn't believe in god it's an implication that by your disbelief in god you don't believe in love and if you do believe in love then you believe in god since they're the same things.
