What Is An Unbeliever.. Really.. ? (disciples, prophets, priests, ghosts)

[accelerator]

Originally Posted by Alpha8207

This thread moved to R&P because I am particularly interested in the answer from a non-believers standpoint.

Can anyone weigh in?

Again, I'm just asking that if you are a non-believer that's read the bible, what do you see about the disciples that differs from what you see about Christianity today?

I'll start a new thread because this is off topic.. but might be interesting to discuss.


My question is.. and its a general question to all..


When you say "unbeliever"

Do you mean.. someone who doesn't believe in what the christians are teaching.. ?

Do you mean.. someone who doesn't believe in organized religious assembly and the supernatural.. ?

Do you mean.. someone who doesn't believe in loving kindness.. righteousness.. justice.. peace.. wisdom.. truth.. and freedom.. ?

Or.. do you mean.. someone who doesn't believe in prophet's law.. which is.. treating others as we would wish to be treated ourselves.. ?

Or is there something else..?


So.. what is an unbeliever.. really.. ?

How can we tell them apart.. ?


After all.. George.. Tony.. and Gordon.. are all "christians".. aren't they.. ?

But do they actually.. believe.. ?


Just wondering.

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"For in loving kindness I have taken delight, and not in solemn assembly.; and in the knowledge of God rather than in your use of uncanny power. But they themselves, like earthling man, have overstepped the covenant. There is where they have dealt treacherously with me. And as in the lying in wait for a man, the association of priests are marauding bands."

Hosea 6:4

That's my favorite verse.. :-)

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It sounds like they are talking about believing in God's law to me.. and there are many athiests who believe in it too. While there are many christians who don't.


“So he said to them: "O senseless ones and slow in heart to believe in all the things the prophets spoke!”

Luke 24:25

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[Haaziq]

Originally Posted by accelerator

When you say "unbeliever"

I don't even use the word, lol. I prefer nonbeliever.

Originally Posted by accelerator

Do you mean.. someone who doesn't believe in what the christians are teaching.. ?

Christians might look at it that way. I see it as not believing what any religion teaches. I'm a nonbeliever in that sense.

Originally Posted by accelerator

Do you mean.. someone who doesn't believe in organized religious assembly and the supernatural.. ?

You can be a believer and still reject organized religion. You don't need religion to believe in something. Supernatural is a broad term when you think about it. The widely accepted definition for it is "Something that can't be explained by science.", so if I went back in time and showed a lighter to cavemen, they'd consider it supernatural. Nobody can deny the fact that there are many supernatural things, but don't get that confused with believing in deities, ghosts, demons, magick, ect.

Originally Posted by accelerator

Do you mean.. someone who doesn't believe in loving kindness.. righteousness.. justice.. peace.. wisdom.. truth.. and freedom.. ?

I would hope that nobody means it that way, but that's all I can do is hope.

Originally Posted by accelerator

Or.. do you mean.. someone who doesn't believe in prophet's law.. which is.. treating others as we would wish to be treated ourselves.. ?

That "law" is universal and has no ties to religion. The Golden Rule has been written in many ancient texts, religious and nonreligious.

Originally Posted by accelerator

"For in loving kindness I have taken delight, and not in solemn assembly.; and in the knowledge of God rather than in your use of uncanny power. But they themselves, like earthling man, have overstepped the covenant. There is where they have dealt treacherously with me. And as in the lying in wait for a man, the association of priests are Marauding bands."

Hosea 6:4

That's my favorite verse.. :-)

----

It sounds like they are talking about believing in God's law to me..


“So he said to them: "O senseless ones and slow in heart to believe in all the things the prophets spoke!”

Luke 24:25

-

No comment.

[rubyskye]

An unbeliever is just the flip side of a believer.
Beliefs are a mental construct ... that's it.
They are ideas about reality ... not reality.
They are just beliefs and have nothing to do with direct experience and clear seeing via a mind that is empty and without attitude, preconceptions, beliefs, etc.
If we want to see what is, we have to be present and approach or be in each moment with an open, unbiased mind, clear and detached mind. Otherwise we are just seeing through a lens that is "clouded" with thoughts, ideas, memory pictures, etc., etc.

"If the doors of perception were cleansed, everything would appear to man as it is ... infinite.
-William Blake-

http://www2.kobe-c.ac.jp/%7Ewatanabe/blake/image/glad_day.jpg (broken link) If the doors of perception were cleansed everything would appear to man as it is: Infinite.