Would it be best now to "stop ringing the fire alarm"? American oligarchs have always used religion to divide and rule its population and today is no different as we watch the rise of fascism initially in the fundamentalist Christian churches and then taking power over all societal life. As in the past, official State Christianity is embracing fascism with all the original self-righteous justifications. So we should help make the dividing line clearer for He has already drawn it. Like Kierkegaard, we are not really sounding the alarm, but rather trying to set the fire of condemnation of that Whore of Babylon named Christendom -- a Great Insult to Him, that makes Him a Fool. And it is the role and duty of New Testament Christians to obey the laws of reason even if it is incendiary. Heteronomous forces have always been present. Christ himself was the ‘outside’ heteronomous force against the massive state religious superstructure of organized religion of his day...that is why secular and religious Autonomous (Law) forces murdered Him with other Christians that imitated Jesus. When the established paradigm has lost its ability to give meaning to human existence, and its voice is emptied of credibility and truth, it must be overthrown—like a lethal virus this current demonic Christian pattern must be removed from the Body of Christ. Let me say it clearly for it must be said...from the outside: H.W. Bush is not a Christian, but the architect of the American/Contra Inquisition of Latin American Catholic Christians who were sexually mutilated to death by American hired mercenaries. Even after all of these decades American Churches--even the CATHOLIC CHURCH HAS NOT PUBLICLY AND LOUDLY CONDEMNED THE MASS TORTURE AND MURDER OF CATHOLIC CHRISTIANS IN LATIN AMERICA. During Kierkegaard’s time Danish law prohibited anyone but a Christian citizen from keeping a whorehouse. Today New Testament Christians face the same culture absurdities of American Christendom and its secular expression as American fascism. In 1989 six Jesuit priests and two women (one was 15 years old) were brutally assassinated at the Central American University in El Salvador by Salvadoran soldiers trained and supplied George H.W. Bush.
In the fairy tale Jesus is a lying lunatic. But he didn't exist. Paul made him up to sell his resurrection religion.
There were no "Communists" in that conflict. Stop making up nonsense and pretending you know what you are talking about.
Hey! Somebody likes me and got a trophy....somewhere! That is amazing since I can be a jerk sometimes. Thank you so much and I mean it seriously. Someone once said religion is the opiate of the people. And someone else said that Christianity is Platonism for the people. Yes, religion is a very powerful opiate indeed...which we need. The influence on Christianity by Platonism is only a problem of imbalance, of over emphasis. "Mother Heroic" Oh, thou that bowest thy ecstatic face Thy perfect sorrows are the world's to keep Wherefore onto thy knee Come weep with a prayer Oh, thou that bowest thy ecstatic face Thy perfect sorrows are the world's to keep Wherefore onto thy knee Come weep with a prayer Mother heroic, mother glorious Beholding in thy eye, immortal tears Oh, thou that bowest thy ecstatic face, oh
Rev. William Barber just roasted Tennessee Governor BIll Lee to his face. It looks like this Pentecostal preacher is a little upset. G-d help the Governor. Good for Rev. William Barber--my kind of non-corporatized preacher! His best line, " I'm too old to play!" "The classical saint of Christianity mortified his body for the salvation of the souls of the masses; the modern, educated saint mortifies the bodies of the masses for the salvation of his own soul" Karl Marx, Antichurch Movement—Demonstration in Hyde Park (1855).
Yes, Strange phenomenon! While I was writing, a transcendental being appeared to me! Maybe she is an angel. She was playing a harp-- so beautifully, so magnificently! ...I bet when she writes a letter or something, she never makes a spelling error!
The ultimate act of love would to not have punished a man creation with eternal torment in the 1st place. When this Omniscient creator knew the outcome of said creation, before creation. Why the need for all the drama to do right, which should have been right in the 1st place.
1st off there is no such thing as love without the possibility of the rejection of that love. When that love is rejected, the rejecter is banished from that love. It is not punishment....it is choice. That "choice" is "torment" by contrast to loves acceptance and obedience. These are my words. I find them to be true from what I know of God's Word. Of course I am a "Believer'. You can reject my beliefs of course. Your choice. However I would urge you to check into it for yourself.
