Apolyton Archive  |  Preserved copy of the Apolyton Civilization Site and its forums as they stood in September 2005. Read-only; nothing here can be posted to or replied to.  |  Forum index |  About this archive |  The 1998–2001 UBB forums
Today on Apolyton WARDELL INTERVIEW PROMO A.C.S. HISTORY CHAPTER 4 GET CIV4 /w FREE PLUS! A.C.S. PHOTO GALLERY GET A.O.M. V1.1
Apolyton Civilization Forums
main| civ2| civ3| civ4| smac| ctp2| ron| moo3| galciv| galciv2| alt| about|
ApolytonPLUS | register | search | faq | new posts | pm (-/-) | upload | members
hall of fame new! | civgroups | civgroups news | interviews | the column | radio | chat | directory | news | store | PLUS
Apolyton Civilization Forums : Powered by vBulletin version 2.0.3 Apolyton Civilization Forums > Miscellaneous > Archive > Off-Topic-Archive > My big problem with Christianity
Show a Printable Version | Email This Page to Someone! | Receive updates to this thread | Report this to Apolyton news!

bottom of page
  
Author
Thread   
Pages (7): [ <<   4   5   6   7   ]
< Last Thread     Next Thread > Post New Thread     Post A Reply
CharlesBHoff is offline CharlesBHoff
Prince
el paso texas
May 2002
time: 05:33
  Old Post 27-01-2004 01:52
Edit/Delete Message Reply w/Quote
#181 Report this post to a moderator
Put an end to popups!

quote:
Originally posted by shawnmmcc


Hmm, I suspect many Shia and Sufi might not agree, let alone B'hai (who do aknowledge the Allah as the prophet, making them heretics and properly subject to persecution as per the Koran).

Plus, Islam works differently. Instead look at the number of Imam's who have started another fundamentalist furor, the history of Spain is a good starter. After the conquest by Islam, it was more or less tolerant (though non-Moslem's had to accept second class citizenship that also marginalized them economically, they had to pay higher taxes). After another group of Moslems, still technically Sunni I believe, came and conquered the original conquerors, it became a rather unpleasant place for any non-Moslem to live.


But it wasnot like the ealy church camg to force all Christian to follow one set of beilf. which work for awhile
but with putting drown alots of heresy by military force. The 30 year war that was fought in Germany total werck that country that both the Prot and Cath ask the foreign armies to please leave. People thought that this bitter war would go on forever untril Cath France took the Prot Germany side to force talk on than treaty. These talk where unusely as there was no rule of who sit next to someone or who talk before another person. The regular rule of etiquette and courtly manner was not in force. At the same these talk where going on include in these talk where talk to end than long standing serf revolt against the Holy Roman Empire for 60 year there was than massive serf revolt which defeat many HRE armies on the battle field. It took 3 year to reach agreement on all the issue. The reason why the regular rule of discource was suspence was by the rule the serf wherenot allow to tell the HRE leader they compliant about how they where treated, everybody want peace an the rule of etiquette and courtly manner where in the way so all side agree they wouldnot be in force.
While there where fighting between the vary muslim sect by basely agree that Mecca will open to then all. Only some hothead really fought. The religious scholar got along petty well with each other. In Pakistian there are religious infighting between religion than the military
government was the first government to crack down on it. Three of the four man who attack than christian church with genades over the christmas holday in 2002 where senrence to death by than anti-terrerism court and the last one got life in pirson. Pakistian is than modrate islam state. In the 30 year war they estimate that 1/6 of the population of germany die from war relate cause.

curtsibling is offline curtsibling
King
of the Kill!
May 2002
time: 05:33
  Old Post 27-01-2004 02:05 Visit curtsibling's homepage!
Edit/Delete Message Reply w/Quote
#182 Report this post to a moderator
Support Apolyton buy from Amazon

quote:
Originally posted by Ned
Curt, yes. But don't all parents try to impart their beliefs to their kids? This is not a matter of religion at all.


