It was a delicious trap, you must eat it!
So even a practicing rapist would still go to heaven, simply for believing in god?
The discussion regarding the churches attitude towards homosexuality I personally find particularly pertinent. It was because of this in fact that caused my parting ways with the bible. My mum left the old man when I was like 13 for another woman. The attitude of the church put me in a very awkward position: my faith dictated that my mother was a sinner, and would inevitable burn in hell......
Now, this one interests me: So, if you turn your back on god and go to hell, there is no return, no chance of repenting, that's it...game over?Sure, one might argue that you had enough time here on Earth and it's too late....but then that starts to sound more like the vengeful, jealous god of the old testament than the loving god of the new testament.Also, locked from the inside? Once in, theoretically you can pick the lock, but no one from outside can get in once it's locked?....or is it a metaphor for the mind?
It is not for me to judge...What do you think?
FYI- "Angels exist?"yep- "Devils exist?"yep - I have seen some weird stuff and this explains it best so far.
Yes but two issues then arise:1. Is homosexuality a sin? According to the bible it is yes; but is it really? I mean, it is two people of the same sex who love each other. Alternatively, you're a man/woman who loves to have as much sex with other men/woman as possible. Either way its not really hurting anyone, like for example, rape does.2. Most homosexuals have no interest in repenting. It seems unfair that God should deny them love, and sex, to appease his will.
I don't know, that's why I asked. The way you put it indicated that as long as a person asked for forgiveness, they are forgiven, regardless of their past, current, or future actions.Sidenote: There is no apple mentioned in the story of Adam and Eve.
interesting...What do you imagine them to look like? if they have any physical being at all. Also I'm interested to hear about this weird stuff since I didn't see what you saw, so it doesn't explain it to me.
Ok, lets take them one at a time ...- "Hell exists?".... In a sense, but I believe the idea that hell is just being away from God for eternity has some merit.
I have seen people being 'delivered' from demonic oppression.
Fruit.
Cheers for answering the part of my post that wasn't a question. And it has been suggested many times that fruit is a metaphor.
For peachfish:heheh:
Doesn't the church, or your church teach you a more defined explanation of hell. Since I don't believe in god, by your definition you would think I'm in hell now?Gehenna is most frequently described as a place of fiery torment (eg. Matthew 5:22, 18:8-9; Mark 9:43-49) although other imagery is also used such as darkness and "weeping and gnashing of teeth" (eg. Matthew 8:12; 22:13).[13] St. Paul speaks of "wrath" and "everlasting destruction" (cf. Romans 2:7-9; 2 Thessalonians 1:9),"raging fire" (Hebrews 10:27), "destruction" (2 Peter 3:7), "eternal fire" (Jude 7) and "blackest darkness" (Jude 13). "lake of fire" and "burning sulphur" "tormented day and night for ever and ever"(eg. Revelation 20:10).[15]personal all that sound like scare tactics to me. Why do we have to be punished because we don't believe in god, sounds like a nasty fellow to me. Like if I was God, and some people didn't believe in me, so what? what would I care. Instead he's like "if you don't believe in me I'll cast you down to HELL!". Honestly if people just took the time out to really think about it.
Well, the only scare tactics here are your own. I just told you what I understand of hell and I am one of the 'teachers' at my church. Please let your idea of church/Christianity be challenged here. I hear many generalisations in this thread about Christians and the church and none of them are confirmed by the ones who actually go to church.
Look, practicing homosexuality is a sin according to the bible. As far as I understand, Christian teaching holds that if someone sins they would need to be remorseful and ask forgiveness for that sin. A non-practicing homosexual who believed in Jesus would be the same as anyone else, as far as getting into heaven goes. Its the actual act of a man hooking up with another man which is the sin.
Out of curiosity, why are you hung up on the churches' attitude towards homosexuals?
The question that sits under this for me is...is Homosexuality natural - ie, how God made us?
The is plenty of research that indicated physical harm that comes from putting penises in bottoms. It doesn't appear to be the design plan IMO. Obviously this doesn't apply in ur situation.
I just told you what I understand of hell and I am one of the 'teachers' at my church.
Focusing on the semantics of religion in a critique or argument ultimately fails. So beware imo of falling into a common trap.
It is up for interpretation. I think that the whole point though, is that in Hell, you are separated from God, whilst in Heaven you bask in his presence. Whether hell is fire and brimstone with demons and Satan or if it is simply a conscious nothingness is pretty much irrelevant. One is infinitely desirable, and the other is inversely undesirable.
If you already know what the bible says and have your version then what is the point of coming in here and asking other what others think? Just so you can tell them why is sucks?