Christianity rejects "legalism". Read about it. It is a change of the will...the heart. Lawyers love Religion. Christianity is not about so much as what you do, but who you are.
Says who? You? 1st off, what is love? Do you love someone and tell them I'm going to torment you forvever if you do this thing wrong, when you know in advance they are going to do that very thing you told them not to do? Why does Love have to be a choice? A creator of love would not be so petty to make the creation chose or not choose said love. Especially when said creator knows the outcome before said creator did the creation. You see how silly and circular this becomes? Check it out? I lived it for many decades having been born, baptized, confirmed, and fellowed in the religion.
A kook position very few if any serious historians hold. Cornelius Tacitus, Rome's greatest historian, mentions Jesus.
Living in a chicken coop doesn't make you a chicken either. Jesus described your type in the parable of the sower.
As Christians we deserve attacks and unless we own the disrepute/ shame than we are complete hypocrites. It seems that the least Christ-like members of the Church are the ones claiming victimhood. Pharisee impostors, these phony Christians are the enemy of humankind and God.
You are hilarious. I've asked you, 4th time now. How does one get eternal paradise, per God? How does one get eternal paradise, per Jesus? How does one get eternal paradise, per Saul? The only person you seem to follow, based on how you post, is Saul. This describes you. King James Bible Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves.
I suppose it has never occurred to you that a con man made up the story about Cornelius Tacitus mentioning Jesus. Do you have the exact quote? Please post it if you do have it.
I think the real apostasy will really start when people really start asking why people deserve eternal torment in hell for a single sin.
The early first century Christians had iphones, but did not have the Internet until many centuries later. So another from of communication was needed. Literalist interpretation of the Christian Bible leads to absurdities, and then atrocities. The Christian theologian Hegel described early religion as formulated in picture language to organize and preserve traditions and doctrine. When religion becomes self-conscious through historical experience it transforms into philosophy so that religious beliefs become de-mythologized seeking essential insights in the symbolic language of religion. For Hegel, this is the true Incarnation of Spirit/Mind in history. Therefore, rejecting literalism doesn't necessarily mean rejecting the symbols of religion, its traditions, or insights.
Almost missed this speech by Chris Hedges. Hedges, a writer for the news website Truthdig, a Presbyterian minister, and a Pulitzer-Prize-winning journalist speaks of fascism and of Christian Fascism in particular. He gave this keynote speech at the "After Trump and ***** Hats" event in Vancouver, British Columbia, on March 3, 2017.
There is so much to your OP that it is impossible to address it all in one post. I do agree with the thesis. This herd mentality where people allow themselves to be deceived into thinking that Trump is a Messiah, a Savior, one who will lead the USA out of the wilderness right wingers have created (but are falsely attributed to Democrats) is one without basis. Small wonder why learned biblical scholars equate Trump with the Antichrist because of his self importance, his hate, his prejudices, his desire for war, his endless lies and foul mouthings, the fact that so many allow themselves into being deceived by him, and the fact that he is a pretend Christian who conveniently adopted the religion only after years of having nothing to do with the church. Consider these: While some segments of these videos are a bit repetitive, they do reflect biblical teaching. The preacher here is a conservative, not a liberal. In the past he was critical of Obama and others whom he perceived to have strayed from orthodox Christianity. Therefore, no one can say he is some lefty snowflake as righties like to say about anyone who strays from their deluded beliefs. As he says, Trump's behavior does reflect the prophesied Antichrist. Many former right wingers testified to this belief due to experiences the have had with his disciples so many of whom have been deceived.
Perhaps you "fellowed" in the religion , but you NEVER had a personal relationship with the SAVIOR.....or you wouldn't now join the "mockers".
Interesting article on this matter: https://consortiumnews.com/2013/03/16/pope-francis-the-cia-and-death-squads Sadly, John Paul failed to condemn the Central American death squads and reserved his attacks for Liberation Theology even though it squares with actual biblical teaching. Yes he did openly condemn traitor Bush's invasion of Iraq and that's to his credit. But there was far more that he could have done to save lives and promote a better life for Central Americans. Who knows ~ had he done so, we might not have all those caravans making their way to the USA which would have certainly pleased the right wingers.