Why be Damned ?

[Beerina]

Ahhhh, Jesus did say, "The withered tree cannot bear fruit, and the healthy tree cannot help but to bear fruit", didn't he? The downfall of the John 3:16 quoters.

There's meaning in that? ... beyond the obvious, I mean.

Well, the withered tree quote is partly true, but does not account for skillful liars too well, as it may be years or decades before their "evil fruit" ever comes about, if it ever gets recognized at all. And we won't even get into well-meaning wrongheaddedness, which can be just as bad.

 

[Beerina]

The key thing to remember/realize here is that the "hell" spoken of is seperation from Jesus for all eternity. If you reject Jesus, being cut off from Him for all eternity shouldn't really bother you that much. The primary glory of heaven is union with God, the primary punishment of hell is the seperation from God. All the rest are metaphoric analogies of what those who believe in God/Jesus would experience if they were joined with (heaven), or seperated from (hell), God do to their actions.

So what does "separation" entail? Continued existence on Earth with an immortal body, with no way to get into the golden city of Jerusalem?

I, for one, plan to engage in sordid sexual activity just outside the gates to tease people inside for being suckups.

If "separation" entails an eternity of true oblivion, then Yahweh can suck my balls. He is an immoral ass. It is immoral for an entity that cannot die if it doesn't want to to threaten its creations with death. "Acknowledge that I sacrificed myself to save you from myself" seems like a bizarre criteria in any case.

 

[Trakar]

So what does "separation" entail? Continued existence on Earth with an immortal body, with no way to get into the golden city of Jerusalem?.

Issues of the exact nature of the afterlife are varied and generally unclear and uncertain. Those who focus upon what happens after this life through the use of scripture are generally missing the point of scripture, which is supposed to be an assitance to help one become closer to God during this life and to help one live a life that is more in accord with displaying and practicing selflessness and love of our fellow man and God.

I, for one, plan to engage in sordid sexual activity just outside the gates to tease people inside for being suckups.

Your literalist interpretations and displayed sophistication of consideration are both quaint and amusing.

If "separation" entails an eternity of true oblivion, then Yahweh can suck my balls. He is an immoral ass. It is immoral for an entity that cannot die if it doesn't want to to threaten its creations with death. "Acknowledge that I sacrificed myself to save you from myself" seems like a bizarre criteria in any case.

Are you immoral for removing a benign tumor?

Not a totally appropriate analogy, as I stated, the scriptures are designed as guides for this life, not detailed scientific treatises concerning the nature of the afterlife.

God does not threaten anyone, but he promises those who believe in Him, and seek to follow in His path, a place with Him for all eternity, if they so choose.

 

[grayman]

God does not threaten anyone, but he promises those who believe in Him, and seek to follow in His path, a place with Him for all eternity, if they so choose.

Bull.

 

[Trakar]

Bull.

If you are hearing threats from the great beyond, I assure you they are not issuing from the lips of God.

 

[grayman]

If you are hearing threats from the great beyond, I assure you they are not issuing from the lips of God.

I don't hear threats from mythological beings.

However:

Leviticus 26:16-33

Exodus 20:5

Deuteronomy 5:9

Deuteronomy 23:2

Deuteronomy 28:18

1 Kings 21:29

Isaiah 14:21

Jeremiah 29:32

Whenever we read ... the cruel and tortuous executions, the unrelenting vindictiveness with which more than half the Bible is filled, it would be more consistent that we call it the word of a demon than the word of God. It is a history of wickedness that has served to corrupt and brutalize humankind. And, for my own part, I sincerely detest it, as I detest everything that is cruel. -- Thomas Paine, The Age of Reason

 

[Achán hiNidráne]

Don't blame god-you should have known better.

So they're blaming the victim. Nice.

 

[-Fran-]

If you are hearing threats from the great beyond, I assure you they are not issuing from the lips of God.

But.... but... who could it be then Oh... wait, I know, I know. It's SATAN, isn't it!!!!

 

[-Fran-]

God does not threaten anyone, but he promises those who believe in Him, and seek to follow in His path, a place with Him for all eternity, if they so choose.

