Why would God send someone to hell over suicide?

[Flying Spaghetti Monster]

Don't give us the OT/ NTG crap, seriously. It was the same god, and the ten commandments are in the old testament anyway, and people still like those. Jesus also added that not a tittle of the old law would be changed.

See, people do it all the time, they pick and choose what they like out of that book.

 

[Mr. Laser Beam]

I disagree with some Biblical statements about homosexuality because of the underlying truth that God is Love.

As do I. As does my church, in fact.

 

[Amaris]

The overt wrath spoken of in the Old Testament was before God made a new covenant with us by sending Jesus to take all our sins away by dying on the cross in our place.

You said nowhere in the Bible.
Oh, and as for that new covenant:

Matthew 4:10, "Then saith Jesus unto him, Get thee hence, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve."


While in the desert trials, Jesus reaffirmed the Old Testament command to worship only the Lord God and no other.

J.

 

[DonIago]

Having been raised loosely Jewish, I'm really confused here...is the Old Testament stuff that -is- meant to be followed, or is it not? There seem to be some contradicting opinions even among the believers here...I mean, not that I particularly try to anyway, but I'd like to know whether the book my birth-religion subscribes to is or isn't basically being called, as Pirates of the Caribbean would euphemistically put it, guidelines rather than laws.

Also...Offenders of Homosexuals? WTH does that even mean? I mean, it would be awesome if everyone who ever offended me personally was going downstairs after they died, but that's definitely not an interpretation that I've ever heard before...

Thank God (see what I did there?) I'm not about to take any of this seriously. If I did, I'd probably find out whether suicides actually do go to Hell...or...wait, would I go there because I was gay, or because I didn't believe?

This is all very confusing...

 

[Flying Spaghetti Monster]

I agree, DonIago. Afgter reading it, after reading merely the ten commandments, after reading various laws, I'd have to come back again to my question: why does God treasure his own vanity over any bit of empathy?

 

[StarryEyed]

Having been raised loosely Jewish, I'm really confused here...is the Old Testament stuff that -is- meant to be followed, or is it not? There seem to be some contradicting opinions even among the believers here...I mean, not that I particularly try to anyway, but I'd like to know whether the book my birth-religion subscribes to is or isn't basically being called, as Pirates of the Caribbean would euphemistically put it, guidelines rather than laws.

Also...Offenders of Homosexuals? WTH does that even mean? I mean, it would be awesome if everyone who ever offended me personally was going downstairs after they died, but that's definitely not an interpretation that I've ever heard before...

Thank God (see what I did there?) I'm not about to take any of this seriously. If I did, I'd probably find out whether suicides actually do go to Hell...or...wait, would I go there because I was gay, or because I didn't believe?

This is all very confusing...

It's very simple. The Bible can mean almost anything you want it to mean. You filter it with your own personality and then use it to justify your actions.

As Susan B Anthony said, "I distrust those who know so well what God wants them to do because I notice it always corresponds to their own desires."

That's the problem with a book that is vague and self-contradictory but Holy. Everyone gets to use it to justify their own actions as righteous while condemning the actions of others they disagree with as evil.

 

[DonIago]

I can work with this.

 

[Kegg]

Having been raised loosely Jewish, I'm really confused here...is the Old Testament stuff that -is- meant to be followed, or is it not?

Given there are as many varieties of Christian faith as there are sands by the shore, the short answer is: It's complicated.

The longer answer is that at least some and likely most of the Law does not apply, that's a major plot point of the New Testament (where God appears in visions and demands of his followers to eat non-kosher foods 'cause that's cool now).

This is why Christians against homosexuality tend to quote Corinthians, where Paul, the guy who insists the Law no longer applies, still rails against homosexuals, rather than Leviticus, which was the Jewish law about it (though that still gets some traction).

 

[Davros]

I agree, DonIago. Afgter reading it, after reading merely the ten commandments, after reading various laws, I'd have to come back again to my question: why does God treasure his own vanity over any bit of empathy?

Because he is evil.

 

[Scout101]

Attributing the "all-powerful, all knowing" tag to God DOES create a lot of those sorts of questions. Why did he create Satan, for example? Either he WANTED an evil power running around corrupting people (and thus damning them to Hell), or he didn't see that one coming (or couldn't overpower him).

If he did it on purpose, he's pretty messed up and twisted. If not, then, he's not so all-knowing and all powerful, certainly not to the point where he would give a shit about the individual thoughts and prayers of over 6 billion people at a time, and have "plans" for the entire lives of each of us.

 

[Davros]

Attributing the "all-powerful, all knowing" tag to God DOES create a lot of those sorts of questions. Why did he create Satan, for example? Either he WANTED an evil power running around corrupting people (and thus damning them to Hell), or he didn't see that one coming (or couldn't overpower him).

If he did it on purpose, he's pretty messed up and twisted. If not, then, he's not so all-knowing and all powerful, certainly not to the point where he would give a shit about the individual thoughts and prayers of over 6 billion people at a time, and have "plans" for the entire lives of each of us.

If God knew what Satan was going to do before he created him, it can only be assumed that God made Satan for that very purpose.

Much of our country is populated by Christians who can't keep their beliefs to themselves

Why should we? We've got as much right to talk about our beliefs as you do about yours.

