Such as?Actually, the main thing that made Chesterton a Christian was not these arguments, but his search for a new philosophy; as his opinions developed, he would come up with all kinds of exciting new ideas, only to find that he had merely rediscovered an ancient Christian doctrine.
Believe me, talking animals and world-engulfing floods have no basis in reality.It was this gradual sense of the rightness of Christianity, and his gradual realization of exactly how well it fit in with reality
Such as?some of its doctrines that he found monstrous on closer examination seemed to fit it even better than he could ever imagine.
Another part of the Bible? No problem. Does the Book of Chrinicles count?For the last time; that is the Levitical law...which Christians do not follow. I agree that it sound bizarre today, which is why I don't follow it... If you want me to take you seriously, you're going to have to come up with something at the very least from another part of the Bible.
Why is the loving God going to kill these people? Becuase Jehoram permitted sexual promiscuity in Israel.21:14 wrote:So now the LORD is about to strike your people, your sons, your wives and everything that is yours, with a heavy blow.
50:22 wrote:Consider this, you who forget God, or I will tear you to pieces, with none to rescue.
136:10 wrote: To him who struck down the firstborn of Egypt, His love endures forever.
Well, that last one was particularly unpleasant. On to the Book of Proverbs...137:8-9 wrote:O Daughter of Babylon, doomed to destruction, happy is he who repays you for what you have done to us-- he who seizes your infants and dashes them against the rocks.
13:24 wrote:He who spares the rod hates his son, but he who loves him is careful to discipline him.
22:15 wrote:Folly is bound up in the heart of a child, but the rod of discipline will drive it far from him
23:13-14 wrote:Do not withhold discipline from a child; if you punish him with the rod, he will not die. Punish him with the rod and save his soul from death.
20:30 wrote:Blows and wounds cleanse away evil, and beatings purge the inmost being
29:15 wrote:The rod of correction imparts wisdom, but a child left to himself disgraces his mother.
29:19 wrote:A servant cannot be corrected by mere words; though he understands, he will not respond.
How nice. Anyway, let's move on to the New Testament, and see what Jesus and co think.30:17 wrote:The eye that mocks a father, that scorns obedience to a mother, will be pecked out by the ravens of the valley, will be eaten by the vultures.
Hmm, seems Jesus actually doesn't have a problem with the old laws and stuff.5:17 wrote:Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil.
8:12 wrote:But the children of the kingdom shall be cast out into outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth
10:14-15 wrote:And whosoever shall not receive you, nor hear your words, when ye depart out of that house or city, shake off the dust of your feet. Verily I say unto you, It shall be more tolerable for the land of Sodom and Gomorrha in the day of judgment, than for that city
10:21 wrote:And the brother shall deliver up the brother to death, and the father the child: and the children shall rise up against their parents, and cause them to be put to death.
10:34 wrote:Think not that I am come to send peace on earth: I come not to send peace, but a sword. [what ever happend to happy hippy Jesus?]
11:20-24 wrote:Then began he to upbraid the cities wherein most of his mighty works were done, because they repented not: Woe unto thee, Chorazin! woe unto thee, Bethsaida! for if the mighty works, which were done in you, had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes. But I say unto you, It shall be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon at the day of judgment, than for you. And thou, Capernaum, which art exalted unto heaven, shalt be brought down to hell: for if the mighty works, which have been done in thee, had been done in Sodom, it would have remained until this day. But I say unto you, That it shall be more tolerable for the land of Sodom in the day of judgment, than for thee.
Here Jesus criticises the Pharisees for not killing disobedient children according to the commandment: "He that curseth father or mother, let him die the death".15:4 wrote:For God commanded, saying, Honour thy father and mother: and, He that curseth father or mother, let him die the death.
Damn, now I don't like Jesus any more.24:50-51 wrote:The lord of that servant shall come in a day when he looketh not for him, and in an hour that he is not aware of, [Nobody expects the Spanish Inquisition!] and shall cut him asunder, and appoint him his portion with the hypocrites: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
And....that's it for Mark. He pretty much repeats what Mathew said earlier, and I see no need in repeating him. Oh, well. Onwards to Luke!16:16 wrote:He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned.
1:20 wrote:And, behold, thou shalt be dumb, and not able to speak, until the day that these things shall be performed, because thou believest not my words, which shall be fulfilled in their season.