It perpetuates the power of organised religion by forcing people to create moral cages around themselves.

Like good sheeple they keep the tired traditions going.

Thankfully, such foolishness is falling apart.

curtsibling is offline curtsibling
King
of the Kill!
May 2002
time: 05:33
  Old Post 27-01-2004 02:11 Visit curtsibling's homepage!
Edit/Delete Message Reply w/Quote
#183 Report this post to a moderator
Re: Re: My big problem with Christianity Support Apolyton buy from Amazon

quote:
Originally posted by Dr Strangelove


Jesus came down to Earth to change the relationship between God and people, in part by sharing the pain and suffering of human existence, in part by teaching and healing, and in part by establishing a new church to provide continual guidance. As Ben pointed out, prior to Jesus's appearence Jews made sacrices in order to atone for sins. Christ's sacrifice made an end to that ritual, no longer could a person pay back God for sins / crimes. Christ showed the world that God was not a tyrant or an unbending taskmaster, but instead that He understood our predicament and that He loved us to the point of making a sacrifice for us. Christ's death is the paramount example of the saying: "No greater love hath any man for another than he shall lay down his life."


I must comment on this.

Jesus, if he existed, was born from the biology of a woman, like any human.

Also, I think he would have been more of a Koresh/Manson type figure, given the cult-like power he was allegedly privy to.

It is a feature of religion and it's flocks, to paint an impossibly rosy vision of it's idols.

Precious few authors of the bible (long held up as true 'evidence') even knew this personage of jesus.

I find anyone in this day in age that believes literally anything about his
being the son of a deity, to be a potentially dangerous individual indeed.

No offence intended.
But I find the magical, 'son of god stuff' to be really rambling dogma, unfit for the modern mind.

Dis is offline Dis
Emperor
Las Vegas, Nevada
Feb 2000
time: 21:33
  Old Post 27-01-2004 02:18 Visit Dis's homepage!
Edit/Delete Message Reply w/Quote
#184 Report this post to a moderator
Support Apolyton, buy GURPS/ Alpha Centauri

did anyone watch the barbarians series on the history channel. It is interesting how they said Viking leaders sought to bring in christianity as a means of controlling the population.

That is all organized religion is. A means to control people. It beats me why people can't see this.

Sure I may believe in a creator of the universe. But I doubt I will ever support organized religion. It is a tool to oppress the weak.

curtsibling is offline curtsibling
King
of the Kill!
May 2002
time: 05:33
  Old Post 27-01-2004 02:40 Visit curtsibling's homepage!
Edit/Delete Message Reply w/Quote
#185 Report this post to a moderator
Help yourself to an AD-FREE life

My thoughts exactly.

(minus the creator thing)

Ben Kenobi is offline Ben Kenobi
Emperor
McGregornobi!
Oct 2002
time: 21:33
  Old Post 27-01-2004 07:33
Edit/Delete Message Reply w/Quote
#186 Report this post to a moderator
Support Apolyton buy from Amazon

Anacyrean:

quote:

Christ is no superhuman, but a messenger, bringing the essence of the same message as that of Moses and all prophets before him. Man is warned not to imagine partners to God.


I agree with most of your statements, and what I find intriguing is that the Jews would as well. One should not imagine partners, or I believe the technical term, of shirking God.

However, Jesus makes several claims to be the Son of God, which if true, leaves no room for this interpretation of Christ as a prophet. Yes, Christ talks about prophets, but always in the concept that prophets spread the word of God, and rebellious Israel rejects God in rejecting the prophets. He rebukes Israel, and shames them with the comparisons to the other peoples who are willing to accept God.

quote:

What would you feel if the FBI showed up at your door and said your grandpa robbed a bank 100 years ago but was never caught, so now that they have traced his lineage, you have to do prison time of say, 20 years, for the crimes of your grandpa? Why is this an outrageous assertion, and why not I or you being 'guilty' of some sin that we had no part in? I find the idea of the Original Sin rather unholy in this respect, totally at contradiction with the glory of creation of the universe.


