Please explain something about Christianity

[GoodyGoodyGumdrops]

Before I start, I just want to be quite clear that I'm not trying to be contentious or antagonistic. I'm a person of a different faith, who accepts the plurality of faiths, and wants to live in peace and understanding with others.

My question is about Jesus's death atoning for your sins. Does he not atone for all sins past and future, so that others can believe in him and also receive this atonement? In which case, why do you need to behave ethically?

Such a silly way for God to send an important message to humans. Using metaphors and allegories. Imagine if I rang 999 having came across someone who had stopped breathing and the operator on the end of the line chose metaphors to communicate with me. It makes God look like an utter numpty.

you would probably end up with an anchovy Pizza at the scene. Tasty but no good to the dying person.

1DAD, I asked the question because your posts seemed to indicate you thought it somehow unfair that an atheist, who disagreed with and disbelief in God would not ultimately be 'at one' with God, in heaven. You and headinhands have just stated that, in terms of your own perspectives, you couldn't be at one with the Biblical God, so I view the nit being with Him in heaven as somewhat inevitable unless you have a change of heart.

It really does follow, that there is a rather different perspective and understanding on who the Biblical God is, His nature, otherwise Christians would all be out there planning their latest merciless vengeance which they most certainly are not. The clue is in the title, Christian, ie 'little Christ'. Christ preached love, forgiveness, humility and healing. His atonement removed the need for further bloodshed, human sacrifice and vengeance.

ACubed, I most certainly am not saying the Creation account is untrue. What I am saying is that I read and understand narrative differently to scientific theory.

Rockpebblestone Know I am confused, can we pick and choose the scripture in the bible when want to believe in? Do we praise him when he is good and sweep under the carpet when he is bad? Can god be back or are all the things I see as abhorrent righteous?

bad*

bad*

head human beings have being communicating through narrative for centuries. Narrative is central to the human condition and (almost) universal. It is good in its complexity as it means everbody can access it in terms of their own level of understanding and gain deeper understanding over time.

1DAD, I believe God is love and good. Human kind diverging from Him, His will, is where the (according to my Christian belief) bad originates from. If you have any love, are at all good, then according to my belief, you have an aspect God in you, whether you recognise it or not.

it means everbody can access it in terms of their own level of understanding and gain deeper understanding over time.

Well most people don't get the message though. And even those who get it get contradictory messages about gods will such as we have wth gay marriage. A wise God would have a better plan. And it wouldn't include loads of accounts of him ordering people to stab babies while maintaining he's all love.

head I would say most people are capable of understanding God through Christ, at some level and that this understanding can be built upon, as we interact with the Bible's teachings and narrative. What better plan could there be? Some sort of effectual download? How would that involve choice and engaging our with free will?

That is you belief and that is fine. But for me to believe that would be very flawed. I would have to ignore so many points of reason, logic, science, general human morality and love for my fellow humans. Yes there is also a lot of beautify in the bible but I don't believe its origins are god. It would be wrong of me to believe in the god of love and to ignore the nasty god and his evil intolerant teachings/actions. As has been stated by ACubed why believe one bit of the bible and not the other. Like I say if god was on earth today he would be up in front of the Hague just the same as many Nazis and other war/human rights criminals. and that is just my ethical problem let alone my problem with any evidence of his actual existence.

1DAD I don't pick and choose which bits of the Bible I believe but as I have indicated, my understanding of God and the Bible, is, evidently, very different to your's.

Yes, there are very brutal accounts, in the Bible. Brutality is very much present within human kind, across all cultures, including Pagan and atheist cultures. Some people have lead lives which contain much more physical brutality than others but it, the roots of it, are always there. The Bible deals with this type of subject matter and does not shy away or hide from this, there is no 'whitewashing'.

Some sort of effectual download? How would that involve choice and engaging our with

I'm not God so leave that up to him to devise. As it stands there's no message I've been told is from God that has withstood even cursory scrutiny. I am left assuming that if there is a god it isn't interested in what I think/do.

The trouble is the bible doesn't just cover these issues. The god of the bible is often the one instigating this stuff including mass genocide. I would say the likes of ISIS have nothing on him. So how would it be moral for me to follow such a man. I don't think to say well other gods are doing it as much of a defence.

The Bible deals with this type of subject matter and does not shy away or hide from this, there is no 'whitewashing'

Is God ordering it or doing it himself like drowning babies. I appreciate he thought he had screwed up and wanted to press the reset button but why do it via a flood? Why not just stop their hearts while they were sleeping. Why did it have to involve horror and panic and drowned babies floating past the ark. It's horrific.

head, your not? You have no solution but feel justified in criticising? By your assumption, that God is not interested in what you think, because you are able to criticise and scrutinise suggests you somehow think you would not be able to if God were interested in you.

If I am interested in someone I certainly do not prevent them from engaging in their own thought processes, in order to force my own views. We often learn great lessons from our mistakes ...

head, that question, concerning the Arc, is left up for consideration.

Ark. Typo.

1DAD the thing you are missing here, regarding your discussion of the OT, is Christ's atonement fulfilled the need within humankind for bloodshed, sacrifice and vengeance.

If I am interested in someone I certainly do not prevent them from engaging in their own thought processes, in order to force my own views.

Come again? Are you saying I am capable of stopping you thinking your own thoughts in your head?

Sorry but I am still lost - so are you saying you believe the first two humans were Adam and Eve and the world was created in seven days? I'm a bit confused about what you mean by 'narrative' ... is there a difference between the narrative of the bible and the truth of how the world was actually made (i.e billions of years ago)? I just don't understand how you can believe both, surely it's either/or? I'm honestly not trying to belittle your belief or anything, I'm genuinely interested. I don't have anyone I can talk to in real life about this stuff!

Oh I get it now I think?

No, head, your posts seem to be suggesting you think God should do this, if He were interested in how you 'think'. I say this because you seem to think it odd you could easily scrutinise and criticise. It did seem nonsensical to me, if God were interested in what you thought he would, and actually does, allow you your own thought processes.

because you are able to criticise and scrutinise suggests you somehow think you would not be able to if God were interested in you

No I don't think there's an interested God because there's no evidence behind any of the faiths. They all look manmade.