Talking to God boosts self-control and emotional stability, claims study

[kelroy55]

I was incorrect. There were 3 instances that God commanded them to
utterly destroy all inhabitants.

By the way, the battles in the link you supplied weren't to be continued.

So according to God it's OK to murder?

[ThomPaine]

I also like Douglas Adams' description of what might have been Jesus' intention all along:

Unfortunately, that girl never got to share her insight!

I can absolutely respect your point of view on your relationship with Christ. I respect folks who try to live by the guidelines set out by Christ - very simple to understand, yet difficult to hold to in this or any other time. If your relationship puts you in a place of peace now, that is awesome.

However, I also appreciate folks who try to walk the walk of other religions, or no religion as well. In certain parts of the world, you may or not be a follower of the "right" religion, and that's a shame.

You may, or may not agree, but not all Christians share your view or are as mature in their relationships, and they, sometimes, try to make up for their lack of faith/comfort by trying to convince others of their faith, and this is rarely good.

Best of luck in your walk!

[Chadanth]

So according to God it's OK to murder?

He did it a few times himself.

[Prunepicker]

He did it a few times himself.

Incorrect. God never murdered.

[kelroy55]

Incorrect. God never murdered.

He just ordered it to be done?

[RadicalModerate]

He just ordered it to be done?

I think that is unfair to keep referring to God as He.
(i know that the english translation of The Bible does so, yet i stand by my opinion here)

[kelroy55]

I think that is unfair to keep referring to God as He.
(i know that the english translation of The Bible does so, yet i stand by my opinion here)

Good point and from now on I'll just refer to God as Q. They are both male and female.

[Chadanth]

Incorrect. God never murdered.

So the biblical flood didn't kill any people?

[Prunepicker]

So the biblical flood didn't kill any people?

People were killed, not murdered. They were given 120 years to repent
and didn't.

[Prunepicker]

The kids were given the chance to repent? How exactly were they asked
or told?

The kids could have been provided safety by their parents had their
parents repented. They didn't. Kind of like the dad is driving drunk while
he drives off a steep cliff with the kids are in the car.

By Noah.

[CaptDave]

The kids could have been provided safety by their parents had their
parents repented. They didn't. Kind of like the dad is driving drunk while
he drives off a steep cliff with the kids are in the car.

By Noah.

So were those kids innocent? Or have you a way to twist them into deserving of death so you can justify your dogma?

[CaptDave]

^ We are not far from the inevitable selective use of the Old Testament when it suits one's dogmatic position and ignoring the inconvenient bits. The usual suspect should be here soon enough......

[Prunepicker]

^ We are not far from the inevitable selective use of the Old Testament
when it suits one's dogmatic position and ignoring the inconvenient bits.
The usual suspect should be here soon enough...

And as usual your contribution to the discussion is unnecessary.

[CaptDave]

And as usual your contribution to the discussion is unnecessary.

[Prunepicker]

...
It's such a hideous excuse and lame attempt to explain away the obvious
contradiction.

No, not a contradiction.

If you believe the biblical story, you believe that the entire world was full
of adults worthy of instant, horrible death at the hands of a world-wide
flood and all of their children, infants included, drowned as a result.
All the babies and kids drowned.

I'm not denying that.

Don't even get me started with god asking Abraham to sacrifice his own
son. Seriously. How do you even come close to defending that? Oh sure
god. You must know best. What a horrible and utterly twisted belief.

You started the Abraham part, not I. It's easy to defend it. He was
being obedient to God. Did you realize that he didn't sacrifice his son?
Do you know why? I'm sure you won't find the answer on the religion
hate sites.

It's not a twisted belief.

[Prunepicker]

I'm glad you agree that your post didn't provide a modicum of civility or
intellectual significance.

[CaptDave]

The arrogance of blind dogmatism usually leads to the assumption that one has not read the Bible if they disagree with the dogma. Pretty sure Pope Francis spoke about this very topic recently. (But I would almost bet the Pope is a cultist in the esteemed ones expert opinion.)

[RadicalModerate]

I think that I will erect a shrine to Nelson Mandela (along with a couple of small pictures of Barack Obama) call it Neo-Shintoism and hope that The Pope will make Mr. Mandela an "Official Saint" . . . yet I'm not counting on it. Too "Religious". Vaguely Anti-Protestant. Not really Christian. imho.

The activities, not the people.

[Prunepicker]

I'm very aware of the story. Read the bible more times than I care to
remember. You are trying to make excuses for the murder of innocent
children.

