think about it. Faith healers, revivals with big bins to dump the 'plates in. TV Evanglists with robes of fine linens, jewels dripping from every finger, gold and silver upon their wrists, necks, and hands. Church's where the main figure has what look like harums and private security.

Think further about it. One could be selling snake oil, but the authorities can confiscate your product, test it and determine you are a fruad... But sell spritual snake oil and your safe cause by darn those that don't believe you simply 'have no faith'.

Absolutely. It's also attracts ego-centric people who love to argue and pretend that God is on their side. Either accept their religion or you DIE!

The choice is YOURS!

It's truly the epitome of arrogance is all it amounts to. The whole ideal is about as far from a divine concept as it can be. It's just a way to be hateful toward everyone who refuses to kiss your butt and do it in the name of "God".

And people get this from a culture that did precisely this to their neighboring cultures.

Notice that their neighboring cultures weren't even accusing them with such hateful innuendos. Neither did the other cultures attack and murder their every man, woman, and child with no mercy.

Like they say, "History is written by the victors", and in this case the most hateful religion won. Which makes sense, because it was the religion that used "God" as an excuse to murder all the "non-believers".

Are you talking of ALL of the abrahamic religions?

Or just one of that abrahamic religion threefold grip on humankind?

Yes there are people that behave as such. They will have to face this at judgment just as anyone else. The faith doesn't teach us to be like that, about the fine jewelry and what not. If these people were doing what they were suppose to be doing with the donated money, they would not have these fine things. It is there trespasses, it doesn't resemble the Christian faith at all. God has told us to be opposite of this.

Well in a very real sense it stems from all of them because this mindset ultimately comes from the Old Testament. But, yes, the New Testament takes that same sentiment and just drives it further by demanding that only a recognition of Jesus as the only way to God will suffice.

I think it's fairly obviously that historically it was important to the people in the middle east to try to make out like their religion has more clout than the religion of their neighbors. And that mindset just continued to gain momentum once the ball was set in motion.

Christianity offered a way to take an old religion and create a "new God" out of it thus making it a brand new religion. In other words, even those who claim to cling to the old religion are then renounced as not following the "True God".

It's just an example of a "Jealous God" religion being refined into an even more specific "Jealous God" religion.

Like the Grinch who stole Christmas, the Christians became the Chrisgrinches who stole Jesus.

It's really nothing more than just attempt by men to try to set up their religion as being the only religion to have the "Patent Rights" on God.

Either worship our religion, or God will hate you!

What better way to push a new religion out the door?

It's not a new religion, it's not a different religion from old to new testament. The MAIN DIFFERENCE between the old and new testament is that we no long have to sacrifice something substantial in order to receive forgiveness. That is pretty much the ONLY difference. This is cause Jesus was the ultimate sacrifice for us all. He sacrificed EVERY breath down to his last for YOU. Other then the judging the old and new are almost exactly the same. Also keep in mind they are two totally different laws, two totally different covenants. So yes naturally they are going to have similarities, but also differences. Cause again they are two totally different sets of laws.

God hates no one. There is no "punishment". Nothing foul. You either love our father which then you're rewarded with eternal life, or you die. No punishment. Again, only reward for obedience.

When a parent doesn't shower the child with gifts, do they then hate the child?

If a parent kills their innocent child they are a criminal.

If a God kills his innocent children the same would apply.

Glad you feel this way. God kills no one. God only offers eternal life. It was you and I that put Jesus on that cross. God didn't have anything to do with it. If you and I didn't sin Jesus would not have had to sacrifice himself for us.

I do not put Jesus on the cross...
Abra does not put Jesus on the cross.

This is something you do... Your faith requires that Jesus be crucified daily.

For me Jesus was a prophet of god that lived. Taught a good message. And placed his message in the timestream of mankind in such a way that when you are dust... His name will still be mentioned among the greatest of mankind.

Much sympathy for you abra if you do not wish to accept the gift Jesus has set out before you. The greatest sacrifice so you may be forgiven of your sins and trespasses, so that you may enjoy the gift of heaven. Jesus is always there for you when/if you change your mind my friend.

By your words Jesus has set a gift before me.

Yet Jesus was a gift from god.

Therefore I give thanks to god.

Jesus walked his path.

I walk mine.

God walks with me.

as he does with you.

religion is attractive, and much like an attractive woman, its not without its questionable and undesirable suitors

Jesus is the path, the way to our father. No one comes to the father but through Jesus. God turns away from sin. Without Jesus we are infested with sin from our sinful actions. But thanks to Jesus' sacrifice we may receive forgiveness of our trespasses if we wish to accept his gift.

I reckon you get a lot of those.



Some men being what they are.

well then...

Yet god is with me. I am not without sin... Yet god is with me as he is with you...

I accept GOD.

what more do I need?

God is greater than all things.

Yes he is. But god will not let sin into the paradise. Sin stays with you till it is forgiven. Before Jesus gave his life so we could be forgiven, the sins would even pass down generation to generation, unless forgiveness was sought after. And the only way to receive forgiveness through our covenant with our father is by accepting Jesus as lord and savor.

So all who follow another messenger of God... Mohammad will (by this reasoning) not reach heaven... balderdash...
Those that follow Krishna's message will not reach heaven? More balderdash.

When you are born you are washed clean by the attendants at your birthing...

When you pass the thin veil you are washed clean by the glory of god...

It matters not how you worshiped god...

He washes us all with his love...

as his love created us.

He washes one clean if one wishes sincerely for it to happen. And how can he wash you clean if you turn around and do the same thing 5 minutes later? That is where the repentance comes in. We screw up and sin, we then ask for forgiveness and get stronger growing in this not to do it again.

dude...

How can you possibly know what I will do in the next 5 minutes? (You can not know).

He washs one with his glory at the moment you pass the thin veil... What you do 5 minutes after arrival in 'heaven' is your business.

You go right ahead and ask for forgivness for your sins... I will go to the next step when my life here has been lived.

I have no doubt of where I go... God is with me.