The Concept of God

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  • jeffbrjeffbr Seattle Posts: 7,177
    I seem to recall, unless I'm making this up, that some christian denominations do not recognize the new testament. is that correct?
    Wow, I'm not sure. I'd be interested to know as well. It sure seems like the New Testament is what gives Christians their belief in a Son of God and makes Christ a deity. I suppose you could get there with some mental gymnastics in the Old Testament, but the NT is all about Christ's story, his promises, his death and resurrection, and of course his prophecies in Revelations. I know that there are groups like Jews for Jesus. They use the Old Testament and Jewish texts, and recognize Christ as the promised Messiah of the Old Testament. I suppose a belief in Jesus as the Messiah is what makes one a Christian, and the Jews for Jesus get there without the New Testament, so perhaps they would be an example of a Christian sect that doesn't recognize the NT. But I'm on pretty shaky ground, and not well versed enough to say for sure.
    "I'll use the magic word - let's just shut the fuck up, please." EV, 04/13/08
  • HughFreakingDillonHughFreakingDillon Winnipeg Posts: 39,081
    jeffbr said:
    Wow, I'm not sure. I'd be interested to know as well. It sure seems like the New Testament is what gives Christians their belief in a Son of God and makes Christ a deity. I suppose you could get there with some mental gymnastics in the Old Testament, but the NT is all about Christ's story, his promises, his death and resurrection, and of course his prophecies in Revelations. I know that there are groups like Jews for Jesus. They use the Old Testament and Jewish texts, and recognize Christ as the promised Messiah of the Old Testament. I suppose a belief in Jesus as the Messiah is what makes one a Christian, and the Jews for Jesus get there without the New Testament, so perhaps they would be an example of a Christian sect that doesn't recognize the NT. But I'm on pretty shaky ground, and not well versed enough to say for sure.
    you are absolutely right. i must be thinking of something else. or just totally making shit up in my head. one of the two. 
    "every society honours its live conformists and its dead troublemakers"




  • ponytdponytd Nashville Posts: 671
    do all christians believe in the second coming/rapture/end times? just out of curiosity. even when I was christian, I didn't think that was going to happen. and I don't recall it being taught in church/sunday school. 
    I can't speak for everyone, but I do in a sense. when I was younger, I think i envisioned the world being set ablaze and fire and brimstone and...well basically like the movie This is the End with Seth Rogan and James Franco lol. Who knows, it may be like that. It may just be something that we're only aware of after we die. As Jeffbr said, Revelations has all kinds of cool stuff and is a fascinating book to study, but they were all visions that John had. They could just be his interpretations of how the end will be or maybe it's just an allegory on the battle between good and evil.

    And as far as the end times preacher people, I've always kind of scoffed at those that say that too. There are those that stand and preach that and try to instill fear into people into believing. Like others, I feel sorry for them. But most preachers I've heard when they preach on it, is a "hey, you never know when the end will come. Have you made things right with God or your family or your friends?" message.  Which, in itself is a good message. You shouldn't take things for granted. You're not promised tomorrow. Even if you don't believe in God, tell your kids you love them. Hug your spouse on the way out the door. Tell your friends how much they mean to you.
  • HughFreakingDillonHughFreakingDillon Winnipeg Posts: 39,081
    ponytd said:
    I can't speak for everyone, but I do in a sense. when I was younger, I think i envisioned the world being set ablaze and fire and brimstone and...well basically like the movie This is the End with Seth Rogan and James Franco lol. Who knows, it may be like that. It may just be something that we're only aware of after we die. As Jeffbr said, Revelations has all kinds of cool stuff and is a fascinating book to study, but they were all visions that John had. They could just be his interpretations of how the end will be or maybe it's just an allegory on the battle between good and evil.

