Atheists hope (don't pray) to bring ads to Toronto (G&M)

[Transportfan]

80% of Americans are Christian.

80%? Mmmm...I know there are a lot a evangelicals in the US, but not that many. Official religion stats are to be taken with a grain of salt. Most of that 80% would be people who are on-paper members of the liberal mainline churches because they got baptized there out of tradition, but who don't actually practice Christianity at all.

 

[Transportfan]

The problem being what you identify as a "real Christian" differs from others. There no way to tell who is and who is not.

No it doesn't. A true Christian is someone who lives by the teachings of Christ and the bible. It's not my opinion at all.

 

[Mot]

80%? Mmmm...I know there are a lot a evangelicals in the US, but not that many. Official religion stats are to be taken with a grain of salt. Most of that 80% would be people who are on-paper members of the liberal mainline churches because they got baptized there out of tradition, but who don't actually practice Christianity at all.

I suggest you come up with a Transportfan definition of what a "real Christian" is and apply it to the billions of Christians across the world.
Of couse there might be billions who disagree with your definition. But so what.

We all have heard people use this "real christian" dog and pony show before, it's nothing new. We need special God infused powers to tell a real one from a fake one.

 

[Prometheus The Supremo]

No they didn't. Just because a corrupted establishment church did something heinous in the name of Christianity, does not mean they were real Christians. That Inquisition stuff is the typical argument Christian-bashers use--and it's not a valid one. The Inquisition was akin to police brutality--a wrong committed in the name of something good, but in reality violating what it's supposed to be representing due to a lust for power.

I hope that clarifies things, but I somehow doubt it will.

never mind what christians did. the actual bible, the message of christianity and what christianity is based on, that is the the real problem.

i don't know about anyone else but i don't think that a god that is good only to his friends, those that know him, and will let suffer for all eternity those that don't know him, is worthy to be called a good god. imagine if you will, you walk down a street and you see a person that is ready to fall off a bridge and die. you don't know this person, this person is not your friend. would you let him/her die or would you grab him/her and save his/her life? if you were the god of the bible, you'd let this person fall to their death. if you were a regular human, you'd save that person's life. a homeless man urinating on the sidewalk is more moral than the god of the bible.

 

[urbanboom]

ya but the bad stuff really messes up the whole thing. usually when i pick a cherry and i find a worm inside, i throw away the whole cherry. it disgusts me. of course there are those that take the worm out and eat the good part and that's fine too.

but the bible isn't the only source of self betterment just like cherries aren't the only source of nutrition. and lets not give a bowl of worm infested cherries to your kids and tell them that they are all good and the only source of nutrition.

get what i'm saying?

I get what you're saying, but I do believe - as a whole - religion is good. If you are a humanist (like say for example, June Callwood) but don't practice religion, then that's fine. Christ even said "Those who do good in name of others, or for themselves, do it also in the name of me." I very much doubt that God would find Mrs Callwood a bad person for her atheist beliefs, but rather find her a good person for the actions she did in life.

You must remember that not all people are self motivated to do good in the way that Mrs. Callwood was. Many people, like say, Mother Theresa did so in the name of not only humanity, but God too.

As you probably guessed, I am an active member of a congregation. A few years ago I met man at a homeless shelter. He had an addiction to crack cocaine. What really got him motivated and active was the church. Since then he has become a devout Christian and has ended his addiction and has found employment. He is now living on his own in an apartment. I spoke to him recently and he told me he hopes to open a homeless shelter of his own one day. Say what you want about religion, but to me, he is Christ's miracle still alive and still relevant.

 

[Mot]

No it doesn't. A true Christian is someone who lives by the teachings of Christ and the bible. It's not my opinion at all.

I am curious because Jesus said you have to sell off all your worldly goods and give to the destitute in order to inherit the kingdom of heaven. So when does your computer go?

 

[urbanboom]

never mind what christians did. the actual bible, the message of christianity and what christianity is based on, that is the the real problem.

i don't know about anyone else but i don't think that a god that is good only to his friends, those that know him, and will let suffer for all eternity those that don't know him, is worthy to be called a good god. imagine if you will, you walk down a street and you see a person that is ready to fall off a bridge and die. you don't know this person, this person is not your friend. would you let him/her die or would you grab him/her and save his/her life? if you were the god of the bible, you'd let this person fall to their death. if you were a regular human, you'd save that person's life. a homeless man urinating on the sidewalk is more moral than the god of the bible.

Why would you think God would let him fall to his death? That goes against everything that he's said.

