Why (or why not) be Christian? Part 2

[Mustardseed86]

Continuing from this thread:

https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/philosophy_religion_spirituality/5018897-why-or-why-not-be-christian

Anyone welcome to join. 🙂

@Mustardseed86

I believe that religion was created by people for people. When you look at the similarities between religions, they all have a core idea of something being there after death and often a punishment for doing the wrong thing and a reward for doing the right thing. In other words, it’s manipulation.
We’ve seen throughout history how religion has been used to control massive populations through this manipulation. It’s also used as a source of comfort, i.e. thinking that someone is in a better place after death.
I believe that religion appeals mainly to people who are unable or unwilling to think for themselves. Religions tell you how to think, what to think, when to think, and what to think about. I don't believe that anyone should rely on a 2,000-year-old book to be a good person and lead a good life.

Given how many different religions there are globally, according to some estimates over 4000, it is clear that they can't all be true, so every religion has a high probability of being untrue.

but then thats no real difference than humans helping each other to achieve a common goal ?

And my assertion is simply that one of the reasons we think we need God...

Fixed that for you.

whats wrong with humans reducing the role of religion in society and making more of a human bible on how to build a good society without god ?

@Redherringfish reducing freedom of thought and religious freedom?

I guess the issue would be that we know a lot of humans are deeply flawed, but Christians believe in a God that is intrinsically loving and good. Not sure quite why they believe that given the old testament, but the general idea seems to give them something other humans can't.

but then thats no real difference than humans helping each other to achieve a common goal ?

@Redherringfish, except God's perspective is infinitely bigger than the narrow perspective of a particular human society.

and humanity's ability for creative stories is even bigger, everything we know about a suppose god or gods are all human created, what if the real god has interest in humans then what ?

except God's perspective is infinitely bigger than the narrow perspective of a particular human society.

Don't you think that a particular species (eg humans) knows what's best for them?

nope, people could still believe what they want, just that instead society focuses more on humans and human centric philosophy until believing in mythical beings is mostly the stuff of history and the new normal is humans believing in humanity
if public relations and marketing, then followed by tv, films, documentaries etc can all shape the new society of human thought

very true especially as its humans that created all the various religions to begin with

and humanity's ability for creative stories is even bigger, everything we know about a suppose god or gods are all human created, what if the real god has interest in humans then what ?

@Redherringfish, in relation to the Christian faith? Practicing the faith is not solely about studying the Bible/Bible stories. We can experience God through prayer, worship, religion music and art, other people, the Sacraments and some people have other religious experiences such as dreams and visions, scripture being brought to remembrance at just the right time, synchronicity in events after praying about a concern, for example.

Don't you think that a particular species (eg humans) knows what's best for them?

@Lalupalina, maybe, but would they all agree? Do they know the future? Do they understand the past? Do they understand the present? Even if they did is what they want the best for the environment which sustains them?

but then how can we be certain that we are in cohots with god when all we know about the christian god is from the bible, then with eg new test and old etc how can we be sure which version of god we are in contact with, ?

if public relations and marketing, then followed by tv, films, documentaries etc can all shape the new society of human thought

@Redherringfish, we already have it. Thankfully those of the Christian faith know how to protect it.

but then how can we be certain that we are in cohots with god when all we know about the christian god is from the bible, then with eg new test and old etc how can we be sure which version of god we are in contact with, ?

@Redherringfish, they are one and the same according to Christian belief.

then it could be debated that there will come a day when society no longer needs the belief in any religions

As many of us don’t follow any faith, we manage just fine.

Only posting because I developed a weird fascination with the (loosely termed) arguments on the previous thread.

Title asks "Why or why not be Christian" but all the answers to "why not" bring an avalanche of You Are Wrong replies, peppered with bible quotes and borderline hallucinatory replies. It's more evangelism than discussion.

Kind of interesting to observe.

I felt the presence of evil.

I was raised Catholic but was never religious in any way and would have described myself as agnostic prior to this.

All those years at mass never brought me close to Jesus but realising exactly what is trying to rule the world did the job pretty sharpish.

then it could be debated that there will come a day when society no longer needs the belief in any religions

@Redherringfish, you would just be replacing Christianity with a new religion where society was god if you were ever successful. However as I said those of the Christian faith know how to protect themselves.

"4 The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. 5 We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ."
(2 Corinthians 10:4-5)

but then what happens when society gets to a point where there are only a few believers in the old religions because society has created a new human based philosophy and then how does your bibles say you will win without the numbers ?

What's even weirder is that you thanked me for one of my posts. 😉

I think you're describing judgement day, pretty much to a T.

It was never about numbers. Christians will be persecuted and their numbers will dwindle under the beast system. I think its more or less just accepted that this will be the way it pans out. Correct me if I'm wrong.