World Youth Day in Poland

Quote: FrGamble

They would like God to be a vending machine distributing whatever they want

But Jesus said he was a vending machine.
If you're a believer, ask whatever you like
and you'll get it, that's what he supposedly
said. Supposedly..

Do you think that is what he meant? Treat me like a vending machine?!?

In the story of Frankenstein's monster, everyone correctly blames Dr. Frankenstein for making the monster. The monster does act independently, and doesn't even always act evil.

His creator doesn't get a pass. Nor should god.

Actually, that story could be a great parody to religion.

Dr Frankenstein makes monster.
Monster kills some folks.
People run to the castle, not with torches, but to praise Dr Frankenstein for being the creator. They also thank him that the monster didn't kill more of them.
Then they set up donation funds for Dr. Frankenstein. Every time the monster kills more people they thank Dr. Frankenstein for the people who survived and he had mercy upon.

Eventually, a comet from space destroys the whole planet, because such stupidity should not be continued as blasphemy against the Universe.

The End.

Quote: FrGamble

Do you think that is what he meant? Treat me like a vending machine?!?

He never said it, what's the difference. It
was added later by one of his minions who
gave Jesus all the powers of a comic book
superhero. Those were times when superstition
ran everything and imaginations ran wild.

Take your pick:

Matt 7:7-11
7Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you: 8 For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened. 9 Or what man is there of you, whom if his son ask bread, will he give him a stone? 10 Or if he ask a fish, will he give him a serpent? 11If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your Father which is in heaven give good things to them that ask him?

Mark 11:22-24
22 And Jesus answering saith unto them, Have faith in God. 23 For verily I say unto you, That whosoever shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; and shall not doubt in his heart, but shall believe that those things which he saith shall come to pass; he shall have whatsoever he saith. 24 Therefore I say unto you, What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them.

The latter could have an "emperor has no clothes" interpretation -
Believe that ye receive them (fabulous clothes) and ye shall have them. That would explain a lot, actually.

Of course we also already know that the words of the Bible aren't to be taken literally, and the meaning of the words is assigned by the church as they see fit. Except for the words that the church has declared to be literal. Only the church can tell the difference.

In the books of Matthew and Mark, the disciples are instructed to cure the sick and raise the dead. Literal instructions which are now disobeyed since no one can seem to actually do those things, or is there some other meaning? Perhaps the wickedness of men is somehow preventing those things from working.

Quote: Dalex64

Of course we also already know that the words of the Bible aren't to be taken literally, and the meaning of the words is assigned by the church as they see fit. Except for the words that the church has declared to be literal. Only the church can tell the difference.

Only the Church or a reasonable person that understands Rabbinic hyperbole. It was quite a common practice then and still today. Unless you really think that Jesus meant pray for a new car and you will receive it or that you could really command a mountain to jump into the sea. Do you really think so poorly of the people listening to these sermons of Jesus that they took it literally? Do you not apply common sense, reason, and the use of rhetoric to anything you hear? I really don't think you need the authority of the Church to figure this out.

Here's the thing.

Suppose you were dying and in terrible, excruciating pain. Your father has a cure, which will end the pain and restore your health. Instead of giving it to you, he contracts whatever is killing you and has his bed placed next to yours. He makes a great deal about how much he loves you, so he's willing to suffer as you suffer.

Once you die, he takes the cure and gets better. He then goes on to tell everyone how much he loves you.

Those of us who question his compassion and sincerity, not to mention his idea of love, are told we're being irrational and don't understand.

Quote: FrGamble

Only the Church or a reasonable person that understands Rabbinic hyperbole. It was quite a common practice then and still today. Unless you really think that Jesus meant pray for a new car and you will receive it or that you could really command a mountain to jump into the sea. Do you really think so poorly of the people listening to these sermons of Jesus that they took it literally? Do you not apply common sense, reason, and the use of rhetoric to anything you hear? I really don't think you need the authority of the Church to figure this out.

No, I think poorly of the people today who pick and choose what is truth and what is hyperbole, what really happened, and provide word-twisty explanations of why those things can't/don't happen now and what it really meant then and what it really means now.

Quote: Nareed

Here's the thing.

Suppose you were dying and in terrible, excruciating pain. Your father has a cure, which will end the pain and restore your health. Instead of giving it to you, he contracts whatever is killing you and has his bed placed next to yours. He makes a great deal about how much he loves you, so he's willing to suffer as you suffer.

Once you die, he takes the cure and gets better. He then goes on to tell everyone how much he loves you.

Those of us who question his compassion and sincerity, not to mention his idea of love, are told we're being irrational and don't understand.

Suppose you were dying and in terrible, excruciating pain. Your father has a cure, which will end the pain and restore your health. However, this cure will mean the death of His only Son. He sends His son to take your disease from you so that you are cured and that He dies a terrible excruciating death. He makes a great deal about how much He loves you, so He is wiling to take your suffering from you.

Once He dies, he is risen from the dead. He then goes on to tell everyone how much He loves you and that because you have been set free from this disease you too will live forever in the joys of Heaven.

Do you still question His compassion and sincerity, not to mention His idea of love?