I'm not making excuses. God murdered nobody. Their parents were given
a way out, and they declined. Their parents allowed the deaths of the
children to take place.

I'm showing you that it wasn't beneath god nor Abraham to consider
killing a child.

Again, you're wrong. Neither God or Abraham killed any children.
Why was Issac spared?

And I get nothing from any websites. I was being groomed for seminary.
Went to St. Augustine Academy, homeschooled, studied Latin, Hebrew,
and Greek and grew up in a Reformed Presbyterian home. I don't need
any website to tell me what the bible says.

Then why are you having such a difficult time understanding the Bible?

[ThomPaine]

I'm very aware of the story. Read the bible more times than I care to remember. You are trying to make excuses for the murder of innocent children. I'm showing you that it wasn't beneath god nor Abraham to consider killing a child.

And I get nothing from any websites. I was being groomed for seminary. Went to St. Augustine Academy, homeschooled, studied Latin, Hebrew, and Greek and grew up in a Reformed Presbyterian home. I don't need any website to tell me what the bible says.

Well, there you go. A fisheater.

You weren't the right kind of Christian.

[Prunepicker]

You weren't the right kind of Christian.

There's only one kind.

[CaptDave]

There's only one kind.

Let me guess, the kind that adheres to your dogma and only your dogma.

[Prunepicker]

Let me guess, the kind that adheres to your dogma and only your dogma.

You're the only person endorsing and promoting a dogma.

[ThomPaine]

Never mind...

[zookeeper]

Want to get to the nitty gritty of all this.....have the time?
This is a copyright-free tract from the FFRF.
Warning: This is pretty tough on Christianity and the Bible...so, if you are easily offended - don't even bother,

Why Jesus?


Jesus has been held in high regard by Christians and non-Christians alike. Regardless of whether he existed in history, or whether he was divine, many have asserted that the New Testament Christ character was the highest example of moral living. Many believe that his teachings, if truly understood and followed, would make this a better world.
Is this true? Does Jesus merit the widespread adoration he has received? Let's look at what he said and did.

Was Jesus Peaceable And Compassionate?

The birth of Jesus was heralded with "Peace on Earth," yet Jesus said, "Think not that I am come to send peace: I came not to send peace but a sword." (Matthew 10:34) "He that hath no sword, let him sell his garment, and buy one." (Luke 22:36) "But those mine enemies, which would not that I should reign over them, bring hither, and slay them before me." (Luke 19:27. In a parable, but spoken of favorably.)


The burning of unbelievers during the Inquisition was based on the words of Jesus: "If a man abide not in me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered; and men gather them, and cast them into the fire, and they are burned." (John 15:6)


Jesus looked at his critics "with anger" (Mark 3:5), and attacked merchants with a whip (John 2:15). He showed his respect for life by drowning innocent animals (Matthew 8:32). He refused to heal a sick child until he was pressured by the mother (Matthew 15:22-28).


The most revealing aspect of his character was his promotion of eternal torment. "The Son of man [Jesus himself] shall send forth his angels, and they shall gather out of his kingdom all things that offend, and them which do iniquity; And shall cast them into a furnace of fire: there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth." (Matthew 13:41-42) "And if thy hand offend thee, cut it off: it is better for thee to enter into life maimed, than having two hands to go into hell, into the fire that never shall be quenched." (Mark 9:43) Is this nice? Is it exemplary to make your point with threats of violence? Is hell a kind, peaceful idea?


Did Jesus Promote "Family Values"?


"If any man come to me, and hate not his father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and sisters, yea, and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple." (Luke 14:26)


"I am come to set a man at variance against his father, and the daughter against her mother, and the daughter in law against her mother in law. And a man's foes shall be they of his own household." (Matthew 10:35-36)


When one of his disciples requested time off for his father's funeral, Jesus rebuked him: "Let the dead bury their dead." (Matthew 8:22)


Jesus never used the word "family." He never married or fathered children. To his own mother, he said, "Woman, what have I to do with thee?" (John 2:4)

What Were His Views On Equality And Social Justice?

Jesus encouraged the beating of slaves: "And that servant [slave], which knew his lord's will, and prepared not himself, neither did according to his will, shall be beaten with many stripes." (Luke 12:47) He never denounced servitude, incorporating the master-slave relationship into many of his parables.
He did nothing to alleviate poverty. Rather than sell some expensive ointment to help the poor, Jesus wasted it on himself, saying, "Ye have the poor with you always." (Mark 14:3-7)


No women were chosen as disciples or invited to the Last Supper.


