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Yes. The guy who saves wounded civilians in war zones but worships the "wrong" God gets to go to heaven. I'm okay with that. Much better than him going to Hell. Or worse, the unbelieving hold going to hell. I can't conceive of a God who would be so arbitrarily cruel.

Just because you can't conceive of such a god doesn't mean he doesn't exist. really, have you read the Bible lately? God can be really mean to people who displease him. Maybe your god has nothing to do with the bible or any religious denomination -- but is just an amalgamation of things that appeal to you.

Yes I've read the Bible. I think it's an account of God written by fallible humans and many things in it are symbolic. And I think the interpretation of PP is jus what appeals to him as well.

So what good is the Bible, if everyone just interprets it for themselves? Why not just put it aside and determine what's best based on common sense, experience and evidence?

Just eave out God and religion entirely. Who needs it.

Well, having a text that's open to interpretation is different from having no text at all. (or we should also throw out the Constitution, right?)

The Constitution, as you know, has been formally amended and was set up from its beginning to be adjusted, as needed, over time. and everyone in the US accepts the constitution as written and amended. Cant say that about the Bible. Any individual or group can come along and insist that their way is the right way and everyone else is wrong. The bible is also filled with some truly gruesome stories and centuries of mistranslations from numerous ancient languages, unlike the constitution.

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Yes. The guy who saves wounded civilians in war zones but worships the "wrong" God gets to go to heaven. I'm okay with that. Much better than him going to Hell. Or worse, the unbelieving hold going to hell. I can't conceive of a God who would be so arbitrarily cruel.

Just because you can't conceive of such a god doesn't mean he doesn't exist. really, have you read the Bible lately? God can be really mean to people who displease him. Maybe your god has nothing to do with the bible or any religious denomination -- but is just an amalgamation of things that appeal to you.

Yes I've read the Bible. I think it's an account of God written by fallible humans and many things in it are symbolic. And I think the interpretation of PP is jus what appeals to him as well.

So what good is the Bible, if everyone just interprets it for themselves? Why not just put it aside and determine what's best based on common sense, experience and evidence?

Just eave out God and religion entirely. Who needs it.

Perhaps some people feel better thinking their personal morality is in alignment with established religion.

Anonymous wrote:First of all, I don't believe in hell.

But if there were a hell and women who had abortions were sent there after death, then many would surrounded by friends. So how bad could hell be?

Anonymous wrote:OP -- I don't think it matters what we, the rest of DCUM, think... what matters is what YOU think. Perhaps you are in a place where it is time to reconcile your beliefs and your actions. Perhaps it is time to think about what is really at the core of your faith (whatever that is) and leave the opportunity to judge (or not judge) in God's hands. Or maybe it's time to consider another type of religion or no religion at all!

Different people have different reasons for adopting and maintaining a faith. Maybe your current understanding of faith are not productive or supportive for where you have been and where you are now. It would be a shame to live your life in your own personal hell. That cannot be "living your best life."

Maybe it is time to reformulate what you want from a religion or relationship with God and figure out how you can rectify the life you have with the faith you want (or perhaps letting go of faith would be more sustaining for you).

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Yes. The guy who saves wounded civilians in war zones but worships the "wrong" God gets to go to heaven. I'm okay with that. Much better than him going to Hell. Or worse, the unbelieving hold going to hell. I can't conceive of a God who would be so arbitrarily cruel.

Just because you can't conceive of such a god doesn't mean he doesn't exist. really, have you read the Bible lately? God can be really mean to people who displease him. Maybe your god has nothing to do with the bible or any religious denomination -- but is just an amalgamation of things that appeal to you.

Yes I've read the Bible. I think it's an account of God written by fallible humans and many things in it are symbolic. And I think the interpretation of PP is jus what appeals to him as well.

So what good is the Bible, if everyone just interprets it for themselves? Why not just put it aside and determine what's best based on common sense, experience and evidence?

Just eave out God and religion entirely. Who needs it.

Perhaps some people feel better thinking their personal morality is in alignment with established religion.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
Yes. The guy who saves wounded civilians in war zones but worships the "wrong" God gets to go to heaven. I'm okay with that. Much better than him going to Hell. Or worse, the unbelieving hold going to hell. I can't conceive of a God who would be so arbitrarily cruel.

