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Yes, very stupid to live your life as you see fit, not harming anyone, because you HOPE that your chosen belief system, and its idea of afterlife, is correct.
No, what is stupid, is to live in fear your entire life of offending god and being sent to eternal hell, or being annihilated. What is stupid, is to live your life thinking your god is so small and petty, that he condemns all who aren't of a certain religious affiliation. What's stupid, is advocating for discrimination against gay people, because the god you believe in is so small, and so petty, that you believe he would want you to, and would in fact hold it against you if you didn't.
I could go on, but the point has been made. Those of us who prefer to live in reality, and live the life we have (the only one we KNOW is real) how we see fit, while harming no one else, are the ones who aren't showing stupidity.
It's about discipline, 90s. There is no physical body in the spiritual realm. If we can't control our desires here, we won't be able to control them beyond here. Say a person is attached to drugs in the physical realm. This is an addiction and shows you're having trouble controlling your desires to the point that you're indulging something that is harmful to you physically and spiritually. You aren't ready to move past the physical realm because you have not learned to discipline yourself and detach. We're supposed to learn to detach from all our earthly needs because ultimately they're not important to your spiritual growth and you won't have them if you move on to higher realms.
I also think you should try to stop looking at God as a punisher. You have a young child, right? It's your job to raise him and guide him so he becomes a responsible adult and an asset to society. The idea is you are raising someone who will positively and not negatively impact others, because their energy will affect the whole. It doesn't make you a bad or unloving parent if you discipline or correct him when he errs. You are doing your job as a parent. Same idea with God.
He doesn't? Then why do you guys claim he made worshiping him a prerequisite for salvation? Why do you guys claim that we have to do things exactly as he wants, or he sends us to burn?
Because trusting in Jesus is required. But he doesn't NEED us to do anything, including worship him. He can go right on existing without us. The 3 persons of the Trinity, God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit have complete and perfect fellowship in and of themselves. God doesn't need any outside being to validate Him.
Hey, Imiss, I want to say thank you. People like yourself have and do pave the way for the upcoming generation. Because of your willingness to speak up and live authentically even in the face of prejudice you are creating a world where my daughter’s peers are more likely to be accepting of her. And, more importantly, where she is more likely to be accepting of herself. She is such a beautiful soul and if I hadn’t been brought to my senses by God through people like yourself, I can only imagine the kind of hurt I would have certainly caused her, and the damage to our relationship that I would have done.
Yea, I guess you have a point, Pleroo. The God that they worship is not fair, just, or loving, he is vengeful and wrathful, and only loves those of the chosen religion, who sufficiently sing his praises. Their idea of God is rather human in nature, wouldn't you say?
Actually, he is all-loving. He loves us so much he died for us, and he gives us faith in order to trust and believe in him. When our hearts are cold as stone, he regenerates them and he makes it possible for us to worship him.
Hey, Imiss, I want to say thank you. People like yourself have and do pave the way for the upcoming generation. Because of your willingness to speak up and live authentically even in the face of prejudice you are creating a world where my daughter’s peers are more likely to be accepting of her. And, more importantly, where she is more likely to be accepting of herself. She is such a beautiful soul and if I hadn’t been brought to my senses by God through people like yourself, I can only imagine the kind of hurt I would have certainly caused her, and the damage to our relationship that I would have done.
I just wish he/she would get the details right and be willing to be corrected when wrong. You want your daughter to go far in life? Teach her to be honest, and teachable.
It's about discipline, 90s. There is no physical body in the spiritual realm. If we can't control our desires here, we won't be able to control them beyond here. Say a person is attached to drugs in the physical realm. This is an addiction and shows you're having trouble controlling your desires to the point that you're indulging something that is harmful to you physically and spiritually. You aren't ready to move past the physical realm because you have not learned to discipline yourself and detach. We're supposed to learn to detach from all our earthly needs because ultimately they're not important to your spiritual growth and you won't have them if you move on to higher realms.
Which would be fine, except for the fact that most people only believe this of certain other people. For instance, you don't see people like Finn or BF "detaching from earthly needs", do you? And to tell people that they can't be themselves, and instead must be something completely different, certainly does not help spiritual growth. Do you think otherwise? Take a person who is gay, as an example. What would help more with spiritual growth: 1. Let them be who they are while they search for their own spiritual path, or 2. Tell them they have to turn straight, hate themselves, and love God, lest they be sent to eternal hell?
Quote:
Originally Posted by treemoni
I also think you should try to stop looking at God as a punisher. You have a young child, right? It's your job to raise him and guide him so he becomes a responsible adult and an asset to society. The idea is you are raising someone who will positively and not negatively impact others, because their energy will affect the whole. It doesn't make you a bad or unloving parent if you discipline or correct him when he errs. You are doing your job as a parent. Same idea with God.
Why would I stop doing that, when they keep claiming he is? See, you equate it to being a parent, but would you think that a parent grounding a child for 10 years, after they broke something at age 8, is reasonable? Would you think keeping them locked in a basement with no heating or air conditioning for years on end is reasonable? Because that is what people are claiming is reasonable for God.
See, that's the problem most have. It isn't that there IS punishment, it is that the punishment doesn't fit the crime. As a mother, my child is disciplined at times, when it is warranted, but it is never out of bounds for what he did. I would also never throw my child away because they didn't show enough love towards me, as certain people on here are claiming God does.
Because trusting in Jesus is required. But he doesn't NEED us to do anything, including worship him. He can go right on existing without us. The 3 persons of the Trinity, God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit have complete and perfect fellowship in and of themselves. God doesn't need any outside being to validate Him.
It's "required" but he doesn't "need" it... Okay, BF, that makes a lot of sense....
Quote:
Originally Posted by BaptistFundie
Actually, he is all-loving. He loves us so much he died for us, and he gives us faith in order to trust and believe in him. When our hearts are cold as stone, he regenerates them and he makes it possible for us to worship him.
I don't think you understand the term "loving", BF. Your "loving" God sends billions to hell for not believing in him, or not believing correctly. If this is love to you, then you have some serious issues, my friend.
As for "dying for us", that makes little to no sense as well... God sent his son to die for our sins, to "save us" from himself. Could he not have done the same thing without the theatrics?
Which would be fine, except for the fact that most people only believe this of certain other people. For instance, you don't see people like Finn or BF "detaching from earthly needs", do you? And to tell people that they can't be themselves, and instead must be something completely different, certainly does not help spiritual growth. Do you think otherwise? Take a person who is gay, as an example. What would help more with spiritual growth: 1. Let them be who they are while they search for their own spiritual path, or 2. Tell them they have to turn straight, hate themselves, and love God, lest they be sent to eternal hell?
I've said many times on this forum that Christ calls us to deny ourselves and follow him. Doesn't matter if you identify as gay, straight, or some new letter of the alphabet previously unused in the acronym. Maybe your sin is alcohol, maybe it's stealing, or any of a 1000 different sins. God calls us to put it behind us and follow him. Our desires are secondary to a relationship with our Creator.
Even though you don't really care for the views of people here, it seems you're open to learning. I think you should try to find believers who aren't tied to a religion. I don't think the path to God is through religion. All of them are corrupt at this point. I think these people are turning you off, which is understandable. But you're throwing the baby away with the bathwater.
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