being christian
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Well, it is a pretty big crowd who take Jesus seriously and contains some very distinguished scientists and top notch scholars in many fields.
Just follow The Golden Rule, "Do unto others as you would have them do unto you", sincerely apologize to someone when you do wrong towards them, and have genuine remorse. All the rest is rules by other guys who had one agenda or another.
Funny that. Make the claim that there are not even 10 decent people in racial group and you are shit on as a bigot. Make that claim for Sodom and Gomorrah and then exterminate the bunch and it is an act of an all knowing all loving being.
Toss a plane into a building and you are a terrorist. Harden the heart of Pharoah just so you have an excuse to butcher the first born of Egypt including the utterly powerless peasantry and you are worth worshiping.
Exterminate people to gather living space for the master race and you are a grade A asshole, exterminate people to get the promised land for the chosen people and that is totally different.
Aztecs sacrifice people and they are monsters. Base an entire faith around a central incident of human sacrifice plus torture and that is fine. Because of course the only way you can forgive someone is by torturing your first born to death.
Make and watch a snuff film and you are a bad guy. Mel Gibson makes a multi hour snuff film called the beating of the Christ and folks can't get enough.
A pimp mistreats a whore to show his power over her and gives her some treats afterwords and he is scum. Mistreat Job to win a bet with Satan and everything is cool if you reward the guy afterwords, totally different.
Most people would consider getting someone to agree to kill him son a jerk thing to do, I suppose it is different with Abraham and Issac.
Most of the time when you get something utterly wrong, it is a failure. When the bible has two different linage for Jesus, one twice as long as the other and very different, it can still be considered infallible.
Anyone who takes the bible seriously either
1: Has never actually read it
2: Has read it and just turned off their mind.
3: Has read it and is just dumb as fuck
4: Is as Stewie Griffin would say, is deliciously evil.
Considering what the top notch scholars consider to be art these days, I'd put my money on the second option.
3:
Actually, I was at a fundementalist (sp?) wedding service about a year ago, where the bride and groom bathed and annointed each others feet, rather then exchanging vows..
As for Christianity as a whole - as it was explained in Dogma (excellent movie, IMO, but I digress) - Religion should be about IDEAS not beliefs - you can change and evolve ideas - beliefs are fixed and static. Jesus consorted with whores and beggers and outcasts...
Take a walk past the ROM. That a professional thought it was a good idea supports the non thinking idea over the evil idea.
Kind of a sad effort, but at least you take the traditional christian bashing approach of primarily discussing the OT. Funny that, people attack Christians by focusing on the OT.
Of course some of your parallels are really dishonest. Why should I be surprised.
But let's look at some of your lower blows:
The people in S&G were not killed because of their race, they were killed because of their conduct. These days we kind of like the idea that people should be judged by their conduct and not their race. Funny that.
Pharoah had already enslaved the entire nation of Israel (or the vast majority of it) before Moses even showed up. There is no biblical reference that God gave him that idea. If you actually read Exodus you will see Pharoah hardened his own heart. You have carefully studied and read exodus right? You are not just skimming.
The Aztec parallel is particularly sad. I know that the idea of personal sacrifice for others might be a foreign one to you, but someone giving up their most precious possession to help others in the most profound way is something that can be admired. I suspect that you don't think much of Bill Gates because of all he gives to charity. A willing sacrifice to help others...what a crazy idea.
The story of Job is an inspirational one. It demonstrates that faith is a very powerful tool and those with faith will be rewarded. God does not allow Job to suffer to prove "his power over her [him]." unfortunately you have chosen another misleading parallel.
Did Isaac die?
If the best you can do is the two different lineages for biblical internal inconsistancies...you may as well go home now. Let me help you, how many horses in Solomon's stables? How did Judas die? But your real problem is that you take the view of a small minority of christians, the idea that the bible is infallible in word, and ascribe it to the larger group. Another dishonest tactic. Or perhaps you are just so uneducated on Christianity that you don't know that the vast majority of Christians and denominations don't take the bible as infallible. Or maybe you are just dishonest and find straw men easier to argue than real positions.
And I take the bible seriously, and don't fit your cute categories. Is there anything in your post of substantive value? Really doesn't look like it. It looks like modern ignorance.
Have you read the bible? All of it?
Oh...and this is my favorite. I guess you think Band of Brothers was a "snuff" miniseries...better not show Shindler's list...
How desparate are you that you have to sink this low...
The NT takes its authority from the OT, and it is supposed to be the same god.
"The people in S&G were not killed because of their race, they were killed because of their conduct. These days we kind of like the idea that people should be judged by their conduct and not their race. Funny that."