Just because you can't conceive of such a god doesn't mean he doesn't exist. really, have you read the Bible lately? God can be really mean to people who displease him. Maybe your god has nothing to do with the bible or any religious denomination -- but is just an amalgamation of things that appeal to you.

Yes I've read the Bible. I think it's an account of God written by fallible humans and many things in it are symbolic. And I think the interpretation of PP is jus what appeals to him as well.

So what good is the Bible, if everyone just interprets it for themselves? Why not just put it aside and determine what's best based on common sense, experience and evidence?

Just eave out God and religion entirely. Who needs it.

Well, having a text that's open to interpretation is different from having no text at all. (or we should also throw out the Constitution, right?)

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Anonymous wrote:LOL no it doesn't work that way

It most certainly does. God knows his people are sinners and he forgives them as long as they are sorry and continue to believe in Jesus as their savior. If they are sorry, or stop committing so many sins but no longer believe in Jesus, then he does not forgive them. Those people don't care, because they no longer believe in salvation, but God is still keeping track of them and will punish them after they die for their lack of belief, no matter how good they were compared to faithful Christians.

My God is not that petty.

You decided that christian beliefs are petty and invented your own god

No, I decided your version of Christianity is petty and wrong.

Well, again that's nice, but "what you decided" has no basis in fact or reality.

Sure it does, just as much as yours does. I've read the Bible. I'm good at interpreting words. Lots of Christians disagree with you on this.

So what -- Christianity is not a popularity contest.

So you should stop pretending this is what all Christians believe.

They are standard Christian beliefs and it's pretty obvious from this thread that not all Christians believe them. Some people make up their own beliefs.

They're not standard for my Protestant church. Are you one of those born again types?

You mean the "type" that follows God's word?

So your version of Christianity is the only right way. You dismiss many mainstream Christian churches. You're Shiite Christian.

uh-oh -calling Christians who believe in salvation "Shites"

Nope. Just those who think their way of Christianity is the only acceptable way.

how to decide what is acceptable? - from the Bible, from Church doctrine, or inside people's heads by just deciding what seems right for themselves. Maybe individuals can come up with something as good or even better than what's in the Bible or church doctrine, but they should at least acknowledge that they are making it up on their own and that they don't represent the word of god.

Or maybe you should accept that you're making up which parts of the bible and which church's doctrine you choose to believe.

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Anonymous wrote:LOL no it doesn't work that way

It most certainly does. God knows his people are sinners and he forgives them as long as they are sorry and continue to believe in Jesus as their savior. If they are sorry, or stop committing so many sins but no longer believe in Jesus, then he does not forgive them. Those people don't care, because they no longer believe in salvation, but God is still keeping track of them and will punish them after they die for their lack of belief, no matter how good they were compared to faithful Christians.

My God is not that petty.

You decided that christian beliefs are petty and invented your own god

No, I decided your version of Christianity is petty and wrong.

Well, again that's nice, but "what you decided" has no basis in fact or reality.

Sure it does, just as much as yours does. I've read the Bible. I'm good at interpreting words. Lots of Christians disagree with you on this.

So what -- Christianity is not a popularity contest.

So you should stop pretending this is what all Christians believe.

They are standard Christian beliefs and it's pretty obvious from this thread that not all Christians believe them. Some people make up their own beliefs.

It's not what we were taught in our "standard" Episcopal church.

Some churches make up their own beliefs too. You mean that the church you went to didn't teach that Jesus came to save us as long as we believed in him?

So the Episcopalians just made it up because your way is the only way. We were taught that Jesus came to save us, but not that no believers go to hell just for not believing.

Who does go to hell in your Church, or have they decided against hell all together, and just teach heaven?

They teach that people who do bad stuff and don't repent go to hell. Not that good people who don't believe go to hell. Duh.

There are a lot of "good people" who don't believe in heaven or hell -- what happens to them -- do they end up in heaven anyhow because they were "good?" If so, why have any religious teachings at all -- why not just be good and go to heaven?

