New York Assembly passes Same-Sex Marriage

[Nathan Poe]

Why not? God wants us to share the word of Jesus with everyone. If enough of us get together to form a government whose purpose is to bring the word of Jesus to mankind, I think God would be pleased.

Then why don't you form a government somewhere and do just that?

Word of advice: when you name your government, keep in mind that "Taliban" is already taken.

 

[SadieOC]

Then why don't you form a government somewhere and do just that?

Word of advice: when you name your government, keep in mind that "Taliban" is already taken.

But the Taliban is Muslim. An obviously violent and incorrect religion. My government would be guided by the true Word of God.

 

[jayem]

Why not? God wants us to share the word of Jesus with everyone. If enough of us get together to form a government whose purpose is to bring the word of Jesus to mankind, I think God would be pleased.

I really think you've got it backwards. I don't recall Jesus ever saying he came to change government. He said his kingdom was not of this world. You've first got to change people's hearts and minds, and then perhaps government will follow. And didn't Paul say to be all things to all people? I don't think you make a very effective witness by preaching that the world is corrupt, evil, and perverted. Tone down the sanctimony. You might be taken more seriously.

Just some friendly advice from a non-believer.

 

[Mercy Medical]

Why not? Why should we not "force" people? I'd rather force people to believe when they are on earth and have them feel like they had a not-so-free-and-fun physical life than let the do whatever they think is okay in life and end up being eternally tortured. Here more than anywhere else, the ends do justify the means.

To me, it is a greater sin to allow people to go to hell than to use human laws to "force" them to believe. People have freewill, but there are consequences. God makes the consequences eternal. Why should men not make the consequences physical?

But forcing them to believe in something completely defeats the purpose of faith...of real faith. People shouldn't believe in God because they are scared of going to hell or believe in God because laws force them to abide by God's rules. They should believe in God because they know and want his love in their life.

Wasn't the whole purpose of the pilgrims leaving England and moving to the US to be free of forced and state based religion?

 

[Mercy Medical]

But the Taliban is Muslim. An obviously violent and incorrect religion. My government would be guided by the true Word of God.

And I'm pretty sure that they thing they are also living by their God's law. There is no difference.

 

[SadieOC]

But forcing them to believe in something completely defeats the purpose of faith...of real faith. People shouldn't believe in God because they are scared of going to hell or believe in God because laws force them to abide by God's rules. They should believe in God because they know and want his love in their life.

Wasn't the whole purpose of the pilgrims leaving England and moving to the US to be free of forced and state based religion?

But isn't the whole purpose of hell to give us more motivation to believe? If God didn't want to use hell as a motivation to love him, why did Jesus warn us of it? If hell was not to be used as a motivational tool, then God would not have to tell us about it. He could merely tell us to love him and then when people don't they end up in hell. Telling us about it can only be beneficial because it motivates us to love God.

 

[SadieOC]

And I'm pretty sure that they thing they are also living by their God's law. There is no difference.

Their "god" is not the True God. The god of the Koran is fake. The God of the Bible is unquestionably real. That's the difference.

 

[Nathan Poe]

But the Taliban is Muslim. An obviously violent and incorrect religion. My government would be guided by the true Word of God.

Well then, that's different, isn't it? I mean, there's no way that man could possibly screw up the true Word of God, right?

So, if this government is going to be guided by Christ, why do you call it "your" government?

 

[SadieOC]

Well then, that's different, isn't it? I mean, there's no way that man could possibly screw up the true Word of God, right?

So, if this government is going to be guided by Christ, why do you call it "your" government?

I meant the government I was proposing. Not that I would run the government. Like a woman would be qualified to gun the government!

 

[Nathan Poe]

Wasn't the whole purpose of the pilgrims leaving England and moving to the US to be free of forced and state based religion?

Not to nitpick, but when the Puritans left England, they went to the Netherlands before coming to America.

In Amsterdam they had all the religious freedom they wanted -- they came to America not because they didn't want to be persecuted (they weren't anymore) but because they didn't want to be Dutch.

 

[Mercy Medical]

But isn't the whole purpose of hell to give us more motivation to believe? If God didn't want to use hell as a motivation to love him, why did Jesus warn us of it? If hell was not to be used as a motivational tool, then God would not have to tell us about it. He could merely tell us to love him and then when people don't they end up in hell. Telling us about it can only be beneficial because it motivates us to love God.

I don't think hell should ever be motivation to believe. If you're believing in something just for fear of the consequences, then your heart is not in the right place. People should believe these things because they want to believe it, because they feel that it is true and because it speaks to their heart...not because they're scared of falling into the pits of hell if they don't.

And if God intended to use hell as a motivational tool to get people to believe in him...well, I may just have to rethink my beliefs about God.

If I was in front of a firing squad asking me to denounce my God or I would be shot, wouldn't that consequence be a motivational tool to not be shot? But isn't it something that God and the Bible encourages you not to do? People shouldn't follow something, believe in something, not do something because they are scared of the consequences. They should believe/do/follow because they believe it to be right. I'm not going to murder someone just because of the fear of going to jail. I'm not going to murder someone because I believe it to be morally wrong.

 

[Nathan Poe]

I meant the government I was proposing. Not that I would run the government. Like a woman would be qualified to gun the government!

Good -- then we both agree that you're unqualified on these matters.

 

[Mercy Medical]

Their "god" is not the True God. The god of the Koran is fake. The God of the Bible is unquestionably real. That's the difference.

Where is your proof? What if they feel the same way you do about their own faith?

 

[Mercy Medical]

Not to nitpick, but when the Puritans left England, they went to the Netherlands before coming to America.

In Amsterdam they had all the religious freedom they wanted -- they came to America not because they didn't want to be persecuted (they weren't anymore) but because they didn't want to be Dutch.

Haha, no worries. I figured someone would call me out on that statement. I don't remember all that much from my history classes.

 

[SadieOC]

Where is your proof? What if they feel the same way you do about their own faith?

Are you saying that maybe Jesus is not the one true God and possibly the God of Islam is?

 

[Nathan Poe]

But isn't the whole purpose of hell to give us more motivation to believe?

If you're motivated by fear, then I'd say the whole purpose of hell is fear.

If God didn't want to use hell as a motivation to love him, why did Jesus warn us of it? If hell was not to be used as a motivational tool, then God would not have to tell us about it. He could merely tell us to love him and then when people don't they end up in hell. Telling us about it can only be beneficial because it motivates us to love God.

Out of terror. Frightened people are very easy to control.

 

[Mercy Medical]

I meant the government I was proposing. Not that I would run the government. Like a woman would be qualified to gun the government!

And suddenly I feel like a fool for arguing with a fool....

 

[Nathan Poe]

Where is your proof? What if they feel the same way you do about their own faith?

I'll bet my blessings that they do feel exactly the same way.

Then I'll go double-or-nothing that Sadie's government (if it ever got off the ground) would use similar methods.

 

[SadieOC]

Good -- then we both agree that you're unqualified on these matters.

Yes, but I only think I'm unqualified because I was born with two X chromosomes. Women can't do certain things that men do, not because they're not able to, but because God says they're not supposed to.

"I do not permit a woman to teach or to have authority over a man; she is to keep silent." 1 Timothy 2:12

You probably think that women can do anything men can do!

 

[Mercy Medical]

Are you saying that maybe Jesus is not the one true God and possibly the God of Islam is?

I'm saying that it is a possibility. Obviously that is not something I believe, but I am open to the idea that it could be the truth in the end because there is no factual evidence of one religion being right and all the others being wrong.