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Originally posted by Renegade2283
reply to post by r2d246
I see, and I value your opinion.
However, why must I associate with organized religion? I believe that the bible (at least the new testament) was just the old form of MSM that was used to control people and incite hatred for those who do not believe. As I understand it, the new testament was written by a bunch of aristocratic Romans during The Council Of Nicea.
These are my reasons I have for doubting god as he is described by Christians and Catholics:
1.) Why does it just so happen that all the religions that existed before Christianity believed in multiple gods? I believe that they narrowed it down to one god because it was easier to control people with. Back when there were multiple gods, people could just turn to another if they didnt like the rules and teachings of the one they were currently following. I think TPTB of the time saw this as a flaw in their way of manipulation, so they limited to one god so people would be forced to follow the laws of that god.
2.) Why do many religions that exist before Christianity have many elements that are present in the bible. The basic story of Jesus for example, is a reiteration of many passed deities of former religions, just look into Ra of the Egyptians and you will find many similarities. At first I thought that these were lies perpetrated by people wanting to dismiss Christianity, until I looked up all of the current Sumerian stories from an entirely unbiased source. When I began to read I was astonished to find many stories present in the bible, originally existed in the Sumerian religion, the stories of Genesis and Moses to name a few. It was just way too coincidental to dismiss.
3.) It seems that many want to believe in the story presented in the bible because it gives people the belief that they will have eternal life in an afterlife. And to achieve this, all they have to do is accept Jesus as their savior. They dont have to preform all of the constituents that the Egyptian religion required to reach the afterlife. I think it kinda falls back on to people believing what they want to believe. Not to say that it didnt help to believe in an afterlife, it helped people move on with there life because they were not constantly focusing on the fear of death. However, many of the religions also incited hatred toward those who didnt believe in there religion, or on people their religion told them were evil.
4.) Reincarnation just seems much more likely, Since everything that I observe or that others have observed is a cycle, then why wouldnt life itself be a cycle? What if, when you die, your soul passes into the body of another being? And you have no memory of your past life (maybe some do) so you have no way to know for sure. Other than that I have no specific opinion (like what you become is based on how "good" you were in your life).
Once again, thank you for maintaining a calm discussion based on the premise of progressing the knowledge of us both.
Originally posted by r2d246
aristocratic Romans during The Council Of Nicea. ..... Ya I've heard that one too. I understand the whole idea. But it could be they just wanted to only add the books there where the more credible, the most inspired, to create a well organized set of books that would easily explain the whole concept to a newbie. Even if there idea was to use it to control people who's to say God didn't use that event as a way to create his book. What they maybe wanted to use to enslave ended up being the greatest form of liberty the world has ever seen.
1) ya we have examples of that in modern times. It's practiced in India, tons of Gods. Monkeys and cows and rats are well fed and cared for while there children starve, because that rat is a God. Better to feed the rat than there own kids. I want to know who created the atom not he rat.
2) Satan mimics everything God does, that's maybe why there's similarities. But I'm not really sure.
3) who knows
4) Reincar has too many holes. Like who decides who comes back as what? Who governs all of that? Who made up all those laws and principles to govern the universe? And If people were reliving new lives then there's far more people being born now than are dying thus the population explosion, so if I understand that correctly that means that the math wouldn't make sense.
These debats have happened a gazillion times though for hundreds of years. They don't accomplish much anyway. I'm sure we can agree on that. Everyone's got to figure it out for themselves. Like a roulette table. You bet on the one that you think will win and has the best chance.
Originally posted by rubberchicken
@Bo Xian
So... you must know many gay people remarkable well to be so well informed.
In fact how many gay people DO you know to be gay?
Mrs Chicken
Some in every one of my classes for the last 30 years. Some clients. Some friends and relatives. Some fellow church members.
