Discussion about Jesus’s death which now encompasses creationism and the second coming. Thread 2

[ZoggyStirdust]

Continues from here if anyone wants to

www.mumsnet.com/talk/am_i_being_unreasonable/5318577-to-not-understand-why-christians-think-jesus-died-for-our-sins?page=40&reply=143772264

It strikes me as ironic that other writings exist that were excluded from the Bible, such as the gospel of Thomas and apparently even a bit of Mary Magdalenes musings have been recovered. What makes the ones included in the New Testament better than the others, or more "authentic" aside from the preference of those who chose them?

Also, all this stuff about men and women that overlooks Lilith in favour of the fallen trad wife? Never mind apples, religious cherry picking is quite dizzying....

Plus, what came first, religion or MLMs? Because the latter is heavily dependent on the same sort of elitist mindset of most religions/cults. Manifestation is just secular prayer, IMHO.

To be fair, the vicars I know are the biggest gossips of them all!!

Great point. As far as I recall there were a number of councils that met to standardize what was put in the Bible but I have no idea how they decided it and what was the criteria. I have to look into it now. I think Martin Luther took 7 books out of it when he broke from the Catholic Church and published the Bible in German. So yeah you could say that the content Bible itself is on shaky ground if so many people have had an input into it. It might be one of the reasons why us Catholics are taught that scripture (Bible) and tradition (teachings and practice handed down from the time of the apostles)are equally important but that's too deep a point for me to get into to be honest. I'm getting out of my depth here!!

What will we look like in this new life?

And lots of mumsnetters telling Eve she should have LTB.

Leading possibly to an Ark full of ducks going in rows of two.....

I think that I said that. It is certainly what I believe.

At our best. Recognisable as ourselves but without blemishes like scars or skin conditions. Without disease. I would guess we'll look like an improved version of ourselves as young adults, but that's only a guess.

https://www.gotquestions.org/look-like-in-Heaven.html

Most of my church experience is free church, so I have known vicars but not that well. I hope they know when to stop. 😁

Yes it applies to me like everyone else. I believe Jesus when He says

“I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me".

I have seen and heard enough to know that God is the one real God. No other supernatural being could do what He does.

But what has “he” done?

I’m sure other religions would say their god is the only real god.

I have answered this question, multiple times! But as I have said before, atheists don't find the answer acceptable - we cannot understand the decisions that God makes.

To us, they may seem arbitrary or even cruel, as in your example. Our place as humans isn't to try and understand why God makes these decisions, simply to believe that he has our best interests at heart even if we don't fully understand it at the time.

I'm not saying its the right or wrong way to think, but it's the theologically accepted answer for billions of religious believers the world over.

This has a simple answer - the early Church Fathers didn't want to include them. There are many reasons why; the Gospel of Thomas isn't a narrative, like the 4 Gospels included in the canon. It's just a list of things Jesus said and they thought people would find it boring!

The Gospel of Mary Magdalene has never been found completed, so they didn't want to include it as they didn't have all the pieces.

The 4 Gospels mostly back each other up, or fill in gaps for each other. The ones that were missed out were outliers/anomalies, so were missed out.

The Biblical Canon was created by humans, who are fallible - it's highly possible (and likely) that there are mistakes.

I can’t think of any examples where god has done things in people’s best interest.

No wonder people don’t believe he exists

I know you answered me previously, I was asking that poster their personal thoughts on it.

And it’s not that I don’t find the theological answer ‘acceptable’ as such, I am not so uneducated that I don’t understand the concept of ‘we just don’t know’.

I am interested in how an individual can simultaneously confidently say god is omnipotent, is capable of answering prayers, is kind and loving AND refuses to answer the prayers specifically of a child victim of rape desperately begging him for help.

There’s a logical fallacy and cognitive dissonance required that to me falls outside of ‘just’ faith as it requires such a huge leap.

He can, but he doesn’t want to. I could not describe such an entity as kind and loving so I’m interested in how people who do justify it individually.

I find it fascinating, especially as someone who grew up in the church but never believed for reasons like that.

Sorry! I was catching up and saw your question :)

But what if we’ve been cremated?

I don’t really want to look like myself if I’ve got to have it for eternity. I want to look like my idea of perfection and it’s not me. Even when younger, slimmer and prettier that isn’t good enough for me for eternity.

Catholics don't agree with cremation as they believe you need your physical body. Protestants believe it's only your soul, so cremation is fine.

All my deceased catholic family members were cremated, even the most religious one.

Tbf, recent Catholic teaching from the Vatican has said cremation is an option, purely due to lack of space in cemeteries!

About 80% of the deceased are cremated in the UK nowadays, so at least heaven shouldn’t be too crowded :)

A lot of people don’t have a problem with their scars and blemishes. These things are often symbolic of things that they have experienced and had to over come. Also, why is being seen to be young the perceived best version of our selves? I am middle aged now, with many, many flaws, but I am still a much better version of myself at this age. It would be maddening to remain in this youthful state, in perpetuity. Is there any further kind of soul and spirit evolution?