Yes. The guy who saves wounded civilians in war zones but worships the "wrong" God gets to go to heaven. I'm okay with that. Much better than him going to Hell. Or worse, the unbelieving hold going to hell. I can't conceive of a God who would be so arbitrarily cruel.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
Yes. The guy who saves wounded civilians in war zones but worships the "wrong" God gets to go to heaven. I'm okay with that. Much better than him going to Hell. Or worse, the unbelieving hold going to hell. I can't conceive of a God who would be so arbitrarily cruel.

Just because you can't conceive of such a god doesn't mean he doesn't exist. really, have you read the Bible lately? God can be really mean to people who displease him. Maybe your god has nothing to do with the bible or any religious denomination -- but is just an amalgamation of things that appeal to you.

Yes I've read the Bible. I think it's an account of God written by fallible humans and many things in it are symbolic. And I think the interpretation of PP is jus what appeals to him as well.

So what good is the Bible, if everyone just interprets it for themselves? Why not just put it aside and determine what's best based on common sense, experience and evidence?

Just eave out God and religion entirely. Who needs it.

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Anonymous wrote:

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Anonymous wrote:LOL no it doesn't work that way

It most certainly does. God knows his people are sinners and he forgives them as long as they are sorry and continue to believe in Jesus as their savior. If they are sorry, or stop committing so many sins but no longer believe in Jesus, then he does not forgive them. Those people don't care, because they no longer believe in salvation, but God is still keeping track of them and will punish them after they die for their lack of belief, no matter how good they were compared to faithful Christians.

My God is not that petty.

You decided that christian beliefs are petty and invented your own god

No, I decided your version of Christianity is petty and wrong.

Well, again that's nice, but "what you decided" has no basis in fact or reality.

Sure it does, just as much as yours does. I've read the Bible. I'm good at interpreting words. Lots of Christians disagree with you on this.

So what -- Christianity is not a popularity contest.

So you should stop pretending this is what all Christians believe.

They are standard Christian beliefs and it's pretty obvious from this thread that not all Christians believe them. Some people make up their own beliefs.

They're not standard for my Protestant church. Are you one of those born again types?

You mean the "type" that follows God's word?

So your version of Christianity is the only right way. You dismiss many mainstream Christian churches. You're Shiite Christian.

uh-oh -calling Christians who believe in salvation "Shites"

Nope. Just those who think their way of Christianity is the only acceptable way.

how to decide what is acceptable? - from the Bible, from Church doctrine, or inside people's heads by just deciding what seems right for themselves. Maybe individuals can come up with something as good or even better than what's in the Bible or church doctrine, but they should at least acknowledge that they are making it up on their own and that they don't represent the word of god.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
Yes. The guy who saves wounded civilians in war zones but worships the "wrong" God gets to go to heaven. I'm okay with that. Much better than him going to Hell. Or worse, the unbelieving hold going to hell. I can't conceive of a God who would be so arbitrarily cruel.

Just because you can't conceive of such a god doesn't mean he doesn't exist. really, have you read the Bible lately? God can be really mean to people who displease him. Maybe your god has nothing to do with the bible or any religious denomination -- but is just an amalgamation of things that appeal to you.

Yes I've read the Bible. I think it's an account of God written by fallible humans and many things in it are symbolic. And I think the interpretation of PP is jus what appeals to him as well.

So what good is the Bible, if everyone just interprets it for themselves? Why not just put it aside and determine what's best based on common sense, experience and evidence?

Just eave out God and religion entirely. Who needs it.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
Yes. The guy who saves wounded civilians in war zones but worships the "wrong" God gets to go to heaven. I'm okay with that. Much better than him going to Hell. Or worse, the unbelieving hold going to hell. I can't conceive of a God who would be so arbitrarily cruel.

Just because you can't conceive of such a god doesn't mean he doesn't exist. really, have you read the Bible lately? God can be really mean to people who displease him. Maybe your god has nothing to do with the bible or any religious denomination -- but is just an amalgamation of things that appeal to you.

Yes I've read the Bible. I think it's an account of God written by fallible humans and many things in it are symbolic. And I think the interpretation of PP is jus what appeals to him as well.