Using fear
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Christianity is about using fear. It uses your fear of hell to make you believe in God, to make you love him, to make you do what he wants.
Christianity seems very real. But it restricts. No gambling, no pre-marital sex, no violence, no this, no that. Hell it even restricts your recreational activities, saying that one should not spend too much time on them.
You guys like a God that uses intimidation, restriction on you?
The hymns make christianity seem so real. The feel good factor of following Christ's steps make it real. Your belief in God and doing his work makes it real. Your communication with God through prayer makes it real. But its not.
I dont feel it. I dont feel God's love. He allows so much suffering on earth. God is love. Isnt that contradictory?
If God really loves us, wouldnt he let us do what we want instead of defining it as sin? -
1) If god wants to make u do what he wants, do he need to use fear? he can just program u to love him, why not? becoz he loves u and give u free will.Originally posted by chrisbenoit:Christianity is about using fear. It uses your fear of hell to make you believe in God, to make you love him, to make you do what he wants.
Christianity seems very real. But it restricts. No gambling, no pre-marital sex, no violence, no this, no that. Hell it even restricts your recreational activities, saying that one should not spend too much time on them.
You guys like a God that uses intimidation, restriction on you?
The hymns make christianity seem so real. The feel good factor of following Christ's steps make it real. Your belief in God and doing his work makes it real. Your communication with God through prayer makes it real. But its not.
I dont feel it. I dont feel God's love. He allows so much suffering on earth. God is love. Isnt that contradictory?
If God really loves us, wouldnt he let us do what we want instead of defining it as sin?
2) Restricts? U mean u like gambling, pre-marital sex, violence and this is keeping u from becoming a christian? What kind of recreatinal activities are u talking abt, and pls quote who said one should not spend too much time on them...where is it from?
3) If you are talking abt feeling good factors, then probably u are seeing shallow "Christians" who go to church exactly for that....how do u know it's not true? Judging from ur own experience? Frm ur observation? How's ur walk with god?
4) It is natural for one not to feel God's love becoz u are rejecting it. The very fact that u are breathing and eating is an act of god's love. Suffering is caused by man's fall from grace and the only way to relieve these is to recouncil with god, not to fight him.
5) Yes God is love, but god is a just god. He will definitely let u do what u want with ur life, but afterwards u have to face him and be judged by him. If u are talking abt gambling, pre-marital sex, violence and u have done it already, dun worry, there is no condemnation if u believe in Jesus. U just have to receive him in ur life and stop fighting with God and turning away from him.
From the way u wrote, I understand u are very afraid of sin (mebeb becoz something u have done). But bear in mind, there is no condemnation for anyone who believe in Christ. -
Originally posted by laoda99:
Theres someone in my church (quite influenical) who says we shouldnt listen to worldly music. It brings us away from God. He even said it makes us spend less time with God, which is the purpose of the devil.
1) If god wants to make u do what he wants, do he need to use fear? he can just program u to love him, why not? becoz he loves u and give u free will.
2) Restricts? U mean u like gambling, pre-marital sex, violence and this is keeping u from becoming a christian? What kind of recreatinal activities are u talking abt, and pls quote who said one should not spend too much time on them...where is it from?
3) If you are talking abt feeling good factors, then probably u are seeing shallow "Christians" who go to church exactly for that....how do u know it's not true? Judging from ur own experience? Frm ur observation? How's ur walk with god?
4) It is natural for one not to feel God's love becoz u are rejecting it. The very fact that u are breathing and eating is an act of god's love. Suffering is caused by man's fall from grace and the only way to relieve these is to recouncil with god, not to fight him.
5) Yes God is love, but god is a just god. He will definitely let u do what u want with ur life, but afterwards u have to face him and be judged by him. If u are talking abt gambling, pre-marital sex, violence and u have done it already, dun worry, there is no condemnation if u believe in Jesus. U just have to receive him in ur life and stop fighting with God and turning away from him.
From the way u wrote, I understand u are very afraid of sin (mebeb becoz something u have done). But bear in mind, there is no condemnation for anyone who believe in Christ.
Lim pei not scared of anything leh.
