I second that. Igor is someone I respect for having the maturity and logical aptitude to give consistently logical answers without emotionalism or ego. Even when I dont agree, I really respect your style Igor.

as a Christian, I always equate life experience in relation to God as a child's existence in relation to a parent. There are so many similarities, it makes me chuckle actually, especially with the questions children ask parents and people ask about God.

Why cant I do this?
Why must I do that?
Why don't you just want me to be happy?
How come you can do this, but I cant?
If its not hurting anyone, than why cant I?
If its making me happy, than why cant I?

et cetera, et cetera



I know as a child there was plenty I didnt understand about why my parents did things, but I did find as I got older that I understood better. I happen to be of the belief, as a child of God, that I have the same type of existence. I will not understand all of God's ways because I am only a child in comparison. The similarity is, like with my parents, I trust that those ways do have reasons and come from a place of love and protection. The difference is, I may never grow to understand God's ways, because I am not growing up to be a God, the way I grew up to become a parent.

But that is just MY frame of thought.

I only know what I was taught about what happened.
Those instructions formed my sense of the religion as I understood it.
I'm glad you are an authority on God and God's motives and actions.
Perhaps I would have a different understanding if you were the one that taught my Sunday School.
So, where were you?
As for reading "the Book" you refer to, My instruction about religion started before I was able to read?
Why didn't you give the right book to my parents, my pastor, my Sunday school teachers and all the other people I have asked questions about religion?

However, If I was meant to read the "right" book, and God is God, don't you think He would have made sure it was available to me?
For much of my life, I was willing to learn anything I could about religion.
In fact, I was taught it was my duty.

Typical how so many people refuse to take the blame for their lack of education regarding the Scriptures. What do they say in an American court? Ignorance of the Law is no excuse.

Here is the problem with this Defective Scenario. When your education of God and His Book stops when you are a child, then you have a childish idea of God. I remember when I was a child having a religious discussion about the size of God's big toe. And learning that a thunderstorm was really only angels bowling.

CLV 1Cor 13:11 When I was a minor, I spoke as a minor, I was disposed as a minor, I took account of things as a minor. Yet when I have become a man, I have discarded that which is a minor's.
12 For at present we are observing by means of a mirror, in an enigma, yet then, face to face. At present I know out of an instalment, yet then I shall recognize according as I am recognized also.



God has chosen revealed Himself through the book we call the Bible. And, yes, I have studied this book.

CLV Matt 22:29 Now, answering, Jesus said to them, "You are deceived, not being acquainted with the scriptures, nor yet with the power of God.



It was not my job to blow your nose and feed and cloth you. I have already raised my kids. And you were not counted among them.

But you have been given instructions. You just chose to ignore them.

CLV Matt 6:33 Yet seek first the kingdom and its righteousness, and these all shall be added to you.

CLV Matt 7:7 Request and it shall be given you. Seek and you shall find. Knock and it shall be opened to you.



He has. Again, you have chosen to ignore Him.



That's funny. Because I have see you post that your interest in Christianity is limited. That you don't care enough to do what needs to be done. And your lack of Christian education shows.

It's time to grow up. Stop blaming others for your short comings. Take responsibility. You know what to do.

The problem with being asked to 'believe' in something that didn't happen (nobody can prove it did!) is that The Book is inconsistent.

When some JWs knocked at the door of my Grandad's house, they said, "Do you know, it says in The Bible...." and gave him a quote. His reply was, "Yes, that's right, but do YOU know that The Bible also says...." and he gave them another correct quote that said completely the opposite of the first one. They were suitably confused being trained about their text for the day. They couldn't handle it. After a while one of them gave another quote and instantly Grandad replied with another which contradicted it.

As this was many years ago I cannot remember the actual quotes. I wish now that I had done so. This exchange of biblical quotes continued for a while and every time Grandad replied with an opposite. What the JWs didn't know was that Granddad was a priest before he retired and knew his Bible almost word for word, all of it. He understood that The Book is a lot of 'examples' and should never be taken literally. It is to be interpreted and that is most likely the reason why there are so many different denominations, based on different interpretations.

What, for example, is the correct interpretation of, "Ask and you will be given"? If I ask the ATM to give me some money, it will only do so if I have a valid card, know the PIN number to use and there is sufficient funds in my account. It's a deal, if I meet the requirements of the bank they will give me the money I ask for. But If I say it's cold today, so please can we have some sunshine, guess what, nothing will happen!

For me, 'belief' can only happen if I am convinced about something. I 'think' I am convinced about black holes and gravity waves, but I hold on to the fact that these are recent understandings in science and it is quite possible that in the future different understandings will show these to be incorrect. On the other hand I do believe that the earth goes round the sun because the body of evidence shows this to be the case.

Unfortunately, the 'God' concept is impossible for me to believe in due to lack of evidence. The fact that lost of people 'believe' in this is irrelevant, as proved by all the different religions and Gods that people choose to believe in.

Not for me, sorry to say.

Do not be led by others,
awaken your own mind,
amass your own experience,
and decide for yourself your own path."
-The Atharva Veda

I am not worthy.
I am a POS.
I don't study the Bible.
I should go to Hell.

Thing is, I don't want to be big people like you.
I kinda like being me.
As far as I can tell, my God also likes me being me.
But He obviously likes you more so who am I to complain.
Still, I'm pretty happy being me all the same?

The thing isn't about God.
The thing is the teachings that are inconsistet with logic and reason.
The issue isn't the Book.
Its the implied meaning within the book.
What some people do with that implied meaning.
How that implied meaning stacks up against normal logic and reason.
That's where the issue is.

