The Evil Bible

[yearofthenick]

Originally Posted by bionicarm
http:///forum/post/3011558
You Christians even have your own language! This dcoyle11 individual is even more over the top than you. There's a guy who hangs around the break room I work that sounds just like him. Everyone pretty much keeps their distance from him. If you don't, he starts preaching bible verses to you, and claims you're going to Hell if you don't absolve all your sins. He almost had a coronary the other day when somebody told him God and Jesus were just myths. He pulled his bible out, stood on a chairt, and started screaming various verses. We thought security was going to drag him away. Was pretty comical though. I thought that only happened in the movies or on the evangelical TV shows on Sunday mornings.
How do we have our own language?
As for your story, I've always wanted to know what the break room at McDonalds was like... thanks for sharing.

You should tell that guy he has NO right to tell anyone who goes to hell and who doesn't. He's one of those delusional Christians that gives the rest of us a bad name.

 

[chilwil84]

As for your story, I've always wanted to know what the break room at McDonalds was like... thanks for sharing.

now what kind of juvenile comment is that

 

[bionicarm]

Originally Posted by Veni Vidi Vici
http:///forum/post/3011673
Apparently one that they thought you might understand.
Go play with your munchkins Dorothie.

 

[bionicarm]

Originally Posted by chilwil84
http:///forum/post/3011734
As for your story, I've always wanted to know what the break room at McDonalds was like... thanks for sharing.

now what kind of juvenile comment is that

At least he knows how to make an intelligent comeback. What's your excuse?

 

[veni vidi vici]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bCH7Mo7AjF0

 

[sickboy]

Originally Posted by YearOfTheNick
http:///forum/post/3011291
Wait a second... do you think that in order to live a Christian life you need to be nearly perfect? Man, that's got to be the biggest misconception of Christians. The FIRST STEP of becoming a Christian is by understanding that you are a sinner... you are a loser... you fall short. Any Christian that thinks he/she doesn't need any saving isn't actually a Christian at all.
The truth is that it would be awesome to absorb all the traits of what Love is in 1 Corinthians 13. But we kinda need to be perfect in order for that to happen, and none of us are perfect. We all have our vices and our shortcomings... but that's what makes it good... no one is better than the other. Every mistake I make shows that I am human.
Go beyond faith... deeper than evolution... let's look at this "moral code" that seems to connect almost everyone on the planet (except the politicians

). Where do you think that came from? There's something inside most of us that just knows the difference between right and wrong. Even my 1-year-old daughter knows things she shouldn't do... things we never taught her. I think what attracts us to the faith so much is that it resonates within our being. It goes in alignment with what we think/feel is right. It's a gospel that preaches love, not hate. Peace, not war.
Remember, the OT is historical, the NT (or the 'gospel') is life-application. Those who use the bible for evil are in alignment with the worst kind of devil... the one who looks exactly like God to them, but tells them to do wrong instead of good. It's the uninformed people who take the OT as a life-application and that's what kills... it would be like me finding a Third Reich book and living by it instead of using it as simple history, learning from it's wrongdoing.
How does "survival of the fittest" work in when we imprison 'dangerous' people? They're surviving, doing things that we don't like, to do it. How does natural selection fit in when we have nerds curing diseases who probably struggle using a knife to kill a chicken for dinner. They are valued for their contribution to society, although they couldn't survive in harsh conditions. Sure, I'm generalizing, but you get my point.
I couldn't agree more, well said. But what I want to know is how can someone with all these faults think that they know best and should preach it to the world as if they were perfect, as we just explained their religion tells them they aren't?

 

[yearofthenick]

