To The Faithful Of The World: I Have But One Simple Question No One Can Seem ToAnswer

Huh. I tend to find it rather bleak, myself (not what I look for in mythology) but to each his own I suppose.

Morality doesn't exist independently of subjective opinion, so that's pretty much a non-statement. According to your standards, it might be unethical; according to a Christian believer's, it's the only ethical way of faith. Neither of you can claim that your belief is the more intrinsically right or wrong.

I personally don't think you can make that simple a division and general statement about "Grace"-believing Protestants. In my experience, at least, many of them aren't self-serving but do quite genuinely believe in their system. Of course, many others are hypocrites, but then that's true of all teachings that have any kind of ethical content -- Protestant or Catholic, Christian or pagan, theist or atheist. Some will be serious about adhering to it, some won't give a damn, and most will usually be lukewarm.

That's a personal statement of belief that I won't argue either for or against as such. I do contend that as the ideas are outlined in the Bible, the "Grace, Not Works" schools of theology are closer to the "truth" than any who argue otherwise. Then again, some go too far the other way; they suppose every good act by any human ever is the Indwelling Spirit at work (which the Bible also doesn't support).

Why'd you think I am? You don't have to believe in the whole mythology to find it interesting and worthy of study. And Koine Greek is a way easier course than any physics past the introductory level.

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Oh? I thought he was criticizing the Christian (and more specifically, Pauline) theology of God's selection criteria for Heaven and Hell, respectively.

Whether non-Christians can act morally is not a matter Christian theologians are unanimously agreed on. (Then again, what is?) According to the Bible's teaching, as far as I'm familiar with it, the answer would appear to be yes (see eg Romans 2); God has apparently endowed everyone with a conscience to do good, or at least be aware of their own "Total Depravity". It's just that for salvation purposes, their evil cancels out the good ... which is why Christ is needed to redeem them.

 

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So in a "Comparative Religion" sub-forum, I am not allowed to point out comparative religions? Good logic there, birch.

Tell ya what- listen to people's posts then tear them apart. It's much easier than formulating your own opinion.

 

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not even close..
in the catagory of contempt chi wins..
he seems to believe in 'hate all things that don't line up with ones beliefs'
i do not have to hate drugs, to not have them in my life.

 

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Interesting. I find it uplifting.

A good name is worth more than gold. Find work that you enjoy to keep your hands busy, love your wife, enjoy your food and wine... What more can anyone ask for?

 

The absence of all the depressing stuff?

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Human effort is useless, but outcomes are determined only by chance (9:11); the more you understand about the world, the sorrier you'll be (1:18); life is so painful it's better to be dead than alive, and best not to have been born at all (4:2-3), yet men desperately cling to this sad existence because it's all they'll ever have (9:4-5). It's about summed up in 2:17:

IMHO there's probably no bleaker book in the Bible than Ecclesiastes. Although Lamentations, some of the psalms, and the "Curses" chapters of Deuteronomy come somewhat close, but even they aren't quite so pessimistic.

 

I used to think I was being dreamed by someone...so to me the idea that we're all being dreamed by some sort of overdeity doesn't seem too off-the-wall.
It seems real, I'm inclined to respond as if I'm real and my existence is actual, but I will admit "I " might be a figment of something else's imagination. A simulation, a subconscious thing that ends when the deity's Feet hit the Floor.
Just because a figment can make things...doesn't prove I'm not a figment.

Will I obstreporously defend that point to be true? no. To be possible? Yes.

I've had weirder things in my breakfast protein shake.

 

All men's lives are weighed on a scale regardless of your belief- no one rides for free. The question is irrelevant because there is no Hell- everyone goes to their personal Heaven- some progress further than others but they're all in their private little worlds.

There is something bigger than Heaven and that is where morality comes into play. If you want to be with the big boys, your soul must pay the price for your life. No one rides for free.