Atheist...agnostic...I hate these labels for a lack of belief in something. I just say I'm not religious. What is the term for people that don't believe in bigfoot?
That's just it. Most will never know the difference because they rely on what they hear someone say about the bible rather than search for the answers themselves and either verify or refute what they are being taught. I agree there is a tremendous amount of hypocrisy in Christianity in general, which turns many people off to the whole notion. You can find beliefs that are 180 degrees opposite on the same subject within different denominations. Are they both right?of course not. People have to search for the truth...It isn't given to you. There are scriptures in the bible that tell people this.... My beef with Joel osteen is he is not a part of the solution to this. He is very much part of the problem by polluting what the bible teaches.
To say that gays can't get into heaven is just as asinine as saying the Apostles had it all wrong, IMO.
I have never understood this concept, that if you don't believe a certain belief, you are destined for some kind of eternal suffering. I have certain beliefs and I absolutely know they are right. But even if I stopped believing, my experience in the afterlife would not be different. Our experience in the afterlife for all of us, will be based on how we lived in this physical world. And in the afterlife, we will have to continue to purify and perfect ourselves in order to become one with the creator. And I find the idea of the necessity of a blood sacrifice to be unpleasant at the very least. May The Sheep Be With You
If people searched for the answers themselves there would be a lesser need for churches and organized religion. That equals less money for the church. That will never happen, follow the money and you'll see the light.
There are parts of religion, we do and don't know and there are parts of biology we do and don't know. Should we stop pushing biology?
You are exactly right. Mainstream religion is drive l driven my $$$. Make no mistake about that. If the" "truth" were exposed to everyone you would see many many fewer churches. Originally there was "one faith" but churches kept breaking off and adapting their teachings to something that suited their own desires.
"Pushing Biology"? Again, I'm not sure I follow your point. But I'll clarify my point to help. No, I don't believe we should be pushing our religion on other people while claiming we know all and that if you disagree you are wrong. My point being we all have our beliefs but nobody knows for sure.
It's nice to see an objective view from a non Christian. This probably isn't the thread to discuss it, but your comment about not understanding the belief that eternal suffering awaits those that don't believe a certain way is one of the "mainstream" teachings I was talking about earlier. I believe every word of the bible. That being said...I don't believe in eternal torment because the bible simply doesn't support it...tradition does.
The original Christian congregation was formed at pentecost in 33C.E. by Jesus' disciples. They were then sent out to teach others about it.
I just do. And I don't need to convince other people in order to maintain my faith. When I pray to my ancestors for guidance, they show me the right things I should do and the wrong things I should avoid.
