Jesus

[BigElCat]

Originally Posted by donquixote99

No and no.

Do you believe that compromising your beliefs would put you more at risk of eternal damnation?

There is only one transgression against God that would seal my fate and condemn me to Hell.

That transgression is 'blasphemy of, or against, the Holy Spirit'.

[donquixote99]

Originally Posted by BigElCat

There is only one transgression against God that would seal my fate and condemn me to Hell.

That transgression is 'blasphemy of, or against, the Holy Spirit'.

What is 'blasphemy of, or against, the Holy Spirit?' Such a deadly sin should be simply understandable.

[BigElCat]

There was never supposed to be a religion worshiping Christ.

The disciples were supposed to spread the good news.

No church buildings, no communion, no statues.

[BigElCat]

Originally Posted by donquixote99

What is 'blasphemy of, or against, the Holy Spirit?' Such a deadly sin should be simply understandable.

It's failure to believe in it's (or His) existence.

To deny it to yourself, or speak against it.

[Not Insane]

Originally Posted by watsup1000

Again, I can't find his posts among all the mishmash of hundreds, but Insane recently talked about "when Jesus comes back".
Here's a hint: he ain't comin' back. Every generation of Christians for 2000 years thought that they were living in "end times". Not gonna happen. It's a myth. If you are a devout Christian, so unlike your great leader Trump, then enjoy that culture of kindness and devote more time to social justice rather than to ranting about abortion and gays. I am paraphrasing Pope Francis here.

In the meantime, Humanism has the answers.

Opinions vary. Thanks so much for sharing yours!

BTW, your post shows an utter ignorance on the whole issue. I don't know where you got that end times meme from or what that has to do with anything here. Nobody knows when he's returning.

And not to put too fine a point on it, but he satisfied over 300 prophesies and yet not a single person on the entire planet knew who he was. This includes those that walked with him and received direct teaching from him for over three years.

They all got it wrong - until AFTER his death and resurrection.

And this is how he will return. We are told to watch and recognize the signs, but nobody will know the day UNTIL it actually comes. Then it will be obvious to those that had been paying attention.

It's right there in the bible. But as nice as the bible is, what matters is a personal relationship with Him. That is where it really happens.

[Not Insane]

Originally Posted by BigElCat

There is only one transgression against God that would seal my fate and condemn me to Hell.

That transgression is 'blasphemy of, or against, the Holy Spirit'.

Yep. And I think it is because you seal your own fate. Once you throw him out, you have doomed yourself to a world of unbelief. It's similar to taking that one hit of crack. As one addict told me, once you take the one, you are hooked for life, no matter how much you take afterward.

And the great temptation that tempts us all is the belief that how good we are actually matters to God, regarding salvation from death. What matters is belief. And you can tell what a person believes by what they do.

[Not Insane]

Originally Posted by BigElCat

There was never supposed to be a religion worshiping Christ.

The disciples were supposed to spread the good news.

No church buildings, no communion, no statues.

Agree. Religion is man made. Christianity is something else. But even then, the bible describes true religion: "Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world." James 1:27

[Pio1980]

Originally Posted by BigElCat

By their fruits, they will be known.

But not saved.

For all I known, Ghandi could go to Hell, and John Wayne Gacy could go to Heaven.

It ain't up to me to judge anyone in any definitive way. There are certain people I'd like to avoid during my life, however. I make 'judgement call' decisions. .

The doctrine of salvation looks like a con to me, of little practical value if it conveys a blanket forgiveness without practical redemption for the harm caused. A con in the sense that a sale based on a cosmic need that cannot be proven other than by taking someone's word without practical verification.
Ethical altruism as the Christian example has a meaningful demonstrable practical purpose in the here and now. Cosmic promises of pie in the sky by and by, not so much. Too many Christians in prison for violent crimes for the dogma to be proven an effective deterrent to abhorrent behavior.

[Not Insane]

Originally Posted by Pio1980

The doctrine of salvation looks like a con to me, of little practical value if it conveys a blanket forgiveness without practical redemption for the harm caused.

Yep. That's what makes Christianity unique. It's Grace, and no man made religion has that aspect. It's always based on works. But Christianity is not.

I use this example: Two boys are told by their individual fathers to clean up their room. One boy's father is a typical "man made" God. e.g. Allah. The other's is Jesus.

The first boy cleans up his room out of fear because he knows that if he doesn't, he's gonna be written out of the will. The second may choose to clean up his room or he may choose not to. But he knows he is in the will regardless. If he chooses to clean up his room he does it out of love and respect for his father, who he knows has his best interests at heart. If he doesn't, he knows he's being disobedient and it will chip away at his joy in his life if he does it too much, but he will still be in the will.

It's why the bible calls us heirs.

[donquixote99]

Originally Posted by Not Insane

Yep. And I think it is because you seal your own fate. Once you throw him out, you have doomed yourself to a world of unbelief. It's similar to taking that one hit of crack. As one addict told me, once you take the one, you are hooked for life, no matter how much you take afterward.

And the great temptation that tempts us all is the belief that how good we are actually matters to God, regarding salvation from death. What matters is belief. And you can tell what a person believes by what they do.

Why does god care so much what people believe?

I know why priests care, but why would it be the very biggest deal to god?