• Welcome to Religious Forums, a friendly forum to discuss all religions in a friendly surrounding.

    Your voice is missing! You will need to register to get access to the following site features:
    • Reply to discussions and create your own threads.
    • Our modern chat room. No add-ons or extensions required, just login and start chatting!
    • Access to private conversations with other members.

    We hope to see you as a part of our community soon!

A force for good

J

JJ50

Well-Known Member
Whatever your religion or philosophy it is only worth having if it is a force for good.

Christianity is the faith with which I am familiar. I know some very good Christians who do their best to make the lives of others better. However, I also know some who bang on about their faith, but don't do anything useful.

I have a particular detestation for extreme Christians who threaten others with hell if they don't convert. Something for which they have no supportive evidence, the Bible is not evidence.

I am a far from perfect human being, as I am the first to acknowledge. In spite of my many faults, I do my best to support and help other people if I can, even though I am a hell bound heathen, according to the, 'you must be saved, or else', brigade.
 
idea

idea

Question Everything
JJ50 said:
Whatever your religion or philosophy it is only worth having if it is a force for good.

Christianity is the faith with which I am familiar. I know some very good Christians who do their best to make the lives of others better. However, I also know some who bang on about their faith, but don't do anything useful.

I have a particular detestation for extreme Christians who threaten others with hell if they don't convert. Something for which they have no supportive evidence, the Bible is not evidence.

I am a far from perfect human being, as I am the first to acknowledge. In spite of my many faults, I do my best to support and help other people if I can, even though I am a hell bound heathen, according to the, 'you must be saved, or else', brigade.
Click to expand...

The goodie-two-shoes, prideful, judgemental crowd rubs most people the wrong way - almost makes you want to be rebellious to get away from that crowD. :) Religious people killed Jesus... I prefer who Jesus actually was, someone who liked to go sit outside on hillsides in nature, who often argued with the religious crowd ;)
 
idea

idea

Question Everything
Rival said:
Jesus was executed by the Romans for being a rebel. A pretty common thing.
Click to expand...

Jesus was killed by organized religion.

12 And when he was accused of the chief priests and elders...

23 And the governor said, Why, what evil hath he done? But they cried out the more, saying, Let him be crucified.

24 When Pilate saw that he could prevail nothing, but that rather a tumult was made, he took water, and washed his hands before the multitude, saying, I am innocent of the blood of this just person.


Mat 23:
1 Then spake Jesus to the multitude, and to his disciples,
2 Saying, The scribes and the Pharisees sit in Moses’ seat:
3 All therefore whatsoever they bid you observe, that observe and do; but do not ye after their works: for they say, and do not.
4 For they bind heavy burdens and grievous to be borne, and lay them on men’s shoulders; but they themselves will not move them with one of their fingers.
5 But all their works they do for to be seen of men: they make broad their phylacteries, and enlarge the borders of their garments,
6 And love the uppermost rooms at feasts, and the chief seats in the synagogues,
7 And greetings in the markets, and to be called of men, Rabbi, Rabbi.
8 But be not ye called Rabbi: for one is your Master, evenChrist; and all ye are brethren.
9 And call no man your father upon the earth: for one is your Father, which is in heaven.
10 Neither be ye called masters: for one is your Master, even Christ.
11 But he that is greatest among you shall be your servant.
12 And whosoever shall exalt himself shall be abased; and he that shall humble himself shall be exalted.
13 ¶ But woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye shut up the kingdom of heaven against men: for ye neither go in yourselves, neither suffer ye them that are entering to go in.
14 Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye devour widows’ houses, and for a pretence make long prayer: therefore ye shall receive the greater damnation.
15 Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye compass sea and land to make one proselyte, and when he is made, ye make him twofold more the child of hell than yourselves.
16 Woe unto you, ye blind guides...

See also Mark 7,

Luke 11:
39 And the Lord said unto him, Now do ye Pharisees make clean the outside of the cup and the platter; but your inward part is full of ravening and wickedness.
40 Ye fools, did not he that made that which is without make that which is within also?
41 But rather give alms of such things as ye have; and, behold, all things are clean unto you.
42 But woe unto you, Pharisees! for ye tithe mint and rue and all manner of herbs, and pass over judgment and the love of God: these ought ye to have done, and not to leave the other undone.
43 Woe unto you, Pharisees! for ye love the uppermost seats in the synagogues, and greetings in the markets.
44 Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye are as graves which appear not, and the men that walk over them are not aware of them.


