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Post by Deleted on May 13, 2011 21:19:43 GMT -5
Meh, I don't see why anybody should worry. Lots and lots of people have said the end of the world is coming and so far, they've all been proven wrong. Hmm... well, just because you've crossed a road 100,000 times without getting hit by a car doesn't rule out the probability of you getting hit by a car the next time you cross the road. Now imagine that there's a doomsayer standing by the side of the road predicting your doom every time you cross the road - the probability still stands. There's no causal connection between what the doomsayer says and what actually happens, but there's still a probability of the doomsayer's prediction corresponding to reality. We just don't worry about it because it's so small. Please, no! I want to grow up and have a beautiful daughter! |
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Post by Yoyti on May 13, 2011 21:35:56 GMT -5
This sickens me.
Last I checked, Christians are supposed to support people. Not frighten them out of their wits. I actually saw a kid burst into tears because he heard that the world was going to end! I'm an atheist, but I was brought up Jewish. I learned that God loves all man, and I'm certain that, in any religion, God will not curse someone for not believing in God. Why did God give use free will? In order so that we could think. Obediently obeying what our bibles say is not thinking. Thinking is questioning this. On the off chance that this is true, I think it is more likely to be a lesson to the obsessive believers. Osama Bin Laden just died. A man's life was lost. A bad man's life, but a life nonetheless. It is the people who don't think who are rejoicing in his death. If God exists, and May 21 is an important date, than it is to teach a lesson to mankind.
Also, there is a serious flaw in the logic used here. The non-believers are urged to become believers, but the non-believers wouldn't believe that the world is ending, so they wouldn't convert.
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Post by Deleted on May 13, 2011 22:44:34 GMT -5
This sickens me. Last I checked, Christians are supposed to support people. Not frighten them out of their wits. I actually saw a kid burst into tears because he heard that the world was going to end! I'm an atheist, but I was brought up Jewish. I learned that God loves all man, and I'm certain that, in any religion, God will not curse someone for not believing in God. Why did God give use free will? In order so that we could think. Obediently obeying what our bibles say is not thinking. Thinking is questioning this. On the off chance that this is true, I think it is more likely to be a lesson to the obsessive believers. Osama Bin Laden just died. A man's life was lost. A bad man's life, but a life nonetheless. It is the people who don't think who are rejoicing in his death. If God exists, and May 21 is an important date, than it is to teach a lesson to mankind. Also, there is a serious flaw in the logic used here. The non-believers are urged to become believers, but the non-believers wouldn't believe that the world is ending, so they wouldn't convert. Same here. I'm not really atheist, though. I sort of believe in all religions in that the force of creation ("God") appears to a person depending on what that person thinks of it, so it can be the Greek gods as well as Jesus. Of course, I'm all for the thought that it was love that created the world, and that the force of creation is indeed love itself, so I don't think (s)he would hate anyone! Who ever heard of love hating? I'm actually Saeryena. |
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Post by Yoyti on May 13, 2011 23:01:28 GMT -5
Who ever heard of love hating? Well there are love-hate relationships, and friendly rivalries, but that aside... Actually, most of the obsessive Christians I've met are rather contradictory. "God loves all" "If you don't believe in God, you're going to hell" Obviously, one of these two statements is not the case, and I like to think that it's the second one that's false. Also, I'd like to mention the story of Noah. People are using the time of Noah as a reference for the end of the world. I find that ironic, because God promised never to destroy the world again. It is also odd, because it implies that God had an idea, that when he initially destroyed the world, he would do it again some time later. I'm leaving this Jurassic Park style. What some think is true: 1. God creates man 2. Man destroys man 3. God destroys man 4. God rebuilds man 5. Man destroys God 6. God destroys man This is all rather contradictory, and would also imply a constant cycle through the creation and destruction of man, which is rather redundant and would altogether be boring to God. What I think is true (if God exists): 1. God creates man 2. Man destroys man 3. God destroys man 4. God rebuilds man 5. Man destroys God 6. God reveals himself to man 7. Man fears God 8. God forgives man 9. Life goes on for a while until someone starts to spread (probably false) claims about the end of the world. |
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Post by jdb1984 on May 18, 2011 22:03:52 GMT -5
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Post by Komori on May 18, 2011 22:21:42 GMT -5
Actually, most of the obsessive Christians I've met are rather contradictory. "God loves all" "If you don't believe in God, you're going to hell" Hell is the absence of God, not God actively hurting people. It's just filled full of badness because God is the source of all goodness, so the absence of Him is also the absence of all things good. If a person rejects God by refusing to believe in Him, then God is allowing that person to reject Him. It just so happens that the result is rather unpleasant. It's actually not as much of a contradiction as you might think. People are using the time of Noah as a reference for the end of the world. I find that ironic, because God promised never to destroy the world again. Well, the Rapture/Tribulations isn't going to destroy the whole world. God promised He would never destroy all living things, but come Revelations, He will make all things new. Not destroying everything, but transforming it. Not that there won't be some destruction, because the tribulation definitely has some bad stuff happening, it's just not a complete Earth-wipeout like the flood was. Hence, God's not contradicting himself with an "end of days."  |
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Post by Robyn on May 18, 2011 22:24:26 GMT -5
I thought the point of the Rapture was that people WEREN'T going to know when it was coming.
