GOD: How much do you believe in him?

[HovaGirl]

Religion has been used to control and engineer the masses (for good and bad) ever since man had a lust for power over man. God is different. An all knowing God is a metaphor for creation itself. That is to say everything that surrounds us (the Universe et al). Physically we are all made from the same "stuff" so we are all made up of God in some way. Science has proved this. What makes you different from me is our experiences and this is called the Soul. That's all.

Almost exactly what I have been saying upthread.

 

[Albumen]

A bit long, but this pretty much sums up what is going on. All you god haters/mockers please read THIS, then feel free to shoot me down.

We live in a world that rejects God, Biblical Truth, and Christ!



"… this is a rebellious people, lying children, children that will not hear the law of the LORD:" (Isaiah 30:9).

We live in a world where the majority of the people reject the God of the Bible, thoroughly reject Biblical Truth, and live their lives without Christ in their hearts. Moreover, they don’t want anything to do with God because they love their sin. That is why the Bible calls us a "peculiar people," and to most of the world we are extremely peculiar and in many cases hated because of our faith in Christ. They hate us because we make them uncomfortable and remind them of their sin. They don’t want to face, think about or deal with the reality of their lives and life after death. They think that if they ignore it or deny the truth that somehow they can escape it and get by with their sin. Most people in this world have made the conscious choice to live their lives apart from Christ and in rebellion to the Truth of His Word, and those who embrace the Lord and His Truth are seen as the enemy.

Those who choose to live in rebellion to God and His Word are always on the offensive, marketing their rebellion to the masses, finding great comfort and strength in others who have also chosen to live their lives in rebellion to God. They only love those who are like them, in the same rebellion they are in. It is like drunks in a bar. Someone once said that drunks love company. Wrong! Drunks love drunken company, others who are just like them.

These unbelievers are loud, bold, aggressive, and use all of the modern tools of communication to reach the masses 24/7 with their lies and deceptions. They believe that by fighting the truth and denying it, they can escape it and they can be free to live their lives of sin without rebuke. Because we have the better percentage of two full generations out there who have never been to church, and who have no foundation of Biblical faith in their life, these lost masses have become easy prey for these tools of Satan who propagate a lifestyle of rebellion to God, rejecting Christ's love and the Absolute Truth of the Bible. The lies of the rebels make their flesh feel good and tell them they are alright just like they are and that they can live as they please and there is no one who will stop them or judge them for it.

The very first thing that those who choose to live a life of rebellion MUST do, is minimize and try to discredit God's Word. You see the Bible is God's inspired, inerrant Word, representing Absolute Truth, and is our final authority in all matters. Anyone who doesn’t believe that is NOT a true believer, whether or not they go to church, profess to be a Christian or not. The Bible is the very book that condemns them for their rebellion against God’s commandments! That is why you will always hear those who have chosen to live in rebellion to God endlessly mocking and trying to castigate the Bible and calling it fiction, fairy tales, made up by men and more. The fact is, the Bible was written by God Himself, through the pens of men who were operating under His Divine inspiration. It is 100% accurate in ALL matters of life. Those who deny it will always attack it, but in the end, God's Word will still be standing. The truth is the truth, whether or not you accept it, believe it or live by it. It remains truth no matter what is said about it or thought about it. Truth is absolute and eternal, just like God is for He and His Word are one and Jesus is the Word made flesh so we could see a demonstration of the Word and the Love of God lived out in our world.

The biggest problem we have in our world today is not those who choose to live in rebellion to God and His Word; it is those who know Christ as their Savior who do not live the life and stand up for what they profess to believe! While the haters of God without shame stand in the public square declaring their false beliefs, we, the people who know the Lord have chosen to hide behind the four walls of our churches and in the comfortable Christian subculture we have created to separate and isolate ourselves from the non-believing world. Excuse me, but I must have missed something in the Bible. God never said to isolate yourself from the world, but to be the "salt and light" of the world. How can you be a light to the world when you are hiding your light under a bushel (within the four walls of church or on “Christian TV”?