    And as far as the end times preacher people, I've always kind of scoffed at those that say that too. There are those that stand and preach that and try to instill fear into people into believing. Like others, I feel sorry for them. But most preachers I've heard when they preach on it, is a "hey, you never know when the end will come. Have you made things right with God or your family or your friends?" message.  Which, in itself is a good message. You shouldn't take things for granted. You're not promised tomorrow. Even if you don't believe in God, tell your kids you love them. Hug your spouse on the way out the door. Tell your friends how much they mean to you.
    yeah, I'm down with that
    "every society honours its live conformists and its dead troublemakers"




  • PJ_SoulPJ_Soul Vancouver, BC Posts: 50,372
    edited June 2017
    Annafalk said:
    I don't understand how people can really believe that when we die we just die, and it's the end of it. It's hard for me to grasp.
    I figure it's easy to understand that I didn't exist before I was born, so it's not much of a stretch to believe I'll just go back to that when I die. If we came from oblivion when we were conceived, then it only makes sense that we go back to it at the time of death.
    With all its sham, drudgery, and broken dreams, it is still a beautiful world. Be careful. Strive to be happy. ~ Desiderata
  • RYMERYME Wisconsin Posts: 1,904
    edited June 2017
    Smellyman said:
    You are helping, just not the way you probably wish.  I am appreciative. HughFreakingDillon said:
    do all christians believe in the second coming/rapture/end times? just out of curiosity. even when I was christian, I didn't think that was going to happen. and I don't recall it being taught in church/sunday school. 
    Unfortunately a lot of well meaning Christians believe in the rapture, or fly away doctrine.  Sunday school is usually a lot of singing maby arts & crafts snack time and $offerings$ of cour$e, and for some reason they never quite get around to teaching God's Word.  And it's very sad that there are so many  ratchet jaw teachers out there that talk talk talk but never get around to​ teaching God's Word..  Why is that?   Anyway back to your question.
    The word rapture isn't in the Bible.
    As one who has studied the Bible for a long time, this is fasinating.
    Ezekiel was written about 622 BC.
    Ezekiel chapter 13 vs 20 God says I'm against those who teach my children to fly to save their souls.  So about 2,600 years ago God was warning to stear clear of fly away doctrine because satin's message at the 6th trump will be, I've come to fly you away.  Around 1840 AD there was a very sick Scottish woman named Margaret Mac Donnald, who was having visions of the end time & people being caught up In the air with what she thought was called the rapture.  There were a few people near by who took advantage of this crackpot things she was saying &  basically they made a whole new religion out of it.  Fast forward to now & there are a lot of so-called Christian churches that teach the rapture.  They couldn't be more wrong if they wanted to.
    There is a second coming of Christ, and like I say,  It is getting late in the game.  You should read or reread
    Mark 13, or Luke 21 tells all about it.  It's like reading tomorrow's newspaper today.  No I'm not saying it's happening tomorrow.  But it explains to you what's coming.
    But satin comes first.  Antichrist. You can read about this in 2nd Thessalonians.  
    His goal is to trick as many people as he can to make people think that he is Christ or what ever god people have been worshipping.  People are going to think regardless of what their religion is this is what they've been waiting for.  People expecting satin to be something of a monster, or a guy that creates all kinds of carnage are going to be deceved.  His minions all around the globe do that for him ever day now. carnage and chaos.
    If all of a sudden you hear a real serious world wide peace cry
     one world government,.  Peace in the middle East. Peace peace peace, Israel & Iran suddenly call a truce, or something of that nature. That's when you really want to pay real close attention.  Satin comes at the 6th trump.  He only has 5 months to deceve as many as he can.
    Jesus returns 5 months after the Antichrist, at the 7th trump.


    Post edited by RYME on
  • SmellymanSmellyman Asia Posts: 4,528
    We have to go through 7 Trumps?  That explains it.
  • WobbieWobbie Posts: 30,981
    I've read none of this, but I can say, without hesitation.....there is no god.

    c'mon....what are we, cavemen trying to understand fire?
    If I had known then what I know now...

