Be Still

[RichDellaValle]

Let me declare that I do not believe God defines religion as we do; his mandate is “I am God. There is no other.” That’s all the information we need! Organized religion, with tens of thousands of sects, is evil and the instrument of Satan. The Bible is the conception of conniving men. Why would God wait 3,000 years after Adam to “inspire” a Bible? Didn’t Stone Age men have souls or a need for God? Adam was created during the Bronze Age, capable of speech and the ability to sew garments to hide his private parts!  Why did Jesus mysteriously present himself 2,000 years ago? Why didn’t he pop up in modern days to a more educated lot, or better yet, include his message of salvation when the Law of Moses was presented? Organized religion was fashioned to manipulate people to depend on greater power and the need to control them. Religions have a core idea of an afterlife. How could anyone possibly know what lies beyond death?

 

We’ve seen throughout history how religion has been used to control and wipe out massive populations. To ensnare people to embrace religion, the promise that their loved ones will go to a better place after death is dangled before them. Religion is obviously for people who are unable to think for themselves. Do you believe all people must rely on ancient documents of unproven authorship to be good and lead a holy life? In that case, I honestly don’t know what to tell you other than seek out a religion or belief system other than Jewish, Christian, or Islam. How about the Golden Rule of Confucianism, which says, “What I do not wish men to do to me, I also wish not to do to men.” Confucius did not believe in eternal fire or even a God. Their only belief was a moral way of living. Why stick with a religion that promises an eternity in hell if you disbelieve? Where’s the love? How could anyone honor a book that claims God would eternally torture Uncle Harry or your unbelieving mother? Don’t we get enough torture here on Earth because most of our leaders are corrupt and greedy individuals catering to the will of evil, rich men?

 

If there is but ONE God, why are thousands of sects or factions with their own rules ready and willing to condemn or kill the other sects and factions? If there is but ONE Creator, why is there constant war between his people? Why, if we are all related, are there scores of bloody battles and killings of our brothers and sisters? Shouldn’t Jews, Muslims, Christians, Buddhists, and Satanists get along? If Muslims don’t like that Christians don’t pray five times a day, do they have the right to kill them? Why doesn’t the phrase “turn the other cheek” resonate with so-called religious people? Why not practice forgiveness? Religion causes evil.

 

I choose to disassociate myself from such evil. Why? Because my mom and dad raised me to stay away from bad people!  The problem is I forgot that advice for a very long time. I read the Bible many times over a 24-year period but had Christian sunglasses on and overlooked the gory details in the Old Testament because it was, after all, against nonbelievers (actually Gentiles). When I removed those Christian sunglasses, I spent several decades (until now) studying the Bible to prove that I made the right decision. Aside from a few good ideas, the Bible is rife with slaughter, slavery, child abuse, misogyny, profanity, atrocity, and mean-spiritedness. How could a God of love inspire such a ghoulish collection of books we call the Bible?

 

What makes Christians think they own the truth? The same applies to every other religion in the world. They fervently believe they own the truth as well. I don’t begrudge any believer who finds comfort and peace in their God. The problem begins when people take their personal beliefs and try to force them on others!  As a former Christian and current agnostic, I object as strongly to atheists who try to force their disbelief and views on others. It’s like burping and in other ways emitting gas in public or prancing about in the nude because they believe in nudism. I suggest everyone seek the truth unbiasedly, shun hypocrisy, and study the Bible using common sense.

 

I don’t know if there was a Jesus or a savior, but he or someone like him had the right idea in many respects. He criticized the organized religion of his day. He saw aggrandizement, selfishness, and greed among the church leaders. Jesus did not believe in organized religion of any sort. How do I know this actual or fictitious person thought that? Read and conduct your life by the only great chapter in that book we call the New Testament. I, of course, refer to the Sermon on the Mount, Chapter 5 of the Gospel of Matthew!  Jesus didn’t say to start a religion, wear mitered hats, invent rituals and sacraments, and collect fees and tithes. Quite the opposite:  Matt 8:20:  “For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.”

