"I am a devoted Druid, a Celtic religion that predates christianity and is the support to many of Christianity's traditional practices (such as the christmas tree and easter eggs)- it is amazing as to how much paganism is incorporated in the Christian religion." --Tyler
How can anything predate Christianity (e.g. Druid religion)? This is a historical and a theological fallacy. Christianity is the fulfillment (fullest expression, expansion, and revelation) of the religion of Adam (the head of the human race) who had communion with the triune God of Scripture. Was there a religion before Adam and Eve?
"Instead of becoming irate and saying mean things I would simply encourage that comments that refer to condeming others to hell out-right in a zealot manner you take a more comforting approach and promote beauty and peace and allow others to come to you with questions about hell and the afterlife, and when you explain your beliefs to others explain approach it as what you believe to be true not as a law or mandatory path that they must conform to."
The problem with your approach Tyler is that in watering down the message of "hell" you are actually being hateful. As one atheist said, 'if hell is real I would crawl on broken glass to warn people to repent'. That is like having prior knowledge of 9-11 and trying to impress people with the park down the street in hopes that they would rather take a walk in the park (enjoying the beauty and smelling the flowers) rather than hear the truth about the doom that is to come. Of course if you do not believe in the Bible and what it speaks about, it makes perfect sense that you would try to advise me in some unbiblical way. I will stick to inspired Scripture. Please, Tyler, repent and turn from your sins today and cling to Christ...while there is still time to escape the wrath of God.
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If we "promote beauty and peace" and "allow others to come to us with questions about hell and afterlife," they never will.
"Beauty and peace" will never move people to ponder about more uncomfortable things. Generally, I find that people are comfortable with their life and naturally do not think or ask about the end of their comfortable life.
Jesus Christ has commissioned his church to go into the whole world and preach the gospel to everyone. The gospel message is about how Christ saves people from hell and a miserable existence hereafter.
You can't really preach salvation to people without mentioning what they need to be saved from, can you?
Craig
Trish,
"How can anything predate Christianity (e.g. Druid religion)? This is a historical and a theological fallacy. Christianity is the fulfillment (fullest expression, expansion, and revelation) of the religion of Adam (the head of the human race) who had communion with the triune God of Scripture. Was there a religion before Adam and Eve?".
Is there any evidence that there was an Adam and Eve? Eden?
I'll save you the research; there isn't. Genetic evidence tells us that the human species is hundreds of thousands of years old and originated in Africa.
Aside from this, Judaism was beaten to the punch by both Zoroastrianism and Hinduism as far as I recall from my ancient history classes.
Aside from this, Christianity would be defined as 'those who follow Christ', surely? That would seem to imply that Christianity came some time after Jesus, no?
Even by YEC standards, that's 4,000 years for older religions to flourish.
Could you clarify your position on this; perhaps with some facts to back it up rather than a 9/11 metaphor?
Cheers,
Shannon said...
"I find that people are comfortable with their life and naturally do not think or ask about the end of their comfortable life."
It's funny you should mention this. Last night I had a bit of sleep paralysis. I panicked a bit and thought about what would happen if I couldn't move or even open my eyes again.
My first thought would be to try to find a way to communicate that I want to die. I'm not scared of death, neither are any of my atheist friends. It seems that the more religious you become, the more likely you are to fear death. Perhaps it's the fear of death that drives some people to religion.
I don't know, but I wouldn't assume death is an uncomfortable or even scary concept for everyone.
I'm slightly afraid of death. But I'd be a hypocrite & a charlatan if I let that fear change what I have claimed to believe.
If there is a God in heaven, and if he values honesty, he would not approve of my death-bed conversion.
Incidentally, according toe Christianity, my fate was sealed before I was born. Me striving to believe (or disbelieve) is ultimately futile - I am already saved or doomed, and can do nothing to change it.
Jon,
You are such a noble sinner!
You are correct not to repent because of fear of death alone. It is correct to repent because you see yourself as a sinner in need of mercy.
"Let the one who is thirsty come; let the one who desires take the water of life without price."
Rev. 22:17
Are you thirsty Jon? Come drink of the water of life if you are. Jesus calls sinners to repentance.
Thus explaining, rather succinctly, why I see no need to repent. I'm imperfect, true, but sin is a concept invented by men to control men.
I will not be shackled by men.
"human species is hundreds of thousands of years old and originated in Africa"
Yeah but there is no evidence of any civilizations there, is there Matt.
Where did they find the first civilizations? What are now Israel, Iraq et. al. Pretty interesting stuff, aye? I mean, considering that recorded history only goes back about 5000 years. ;)
Well Melanie, if "civilization" is your standard for human existence, you might want to consult the Wikipedia entry - we appear to have evidence of the first human civilization at 12000 BC. I'm not sure of what Trish's link policy is, so you can find the following quote at the entry for "Cradle of Civilization":
"The earliest signs of a sedentarization process can be traced back to the Mediterranean region to as early as 12000 BC, when the Natufian culture became sedentary and evolved into an agricultural society by 10000 BC.[10]"
Of course, this limits our search to sedentary groups of humans, whereas it's well documented that earlier humans were more likely to be nomads.
I believe ExPatMatt was referring to the earliest evidence of human existence, which indeed has been found in Africa.
Interesting, isn't it?
What Whateverman said.
I merely noted that the human species has been around for a long time - I said nothing of the time-line of civilization.
Cheers,
lol Whateverman, this is what I am taught at a secular college regarding the first civilizations, so if you want to dispute it you can do so with my prof or the textbook that they provided to me.
oh and the "earliest evidence of human existence" that has been found in Africa is pretty much limited to? Fossils! Most of this is questionable, at best. There really is no argument to recorded history being limited to the last 5000 years and where it originated. Makes ya wonder.
Melanie,
What exactly is questionable about human fossils?
And, again, you've shifted the goalposts to 'recorded history' - which wasn't in question.
Cheers,
Melanie,
Don't leave me hangin' again!
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