12:46-47 wrote:The lord of that servant will come in a day when he looketh not for him, and at an hour when he is not aware, and will cut him in sunder, and will appoint him his portion with the unbelievers. And that servant, which knew his lord's will, and prepared not himself, neither did according to his will, shall be beaten with many stripes.
16:19-31 wrote:Um, this is far too long to quote. Basicaly, it's about a rich man, and Lazarus. The rich man goes to hell, becuase he had a good life on Earth, and so deserves to be tormented...or something like that.
Lazarus, on the other hand, goes to heaven. Becuase his life sucked.
Somehow, this seems fair to Jesus.
Okay, that had a bit more content than Mark, anyway. On to the last Gospell, which is John's.17:26-27 wrote:And as it was in the days of Noe, so shall it be also in the days of the Son of man. They did eat, they drank, they married wives, they were given in marriage, until the day that Noe entered into the ark, and the flood came, and destroyed them all. [Jesus seems to have no problem with God causing the largest genocide in human history]
Okay, not particularly horrific as such, but I just thought I'd point out the absurdity of the situation. God and Jesus are pretty much the same enitiy, right? So...3:16 wrote:For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
Okay, not much in there (still more than Mark's, though. What the hell was he doing? Just coppying off of Mathew?) so we'll jump ahead to Acts.3:18 wrote:He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.
12:23 wrote:And immediately the angel of the Lord smote him, because he gave not God the glory: and he was eaten of worms, and gave up the ghost.
Yeah, because massacering the inhabatints of several cities is definately mercifull.13:34 wrote:And as concerning that he raised him up from the dead, now no more to return to corruption, he said on this wise, I will give you the sure mercies of David.
And so concludes Acts. Now we'll go and have a look at Romans.5:1-10 wrote:Another long ramble. Basicaly, Peter scares Ananias and his wife to death for not forking over all of the money that they made when selling their land.
Aparently, the "crime" of homosexuality is worthy of death. How pleasant.1:31-32 wrote:Without understanding, covenantbreakers, without natural affection, implacable, unmerciful: Who knowing the judgment of God, that they which commit such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but have pleasure in them that do them.
Um, so because one guy sinned, everyone else is going to suffer for it? How is that remotely fair?5:12 wrote:Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned:
10:8 wrote:Neither let us commit fornication, as some of them committed, and fell in one day three and twenty thousand.
10:9 wrote:Neither let us tempt Christ, as some of them also tempted, and were destroyed of serpents.
The 'destroyer' mentioned above is God.10:10 wrote:Neither murmur ye, as some of them also murmured, and were destroyed of the destroyer.
Soooo, God already knows whether we're gettting into heaven or hell?1:4-5, 11 wrote:According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love: Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will.
*snippy*
In whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will:
How nice to know that I'll be burning in hell for no reason.2 Peter 3:7 wrote:But the heavens and the earth, which are now, by the same word are kept in store, reserved unto fire against the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men.
1:7 wrote:Behold, he cometh with clouds; and every eye shall see him, and they also which pierced him: and all kindreds of the earth shall wail because of him. Even so, Amen.
2:23 wrote:And I will kill her children with death; and all the churches shall know that I am he which searcheth the reins and hearts: and I will give unto every one of you according to your works.
Well, that bit sucks. It seems like only 144,000 Jews will be getting into heaven, after all.7:4 wrote:And I heard the number of them which were sealed: and there were sealed an hundred and forty and four thousand of all the tribes of the children of Israel
9:4-6 wrote:And it was commanded them that they should not hurt the grass of the earth [how could they? God already killed the grass in 8:7.], neither any green thing, neither any tree; but only those men which have not the seal of God in their foreheads. And to them it was given that they should not kill them, but that they should be tormented five months: and their torment was as the torment of a scorpion, when he striketh a man. And in those days shall men seek death, and shall not find it; and shall desire to die, and death shall flee from them.
And so concludes my Oddysey through the Bible. And you have to admit; whether or not you're on my side of the debate, that was a lot of effort. Particularly when you take into acount the fact that I had to write it twice.17:17 wrote:And the ten horns which thou sawest upon the beast, these shall hate the whore, and shall make her desolate and naked, and shall eat her flesh, and burn her with fire. For God hath put in their hearts to fulfil his will, and to agree, and give their kingdom unto the beast, until the words of God shall be fulfilled.[Wait, is God telling them to eat her and then burn her?]