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  • brianluxbrianlux Moving through All Kinds of Terrain. Posts: 43,168
    "It's a sad and beautiful world"
    -Roberto Benigni











  • SmellymanSmellyman Asia Posts: 4,528
    Wobbie said:
    I've read none of this, but I can say, without hesitation.....there is no god.

    c'mon....what are we, cavemen trying to understand fire?
    It's a topic where you can't call someone crazy for being crazy.  We are getting there slowly.  Hard right now too since politicians in the USA use it like the church did back in the day to keep people in line through fear.
  • AnnafalkAnnafalk Sweden Posts: 4,004
    PJ_Soul said:
    I figure it's easy to understand that I didn't exist before I was born, so it's not much of a stretch to believe I'll just go back to that when I die. If we came from oblivion when we were conceived, then it only makes sense that we go back to it at the time of death.
    Yes, that's how I like to think too. I know this sounds very strange but it I have like a vision from heaven, like how it is there and it's very comforting. I don't expect anyone to understand. I think whatever happens the safety is there for us when we die.
  • PJfanwillneverleave1PJfanwillneverleave1 Posts: 12,885
    edited June 2017
    Considering our sun will run out of fuel in 7.5billion yrs give or take a billion yrs I am wondering if that is part of gods plan to officially cease life on earth?
  • brianluxbrianlux Moving through All Kinds of Terrain. Posts: 43,168
    edited June 2017
    Considering our sun will run out of fuel in 7.5billion yrs give or take a billion yrs I am wondering if that is part of gods plan to officially cease life on earth?
    I think it's more like 5 billion years.  But in any case, a billion years is like a day to the gods.  They will move the game on the the next table in less than a week and move and move and move until all the tables are played.  But you see, entropy is the house.  The house always wins.

    "It's a sad and beautiful world"
    -Roberto Benigni











  • amethgr8amethgr8 Posts: 766
    Thank you all for your elaboration in response to my question.

    I tend to believe like PJSoul, whatever energy brought me here will take me out.  There are a lot of other though provoking points of view.

    I feel like most people that believe in God, do so because they were exposed to religion during the formative years of life like HFdillon said.  That's why I believed in him/it.  I've asked for people that were raised with no religious influence to post if they have "found" God, or what journey brought them from not believing to believing.  I didn't get any responses.  I'm sure they are out there.

    If there is a God, I don't necessarily believe that the bible is His book.  The longer I live the more I learn, one cannot believe everything they hear.  I feel like the bible is hearsay.  I'm sure there is some truth to it, but trying to figure out what is and what isn't, well I suppose there are people out there doing that.

    I fully enjoy this discussion and appreciate all the tolerance and understanding everyone has displayed with regards to others views and mine.

    Cheers!

    amy
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  • brianluxbrianlux Moving through All Kinds of Terrain. Posts: 43,168
    amethgr8 said:
    Thank you all for your elaboration in response to my question.

    I tend to believe like PJSoul, whatever energy brought me here will take me out.  There are a lot of other though provoking points of view.

    I feel like most people that believe in God, do so because they were exposed to religion during the formative years of life like HFdillon said.  That's why I believed in him/it.  I've asked for people that were raised with no religious influence to post if they have "found" God, or what journey brought them from not believing to believing.  I didn't get any responses.  I'm sure they are out there.

    If there is a God, I don't necessarily believe that the bible is His book.  The longer I live the more I learn, one cannot believe everything they hear.  I feel like the bible is hearsay.  I'm sure there is some truth to it, but trying to figure out what is and what isn't, well I suppose there are people out there doing that.

    I fully enjoy this discussion and appreciate all the tolerance and understanding everyone has displayed with regards to others views and mine.