 

Jesus was dead set against organized religion. As you should realize, it took over 30, maybe 60 or more years after the death of Jesus before the first epistle, or gospel about Jesus, was written. These letters continued to appear up to 325 AD when the Council of Nicaea, under the direction of Emperor Constantine, decided on 27 out of hundreds to be included in a New Testament. Since there was no capability to print until over 1,000 years later, the Bible was (by hand) rewritten, interpolated, and changed in whatever manner the Church mandated or found desirable. Who knows what was changed or added? The hoi polloi were not allowed access to Holy Writ.

 

I say to Christians, trust in the Holy Spirit you profess to believe in.  The Great Commission was not meant for you - only his disciples. The disciples abandoned the Great Commission after the death of Jesus!  They all scattered and feared for their lives. God foreknew individuals and marked them out. God chose his elect long before they were born, a fact most Christians will not deny. So unless you can cast out devils, speak with new tongues, take up serpents, and drink any deadly thing (Mark 16:17-18), let the Holy Spirit do his job and leave people alone. You would do well to live a good life devoid of hypocrisy and “Be Still.”   Look up what Jesus said in the first sentence of Matthew 10:5.

[◊ Weezer ◊]

WELCOME!  For the most part, you summerized what I came up with through the years.  Hang around and join the discussions.

[☆ DarkBishop ☆]

4 hours ago, RichDellaValle said:

I object as strongly to atheists who try to force their disbelief and views on others. It’s like burping and in other ways emitting gas in public or prancing about in the nude because they believe in nudism. I suggest everyone seek the truth unbiasedly, shun hypocrisy, and study the Bible using common sense.

Good evening Rich,

 

You make some good points. Especially in your first two paragraphs. Spot on IMO. I differ a little later on possibly. But I guess it's all a matter of perspective. 

 

I'm not athiest, im agnostic/non-theist but I agree unless they come here and are trying to push their harmful beliefs on us. I'm Guessing you are talking about more militant athiests that are active in the public arena? To that I would say there is a place if the need arises. 

 

There are times the past 3 years that I have felt the principal and teachers in my daughters middleschool have discriminated against her because she identifies as lesbian. And even had a girlfriend for awhile. I think most if not all the staff are Christian and apparently are Christian snowflakes. 

 

I've caused a stir a few times when they have contacted me in the past. One time before she came out she was drawing what her friends were talking about, and she didn't even agree with what was being said. She drew out the convo but called them perverts. 

 

The principal contacted me over the phone and told me what she drew. And I asked him.... "so you don't expect middle schoolers to talk about sex? I talked about sex when I was in middle school all the time. Didn't you?" I mentioned how they were just told about sex 4 months previously in 5th grade. So it is a very knew and curious thing on a young middle schoolers mind. I thought it was normal. Lol. Apparently he thought I should be appalled at the perverted content that my daughter had scribbled on a piece of paper. Lmao, if had seen me at that age he would of considered her a Saint. 

 

I was sneaking into my best friends fathers nudy mags when I was in middle school lmao . She was just drawing cartoon characters with conversation bubbles over their heads of what her friends were saying. And the teacher saw it. They weren't even nude. 

 

 

 

The discrimination due to her sexuality has been more recent. I'm waiting on them to obviously cross a line. 

 

4 hours ago, RichDellaValle said:

 

I say to Christians, trust in the Holy Spirit you profess to believe in.  The Great Commission was not meant for you - only his disciples. The disciples abandoned the Great Commission after the death of Jesus!  They all scattered and feared for their lives. God foreknew individuals and marked them out. God chose his elect long before they were born, a fact most Christians will not deny. So unless you can cast out devils, speak with new tongues, take up serpents, and drink any deadly thing (Mark 16:17-18), let the Holy Spirit do his job and leave people alone. You would do well to live a good life devoid of hypocrisy and “Be Still.”   Look up what Jesus said in the first sentence of Matthew 10:5.