What Moral Advice Did Jesus Give?

"There be eunuchs which have made themselves eunuchs for the kingdom of heaven's sake. He that is able to receive it, let him receive it." (Matthew 19:12) Some believers, including church father Origen, took this verse literally and castrated themselves. Even metaphorically, this advice is in poor taste.
If you do something wrong with your eye or hand, cut/pluck it off (Matthew 5:29-30, in a sexual context).

Marrying a divorced woman is adultery. (Matthew 5:32)
Don't plan for the future. (Matthew 6:34)
Don't save money. (Matthew 6:19-20)
Don't become wealthy. (Mark 10:21-25)
Sell everything and give it to the poor. (Luke 12:33)
Don't work to obtain food. (John 6:27)
Don't have sexual urges. (Matthew 5:28)
Make people want to persecute you. (Matthew 5:11)
Let everyone know you are better than the rest. (Matthew 5:13-16)
Take money from those who have no savings and give it to rich investors. (Luke 19:23-26)
If someone steals from you, don't try to get it back. (Luke 6:30)
If someone hits you, invite them to do it again. (Matthew 5:39)
If you lose a lawsuit, give more than the judgment. (Matthew 5:40)
If someone forces you to walk a mile, walk two miles. (Matthew 5:41)
If anyone asks you for anything, give it to them without question. (Matthew 5:42)

Is this wise? Is this what you would teach your children?


Was Jesus Reliable?

Jesus told his disciples that they would not die before his second coming: "There be some standing here, which shall not taste of death, till they see the Son of man coming in his kingdom" (Matthew 16:28). "Behold, I come quickly." (Revelation 3:11) It's been 2,000 years, and believers are still waiting for his "quick" return.

He mistakenly claimed that the mustard seed is "the least of all seeds" (Matt. 13:32), and that salt could "lose its savour" (Matthew 5:13).


Jesus said that whoever calls somebody a "fool" shall be in danger of hell fire (Matthew 5:22), yet he called people "fools" himself (Matthew 23:17).


Regarding his own truthfulness, Jesus gave two conflicting opinions: "If I bear witness of myself, my witness is not true" (John 5:31), and "Though I bear record of myself, yet my record is true" (John 8:14).


Was Jesus A Good Example?


He irrationally cursed a fig tree for being fruitless out of season (Matthew 21:18-19, and Mark 11:13-14). He broke the law by stealing corn on the Sabbath (Mark 2:23), and he encouraged his disciples to take a horse without asking permission (Matthew 21).


The "humble" Jesus said that he was "greater than the temple" (Matt 12:6), "greater than Jonah" (Matthew 12:41), and "greater than Solomon" (Matthew 12:42). He appeared to suffer from a dictator's "paranoia" when he said, "He that is not with me is against me" (Matthew 12:30).


Why Jesus?

Although other verses can be cited that portray Jesus in a different light, they do not erase the disturbing side of his character. The conflicting passages, however, prove that the New Testament is contradictory.


The "Golden Rule" had been said many times by earlier religious leaders. (Confucius: "Do not unto others that you would not have them do unto you.") "Turn the other cheek" encourages victims to invite further violence. "Love thy neighbor" applied only to fellow believers. (Neither the Jews nor Jesus showed much love to foreign religions). A few of the Beatitudes ("Blessed are the peacemakers") are acceptable, but they are all conditions of future reward, not based on respect for human life or values.


On the whole, Jesus said little that was worthwhile. He introduced nothing new to ethics (except hell). He instituted no social programs. Being "omniscient," he could have shared some useful science or medicine, but he appeared ignorant of such things (as if his character were merely the invention of writers stuck in the first century).


Many scholars are doubtful of the historical existence of Jesus. Albert Schweitzer said, "The historical Jesus will be to our time a stranger and an enigma." No first-century writer confirms the Jesus story. The New Testament is internally contradictory and contains historical errors. The story is filled with miracles and other outrageous claims. Consisting mostly of material borrowed from pagan religions, the Jesus story appears to be cut from the same fabric as all other myths and fables.


Why is Jesus so special? It would be more reasonable and productive to emulate real, flesh-and-blood human beings who have contributed to humanity--mothers who have given birth, scientists who have alleviated suffering, social reformers who have fought injustice--than to worship a character of such dubious qualities as Jesus.