Done.Peabody wrote:If you want me to take you seriously, you're going to have to come up with something at the very least from another part of the Bible.
Don't forget; the content of the Bible was picked and chosen by a bunch of guys who live centuries after Jesus supposedly did. It makes you wonder what parts they left out...Then there is the stuff that isnt in the Bible but the church inforces anyway like no meat on Fridays.
As much as I'd love to continue this discussion, recapping the entire book would probably take a little too long to do here... if you really want to know, read the book. Otherwise, I can't help you.Such as?
Okay; I'm going to cut through a whole bunch of your so-called 'evil quotes' in one go, and go on to the heart of what this debate has been about since the beginning...basically, you (and every other Atheist in the universe, it seems) have a problem with the idea of Judgement, with God punishing people, and with God being anything other than our 'big ol pal in the sky.' Well, if that's the kind of God you want, its not the God you'll find in Christianity...or any other religion, except for the ones you make up for yourself.Why is the loving God going to kill these people? Becuase Jehoram permitted sexual promiscuity in Israel.
Justify that please. Do your honor your mother and father all the time? Do I? No.For God commanded, saying, Honour thy father and mother: and, He that curseth father or mother, let him die the death.
I have a problem with judgement, and with stupid rules that kill millions of people, I have a problem with an organisation that brain washes millions of people under the guise of humanitarian aid, I have a problem with an organisation that shelters and army of pedophiles, I have a problem with an organisation that has one of the most lavish head offices in the world while people starve. What that? Its harder for a rich man to get into heaven than it is for a camel to pass through the eye of the needle? If thats the case the pope is going to burn in hell.Okay; I'm going to cut through a whole bunch of your so-called 'evil quotes' in one go, and go on to the heart of what this debate has been about since the beginning...basically, you (and every other Atheist in the universe, it seems) have a problem with the idea of Judgement, with God punishing people, and with God being anything other than our 'big ol pal in the sky.' Well, if that's the kind of God you want, its not the God you'll find in Christianity...or any other religion, except for the ones you make up for yourself.
How HOW does god help drug addicts? You brought that point up to show that if you love someone you dont sit back and let them self destruct. But that is exactly what god has done. He made us gave us a bunch of crappy rules to live by and washed his hands of the matter.If someone you loved was addicted to drugs, would you really be loving him if you just left him alone, and kept giving him money and food; and even if in the end you had to simply throw him out, or put him in jail, that would not in any mean that you didn't love him.
Okay, you're entitled to your opinion.My...gosh. No offense, but that was the biggest load of crap I've read in a long, long time.
Nope. I've stated from the very beginning of my invlovement in this debate that my problem is with people claiming the Bible is a good source of morals. Which I have just proved it is clearly not.Okay; I'm going to cut through a whole bunch of your so-called 'evil quotes' in one go, and go on to the heart of what this debate has been about since the beginning...basically, you (and every other Atheist in the universe, it seems) have a problem with the idea of Judgement, with God punishing people, and with God being anything other than our 'big ol pal in the sky.'
That would be far better than depopulating the entire planet once, planning to do it again, destroying two cities, massacreing innocent children, etc, etc, etc.Basically, you seem to be laboring under the idea that if God was really good, if he really loved us, he'd just leave us alone, let us be.
How could that possibly be construed as 'helping'? Which is what God should be doing if he was loving. And how does wiping out two cities, and depopulating the entire planet, and killing innocent children, help humanity?If someone you loved was addicted to drugs, would you really be loving him if you just left him alone, and kept giving him money and food; and even if in the end you had to simply throw him out, or put him in jail, that would not in any mean that you didn't love him.
So...he agrees with Hitler? Becuase those guys sound like they'd get on great together.And God is also Good; really, truly Good.
No, if he was good he'd halp us. Not release plagues on us.You don't seem to know what that means; you seem to think that true goodness would find it easy to simply ignore our sins.
You mean the sin of swearing at an abusive parent? The sin of a woman doing anything else than being a wife and mother? The sin of having sex? The sin of homosexuality? These things justify genocide on a scale unseen in human history? Whatever happened to forgiveness?Every single one of our sins cries out to God for punishment; and because he is really, truly Good; because he really truly loves us; he cannot simply ignore those sins and pretend they do not exist.