 

This would never have phased me. Christians believe they are Jesus's disciples. And they believe they need to go out and preach the word of God to lead souls to Christ. Or atleast I always did. I would of argued scripture with you till the cows came home showing you how I was a disciple, and a workman that needeth not be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of God. Which I would say to you, you aren't that workman. Just saying. If that is what you tell Christians. It's probably not being received lol either that or Christians up there aren't as bull headed as the ones down here. 

 

I think it's a stretch to say Jesus never wanted organized religion either. If there was a Jesus, we know so little about the real Jesus that there is no way to know what he wanted. However, we do know that Peter and Paul were probably real and possibly influenced by a man named Jesus. And they definitely wanted organized religion. Especially Paul. I feel he is probably the true father of the Church.

 

What would Jesus have been talking about when he was talking to Peter in Mathew.

 

Matt. 16 KJV

16 And Simon Peter answered and said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God.

17 And Jesus answered and said unto him, Blessed art thou, Simon Barjona: for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven.

18 And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.

 

Now on verse 18, I know that the catholic believe that he was saying on the rock of Peter, Jesus would build his church.  BUT I always read that differently. What I see is that He wanted to build his church on the prospect that he (Jesus) was the Christ and the son of the living God. It fits a lot better from that perspective. Because that is the base of what every Christian church is built on. And if he planned on building a church. That sounds like organized religion to me. 

 

Not trying to say you're wrong. The bible ultimately is whats wrong. It's just, this would have been my response had I still been Christian. A lil devils advocate to what you said you tell Christians.  

 

Best regards,

Dark Bishop

 

[☆ DarkBishop ☆]

3 hours ago, DarkBishop said:

Matt. 16 KJV

16 And Simon Peter answered and said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God.

17 And Jesus answered and said unto him, Blessed art thou, Simon Barjona: for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven.

18 And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.

 

Now on verse 18, I know that the catholic believe that he was saying on the rock of Peter, Jesus would build his church.  BUT I always read that differently. What I see is that He wanted to build his church on the prospect that he (Jesus) was the Christ and the son of the living God. It fits a lot better from that perspective. Because that is the base of what every Christian church is built on. And if he planned on building a church. That sounds like organized religion to me. 

Actually I'm gonna shout out to @TABA. As a former Catholic believer, is the bolded statement above true? I said I know. But honestly that is just what I always was told. For all I know that may be just another one of those things pastors always said and presented as the truth and isn't. 

 

DB

[TABA]

35 minutes ago, DarkBishop said:

Actually I'm gonna shout out to @TABA. As a former Catholic believer, is the bolded statement above true? I said I know. But honestly that is just what I always was told. For all I know that may be just another one of those things pastors always said and presented as the truth and isn't. 

 

DB

Yes, the Catholic Church regards this verse as Jesus establishing the Papacy, with Peter as the first Pope, the Head of the Church on Earth.  

[☆ DarkBishop ☆]

4 hours ago, TABA said:

Yes, the Catholic Church regards this verse as Jesus establishing the Papacy, with Peter as the first Pope, the Head of the Church on Earth.  

Yeah I think they completely missed the point on that verse lol. I don't think he ever considered Peter a rock. Hell it was just a little while later he tells him he's going to deny him. I'm pretty sure the point of the story was to drive home the point that Jesus was the Christ and the son of God. And for Simon recognizing that he renamed him Peter. Must have been some kind of honor to be renamed by God. 

 

Ya know what would be funny? If the original story was all Simon and the catholic church later changed it to Peter because Peter founded the catholic church and they wanted to be the "true church". Bit Peter wasn't originally in the bible. I doubt that's the case. But it would be funny  

 

 

DB

 

[◊ Weezer ◊]

47 minutes ago, DarkBishop said:

 

Ya know what would be funny? If the original story was all Simon and the catholic church later changed it to Peter because Peter founded the catholic church and they wanted to be the "true church". Bit Peter wasn't originally in the bible. I doubt that's the case. But it would be funny  

 

But even taking it at face value, There is a BIG stretch from the scripture, to Peter being a Pope.  But the catholic church is known for making big stretches.  In my opinion they, with the help of the poweful Roman government, created the biggest hoax ever played upon the world.