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NOPEACE, here
are statistics
click here Christianity is 33% of the world's population
Islam, 21%
and non-religioius, etc. , 16%, coming in third to the two major religions.
posted by
Xeno-x
on May 30, 2006 at 9:02 AM
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franciscan - you don't wear a tin foil helmet do you?
Do you ever sit back and listen to yourself? Baptism of desire, virgin mothers and people thinking they know the wishes and desires of the invisible entities that they have invented? Are you sure that this convention you are going to is not actually a ride on a short bus that has a few bars on the windows and a little extra padding inside?
posted by
gomedome
on May 25, 2006 at 9:00 PM
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Who's going to heaven
Gomedome, a recurring theme on your posts is your question of unreconcilable belief if God. So many with so many different views. You said you had a Catholic upbringing and that some of what I said was information you've heard before. Well, I don't think you've heard enough about Baptism of desire. The Catholic Church teaches anyone can get into heaven. As far as I know it teaches that at the moment of death God will give everyone enough grace to repent to make it into heaven. If one desires to repent one is going to get baptized. Maybe God will achieve that baptism for that person. From Medjugorje the Virgin Mary said that "All religions are dear to God". On earth we're insular and we argue and we kill and we believe the other guy is wrong. But as Cardinal Francis Arinze said [don't have the whole quote, sorry] "We knock and God opens the door". God will sort things out in the end.
In Medjugorje there's no muslim mosque but a muslim woman goes to Saint James parish in that village because it's a place where people worship God. The Virgin Mary told the visionaries that that woman is the holiest person in the parish!! God "looks at the heart" as it says in 1 Samuel 16. If anyone prays sincerely then one is praying to the one and only God.
p.s. As for my lack of originality and relying on quotes from others that reminds me of a quote from Mozart: "I never made the slightest effort to compose anything original". If someone else can make better arguments than me for the truth and the Truth than why would I not use their words?
p.p.s I'll be away for a few days for the Medjugorje conference at Notre Dame. Maybe I'll see you there. If you can't make it I trust you'll pray that I have a safe trip.
Keep toasty, cold weather bro.
posted by
franciscan
on May 25, 2006 at 7:40 PM
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Gnome
For the most of this post you and I are in a close agreement. I hate that remark about gas, tut tut! It is a good post.
posted by
Justi
on May 25, 2006 at 6:17 PM
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NOPEACE - as I said, you are the best comedian that Blogit has ever seen
It is you that thinks that the bible is the only source of reference for religious debate. There are countless other religions and their respective holy books, each one equally as valid or inane, depending on one's perspective. No I don't have a crystal ball but it does not take any form of ability to predict that the world's religious divisions will carry on much the same way as they always have. People tend to stick with the religion that they were born into and indoctrinated into over their lifetimes, if you think that this will somehow change, I pity you for your childlike perspective. Your religion is on the decline worldwide, it is not gaining in popularity, it shows growth only in regions of the world where people are poorly educated. Why do you think that is? It could have a lot to do with the backwards message that it entails and that it is an inferior mindset for those with mental faculty above the ability to bark.
One last time, The Big Bang Theory does not contend an explosion in space. The theory suggests that the hyper expansive event referred to as the Big Bang created space. As for your enquiry as to how I cannot ascribe all that exists to your invisible friends, that is very easy. Mind you, it is likely far beyond your limited comprehension but you even touch on it yourself, though unwittingly. Man did believe the world was flat at one time. Discovery refuted that contention, as it has along with scientific research, disproven many other primitive observations that were erroneous. This is an irreversable trend, we learn more every day about how the world and the universe works. Subsequently the bible and much of it's content has been proven to be simply the observatons of primitive man. It is a one way street, new truths are not added to the bible, so called truths as found within it are proven false on an ongoing basis. It, along with it's backwards message will eventually become redundant.
