Are people basically good?

Originally posted by @whodey
What was he trying to say then?

Jesus was not trying to say. Jesus was saying something and he made some very clear points: He never fumbled with words like you do. Here are the points

Only God is good But still follow the commandments
Give to the poor, And you will get eternal life
Those who are obsessed with riches cannot do that
Hence the rich who are greedy will not enter the Kingdom of God

Originally posted by @rajk999
Jesus was not trying to say. Jesus was saying something and he made some very clear points: He never fumbled with words like you do. Here are the points

[b]Only God is good But still follow the commandments
Give to the poor, And you will get eternal life
Those who are obsessed with riches cannot do that
Hence the rich who are greedy will not enter the Kingdom of God [/b]

Punctuation and grammar. How one writes says volumes about how one thinks and processes information.

Where on earth did you learn to read and write?

Originally posted by @secondson
Punctuation and grammar. How one writes says volumes about how one thinks and processes information.

Where on earth did you learn to read and write?

Says the backwards writing genius.

Originally posted by @divegeester
[b]Go, sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.’

A question to all the Christians here (and of course ThinkofOne...) these are the “words of Jesus” a command of Jesus, correct?

Was he being literal or metaphorical?

If it is literal, have you obeyed?
If it is m ...[text shortened]... l you know what my response to will be to that don’t you.

Let’s see which of you shows up 😉[/b]

literal

Originally posted by @karoly-aczel
literal

Of course. How could it be anything else. The early church practiced it.

And all that believed were together, and had all things common; And sold their possessions and goods, and parted them to all men, as every man had need. (Acts 2:44-45 KJV)

Ananias and Sapphra decided to lie about the proceeds of their goods and they were destroyed.

Originally posted by @rajk999
Of course. How could it be anything else. The early church practiced it.

And all that believed were together, and had all things common; And sold their possessions and goods, and parted them to all men, as every man had need. (Acts 2:44-45 KJV)

Ananias and Sapphra decided to lie about the proceeds of their goods and they were destroyed.

Being charitable in an intelligent and constructive way. Not just giving away stuff blindly.

Originally posted by @karoly-aczel
Being charitable in an intelligent and constructive way. Not just giving away stuff blindly.

Definitely and it must be given with brotherly love ie concern and compassion for those in need. As Paul said it is possible to give away your worldly belongings and still it will profit you nothing

And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing. (1 Corinthians 13:3 KJV)

Originally posted by @rajk999
Says the backwards writing genius.

Says the semi-literate know it all.

Originally posted by @secondson
Says the semi-literate know it all.

Well it sounds like you feel inferior when it comes to the doctrine of Christ. I suggest you abandon the church and ask God to help you find the truth.

Originally posted by @rajk999
Well it sounds like you feel inferior when it comes to the doctrine of Christ. I suggest you abandon the church and ask God to help you find the truth.

The truth according to Rajk?

No thanks. I know a fraud when I hear one.

Originally posted by @secondson
The truth according to Rajk?

No thanks. I know a fraud when I hear one.

Trying to derail the thread because you have nothing to contribute .. clearly. What have you contributed to the topic of the thread. You have contributed nothing. You are a empty piece of garbage floating around the forums looking for entertainment.

Originally posted by @whodey
Also, who here thinks that they are a good person?

I am a hardworking and law-abiding man; a faithful husband who is raising a family lovingly and thoughtfully; my working life is oriented towards serving and benefitting others rather than towards amassing wealth; I do some voluntary work [in some cases alongside religious people] for disadvantaged or vulnerable people; I am a friendly and helpful neighbour and community member; I am honest, I don't damage or hurt the people around me, and I don't seek to coerce anyone - three principles that make may behaviour basically morally sound etc. etc.

So, while I see myself as an ordinary person who is not 'better' than his friends and colleagues, and who does not do anything I think of as being extraordinary, I would say that I am a good person, yes, whodey.

In stating this, I am not hamstrung by religionist misanthropy, I am not hiding behind sanctimonious false modesty, and I am not hamstrung by doctrine-infused self-loathing to which the antidote is supposedly some specific doubleplusgoodthink religious dogma. For these reasons, I am able to state that I am basically a good person - without thinking it is controversial to do so.

And I think ~ according to my decades of experience of living and working in almost half a dozen countries, cultures and communities in different parts of the world - that people are basically good. This fact - to my way of thinking - is what makes it normal and natural to me to have love-my-neighbour as my default setting for my interactions with others - a principle I subscribe to even though I am no longer a Christian.

Originally posted by @fmf
I am a hardworking and law-abiding man; a faithful husband who is raising a family lovingly and thoughtfully; my working life is oriented towards serving and benefitting others rather than towards amassing wealth; I do some voluntary work [in some cases alongside religious people] for disadvantaged or vulnerable people; I am a friendly and helpful neighbour and ...[text shortened]... my interactions with others - a principle I subscribe to even though I am no longer a Christian.

According to Christ the ones in the church who profess faith with their mouth are the ones who do not show love for fellow neighbours. The ordinary people with no profession of faith tend to do it more easily. These are the people who will enter the Kingdom of God. Doers are just, not talkers.

"Goodness is about what you do, not who you pray to"

Pratchett.