The word used for kill doesn't mean the same thing as its English definition. A quick study of the Hebrew will show which forms of murder are prohibited. But alas, this really isn't what you are getting at at all. You are saying that because God kills his creation, he has no right to ask that we not do the same. But alas, we did not create man. We are only the creation. If you make a box and smash it, no one is going to be upset at you. You have done nothing wrong.
No, I'm saying that the sixth commandment is not very clear, since it considered best translated as "You shall not murder," and "murder" means an unlawful killing. Clearly, law that says only to kill in compliance with the law is not very helpful. Instead of spending His time instructing us how to perform our animal sacrifices, it would have been more helpful had God lended some clarity to this important point.
But yet they grow up and achieve that knowledge and still dwell in their sin. Lack of knowledge doesn't cancel out their sinfulness.
But we're not talking about when they're grown up, are we? The idea that a newborn baby, who has just drawn her first breath, is evil, totally depraved, is both evil and illogical.
There is only injustice because the concept of grace is so otherworldly. Every human action is to further their own happiness. It is our very goal. If we show grace to one another, it is contrary to our nature (if so doing does not make that person happy). We long to be self-sufficient and take pride in earning things. We naturally refuse to accept that the greatest gift of all is not of our own doing, but given freely to whoever will take it.
Right, I understand. You think it's great. You find it just to reward a serial killer for eternity, and punish a compassionate and non-violent force for good. You don't have to keep telling us that under Christianity, it's just. However, in reality, it's obviously a manifest injustice. Hence, Christianity = injustice.
Masturbation is sin. All sin separates you from God. Continuing in your sins have very real consequences for yourself, and therefore your ministry and example to others. Not hearing God's voice can cause you to miss an opportunity to bring someone to Christ.
Please stop preaching; it's annoying. You were going to explain how it hurts other people.
Morality as defined by who, you? So substitutive guilt and atonement don't factor in to your own view of morality, so they are useless? I take it that you don't believe in absolute truth or at least think that morality isn't absolute.
Right, me. Not only useless, but completely whacko. I think personal responsibility is an important aspect of any coherent moral theory. And no, I don't think that. The moral relativists are Christians like you who believe that infanticide is morally justified if you believe that God commanded it.
Nonetheless, atonement is pretty common in our every day lives. It's a simple concept (however "primitive" of a notion it may be) of righting a wrong.
Atonement is great. It's the idea that someone else can atone for my sins that's wrong.
I did not mean to say that it didn't matter. I think you know that.
Why did you mention it, then? The fact that civil governments have become sufficiently secular to prevent modern Christians from exercising their regrettable tendency to commit genocide in the name of their God does not excuse their theology, which promotes it.
I don't hide from the plan of the Father. Don't confuse me with a liberal "Christian".
Right. So you agree that Jesus, as His Father (already illogical) regularly orders His followers to commit mass murder, and further you believe it is moral and makes sense for Him to do so.
Yea, I'm really a nazi. I can see that you have a chip on your shoulder, but you should think about throwing the name Christian about too frequently. A Christian is a follower of Christ, not someone that uses weak-minded religious zealots to further his worldly ambition.
And who do you think the Nazis were following, Karl Marx? They were all good Christians, by their lights, just as you are by yours. I realize you may disagree with their interpretation, but then you're not in charge of that, are you? You may not be a Nazi, but the Nazis were Christian. And yes, since I am only here because the most recent band of murderous Christians failed in their goals, I am a bit sensitive on this point. Genocide really gets on my nerves.
Are you really so naive as to think that the extermination of religion (however impossible that may be) will even put a dent in the number of wars and genocide attempts? It is human nature to find differences amongst ourselves and fight over them (there's that sin thing again). Religion is only one avenue to express our natural sinfulness.
No, I don't, but it would certainly help.
A good analogy to your argument would be to say: Children fight over the front seat. Let's get rid of the front seat so that we can eliminate a good portion of their fighting. Of course, in this case the front seat isn't actually the very force trying to prevent the children from fighting over it, so it's weaker in your favor than a better analogy would be.
It's not religion in general, it's a religion whose holy book commend genocide, religion that condemns entire tribes of people just because they worship the "wrong" God, religion that's grounded in primitive tribal war. Although there has been a small amount of Buddhist war, it's nothing compared to the Christians and Muslims.
Too bad. Your people have overcome a lot.
Yes, the many Christian attempts to wipe us off the face of the earth have not (yet) succeeded. It would be a bizarre logic to take that as evidence for your God, however.