Originally posted by r2d246
reply to post by Renegade2283
Ya I hear what you're saying about the era and what might have gone on back then. I don't know, the way I look at it is as a human one of the fundimental questions you can choose to ask the universe is "where did all this come from?". Most just ignore it. That's everyones choice. But I think it's important to figure it out. And I think the knowledge and understanding of it all has been made readily available to anyone who seeks it out. In regard to Jesus, main stream Christians believe he was God in human form. So if you pray to Jesus you're praying to God. 1/3rd of the trinity. Ya well I've met all kinds of Christians. I'm probably the most wacked out of all of them. Most I find are way to naive. Most are just as brainwashed as everyone else. They believe in the spirit, meanwhile remaining brainwashed in the typical propaganda of our society. It's a really bizarre situation to be in. I mean I was like that too at one time. But at least you have the spirit to either guide you through as lot of the BS in life and or remove it and or protect you from it. But I think the idea scenario in life is when you know 2 things:
1) You know "the spiritual", so you know God, you have a relationship with him. Your in his good books, good graces, enjoy his blessings, wisdom, protection and are a Christian so you've basically defeated death. Death has no hold on you anymore as there's nothing to fear anymore. This is the most important thing in life I believe. Nothing else matters if you got this.
2) You snap out of the standard north american brainwashing that keeps people trapped in this zombie like state. That's why I like this forum because people on here are actually awake, even if they don't have all the pieces of the puzzle at least they've snapped out of the lies and psychosis of MSM and TPTB that people grow up believeing in.
But the way I look at it is if you know both of those, you're at the beginning of wisdom as to how this whole universe is set up, what it's all about, where you fit in, where you came from and are going later. It all starts to make good sense. But then also I guess everyone is different and unique. I mean my ways of thinking are obviously much different than yours and everyone elses. So I mean it would sort of apply slightly differently to everyone. Anyway, I'm just rambling now, but that's kinda how I think about life. But again that's just me, it takes all types for the universe to work. From the satanist to the christian fundamentalist, from the bum to the president. yaaedit on 30-10-2012 by r2d246 because: (no reason given)
Originally posted by Renegade2283
Originally posted by r2d246
aristocratic Romans during The Council Of Nicea. ..... Ya I've heard that one too. I understand the whole idea. But it could be they just wanted to only add the books there where the more credible, the most inspired, to create a we
These debats have happened a gazillion times though for hundreds of years. They don't accomplish much anyway. I'm sure we can agree on that. Everyone's got to figure it out for themselves. Like a roulette table. You bet on the one that you think will win and has the best chance.
Well, the additions to the bible were completely written during the Council of Nicea, they didn't add books, they wrote them. So there is no way "god used them" to create his book because they were not his, they were fantasies created by very intelligent people. (Yes they were immensely intelligent, the Romans had some of the most profound philosophers of all time, that were very capable of creating a very believable story). I think it was a way for the Romans to create a system where the people would be ruled by the most intelligent (Or who they thought was the most intelligent) I believe this to be the creation of TPTB.
1.) Yes I understand that some cultures are still polytheistic, However it is no coincidence that there where virtually no monotheistic religions until a certain point.
2.) How could Satan "mimic" something that didnt exist yet? You mean to say that Satan created multiple deities that followed the basic story of Jesus....... before Jesus existed? Occams Razor.
3.) Well, that's not a very compelling defense
4.) 1> Maybe it is based on your actions during your current life. 2> Nobody, they just have always been. They are just laws, like the laws of nature and physics. 3> It makes perfect sense, the instant one dies, they are born into a new being. We dont record the birth and death of every being on the planet (or other planets with life that we dont know of yet) so there is no way we could know if the math adds up
Also, I disagree that these discussions accomplish nothing. It is very enlightening to discover the opinions of others because it helps me: A.) Progress my knowledge about the workings of other peoples minds B.) Share my knowledge in an attempt to foster the growth of the person or people I am having a discussion with. C.) Perhaps, through our discussion we will have a revelation that has never before occurred (very unlikely, but still possible.)
Anyways, thanks for talking with me for this long, it has been rather enlightening.
edit on 30-10-2012 by Renegade2283 because: typo
Originally posted by BO XIAN
reply to post by r2d246
I haven't followed Bob Larson closely. He has a good reputation. He may be overboard around the edges occasionally but I think he's basically Biblical and responsible and balanced.
My cousin got his extensive training from Bob Larson and has done a good work from it. Certainly he highly respects Bob Larson, as does my cousin's wife.