The reason the enemies of God have such a loud voice in the world is because they are speaking for the most part unopposed! Nobody is standing next to them declaring the Truth of God and exposing them for the liars they are. What this all really boils down to is a battle for the souls of men and we are supposed to be ambassadors for Christ in this world. Satan comes to kill, steal, and destroy, while Jesus came to give life and life more abundantly, but most of the world doesn’t know that and has never heard that. Sadly those who serve Satan are more passionate about serving him, than those who serve the Lord are about serving Him! God’s people are lukewarm or just plain uncaring about a lost world going to hell and the unbelievers are doing everything in their power to take others to hell with them, to force others to believe and follow their evil ways that lead to damnation.

It is time for every man, woman, and child who knows Jesus Christ in the pardon of their sins to start taking a stand for righteousness and not allow the spokesmen of Satan to go unopposed. Don't be fooled. They are NOT nice people, they are NOT your friends, they are NOT your buddies, they are deadly serious in taking as many people to hell with them as they can. Are you as serious about taking others to heaven with you?

When you stand up for truth, you will be made to fell like you are facing a stacked deck in every sense of the word, all against you. But never forget, YOU AND GOD ARE ALWAYS A MAJORITY! He said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you” and “Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world.” So never feel alone, or intimidated when you are with a group of non-believers. Many so called Christians will end up being swayed by the majority so that they don’t appear "offensive" because they want to go along and get along. They would rather compromise and go along with the crowd headed for hell than stand for Jesus, forgetting that Jesus said; “But whosoever shall deny me before men, him will I also deny before my Father which is in heaven.” If you will not stand up for Jesus when it counts, then neither will He stand up for you when it counts. Stop accepting or letting others say that they can make it because they are good, or do good works or are not like the bad sinners or whatever because the Bible declares there are NONE that are "good" and all sin God sees and will judge one day. At some point, everyone has to eventually decide what they will believe and who they will follow. God has designed it that way. No one will be in hell that really wanted heaven and Jesus and no one will be in heaven that didn’t want to be there enough to follow Jesus and obey Him. You either follow God or you deny Him, there is no middle ground.

The bottom line is that either you believe the Bible represents Absolute Truth or you don't, and if you don't, that means it is now up to you and each person to determine what Truth is for yourself, making yourself God. Of course, for those who deny the Truth of Gods' Word, will immediately go into attacking the validity of the Bible since again, it is the very Word that defines their choice as sin and condemns them for their sin. “For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved” (John 3:20).

When you stand for the truth know that the wicked will say that you are "full of hate" and "intolerant" because you call their sin, sin and tell them God will not accept it or them unless they repent of their sin. They will tell you that God is a God of "love" and He doesn’t judge and condemn men, making God’s love a cheesy meaningless love. They don’t understand that true love warns and protects the object of love, true love will correct one who goes astray, as a parent who loves a child will do everything to protect the child from running into the street or sticking a clothes hanger into an electric outlet. That is also love, but a part of it they reject as love when it has to do with God. Instead of dealing with the real issues and reality, they will just make endless personal attacks and you will be able to literally see satan manifesting in the faces, body language, and speech as they rant and rave against the truth and you for speaking the truth. Doesn't the Word talk about being persecuted for Christ, and to count it joy when you are? But today the church doesn’t want to be persecuted for Christ but to be popular and accepted by the world more than they want to be accepted by God. Who are you trying to please, God or the world?

This is the typical ploy of those who reject God's Truth. They use shrill mindless empty rhetoric in an attempt to silence those who believe the Bible. To not accept their life of sin and agree with their rejection of truth means that you are full of hatred and a religious bigot. Yes, God is a God of love, but He is also a God of JUDGMENT and won't be mocked! Those who oppose Christ are experts at trying to demonize people of Faith by trying to bully them into being silent so that they can share their false message unopposed. Sadly, for the most part it has worked and the church is hiding from them and so most of our young people today have only heard their message of lies and deceits.