So, genocide is justified by this?And what you also don't understand is that even if he did; even if he ignored our sins, and did as you [didn't] suggest; accepted us for what and who we are, was tolerant of our mistakes, and gave us all the good gifts he really, truly wants to give us; placed us back in Paradise; well, if we were really, truly as we are today, we'd turn it into Hell.
Well, that should have been expected when he didn't give any proof of his existance. Did he not see this coming?The wrath of God burns hot against us, and it burns for a reason; we are his creations, who have turned against him and worshiped idols
Oh the horror; I said something against him.blasphemed against him,
Yeah, because not wearing a cotton-polyester shirt sure sounds like a sensible rule to me.ignored his commandments and teachings;
Not too surprising when you look through all the insanity in Leviticus.even His chosen people, Israel, again and again turned against him.
Why? Because people decided to have fun?God is angry--justly, rightfully angry.
You mean again? He already destroyed us all before.But because God also loves us, because his love for us is past all imagining; instead of simply destroying us all,
So....all the people who lived before Jesus are screwed?Instead, He gave us his Only Begotten Son, that through Him we might be saved.
So...God puts a curse on humanity, then sends down himself, to sacrafice himself to himself, to cconvince himself to remove the curse that he himself put on humanity in the first place.And yes, Jesus is in the Bible associated with God; He is God, just as much as the Father; very God of very God, begotten not made, being of one substance with the Father by whom all things were made; if you want, I can explain this doctrine further, but its really not that complicated.
Uh, he took his own wrath on himself? Not that difficult...But when Jesus was Crucified, instead of it being a defeat, it became a victory; Jesus took on, on Himself, all the penalties, all the righteous judgement, that we deserved. He took on the very wrath of God upon himself; and he bore it, so that he might pay the price for the sins of all those who believed in him and kept his commandments.
Well hey God; here's a crazy idea for you: why don't you prove you exist? That way people may be more inclined to listen to you.But even now, even when he has borne the price for our sin, there are still some who reject him; who blaspheme against him, who refuse to be saved; and what can God do, in the end, after offering them every chance of repenting, every chance of being saved, but simply give up on them, to give them at last the punishment they have bought for themselves; to give themselves over to the full consequences of their sin.
What 'kind of crap'? You mean quoting directly from your own holy book?But I'm not going to continue to take this kind of crap.
Yeah. I understand perfectly.So its a bit long...you understand, don't you?
Yes, I've explained all that; and no, it doesn't change with public opinion; and that was almost 2000 years ago that the rules were changed, and there hasn't been much changes since then...You said that the church no longer follows the old rules. Which in and of its self is odd sine it seems to change with public opinion.
No, I do not; but I should. But because of original sin (which you don't believe in), because I am corrupted, I am constantly breaking the just laws that God has set for me.Justify that please. Do your honor your mother and father all the time? Do I? No.
What; you mean like this one?Please justifie a few of those quotes from the NEW testament that Rochey got. After all they are what we are supposed to live by.
Think not that I am come to send peace on earth: I come not to send peace, but a sword. [what ever happend to happy hippy Jesus?]
Whee boy...now that would be a pretty messed-up world. Do you know how much Hitler loved himself? He loved himself so much he was willing to kill millions of people in order to purify the world. Lots of people love themselves, and I can tell you, the results aren't very pretty. This is the exact opposite of what the world today needs.You dont need a higher power to love you. Love your self. After that evrything else will come.
My point was that God has given us freedom; if he wanted to, he could simply correct each one of our sins as we made it; but what kind of world would that be? And after offering us every chance to free ourselves, at some point he's going to simply give up on us. Like I said before: "There are only two kinds of people in the end; those who say to God, thy will be done; and those to whom God says, in the end; thy will be done."How HOW does god help drug addicts? You brought that point up to show that if you love someone you dont sit back and let them self destruct. But that is exactly what god has done.
Slavery. A pretty damn big one. The church openly supported slavery and even tried to silence those who wanted it stopped. They only shanged their view when the public at large turned against it.Yes, I've explained all that; and no, it doesn't change with public opinion; and that was almost 2000 years ago that the rules were changed, and there hasn't been much changes since then...
Why should you honor your perents all the time? Respect is earned not given. Again what if your Dad is a Hitler wannabe.No, I do not; but I should.
God loves all his children. So by that logic God loved Hitler, Hitler knew this so killed 6 million Jews. Its false logic to think like that.Whee boy...now that would be a pretty messed-up world. Do you know how much Hitler loved himself? He loved himself so much he was willing to kill millions of people in order to purify the world. Lots of people love themselves, and I can tell you, the results aren't very pretty. This is the exact opposite of what the world today needs.
