why are there so many evil people in the world?

Quackduck said:

The so called mythical 'end times' have been around since Jesus died, even he seemed to think they would happen in the lifetime of his disciples. I reckon if religion is still on going in 2000 years time, some might still be threatening that they are imminent.

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Actually, some of what people have misinterpreted about what Jesus said regarding the various aspects of 'the End Times' pertained more accurately to the destruction of Jerusalem and the displacement of His Jewish kin, all of which as a solid fact of history did take place at the hands of the Roman Emperors Vespasian and Titus in A.D. 70.

So much for the mythical quality of the end times. The only myth is the assertion that everyone fully understands what they think they're reading in the New Testament. Nope. Time to wakey, wakey!

Desk trauma said:

Said every generation of Christians. After it didn’t, well, time for reinterpretation.

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It's kind of difficult to interpret something correctly without the hindsight fact that God/Jesus didn't intend to just give us a comprehensive, total insider scoop on all the [evil?] God has intended to allow, arrange or orchestrate in and through the presence of Satan in human history.

So, it's not really a matter of reinterpreting something that was and has always been difficult for anyone to interpret in the first place. To pretend that Christians were given the full picture about Eschatology from the beginning when Jesus came on the scene is to perpetuate a common mistake.

Quackduck said:

The so called mythical 'end times' have been around since Jesus died, even he seemed to think they would happen in the lifetime of his disciples.

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If Christian Preterism is correct, it did, in the form
of the fall of Jerusalem in AD70. But that's no
fun, which is one reason why that perspective
isn't particularly mainstream in Christian circles.

-

Larnievc said:

What about all the other gods that might exist?

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As mentioned earlier I don't think there are many gods that have consequences like heaven or hell as the Christian God. Islam is basically based on the Christian God of the old testament and so is Jewish beliefs. I think most of the Asian beliefs as with Buddhism and Hinduism which I think most other variations are based on don't really have a heaven and hell version or bad consequences but are more philosophical about living a good life. But nevertheless why not just life a good life and you may cover them all to be on the safe side. As mentioned it is not just about the afterlife as Christian beliefs have many benefits in this life.

Desk trauma said:

Said every generation of Christians. After it didn’t, well, time for reinterpretation.

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You'll see.


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Quackduck said:

Oh dear!

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You should prepare your soul.


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Jude1:3Contendforthefaith said:

You'll see.


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They said that too.

Desk trauma said:

They said that too.

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You know you’re at the end of a conversation when you get the “Oh yeah, you’re going to get yours in the end.”

As if it actually scares a non believer...

ToddNotTodd said:

You know you’re at the end of a conversation when you get the “Oh yeah, you’re going to get yours in the end.”

As if it actually scares a non believer...

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"Be careful, or I'll kick you in your aura."

2PhiloVoid said:

Actually, Pascal's asserted that the other religions could be swatted away from further consider for certain reasons BEFORE one is to take the plunge with his Wager. Unfortunately, some folks apparently didn't get the whole message Pascal offered.

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Doesn’t answer my question.

stevevw said:

But nevertheless why not just life a good life and you may cover them all to be on the safe side.

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That on it’s own won’t save you from Hell. You need to be a Christian AND lead a good life.

Larnievc said:

Doesn’t answer my question.

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What kind of answer are you expecting? The point I'm making is that many folks don't seem to realize that one of the things Pascal did was briefly reason as to why he thinks the other religions (other than Judaism) are essentially unworthy of our attention.

Then the Wager comes as part of his later thought as he offers a mode of approach to deal with doubt that often resides among those who would like to believe in Christ but find it very troublesome to be able to do so.

Of course, when I see supercilious skeptics address Pascal's Wager, they never seem to address the fact that Pascal addressed what he saw as the impotence of other religions.

Larnievc said:

That on it’s own won’t save you from Hell. You need to be a Christian AND lead a good life.

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A bonkers idea if it had any truth to it, which in all probability it doesn't. Why shouldn't all good people go to heaven if it exists?

Quackduck said:

A bonkers idea if it had any truth to it, which in all probability it doesn't. Why shouldn't all good people go to heaven if it exists?

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...because the meaning and application of the concept of 'good' is contingent to the Ethical framework one chooses to assume is correct, and there are many to choose from ...

Just because you or I may think something is good---or even 'a' good for society---doesn't make it so.

RayJeena said:

If Christian Preterism is correct, it did, in the form
of the fall of Jerusalem in AD70. But that's no
fun, which is one reason why that perspective
isn't particularly mainstream in Christian circles.

-

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Good call, but just also keep in mind, Rayjeena, that one wouldn't have to specifically be a Preterist in order to see the fall of Jerusalem in A.D. 70 as copacetic and a fulfillment of some of what Jesus predicted ...

In The Name of The Father, The Son And The Holy Spirit, Jesus Christ Conquers heretical atheist propaganda Amen :







.

2PhiloVoid said:

...because the meaning and application of the concept of 'good' is contingent to the Ethical framework one chooses to assume is correct, and there are many to choose from ...


Just because you or I may think something is good---or even 'a' good for society---doesn't make it so.

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It is what humans think which is important not the ideas of a god which more than likely doesn't exist.

RayJeena said:

If Christian Preterism is correct, it did, in the form
of the fall of Jerusalem in AD70. But that's no
fun, which is one reason why that perspective
isn't particularly mainstream in Christian circles.

-

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Searching the word, two different descriptions came up, and <it seems> that only the first part (underlined) of the first one quoted is true :
"Preterism, a Christian eschatological view, interprets some or all prophecies of the Bible as events which have already happened. Wikipedia
"Preterism holds that Ancient Israel finds its continuation or fulfillment in the Christian church at the destruction of Jerusalem in AD 70. "

prosperity4all said:

why are there so many evil people in the world?

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Let me go and ask my neighbors why they are like that?

Sure glad that I'm not like them.

Let me get my righteous self to Church now.

M-Bob

Quackduck said:

It is what humans think which is important not the ideas of a god which more than likely doesn't exist.

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This is a metaphysical assumption on your part which isn't self-evident and essentially smacks of the assumptions of Humanism. Moreover, unfortunately, the assumptions of Humanism (even as they come in various guises) can't be taken for granted any more than can the ideas of the Christian Faith. They all have to be placed into the philosophical centrifuge and vetted out.