Christians, what are you afraid of?

How do you know that it's a mythology?

Christianity is the way how humans can get to a truth. Say, if aliens exist, how will you know?

1) they choose to show up in front of humans, then you will know.

However if they have a reason to hide behind, then how will you know. You have to rely on someone happened to have encountered them to get to such a truth. There's no other way round.

Similarly, the Bible is basically a testimony from those encountered God. They are called the prophets for a reason. Humans don't have the ability to tell a future. Those encountered God, that is the prophets, can tell a future for their fellow Jews to reckon them as the prophets and to reckon that their testimonies of such a God being true. God is not a mythology, it is a testimony from those who encountered Him at the different point of history (of the Jews as God's chosen people), all portraying such a God with the same set of characteristics.

 

The thing is that Christians tend to believe in the Islamic version of hell instead of the biblical one. According to the biblical version, when a person dies he goes to one of three places = death, the sea, or to hell. But all of those are temporary and everyone makes bail on Judgment Day. At that time each person is judged on his works and is either allowed into the giant golden cube called New Jerusalem or is tossed into the lake of fire, along with hell. But no one spends any more time in hell.

In the Islamic version, when people die they stay dead until Judgment Day when they are resurrected and judged according to their works. The good guys get their own paradise. The majority of people in hell are women. Anyone who ends up in hell is tortured forever.

Read your fairy tales.

 

One problem with Christianity....is that most so called Christians think it is the only way humans can get to truth.
The world might be better place if they would give up that idea.

 

Try to follow:

I depend on me in the next life
You're depending on some magical deity
What "understanding and knowledge" does any monotheistic belief provide? The "knowledge" that:
God created the universe in 6 days something my science says is not possible;
God needed Noah to build a boat because, apparently, while God can do anything, he's not into boat construction;
That Noah in turn loaded a pair of every animal onto his boat, again, an impossibility;
That belief in Jesus as a "savior" in necessary, that is, unless you're Jewish, or Muslim, in which case you're going to Hell;

I know because my knowledge is based on reality, not mythology. I believe because I understand not fear.

I know that in death is the inevitable reality of life. I do not fear death so I don't need the protections of a "heaven" or "God" in the next life and, of course, since there is no heaven, there is no hell to frighten little children.

What I do know for certain, the next existence will be every bit as challenging as this one. The acquisition of knowledge and discipline are how I prepare for whatever the next brings.

 

Christians believe hell exists...

So, where is it? Hell I mean.
For that matter where is heaven?
Where is the physical evidence? Visual evidence? Mathematical proofs?

I, unlike your typical "Christian" have no reason to jump from a building. No voices in my head either the devil or god whispering in my ear. No urge to see heaven. No fear of hell.

Choice? I remember Christian "choice." I remember when people wanted to build a Mosque in Tennessee and all those "Christians" went to court to welcome their fellow believers and honor their choices.

 

God is not a mythology?

Great. Show him to me. What's he look like? How tall is he?

People once believed that Apollo carried the sun across the sky on his chariot.
Are you saying that is not true?
If it is false, why then is your mythology more true than theirs?

 

According to the biblical fairy tale, heaven does not exist for all practical purposes because no one will ever go there. It will cease to exist. During the Judgment Day period the old heaven will cease to exist and it will be replaced by a 1,500 mile sided golden cube called New Jerusalem that will sit on a waterless planet that does not have any darkness. That is where the good souls will spend eternity. Have fun.

It sure would be great if Christians would read their fairy tale. They keep posting silly stuff from crazy Hollywood movies and BS that preachers tell them.

 

I think the best way to describe where Heaven and Hell are relative to us might best be explained by Carl Sagan in the video. Think of us as living in Flatland and Heaven as being in a 3-dimensional place - then kick it up by one dimension:



But if you're asking where Hell is on the physical level - I'd guess Cleveland.

 

Prepare for the next existence however you wish. I find different spiritual paths interesting and I’m sure they hold some value.
You know for certain according to Buddhism of a next existence yet Christianity is just mythology?
Idk, I just find Buddhism, Hinduism ect... similar to going down a rabbit hole and it’s something I wouldn't choose to follow.

 

First Jews believed death was then end.
Then the poor people said "so what's in this 'God' thing for me?"
So the Jews decided that EVENTUALLY you get to go to heaven.
The Christians needed followers so they promise you get to go to heaven right after you die...
Muslims needed followers so they promised heaven NOW along with 40 virgins...
Then the Mormons need followers so they promised not just heaven, but the power of God...

Wonder what the next "religion" will offer?

 

I think the example you propose is no different than my saying that we are incapable of comprehending what the next existence is any more than the caterpillar understands the existence of the butterfly. While I cannot understand what a 4th-5th-nth dimension may be, I can demonstrate their possibilities mathematically.

I cannot do the same for heaven or hell. The science on Cleveland is not in yet.

 

The next is not Buddhist, or Christian, or any other belief. We all die, yes, even Christians. There is no separate existence for different belief systems.

I am convinced there is a next. I do not propose what it may look like.
On the other hand I'm also not promising a chair on the right hand of god, streets paved in gold, rejoining with all of my dead friends and family.

Perhaps you're hearing words never spoken?

 

IMO, you made some errors in your comments. Christianity and Islam are resurrection religions. Your future is determined on Judgment Day and that is when ALL humans are dead. Nothing happens when you die, except in Christianity some do go to hell but it is temporary and everyone gets out for Judgment Day.

 

You may have that opinion BUUUUUUUUUTTTTTTTT

I've been to lots of funerals where the dead guy was supposedly already in heaven.
I've been approached by Christians with the "don't you want to go to heaven when you die?"

So I'm thinking your view may, in fact, not reprepresent even a plurality among the theists.

 

Lots of people have the belief that you cited, but it is not in accordance with the biblical fairy tale that they claim to believe in. The Bible plainly says that no one goes to heaven and that the current heaven will cease to exist. As I have said before, it would be great if people would actually read their favorite ancient Middle Eastern ethnocentric religious fairy tale.

 

And I've had plenty of discussions with people ABSOLUTELY certain that their interpretation of the Bible is the ONLY correct one.

I'm always willing to accept that they have those beliefs.and that they hold then honestly.
What I do not accept is that I must hold those beliefs as well.

 

Sounds a lot like my favorite religious retreat, commencing to ponder... or in other words, procrastination. I'll get to that tomorrow, baby.

 

I believed you thought we just take a dirtnap. Enjoy your next life as a termite. I have a friend that will take care of you. He does it for a living.

 

This is the problem with the theists. They spend so much time trying to read between the lines that they fail to understand the words.

 

If you are a reincarnationist than declare it. Then we can understand the words. Subtleties just don't cut it.

 

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Reincarnation? When I said I was a Buddhist what part of that was unclear? When I said I don't accept Buddhist mythology any more than I accept Christian mythology, what part of that was confusing? You are obviously confused. Maybe give the "god" thing a break and reason for yourself?

BTW, reincarnation is not really part of Buddhism. That is more in line with Hindu beliefs. It is easy to understand your confusion. Why you insist on remaining confused ia, however, perplexing. I'm pretty sure it relates to your insistence on "believing" in something you know rationally to be false. This type of internal conflict can cause all sorts of problems..

 

I don't see thousands of messages sneering at and attacking atheists and atheism on the forum, rather rabid incessant hatred of Christianity by atheists. That alone is an argument against atheism and atheists - the ideology of hate and intolerance more often than that is part of modern Protestant Christianity.

 

Your message makes it clear you are not a Buddhist.