The problem is, some people just refuse to tolerate different visions. And then you know what happens… Religious wars. But let’s face it, so far, almost all such wars had other purposes, and religion was merely used as a convenient excuse by hypocrites.
Religion is about peace and understanding, not wantom slaughter and hatred.
Maybe they have a reason for it.You just have to try and understand the other person’s point of view.Not everyone was raised under such standards. Oh well, let’s try not to turn this into an overly heated religious debate.
okeys
No, Jesus wanted people to stop hating each other’s guts (ie can’t we all get along) and to stop corrupting religion the way it had been and the way it is nowadays.
If you are of any religion, you have to get into it as your religion dictates. However, most people who are religious translate that to doingas whatever pastor or imam dictates, which leads to fucked up segmentation, which is actually what Jesus wanted to avoid. So people who are “100% into it” don’t even get the meaning of what they’re supposed to be into and are thus the hypocrits Jesus spoke out about. I’ve had 10 years of schooling in a religious environment. I highly doubt you did Obadiah. I know the framework very fucking well. Why don’t do a little research about the oppression of women in certain baptists segments and Jehova’s witnesses? Why don’t you go look how the Witnesses continuously ignore rape and abuse charges to save face? Why don’t you look at the pedophiles that just kept getting away with what they did? Why don’t you look at how the bible is not taught, but the opinion of a pastor, just like an imam, is passed onto a population mindlessly. That is not the word of God. The word of God is supposed to be interpreted individually and people should be explained the possibilities of the meaning and not something honky dory which will make them feel good and happy down the line.
I feel a lot more justified than you so shut up about non-christians. People who see the corruption within the baptists, the witnesses, the bible belt, the mormons (sorry fae, but you know it), people have a right to criticize the corrupt “christians” for what they are.
If anything, you’re the one that doesn’t get it and is following because “it’s what a good christian does”. Jesus didn’t tell people to be followers. Jesus told people to wake the fuck up.
Precisely! Extremism will only lead to disaster. And religious hypocrisy is intolerable! Using religion to incite people to violence is disgusting, and so is using it as an excuse to treat people like objects or slaves or to do any harm to them.
Religion is not an establishment. Religion is a belief.
The problem arises when an established authority presumes to have the last word when it comes to religion and persecutes all those who have different views. The Inquisition was an abomination and it must never happen again.
Yes and a less destructive version of this exists everywhere today. People associate themselves with the belief, it gives em a sense of identity, just like smoking weed and getting your tongue pierced would give someone else a sense of “identity” by doing what everyone else does. People become constrained in their way of thinking and thus problems arise.
WOAH WOAH WOAH!
when did I EVER condone any of that?
ANYONE who misinterprets the Bible is in the wrong. It is NEVER up to a pastor to present lies because they “like it that way.”
A TRUE church is a fellowship of Christians praising God and getting teaching from His word. Just because the pastor says something doesn’t make it true. I take notes on sermons, I look back and compare it to what the Bible says, if it disagrees with the Bible, then the pastor misinterpreted it.
Thankfully I’ve found a good church and haven’t yet had any qualms about it.
I’ve actually had biblical teaching for 12 years now… going on 13.
(And yes, I do actually think for myself and don’t just accept what I get thrown at me.) Besides, you could be taught something all your life and never listen to the instruction, OR put it into practice.
There’s also the key factor that a lot of “instruction” is just time-wasting, and not helpful in the least.
That’s why I rely on a personal relationship with God that exists outside of time spent at church.
JW’s and Mormons are actually classified as cults, and thus not really “Christian” per se.
Furhtermore, I never promoted denominations or anything like that. I completely agree that Christianity should be about union amond the believers, but Jesus did say that the “Cross offends.” and there is scripture about how the word of God cuts like a two-edged sword.
It definately creates a line between Christians and non, but a true Christians seeks to reach out to those who aren’t.
EVERYONE should know by now that Christianity isn’t a set of rules and regulations, it’s following the purpose that the Savior gave us.
Nothing else.
The LARGE majority of “Christians” don’t even read their Bibles. but when something “offensive” comes along, they stick out their excuse for Christianity as a be all end all for their beliefs, when they don’t even have the knowledge of what they’re supposed to be following to back it up.
