What if it was all true?

[dbohm]

What if orthodox Christianity was true?

How would you feel?

So here is the hypothetical to the non-Christian.

Let's say it became clear to you without a shadow of a doubt that Christian teachings were true - there is a God, Jesus was his Son and rose again, that there are consequences to our actions in this life and after we die, and the only way to be sure of our salvation was through Jesus Christ.

Question:

How would you feel about this?
Would it make you angry? Would you be happy? Would you believe everything is so unfair? etc.

[Joab]

[Replying to post 19 by The Me's]

Read the bible and let god save you...........................................

...................................................from god.

[KCKID]

Christianity is unfair. Yet it tries to cling to the concept that their God is fair. That is one of the internal inconsistencies that drove me away.

Christian doctrine dictates that God offers blanket forgiveness and immortality for all mankind without restriction.

Forgiveness for what ...having been born an imperfect (and therefore 'sinful') human being? God demands perfection from beings that are incapable of perfection. He makes the rules and enforces the rules with 'death' if not followed. And then He offers 'forgiveness' to these imperfect beings as if 'imperfection' was their fault to begin with. Does this sound right?

I don't see how this can be "unfair" by any stretch.

What word would you use then? Do you honestly not see the 'illogic' here?

[Goat]

What if orthodox Christianity was true?

How would you feel?

So here is the hypothetical to the non-Christian.

Let's say it became clear to you without a shadow of a doubt that Christian teachings were true - there is a God, Jesus was his Son and rose again, that there are consequences to our actions in this life and after we die, and the only way to be sure of our salvation was through Jesus Christ.

Question:

How would you feel about this?
Would it make you angry? Would you be happy? Would you believe everything is so unfair? etc.

Meh, I would shrug my shoulders, and just keep on living like I have been living.

[Divine Insight]

Ok, what would you think if truth and true love wins at the end, and those who hate truth and love lose and are destroyed?

That would be fine, but that's not the Christian picture.

I'm a loving person and I don't believe in Christianity, or that Jesus was a demigod.

Moreover, I would never accept, endorse, or advocate having Jesus crucified for my sake. I would rather go to hell.

As far as I'm concerned if you would not personally nail Jesus to the cross to pay for your sins then you don't accept his crucifixion on your behalf either. You obviously reject it just like me.

On the other hand if you would nail Jesus to the cross to pay for your sins then I have no respect for you.

The Christians are asking me to believe in a dogma that is so extremely immoral it's actually an insult to my decency that they would even suggest that I consider such a thing.

If you are willing to crucify Jesus to pay for your sins be my guest.

But please don't suggest that I should consider such an extremely immoral act.

I flatly refuse to have anything at all to do with Christianity. It's a sick, demented, and highly immoral cult, IMHO.

It has nothing at all to do with love and light. On the contrary, if you condone having a demigod crucified to pay for you sins then IMHO, you are already embracing the most evil and dark cult imaginable.

[connermt]

[Replying to post 16 by The Me's]

This level of open bigotry against Christians is becoming more accepted, especially among liberals.

So many times, ones 'bigotry' is another's truth and common sense, independent of political agenda.
It's all in what one wants to believe I suppose. Those that are needy and weak tend to be attracted to power and leaders, while others tend to shun such things.
Imagine: A deity that allows one to love who/what they want with no need to punish eternally for not kissing its bum. Hard for some to imagine I know. But hey, anything's possible, right?

Fabricating reasons to hate God requires no more than 10 functioning brain cells.

I think you need a hobby.

Personal attack aside, what you consider "fabricating" is simply stating the facts as seen through the eyes of others.

[dianaiad]

[Replying to post 16 by The Me's]

This level of open bigotry against Christians is becoming more accepted, especially among liberals.

So many times, ones 'bigotry' is another's truth and common sense, independent of political agenda.
It's all in what one wants to believe I suppose. Those that are needy and weak tend to be attracted to power and leaders, while others tend to shun such things.
Imagine: A deity that allows one to love who/what they want with no need to punish eternally for not kissing its bum. Hard for some to imagine I know. But hey, anything's possible, right?

Fabricating reasons to hate God requires no more than 10 functioning brain cells.

I think you need a hobby.

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[Strider324]

These great bribes are only offered on the condition that you kiss this vain, narcissistic, self-proclaimed gods hairy butt and abandon your spouse and children if they do not believe as you do. How bout I offer you $100 million and a date with Kate Upton, and all you have to do is sacrifice your children to me? You in?
I mean, that's fair right?