    Cheers!

    amy
    Nicely said, Amy.  Good thread!
    "It's a sad and beautiful world"
    -Roberto Benigni











  • RYMERYME Wisconsin Posts: 1,904
    brianlux said:
    I didn't give a date, or year.  I'm not one of those crazy types.  lol.
    Yes, cheers good discussion.
  • brianluxbrianlux Moving through All Kinds of Terrain. Posts: 43,168
    RYME said:
    I didn't give a date, or year.  I'm not one of those crazy types.  lol.
    Yes, cheers good discussion.
    LOL, oh come on, give us your best guess!  :wink:

    I thought this thread was a gonner, but wait...


     




    "It's a sad and beautiful world"
    -Roberto Benigni











  • RYMERYME Wisconsin Posts: 1,904
    edited July 2017
    brianlux said:
    LOL, oh come on, give us your best guess!  :wink:

    I thought this thread was a gonner, but wait...


     




    Looks like a guy on the corner holding a $5 pizza sign.
    Well I've noticed a lot of
    (closed discussions) lately.  People just getting nasty.
    So I thought that I'd try to keep this happy thread alive.
    Happy Independence Day
    Have a cold one on me. ;)
    Post edited by RYME on
  • rgambsrgambs Posts: 13,576
    Stupid churches at the local 4th of July parade.
    :angry:

    Passing out fliers detailing how we are all considered evil sinners by God and a fiery torment awaits us.  Oh, but don't worry, God wants us to live so if we just bow and scrape then he  pardon us from the torment he sentenced us to.
    Utter fucking bullshit to hand that filth out to children printed on the back of fake money.
    That's minor child abuse.
    When they tried to give me more million dollar bills, I told them "yep, I got one, we are going to hell and all that, move along".
    I got scowls from my wife's family and I was told it's not the time for that.
    Fucking religion, it operates perpetually on "not the time for that"
    Monkey Driven, Call this Living?
  • brianluxbrianlux Moving through All Kinds of Terrain. Posts: 43,168
    RYME said:
    Looks like a guy on the corner holding a $5 pizza sign.
    Well I've noticed a lot of
    (closed discussions) lately.  People just getting nasty.
    So I thought that I'd try to keep this happy thread alive.
    Happy Independence Day
    Have a cold one on me. ;)
    I was trying to figure out which rock star he looks like.  Kind of a cross between Eddie Vedder and Jeff Bridges, lol.

    Thanks for the cold one, RYME!  Cheers!
    "It's a sad and beautiful world"
    -Roberto Benigni











  • RYMERYME Wisconsin Posts: 1,904
    RYME said:
    brianlux said:
    RYME said:
    brianlux said: lol
    I didn't give a date, or year.  I'm not one of those crazy types.  lol.
    Yes, cheers good discussion.
    LOL, oh come on, give us your best guess!  :wink:

    I thought this thread was a gonner, but wait...


     




    Looks like a guy on the corner holding a $5 pizza sign.
    Well I've noticed a lot of
    (closed discussions) lately.  People just getting nasty.
    So I thought that I'd try to keep this happy thread alive.
    Happy Independence Day
    Have a cold one on me. ;)

    rgambs said:
    Stupid churches at the local 4th of July parade.
    :angry:

    Passing out fliers detailing how we are all considered evil sinners by God and a fiery torment awaits us.  Oh, but don't worry, God wants us to live so if we just bow and scrape then he  pardon us from the torment he sentenced us to.
    Utter fucking bullshit to hand that filth out to children printed on the back of fake money.
    That's minor child abuse.
    When they tried to give me more million dollar bills, I told them "yep, I got one, we are going to hell and all that, move along".
    I got scowls from my wife's family and I was told it's not the time for that.
    Fucking religion, it operates perpetually on "not the time for that"
    Well I was talking about the guy with
    The End (good PJ tune by the way) sign being the corner pizza guy.
    And the Jesus picture looks like Ed @ the end of his solo shows and wears that white surgens gown singing Hard Sun.lol.
    As for the guy who was solisited by Holly Rollers at a 4th July parade umm, that's not the church that represents real Christianity.
  • rgambsrgambs Posts: 13,576
    RYME said:
    Well I was talking about the guy with
    The End (good PJ tune by the way) sign being the corner pizza guy.
    And the Jesus picture looks like Ed @ the end of his solo shows and wears that white surgens gown singing Hard Sun.lol.
    As for the guy who was solisited by Holly Rollers at a 4th July parade umm, that's not the church that represents real Christianity.
    Sure it does, it was full of Bible quotes and Jesus Saves rhetoric.
    Monkey Driven, Call this Living?
  • erocshiftyerocshifty Posts: 1,170
    We found a Netflix Series called The Keepers that is pretty interesting. 

