Christianity

[Bombt]

What are your thoughts about it?
What is wrong with it?

[pinkocommie]

Well it really depends on what version of Christianity you're talking about.  I generally don't have a problem with whatever anyone wants to believe as long as they aren't hurting anyone and they don't try to legally impose their beliefs on others.

And welcome to the forum!  We have an introductions section if you want to say hello.  

[Kylyssa]

There are so many things, I don't know where to begin.  

People of other religions believe in their religions just as deeply as you do.  You would perhaps say they are misguided and, of course, that the things they believe are just myths and stories.  Put Christianity under the same lens you apply to all other religions.  Then read the Bible and you'll be able to come back and tell us what's wrong with Christianity.  

The seminary makes a lot of atheists.  I'm not joking or trying to make light of this subject - most atheists I know became atheists after really, deeply and seriously studying their religion.  It just doesn't hold up to close examination.

If you treasure your faith, if you feel you wouldn't want to live without it, if it makes your life better, don't examine it too closely or you could lose it - whether you want to or not.

[i_am_i]

Christians tell us that human beings are worth nothing, that their achievements mean nothing and that all of us will suffer in agony for eternity if we don't do what they tell us to do, if we don't think as they tell us to think and if we don't behave as they tell us to behave.

If we don't do as the Christians tell us then we'll all suffer forever in burning fire, tortured beyond anything you can imagine, we'll cry out in agony from the pain and the anguish and the hopelessness of everlasting eternal damnation in hell.

BUT GOD LOVES US!

Well, you asked.

[skevosmavros]

Hi.  The term "Christianity" is too broad to make a comment that applies to all of them.  It's hard to know which groups to include under the umbrella term "Christian" - heck, even people that call themselves Christians can't even all agree on who is and is not a Christian.  More than once I have had some Christians tell me with great certainty that Catholics are not Christians.

So it's very hard to say much about a group so diverse that it includes everything from Quakers sitting quietly in a circle, all the way to those Phelps "God Hates Fags" demonstrators.

Even if we slice away all the extremes, both pacifist and strident, and deal with just "mainstream Christianity", all I personally can say is "they have some beautiful music and charming ceremonies, most of them, and some lovely sentiments in there, if you look hard enough, it's just shame about the unevidenced beliefs and the uglier aspects of their scriptures".

I will say this in defence of most Christians - most of them do NOT live the way their scriptures tell them to.  Good thing too.  Most Christians cherry-pick the bits they want to believe and follow, and I'm thankful for that.

All the best,

[Asmodean]

What are your thoughts about it?

There was that demotivator with Thor...  

On a more serious note, I think of Christianity the same as I think of Judaism and Islam. An Abrahamic religion is an Abrahamic religion. On a slightly larger scale, pink unicorns are pink unicorns no matter how you slice it, so Christianity is no better than any other religion, past or present.

I'm a bit disgusted with Human hive behaviour actually... And in part, that is because that's usually what draws otherwise nice people to organised religion.

What is wrong with it?

That a bunch of people are using a 2000 year old book of poorly written fairy tales to justify and explain their lives, morals and values. And that some people use it to justify whatever they want justification for with their three-in-one-god.

[karadan]

I don't like it.

Everything.

[Dretlin]

What are your thoughts about it?
What is wrong with it?

I have the same feelings towards Christianity that I do toward all Abrahamic religions (or any belief system that assumes the existence of a god), that there is no evidence. Being satisfied with not truly understand the universe is a big issue.

I also find the idea of an afterlife, bordering on selfish. One life is not enough?

Also teachings such as the existence of Hell and conversion by intimidation is highly immoral.

I will stop before I really get the ball rolling.

And Welcome Bombt!

[JillSwift]

What are your thoughts about it?

It's a religion.

What is wrong with it?

It's a religion.

[i_am_i]

What are your thoughts about them?
What is wrong with them?

[Tank]

What are your thoughts about it?

Often mostly harmless but in extreme versions very detrimental to it's adherents.

What is wrong with it?

All beliefs based on mythology that then extrapolate those beliefs into codes of morality which they force on others are bad because they base their world view on a falsehood. This means that real situations (homosexuality, marriages, divorce) are dealt with in ways based on inappropriate and inaccurate world views.

[Bombt]

Christians tell us that human beings are worth nothing, that their achievements mean nothing and that all of us will suffer in agony for eternity if we don't do what they tell us to do, if we don't think as they tell us to think and if we don't behave as they tell us to behave.

Christianity makes no claim that human beings are worth nothing. In fact, it makes quite the opposite claim. Humans were made in the likeness of God, so doesn't that make them worth at least something? Not only that, but after God made Adam, he said ,"This is good." Therefore, we must be worth something. Our achievements are also worth something because God did not tell the Christians to not do anything. He told them to get out and do stuff.

As for the doing, thinking, and behaving, Christianity sets some guidelines for how to behave, but it is no different than how we should behave. For example, I think I can safely say that we should not kill. Even without the Bible, we probably all know this. God's commandments are no different than our own consciences; it's just making our consciences concrete.

For one to go to hell, according to the Bible, is to not have a relationship with Jesus. It doesn't say that if you break the laws you automatically go to hell. Christianity is not a religion of law.

[Bombt]

Sorry if I wasn't clear,
I meant the Pentacostal branch.

I have the same feelings towards Christianity that I do toward all Abrahamic religions (or any belief system that assumes the existence of a god), that there is no evidence. Being satisfied with not truly understand the universe is a big issue.

I also find the idea of an afterlife, bordering on selfish. One life is not enough?

Also teachings such as the existence of Hell and conversion by intimidation is highly immoral.

There is plenty of evidence, but as with every religion, and even atheism, all of them require a certain amount of faith. What unproven parts are you talking about? (just curious)

Well, we're all selfish aren't we? But wouldn't you like having an afterlife as opposed to nothingness?

I also believe that conversion by intimidation is immoral too. As a Christian, I'm supposed to just present an argument and let people decide for themselves. Of course I would like them to accept it, but if not, it's their own choice.


Thanks for being so welcoming everyone.

[elliebean]

As for the doing, thinking, and behaving, Christianity sets some guidelines for how to behave, but it is no different than how we should behave. For example, I think I can safely say that we should not kill. Even without the Bible, we probably all know this. God's commandments are no different than our own consciences; it's just making our consciences concrete.

Since it has been said better than I ever could, I refer you to this post.

Would you say that all of those guidelines are in line with your conscience? Because, personally, I have problems with a few of them.

[KDbeads]

Atheism is not a religion and requires no faith.  Please keep that in mind.

And don't get me started on what the pentacostal branch has done to intimidate non-believers and believers alike.  Fear is their greatest weapon and they use it far more than most other branches I've had contact with.
Born in that, lived through it and it's the reason I'm not christian or any other religion either.