Yes, the glory of creation in the universe is diametrically opposed to Original Sin. They cannot be reconciled except if God chooses to do so. However, this says more about the nature of the original sin, than the glory of creation, and the divisions opened up by the first rejection of God. Sin afflicts each one of us, and thus, we bear our own inheritance from Adam.

quote:

Islam asserts individual responsibility. Your life is a test for you, your actions and decisions in life define who you are. Your sins and good deeds belong to you. If you ask for forgiveness, you ask it from God, say from your heart, which is transparent to God, that you are sorry and pledge never to do it again. God knows your sincerity. You need no interlocutors, no intermediaries. Noone comes in between you and your Creator. God is not a guy with a long white beard sitting in the sky (I don't mean Christians think so, just to make the analogy more striking) but he's all around, he’s omnipresent in this universe and other universes that we don’t know of yet. He does not look upon Man with feudal hieararchies of lordship.


To this I ask, how can sinful man redeem himself? God does not need our works, so why should we ask to own our good deeds when sin so outweighs them? Secondly, regarding the interlocutors, God draws each one of us to himself. It is a good thing, because otherwise, we would never come near to him. God came down as man in Jesus Christ not to put a barrier between us and God, but to allow us to come nearer to him than we could otherwise. For without Christ, we would all be under God's sovereign law, with Christ, we must believe in him.

quote:

God is above reproduction, or having an offspring in that respect.


Christ, as the Word of God has been with God for eternity. I know it is difficult to understand, but CS Lewis makes a good comparison to what is meant by the term 'begotten.' Suppose you are a carpenter. If you make a table, the table is yours, and of a different substance than you. If you have a child, you see the opposite. Your child, you do not own, yet it is of the same substance as you. The same is between God and Christ. Christ, is of the same substance as the Father, was begotten before all worlds. Christ tells us that the relationship between him and the father, while not completely analogous to that of a father and son, is best put in these words, because that is the closest we can understand the nature of their relationship.

Yes, God is above human reproduction. It is a good thing, for otherwise, his Son would not be God.

quote:

How can you be God and Man at the same time? What kind of a limited conception of God is that?


God willing chose to humble himself by becoming Man. In this, he gained a human nature along with his divine nature. It is an extraordinary compliment that God would willingly become man, and helps us to understand the depth of Christ's love for us. He is not distant, but near. He loves us so much, that he is willing to suffer and die so that man can be redeemed.

quote:

And what about the Holy Spirit? Why would God need HS to do things?


You are right, that God does not need the Holy Spirit, but He has chosen to work this way. The Holy Spirit comes from both Christ and God the Father, as the love between God and Christ forms a person. Thus, the Holy Spirit, is also God, as Christ is God, and God the Father is God. Three persons in one Godhead.

quote:

Early Christian debate about the nature of Christ is a testament to this. Those who believed Jesus was human and those that thought he was God, or those that believed he was both believed in their points of view as fervently as the other groups believed in theirs. Only through imposition of one version over the rest, and its packaging as dogma provided some coherence.


If they could simply impose one view on everyone else, why have such a conference? They did not 'package doctrine', but instead sought to come to greater understanding of what it is they believe. It is only through these conferences has Christianity developed the doctrine of the Incarnation, of many of these points that we are now discussing.

quote:

which are still at contradiction with each other on some accounts.


How are you defining the term Bible before 300 AD? Which accounts are you referring to? Secondly, the books accepted by everyone do not contradict each other on doctrine.

quote:

the data the chosen Bibles provide was bound to be inconclusive


Seperating the wheat from the chaff does not necessarily lead to inconclusive teachings, but more consistent and coherant doctrine. Not everything that Christians wrote ought to be considered canonical.

quote:

Only that shows that the Bible was surely interfered with.