Originally Posted by sickboy
http:///forum/post/3011971
I couldn't agree more, well said. But what I want to know is how can someone with all these faults think that they know best and should preach it to the world as if they were perfect, as we just explained their religion tells them they aren't?
That is an EXCELLENT point. One of my favorite questions to answer actually.
I recently learned about something that some pastors call the 7:47 principle. It comes from Luke 7:40-47. The passage talks about Simon putting on a party and inviting Jesus... then this whore sneaks her way in and weeps at Jesus' feet, cleaning them with her hair and pouring perfume on them - a pretty personal thing to do back in biblical times. Simon is pissed because it's like a black-tie event and Jesus is the guest of honor... and somehow this whore made her way in. So Jesus tells a story to Simon... he said that a man gave $50 to one of his servants and $500 to the other. When the man came to both of the servants, neither of them could repay the man... so the man forgave both of their debts. Jesus then asks simon which servant he thought was more grateful... simon said the servant who had the $500 forgiven, which was the correct answer. The whore who had many sins was much more grateful than Simon was, because her sins were far more than Simon's, and they were forgiven. In the same way, sometimes it takes a terrible sinner to truly understand and appreciate the forgiveness they receive.
The 7:47 Principle - the more sins you have, the more you understand the love and forgiveness you receive. Sometimes it's the worst of the sinners who are the best at sharing the gospel... because they are so familiar with this.
We have a saying at our church. Sinners welcome - you're among friends. Perfect people can leave - there is no place for you here.
All this isn't to say that sin is OK. I think there's a light that goes on in our head when we become Christians... like an honest desire to live a better life. Sure, we mess up and do things that are wrong, but if we allow those sins to fester inside of us, it leads to anger and self-hatred. There are things in my past that still haunt me. When I was in college, I was a total animal. As a college guy, I knew girls who were still in high school, and would sometimes purposely make indecent advances that would lead down roads I'm not proud of... that's a burden that still tries to drag me down... especially now as I write it.
But if I allow my past to weigh me down, it won't free me up to live a better life. There is freedom in letting go, and that's where God's grace and forgiveness come in. Plenty of people can say the same about me... Who am I to be preaching this gospel?
Because I've lived it. Nothing more.
It's the holier than thou freaks who need to understand the 7:47 principle. The gospel they preach is not the same gospel Jesus died for. Jesus left his message to tax collectors and prostitutes... what does that say about the Crystal Cathedral, Robert Schuller and all them?

 

[darthtang aw]

Bionic, why do Christians frighten you? Maybe that isn't the right phrase. Why do they bother you? How does someone else's faith in something affect your day to day life to such an extreme that you feel the need to belittle their beliefs?
Religious beliefs on a personal level with the average citizen have no impact on your day to day lives as most of the issues I have seen you discuss.
Why the open hostility and belittling?
They believe in God, You believe in man made climate change. Neither can be physically proven. And before you say science proves climate change, I can show you science that disproves it. If science could predict and prove manmade climate change, then our weekly forcast should be 100% correct all the time. After all, they are predicting 50-100 years in the future, what is so hard about predicting 7 days in the future.
So I ask, what is the difference between your faith in climate change and their faith in a god.
get off your high horse and stop looking down on people.

 

[yearofthenick]

I'm not upset with Bionic... sure, he's gotten under my skin a little, but if there is one thing I don't understand, it's this feeling I get from bionic that I'm the odd man out... I'm the weirdo. But the truth is that over 90% of the world's population believe in some form of a higher power, and I'm in that 90%.
I only say Christian because I don't know what else to call myself. I can't say catholic because I don't believe in purgatory or penance... that stuff was dis-proved in the NT over and over. I can't say I'm a buddhist for obvious reasons.
I guess I'm a bible-believing, Christ follower. The word for Christian means something completely different these days... it's like the religious version of "American" ... it's become so generalized... kinda sad.

 

[darthtang aw]

Originally Posted by YearOfTheNick
http:///forum/post/3011993
. But the truth is that over 90% of the world's population believe in some form of a higher power, and I'm in that 90%.

77% in the U.S. about 85% world wide now. But who is counting...bottomline, Bionic is in the Minority.
Here is a question, if the is no God/higher power/afterlife, what is the whole purpose behind trying to be a good person? Why even bother if all there is, is this life right here on earth now? What istopping you from doing anything you please to further your current life and make it as good as it could be regardless of who you hurt, harm, or leave behind along the way. Why care about others?

