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originally posted by: nugget1
originally posted by: charlest2
a reply to: nugget1
Matthew 7:13-14 New American Standard Bible - NASB 1995 (NASB1995)
“Enter through the narrow gate; for the gate is wide and the way is broad that leads to destruction, and there are many who enter through it. For the gate is small and the way is narrow that leads to life, and there are few who find it.
And every religious sect/cult/orginization will tell you they're the only one who can get you through the gate.
originally posted by: TzarChasm
a reply to: FlyInTheOintment
The need to assert your church as the one superior authority over all other metaphysical authorities, is what crosses the line from spiritual wisdom to dogma and cult behaviors. It's extremely off putting, no one of any expertise is going to say "I'm the best" because that's not authority, that's EGO and any informed audience will immediately pick up on it.
originally posted by: jofafot
a reply to: burritocat
Yeah they are annoying. But on a scale of "cool to be around" to "will kill you" they are at "will bore/nag you to death with bs" if you know what I mean.
Edit: Also sorry for your uncle. Hope he goes back his old self whether using religion to find his way or not.
originally posted by: RAY1990
a reply to: burritocat
The support Vlad the Impaler got from Christians... I needn't say anymore really.
I totally agree with you but the OP wouldn't, zealotry is a backwards pass time that's absolutely backwards and has no place in the 21st century. It didn't even have a place in the last one either.
That said, there's genuinely good humans in all walks of faith including the abrahamic faiths. It's genuinely sad a few bad apples can ruin the bunch in the minds of men so to speak. Genuinely sad. I wouldn't discount people of any faith because of them.
Genuine pacifists are some of the strongest people around, can you imagine how hard it must be to adhere to non violence when people around are more than willing to be evil because "beliefs"?
originally posted by: RAY1990
NDEs don't really point to exclusivity do they?
Christendom in terms of providing the bedrock for advancement of the civilisation which followed in the pathway of the faith over the past two thousand years.
As a Christian I do believe that Christ is the gateway to Heaven, and none can enter Heaven except through Him; however, that doesn't mean that only Christians can enter Heaven, and of course Christ's mercy extends to all peoples of all cultures & religious faiths, or those with no faith. But there is an element which must be present - which is the heart upon which God has written His laws. A heart which believes in justice, mercy & humility before God. That heart can be found in a Buddhist, a Hindu, a Sikh or a Taoist, and indeed there is much wisdom to be found in all other religious paths (along with a lot of error).
originally posted by: burritocat
Oh, if you mean like Muslims being violent today, then yeah Islam in that regard is worse. However, the only reason Christianity is not currently as bad as Islam is because it has been been overcome and reduced in power severely. It has had its teeth pulled, so it cant hurt people like they used to.