Hey FrGamble!

Quote: FrGamble

You and Ehrman are wrong.

It's undeniable that Jesus taught
the end was coming in his time.

"Scholars believe that the apocalyptic statements of Jesus
are authentic. Jesus himself thought that the end of the world was coming very soon, and people
needed to be prepared. This was also a belief of the early Christian movement, but the most
reasonable explanation of this “conviction is that during his lifetime Jesus had let his followers to
expect a new kingdom to be established soon”. This view supposes that when Jesus
spoke of the world ending, as he often did, he was not speaking symbolically or metaphorically.
Scholars maintain that the gospel writers would not have created these
apocalyptic statements, since by the time they were writing, the statements would already be
proven false. For example, Matthew 16.27-28 reads: “For the Son of Man is to come with his
angels in the glory of his Father, and then he will repay everyone for what has been done. Truly
I tell you, there are some standing here who will not taste death before they see the Son of Man
coming in his kingdom.” Scholars and others assume that this statement is something
Jesus actually said, since a gospel writer would lose credibility with his readers if he inserted
something that was clearly not true by the time it was written. Therefore, the apocalyptic
statements like this one must be strains of the original Jesus movement that were still common
knowledge by the time the gospels were written. That movement was one of reform in light of
the coming end." The Historical Jesus: Apocalyptic Prophet

Quote: FrGamble

That's the whole point, be a good person towards others?
I think that is wildly understating what the point is. The point is to radically love others and to do good toward them that you would be willing to suffer and die for them. To give generously till it hurts, to ignore the fleeting pleasures of the world, to fight against injustice, to be someone who brings great joy to others and hope in their pain and is surrounded by folks that will do the same for you.

"To give generously till it hurts". I have to tell you, it does not appear that the clergy nowadays lives anything even close to an austere life. Nice house. Better car than the anesthesiologist down the block drives. The really popular Christian leaders are multimillionaires. The Vatican could donate a single piece of art hidden in its basement for the past century and feed thousands of hungry.

Do you 'give generously till it hurts'? Not eat until you have hunger pains because that is how some of your parishioners live? Not sleep under a roof because there are homeless in your community? How about this.... I'll bet you have an unused cot in your abode.... do you invite a homeless man in?

I'm sorry if I offend you, but the hypocrisy is crystal clear; if you really believed in a God, you would be doing all the things I mentioned.

Quote: SOOPOO

"To give generously till it hurts". I have to tell you, it does not appear that the clergy nowadays lives anything even close to an austere life. Nice house. Better car than the anesthesiologist down the block drives. The really popular Christian leaders are multimillionaires. The Vatican could donate a single piece of art hidden in its basement for the past century and feed thousands of hungry.

Do you 'give generously till it hurts'? Not eat until you have hunger pains because that is how some of your parishioners live? Not sleep under a roof because there are homeless in your community? How about this.... I'll bet you have an unused cot in your abode.... do you invite a homeless man in?

I'm sorry if I offend you, but the hypocrisy is crystal clear; if you really believed in a God, you would be doing all the things I mentioned.

I'm glad you mention it and it needs to be said more often. We are so blessed in the Church that there are entire religious orders that do exactly as you say and the Church is the largest charitable orginization on earth, but it is good to be constantly challenged so that you never get complacent. That is what the Gospel and Jesus does. It was what my post was about. Hopefully it struck a chord with you as well as preaching to myself. How many of us don't really do any sacrificial giving or loving at all?

Quote: FrGamble

How many of us don't really do any sacrificial giving or loving at all?

Wow, you totally avoided answering
any of his specific questions. Do YOU
give generously till it hurts? Do YOU
not eat till you have hunger pains
like some of your parishioners do?
Do YOU sleep outside with the homeless
sometimes or invite a homeless man
into your home to sleep?
You must do these things, you said
you strive to be just like Jesus, right?

Or are you just like most Xtians,
mouthing sickening platitudes and
living a life that would be considered
rich in 80% of the world. If you have
a roof over your head that doesn't
leak, a vehicle, a TV, air conditioner,
computer, fridge, internet, access to
good medical service, three meals a
day, to most of the world you are rich.

Quote: Evenbob

Wow, you totally avoided answering
any of his specific questions. Do YOU
give generously till it hurts? Do YOU
not eat till you have hunger pains
like some of your parishioners do?
Do YOU sleep outside with the homeless
sometimes or invite a homeless man
into your home to sleep?
You must do these things, you said
you strive to be just like Jesus, right?

Or are you just like most Xtians,
mouthing sickening platitudes and
living a life that would be considered
rich in 80% of the world. If you have
a roof over your head that doesn't
leak, a vehicle, a TV, air conditioner,
computer, fridge, internet, access to
good medical service, three meals a
day, to most of the world you are rich.

I try and be more polite about it, but you summarize the truths....

Quote: SOOPOO

I try and be more polite about it, but you summarize the truths....

Religious leaders all have on
a top hat and tap shoes so they
can dance around all the areas
they aren't comfortable with.
FrG is a master of this, he dances
like crazy all the time. He knows
his religion has no facts behind
it, so he dances away from the
truth as much as he can. He says he
'wants' to be like Jesus was, but
obviously makes no real effort
to do it. None of them do, they're
all talk and platitudes. All hat and
no cattle, as they say in Texas.

Years ago I took FrG seriously. But
after years of posts and personal messages,
I realize he's just a religion salesman.
He'll say or do anything to sell another
Chevy. I've said for a long time he missed
his calling, he should have been a car
salesman. Better profession than the
phony baloney one he chose.

Quote: Evenbob

Religious leaders all have on
a top hat and tap shoes so they
can dance around all the areas
they aren't comfortable with.
FrG is a master of this, he dances
like crazy all the time. He knows
his religion has no facts behind
it, so he dances away from the
truth as much as he can. He says he
'wants' to be like Jesus was, but
obviously makes no real effort
to do it. None of them do, they're
all talk and platitudes. All hat and
no cattle, as they say in Texas.

Years ago I took FrG seriously. But
after years of posts and personal messages,
I realize he's just a religion salesman.
He'll say or do anything to sell another
Chevy. I've said for a long time he missed
his calling, he should have been a car
salesman. Better profession than the
phony baloney one he chose.

Bob... I'd call that a direct personal insult. Try and tone it down a little.

How about asking it this way...... "FrG, how do you justify your cushy life.... no food worries.... no shelter worries.... when there are so many around you that are suffering, and you have the direct ability to help out..... no cable TV..... donate to food bank. no eating out..... donate to homeless shelter....
Lowest cost used car.... donate to battered woman's shelter....... Extra space in your home..... invite a few homeless to stay with you.....

I answer these same questions easily for myself.... I help in small ways, but am selfish enough not to give up my lifestyle to fully help others......
Is that your answer as well?

God exists because God created everything

https://heismyrighteousness.wordpress.com/2020/04/17/the-n-y-times-vs-god-why-the-big-bang-produced-something-rather-than-nothing/

Quote: aceofspades

God exists because God created everything

https://heismyrighteousness.wordpress.com/2020/04/17/the-n-y-times-vs-god-why-the-big-bang-produced-something-rather-than-nothing/

No offense to you Ace, but
the article is ridiculous.

"God loves you. Your are not a biological accident."

Wow, what a convincing argument. lol

Quote: Evenbob

No offense to you Ace, but
the article is ridiculous.

"God loves you. Your are not a biological accident."

Wow, what a convincing argument. lol

Why would it be offensive to me? I'm an atheist

I was posting it for discussion and to see what FrGamble thought