As for you other points, I will reserve my comments till I hear further opinions. -
1. U are going to church, so I assume that u are a Christian. May I know how long u have been to church and which church are u currently attending? I am a Christian who have been going church for 3 years and nobody in my church teach us what to listen.Originally posted by chrisbenoit:Theres someone in my church (quite influenical) who says we shouldnt listen to worldly music. It brings us away from God. He even said it makes us spend less time with God, which is the purpose of the devil.
Lim pei not scared of anything leh.
As for you other points, I will reserve my comments till I hear further opinions. -
It is true that we need to fear God. It is mentioned repeatedly that the fear of God is the beginning of wisdom. If you believe in a good God, then you should be afraid of being separated from Him eternally.
Historically, mankind have had difficulties agreeing. A simple act maybe be perfectly fine in one culture, but it may be a taboo in another. So it is impossible for Man to define and agree what is right or wrong. On what does Man measure good and bad? Is anybody, government or instituion able to do so?
Supposedly someone is able to do so. Assuming that there must be consequences to doing right and wrong (if not, there will be chaos). Then we ultimately be subjected to fear of breaking these rules set out. Fear is not a bad thing. It is what or whom you place your fear on. Can you place your trust in a government run by humans totally?
There is a cost of being a Christian, there is no free lunch in the world. -
arguments that will go nowhere.
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I havent been to church for quite some time.
I used to be a christian, but not anymore. Its a long story.
Please dont ask me why Im not christian anymore. -
It is ok lah. You made your choice, so it will be.
If you decide to come back again, remember the parable of the prodigal son
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myself too.Originally posted by chrisbenoit:I havent been to church for quite some time.
I used to be a christian, but not anymore. Its a long story.
Please dont ask me why Im not christian anymore.
i was baptized in my early 20s. -
You're saying that if someone go and kill people, do evil acts, torture your family members and after all these hedious crime, all he need to do is simply go and believe in Christ and he will live a good life in paradise?Originally posted by laoda99:But bear in mind, there is no condemnation for anyone who believe in Christ. -
who gave you such an impression?Originally posted by DailyFreeGames.com:You're saying that if someone go and kill people, do evil acts, torture your family members and after all these hedious crime, all he need to do is simply go and believe in Christ and he will live a good life in paradise?
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Either it's misunderstood or there's lack of understanding.
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i have in fact met and know some christians who have this mistaken concept.Originally posted by M©+square:Either it's misunderstood or there's lack of understanding. -
There are christian(s) who lived their whole life missing the whole point of Christianity.Originally posted by dragg:i have in fact met and know some christians who have this mistaken concept.
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If he is truely repentent, YES....Originally posted by DailyFreeGames.com:You're saying that if someone go and kill people, do evil acts, torture your family members and after all these hedious crime, all he need to do is simply go and believe in Christ and he will live a good life in paradise? -
then since you do not believe......then you shall follow me to the depths of helll.......we shall enjoy eternal fire in bliss..........Originally posted by chrisbenoit:Christianity is about using fear. It uses your fear of hell to make you believe in God, to make you love him, to make you do what he wants.
Christianity seems very real. But it restricts. No gambling, no pre-marital sex, no violence, no this, no that. Hell it even restricts your recreational activities, saying that one should not spend too much time on them.
You guys like a God that uses intimidation, restriction on you?
The hymns make christianity seem so real. The feel good factor of following Christ's steps make it real. Your belief in God and doing his work makes it real. Your communication with God through prayer makes it real. But its not.
I dont feel it. I dont feel God's love. He allows so much suffering on earth. God is love. Isnt that contradictory?
If God really loves us, wouldnt he let us do what we want instead of defining it as sin? -
He will still face the punishment he deserve in the physical/earthly realm.Originally posted by laoda99:If he is truely repentent, YES....
Law of Cause and Effect. Reaping and Sowing still takes effect. -
I was refering to laoda99's comments. Check the quoted remarks then you will understand.Originally posted by dragg:who gave you such an impression? -
You could have asked for clarification as well?Originally posted by DailyFreeGames.com:I was refering to laoda99's comments. Check the quoted remarks then you will understand.
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LCE is not used in Christian doctrines right?Originally posted by M©+square:He will still face the punishment he deserve in the pyshical/earthly realm.
