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If you’re worried about pedophiles, they’re everywhere. Not necessarily a reason to avoid church in general.
More obfuscating.
Obviously, you're in abject fear and cannot address the primary issues.
If those who were "truly" called by god cannot identify those who are phonies, then how can the common people identify them?
Even the Pope, the Vicar of Christ on Earth hand-picked by Jesus himself, can't even tell the difference.
Since no one apparently has any way of knowing, then there's little point in attending church.
And, it's not just pedophiles. They commit other crimes as well, and when they're not committing crimes, they're abusing their power and authority to entice members of their congregation into adulterous affairs.
Sometimes both.
I'm guessing you didn't watch the Forensic Files episode where a member of the clergy was having adulterous affairs with women in his congregation and women outside his congregation and ended up murdering his wife.
Obviously, you're in abject fear and cannot address the primary issues.
If those who were "truly" called by god cannot identify those who are phonies, then how can the common people identify them?
Even the Pope, the Vicar of Christ on Earth hand-picked by Jesus himself, can't even tell the difference.
Since no one apparently has any way of knowing, then there's little point in attending church.
And, it's not just pedophiles. They commit other crimes as well, and when they're not committing crimes, they're abusing their power and authority to entice members of their congregation into adulterous affairs.
Sometimes both.
I'm guessing you didn't watch the Forensic Files episode where a member of the clergy was having adulterous affairs with women in his congregation and women outside his congregation and ended up murdering his wife.
I guess it's a good thing he was "called by god."
That doesn't exactly scream, "Trust!"
I don’t doubt there are problems in the church that should not be happening and further, do great harm to Christianity. I’m only pointing out that we should not be surprised by all this, as the church (along with every other public institution) is made up of sinners. Our reaction should be vigilance to protect the vulnerable.
Yeah, you’re gonna have a difficult time convincing those folks Jesus had nothing to do with it and worse, He doesn’t even exist.
Yes, Jimmie. They fell in love with themselves and called it Jesus - just as those 'saved' by other religions call it something else. We are familiar with the 'saving' effect. We also know that the Jesus they ascribe it to exists nowhere outside their own heads (1) and never did exist. Oh maybe a real jesus existed, but not the one in the gospels. Not the one they use as a focus for their own saving self - love.
(1) because they can't even agree what color the car is, unless they all attend a church to tell them what color it is - unless they disagree and find another church - that happens, too .
Tell that the the people whose lives have actually been saved by an encounter with Jesus. It’s not just some notion to them.
Shall I also tell it to the people whose lives have actually been saved by an encounter with Ganesh?
Quote:
Originally Posted by Miss Hepburn
I agree. I've seen their shining eyes at homeless places, I stop in now and again ...
and they tell me HOW much they have been saved from this and that.
I love them.
Clearly he didn't think enough of them to put them on their feet...just leaves them in a refuge for the homeless!
Yeah, you’re gonna have a difficult time convincing those folks Jesus had nothing to do with it and worse, He doesn’t even exist.
its not about "had nothing to do with it." Its about proper weights and proper perspective. Its also about understanding that its ok to change your story when new information crops up.
I have no need to say Jesus wasn't real. as far as I am concerned it easier to say he is real and move on. Iit doesn't matter in describing how the universe works.
The focal point that helps people get through tough times is real Jimmie. I call them strings or ideas that give a mind something to grab onto.
a person literally dying and rising for our sins is not real. its real in a sense that it is a string, but it is not real as an event that literally took place.
yes, we will have a hard time describing to some people its not real. Just like we have a tough time describing to people that their phobia is not real. The phobia is real, how it effects their world view is real. The world view the phobia forms is seriously flawed. I use phobia of spiders and elevators as examples and they line up exactly to how some fundy-think types think.
also its about half truths.
Yes, metaphorically, the jesus story is a good lesson and its a fine focal point. Yes, we are clearly part of a larger more complex system that is better described as life over non life. Yes, its a great redemption story.
No ... dude did not literally die and rise for our sins.
Yes, Jimmie. They fell in love with themselves and called it Jesus - just as those 'saved' by other religions call it something else. We are familiar with the 'saving' effect. We also know that the Jesus they ascribe it to exists nowhere outside their own heads (1) and never did exist. Oh maybe a real jesus existed, but not the one in the gospels. Not the one they use as a focus for their own saving self - love.
(1) because they can't even agree what color the car is, unless they all attend a church to tell them what color it is - unless they disagree and find another church - that happens, too .
You don’t even know what you believe but you’re convinced others are wrong.
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