What chance did he give to the kid in Africa born with HIV? Or to the baby born addicted to crack?My point was that God has given us freedom; if he wanted to, he could simply correct each one of our sins as we made it; but what kind of world would that be? And after offering us every chance to free ourselves, at some point he's going to simply give up on us.
No; what you've just proved is how messed-up your idea of morals really is.Nope. I've stated from the very beginning of my invlovement in this debate that my problem is with people claiming the Bible is a good source of morals. Which I have just proved it is clearly not.
Seriously, but; what's up with all the Hitler references in this post? Because its kind of hard to have a debate when your opponent is shouting "Hitler! Hitler!" at the top of his lungs. I do not understand what this statement is supposed to mean, or where you got that idea...and I don't really care. We have more important things to discuss anyway.So...he agrees with Hitler? Becuase those guys sound like they'd get on great together.
He is helping us... he's helping us to learn how to rely on him, to become more mature in our faith, to learn to deal with pain and sorrow. 'Help,' for the last time, does not mean just letting someone jump off a cliff; it means saving him, even if that means you have to trip him up or knock him down to do it.No, if he was good he'd halp us. Not release plagues on us.
Well, for 33 years He walked around in Galilee, talking and preaching; then died and was resurrected again; I think that constitutes showing himself to the world. But whatever.Well, that should have been expected when he didn't give any proof of his existance. Did he not see this coming?
No; the problem is not that we love fun and pleasure too much; the problem is that we don't love it enough. God is offering us eternal, unceasing happiness and pleasure; but we're too busy pottering around making mudpies to take him up on it. God wants us to be happy; but we're supremely determined to make ourselves miserable.Why? Because people decided to have fun?
No; Christian doctrine teaches that everyone who was saved, even those who were saved before Christ's death, are saved through him. So just because you came before him, doesn't necessarily mean you're damned.So....all the people who lived before Jesus are screwed?
Exactly; that's the Christian story of Christ's life and death, in a nutshell. Bravo. But let me explain it to you a bit; in Christianity, we believe that there are three Persons in God; The Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit; each is fully and truly God, and they are united together by their love for one another (in other words, God is love). So yes, the Son came down to earth, and sacrificed Himself to the Father; and what is more, he even cried out "My God, My God, why hast thou forsaken me?" All because he loved us.So...God puts a curse on humanity, then sends down himself, to sacrafice himself to himself, to cconvince himself to remove the curse that he himself put on humanity in the first place.
Well, they already do know he exists; deep, deep down in their hearts, everyone really knows...but they are suppressing this knowledge, and have turned away from him. But if you and God want to get into a dare contest...I think I know who'd win.Well hey God; here's a crazy idea for you: why don't you prove you exist? That way people may be more inclined to listen to you.
Good to see ya in the forums, oh Grand Exalted...er, Webmaster. I'll try to answer your question as best as I can; basically, its because he created us. For example, what if you'd created a robot to serve you, but that robot instead ignored every one of your orders, smashed himself up, and started wrecking your house...I think you'd feel pretty justified in just deactivating it then and there. But we're not automatons; we're amazing creatures, made in the very Imaged of God; and so God has valued us enought to sacrifice his Only Begotten Son for us, creatures he would be perfectly justified in just giving up on altogether.My question in all this is, assuming god does indeed exist, what right does he have to give humans laws to live by and then judge them?
He has! He 'came down' as you suggested, healed thousands, brought a man back from the dead, and then resurrected himself from the dead...and people still didn't believe in him. If we were too thickheaded to accept that, why should he bother to do it again?Come down throw down a few mountains freeze over a few lakes smite some rapist down with lighting and no one will doubt him.
What? Slavery was a moral issue, on which the Church (I believe) never issued a binding statement on; so yes, some Christians kept slaves, but so did Deists, Atheists, and everyone else. And Christians were some of the first to turn against slavery, and helped to create the underground railroad. This isn't even a reversal of Church policy; its just a change in the general opinion of churchgoers.Slavery. A pretty damn big one. The church openly supported slavery and even tried to silence those who wanted it stopped. They only shanged their view when the public at large turned against it.