 

[bionicarm]

Originally Posted by Darthtang AW
http:///forum/post/3011998
77% in the U.S. about 85% world wide now. But who is counting...bottomline, Bionic is in the Minority.
Here is a question, if the is no God/higher power/afterlife, what is the whole purpose behind trying to be a good person? Why even bother if all there is, is this life right here on earth now? What istopping you from doing anything you please to further your current life and make it as good as it could be regardless of who you hurt, harm, or leave behind along the way. Why care about others?
As I said before, religion is about faith. It's believing in a higher being is what gets some people thorugh their day. I have no problem with religious people, as long as they keep those beliefs to themselves. I don't need someone preaching to me that I have sinned, or I'm going to live in Terminal D@mnation just because I don't agree with their philosophies. Relgion has started more wars and conflicts on this planet than any other disagreement (if that's what you want to call it). Millions of people have died simply because of strong religious beliefs. Sorry, but that makes no sense to me.
Why do you feel you have to believe in God in order to be an honest and moral person? I care deeply about my friends and family. Caring has absolutely nothing to do with believing in a higher power. You can be compassionate and caring to any living creature, and still have your own personal objections to religion. I am what I am today without any help from God. I don't sit there and beg God to pay my bills or cure my illnesses. I don't attribute back luck to God punishing me. You may disagree with this, but then again, prove to me there is this entity that is making your life either better or worse. If God is so caring, then why do these 85% of people who believe in Him have so much grieve and pain in their lives? What, God can't help everyone? Some people have to suffer in order for others to succeed? WHY, THAT"S WHAT GOD IS FOR, RIGHT? It's laughable about how in one minute, a religious person will be thanking God for something good that happened in their life, and the next minute using his name in vain because a loved one was just diagnosed with cancer. Kind of hypocritical don't you think?
You also need to look at your 85%. Go ask some of those people who say they are religious, but actually it's only in appearance. I have friends that go to church every Sunday. I asked several of them once what exactly did they get out of getting up every Sunday morning, and sitting there listening to some guy tell stories for an hour. One of them told me he goes because his wife makes him. "She wants to set a good example for the kids." Another goes because essentially it makes a good appearance at his work. His boss is a very relgious person, and he said the guy actually admonishes anyone who works at the company that doesn't go to church or practice some form of religion. Of course he can't actually punish these people due to Equal Opportunity Laws, but he can 'overlook' certain accomplishments in their work. This guy said he just doesn't want to take any chances. Pretty sad if you ask me.

 

[darthtang aw]

This post right here makes me question your "catholic" upbringing. If you were truly raised Catholic you would know the answers to all these questions..............

 

[dcoyle11]

To my fellow Brothers and Sisters in Christ I think many of you would agree that it’s about a relationship not a religion, and many people fall short of that belief that fall under the Christian name. At a church leadership meeting this past weekend a statistic was brought to our attention that only 7% percent of people in America who fall under the category of Christian have a Biblical world view of things. We as Christians should have our whole heart into it because when we do not people as evident by this thread stumble and push away rather the seek. My relationship with the Lord is one in which I want Him to know me not just me saying I know Him. Others may fall short of this so we pray and hope that it does not drag others away from a real relationship with Christ.
John 16:1
“These things I have spoken to you, that you should not be made to stumble.
If we all as Christians placed our whole heart into it and followed His word a little more closely it may not give others excuses to not believe.
Jeremiah 24:7
Then I will give them a heart to know Me, that I am the LORD; and they shall be My people, and I will be their God, for they shall return to Me with their whole heart.
Many people’s faith is weak and if they cannot see it does not exists hence stumbling
Romans 9:32
Why? Because they did not seek it by faith, but as it were, by the works of the law. (it’s not what we do or of our own power) For they stumbled at that stumbling stone.
Many people’s faith is weak and if they cannot see it does not exists hence stumbling.
Hebrews 11
By Faith We Understand
1 Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. 2 For by it the elders obtained a good testimony.
3 By faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that the things which are seen were not made of things which are visible.
This was the original definition of faith...
The way I see it is in an open forum a question was asked if any of us seen or read a site about the “evil bible” and we all by free will choice responded. We as Christians love our Bible and believe it as truth and I will allow as many as possible to see that.

