Your Views on Religion

[thealmightyq]

kai said:

thealmightyq said:

Burn in hell? No. Go to hell? Yes. However, that sort of atheist would receive a much lighter punishment than an atheist who did nothing, and the atheist was given a way-out of the situation the entire time he was alive.

I thought all sins were equal in the eyes of God?

No, that is not true. All sins lead to separation from God, that is true. However, there is definite Biblical support for the idea that people will receive differing punishments on the day of judgment due to the level ofsin that exists. This is from one of Jesus' parables speaking about the day of judgment:

Luke 12:47-48 (New International Version)

47"That servant who knows his master's will and does not get ready or does not do what his master wants will be beaten with many blows. 48But the one who does not know and does things deserving punishment will be beaten with few blows. From everyone who has been given much, much will be demanded; and from the one who has been entrusted with much, much more will be asked.

Of course, this depends on which sub-relgion you pratice.

Not every interpretation of scripture is correct, you know. Some interpretations are better at explaining the relevant data than others.

And how is that in anyway forgiving? Mortals punish crimials like that. And in our justice system are doing your time, you are allowed another chance.

We are allowed plenty of chances by God. God is in no way obligated to us at all. He does not have give us any chance. As I said earlier, God could have just made it so that He instantaneously wiped us out the instant we first sinned and then created someone in our place. He could have not created a way of reconciliation between Him and us at all and just left us to die with our sins. He didn't. Also, in our justice system, you're not allowed a second-chance oftentimes. Life sentences without parole are given all the time. God gives us plenty of chances in this lifetime, but death is indeed the final ending point where the chances stop. Furthermore, part of this question assumes that God can, to a level, ignore sin, and the fact is that He can not. Since God gives us exactly "our weight" in what we've done, how is His system of justice unfair?

Face it, Chrisitainity is a bloody religion. Look at Japan. It's crime rates are much lower than our own. And this is country that attempted to take over the world in WWII. The Japanese worship nature, not a God.

Yes, but crime in America almost always is concentrated in areas of high population (cities), which almost always tend to be areas that are less religious than less populated areas. Furthermore, Japan has a highly group-oriented honor/shame system of morality that emphasizes obligation to others in a way that America's individualistic system of morality does not. Japan impresses the obligation to help one's family and one's obligation to society around you at a very early age, whereas America's individualistic culture does not. Anthropological studies have shown that this orientation decreases violence to others that are within your "group", but tends to create an "us vs. them" attitude towards groups outside your "group". Africa also has this mindset, which explains a lot of the tribal warfare that occurs. Japan does not have a lot of this tribal warfare because it is a unified whole ethnically. Hence, Japan has lower crime rates than America. Does the fact that America is an individualistic culture have anything to do with its Christian roots? No. Christianity itself was born in an honor/shame culture (70% of the cultures today are honor/shame cultures) that was group-oriented. (There is actually a very interesting article here that shows many of similarities between modern Japanese culture and ancient Biblical culture.) Many verses in the Bible can be better interpreted in light of this fact. Also, Christianity is not a violent religion. When you use the word "Christianity," you are either meaning "Christianity as it is practiced" or "Christianity as expounded in its sacred texts." Christianity as it is practiced has been violent many times in history (though the violence is almost always exaggerated by skeptics who have a bone to pick with religion). Christianity in its original texts is most definitely a religion of peace:

Matthew 5:21-25

21"You have heard that it was said to the people long ago, 'Do not murder, and anyone who murders will be subject to judgment.' 22But I tell you that anyone who is angry with his brotherwill be subject to judgment. Again, anyone who says to his brother, 'Raca,[c]' is answerable to the Sanhedrin. But anyone who says, 'You fool!' will be in danger of the fire of hell.

23"Therefore, if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother has something against you, 24leave your gift there in front of the altar. First go and be reconciled to your brother; then come and offer your gift.

25"Settle matters quickly with your adversary who is taking you to court. Do it while you are still with him on the way, or he may hand you over to the judge, and the judge may hand you over to the officer, and you may be thrown into prison. 26I tell you the truth, you will not get out until you have paid the last penny.[d]

Matthew 5:38-48

38"You have heard that it was said, 'Eye for eye, and tooth for tooth.'[g] 39But I tell you, Do not resist an evil person. If someone strikes you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also. 40And if someone wants to sue you and take your tunic, let him have your cloak as well. 41If someone forces you to go one mile, go with him two miles. 42Give to the one who asks you, and do not turn away from the one who wants to borrow from you.

43"You have heard that it was said, 'Love your neighbor[h] and hate your enemy.' 44But I tell you: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, 45that you may be sons of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. 46If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that? 47And if you greet only your brothers, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that? 48Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.

The following is part of an account of the execution of the first Christian martyr, Stephen, which can be found in the Biblical book, The Acts of the Apostles:

Acts 7:54-60

54When they heard this, they were furious and gnashed their teeth at him. 55But Stephen, full of the Holy Spirit, looked up to heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God. 56"Look," he said, "I see heaven open and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God."

57At this they covered their ears and, yelling at the top of their voices, they all rushed at him, 58dragged him out of the city and began to stone him. Meanwhile, the witnesses laid their clothes at the feet of a young man named Saul.

59While they were stoning him, Stephen prayed, "Lord Jesus, receive my spirit." 60Then he fell on his knees and cried out, "Lord, do not hold this sin against them." When he had said this, he fell asleep.

Yep, that Stephen was a barbaric guy, wasn't he? ;D

Galatians 6:9-10 (New International Version)

9Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. 10Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers.

These are only some of the verses in the New Testament emphasizing peacefulness and love towards non-Christians in the New Testament. A fantastic web page summarizing mostl of the peaceful teachings of the early church and the New Testament can be found here:

www.bibletexts.com/terms/war.htm

The New Testament is a story of love, not of hatred.


TheAlmightyQ

PS. I think it might be appropriate for me to lay out some of the positive evidence that exists for Christianity. I plan to do this in a future post.