Why "GOD" is an empty concept.

Funny, I've never been afraid of God.

So I suppose Hitler is in heaven, Saul? That's what your "let's get everyone to feel warm inside rather than save their soul" doctrine says, right?

What a joke. If you're gunna preach that crap, please don't use the God of the Bible as your god. My God believes in love AND justice.

Originally posted by Darfius
Funny, I've never been afraid of God.

So I suppose Hitler is in heaven, Saul? That's what your "let's get everyone to feel warm inside rather than save their soul" doctrine says, right?

What a joke. If you're gunna preach that crap, please don't use the God of the Bible as your god. My God believes in love AND justice.

Actually, it was me, not thesonofsaul, who who made the comments about being afraid. If God is just (an attribute), then I am not afraid. If God is love (a statement of essence, not a simple attribute; John doesn't say that God is "loving," but actually love), then I'm not afraid. If God is the ultimate ineffable mystery, as thesonofsaul said, then there's no point being afraid. If there is no God, then there's no point being afraid either. But you really do seem to try to convince people that they ought to frightened of God if they don't think "right" about God, or if they don't read the Bible "rightly."

Originally posted by Darfius
Uh, thank you, Mister?

You know nothing about me. You know nothing about who I am or where I'm from. Don't presume to. I'm paying for college myself, I'm no "armchair" anything.

And yes, there are just Christians and non-Christians. I'm sorry I don't conform to your uber-tolerant belief system. It's a shortcoming of mine to put God's belief and goals above that of my neighbors.

LOL!!!!!

Full time college student in Texas, majoring in Literary Studies, Freshman USCF : 2160

I know everything about you, Slick. Oooh you are paying for the community college yourself? You supporting yourself too? Living at home, I bet. Wow, I'm impressed. You presume to know everything on how the Bible is interpreted? Did I hit a nerve? HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA!!!!!

Sure make a great living with that Literary Studies degree, Tiger. Fear not though, I'm sure you will figure out in about a year or so how that is not going to make you any money and will change it. Need to do something that will make you money so you can tithe.

How do you find the time to study with all the arguements you timidly defend here? Literary Studies? The only literary study you seem to do is the Bible.

"Armchair Theologian"...HA HA HA HA HA HA HA!!!!

Originally posted by Joe Fist
LOL!!!!!

Full time college student in Texas, majoring in Literary Studies, Freshman USCF : 2160

I know everything about you, Slick. Oooh you are paying for the community college yourself? You supporting yourself too? Living at home, I bet. Wow, I'm impressed. You presume to know everything on how the Bible is interpreted? Did I hit a nerve? HA H ...[text shortened]... ary study you seem to do is the Bible.

"Armchair Theologian"...HA HA HA HA HA HA HA!!!!

Uh, and you claim to be an adult? You're degrading yourself more than any words of mine could.

I don't see how people can't see that blind hatred and realize we're more than cosmic mistakes.

Originally posted by Joe Fist
LOL!!!!!

Full time college student in Texas, majoring in Literary Studies, Freshman USCF : 2160

I know everything about you, Slick. Oooh you are paying for the community college yourself? You supporting yourself too? Living at home, I bet. Wow, I'm impressed. You presume to know everything on how the Bible is interpreted? Did I hit a nerve? HA H ...[text shortened]... ary study you seem to do is the Bible.

"Armchair Theologian"...HA HA HA HA HA HA HA!!!!

You are one scary dude, Joe.

Originally posted by Darfius
Uh, and you claim to be an adult? You're degrading yourself more than any words of mine could.

I don't see how people can't see that blind hatred and realize we're more than cosmic mistakes.

Alright Cuddles,

I'm through with you for the night. Dry your tears and make sure to curse me in your nightly prayers.

I'm not so sure if you are not some sort of cosmic mistake. You're definitely a freaky-deakey.

There will be plenty a thumping you can do tomorrow....I will have more fun with you then 😀😀😀😀😀

Originally posted by Nemesio
You are one scary dude, Joe.

Me? Nah. I'm a teddy bear....😉

Originally posted by vistesd
[b]I disagree I do not have a burden of proof, I'm not making any scientific claims.

I disagree somewhat with both Starrman and KellyJay here—

If all the atheist/agnostic says is, “I have not found any evidence (natural, scientific, logical, mystical, whatever) that a God exists,” then they have made no claim and have no burden of proof that I ca ...[text shortened]... right to place such expectations on God, but I think that would be just begging the question.)
[/b]

If God calls, and I do not hear, does this just mean that I am not “his own,” and there’s nothing to do about it?

Do you think that the God who gave you, your eyes cannot make
you see the truth; your ears cannot make you hear the truth? Our
actions basically reveal our knowledge of truth, when people justify
themselves it is normally because they know they have done
something wrong. The scripture says that everyone will be without
an excuse, so I do not worry about proving God; I believe that to be
God's job not mine.

