How To Get To Heaven When You Die

The fact that your vision of Christianity falls short of your ideal means that somewhere in your mind you actually have a religious ideal. A religious ideal that Christianity, as far as you know, does not equal.

Now, as you have agreed in an earlier reply to this thread, the religious ideal upon which Christianity is based, (love God, love your neighbor, love your enemies) is not the same as the unenlightened, pseudo-Christianity popularized by Fox News, Jerry Falwell, Duh-bya, and company. I just can't believe that God is a neo-conservative who loves war, big business and the Republican Party, and hates liberals, the poor, gays and lesbians, the environment, science and unanswered questions about "his" nature. How did we go from "Love God, love your neighbor, love your enemies" to "Step out of line and God will punish you"? The fact that so many people have apparently bought into this semi-dualistic anti-myth pains me at least as much as it does you.

Believe it or not, it is precisely this kind of unenlightened, popular religion of the day that Jesus meant to correct. One significant difference between his religious ideal and yours is, if I may presume, he believed that humanity is essentially good and, if inspired, will awaken. I choose to believe he is correct.

What do you think?

 

amen to that!!!

 

And they call Christians ignorant...that statement didn't do anything but make you look like some jackass.

 

calling someone a jackass wont make the question dissappear.

 

I said it makes him look like a jackass. And I'm not the one dissing the other person off all the time, as in making stupid generalizations about a belief system .

And this thread's getting old...and boring, it's simple: I answer, he won't except it because he doesn't want it, and every now and then he'll add in an offending remark.

*yawn*

There's gotta be better threads here.

 

Okay, I admit it, that was mean. What can I say? It was late, I was tired, and for me this seemed like a no-brainer (my fault), so I was annoyed that you didn't understand the question.

I apologize. I shouldn't have said that.

Sometimes debating on the philosophy forums reminds me of a Pink Floyd quote:

"All alone, or in twos, the ones who really know you, walk up and down outside the wall.
Some hand in hand, some gather together in bands,
the bleeding hearts and artists make their stand.
And when they've given you their all, some stagger and fall.
After all it's not easy, banging your heart against some mad bugger's wall."

That isn't meant as an attack. Sometimes that's just how it feels. I'm sure you've felt the same way. Please forgive.
​

 

Strip away the label "Christianity" I wonder what disorder a psychiatrist would diagnose some of these people with, alot of mumbo jumbo if you ask me.

Epiphany may be able to answer that considering she is so broadminded that she is majoring is psycology.

Who the hell wants to go to heaven, not I! See you guys in hell, well have one helluva time :X

 

Psychiatrists would be pretty adamant in claiming their diagnosis of acute Schizophrenia. The mere claim that one is speaking with the Lord would probably result in a high dose prescription of Clozapine.

Schizophrenia has been characterized by a profound disruption in cognition and emotion, which affects the most fundamental human attributes (language, thought, perception, affect, and sense of self). While there is a wide array of symptoms, doctors would label a psychotic manifestation of hearing internal voices (i.e. communication with God) or experiencing sensations which are not connected to any obvious source (i.e. Speaking in tongues, referred to by non-believers as, "glossilia") as noted cause for concern.

Even as a major in the field, I must laugh whole heartedly at these claims because I, myself, speak in tongues (and no, it is not characterized by babbling or childish noises either, but an actual language that the closest comparison I could find would be the sound of ancient Aramaic) and I have absolutely no trace of Schizophrenia or any other underlying conditions which would result in the need for psychiatric care.

Granted, I am in no way, shape, or form stating that all of those who claim to speak with Christ actually are.

 

"All alone, or in twos, the ones who really know you, walk up and down outside the wall.
Some hand in hand, some gather together in bands,
the bleeding hearts and artists make their stand.
And when they've given you their all, some stagger and fall.
After all it's not easy, banging your heart against some mad bugger's wall."

i love that quote so much. It gives me chills every time i read it

 

Find the holy grail, and shove up in the pope's ass.

 

Or better yet, Excaliber.

 

what i am 100% sure of about belief is that no one knows what the hell the're talking about and i don't claim to.

what i have felt and experienced is that there is something big, friendly and nontangable.

where i have felt and experienced this is alone in the woods. not in any church or temple, however well meaning, even genuinely loving its fallowers.

what form experiencing will take subsequent to the cesation of bodily functioning is of no roadmap drawn by believers nor revealers of any faith. i can tell you what i expect, or perhapse i should say suspect, but like all such thoughts, mine are no less speculative then those of any other.

i believe there is something called karma. it does not depend on time or place. it is no respecter of status. even that of god or gods. nor is it dependent on the will of anything, but a simple structural reality of existence. completely impersonal.

so it is not a question of heavin or hell.
why should one 'life' be any more 'eternal' then another?

=^^=
.../\...

 

I find it interesting how the christians on this thread can't even agree on how to get to heaven...

Of course I only read about the first 12 pages, maybe they came to agreement around page 40 or something

 

jesus is a fuckin wanker

 

And what is your opinion based on?
Clearly nothing, seeing he was a wanker

 

What does this statement mean to you?

What do your beliefs mean to you?

The primary cause of difficulty that many people have with Christianity is perfectly illustrated in your post. It alludes to something that is meaningful and sacred (and I am certainly not arguing against that), but because it doesn't actually convey any information about Christianity that anyone hasn't heard a thousand times over, it isn't heard as anything other than just one more bit of cultural clutter. It is the spiritual equivalent of hearing your mother tell you, for the thousandth time, to clean your room or do your homework or whatever.

It is really just more advertizing instead of the real, deeper meaning. As such, it doesn't necessarily mean anything to those who may be most desperately seeking something sacred and meaningful.

So, what do your beliefs mean to you?

Peace and Love

 

If that god was worth his/her/its weight in salt we could have heaven on Earth right now, while being alive. What good is anything once you are dead?

 

This all seems very infomercial-esque to me.

"This salvation package can come to your door for not 4 easy payments of $19.95, not 3 easy payments of $19.95, but just TWO easy payments of $19.95!!" Amen!

 

what's with all the lord of the rings characters are suddenly born again

 

i don't think anyone who is 100% sure of anything is being 100% or even 90% honest with themselves. at all. what so ever. period.

=^^=
.../\...