Again, what if I said that the Holy Spirit helped them to the task? How then would God have not had his will?

quote:

Islam has much more internal consistency, and suffers none of the dogmatic question marks that has intrigued Christians for ages.


Trope. Shi'a and Sunnis, are just one division, so much that you have wars between Shi'a and Sunni. How can you claim that internal consistency, if they both use the same Q'uran?

Dr Strangelove is offline Dr Strangelove
King
USA
Jan 1970
time: 00:33
  Old Post 27-01-2004 07:40
Edit/Delete Message Reply w/Quote
#187 Report this post to a moderator
Re: Re: Re: My big problem with Christianity Lose 30 kilos (of popups)

quote:
Originally posted by curtsibling


I must comment on this.

Jesus, if he existed, was born from the biology of a woman, like any human.

Also, I think he would have been more of a Koresh/Manson type figure, given the cult-like power he was allegedly privy to.

It is a feature of religion and it's flocks, to paint an impossibly rosy vision of it's idols.

Precious few authors of the bible (long held up as true 'evidence') even knew this personage of jesus.

I find anyone in this day in age that believes literally anything about his
being the son of a deity, to be a potentially dangerous individual indeed.

No offence intended.
But I find the magical, 'son of god stuff' to be really rambling dogma, unfit for the modern mind.


Thus speaks a guy who uses a crowned skull for his avatar?
I could comment upon the psychology of people who use deathshead figures as a symbolic representation of themselves, and I certainly would not look to such a person to tell me what is fit or unfit for the modern mind.
No offense intended.
I was merely trying to answer the questions about Christian theology posed at the beginning of this thread.

Ben Kenobi is offline Ben Kenobi
Emperor
McGregornobi!
Oct 2002
time: 21:33
  Old Post 27-01-2004 07:41
Edit/Delete Message Reply w/Quote
#188 Report this post to a moderator
Support Apolyton, buy Galactic Civilizations: Deluxe Edition

quote:

But just before I die, I will have faith in Jesus crist as my lord and saviour


That's a pretty big gamble. How do you know when the time comes, that you will have such an opportunity to repent?

quote:

That is all organized religion is. A means to control people. It beats me why people can't see this.

Sure I may believe in a creator of the universe. But I doubt I will ever support organized religion. It is a tool to oppress the weak.


So this must be why churches help the poor to oppress the weak.

Ben Kenobi is offline Ben Kenobi
Emperor
McGregornobi!
Oct 2002
time: 21:33
  Old Post 27-01-2004 07:46
Edit/Delete Message Reply w/Quote
#189 Report this post to a moderator
Support Apolyton, pre-order Civilization IV

quote:

Early-life indoctrination to retain the religionist grip over youth amounts to mind-control.
As they will carry out the same act with their kids in turn...




Why then do so many come to Christ later on in life, and many leave the religion of their parents?

Dr Strangelove is offline Dr Strangelove
King
USA
Jan 1970
time: 00:33
  Old Post 27-01-2004 07:48
Edit/Delete Message Reply w/Quote
#190 Report this post to a moderator
Support Apolyton buy from Amazon

quote:
Originally posted by Dissident
did anyone watch the barbarians series on the history channel. It is interesting how they said Viking leaders sought to bring in christianity as a means of controlling the population.

That is all organized religion is. A means to control people. It beats me why people can't see this.

Sure I may believe in a creator of the universe. But I doubt I will ever support organized religion. It is a tool to oppress the weak.


If what you're saying is true then Christianity could be seen as more of a tool to control the strong, since the Vikings warriors whom the Norse kings wished to control certainly could not have been described as "weak". They terrorized an area of the world extending all the way from what is now Morroco to Iran, and from Ireland to the Urals. I simply don't see the downside of someone having pulled the reigns in on them. Consider for a moment that if the Viking terror had never stopped then you and I would probably not be communicating over the internet like this.

yavoon is offline yavoon
Warlord

Oct 2001
time: 05:33
  Old Post 27-01-2004 07:54
Edit/Delete Message Reply w/Quote
#191 Report this post to a moderator
Support Apolyton, buy Civilization: The Boardgame

I like god, unless I end up in hell. then he's a damn blighter

gamenaught is offline gamenaught
Settler

Apr 2002
time: 00:33
  Old Post 27-01-2004 07:58
Edit/Delete Message Reply w/Quote
#192 Report this post to a moderator
Browse Apolyton AD-FREE

quote:
Why then do so many come to Christ later on in life, and many leave the religion of their parents?