    "It's best to live in grace before you're forced to." EV- 10/09/2014 
  • RYMERYME Wisconsin Posts: 1,904
    edited July 2017
    rgambs said:
    Sure it does, it was full of Bible quotes and Jesus Saves rhetoric.
    Ok rgambs, It's not that cut and dried my friend.
    A pamphlet handed out at a 4th of July parade, (and I know this happens all the time) with a few select bible verses most likely incomplete, & or out of context.  Probably with some scary pictures.  Preaching hell fire and brimstone.  The evils of satin are so sneekey.  So sublime.
    There are a lot churches and a lot of preachers that mascarade around claiming to be Christian churches, or Christian preachers, but actually are not.  They are of the synagogue of Satin.  Doing the dirty work.  Trying to cause people to think that Christians are nuts.  You see their goal is actually to alienate people like yourself, & as many as they can away from Christ not towards Him..  How can that be?  Just look at what they do & it works doesn't it?  It got you pissed off and rightfully so you are.
    Disipline is a big part of Christianity.  But trying to scare people, this isn't how to win people over if that was actually the goal.  I don't believe it was, I believe this tactic is ment to drive people away.
    And the big give away is that they were after children to.  Printing shit on the back of fake money.  Yep that's pretty low.
    A good Christian pastor won't be handing shit out at 4th of July parades.  A good church doesn't have to advertise, or threaten people or use gimmicks to entice kids to get noticed, or to get people to attend.    
    But you see these fake churches and fake preachers are doing a really great job, they are causing skeptics and casual christians alike to say "Why the hell would I want anything to do with that.". That is their goal.  To get people to turn and run the hell away from Jesus.
    It's a sad state of affairs.
    Post edited by RYME on
  • SmellymanSmellyman Asia Posts: 4,528
    Every religious person thinks they are a true man of god and know the 'truth'.


  • bootlegger10bootlegger10 Posts: 16,183
    Both sides have to answer a similar question.

    The Religious person asks the atheist:  how did something come from nothing?

    The atheist asks the religious person:  How could God have existed for all eternity?

    it is like the chicken or the egg.

    Thinking about how and why the universe exists makes my head spin.  Why is there a universe?  Why is there anything?  Can there even be nothing without there being something?




  • bootlegger10bootlegger10 Posts: 16,183
    The thing I struggle with the most with religion is why God would create a world where people experience so much sadness and pain.  I understand he theory of free will.   It seems like nothing though would be better than creating a world where people starve, die in war and conflict, get abused, etc....  
  • brianluxbrianlux Moving through All Kinds of Terrain. Posts: 43,168
    Both sides have to answer a similar question.

    The Religious person asks the atheist:  how did something come from nothing?

    The atheist asks the religious person:  How could God have existed for all eternity?

    it is like the chicken or the egg.

    Thinking about how and why the universe exists makes my head spin.  Why is there a universe?  Why is there anything?  Can there even be nothing without there being something?




    Sun Ra's answer:


    "It's a sad and beautiful world"
    -Roberto Benigni











  • RYMERYME Wisconsin Posts: 1,904
    Both sides have to answer a similar question.

    The Religious person asks the atheist:  how did something come from nothing?

    The atheist asks the religious person:  How could God have existed for all eternity?

    it is like the chicken or the egg.

    Thinking about how and why the universe exists makes my head spin.  Why is there a universe?  Why is there anything?  Can there even be nothing without there being something?