People of Faith don't have the stomach to stand up to these bullies and usually back down, leaving them to propagate their lies to the masses unopposed. But the only way God doesn't win is when you don't put Him in the game. No, that doesn’t mean that all men will accept the truth, but then God never said they would, only that they truth will cause them to have to make a choice for or against the truth, knowing what they are doing and so then they will have no covering for their sin. The difference is that the will die in and for their sin, but you will be free of their blood and it will not be upon your hands. But if you don’t warn the wicked, God said he will still die and be judged for his sin, but his blood will be upon your hands for not warning the sinner. All of the abusive language, the name-calling, the mocking, can't put one dent in the Truth, doesn't mean for a second that God doesn't exist, and never changes the fact that each person will die one day and at that moment the only thing that will matter is do you know Jesus Christ as your personal Lord and Savior!

There are masses of hurting people, dying and going to hell every day and we have got to reach them. The agents of Satan are bold and relentless in bringing their lies to people and putting them into bondage that will end up destroying their lives and leading them to the depths of hell. That is why we must be dedicated and passionate about reaching those same masses each day with God's Truth and the hope and love of Christ.

My word to you today is to BE BOLD in Christ. If you will stand for the truth, God will give you boldness, and He will give you courage. Why should the servants of Satan be so bold with a lie, and we who posses the Absolute Truth of God's Word be so passive with the Truth we have been given and entrusted with? Remember, it is not YOU they are rejecting, it is Christ, so don’t take it personally. When the lost attack you, they are simply being used as instruments of unrighteousness and it is not you they were attacking, but Jesus in you, whom you are representing. Our job is to simply share the Truth, what those who hear that Truth do with it is up to them. It is then their responsibility, not ours. Our responsibility is to tell them the truth.

So fear not, when it comes to those in your family, those you go to school with, those you work with, those you meet in the course of your life who have chosen to deny the Truth and reject Christ. Stand up to them with the Word of God, knowing that in the end His Truth will still be standing when nothing else is. God never told you to hide the light within you, but to let your light shine for the world to see. God puts people in your life every day who are hurting, lost, and needing His love. Don't neglect the opportunity to share that love with them as God gives you the opportunity. The fact is the world is sharing its lies with them 24/7, you may be the only person they come across this day who will give them the words of life!

Now more than ever the men and women of God have got to stand up and be heard. If those who serve Satan can do it, why can't we? The lost masses are out there, looking for answers. Satan is out there 24/7 giving them answers that will lead them to eternal damnation. It is our job as those who know the Lord, know His Truth, to bring those masses the ONLY answer there is to life...Jesus Christ!

We live in a world that rejects God, Biblical Truth, and Christ!

What I don't understand is surely the Bible story was written for people to follow a 'good' (and I use the term incredibly loosely) life and the point at which people start to believe any of it approaches the realms of retardation.

 

[DerbyGull]

The Popes completely f***ed than aint he!

Jesus started the catholic church and appointed the first pope. So presumably he's just doing his job. Do you expect him to live on the streets or something?, that would be great ammunition for all the HATERS such as yourself.

 

[Albumen]

Jesus started the catholic church and appointed the first pope. So presumably he's just doing his job. Do you expect him to live on the streets or something?, that would be great ammunition for all the HATERS such as yourself.

Apart from being driven around in a cart being homophobic, just what is his job?

 

[DTES]

One of the problems with statistics, is it skews the truth.

I completely agree statistics can be used to skew the truth - hence my reluctance to take it as fact when to poster above says "Look, I've got numbers to show that we don't have as much respect for the elderly as we used to".