They don't.

"The significance of focusing on the development of children is underscored by findings showing that the moral foundations of children are typically solidified by the age of nine, that lifelong spiritual choices regarding one’s faith and one’s relationship with Jesus Christ are generally made before they reach age 13, and that a person’s religious beliefs are usually worked out prior to becoming a teenager – and that those beliefs rarely change to any meaningful degree after age 13."

Source: Barna Research Group

Capt Dizle is offline Capt Dizle
King

Sep 1999
time: 00:33
  Old Post 27-01-2004 07:59
Edit/Delete Message Reply w/Quote
#193 Report this post to a moderator
Increase the size of your Attachments

This thread actually has some good stuff in it.

gamenaught is offline gamenaught
Settler

Apr 2002
time: 00:33
  Old Post 27-01-2004 08:17
Edit/Delete Message Reply w/Quote
#194 Report this post to a moderator
Lose 30 kilos (of popups)

"The researcher admitted that the outcome of his studies produced a significant turnabout in his own views about ministry. “Since I became a Christian two decades ago, I have always accepted the dominant notion: the most important ministry is that conducted among adults. But the overwhelming evidence we have seen of the huge impact in the lives of kids and the relatively limited changes in the lives of adults has completely revolutionized my view of ministry. I have concluded that children are the single most important population group for the Church to focus upon."

Barna.org

Ned is offline Ned
Prince
of Aptos, CA
Oct 1999
time: 21:33
  Old Post 27-01-2004 08:40
Edit/Delete Message Reply w/Quote
#195 Report this post to a moderator
Support Apolyton, pre-order Civilization IV

quote:
Originally posted by Dissident
did anyone watch the barbarians series on the history channel. It is interesting how they said Viking leaders sought to bring in christianity as a means of controlling the population.

That is all organized religion is. A means to control people. It beats me why people can't see this.


Controlling in what way?

Ned is offline Ned
Prince
of Aptos, CA
Oct 1999
time: 21:33
  Old Post 27-01-2004 08:46
Edit/Delete Message Reply w/Quote
#196 Report this post to a moderator
Suffering from ads?

quote:
Originally posted by Ben Kenobi

You are right, that God does not need the Holy Spirit, but He has chosen to work this way.


Why do you say this?

Ben Kenobi is offline Ben Kenobi
Emperor
McGregornobi!
Oct 2002
time: 21:33
  Old Post 27-01-2004 09:10
Edit/Delete Message Reply w/Quote
#197 Report this post to a moderator
Support Apolyton, buy Galactic Civilizations

quote:

"The significance of focusing on the development of children is underscored by findings showing that the moral foundations of children are typically solidified by the age of nine, that lifelong spiritual choices regarding one’s faith and one’s relationship with Jesus Christ are generally made before they reach age 13, and that a person’s religious beliefs are usually worked out prior to becoming a teenager – and that those beliefs rarely change to any meaningful degree after age 13."


No percentages?

You have to remember that the Catholic church, and other Protestant churches baptise infants, so by the age of nine, why would we expect them at this point to differ from their parents.

Many people do leave the church of their parents. It's not unheard of, particularly in Evangelical churches.