 

[Hydrogen]

No they didn't. Just because a corrupted establishment church did something heinous in the name of Christianity, does not mean they were real Christians. That Inquisition stuff is the typical argument Christian-bashers use--and it's not a valid one. The Inquisition was akin to police brutality--a wrong committed in the name of something good, but in reality violating what it's supposed to be representing due to a lust for power.

I hope that clarifies things, but I somehow doubt it will.

The "Inquisition stuff" is quite simple and clear. It was invented, developed and enacted by Christians, no matter what you say. Period.

The attempt to to rewrite history in your image is itself a lust for power.

 

[Mot]

I get what you're saying, but I do believe - as a whole - religion is good. If you are a humanist (like say for example, June Callwood) but don't practice religion, then that's fine. Christ even said "Those who do good in name of others, or for themselves, do it also in the name of me." I very much doubt that God would find Mrs Callwood a bad person for her atheist beliefs, but rather find her a good person for the actions she did in life.

You must remember that not all people are self motivated to do good in the way that Mrs. Callwood was. Many people, like say, Mother Theresa did so in the name of not only humanity, but God too.

As you probably guessed, I am an active member of a congregation. A few years ago I met man at a homeless shelter. He had an addiction to crack cocaine. What really got him motivated and active was the church. Since then he has become a devout Christian and has ended his addiction and has found employment. He is now living on his own in an apartment. I spoke to him recently and he told me he hopes to open a homeless shelter of his own one day. Say what you want about religion, but to me, he is Christ's miracle still alive and still relevant.

Mother Theresa questioned her faith.

Why would Jesus want to seek credit for the good deeds I do? That's seems mighty self centered of him. If religion helped your friend, that is great, but he should accept the credit for himself. If he fell off the wagon would Jesus get credit for the fall too. It seems deities take credit for things like the plane crash where everyone survived, but never when they all die.

 

[digi]

Why would you think God would let him fall to his death?

Why would you think there's a god?

Many people, like say, Mother Theresa did so in the name of not only humanity, but God too.

You should do some research on this woman...she's not what you think she is.

 

[Hydrogen]

The Book of Acts to Revelation is on shaky ground.
However, this "Jesus story" isn't on shaky ground. The Gospel, AKA the Jesus story, (the books of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John) is a chronicle of the Life and teachings of Jesus Christ. This is the part that actually is said to have come from the word of God, rather than other men. Those athiests here who claim to have read the Gospel would be hard-pressed find the part that would make the world a worse place, rather than a better one.

If the Book of Revelations is in the Bible, it is yet another indicator that the whole volume is on shaky grounds.

If Matthew, Mark, Luke and John wrote their gospels, they wrote them, not god. It is yet another attempt to suggest that god talks only to a selective group of Christians (particularly to people who want to control situations).

As for Christian ethics, do you repudiate the existence of any other code of ethics originating from any other culture?

The world is a better place because people struggled to make it a better place.

 

[Prometheus The Supremo]

Why would you think God would let him fall to his death? That goes against everything that he's said.

2 Chronicles 15:13
Whosoever would not seek the LORD God of Israel should be put to death, whether small or great, whether man or woman.

Mark 16:16
He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned.




"If a man abide not in me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered; and men gather them, and cast them into the fire, and they are burned." -- John 15:6


2 Thessalonians 1:7-9 (New International Version)

7and give relief to you who are troubled, and to us as well. This will happen when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven in blazing fire with his powerful angels. 8He will punish those who do not know God and do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus. 9They will be punished with everlasting destruction and shut out from the presence of the Lord and from the majesty of his power



come on man!

 

[Transportfan]

I suggest you come up with a Transportfan definition of what a "real Christian" is and apply it to the billions of Christians across the world.
Of couse there might be billions who disagree with your definition. But so what.

We all have heard people use this "real christian" dog and pony show before, it's nothing new. We need special God infused powers to tell a real one from a fake one.

Trust me. I know a lot more about biblical Christianity and what constitutes a Christian than than you do. I explained what a true Christian is in post #212. This snarky comment only shows that you only hate Christianity and only want to argue for it's own sake.

 

[Transportfan]

The "Inquisition stuff" is quite simple and clear. It was invented, developed and enacted by Christians, no matter what you say. Period.

The attempt to to rewrite history in your image is itself a lust for power.

The merry-go-round goes around and around...
This proves my point in my last post.

 

[digi]

Trust me. I know a lot more about biblical Christianity and what constitutes a Christian than than you do.

you need to grow up and learn how to debate with adults....."trust me, I know more then you"

This proves my point in my last post.

It proves that you're a narrow minded bigot....but we knew that already, no proof needed.