Yea, Jesus was not such a big fan of organized religion it seems....
 
Last edited:
Rival

Rival

se Dex me saut.
Staff member
Premium Member
idea said:
Jesus was killed by organized religion.

12 And when he was accused of the chief priests and elders...

23 And the governor said, Why, what evil hath he done? But they cried out the more, saying, Let him be crucified.

24 When Pilate saw that he could prevail nothing, but that rather a tumult was made, he took water, and washed his hands before the multitude, saying, I am innocent of the blood of this just person.


Mat 23:
1 Then spake Jesus to the multitude, and to his disciples,
2 Saying, The scribes and the Pharisees sit in Moses’ seat:
3 All therefore whatsoever they bid you observe, that observe and do; but do not ye after their works: for they say, and do not.
4 For they bind heavy burdens and grievous to be borne, and lay them on men’s shoulders; but they themselves will not move them with one of their fingers.
5 But all their works they do for to be seen of men: they make broad their phylacteries, and enlarge the borders of their garments,
6 And love the uppermost rooms at feasts, and the chief seats in the synagogues,
7 And greetings in the markets, and to be called of men, Rabbi, Rabbi.
8 But be not ye called Rabbi: for one is your Master, evenChrist; and all ye are brethren.
9 And call no man your father upon the earth: for one is your Father, which is in heaven.
10 Neither be ye called masters: for one is your Master, even Christ.
11 But he that is greatest among you shall be your servant.
12 And whosoever shall exalt himself shall be abased; and he that shall humble himself shall be exalted.
13 ¶ But woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye shut up the kingdom of heaven against men: for ye neither go in yourselves, neither suffer ye them that are entering to go in.
14 Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye devour widows’ houses, and for a pretence make long prayer: therefore ye shall receive the greater damnation.
15 Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye compass sea and land to make one proselyte, and when he is made, ye make him twofold more the child of hell than yourselves.
16 Woe unto you, ye blind guides...

See also Mark 7,

Luke 11:
39 And the Lord said unto him, Now do ye Pharisees make clean the outside of the cup and the platter; but your inward part is full of ravening and wickedness.
40 Ye fools, did not he that made that which is without make that which is within also?
41 But rather give alms of such things as ye have; and, behold, all things are clean unto you.
42 But woe unto you, Pharisees! for ye tithe mint and rue and all manner of herbs, and pass over judgment and the love of God: these ought ye to have done, and not to leave the other undone.
43 Woe unto you, Pharisees! for ye love the uppermost seats in the synagogues, and greetings in the markets.
44 Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye are as graves which appear not, and the men that walk over them are not aware of them.


Yea, Jesus was not such a big fan of organized religion it seems....
Click to expand...
I don't believe the Christian testament.
 
syo

syo

Well-Known Member
JJ50 said:
I have a particular detestation for extreme Christians who threaten others with hell if they don't convert.
Click to expand...
these extreme christians are weak. they need guidance from good christians. i mean they need help.
 
TheGunShoj

TheGunShoj

Active Member
JJ50 said:
Whatever your religion or philosophy it is only worth having if it is a force for good.
Click to expand...

I have heard non believers challenge theists by saying something along the lines of "show me one real, tangible benefit that religion offers to people that cannot be achieved purely by secular means"

I like this challenge and I have yet to see someone fulfill it. So if religions or religious people (even the good ones) are only a force for good in a way that religion isn't necessary to achieve but comes with many unique problems of its own I don't see how its even useful to us as a society anymore.
 
Father Heathen

Father Heathen

Veteran Member
Rival said:
No. They don't believe that. They just tend to be political liberals.
Click to expand...

I know. T'was tongue-in-cheek :p Although I would say most of them lean more toward libertarian than liberal, as a lot of LHP philosophy focuses on self-interest rather than altruism.
 
T

tayla

My dog's name is Tayla
JJ50 said:
Something for which they have no supportive evidence, the Bible is not evidence.
Click to expand...
Yes, considering that the Bible is contradicted by science, archaeology, history, common sense, and even internally inconsistent.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top