But I haven't gone to church in who knows how long, so. :\
To be honest the idea seriously you have no idea kind of scares me, but I like to think that it's not anything I need to be worried about. I'm sorry for the bad things I've done in my life, and I'd like to think that Jesus knows it, if he's watching me and knows my heart and all.
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Post by Breakingchains on May 18, 2011 22:27:12 GMT -5
The bible explicitly states that nobody knows when the world is going to end. Heck, the verse isn't even all that obscure - it's right smack-dab there in Matthew and straight out of Jesus' mouth, besides. So what the heck are Christians doing saying they know the date? Seriously, this happens over and over. People claim the world is going to end aaaany second now, and then stand there shocked when the date they named comes and goes. You'd think eventually we'd figure out our grand predictions aren't really working out, but apparently not. As a Christian, it just kind of makes me mad, really.  |
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Post by jdb1984 on May 18, 2011 22:39:36 GMT -5
I think it's basically one guy and however many believers he has. But it does kind of makes us look bad, since he's probably scaring people with all this.
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Post by Deleted on May 18, 2011 22:51:16 GMT -5
I think it's basically one guy and however many believers he has. But it does kind of makes us look bad, since he's probably scaring people with all this. This. Just ... this. Have you ever met a German and talked to them about the Nazis? Talking to a Christian about the idiots that give the whole group a bad name, talking to a Muslim about Osama Bin Laden ... it's all the same, though at varying degrees of severity. Many people judge the entire Islamic faith by Radical Islam. Many judge Christians by people who're using God as a veil for their personal prejudice (think Westboro Baptist Church, who's anti-LGBTA tirade has caused uproar, and who claim that God doesn't, in fact, love everyone). The whole thing just makes me really disappointed, firstly with the people who use God or whatever else they believe in to fuel their bigotry, and secondly with those who judge the whole on the actions of a few. There are bigoted idiots in every area and walk of life, and you wouldn't like to be associated with them, would you? If you like drawing animals, you don't want to be associated with the fursuit fetish, would you? (unless of course you really do have a fursuit fetish, in which case you probably don't want to be associated with zoophilia). Nyeh, this is just me ranting. xD Ignore. |
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Post by Deleted on May 19, 2011 7:28:08 GMT -5
Sarn, I actually get where you're coming from. It reminds me all too much of the twisted bishops from the Middle Ages. Because of them, people just think all Christians want to torture you into their way of life...? I know that's not true, because I know people like you and like Komori who wouldn't even dream of it...this thing is just starting up pointless religion-bashing all over again. *hugs you*
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Post by Kozma on May 19, 2011 9:16:22 GMT -5
The bible explicitly states that nobody knows when the world is going to end. Heck, the verse isn't even all that obscure - it's right smack-dab there in Matthew and straight out of Jesus' mouth, besides. So what the heck are Christians doing saying they know the date? Exactly. If I understand the passages from Matthew, chapter 24, correctly, Jesus instructed us to always be watchful and ready for His coming, because we will not know when it will be. Paul also stated that the Day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night; when I last checked, thieves do not typically announce the exact hour they're going to rob a place in the days before they do. |
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Post by Yoyti on May 19, 2011 20:37:06 GMT -5
Hell is the absence of God, not God actively hurting people. It's just filled full of badness because God is the source of all goodness, so the absence of Him is also the absence of all things good. If a person rejects God by refusing to believe in Him, then God is allowing that person to reject Him. It just so happens that the result is rather unpleasant. It's actually not as much of a contradiction as you might think. We'll have to agree to disagree on this one. Mostly because I'm an atheist, and find myself perfectly happy. And I don't think any god in any culture is the definition of all things good. Quoth Albert Einstien: "Whatever be your troubles in math, I assure you, mine are greater." That quote applies here too. The more powerful and important a person, or god, is, the greater their troubles and mistakes. God is as prone to failure as we are. The only thing God has on his side, is that people view him as an omnipotent, ever good leader. He tells them what to believe, and they believe it, and believe it's good, because God said so. And I don't think that's a valid excuse for doing something. In my opinion, when you really get down to it, God is kind of a jerk. But let's not turn this into a religious debate. |
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Post by Komori on May 19, 2011 23:58:32 GMT -5
We'll have to agree to disagree on this one. Mostly because I'm an atheist, and find myself perfectly happy. And I don't think any god in any culture is the definition of all things good. You're welcome to disagree, but in my beliefs, God's love shines on everyone on Earth, even if they don't believe in Him. So you don't have to believe Him to be happy. And, actually, God in the Christian culture is the definition of all things good... And when someone starts saying things that "Christians are supposed to..." or that obsessive Christians are contradictory, of course that's going to start a debate, once you start making accusations of people's religion (or calling their God a jerk... >_>). |
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Post by Tam on May 20, 2011 0:28:03 GMT -5
*clears throat* Again though, guys, this isn't the place for a religious debate. Religious discussion is to be expected based on the original subject, of course, but please try to keep your discussion on topic. If you'd like to talk more generally about religious beliefs and your opinions on them (which is fine!) then please move the conversation to D&D.
Thanks. ^_^
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