The 'coercive bargain' theory of Christianity.

[ralliann]

I smell a "pearls before swine" imminent....

You do? Avoiding a battle of "wit", or "one upmanship;" I don't consider it that. But maybe you do.

 

[fhansen]

So are you saying the point of Christianity is to properly orient our freedom?

Somehow I am reminded of a goofy analogy I came up with a long time ago on this thing with freedom and unfreedom.

If it is raining like crazy and I need to get to my car, I may be free to use or not use an umbrella. I will most likely choose it. In fact anyone in their right mind would choose the umbrella. That is not to say their choice is restricted. So when we come to see the deeper significance of our thoughts words and deeds and realize the most likely consequences we are motivated to use our freedom wisely. Christianity, along with several other normative systems provides that wisdom.

So I think the point of Christianity goes much deeper. In fact I think the depth are unfathomable. But a primary point is RELATIONSHIP with the spiritual foundation of our existence. Of course, that can mean many things to many different people. But in Christianity it means a relationship with a personal God through the Logos, the Messiah, Jesus.

I just saw this post. So did you go back and follow the preceding conversations, and those following?

 

[Ana the Ist]

I'll give an overview here. Man has a purpose. He's on a journey which he's been placed on by God.

So is it man's purpose or God's?

I'm aware you said it's man's purpose....but then in the next sentence, you make it sound as if God chose the purpose.

And the goal is to find God-to come to acknowledge His existence and understand man's need for Him

We all end up dead...I'm not sure what need you're referring to here.

-and without whom man is sort of floundering here in this existence, free, but lost.

I have a map.

But man prefers to go it alone,

I disagree...seems mankind desires few things more than group acceptance.

so to speak, and that's ok, to a point, until he reaches the maturity and level of experience to realize that something's missing, that he was made for more than this world, with all of its beauty and wonder and also mess and harshness.

Ahhhh...maturity. That's what I'm missing.

But he'll come to know for himself that a world free even from God is no life worth living for long-it would probably get quite boring here, meaningless, after a lifetime or two at most, for one thing. And that's if your fortunate enough to have a relatively calm and peaceful life.

Boredom...is heaven endless excitement?

Now, it takes courage and the wherewithal to go against the herd mentality to go on this quest for God.

Against the herd? Hasn't the majority of mankind always been religious?

But if one understands that love, and all that it implies: mercy, forgiveness, acceptance, truth, tolerance, patience, peace, justice, etc, is the most beneficial thing one can possess and express in a world that so often devalues and lacks it in favor of selfish gain, then they'll be reassured to learn that love is not just a concept, a nice ideal based on opinion but that its the most powerful and important virtue in existence, and that it is, as I may've mentioned before here, real and foundational to this very universe.

You should mention this to the physicists. They're going to be relieved all that dark matter stuff is in fact, love.

It's worth living and dying for-it gives worth and meaning and purpose to all things as its been said.

Uhhh....dying for?

If we don't align ourselves with it, then the natural outcome is that we end up existing without it, with all that implies: cold,

Check.

selfish pride,

Check.

bickering,

Check.

conflict, bitterness, jealousies, impatience,

Check these.

anger, rejection, impulsiveness, injustice, etc.

And these...not so much anger and injustice. I don't do justice.

I'm also honest, quite charming, humorous, and lacking in compunction. Oftentimes I'm annoying and very persistent and frankly, quarrelsome.

 

[Ana the Ist]

You do? Avoiding a battle of "wit", or "one upmanship;" I don't consider it that. But maybe you do.

C'mon @ralliann , I've been on this site awhile....I know when a "pearls before swine" is incoming by now....

 

[Akita Suggagaki]

I just saw this post. So did you go back and follow the preceding conversations, and those following?

Heavens no. I wouldn't know where to start.

 

[Ana the Ist]

Heavens no. I wouldn't know where to start.

I agree....at a certain number of pages...maybe 10-12...that's an unreasonable request.

 

[ralliann]

C'mon @ralliann , I've been on this site awhile....I know when a "pearls before swine" is incoming by now....

Look, Maybe I am being overly cynical here, but I do not see any sincerity to the gist of the conversation at this point for any pearls to be present. Rather something like this.
This is more what was on my mind.

4 Answer not a fool according to his folly, lest thou also be like unto him.
5 Answer a fool according to his folly, lest he be wise in his own conceit.

And of course without your honest, persistence, and frank quarrelsomeness, would have kept my mouth shut on the matter of my verse quoting.....Just sayin.

 

[FreeinChrist]

ADVISOR HAT


Looks like this thread has run it's course. Closing for staff review. ​

 

[Aldebaran]

P-E-R-M-A-N-E-N-T-L-Y​