Promises made from the premise of "you're either with me or against me" is a threat in itself, I think.

 

[Darth Rotor]

To differentiate the Christians from the Muslims. How else would God know which faithful people to condemn to the Pit?


(Note, this is sarcasm.)

By the length of their beards.

DR

(Even on the women )

 

[Darth Rotor]

But.... but... who could it be then Oh... wait, I know, I know. It's SATAN, isn't it!!!!

Ah, I miss the Church Lady. The show where Walter Payton and Joe Montana were her guests was a favorite.

DR

 

[-Fran-]

Ah, I miss the Church Lady. The show where Walter Payton and Joe Montana were her guests was a favorite.

DR

That's Dana Carvey, right? Or do I remember the wrong thing now? I had forgotten about that

ETA:
Checked it up. Dana Carvey, yes. The impersonation was unintentional though

 

[Darth Rotor]

That's Dana Carvey, right? Or do I remember the wrong thing now? I had forgotten about that

ETA:
Checked it up. Dana Carvey, yes. The impersonation was unintentional though

But you timed it beautifully.

DR

 

[Gregoire]

God does not threaten anyone, but he promises those who believe in Him, and seek to follow in His path, a place with Him for all eternity, if they so choose.

But if god is all-knowing, he knows there are some people on this planet who require evidence before having the ability to believe in him.

Christopher Hitchens made a good point about this as well. Based on all the available evidence homo sapiens have been around for approximately 100,000 years. But according to Christians, god waited 98,000 years before actually making this offer, and even then it took 1500 years for this offer to make it to the Americas. Does this make any sense?

 

[Darth Rotor]

But if god is all-knowing, he knows there are some people on this planet who require evidence before having the ability to believe in him.

Christopher Hitchens made a good point about this as well. Based on all the available evidence homo sapiens have been around for approximately 100,000 years. But according to Christians, god waited 98,000 years before actually making this offer, and even then it took 1500 years for this offer to make it to the Americas. Does this make any sense?

Patience.

If your time scale is measured in eons, what is a millenium here and there? Could be the time you spend bowling with spiral nebulae.

Another way to look at that is amusement:

(Possible deity musing)

*hmm, let's let this run for a while, and see what they do with it.*

time elapses

*Huh, so they really like the goats.*

*note to self: make more Shemps*

DR

 

[-Fran-]

But you timed it beautifully.

DR

*LOL* I guess I drew it from some dark corner of my mind or another.

 

[Darth Rotor]

*LOL* I guess I drew it from some dark corner of my mind or another.

Ah, then you are eligible to venture with me further into The Dark Side. You don't know The Power --

Oops, cover is silpping.

Never mind. *whistles innocently*

DR

 

[-Fran-]

Ah, then you are eligible to venture with me further into The Dark Side. You don't know The Power --

Oops, cover is silpping.

Never mind. *whistles innocently*

DR

I don't know about The Dark Side... I might already be engaged in some service to ... SATAN

 

[Trakar]

I don't hear threats from mythological beings.

However:

Leviticus 26:16-33

Exodus 20:5

Deuteronomy 5:9

Deuteronomy 23:2

Deuteronomy 28:18

1 Kings 21:29

Isaiah 14:21

Jeremiah 29:32

And you believe that these are perfect reflections of God's will, hand-written by God and that they are directed specifically at you and have remained in context and without alteration in literal word and meaning throughout time and translation? Your faith is evidently much stronger and more directed than mine.

You sound more strict and literalist than any fundementalist I have ever met! Aside from the fact that, with regards to Christianity, these (above references) are a background cultural history and not truly the basis of our religion, which is found in the New Testament, you, like several others here who seem to have an intolerant chip on your shoulder(s) with regards to other's religious beliefs, seem to base many/most of your arguments upon a naively literalist interpretation/understanding and generalized charicature of those religions, why is that I wonder?

 

[Trakar]

But.... but... who could it be then Oh... wait, I know, I know. It's SATAN, isn't it!!!!

LOL, why blame any external source (yet alone a supernatural source) for an internal delusion/psycohosis?