Originally posted by RJHinds
All I need to know is the truth that leads to eternal life. All false teachings from any religion is unimportant.
If I know the stove is hot and will burn my finger if I touch it, I would be a fool to touch it. If you believe it is not hot, I am not going to touch it to prove I am right. I will simply tell you the truth and you can touch it to prove me wrong if you wish. No need to argue about it.
RJ, this is immature, excessively fearful and circular thinking.
You will be best to find out if a stove is going to burn by not first touching it, but learning about stoves and heat and observing the signs of it being on.
Clear thinking has never hurt anyone. Ridding your self of an irrational emotional crutch can be painful but eventually liberating and healing.
You are NOT full of 'guilt' and 'sin' and needing to be "saved", RJ. You are a normal human being with your strong and weak points, like us all. Psychology and other rational philosophies can enable your personal growth much better.
The church first sets you up with the guilt story and the desperate need to be 'saved' from judgment and rejection by none other than "GOD" .
And a view of "God", if you will remain a theist, that is very small minded, separative and nasty. It is the cause of painful mockery and rejection by others, who themselves rightly do not appreciate the protrayal of themselves as "low sinners" and of the "devil". There are better and more wholesome theist positions.
And thus you are made fearful, and psychologically dependent on a constructed propaganda. You are the only one who can liberate yourself and your mind. A good place to start is openly accepting your humanity, warts and all.
It is hard to say these things for I know how important your view is to you, but it is false. At sometime, the right time for you, seek to liberate yourself.