It is going to be faith, if you want proof I don't think you are going
to get it and will be waiting for it till the day you die. There is always
going to be wiggle room for doubt, if not there wouldn't be a need
for faith. I believe God accepts honest questions, honest doubts,
when we are real with God I believe God will be real with us; however,
if we are simply playing around with God, that too will carry someone
as far as that will take them too, no where fast.

I believe God does have a burden of proof, just as I believe that He
will display that on the day of judgement with each and every person,
because no one will have an excuse before God that will be valid.
Kelly

Originally posted by Joe Fist
Okay so what if I clogged up the theads here with statements on how righteous my beliefs are and put down others? Or because someone has a different view than mine own I put it down?

It is offensive, self-righteous, pious, condescending, and completely disrespectful to the non-Christian society. The few Xians that post here are the ones you find standi ...[text shortened]... h with the Xians that post here, their total lack of respect for anything outside their beliefs.

You don't think you display a level of self-righteousness when you
talk about how others are doing wrong? If disagreements bother
you, why do you read here? My views are disagreed with all the time
and I'm not crying about it, this is a debate board correct?

I just read in another thread that someone wanted to put on trial
Christians to crucify them to give them something like the full Jesus
experience or some such nonsense, you don't find that a little
disturbing? I believe jokes like that is where the seeds are planted
in weak minds, and I find that as amusing as someone joking about
car bombs. In my opinion not funny at all! The church where my wife
and I got married was bombed a couple of years ago during the
church service in central Illinois. No one was badly hurt but a whole
the size of small car was in the side of the building.

If you want to continue to lament about Christians expressing their
views, do you harp on other groups expressing their views too, or do
you just justify your loathing against religious people here?
Kelly

Originally posted by Joe Fist

I personally think the above problem is due to people like Darfius. You see, he sincerely believes in his way of Christianity but his way of it infringes on the belief of others. Darfius wishes to convert people to Christianity but what he fails to understand is people will find their own way in life. You can try to force people to believe what you want t ...[text shortened]... , not knows. I think a religion is something you believe in but you can't really know for certain.

Believe me I would love to tell you about Christ and change what you think about him, Jesus died on a cross that is true, right?
Now, I was not there when he rose from the grave, but that’s the
Whole thing we have to have faith and trust that he did. God is not going to force us to believe and I not either but if you reject him
For while He says that he will just leave you alone.

Originally posted by KellyJay
[b]If God calls, and I do not hear, does this just mean that I am not “his own,” and there’s nothing to do about it?

Do you think that the God who gave you, your eyes cannot make
you see the truth; your ears cannot make you hear the truth? Our
actions basically reveal our knowledge of truth, when people justify
themselves it is normally because t ...[text shortened]... ch and every person,
because no one will have an excuse before God that will be valid.
Kelly
[/b]

Thanks Kelly. You must be back from a busy workweek. Need to think about what you said for a while, but you answered the questions--appreciate it.

Originally posted by Joe Fist
Darfius,

If in the world you describe everything is as it is and you are right and I do end up in hell I would prefer that then to listen to the likes of you.

If the world and afterlife is as you claim, then I don't want to be in yo ...[text shortened]... en because you are pious and vulgar with your belief in God.

Just for the sake of argument nothing more and this is not meant
as a slam on Darfius or you either Joe, I want your opinion about
this.

I have seen this said a few times or something close to it.
"If your going to heaven, I want no part of it."

or just as powerful,

"If he is your God I want no part of Him."

These statements sort of strike me as a little odd. Would you if you
were forced to make this choice under pain of death either:
A. Walk across 20 feet of broken glass
B. Die painfully
C. Sit through a sermon by someone you loathe.

If it was simply a matter of avoiding pain and suffering, I'd sit
through it. So why would anyone truthfully say that they would
much rather suffer in hell because they may have be in the same
place as another human, because God accepted them and cleaned
them of their sins? If the statement is true, you'd rather be in hell,
then if God grants your desires don't you think that would be a
stupid desire? "I would prefer hell over being near so and so." I'd
say that you do not deserve heaven or God if your mind set is truly
at that level.

This also makes me think about conversation I had years ago about
those people supposedly standing between God and others. These
are the people who act so badly that those other people refuse to
come to God because of them; the bad acting people are normally
referred as hypocrites and like. So if there are people like that and
only people like that standing between you and God, doesn’t that
mean that those people are closer to God than you are? If it only
takes a bad acting person to keep you from God, what kind of
statement does that make about you? Will that be a worthy excuse
before God on judgment day, “You had some bad acting people
supposedly following you so I avoided you God.” I don’t think
God will be much impressed with that excuse either.

My question is, if God is real and only because some people are
lousy examples of what you think a servant of God should be,
will that be a valid excuse before God in avoiding God when
you feel like God is calling you? Because your name will now
be thrown in with the good and the bad examples of believers.
Kelly