Law of Cause and Effect. Reaping and Sowing still takes effect. -
MCSQUARE sums up very well...Originally posted by DailyFreeGames.com:I was refering to laoda99's comments. Check the quoted remarks then you will understand. -
Hmm?Originally posted by laurence82:LCE is not used in Christian doctrines right?
Law of Reaping and Sowing.
I've mentioned yeah? Same principle. -
Even if you change your lifestyle from sinning to living a religious life.if it is just that then when yoou die you will still go to hell.Originally posted by chrisbenoit:Christianity is about using fear. It uses your fear of hell to make you believe in God, to make you love him, to make you do what he wants.
Christianity seems very real. But it restricts. No gambling, no pre-marital sex, no violence, no this, no that. Hell it even restricts your recreational activities, saying that one should not spend too much time on them.
You guys like a God that uses intimidation, restriction on you?
The hymns make christianity seem so real. The feel good factor of following Christ's steps make it real. Your belief in God and doing his work makes it real. Your communication with God through prayer makes it real. But its not.
I dont feel it. I dont feel God's love. He allows so much suffering on earth. God is love. Isnt that contradictory?
If God really loves us, wouldnt he let us do what we want instead of defining it as sin?
There is a difference between attrition and contrition my friend.
Atrition is 'turning away from sin' so that you will escape hell. That is not true repentance.
Contrition is turning away from sin because it is Sin Against an Almighty God who is loving, gracious and worthy of all my all whether heaven or hell exist.
You got it wrong my friend. God is not a little kid. He cannot be mocked.
What's your motive of not sinning? To escape hell ?
If that is all it: you will still go to hell. You heart has not been changed by grace. -
If one should not believe in the Christian God then very well and then, let us cast Him down as a piece of evil dogma that only seeks to hinder all joys.
But that leaves the bigger question of where all these joys and pleasures come from, let there be no joy and fear and let us be free to seek this happiness... it seems that the initial attraction of athiesm suddenly turns sour when one realizes the cold brutality of the creed.
Having done away with any form of rules, it seems the only rule we have is that of power. The strongest and fittest shall rule in the end, and the strongest and fittest do not care a whilt for the suffering. But then there is no God, no nothing to resist them, nothing to say they ought to do otherwise. They are the gods and nothing is there to stop them.
So what exactly do we want? We want to be free to make our choices without anybody cutting our fun. But being free to make choices without restrictions means being free to do things that might hurt and sadden others. And if there are no rules against these evils what hope do we have?
It seems to me to have happiness you have to follow a certain set of absolute rules and apply to all men irregardless of how high or how low they are. And this set of rules cannot be given by man, but by something higher and beyond him. Trace this far back enough we would have arrived at God yet again.
Toss away God from the picture, and you will not have to fear the threat of hell, because there will be hell on earth. The fear would have become the reality.
So why is there the fear? We ought to be thinking why we are blessed enough to be in the state to fear hell, rather then be in the (as we so deserved) very place itself. The fear is an act of mercy and not cruelty, the moment one thinks of it.
I do not for a moment think the fear is the main motivation for those who realize that those rules are out there for our own good so that we might have as much happiness, even more then we could ever have now.
It seems to me that God does not want us to just enjoy and see the pleasures we have around us, He wants to give us the real and proper things of eden, but reaching there involves sacrifice (because we have the choice) of the unreal things we make the choice to hold onto now.
So in the end the choice is still yours.
What say you?
Speaking of another kind of fear (not the threatening kind but the kind where we find God scary and awesome), I don't see anything wrong about it... we ought to be scared of God.
God loves us, that's why he cannot just let us do whatever we want, because so often what we think we want turns out to be the very thing we hate. It seems that all His bothersome efforts to mess with us are an effort to give us the thing we really wanted all the while. If only we could trust Him. -
The simplest truths can be the hardest to grasp. There is a good reason for the scandal of grace, but one needs to be humble enough to accept it. A person who has reason to view himself as higher (in certain conditions) then other men will never understand grace as it was for him.Originally posted by DailyFreeGames.com:You're saying that if someone go and kill people, do evil acts, torture your family members and after all these hedious crime, all he need to do is simply go and believe in Christ and he will live a good life in paradise?
It might have something to do with the fact that we are no better then that psyco. Jesus was traded for a sadistic murderer, was that fair?