 

[bionicarm]

Originally Posted by Darthtang AW
http:///forum/post/3012062
This post right here makes me question your "catholic" upbringing. If you were truly raised Catholic you would know the answers to all these questions..............
My Catholic upbringing is what made me stray away from religion. I didn't 'get' religion when I was a kid. It was force-fed to me by nuns and priests. My father used to threaten me with a belt if I didn't get up at 7 AM every Sunday and go to church (hypocritical as he was, since he was raised Southern Baptist and had absolutely no interest in the Catholic mantra). When I finally told my mother I no longer wanted to attend Catholic school, essentially because I got absolutely nothing out of it, I was forced to attend CCD classes after Sunday morning church service. I spent half my Sunday at a Catholic church I despised. I was finally able to 'escape' when I got into Junior High. To appease my mother, I was the typical C&E church-goer. Even helped out at the Church Bazaars (doing the Cake Walk sale and dunking booth). She did manage to keep my younger brother in line. The school's in our area got so bad with gangs and violence, she kept him in a Catholic school all the way through 12th grade. He turned out OK, but he got like me and no longer goes to church. He got turned off by the Catholic church's philosophies just like I did.

 

[reefraff]

Originally Posted by Darthtang AW
http:///forum/post/3011986
Bionic, why do Christians frighten you? Maybe that isn't the right phrase. Why do they bother you? How does someone else's faith in something affect your day to day life to such an extreme that you feel the need to belittle their beliefs?
This is something that has always amused me about secularists. They almost always proclaim a devotion to tolerance yet they themselves tend to be some of the most intolerant people on the planet.

 

[jdl]

bio, you want to be really freaked out... go watch the documentary jesus camp.

 

[yearofthenick]

Originally Posted by bionicarm
http:///forum/post/3012053
I have no problem with religious people, as long as they keep those beliefs to themselves. I don't need someone preaching to me that I have sinned, or I'm going to live in Terminal D@mnation just because I don't agree with their philosophies.
I've said this before and will say it again - no person has any authority to determine your fate. In fact, can you promise me something? From now on, can you ask these damning people what authority they have to determine your future? Even only a second into the future? What arrogance of some people to think they know where you're going. It's not their place... it's not their life! That's not what ANY christian has been called to do.
Originally Posted by bionicarm
http:///forum/post/3012053
Relgion has started more wars and conflicts on this planet than any other disagreement (if that's what you want to call it). Millions of people have died simply because of strong religious beliefs. Sorry, but that makes no sense to me.
Funny how you don't like religion because of the conflicts it's caused. That must mean you REALLY HATE our gov't. I remember you saying something about a "useless war" yesterday on the forum.
Dd you include Hitler in that statistic? Hitler thought Christianity was stupid and meaningless... he only used it as a rouse to get more people interested in his cause. Don't blame the weapon for killing someone - blame the person who pulled the trigger. In the same way, don't blame christianity for the Holocaust... blame Hitler.
Lastly, don't focus on all the bad. Try to think as objectively and evenly as possible. You need to factor in stuff like the Salvation Army, or all the Katrina relief that churches and non-profits gave. I could go on all day about the GOOD that religion is doing. It's not all bad.
Originally Posted by bionicarm
http:///forum/post/3012053
Why do you feel you have to believe in God in order to be an honest and moral person? I care deeply about my friends and family. Caring has absolutely nothing to do with believing in a higher power. You can be compassionate and caring to any living creature, and still have your own personal objections to religion.
I disagree. A lot of people care because they want to do good and be good. But what about those you don't want to care about? What about the people you despise (like that bible fanatic in your break room)... do you care about him? Do you invest time in him? Nope. You see, there's a difference between WANTING to care, and ACTUALLY caring. Christians love because they are loved first. If someone has never experienced love, then it's harder for them to love other people. Authentic Christianity (which is rarely seen these days) produces an authentic love for others. A love that goes beyond our personal wants and truly asks - how we can share this love we've received?
Originally Posted by bionicarm
http:///forum/post/3012053
I am what I am today without any help from God. I don't sit there and beg God to pay my bills or cure my illnesses. I don't attribute bad luck to God punishing me. You may disagree with this, but then again, prove to me there is this entity that is making your life either better or worse.
Here are a few...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FUDM5...e=channel_page
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OMz_3...e=channel_page
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5iq2l...eature=channel

 

[yearofthenick]