Just no right to force us to comply with the dictates of your faith. If somebody wants to have sex out of wedlock or marry somebody of the same gender, it's none of your business. Your own holy book tells you as such. If more self professed Christians would tend to those logs in their own eyes, we would all get along quite a bit better.

 

[TheLonelySquire]

The hatred expressed by some above for God is really sad. It actually shows why we need Him as much as we do.

 

[John Picard]

Don't give us the OT/ NTG crap, seriously. It was the same god, and the ten commandments are in the old testament anyway, and people still like those. Jesus also added that not a tittle of the old law would be changed.

See, people do it all the time, they pick and choose what they like out of that book.

Oh, don't say that. They get very, very testy when it's pointed out that they "pick and choose" what they believe/practice. When they deny it, then I ask when/where the next public stoning will take place for someone who has been working on the Sabbath, worn clothing of mixed thread, etc. I also like to ask where their leaders or men of power keep their harem of concubines.

 

[TheLonelySquire]

Attributing the "all-powerful, all knowing" tag to God DOES create a lot of those sorts of questions. Why did he create Satan, for example? Either he WANTED an evil power running around corrupting people (and thus damning them to Hell), or he didn't see that one coming (or couldn't overpower him).

If he did it on purpose, he's pretty messed up and twisted. If not, then, he's not so all-knowing and all powerful, certainly not to the point where he would give a shit about the individual thoughts and prayers of over 6 billion people at a time, and have "plans" for the entire lives of each of us.

If God knew what Satan was going to do before he created him, it can only be assumed that God made Satan for that very purpose.

Much of our country is populated by Christians who can't keep their beliefs to themselves

Why should we? We've got as much right to talk about our beliefs as you do about yours.

Just no right to force us to comply with the dictates of your faith. If somebody wants to have sex out of wedlock or marry somebody of the same gender, it's none of your business. Your own holy book tells you as such. If more self professed Christians would tend to those logs in their own eyes, we would all get along quite a bit better.

No one is making you comply with the Christian faith. Get enough votes and you can pass whatever you want. And there are plenty of Christians who have no problem with homosexuals having state marriages. Myself included. As long as people aren't hurting anyone else I couldn't care less.

 

[Scout101]

^that's clearly proven to be false, on just about every issue, TLS. Your stance on illegal immigrants would be one such example. Plenty of them not hurting anyone, and yet you take a *strong* stance on that one, no?

Back on topic, a question about your "stacking the deck in your favor, so you could find/accept God" statement. Doesn't that also work so that for billions of people (for example, anyone born in a country where Christianity ISN'T the major religion) that he's stacking the deck AGAINST those people? You're more likely to follow the dominant religion of your area, so if you were born in, say, China, you've almost no chance of being Christian, and thus almost guaranteed to go to Hell. Does that sound like a kind and loving God? To grow up religious and pious, follow all of the tenents of your faith, live a good God-fearing life, but go to Hell because you were reading from a different book, and calling him a different name?

 

[Davros]

No one is making you comply with the Christian faith. Get enough votes and you can pass whatever you want. And there are plenty of Christians who have no problem with homosexuals having state marriages. Myself included. As long as people aren't hurting anyone else I couldn't care less.

Things like people's rights shouldn't be up for a vote. The fact that all of these same sex marriage bans only get on the ballot because of the actions of people claiming to be Christians shows your assertion is not true.

 

[barnaclelapse]

I think it's a lot more complicated than anything we have to go on down here on earth, but that's just me shooting for the simplest answer that lets me get back to my afternoon drinking/nap.

 

[John Picard]

^that's clearly proven to be false, on just about every issue, TLS. Your stance on illegal immigrants would be one such example. Plenty of them not hurting anyone, and yet you take a *strong* stance on that one, no?

Oh, how DARE someone be upset that there are people who are not punished for breaking the law Try to be an illegal in another country and see what happens.

 

[Scout101]

^Not arguing that at all, JP, simply refuting TLS's statement that if something doesn't hurt people, he's fine with it. Morality of illegal immigration can wait for another thread, so as not to hijack this one...

 

[TheLonelySquire]

^that's clearly proven to be false, on just about every issue, TLS. Your stance on illegal immigrants would be one such example. Plenty of them not hurting anyone, and yet you take a *strong* stance on that one, no?

Back on topic, a question about your "stacking the deck in your favor, so you could find/accept God" statement. Doesn't that also work so that for billions of people (for example, anyone born in a country where Christianity ISN'T the major religion) that he's stacking the deck AGAINST those people? You're more likely to follow the dominant religion of your area, so if you were born in, say, China, you've almost no chance of being Christian, and thus almost guaranteed to go to Hell. Does that sound like a kind and loving God? To grow up religious and pious, follow all of the tenents of your faith, live a good God-fearing life, but go to Hell because you were reading from a different book, and calling him a different name?

Illegal aliens are criminals and should be imprisoned and deported. Immigrants that come here legally should be welcomed with open arms. Criminals negatively affect others so your point is baseless.

I don't know about you, but I decided to follow Christ as an adult not because it was a dominant religion, but because my heart was open to the truth. Again, it's unfortunate but not everyone can be right.

And to be honest it's hard to respect what you're saying when you insult special olympians with every post.