The End justifies the Means

When you see someone struggling to do good in this world, help them - don't be an asshole and tell them they don't tow the line hard enough while you do nothing, The hypocrite puts stones before others finding salvation from drugs and alcohol by telling them, "You fools, there is no God to pray to."

Just because the bible isn't the word of God does not mean that it isn't a brilliant piece of work full of wisdom that has guided many. Being the number one top seller for centuries, you who criticize, could you write anything better.

Yes, I could. But I would place it in the proper category, fiction/mythology.

im sorry chris, but that is easier said than done,
and citykid, the issue about it not being the word of god is extremely important. so what if its the topseller, doesnt mean anything. does nobody think that this whole religion think is very dangerous, what if i die and i wake up thinkin my whole life that the word of god was the quran wen it was not, or you die and the you wake up and find yourself being recarnated. see, it does make a massive differance. you said so what if it isnt the word of god.... it has guided many, to what has it guided them?
after the prophet muhammed died many peole strted to make up his sayings so that people wouldnt do wrong, even if that saying helps people doesnt mean you can allow people to make them up. do you get what im gettin at here. i can write a book that is full of morals and say its gods word, is that not an injustice even though its helpin people.

I believe that there are those who have been inspired to write, that inspiration comes from a higher place, but the word of God is found within.

I could be wrong, but I also believe that the God who made us has the ability to understand and works with us right where we're at. This explains why one man believes that Jesus saved him from alcohol and another believes that a God within saved him from alcohol. I imagine if you look in every religion, you will find someone who was saved from drugs or alcohol who strongly believed in that religion, that in every religion you can find a testimony of salvation. Everybody can't be right, but our creator doesn't care what we believe, just that we have faith, understanding that there are many teachings, and it really all depends in which family we were born in and how we were raised as to what we will believe.

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Being the number one top seller for centuries, you who criticize, could you write anything better.

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Since it was just ripped off from other stories I hardly think this a fair question.

And I'm not sure but, I think the notions of fearing hell and praying for heaven as promised by the book, along with families and entire societies over generations advocating and even forcing, not only the reading of, but actual belief in its contents has to do with its prolonged life as a top seller, its a religious doctrine/ handbook, not a spy novel.

And look at all the people who bought the Da Vinci Code, which specifically challenges the bible in a fiction read as non sort of way, does that mean we should follow its path? And yes, I realise I'm beating a dead horse here, sue me.

The bible just shows that there will be war, sex, and chaos no matter what, but you gotta be good, yet someone has to be bad for the never ending war.

Death will get you to heaven, ranting: read at own risk, but God is at war with satan, which of course makes no sense, but if you can bare with that nonsense you can bare with me, so God is just trying to recruit your ass to fight his emotionally incapable but none the less jealous pet Satan, the rebel angel some how able to defy the all powerful all knowing blah blah blah.

Point being, you made a good point, Jesus did say, "Don't be and asshole" , and thats a decent part of a sensible but as such incomplete policy.

The bible however, is filled with some good stuff, but clouded by rediculousness and hypocricy of.... well, biblical proportions.

Jesus says "Don't Be An Asshole" found on t-shirts in your city streets

The Da Vinci Code is fiction

As I explained in a post earlier deleted by you who doesn't prevent information.

You cannot know what is false unless you first know what is true.

I think Jesus' largest problem, in my view, was to introduce the idea of evil. Why this was done, I don't know; but it could be because human's react better to fear; specifically the fear of the unkown keeps one's thoughts set. One could argue that this act, not the principle, but the act, is wrong. On the other hand I argue that forceing people to question for themselves and to think critically is right, even if it is a forceful action, because it would in principle serve to develop self development and social development. I don't know if in practice it will work.

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You cannot know what is false unless you first know what is true.

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Yep, and since it is a fact that most biblical stories are just stories, and indeed rehashes of prior stories, we know it is not truth.

There is truth in some of its message, but it is undermined by bigotry, superstition, fear, and hate, also expressed in the bible's message.

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I think Jesus' largest problem, in my view, was to introduce the idea of evil.

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I don't think Jesus was the inventor of the idea of "Evil". Regardless, bad has to exist for good to exist other wise there is just existance. Good and bad are relative and are both found in all things.

FUCK

my error:

change to:

I think Jesus' largest problem, in my view, was to entertain the idea of the devil

you can't tell me that being satan wouldn't be fun.

What exactly did Jesus teach? Do you really know?

All you know is what the bible says, and you probably never read it but have an opinion.

I have an opinion too. We were not put on this earth with perfect knowledge, and so, to explain things that are difficult for us to understand, we developed opinions. I believe that in the course of time those opinion got a little out of hand, so teachers are sent to put things in a better perspective.

Six hundred years before Jesus was born you had Confucius, Buddha, Isaiah and 4 others I can't remember their names. Then Jesus came.

What this means I don't really know. A chaplain told me this and he often wonders about it.

Jesus taught a lot of things and not all of it is found in the bible.

Alcoholics Anonymous is the most successful organization helping alcoholics go straight that there is, and from its teachings we've adapted over eaters - etc. Its main belief is a belief in a higher power, you are free however to interpret that in any way which ever you like. The fact that it is so successful is proof that a belief in a higher power can be good for you, so why discourage it?

I'm not a Christian, I don't push the bible and I have seen people rung with guilt over enjoying life so bad that they have destroyed their life, but I don't blame this on Jesus, only the interpretation of Jesus.

And your interpretation is as good as mine - but I don't go around busting other peoples interpretation, but if you do in fact KNOW something, by all means share it.

As of now, there are no sure answers to these questions... and uncertainty breeds two types of people.

1. People that are taught one belief growing up as a child and remain there until they die.
2. People that care enough to find the answers to strip away their current, safe beliefs and move onto new ones if a better, more refined one might come along.

To truly be a person number 2 is to be great. These are the people we remember, the people who have books written about them, the people who knew a little bit more than their generation could even comprehend.