Using fear
-
Christianity is Christ liviing in me with a new heart serving out of love not out of fear.
It is in response to what Christ has already done for my soul. He has put away hell from me by dying on the cross. And so in gratitude i serve Him not to escape hell but to show my love and gratitude for what He eternally did for me. -
damn sensitive can this topic, dont discuss alrdy.
wait fight, then riot, then no peace, then economy collaspe, then singapore die, then my loved ones die, then i die. -
Originally posted by thetwotheories:damn sensitive can this topic, dont discuss alrdy.
wait fight, then riot, then no peace, then economy collaspe, then singapore die, then my loved ones die, then i die.
-
Originally posted by thetwotheories:damn sensitive can this topic, dont discuss alrdy.
wait fight, then riot, then no peace, then economy collaspe, then singapore die, then my loved ones die, then i die.
not talking doesn't mean not thinking.
wait one day explode.
teacher say when there is doubt, ask. -
Originally posted by thetwotheories:damn sensitive can this topic, dont discuss alrdy.
wait fight, then riot, then no peace, then economy collaspe, then singapore die, then my loved ones die, then i die.
WOW
now...THAT is DEEP. -
Originally posted by chrisbenoit:
-
Everybody wants to ask questions.
But not everybody like the answers. -
The tough thing about Christianity is that is says that one can only be truly happy in the end if they listen and do whatever God tells them to do.
Now that tends to raise a lot of hackles with a lot of people, but I thought about the alternative, more-free ways of living life and I didn't find them to be very free at all. The wanton excess of a pleasure might not be freedom at all, rather it seems to be direct opposite.
Fear? I don't think it would be a silly thing to fear omnipotence, and in any case one ought to be grateful enough to at least give the Person who gave you your existence (how else can you even ask these questions), every good thing you do know (who created them and ultimately owns them long after you're gone?), some attention to see what He's all about.
The pleasures one find in play, eating, drinking, sex and all those other things... do we seriously think they are rights... or really are they gifts that have been entrusted to us to be used in a proper way?
Premartial sex seems to me a devaluation of sex, not a freeing of it. It was those who valued virginity who treated sex with true value. Indeed the mindset of wanton fornication seems to indication that sex is a small and 'what's the big deal' thing.
A freedom? Or a numbness to value?
To quote Aslan from the Narnia books: "all get what they want in the end, but not all will like it" -
Well...there are many views to this.Originally posted by SingaporeTyrannosaur:The tough thing about Christianity is that is says that one can only be truly happy in the end if they listen and do whatever God tells them to do.
Now that tends to raise a lot of hackles with a lot of people, but I thought about the alternative, more-free ways of living life and I didn't find them to be very free at all. The wanton excess of a pleasure might not be freedom at all, rather it seems to be direct opposite.
Fear? I don't think it would be a silly thing to fear omnipotence, and in any case one ought to be grateful enough to at least give the Person who gave you your existence (how else can you even ask these questions), every good thing you do know (who created them and ultimately owns them long after you're gone?), some attention to see what He's all about.
The pleasures one find in play, eating, drinking, sex and all those other things... do we seriously think they are rights... or really are they gifts that have been entrusted to us to be used in a proper way?
Premartial sex seems to me a devaluation of sex, not a freeing of it. It was those who valued virginity who treated sex with true value. Indeed the mindset of wanton fornication seems to indication that sex is a small and 'what's the big deal' thing.
A freedom? Or a numbness to value?
To quote Aslan from the Narnia books: "all get what they want in the end, but not all will like it" -
actually, they are, like what MC quoted from the bible, what we sow we shall also reap. This is the law of cause and effect.Originally posted by laurence82:LCE is not used in Christian doctrines right? -
actually, you can do anything you want to do, God does not restrict you, even the bible says so, everything is permissible, but not everything is beneficial. This verse sums it up very clearly, you can do anything you want, but know that God when He created the world, set in motion certain rules and principles and put certain laws in place and you have to realise that if you choose a certain path, it will carry certain consequences. So ultimately, the choice is still yours.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?
Since you say you do not fear anything, then what is the point of posting this?
God does not use fear for us to come to Him, He uses love. But when you choose God of your own free will, then you also choose His ways and you have to have a clear understanding of what this means.
If you truly know God, and understand Him, you will come to realise that His ways are actually the best and they allow us to live a life of absolute freedom.
Like what ironside has said, if you come to the Lord because you fear hell, they you do it for the wrong reason. Your heart is not repentant and the important thing in your relationship with God is keeping a repentant heart.
With regards to the senior person in your church who said that you could not listen to secular music, well, it may work for him, but what does the Holy Spirit say about it to you? Where does God want you to take your stand? God will and can speak very specifically in our lives if you are in tune with Him and can hear His soft small voice.
Last thing, our God is not so unjust as to let humans burn in hell for eternity. If you read through the bible, those people who do not believe in God and do not choose His ways, will be totally annihilated forever. No burning in hell forever, except for hasatan and his cohorts. -
fear is an ineffective tool for getting people to believe because when these people lose that fear, they will go right back into doing what they did before, and then it gets from bad to worse.
or if people don't care anymore, then what is there to stop them? -
Spiritually speaking, since day one, all people already condemned, so no diff. only thing is Christ's perfect scarifice removes this condemnation from us by bearing them on Himself.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?
On Recreation activities, there are a lot healthy and beneficals ones also, why not do them instead of these crazy harmful ones.
Following Christ is not about feel good factor, its about a life changing experience.
Contrary to somethinking, it is precisely God love us that He don't want us to do things that will harm ourself, else, He can always leave us to go harm ourselves. -
God's grace liberates, not restricts.
-
Well, you can still carry on doing things you like. Is God complaining ? Just that He warns you of those things you like to do - some of it can cause you to be utterly miserable.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?
Sure, "people are suffering" - as much as beauty queens tell you they want world peace. have you been even near to people who are suffering ? are you sure those who "suffered" are not happy with God - like you do ?
Yes. God is Love. And for Love, He allows suffering. I bought that completely. 100%. And i also happen to know that as suffering continues, God's heart is in pain much much more than anyone esle in this world.
So it is my choice mah....
Or can you offer something better ? Let's hear it !