 

[Bold Seagull]

One of the problems with statistics, is it skews the truth. Because so many babies died at birth, and because so many children died before the age of five, and because so many adults died of diseases which are curable today, this skews the statistic as to the average age at death. The truth is, man has always had the capacity to live to age 100 and more. The 1841 census (of England and Wales) shows more than 1,000,000 people aged 60 or more, almost 90,000 of them being aged more than 80 and more than 400 of them being aged more than 90. There were also more than 200,000 babies under one year old and nearly 300,000 55-year-olds. (Population: 26,854,969)

So basically only 3.7% of the population were over 60 and only 0.3% of the population were over 80. That is not a lot of elderly to look after. In another way for every 27 people, 1 was over 60. It is likely that many people didn't know anyone over 60. Far from disproving the poster your were quoting, you've probably backed the argument up!

 

[Mr Burns]

Abortion. Euthanasia. The invention of guns, cannons, swords and other weapons. The abuse of drugs. Everything that has been invented, has been abused at some point by somebody with ill-intent.

So are you saying before science, no one killed anyone with a weapon? Is a stone not a weapon? Sciencists invented the sword did they.....

 

[DTES]

Jesus started the catholic church and appointed the first pope. So presumably he's just doing his job. Do you expect him to live on the streets or something?, that would be great ammunition for all the HATERS such as yourself.

On the street, no. But maybe in a smaller palace. Some of the billions he has could be used for some good in the world, rather than for letting him show off.

The Catholic Church could, for example, advance cancer/HIV research by years in one go. Or feed Africa. Or... well, you can do this bit I'm sure.

 

[Bold Seagull]

Jesus started the catholic church and appointed the first pope. So presumably he's just doing his job. Do you expect him to live on the streets or something?, that would be great ammunition for all the HATERS such as yourself.

Are protestants also haters then as they have always contested that Jesus never did establish the papacy or made Peter head of it. They are Christians like yourself.

 

[Acker79]

A bit long, but this pretty much sums up what is going on. All you god haters/mockers please read THIS, then feel free to shoot me down.

We live in a world that rejects God, Biblical Truth, and Christ!



"… this is a rebellious people, lying children, children that will not hear the law of the LORD:" (Isaiah 30:9).

We live in a world where the majority of the people reject the God of the Bible, thoroughly reject Biblical Truth, and live their lives without Christ in their hearts. Moreover, they don’t want anything to do with God because they love their sin.

The believe majority of people who reject the Christian God do so either because they believe in another religion (which, I guess would be a sin considering it goes against the first commandment), or because they don't believe in God.

That is why the Bible calls us a "peculiar people," and to most of the world we are extremely peculiar and in many cases hated because of our faith in Christ. They hate us because we make them uncomfortable and remind them of their sin.

I think the only thing I find frustrating about some Christians is the way they play the victim. The whole world is against them, people are persecuting them. I have some funny comics showing the hypocrisy of that sentamentality. (that victim/persecution mentality is also one of the reasons I don't like man utd!)

They don’t want to face, think about or deal with the reality of their lives and life after death. They think that if they ignore it or deny the truth that somehow they can escape it and get by with their sin. Most people in this world have made the conscious choice to live their lives apart from Christ and in rebellion to the Truth of His Word, and those who embrace the Lord and His Truth are seen as the enemy.

Again, I have no hate. I don't see any religion as "the enemy".

It was around this point that I stopped reading it, partly because I'm at work, partly because it seemed much like a Fox News article.

 

[HovaGirl]

This is not a sign that violence has increased - it is a sign that how violence is reported has changed, paired with your personal thoughts on seeing an old person. I'm willing to bet money that instances of random violence on innocents hasn't increased per capita at all in the last 30 years. Any numbers to back up your statement?