I’m not ignorant. I know that a lot of pastors, and churches, and even whole denominations are corrupt. But that doesn’t change the fact that the real, original message is still the same, life-changing one that was presented 2000 years ago.
And that is what I follow, thus making me a Christian.
Go figure.
Mormons aren’t a cult. 
We believe in Christ just like other Christians. I think it’s unfair to say a whole religion is corrupt, it’s just that people are imperfect. Sure some are bad, but most are good. It’s just that the bad ones tend to stand out more.
Dude, I just wanted to put some emphasis on a passage about booze in the sacrobook and you guy sturn this into helligion arguing!
Mormons believe that the Bible is alterable, and that some of it is untruth. They believe that Christ died for past sins, and not for all sins (past and present) as the Bible states. Dictionary.com has defines cult as the following:
"a. A religion or religious sect generally considered to be extremist or false, with its followers often living in an unconventional manner under the guidance of an authoritarian, charismatic leader.
b. The followers of such a religion or sect."
If you examine the Mormon faith, and compare it to Christianity, you’ll see that it is in fact not Christianity, but instead slides perfectly into the definition of a Cult. There is a clear distinction between true Christianity and Mormons.
I never understood the deal with cults, I can understand it if it’s referring to an extremist sect but something just as moderate as the base religion but with a few moderate changes, why is it classified in the same negative bin? And furthermore, who decides what’s a cult and what’s a religion? Does it go by the amount of believers?
Zero, the best definition of a cult, and the most widely accepted, is this:
Any religion or belief different then yours.
Its basically become another term to seperate, or demean sub-cultures and other belief systems… a catch-phrase to fire people’s fears and mistrusts.
The negativity of cults is just a stereotype. For instance the one group of people who killed themselves when the comet came by was a cult. People generally look down on killing yourself, so a cult was portrayed negatively. Mormons, while a cult, typically try to better humanity and thier own well being.
Originally posted by Thomas Paxton
[b]Mormons believe that the Bible is alterable, and that some of it is untruth. They believe that Christ died for past sins, and not for all sins (past and present) as the Bible states. Dictionary.com has defines cult as the following:"a. A religion or religious sect generally considered to be extremist or false, with its followers often living in an unconventional manner under the guidance of an authoritarian, charismatic leader.
b. The followers of such a religion or sect."
If you examine the Mormon faith, and compare it to Christianity, you’ll see that it is in fact not Christianity, but instead slides perfectly into the definition of a Cult. There is a clear distinction between true Christianity and Mormons. [/b]
I’m not sure who’s telling you this about Mormons, but that’s not true at all! We believe he DID die for all sins. Not sure what the alterable bible is supposed to mean, though… Anyway, I don’t like being referred to as a non-Christian when I believe very strongly in Christ, as do the rest of the Mormons I’m acquainted with. Please stop bashing on my religion and beliefs, it’s something I take very personally.
I don’t have a problem with the Mormons as a people, it’s just the use of goat entrails during religious ceremony kind of turns me off.
I have made a hobby out of reading every book from every religion I could find. Not because I’m in desperate need for a religion or something, but simply because it interests me.
I think the important thing is HOW you read it, and WHY. I know Christians who could easily kill someone and say their prayers that evening so they will still go to Heaven… In their opinion. I know Muslims who bomb innocent people because somebody said that their god said it should be that way…
It doesn’t matter WHAT you believe, as long as you remember that NO belief goes beyond the power of your own will… If anything in those books is important, it’s the feeling of equality, which you can only find in some by reading between the lines.
No religion is good or wrong. Only people are.
Yes. You have to pick and choose in the Bible. For instance, that one psalm comes to mind, you know, ‘And may the Lord bash their babies’ heads against the cliffs…’ Yep, love and kindness right there…
Like I said… it’s the way you read it 
But seriously. I think, personally, that on the long term the mainstream of religious people (read that twice so you won’t feel offended if you are religious) have only made religion to something not even worth the effort: an excuse to hurt others and build themselves up in society. No matter what century, what country, what religion… If it were my choice, there would never have been any religion. It would have saved us MILLIONS of wars and drama’s.
In the end, it’s here, and I’m glad to see there are still people in power of giving a positive approach to something that should be handled so carefully in this time of day and age.
Damn, I’m being heavy on my first day…