I want to talk about... fear.

What is it that the Christian faith has done to make people so afraid? What is it the churches and the humans themselves done to scare people off?? Is it the pressure? Is it the example you have been given by others?

I was afraid.. because I never understood. I knew that the Christian Faith alone wasn't exactly what I believed in, and there was so much pressure into "you need to do this or you're going to hell".

Your fears..?

 

I can't speak for everyone on earth, but the history of the church is what scares me most. for the past 2,000 years, christians have been hell bent on killing and converting every foreign culture it can get it's hands on.
Although the modern chruch by and large doesn't have the power it used to, back when it was the only superpower they were arguably the worst beings in history.

also, some of the core beliefs of the christian philosophy are dangerous in my opinion.
Their belief in a (sometimes quickly) coming apocalypse, the belief in an eternal paradise for believers, the need to convert others, the 'us vs them' mentality. All this contributes to a futilistic, agressive, and expansionistic attitude which is manipulated by those in power to pursue their goals.

 

It depends what denomination you're in. The evangelists will say pretty much anything you do will lead you to hell if you do not give your life over to Jesus and follow every word of the Bible in the way that they have translated it, which included hating gay people, no sex before marriage, no abortion, no fun etc.

Same with the catholic church, you will go to hell is the answer to any word against the church.

But there are some that don't outwardly scare people, they don't preach about going to hell if you don't follow jesus - but then other churches will condemn them. So all round it sucks!

If churches don't scare people, people will leave!

 

http://bowjamesbow.ca/images/20050425-a11.pdf

Second article.

 

I am not scared at all. Being scared will not change anything. If there is a heaven or hell and i go to either, being scared will not change the outcome.

 

churches are kind of scary nowadays. They are so high and mighty and it seems like every single one of their sermons is about condemning people.

I do not attend church. I do not think the Bible is the true word of God. I disagree with pretty much all of the dogma that Christianity has created. But yet, I am at perfect peace with myself and the world. I believe in love, and spreading it. I lose patience or get upset or lose my temper often, but it is a work in progress, as I am not Christ or Buddha or an enlightened individual.

If I follow these simple, self-obvious ways of life, why will I be making the trip to hell to burn for all eternity, and why would a God who loves me do such a thing?

Western religion has really lost it's light.

 

i agree!! I attend two different churches one of them is very i art holier then you and the other is very whatever this is who you are this is who we are we execpt everyone the only sin is the ones listed in the 10 comandments. if you believe jesus is your savior you will go to heaven. the difference is scary really.

 

I want to talk first about the statement above about the Christians and the killings, because that seems to be the biggest issue and the most controversial. I think that people forget the biggest commandment. "Though shalt not kill". Or was it "Though shalt not murder"? I can't remember exactly but there was a difference.

My point, personally is, YES people died because of Christians, HOWEVER, they did not die BECAUSE of Christianity.

Doesn't make sense does it? Don't worry I'll get to it.. What is religion? Why do Christians of today, want to deny being a Christian? Because Christianity, is not a religion. Christianity, is a faith, of believing in God. However, if they claimed Christianity whether it was now or back in the old days, we had those huge, huge, very wealthy churches. And now in todays society, we have TBN. Which is horrible.

If you make something a religion you will have whatever you want...

“Writing for a penny a word is ridiculous, if a man really wanted to make a million dollars, he would start a religion.” - L. Ron Hubbard (The dude who made scientology)

This has nothing to do with the Bible, or the believers, or the followers, this is about evil. This is about the religion itself turned wicked for the purpose of power. If you have a religion you have the excuse to create whatever you want. I could go into a crowd of naive people right now and say I was the rebirth of mother mary... and they would make me queen.

I don't recommend going to big churches, neo. I think it's best to find the tiny little churches that are still humble. Are they going to do tithing? Absolutely, there are bills to pay for the church itself, and thats one of the reasons people choose to do Bible Studies in their homes. Without tithing.

About the hell thing though, I would recommend... reading the post I made my self about reincarnation.. the one with the period I made without knowing there was already a reincarnation post lol.... it's about reincarnation being taken from the churches.