My faith in my God is not dependent on your approval.
Never has been, and I have news for you, never will be.

I wish we could send en e-mail to God asking what we should be doing. I'm sure she would have some interesting answers

There is a show on Netflix I watched called Interview with God that has some pretty cool perceptions. I really enjoyed the script/dialogue between God and the reporter.

There is no "hell." Now, where do you think you are going?



Actually, it is you who are judging people who do not believe as you do. Thes "implications" are in your own mind. They do not truly exist.

Case in point. You keep saying "people like me.' But you don't know me at all. You don't know what I believe. And no matter how many times I tell you, you don't know where you are going.

Any comment you make about the Bible are moot, as far as I am concerned. You have made it abundantly clear that you have never read it. What would you think of a man who comments on Moby Dick, but never actually read it?

CLV Mt 22:29 Now, answering, Jesus said to them, "You are deceived, not being acquainted with the scriptures, nor yet with the power of God.

I amazes me the lengths people will go to just to avoid following His instructions.

In my opinion ..NO ONE knows the word of GOD ..but there sure will be a lot who will claim they do..can I getz an AMEN brother..now pass the collection plate and give me some dollarz..One can believe in whatever one is gullible enough to follow..let me click on the tube and see what the mockingbird has to say ..it's all lies..the MATRIX is made up of all lies..meant to manipulate..meant to control..Wanna play..

No I don't?
As far as I'm concerned YOU can believe anything you want.
My question is why can't I?

Belief is personal (it happens within).
Belief changes as we experience life.
We adapt our beliefs in the process of living.

Religion is unified (a social agreement).
Religion REQUIRES unification of belief.
Without that unification of belief, religion falls apart.
A perfect religion never changes. It follows doctrine.
A perfect religion cannot tolerate adaptation (diversion from doctrine).

Religion says "you believe what I tell you or you are a sinner".
If ya ask "why"?
The answer is "Because I said So".

But since there is no 'God' it follows there are no instructions from this imaginary being. Maybe if she exists in your mind, you feel the need to follow whatever 'instructions' she gives you. Poor you!

Fortunately for me, there are no 'instructions' in my mind telling me to do this or not do that. I use my own judgement, but I do admit that as a child I had a 'Christian' upbringing, so my judgement is basically what a Christian would do - in other words never hurt another person, or animal. That's my own philosophy, just be kind and nice to others and treat others as I would like them to treat me. There is absolutely no need whatever to invent imaginary beings and then try to behave in the way I think they would want me to behave, if they had existed. How complicated!

This is not right. We Christians should not stand between others and God, and interfere. We are not even a minority faith at risk of alienation.

Mark 22:38-40

John said to Him, Teacher, we saw someone casting out demons in Your name, and we forbade him because he does not follow us.
But Jesus said, do not forbid him, for there is no one who will do a work of power in My name and be able to speak evil of me.
For he who is not against us is for us.

Well, it just had to happen, didn't it. I'm amazed that it took so long.
A member of the god squad has arrived, to set us all straight, and answer all our questions.
Bible study twice a week, door knocking with magazines 6 days a week, and brainwashing compulsory and ongoing.
Any deviation from this, and you will be shunned.

I find it quite entertaining that the response to my post saying there is no God is to quote from a book.

Some basic things you need to know before you go posing about what makes sense to you about Christianity, and what doesn't.

I see you were trained in a religion as a child. I am not sure what training you have had since, but it seems that your views are from a child's point of view. No research. Do what you're told.



I don't understand where this idea comes from. But, again, it sounds like a child-like perspective. Perhaps you put too much importance on what others say to you?



Yes, you sound very much like an atheist. Would it surprise you to know that I agree with that last sentence? Living in His Presence and living a life of religion are two very different things.



There is no "lucifer" in the Scriptures. The name comes from a mistake in the Septiguant. The info on "lucifer" is really about a king (Tyre) in the OT.



This is abundantly clear.
But as I mentioned before, there is no "hell" in the Scriptures. There is no ancient word in the Scriptures that means "hell" as we use the word.

I would suggest that if you want to keep making these little "Defective Scenarios" on Christianity that you do some research and clean up your act.

By the time I was 18, I had visited 50 churches, including Kathryn Kuhlman's, and had been healed the say way that is described in the Bible.

Oh great one!
Thank you for setting me straight.
I obviously have no idea what I am talking about.

Now that you have me completely convinced of your superiority all you need to do is convince the other 7.5 billion people.

It is a common misunderstanding among believers that churches or religion can heal people. That is fatually incorrect. Agreed that some people feel a healing-like effect after a visit to such charlatans, but the cause is nothing to do with belief or religion. There is a lot we don't understand, and it is sadly tpyical of the human race to turn wild guesses into beliefs before we understand fully.

People once believed the earth was flat, because that's how it looks from the perspective of a man who has never been up in the air.

In Shakespear's day it was widely believed that the human body would fall apart if anyone attempted to move at a speed greater than 60mph. Possibly because nobody had done that in those days so the incorrect assumption was made that it would never be possible.

Just as in those two examples, we will learn more science as time goes by and soon the world will be asking, "Did people really believe in all that?" with an incredulous look on their faces.

Did all those churches you visited have the Seal of Solomon on them?
Was he a Christian?
Did they have depictions of Jesus performing Mudra's?
Did they have an entrance, shaped very much like a ladies , you know what.
Did they have any other symbolism?
What does it all mean?