The time will come when mankind will no longer suffer the nonsensical religious blatherings of irrational people such as yourself. Until that day comes however, I am forced to extend to you the same tolerance that I demand for myself. We can only hope that one day your maturity and knowledge levels reach a point where you look down at the book of contrived manmade nonsense that you put so much faith in and see the bible for exactly what it is.......just another God created in man's image.
posted by
gomedome
on May 25, 2006 at 5:50 PM
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Gome
How can you attempt to debate against religion without referring to the bible? But if you dont wont me to reference the bible i wont. Here goes. Why do I believe in God?
How is it possible that the earth, universe and everything in it and around came into existence? Only an ignorant mind could believe that man was once an animal. Only an ignorant mind can believe that some explosion in space brought everything into existence without acknowledging that there had to be something to create space in the first place.
It does not matter what 2/3's of the world believe right now:
There was a time when 2/3 of the world or more believed the world was flat but over time that changed.
There was a time that 2/3 of the world believed that man would never reach beyond the clouds until Neal Armstrong walked on the moon.
There are many times in history and even now that a majority of the worlds population is on one side of the fence and switched to the other side.
Right now 2/3's of the world maybe be of another religion besides christianity, but whose to say that next week, next month, next year, or 10 years from now 2/3 of the world wont be worshipping in the form of christianity? Do you have a crystal ball to predict it? The Gospel will be spread throughout the world and everyone will choose whether they believe Jesus died on the cross for their sins or not and they will be judged accordingly.
Maybe your intelligence has been insulted enough for one lifetime because you are to ignorant to look past your own limited intellect. I think until you can do that maybe it is YOU who should no longer comment here.
posted by
NOPEACE
on May 25, 2006 at 5:00 PM
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NOPEACE - that's what I thought
You have not reconciled anything (maybe ever). It only makes sense to you because you are able to overlook a few realities to come to the conclusions that you want to arrive at. The two most glaring being that you would even dispute the fact that the world is 2/3rds comprised of religions other than Christianity and your insistence that belief is a choice. Is that what you think faith is, only seeing what you want to see, to make it fit into your little book of ancient drivel?
I'm going to have to ask you to stop commenting here. You haven't really done anything that warrants being blocked but you have to understand that my gullet is completely full of moronic Christian interpretations of your bastardized handbook. I've had enough, my intelligence has been insulted enough for one lifetime. If you cannot answer a simple question or have dialogue without making reference to the bible, please do us both a favour and refrain from commenting. I live in the real world.
posted by
gomedome
on May 25, 2006 at 4:26 PM
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Gome
You can ask me all the questions you wont, I don't know what the majority of the world believes in and you can throw around all statistical samples you want but can you actually prove that the majority of the world does not believe that Jesus died on the cross for their sins?
Secondly, the bible says lean not on your own understanding. If a majority of the world does not believe in God or believe that Jesus died for their sins that's their choice to believe would you say? Just as you don't believe, thats your choice. The Gospel will be preached throughout the entire earth for everyone to decide whether they believe or not and you will be judged by God on your choice not me.
I'm not here try to make you or anyone else believe in God, just spreading the word. You will make your choice and the choice you make is between you and God. I don't wish anyone to suffer in an eternal hell but some people will. As much as I would like for you and others to accept the word of the bible as truth, if you don't, come judgement day I won't care what you believe.
posted by
NOPEACE
on May 25, 2006 at 4:04 PM
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NOPEACE - try answering the question and please spare me the lake of
fire drivel.
The question is simple. The majority of the world is not Christian and do not believe that Jesus died for our sins. How do you reconcile the notion, which according to your beliefs, has only those who believe in your version of God avoiding eternal damnation? I really don't much care what nonsense 1st, 2nd and 3rd century church officials scribbled in the bible and passed off as the word of God. I asked you how you reconcile it. How does this possibly make sense to you?
posted by
gomedome
on May 25, 2006 at 3:41 PM
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Gome
I dont know where you are getting your statistics from nor can i give you an estimation of how many people in the world believe that Jesus died for the worlds sins. I do know that there are christian churches in communist China, Russia, the Middle East, Europe, Africa and every other continent and country on the face of the earth. Everyone obvisously is not going to heaven. The Gospel will be preached in all corners of the earth and people will have free will to accept it or not. Jesus says "there i stand at the door and knock..." He also said that on the day of judgement there will be many people begging for forgiveness but they will be cast into the lake of fire where there is weeping and gnashing of teeth.