 

For some reason I can't open it, will try later. I just mean that there is a lot of guilt attached to catholicism, I didn't put it very well the first time! But from my experience a friend would always say that growing up within the catholic church, she was made to behave a certain way because of the fear indoctrinated into her about going to hell. Maybe it has changed. I don't know!

 

I dont think the Christian church has done anything to instill fear in any all encompassing sense, but rather it is our own natural fear which is an aftermath of exploring the unkown depths of awarenes, which has manifested a fearful church. Same reason why we have bars and porn shops, manifestations of desire. Our unified consciousness constructs the physical reception tools of our desires. Then it's just a reverb effect of young minds being moulded before being allowed to explore it's own situation as an aware being.

 

Okay, so I'll just say it here.. reincarnation was taken from the church. It was taken from the church because they figured the best way to getting people was FEAR. They believed that instead of having multiple lives people would figure that nobody would really give a shit, and waste them all thinking who cares I have this many anyway.

So instead, they decided to be like "fuck this so we're going to say this is your one and only chance and if you fuck it up you're going to hell right away and you're screwed for eternity".

When I was in the class for biblical history, back in the day, they taught us one thing that I will remember for the rest of my life. The only way that anything got into the bible was it had to be...
True, and inspirational.

So how much of the bible and the truth wasn't in the bible? How many books and scriptures were left out? ...
odd.

 

It is written by a priest who was revoked from being allowed to teach moral theology for his views, but was not defrocked as a priest. He goes on to explain that while the preceeding and current popes were/are strong supporters of stopping dissent, over history moral teachings have undergone changes. It took 1800 years to condemn slavery. It then goes on to say that any changes to Moral theology will be grass-roots movements, and that if the same guidelines were applied for changing social morals and sexual morals, then the codes of sexual conduct would be changed a lot faster.

 

Well the thing is is that it will vary from priest to priest and parish to parish. My fiancee's home parish has a priest that has preached in a homily about hellfire and brimstone at the Christmas children's mass. The chapel we got to now, I think I've gotten one hell homily, but it was only very slightly directed in that fashion. Most homilies by the priests are very good and throughout my whole conversion process I did not get one "you are going to hell" speech (although you could argue that that is why I didn't get one is cause they wanted my to join). Anyways, I think the Church's teaching on purgatory combined with the general salvation of humanity point towards a more just view of the afterlife and this life as well...So to put it shortly, it varies. Who knows, maybe it was her parents who were crazy...

 

Interesting thought. but you dont think that it has progressed to such a level that they take advantage of fear?

 

Sure, that much is obvious when you look at an average Sunday mass :tongue:
The entire Bible, much in line with most religions, is overloaded with fear based banter. But reading between the lines has always been a hobby of the psychonaut and the biggest fear of the people waiting in line.
Namaste

 

With being in private schools my entire life, and catholic schools I lived every week with a "you're going to hell" speech. I was going to hell for everything!!!

YES they use fear, they love fear. But then they say not to be afraid. "You're going to burn in a hell of fire for eternity while you suffer an eternity of sadness and despair and humiliation and you will never escape. but hey don't worry about it... Jesus loves you!"
...
yeah.
That's why I converted to Christian Mysticism and I don't have to hear that anymore, except from the people who are so blind and for some reason think that Christian Mystics just go around randomly slaughtering goats and hexing people.

....I had a really bad day with those people today sorry. By the way that never fucking happens.

 

By the way Hyrhorii I want whatever you are drinking, what is it?? Imma get some..

 

My only fear of Christianity is that it won't stop until all of mans organic beliefs are dead, and traditions are no more.

 

http://www.yoplait.com/products_yoplaitsmoothie.aspx

Yogourt smoothie I enjoyed while resting from skiing

 

if your not operating from a place of love, then your operating from a place of fear. if your operating from a place of love, it is like an outbreath, releasing, cleansing, calming, centered. if your operating from a place of fear is like being constricted, pressure from all sides, stagnant, ect.

anyone who wants to intill fear hasnt your best intrest in mind on a spiritual level. one cannot progress spiritually if they operate in fear.