Forty years ago, I was in my late teens, and thought nothing of walking through Hove Park late at night, on my way home from a disco. During my pre-teens, we had the Mods and Rockers belting it out on the seafront during the Easter Holidays, but such mass violence was fairly isolated. The late 60s and early 70s was the period when discos and nightclubs became much more popular for teenagers, when the teenager learnt to drink. There would be isolated fights among drunks, but if you avoided them and walked past, you didn't feel threatened. In the early 80s, my father-in-law came to Churchill Square car park to pick up his 3 daughters and me from a hen party. He would not have us walk the streets of Brighton because he was afraid of the growing violence. But we weren't afraid. We'd just spent all evening crawling from pub to club. I felt it must have been an age thing. As an older man, he was afraid for his daughters' safety. In the mid-90s, someone assaulted my son's girlfriend right in front of him in a quiet area of Hove. He defended her and was punched so badly, we spent the whole night in hospital waiting for him to be seen. This was a revelation. During the 11 hours we waited, we watched as drunk after drunk was seen or came in, bleeding and pissing all over the waiting room. The nurses took no notice of some of the appalling antics, because they'd seen it all before: yesterday; last week; last month; last year. I don't care about statistics. They can give an indication but they rarely tell the truth. And the truth is, that violent behaviour (particularly as a result of drink) has escalated on a terrifying scale. That same son is now a police officer, and all he does all day or night, is sort out violent confrontations, often through drink.

 

[DerbyGull]

Derby Gull - if that's your case, then I don't even know where to begin.

Two points though:

1. I don't hate people who believe, in fact sometimes I feel a little bit jealous of faith. My rational mind doesn't let me believe, but peope who do and who don't take it too far are often very happy, content people.

2. The bible is not 100% accurate in all matters in life, it's a nice pointer, in parts, on how to live a better life.

I wouldn't be much of a christian if i was just keeping this stuff to myself, it's my duty (and every christians) to remind non-beleivers (not in a condisending way). Upto you whether you lot call me a wanker or take anything from it.

...It's complete nonsense. For thousands of years non-believers have been oppressed, and banned (even on punishment of death in the past) from speaking their mind...

And now the table has turned and it is Chrisitans being oppressed and attacked.

I only had to read one sentence to know that was complete and utter rubbish. My disbelief is nothing to do with sin (whatever that is supposed to mean), it's based on my belief that absolutely nothing in my 48 years is attractive or real about religion, and I just cannot understand why anybody would want to beleive.

If that's your belief then so be it.

 

[HovaGirl]

Although it is not true that most Conservatives are stupid, it is true that most stupid people are Conservative.

There are some extremely stupid people who are members of the Labour Party. I give you Harriet Harman and Mr and Mrs Balls to start with. Your sig is silly.

 

[Mr Burns]

And science has put more people 6ft under than any other.

Every system has its good and bad points.

I have absolutely no idea what you mean by that. Are you blaming science for wars, influenza epidemics, the black death ? Apart from a test tube blowing up in your face, how can science kill anyone exactly ?

Go on, humour me. Explain this sentence. I'm not sure that the theory of gravity has resulted in any deaths (unless somebody then decided to jump off a building, previously unaware that they'd fall to Earth).

Science has put more people 6ft under than religion? Are you sure about that? Have a think about how many lives science has saved, then how many religious wars and conflicts there has been and continues to be on this planet. If it wasn't for religion right now, we would probably be living on a peaceful Earth by comparison. Science may have given tools to man to cause destruction, but more often then not, religion gave them the motivation.

Did Tyrone ever answer that. Sorry I've browesd over the past few pages and missed it.

What is striking about this thread, Tyrone and Derbygull do have there views, but when they get bombared, they do choose to disappear, and then join in later completely missing out the points they can't answer.

Tyrone, is in my opinion is on a bit of a wind up and is the sort who would agrue black is white. He's hypocritical but at least he's fighting his corner.

Derbygull is just not worth the effort. For lack of a better phrase, he is a vile little shit, well on his way to being brainwashed. If he can't answer with a quote from the bible, he's lost. His views on death are sick at best, and he comes over as a lost little 29 year old, who is looking for a purpose in life, and has thrown all logic out the window. Probably still living off mummy and daddy, without a job, and without any direction in life. Perfect candidate to "find" Jesus.