    I'll take a stab at this, and then it's up to individuals to go forward with it or not for further understanding.
    IS GOD REAL?
    YES!  God is Very Real!  Look around you...He created everything.  The flowers, the birds, the heavens...He even created YOU!  He is not some bid floating ball of energy out in space somewhere!  We were made in His and the angels' image.  Even though we cannot see Him, we look a lot like He and the angels look.
    We are His children, and like most parents, He loves us very much!  He loves us so much in fact, that He gave us His letter of instructions, the bible, to teach us of His love.  He expects us to love Him enough to study and follow His Word, the Truth, not the traditions of men.  He wants you to help Him carry forth His plan which is explained in the bible.  (The answers to the questions are all layed out in the bible.)
    He wants you to read His Word with the innocence of a child and without men's theories and beliefs getting in your way.  He is your protector.  He is SUPER-Natural, which means He is
    "MORE-Natural" than you can even imagine.  He will watch over you like a mama bear watches over her baby cubs.
    You have to make an effort though.  He's not going to beg you to come to Him.
    Revelation 22:13. "I am the Alpha and Omega, the Beginning and the End, the First and the Last."
    GOD is Eternal.
    It is impossible to doubt the reality of GOD when you see the beauty of HIS nature!
    Did you know that God's Children have an angel in heaven that watches over them?  They have God's attention at any time if that child needs God.  As Jesus said:. Matthew 18:10 Take heed that ye despise not one of these little ones; for I say unto you, That in heaven their angels do always behold the face of My Father Which is in heaven.
    Our Father wants you to communicate with Him.  He wants you to talk to Him.  He wants to hear from you.  He wants to know how He can help you.  You can talk to God anywhere, anytime, without saying a single word out loud, because He knows your every thought.  He created your soul, He is your Heavenly Father.  Let Him know you love Him, and that you want to be on His side.

  • oftenreadingoftenreading Victoria, BC Posts: 12,855
    RYME said:
    I'll take a stab at this, and then it's up to individuals to go forward with it or not for further understanding.
    IS GOD REAL?
    YES!  God is Very Real!  Look around you...He created everything.  The flowers, the birds, the heavens...He even created YOU!  He is not some bid floating ball of energy out in space somewhere!  We were made in His and the angels' image.  Even though we cannot see Him, we look a lot like He and the angels look.
    We are His children, and like most parents, He loves us very much!  He loves us so much in fact, that He gave us His letter of instructions, the bible, to teach us of His love.  He expects us to love Him enough to study and follow His Word, the Truth, not the traditions of men.  He wants you to help Him carry forth His plan which is explained in the bible.  (The answers to the questions are all layed out in the bible.)
    He wants you to read His Word with the innocence of a child and without men's theories and beliefs getting in your way.  He is your protector.  He is SUPER-Natural, which means He is
    "MORE-Natural" than you can even imagine.  He will watch over you like a mama bear watches over her baby cubs.
    You have to make an effort though.  He's not going to beg you to come to Him.
    Revelation 22:13. "I am the Alpha and Omega, the Beginning and the End, the First and the Last."
    GOD is Eternal.
    It is impossible to doubt the reality of GOD when you see the beauty of HIS nature!
    Did you know that God's Children have an angel in heaven that watches over them?  They have God's attention at any time if that child needs God.  As Jesus said:. Matthew 18:10 Take heed that ye despise not one of these little ones; for I say unto you, That in heaven their angels do always behold the face of My Father Which is in heaven.
    Our Father wants you to communicate with Him.  He wants you to talk to Him.  He wants to hear from you.  He wants to know how He can help you.  You can talk to God anywhere, anytime, without saying a single word out loud, because He knows your every thought.  He created your soul, He is your Heavenly Father.  Let Him know you love Him, and that you want to be on His side.


    I appreciate the intensity of your faith, but I can tell you it is certainly possible to see the beauty of nature and still doubt the reality of God.
    my small self... like a book amongst the many on a shelf
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