Castiel233 Posted October 22, 2014 Share Posted October 22, 2014 The Bible makes some big claims, some of which can be tested by reality. Now if this book is true, absolutely true then the claims it makes should conform to reality. A well known point is that the Bible claims that believers should be able to perform supernatural acts....raising the dead for example.......why doesn't the likes of Pat Robertson or Benny Hinn bring people back from the dead (Robertson has had a go thou) That's just one example. Moving onto to Biblical commands. when the Bible says you should give away to anyone that asks of you, believers don't do it. They say "I do believe" yet their behaviour indicates they don't. I love the passages that say give your wealth away, because it is easy for believers to do (in such they don't need to perform any magical acts, nor defend slavery or genocide).....yet they don;t do it......ever in my experience. I have debated Christians, and I let them go on and on how much their Bible means to them, on and on how much they love Jesus and then I have asked them to surrender their wealth.....then they go very.......very......quiet.....indeed........ they don't need to give it to me, give it all to charity........but they won't, give it all to the church........but....they....won't......... I am sure you get Christians on here reading the posting, ask one for money and see how quick they bugger off. Money in the bank is preferred it seems, to making Jesus happy. Same with the book of Mark, it says followers in Christ can be bitten by poisionus animals and live....offer a believer the chance to provoke a black mamba and they don't want to know 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderator Margee Posted October 22, 2014 Moderator Share Posted October 22, 2014 I've also thought of the way I was taught to take the whole bible in a literal way. I remember thinking to myself that none of us we're completely 100% afraid of hell because the 'sinning would just continue. The alter would be packed with 1500 people on their knees begging god for forgiveness for 'whatever' they were doing during the week. I was there also of course.... with a long list of 'sins'. I think very few christians take the bible in a literal way. If we really believed in hell, none of us would do one more wrong thing in the eyes of god, wouldn't you think? At our church, you were never completely sure if you were 100% saved, so you had to be on your toes with god. If you were still 'lukewarm' he could spew you out. And yet the alter was still packed with hundreds of people??? Hug Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Burny Posted October 22, 2014 Share Posted October 22, 2014 You hit the nail on the head. Xtians want the security of Heaven, but the literally refuse to pay for it. I always get a kick out of letting my xtian friends know that we're both going to the same place whether or not they believe it... I was one of those rare xtians that actually lived a very simply life, gave thousands away each year and sacrificed big time. You know what my fundy family and friends said in response? I was apparently "over doing it". LOL. Now that I'm deconverted I still live much simpler than my xtian family and friends, and ironically I'm the only one who still takes my kids to a soup kitchen every week to volunteer. I think the vast majority of 'believers' don't really believe. They don't think God or JC are as real as if they had JC crashing on their livingroom couch, or they would take his words much more seriously. I think people are afraid of change and they like the culture of church (singing, getting together, meditating etc). Most people just aren't courageous enough to admit their unbelief. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Castiel233 Posted October 22, 2014 Author Share Posted October 22, 2014 . Xtians want the security of Heaven, but they literally refuse to pay for it. That is my favourite quote of the week, by far! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Costanza Posted October 22, 2014 Share Posted October 22, 2014 You hit the nail on the head. I also believe most "Christians" don't really believe what they say they do. But I also believe most "Christians" couldn't mentally handle the truth about god and religion. That is why they don't explore or pursue nonbelief. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
amateur Posted October 22, 2014 Share Posted October 22, 2014 I just heard an apologist preach on this. He said that what Jesus really meant when the rich young ruler asked "What do I need to do to get to heaven?" was that the ruler could not buy his way to heaven with his wealth, that god's love is a gift of grace and by accepting jesus/god the ruler would get to heaven. It was an interesting spin on the story, but I think designed to let the preacher and his congregants off the hook and be able to keep their money. Because if jesus really meant that, he would not have let the rich young ruler walk off looking sad, jesus could've just said, 'Hey! It's cool! Believe I'm god and you'll get to heaven!" But jesus did not. So either jesus meant that the ruler needed to give up his wealth, OR he was very mean. I guess that could go either way. And no, xians do not follow what the bible says. But neither does god when he says if we ask he can raise the dead and stuff. No, he doesn't. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RipVanWinkle Posted October 22, 2014 Share Posted October 22, 2014 amateur: Of course that's what the Christians say. But we know that there are few if any Xtians that would give up their wealth for Jesus. If they did the enormously wealthy Xtian industry would go bankrupt. Indeed, giving away their wealth to the poor is the Achilles heel of Protestantism. The few that would give away to the poor are the poor themselves, who are the major victims of Xtianity. What evangelist, preacher, priest or other "holy" man or woman has actually preached that their congregation should give their wealth to the poor . Not to the church; to the poor? None that I know of. That would be crazy. How would they get rich. This is the irony about Xtianity. It is a poor man's religion, stolen by the rich to make money from the poor and gain power. bill Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bedouin Posted October 22, 2014 Share Posted October 22, 2014 The so-called "prosperity gospel" preachers (Hinn, Dollar, Price, Myers, et al) have actually twisted the whole thing around. Now, if you "sow a seed," i.e. give your money to THEM, then god has no choice but to make YOU rich. Then, when that doesn't work, it's because you didn't sow enough, or there's some area in your life that is preventing gods' blessings from getting to you, or you just don't have enough faith, or god is testing you, and on, and on. And the OP mentioned Hinn...a few years back, my brother-in-law was going to one of Bennies' services because he actually DID raise the dead. Somehow that didn't make front page headlines. Or even a comic strip. And of course there was also the time that Hinn predicted that jesus himself would appear on stage with Benny in Africa! The claim is outrageous, yes, but even more outrageous is the fact that, to this very day, people are still giving this fraud millions of $$$$'s. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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