If you really believe that in S&G there are not even 10 people to be found that are decent, I have a bridge to sell you. Only a raving bigot could come to that conclusion. Do you get it. Find someone today who could look at any people defined by race or city and not be able to find 10 decent people and I will show you have hate filled racist who is not bothering to try to find the good in people. There is a scene in American History X where the kid is saying there are probably some good blacks or jews and the big fat dumb fuck says there are none. The S&G story makes god look like the big fat fuck in the movie. Sad that you can not see that.
"Pharoah had already enslaved the entire nation of Israel (or the vast majority of it) before Moses even showed up. There is no biblical reference that God gave him that idea. If you actually read Exodus you will see Pharoah hardened his own heart. You have carefully studied and read exodus right? You are not just skimming."
"Yahweh causes a series of ten plagues to strike Egypt, but whenever Pharaoh begins to relent God causes him to harden his heart."
You might want to fix that Wikipedia article. As well as the various other places I've seen this mentioned. But let us assume all that you said is true, that still justifies the butchering of some peasant's first born kid. Hairy smelly hippies bitch about collateral damage in war, but one would figure that an all powerful being would be able to go after Pharaoh without collateral damage of killing those who have absolutely no say in the running of the country. Interesting how you skipped commentary on this part.
"The Aztec parallel is particularly sad. I know that the idea of personal sacrifice for others might be a foreign one to you, but someone giving up their most precious possession to help others in the most profound way is something that can be admired. I suspect that you don't think much of Bill Gates because of all he gives to charity. A willing sacrifice to help others...what a crazy idea."
One would think an all powerful being would be able to forgive the sins of humanity without resorting to torture and murder. Tell you what, if you have a kid, don't forgive me. Really that is pretty sad on your part.
"The story of Job is an inspirational one. It demonstrates that faith is a very powerful tool and those with faith will be rewarded. God does not allow Job to suffer to prove "his power over her [him]." unfortunately you have chosen another misleading parallel. "
I am sure street hos believe their pimps love them also. I would think that demonstrating the power of faith could be done without putting Job through all that. Never mind that the actual story is god trying to prove a point to satan, which is more important than any conclusions people may want to draw from a fictional story.
"Did Isaac die?"
Really? That makes it OK. Hey dude, kill your son. Ah Psych! Ha ha. What, I didn't have you go through with it, why are you so pissed.
"If the best you can do is the two different lineages for biblical internal inconsistancies...you may as well go home now. Let me help you, how many horses in Solomon's stables? How did Judas die? But your real problem is that you take the view of a small minority of christians, the idea that the bible is infallible in word, and ascribe it to the larger group. Another dishonest tactic. Or perhaps you are just so uneducated on Christianity that you don't know that the vast majority of Christians and denominations don't take the bible as infallible. Or maybe you are just dishonest and find straw men easier to argue than real positions."
It does however apply to some, never said that particular point applied to all. Never mind that one would figure the word of god should have a better editor. Also the fact that it only applies to some does not negate the other points. Interesting how you assume it is the best I got when really it does not address the biblical god as evil and is in fact the weakest point and thus put last. I guess you were so sex crazed and retard strong on finding a point you could actually dismissed that you overlooked it.
"And I take the bible seriously, and don't fit your cute categories. Is there anything in your post of substantive value? Really doesn't look like it. It looks like modern ignorance. "
Keep in mind that you have just justified the slaughter of entire cities, the slaughter of the first born of a dictators nation, unnesseary torture, and brutally horrible practical jokes. You don't actually deny any of it. Bravo. <Sarcastic clapping>
I'd still pitch for 2: Has read it and just turned off their mind., but can't dismiss 3: Has read it and is just dumb as fuck.
The evidence is right in your face, you quibble mostly incorrectly with some points missing the bigger picture. You just don't want to see it.
Christianity was supposed to be a redefinition of God, (ie: God is Love, not some old guy who smites people when they piss him off). The Church decided to make Jesus a Deity, but they also wanted Monotheism, so they fabricated the whole Holy Trinity garbage.
Moses and Pharaoh, hardened hearts, Sodom and Gomorrah, Job and Isaac have nothing to do with Christianity.
The Old Testament Law is based on retributive justice, ('an eye for an eye'), and Christianity is based on 'forgive and forget'. If you read and follow the teachings of Jesus, there's no need for the Institution of The Church, which is a big reason why he was killed.
Moses and Pharaoh, hardened hearts, Sodom and Gomorrah, Job and Isaac have nothing to do with Christianity.
The Old Testament Law is based on retributive justice, ('an eye for an eye'), and Christianity is based on 'forgive and forget'. If you read and follow the teachings of Jesus, there's no need for the Institution of The Church, which is a big reason why he was killed.
