Is accepting Jesus the only way to eternal salvation? What about people that have lived a life of wickedness, only to accept Jesus later in life? They go to heaven, while good people who haven't accepted Jesus go to hell? So basically, most of the world will be burning in hell. Every religion except Christianity - all of those people, no matter how good they are, will be doomed for all of eternity? How can people actually believe in this stuff? Floating around on clouds all day, burning alive indefinitely... I mean, do Christians think of this as figurative or literal? How can you not feel ridiculous saying outloud that you believe in such a thing? What's so wrong with dying & there being nothing afterwards? Existintialism doesn't seem so depressing to me. Do Christians think Muslims are nuts for believing they get 40 virgins if they die in a holy war? Why would their heaven be ridiculous, but the Christian one not be?
Yes. It isn't as black and white as that. What does "accepting Jesus" even mean to you? Saying "I believe Jesus died for my sins, and he is my Lord and my God, and I believe he was resurrected" and then going back to live your old life the old way is no kind of true faith at all. Jesus looks at hearts. None of us can judge the heart of another. Everyone will be given the chance to accept Christ. However, "burning in hell" is kind of a figurative definition. Those who don't accept Christ are doomed to eternal separation from God. Some of us claim that it would be eternal torture. I don't know. You are implying that there IS nothing afterwards, and that we invented all of the theology and dogma cause we couldn't believe such a thing... Study a little doctrine. The Quran abrogates itself everywhere. Those who criticize Christianity are too busy criticizing religion, which biblical Christianity neither is nor claims to be.
Faith ain't a logical thing, CP. Just as logic is not a faithful thing. One will never account for the other. When I was being indoctrinated into Christianity as a small child, I had a several logical questions that my mom couldn't answer. My pastor later had something that passed for answers, but they were unacceptable to me. I still have these questions. 1. Why can't we see God? 2. Why don't miracles happen today? 3. Why did God talk to Moses, but not to me? 4. Why would as powerful and omniscient an entity as God require worship, sacrifices, the chanting of incantations, beads, rattles, and holy men? 5. Why would God choose the Jews to the exclusion of most of the people on the planet? 6. Why must my dog go to hell just because he can't accept Jesus? 7. What possible need could God have for our money and how exactly does it get from the collection plate to God? There are no logical answers to these questions. There cannot be. I cannot accept much of what I was raised to believe on the basis of logic. Still, I cannot deny that living a life based on the 10 commandments of the Jews and the Golden Rule of Jesus has led to much of what is right and good about western civilization. Some of what we were taught is surely proper and possible divinely inspired. Does God exist as we read in Jewish mythology? Likely not. But does God exist? Maybe. There is no way for us to know. Where dieties are concerned, logic fails to provide the answers just as badly as does Hebrew mythology.
I'm implying it's a possability. And... I think this is the first time I'm hearing that Christianity is not a religion...
I can answer some of these. You of course should find them unacceptable. Cause you would get blown to bits if you did. Ex.33:20-23 He does. Not in physical manifestation as in Moses' time. He doesn't!!!! He doesn't require any of the above! All of those things are religion. The Jews are the descendants of Abraham through Isaac. Recall that Ishmael was his attempt to fulfill the promise of God through his own strength and resources and those descendants are not chosen or promised. You are assuming your dog must go to hell. THe bible says nothing of eternal destination of animals. In fact, there is scriptural basis that all creatures incapable of faith decisions do not get judged (in the wilderness when Israel left Egypt... all of the men under 20 were not judged for their failure to trust God and enter Canaan) God does not need your money. Your church body needs it. Tithe according to how God has moved you to tithe... which is in direct opposition to the Jewish law of 10%.
I have. All doctrines abrogate themselves, amigo. Those who question religion are seeking knowledge. Why do you see this as criticism? Do you fear these questions? Also, will you explain to me why you think Christianity is NOT a religion?
It isn't. Religion is doing things for a deity; earning your own salvation/good haps based on things you did. Christianity is all about what Jesus did, and accepting what He did as sufficient for salvation; nay, Life. It's trusting God and believing God in what he says as a fulfillment of the Law through the Scriptures. That's what sets it apart from all of the other world "religions". Recall in Judaism you must not eat certain things. In Islam you must wash with a certain hand, make pilgrimages to Mecca, etc.
Not at all. Those watch Jerry Falwell and watch priests, bishops, etc. and misconstrue that to be biblical Christianity. See above post.
Sooo, the difference is that religions require physical acts, while christianity does not? Am I hearing that right?
