you'll go to Hell. I don't understand why the right-wing evangelicals, who seem to oppose a lot of those things, aren't worried about their immortal souls - if they actually take Jesus seriously. But that crowd has let their political ideology take precedence over what's supposed to be the basic tenets of their faith. In the words of Stephen Colbert: “If this is going to be a Christian nation that doesn't help the poor, either we have to pretend that Jesus was just as selfish as we are, or we've got to acknowledge that He commanded us to love the poor and serve the needy without condition and then admit that we just don't want to do it.”

After any facts occurred. All errors of fact, perhaps.

Dark hair, dark eyes and swarthy skin. Not a white man at all, really.
You
They claim to worship someone who never existed as they think of him. So, not at all.

They choose not to be Christ-like because they only pray to Him for forgiveness after a day of being themselves. If you were to follow them or have a hidden camera on them all day, you'd see them cutting people off in traffic, cheating on their taxes, using racial slurs, and supporting certain politicians. Politicians who prey upon the sick, elderly, and poor--all the people Christ was an advocate for.

These people are very vocal about being a Christian, but actions do speak louder than words. It's also ironic that the people who vote "pro-life" are killing immigrants and are putting entire cities full of people at risk because of climate change. These people will be the first to enter Hell.

and that the Bible is the inerrant word of God. Except, apparently, for the part about where you're supposed to help the poor and all that stuff.

While their almighty Easter Bunny’s words are recorded in their big book of bullshit, the Bunny can’t seem to say anything clearly, even when the words appear completely understandable to an outside observer. Thus it takes a special sort of yard ape, a “preacher”, to inform the rest of us, for a small fee, exactly what the Bunny meant.

Some one gave you an honest answer to your question and you just completely ignored it and didn't engage them at all an instead blew off their point of view completely.

As for your other comment, I have not replied to everyone in this thread yet. I will, including you. My question for you is: Do you have any comment on the question I asked in the original post?

Many of them are actually into cosplay so they can be part of a clique...in the same way that some will dress as a Jedi Knight or a Imperial Stormtrooper, and play a part...many on those "Christians" do the same thing!

Interesting.

If human nature is a puzzle to you, I understand because I am puzzled as well.

In fact gods and religions are a product of human nature and creativity. My question, though, is why self-professed believers do not follow the scriptural advice attributed to the central figure of their religion?

especially the part about "liberty and justice for all", even thought they clearly do not mean it. It makes them feel good about themselves to say the words, especially in a group.

Thanks for the confirmation.

And it makes them feel good.

And isn't that the trouble with most religious people?

Your statement should have read, "And isn't that the trouble with most people?".

I started it. Please re-read the initial post. If you want a thread about non-religious people not following their scripture or doctrine, you'll have to identify that scripture or doctrine. You can start a thread like that if you wish.

But if you wish to disregard human history, and human behavior in general, that is your right.

The heretics whose ancestors formed Paul's elite and knew how to teach the higher levels of knowledge...its leaders allowed it to become a political, power force. Its true meanings are not understood, so they're ignored. It's a mess. A religion which required no knowledge, required no change in behavior or materialistic aspirations, which promised forgiveness, immortality, salvation for the cheap cost of claiming faith replaced the original movement...but we still have the writings for those who desire the ancient knowledge. The Roman church replaced Jerusalem as where the leaders directed the teachers from. It's gone downhill ever since...warmongering, crusades, inquisition, dictating science facts, mistresses and children...a mess!

their religion, the character the religion is named after. Why they do that is my question. The words supposedly said by Jesus are easily accessed in the first four books of the New Testament. Why do people not follow that figure's supposed advice?

.. and the Evangelical still focus on the Old Testament or the Apostles.

Just one of those strange things in life I guess.

That's why I qualified my question with the words "so many," instead of asking about all Christians.

It may seem that way since organized religion imparts self righteousness on its adherents which allows them to not feel guilty about their nefariousness, but rest assured that is all due to “human nature”.

Conversely when a religionist does something good that has nothing to do with “human nature” and we can thank religion because of reasons.

Now it's not like everything Jesus said or did was noble or good, that's for damn sure. So there's quite a bit he said that SHOULD be discarded.

But both liberal and conservative believers are guilty of this sort of thing. They stammer about "context" and "who he was talking to" even when it's clear what is meant - any excuse to discard something they don't like. And in that way, you can customize the alleged teachings of Jesus to support just about anything. It's so easy.

Jesus said that.

And not in a nice way.

Maybe they still are.

(Man! Am I glad I'm not part of that bullshit anymore.)

I've come to that conclusion. You can usually tell what kind of Christian someone is by the political party they affiliate with.

...at a buffet line.

The supposed words of Jesus can easily be contradicted by other parts of the bible. The bible contradicts itself at every turn. There is no consistency, so they go with whatever some fool in a pulpit tells them.

And those fools and scoundrels in the pulpit have accepted money from kings, dictators, liars and fools for decades. The FBI report on Russian involvement in the election notes Putin reached out to Evangelical leaders with money. So, they are all about twisting whichever way keeps the money flowing. This is what happens in capitalism, even religion is all about making a profit.

Aside from being a cheating banker, being a religious leader is the quickest way to wealth. You can take money from anyone and you don't have to pay taxes on it. Just ask L. Ron Hubbard.

It is just so convenient that a story book of "gods" word is so mealy mouthed about helping others and so filled with immorality (slavery) and unethical behavior (incest, rape, genocide). Works out fine for the hate machine.

Last edited Fri Jul 19, 2019, 01:53 PM - Edit history (1)

One needs to hold onto it in every way possible, a widow's mite saved is a widow's might earned. (Please note it was not a "widower's mite" as well--women need just make a good match!) to which I LMAO. Time is (never enough) money, either, the longer to save, my dear. -- that's why it's said to "Follow the money," for that snake-inhabited Tree of (God-like) Knowledge and Life bore the valued fruit of ancestral seduction, the source documentation of "nasty women." As for those leaders, shepherds of flocks need "dumb" sheep to remain exceedingly worthy and employed for the duration of their time, hence a paid-by donation occupation thinking up ways to get more members and donations, with parish house and free meals at the homes of the righteous flock members.

Fundamentalist organized religion sucks! Looser organized denominations are just a band of organized rebels of human interpretation.

I'll opt for accepting there is a Higher Power of creation who set some basic rules for living, and I'd rather bet that there was a Son of God, JC, who went to prepare a place(s) where the energy that fuels what is me changes eternally than not believe that; therefore I choose to live with unorganized gratitude, generosity as I am able, and tolerance within some limits that I choose and in a place that expressed those choices as life, liberty, and the pursuit of what makes me happy to contribute my life's energy to the world in which I live or from which I travel--I choose 1 John 4:8 "He that loveth not knoweth not God for God is love," and 1 Corinthians 13:13 - And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of these is charity." I see very little of that in the GOP and none whatsoever in the poser, the embodiment of what constitutes the Seven Deadly Sins, pride, greed, lust, envy, gluttony, wrath and sloth, in the WH.

MineralMan - That said, I accept and respect your choice of atheism though I am not very adept at understanding that solely scientific (reasonable) viewpoint. I do hope your energy will be transformed into a form that will be useful to the Universe. How do you explain evil or Evil - or do you not believe that exists as well?