posted by
NOPEACE
on May 25, 2006 at 3:15 PM
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NOPEACE - that's what I was afraid of - what you say does make sense to you
How do you reconcile what you suggest in that Jesus died for the sins of the world, yet only 35% of the world are Christian and actually believe this? He either goofed somewhere, or you are saying that all but believing Christians are condemned to hell.
posted by
gomedome
on May 25, 2006 at 2:59 PM
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Gome
I truly believe everything I told you and I know that you believe everything that you just said. However, there is indepth reading and studying to understand the bible and having faith in God's word. The bible teaches us to follow and obey the laws of the land AND follow Gods law. God's law supercedes the law of man however. If you commit murder which is a crime in our society you will be punished by this society whether it be the death penalty, life in prison or some other amount of time in prison. You can still repent your sin of murder and be forgiven by God. If you believe in God, being forgiven is far more fulfilling than being forgiven by another man.
So often there are people living their lives saying that "I'm a good person" believing that because of the good deeds they do that they will have a perfect after life and if theres a God that they will go to heaven. You have to realize that there is NOTHING that you can do to find favor in the eyes of God because after you committed your first sin, you were cut off from him. God can not stand to be around sin or sinners. Thats why Jesus died on the cross as a sacrifice for your sins, my sins and the sins of the world so that when you pray to God for forgiveness you pray in the name of Jesus who intervenes on your behalf. If you have no belief in God which you say you dont, I can't expect you to understand the sacrifice that Christ made on the cross. But that is why people regardless of their good deeds who do not believe in God will be condemn to hell because they refuse to acknowledge the sacrifice that God's son (Jesus) made for the world.
posted by
NOPEACE
on May 25, 2006 at 2:47 PM
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NOPEACE - I swear that you are the best comedian to ever come to Blogit
Though I fear that you believe every word you have just written and hold an even bigger fear that it somehow makes perfect sense to you. This is a good one . . . . "In the bible, God teaches us that not by works but by faith are we saved." Your example was even better. Murderers getting off the hook by asking for foregivenes? Exemplary citizens being condemned simply because they do not believe?
If nothing else you have illustrated just what is wrong with our world, where a majority of people still believe in such irreconcilable nonsense. There are countless religions and forms of God on this planet. To reconcile what you have just outlined, a person must believe in the right God, or at least a version of God that includes repentence and the asking of forgiveness. This one criteria alone condemns a majority of the world's population immediately. I have a better idea, try the converse (opposite): i.e. God teaches us that not by faith alone but by works are we saved . . then all of sudden every bible thumping numbnut on this planet (including present company) has to take responsibility and be held accountable for their actions in life. Then all of a sudden there is a common element applicable to all religious belief and non belief. Then all of a sudden your God doesn't sound so incredibly ridiculous.
posted by
gomedome
on May 25, 2006 at 2:37 PM
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Gome
You raised some good points to provide insight into a non-believers point of view on why they do not believe in God. In the bible, God teaches us that not by works but by faith are we saved. What this means is that a christian who has faith in God could grow up cheat on his wife, commit murder and repent his sins to God and go to heaven where as an athesist could grown up and be a total role model, giving to helpful charities, helping those in need being kind and gentle but because he does not believe in God, he would be condemned to hell. The bible teaches that without repentance, there is no forgiveness of sin.
What you have to understand is that from the moment we are born, we are born into sin and there has to be a blood sacrifice for sins to be forgiven. Jesus was that blood sacrifice so that although we make our mistakes in life we can pray to God for forgiveness through Jesus and have those sins forgiven. Also, just because we can pray for forgiveness and receive it does not mean we can do anything we want and get away with it. Repenting sins means to ask for forgiveness for breaking Gods law and strive not to break that particular law again. Some times we do continously break that law but we can also pray to God for help to not break those laws and have faith they he will help us and he will.
posted by
NOPEACE
on May 25, 2006 at 1:55 PM
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