Ben Kenobi is offline Ben Kenobi
Emperor
McGregornobi!
Oct 2002
time: 21:33
  Old Post 27-01-2004 09:16
Edit/Delete Message Reply w/Quote
#198 Report this post to a moderator
Support Apolyton, buy Galactic Civilizations: Deluxe Edition

quote:

“In situations where children became mature Christians we usually found a symbiotic partnership between their parents and their church,”




Thanks for the post gamenaught.

http://www.barna.org/cgi-bin/PagePr...153&Reference=F

I know that this has not been my experience, but what would have happened had I received the support?

The Templar is offline The Templar
Prince
People's Republic of the East Village
Oct 2001
time: 00:33
  Old Post 27-01-2004 09:34
Edit/Delete Message Reply w/Quote
#199 Report this post to a moderator
Re: Re: Re: Re: My big problem with Christianity Support Apolyton buy from Amazon

quote:
Originally posted by Dr Strangelove
I was merely trying to answer the questions about Christian theology posed at the beginning of this thread.


And the answers are appreciated.

gamenaught is offline gamenaught
Settler

Apr 2002
time: 00:33
  Old Post 27-01-2004 09:37
Edit/Delete Message Reply w/Quote
#200 Report this post to a moderator
Support Apolyton, buy Galactic Civilizations: Deluxe Edition

quote:
No percentages?


I didn't see any but they may have them. The site is a goldmine of data. The owner is pro-evangelical but it appears he tells it like it is, good or bad.

quote:
Many people do leave the church of their parents. It's not unheard of, particularly in Evangelical churches.


You are correct. There is a quote in there somewhere. If I can find it..,

gamenaught is offline gamenaught
Settler

Apr 2002
time: 00:33
  Old Post 27-01-2004 09:50
Edit/Delete Message Reply w/Quote
#201 Report this post to a moderator
Suffering from ads?

Some percentages:

quote:
The study, conducted by the Barna Research Group of Ventura, California, found that roughly seven out of ten Americans adults (71%) had a period of time during their childhood when they regularly attended a Christian church. Apparently, old habits die hard: a majority of those who attended church as a youngster still attend regularly today (61%), while a large majority of those who were not church-goers as children are still absent from churches today (78%).


Wow:
quote:
“In essence,” the researcher noted, “what you believe by the time you are 13 is what you will die believing.

 
Pages (7): [ <<   4   5   6   7   ]
< Last Thread     Next Thread > Post New Thread     Post A Reply
All times are GMT. The time now is 05:33.
Apolyton Time is 00:33.
    top of page
Rate This Thread:
archivepost
Forum Jump:
Forum Rules:
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts
HTML code is ON
vB code is ON
Smilies are ON
[IMG] code is ON
 




Contact Us - Apolyton Civilization Site - Support Us!

Building a better Apolyton through better information. Click here and take our poll!
Non-US visitors, click here!

Powered by: vBulletin Version 2.0.3
Copyright ©2000, 2001, Jelsoft Enterprises Limited.

Page generated in 0.0618 seconds (90.34% PHP - 9.66% MySQL) with 31 queries
Page Loading Time:

Support Apolyton: Amazon USA | Amazon UK | Amazon DE | Amazon FR |
Support Apolyton and get FREE PLUS, Buy from Chips&Bits: Galactic Civilizations | Galactic Civilizations: Deluxe Edition | Call to Power 2 | Civilization: The Boardgame | GURPS/ Alpha Centauri | Alpha Centauri | Civilization IV | Civilization III: Complete |


Front Page | Civilization IV | Civilization III | Civilization II | Call to Power II | Alpha Centauri | Master of Orion III
Rise of Nations | Galactic Civilizations | Galactic Civilizations II | Misc
Alt.Civs | Civ I | C:CtP I | About | News | Directory | Apolyton Store | Forums | Chat | Columns | Interviews | Newsletter
Scenario League | CSC | Clash of Civs | Spanish Site | CtP Maps | Cradle of Civ | WesW's Ctp1/2 Site | Civ3 Haven

apolyton.net | apolyton.com | civilization2.net | civilization3.net | civilization4.net | civilizationiv.info | calltopower.net | galciv.net | galciv2.net | moo3.net