Originally Posted by bionicarm
http:///forum/post/3012053
If God is so caring, then why do these 85% of people who believe in Him have so much grieve and pain in their lives? What, God can't help everyone? Some people have to suffer in order for others to succeed? WHY, THAT"S WHAT GOD IS FOR, RIGHT? It's laughable about how in one minute, a religious person will be thanking God for something good that happened in their life, and the next minute using his name in vain because a loved one was just diagnosed with cancer. Kind of hypocritical don't you think?
This one I'm a little amazed by. It's amazing how you think YOU have the authority to speak for every believer... 85% of the world's population. Bionic, this is the first time I've seen an arrogance to this level - Please do not speak for 85% of the world's population. I don't think they would approve. The worst part, it's a double-standard. You speak for 85% of the population, but they have no right to speak for you and tell you you're going to hell. If you ask me, you're ALL wrong. Everyone just needs to shut up and "hug it out b*tch."
God IS big enough for everyone. If there's pain and grief in one's life and i can do something about it, then I should. Maybe I'm the one that needs to be God's hands in this world. Maybe the person suffering is going through a time or famine or pruning because it will ultimately bring them closer to God. All I know is I can't speak for everyone else, and why should I? If God calls me to help them, then I will. See, you're also forgetting that it's a two-way relationship. God has called me to do a lot of things, and He's called me not to do things. There is guidance. My life is a testament to that. I know for a fact that I would not be where I am if I hadn't listened to God.
Originally Posted by bionicarm
http:///forum/post/3012053
You also need to look at your 85%. Go ask some of those people who say they are religious, but actually it's only in appearance. I have friends that go to church every Sunday. I asked several of them once what exactly did they get out of getting up every Sunday morning, and sitting there listening to some guy tell stories for an hour. One of them told me he goes because his wife makes him. "She wants to set a good example for the kids." Another goes because essentially it makes a good appearance at his work. His boss is a very relgious person, and he said the guy actually admonishes anyone who works at the company that doesn't go to church or practice some form of religion. Of course he can't actually punish these people due to Equal Opportunity Laws, but he can 'overlook' certain accomplishments in their work. This guy said he just doesn't want to take any chances. Pretty sad if you ask me.
Yes, it is a sad thing. I agree completely with you on this one. I sincerely hope you never become one of those people. I sincerely hope I never become one of those people.

 

[yearofthenick]

Bionic, from my understanding, you've spent most of your life seeing all the things that are wrong with religion and religious people. It must have really sucked. I don't mean this sarcastically at all, but have you ever thought about figuring out what is the truly correct way to have/execute faith?

 

[bionicarm]

Originally Posted by YearOfTheNick
http:///forum/post/3012146
This one I'm a little amazed by. It's amazing how you think YOU have the authority to speak for every believer... 85% of the world's population. Bionic, this is the first time I've seen an arrogance to this level - Please do not speak for 85% of the world's population. I don't think they would approve. The worst part, it's a double-standard. You speak for 85% of the population, but they have no right to speak for you and tell you you're going to hell. If you ask me, you're ALL wrong. Everyone just needs to shut up and "hug it out b*tch."
God IS big enough for everyone. If there's pain and grief in one's life and i can do something about it, then I should. Maybe I'm the one that needs to be God's hands in this world. Maybe the person suffering is going through a time or famine or pruning because it will ultimately bring them closer to God. All I know is I can't speak for everyone else, and why should I? If God calls me to help them, then I will. See, you're also forgetting that it's a two-way relationship. God has called me to do a lot of things, and He's called me not to do things. There is guidance. My life is a testament to that. I know for a fact that I would not be where I am if I hadn't listened to God.
Yes, it is a sad thing. I agree completely with you on this one. I sincerely hope you never become one of those people. I sincerely hope I never become one of those people.
I think you're misunderstanding what I mean about 85% of the people who believe in religion. If God is so loving and caring, then why does he bring as much grief to the people who believe in him, as to the people who don't? I'm not speaking for anyone. I just see it for what it is. It has nothing to do with admonishing someone for believing in their respective religion. I just see it as if you believe in God, it seems you would have less grief and strife in your life as opposed to someone like me who could care less if there is this mythical person or not. As far as I've seen, it makes no difference.
How does suffering 'bring you closer to God'? Seems to me it would be the other way around. If someone is causing me grief and pain, they're the last person I'd want to be around. I also don't get this 'God calls me to help'. How exactly is that done? Does he actually 'speak' to you in your mind, or do you get some 'sign' that tells you to do whatever it is you think you should be doing? No one has ever been able to explain this one to me. Some psychologist would even lock you up in a rubber room if you claimed you actually spoke with God. Remember the John Denver/George Burns movies?