 

[Wazzetta]

Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm

Religion is a human construct, it doesn't exist in any other form of life. Ignorance I therefore suggest is bliss Animals that don't think to hard about life the universe and everything, have no need and desire for a reason or motive.

Life is futile, it will one day end and any evidence of its existence extinguished in the blink of an eye, those of us that can't comprehend this tend to create an ethos or agenda to soften the blow. Those of us that can just get on with it and refrain from worship and adoration that serve to inhibit the human condition.

Religion is a human construct and therefore fiction!

 

[Mr Burns]

I wouldn't be much of a christian if i was just keeping this stuff to myself, it's my duty (and every christians) to remind non-beleivers (not in a condisending way). Upto you whether you lot call me a wanker or take anything from it.

For f*** sake, you haven't even finished reading the f***ing thing yet, and you're already preaching about it!!! I wouldn't call you a wanker mate, you've gone way beyond that.

 

[Mr Burns]

Religion is a human construct, it doesn't exist in any other form of life. Ignorance I therefore suggest is bliss Animals that don't think to hard about life the universe and everything, have no need and desire for a reason or motive.

Life is futile, it will one day end and any evidence of its existence extinguished in the blink of an eye, those of us that can't comprehend this tend to create an ethos or agenda to soften the blow. Those of us that can just get on with it and refrain from worship and adoration that serve to inhibit the human condition.

Religion is a human construct and therefore fiction!

Thats the amazing thing. We are animals. The church has all but accepted that we are aniamls and envolved. So when did we stop becoming an animal, and grow a "soul".

What happens in the next 250,000 years, when no doubt the human being we are today, will have involved into something very different.

Whats the cut off point from being a souless animal, to an animal with a soul?

 

[One Love]

Well that's your opinion - based on what (other than received opinion from others) I have no idea. But it is just your belief with no evidence to support it.

I find it quite strange that you assume my beliefs are received opinion from others, why would that be? My beliefs are based on my personal experiences.

Our brains are very limited in comparison to the universe, but we've done a bloody good job of explaining what's out there when we actually get off our arses and use them. There are questions - massive questions - but they aren't going to get answered by sitting around saying "isn't life mysterious".

We've touched the full extent of the physical existence but that wasn't all I was talking about.

And your point is fundamentally flawed anyway - trying to understand a god is an odd point when we don't even know if one exists.

Some of us do.

People who say we can't speak beyond the tiny boundaries of planet Earth are restrained only by their own refusal to open their eyes/ears and learn - instead choosing to believe only one book written long ago before we even started the last two thousand years of science.

Now this is funny!

 

[HovaGirl]

I think your post reveals you have a very narrow definition of "child abuse". Nobody is suggesting that the parents have any intention of abusing their child, just that the child's right to freely choose their religion is far more important than the parents' "right" to choose it for them.



You can add "religion" to that list and it would still be a perfectly valid one

To the last, we had already discussed Religion's place in killing people. The discussion had moved on to how science also kills people. No good moving it back again.

I'm not religious. Haven't been to church in 40 years (except for the usual weddings and funerals), but I see nothing wrong in children having a religious education in school, not for the sake of indoctrination, but so they have an understanding of how their family's religion affects them and the family. Following a religion at school, is also a lesson in morality and learning simple right from wrong, which so many people today just don't seem to understand. They appear on reality TV, insulting everyone and everything, proclaiming: "Well, that's me, and I'm not changing for anybody". But change, they should. They have to accommodate the needs of the people around them but so many are just reluctant to do that. The physical and mental damage from child abuse is as nothing compared to learning right from wrong at an early age. Perhaps you are one of those who includes the school "strap" as child abuse, in which case, perhaps you also see general discipline as "abuse"?

 

[One Love]

Oops that didn't edit right.

My replies are alternate paragraphs.