What turns me away #3

ViaCrucis

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Love Jesus or go to hell is a sickly concept made by a sick mind.
So why do you believe when you are faced with this outcome?

Why exactly.

I don't believe in "love Jesus or go to hell", that's not something I believe, and it's not why I believe.

-CryptoLutheran
 
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com7fy8

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The God of the bible puts me off believing in him. On one hand he's all loving and forgiving, and on the other hand he's vengeful and ruthless.
He is practical. And people reap so much more than they sow.
 
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com7fy8

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He enjoys crushing his enemies, and exacts pleasure from destroying those who stand in his way.
Jesus wept for Jerusalem. But there is vengeance and destruction for ones who go against God. So, it is wise not to be an enemy or stand in His way, if you don't like wrath and judgment; but making ourselves the judges of God will not work.
 
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primarymay

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What if Hell is temporary? And what if it is purgative in nature? And what if it is not meant to be humans’ final destination?
You heretic! Thinking like that will get you into trouble. There's no free thought in religion, that only leads to revolution.
 
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~Anastasia~

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The god of the bible gets drunk on the blood of his enemies.

Enough said.

We all get to choose what we will believe and what we will become. God grants us that dignity.
 
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Dirk1540

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The God of the bible puts me off believing in him. On one hand he's all loving and forgiving, and on the other hand he's vengeful and ruthless.

He enjoys crushing his enemies, and exacts pleasure from destroying those who stand in his way.

I can't reconcile these opposites, and killing in the name of a god is not something that appeals to my better nature. I certainly do not like this character, but mostly what I disagree with is compulsory love.

Love Jesus or go to hell is a sickly concept made by a sick mind.
So why do you believe when you are faced with this outcome?

Why exactly.
Can't this be analogous to a straight arrow friendly neighborhood sheriff who greets people with a smile and helps old people across the street, but who cracks skulls when a heinous criminal wreaks havoc on his town? Of course the analogy will break down at some point, but the gist is there.
 
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primarymay

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Seems to me to be the height of folly for man to use the moral facility that God invested in him to turn around and condemn God. Just maybe, greater context needs to be sought, whether textual or historical, when judging things in the Bible.
I condemn the character I've been presented with, it's not a nice picture.
 
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primarymay

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I firmly agree!

And that is not what the bible teaches!

That is not the God of the bible.

Covered clearly here: Jewishnotgreek.com
The bible never teaches those things we disagree with, but only what we agree with. It seems the reason there are so many varied opinions on biblical doctrine, would be because each person interprets the bible in light of their own ethical world view.
 
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primarymay

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You cannot take most of the bible literally. God does not punish, you can only punish yourself by failing to align yourself with him. Any example of God's wrath in the bible is a parable of this.
Yes, then what do you take literally and what do you not take literally.

Who chooses?
 
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~Anastasia~

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I don't think that's entirely true, some thing's effect us that are out of our control.
This is true.

But we do choose how we respond to them.

My reply was based on the fact that you seem to wish to cling to your misconceptions that offend you, and remain offended, when offered an answer to your original question?

That would represent a choice, if you do. Forgive me, of course I don't know you, or what has happened in your life, or what you really thiink. All I can do is attempt to give an answer to your question, which was a very valid one. It bothers me to see people struggle because of wrong teaching, when knowing the truth could solve their problems. But again, we all have the freedom to make choices regarding what we will believe.

Peace to you.
 
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primarymay

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This is true.

But we do choose how we respond to them.

My reply was based on the fact that you seem to wish to cling to your misconceptions that offend you, and remain offended, when offered an answer to your original question?

That would represent a choice, if you do. Forgive me, of course I don't know you, or what has happened in your life, or what you really thiink. All I can do is attempt to give an answer to your question, which was a very valid one. It bothers me to see people struggle because of wrong teaching, when knowing the truth could solve their problems. But again, we all have the freedom to make choices regarding what we will believe.

Peace to you.
Belief doesn't get you to truth, if you know something absolutely true it no longer becomes something you believe.
 
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War_Eagle

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I’ve read the Bible, many times. I am thinking about the parable of Lazarus and the rich man. The rich man begs Abraham to come to him, Abraham says he can’t as there is a gulf fixed between them. It sounds as though Abraham wanted to help. Would not Christ be more merciful?

No. Christ's mercy is shown at the cross, not at judgment.

There is so much that seems contradicting. These are the words of Jesus Luke 6:35-37

“But love your enemies, and do good, lend, hoping for nothing again; and your reward shall be great, and ye shall be the children of the Highest: for HE IS KIND TO THE UNTHANKFUL AND TO THE EVIL. Be ye therefore merciful, ad your Father is also merciful. Judge not, and ye shall not be judged; condemn not, and ye shall not be condemned: forgive, and ye shall be forgiven”

Which doesn't have anything to do with what we're talking about.

I’m just trying to make sense of it all. I don’t know for sure, but would not be surprised if every human repents one day.

If you had ever read the Bible, you would be.
 
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ToBeLoved

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But you are trolling.
We all need to pray that this poor guy spends 1/10th of the time finding out what the Bible actually says, instead of thinking of every Christian he's ever had a conversation with and struggling with God's character that he's probably never actually even spent 10 minutes reading about who God is in the Bible.

I think he needs to post actual verses prooving God's character flaws, in his mind.
 
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Belief doesn't get you to truth, if you know something absolutely true it no longer becomes something you believe.
Faith is required as a step toward the truth, in fact believing in disbelief is the same as belief because it isn't true. If you even have beliefs or disbelief then you do not know what the truth is yet. No belief should be held as true until it is undoubtedly so.
 
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primarymay

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Faith is required as a step toward the truth, in fact believing in disbelief is the same as belief because it isn't true.
I agree, it takes a leap of faith to get to the truth. But once you have the truth it no longer requires belief. Why keep believing if you know the truth?
 
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I agree, it takes a leap of faith to get to the truth. But once you have the truth it no longer requires belief. Why keep believing if you know the truth?
If you knew the truth you wouldn't have need for belief anymore. If you're talking about me, nothing I share is a belief unless specifically stated. I am aware of the truth but I am not in the truth, if that makes sense. Just like how you feel religious people are insane, I feel that way about everyone because only the truth is sane. Absolute forgiveness of everyone for everything without the tiniest shred of judgement is reality. That's why you forgive, because it is sane, it is true.

" 'I have chosen the way of faithfulness;
I have set my heart on your laws.' (Psalm 119:30)"

" 'God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in the Spirit and in truth.' (John 4:24)"
 
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