This level of open bigotry against Christians is becoming more accepted, especially among liberals.

It's a great learning experience. I suppose all genocides in history began with this kind of expression of hatred, and it's not hard to identify it for what it is.

Imagine: God offers the kind of generosity and compassion I described, and the only logical response you can offer is this demonic venom, as if the gift of immortality is somehow a bad thing (much less the utterly blind acceptance of all human beings with complete disregard for race, age, education, gender, etc.)

What 'Gift' are you referring to? A 'gift' that requires something in exchange is not a 'gift', by definition. If this god of yours simply offered eternal life with ABSOLUTELY NO CONDITIONS, that would amount to a 'gift'.

I don't make my children do anything in order to receive gifts from me on their birthdays.

"Yeah honey, a have a necklace for you - it's a (tee hee) 'gift'! But you have to bow before me and tell me how much you fear me before I will give it to you."

What would you call a father that makes such narcissistic demands to receive his 'gift'?

[1213]

Ok, what would you think if truth and true love wins at the end, and those who hate truth and love lose and are destroyed?

That would be fine, but that's not the Christian picture.

I'm a loving person and I don't believe in Christianity, or that Jesus was a demigod.

Moreover, I would never accept, endorse, or advocate having Jesus crucified for my sake. I would rather go to hell.

As far as I'm concerned if you would not personally nail Jesus to the cross to pay for your sins then you don't accept his crucifixion on your behalf either. You obviously reject it just like me.

What do you think is the correct way to define Christian? I think it should be defined by words that Jesus said, because I think Christian was originally epithet for disciples of Jesus.

Jesus therefore said to those Jews who had believed him, "If you remain in my word, then you are truly my disciples. You will know the truth, and the truth will make you free."
John 8:31-32

Jesus had right to forgive even before his death, therefore I think death was not required to forgive sins.

The scribes and the Pharisees began to reason, saying, "Who is this that speaks blasphemies? Who can forgive sins, but God alone?" But Jesus, perceiving their thoughts, answered them, "Why are you reasoning so in your hearts? Which is easier to say, 'Your sins are forgiven you;' or to say, 'Arise and walk?' But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins" (he said to the paralyzed man), "I tell you, arise, and take up your cot, and go to your house." Immediately he rose up before them, and took up that which he was laying on, and departed to his house, glorifying God.
Luke 5:21-25

Because Jesus forgave sins, people taught that he is making himself God and therefore deserves death. That is why forgiveness was really the reason for the death of Jesus, if we believe what the Bible tells.

[Divine Insight]

What do you think is the correct way to define Christian? I think it should be defined by words that Jesus said, because I think Christian was originally epithet for disciples of Jesus.

I think the correct way to define a Christian is any person who believes in the Christian Gospels.

Especially the idea that Jesus was born of a virgin, was God's only begotten son, and died to pay for your sins. Since this is the Christian claim.

If you don't believe in all of that, then I think you aren't doing yourself, or anyone else a favor by calling yourself a "Christian".

Jesus therefore said to those Jews who had believed him, "If you remain in my word, then you are truly my disciples. You will know the truth, and the truth will make you free."
John 8:31-32

I am free.

What do you feel that you need to be set free from?

What is your burden?

[Ooberman]

What if orthodox Christianity was true?

How would you feel?

So here is the hypothetical to the non-Christian.

Let's say it became clear to you without a shadow of a doubt that Christian teachings were true - there is a God, Jesus was his Son and rose again, that there are consequences to our actions in this life and after we die, and the only way to be sure of our salvation was through Jesus Christ.

Question:

How would you feel about this?
Would it make you angry? Would you be happy? Would you believe everything is so unfair? etc.

If I came to believe it was all true, I would:

1. Study the Bible in depth.
2. Become Monk or Priest
3. Learn Greek, Hebrew and Aramaic just to be closer to God (I hear reading the Bible in English is like watching Avatar in B&W with subtitles.)
4. I would give up all I have.
5. I would possibly get divorced (unless my wife was willing to go to Rwanda with me with my kids)
6. I wouldn't fear death, and so:
7. Go to the worst areas in the world to help people see this truth
8. I would still question God's idea of how to run the Universe, and wonder why he would only leave a Bible to explain


I don't see how a Believer could do anything less.


In fact, if a Believer isn't doing these things, I question the resolve of their belief.



Oh, and

9. I'd kill as many children as possible so as to send them all to Heaven, so they wouldn't risk growing up atheists.




So, I hope you all pray that I don't learn it is all true.