No its not. I am called upon to give respect to my father, because he is my father. He absolutely does not have to 'earn' my respect; he has it. Now, he can abuse that respect, and make me cease to respect him, but he absolutely does not have to earn it. That is God's law.Why should you honor your perents all the time? Respect is earned not given. Again what if your Dad is a Hitler wannabe.
Wait; so are you saying that God didn't love Hitler, or that he did? I don't really understand this...God loves all his children. So by that logic God loved Hitler, Hitler knew this so killed 6 million Jews. Its false logic to think like that.
No problems? What about Jesus endorsing the murder of children who swear at their parents? Do you agree with that?First of all, as for the quotes you used, Rochey, I have absolutely no problem with almost all of them, including all from the New Testament
Yes, there was. They changed the language. They changed indulgences. They go rid of the whole 'Kill the unbeliever!' bit. Heck, a few months ago they got rid of Limbo.Yes, I've explained all that; and no, it doesn't change with public opinion; and that was almost 2000 years ago that the rules were changed, and there hasn't been much changes since then...
Why? What if, like Teaos said, they were complete scum?No, I do not; but I should.
I think he was reffering to the more violent ones I posted.What; you mean like this one?
Quite a pleasant one.My point was that God has given us freedom; if he wanted to, he could simply correct each one of our sins as we made it; but what kind of world would that be?
What chance has he given us within the last thousand years?And after offering us every chance to free ourselves, at some point he's going to simply give up on us.
What's messed up with them?No; what you've just proved is how messed-up your idea of morals really is.
I've made a grand total of two mentions of Hitler in this entire debate. And I was comparing the fact that they both seem to be genocidal maniacs, just one has a bigger stick to hit humanity with.Seriously, but; what's up with all the Hitler references in this post? Because its kind of hard to have a debate when your opponent is shouting "Hitler! Hitler!" at the top of his lungs.
Why do we need to rely on him?he's helping us to learn how to rely on him,
No, in God's case he's tieing us up and throwing us over the edge of the cliff.'Help,' for the last time, does not mean just letting someone jump off a cliff; it means saving him, even if that means you have to trip him up or knock him down to do it.
I meant in the modern day.Well, for 33 years He walked around in Galilee, talking and preaching; then died and was resurrected again; I think that constitutes showing himself to the world. But whatever.
And we deserve to be punished for that?No; the problem is not that we love fun and pleasure too much; the problem is that we don't love it enough. God is offering us eternal, unceasing happiness and pleasure; but we're too busy pottering around making mudpies to take him up on it.
How?No; Christian doctrine teaches that everyone who was saved, even those who were saved before Christ's death, are saved through him.
And....you don't see the paradox in that at all?Exactly; that's the Christian story of Christ's life and death, in a nutshell.
Trust me. I can state with one hundred percent certainty that I do not believe in his existance.Well, they already do know he exists; deep, deep down in their hearts, everyone really knows...but they are suppressing this knowledge, and have turned away from him.
Okay then.But if you and God want to get into a dare contest...I think I know who'd win.
How does that justify following his crazy rules and orders?I'll try to answer your question as best as I can; basically, its because he created us.
Er, you do realise that about 3/4 of the quotes I supplied earlier are from the New Testament? Not to mention Levitical laws seem to be endorsed by Jesus.not including the Levitical laws, of course; so don't bother pulling up another half-dozen quotes about stoning your brothers-in-law or whatever).
Of course not. It's been two thousand years!He has! He 'came down' as you suggested, healed thousands, brought a man back from the dead, and then resurrected himself from the dead...and people still didn't believe in him.
Actualy, the church didn't have any problem with people taking slaves. They never said anything against it at all. There are also a few passages in the Bible inffering that black people are inferior.What? Slavery was a moral issue, on which the Church (I believe) never issued a binding statement on; so yes, some Christians kept slaves, but so did Deists, Atheists, and everyone else.
That would be a bit hard to avoid, when you consider that christianity was one of the worlds dominant religions.And Christians were some of the first to turn against slavery, and helped to create the underground railroad.
Why?I am called upon to give respect to my father, because he is my father.
Why?He absolutely does not have to 'earn' my respect; he has it.
Why?Now, he can abuse that respect, and make me cease to respect him, but he absolutely does not have to earn it.
I think Teaos was pointing out that, by that logic, God endorsed Hitlers slaughter.Wait; so are you saying that God didn't love Hitler, or that he did? I don't really understand this...