Things that can brainwash people, I think it is... 1. money. I think I won't give an example about this. You have seen too much... 2. images and self-pride. Same to above, we all have seen too much... 3. Religions. Islam, Christianity, and Jews. These 3 are religions from "Ibrahim". Jews based on the teaching of Moses, Christianity=Jesus, Islam=Muhammad. These three claimed they are the only ways...what a pity if you look most of what they did in real life. They worshipped their God and talks too much but when they faced a difficult situation and forced to choose between money and their religion, usually they will choose money. So what's the difference between all people if you didn't practice your own religion to others? I don't know but from what I have seen...too many people claimed, "I am a Muslim" or "I am a Christian" but look at them. When they have money, they will choose to buy expensive cars and house rather than giving their money away to people who really need it (poor people) and look at their self-pride...I mean they keep talking but no practice. And when you asked them how can they have money to buy a new and expensive car, most of them replied "it's because God." Come on, wake up.. Do you think God wants you to live in hedonism and pretend not hear anything when most poor people screamed? What I know is almost all religions asked us to help others. I don't think it is about 10%, 2.5%, 15%, or whatever, but the real question is, do you want to help others because you know they need your help or just because your religion ask you to do it? Simple question but hard to practice. When you are not rich, you can keep talking we need to help others, bla, bla bla...but when you got money for yourself, you will waste it for something expensive. So what's wrong with your religion?
My resolution is that I doubt very much the existence of God as you preach. If by chance the sadistic God as portrayed in the bible is real and comes back and tries to kill my family, I certainly would not bow down to him. I don't know if God exists. I don't know if God is a mass murderer. But if he does exist and is as you describe then yes he is a mass murderer. I don't know if God created me, but if he did he created me with this overwhelming inability to believe in him. Your last statement about how that kinda gives him the right to choose who he wants in his new system is so typical of extreme christians who like to pretend they are the spoke people of God. If God were good and compassionate he would not abandon anyone. I think you would prefer your own exclusive club in which God strikes down all the non-believers. But if God does exists, that is not your call to make. Uh yeah, he is not just ending billions of people's lives...Uhmm, he would just be ending billions of lives of those bad bad people that didn't get in the ark. Shame on them! They were asking for it!! Oh whatever.
Extreme Christians?? Ermmm.....I think you should look up the definition of a Christian before labeling someone an extreme version of that. If you were to define a Christian who follows the footsteps of Christ's teachings and tries to do the very same as he did nearly 2,000 years ago (in regards to his ministry), then yes, I fit that bill. What an extreme version of that is I don't know. There are many who claim to be Christian who wouldn't know the first thing about Jesus or why he did what he did. All they know is "believe in him and you will be saved". That to me is blind faith. I am not one of these. I look and study as many aspects of his life and looked at what a fine example of how to treat other's and I try to emulate that. I can't do it as perfectly as him. In fact, no one can. Because, he was a perfect man. We can only try. What was his ministry? To tell other's about his Father. Never did he ask for any credit for the things he did. Not once did he ask for glory or ask to be worshipped. He always referred these things to his Father. Why? Because he spent eons of time with him and created all other things with him (including the human race). He would have seen how beautifully it was. The Earth, the Universe, the Animals, the Vegetation, the Oceans and then us. Why wouldn't Jesus want us to worship the One who created all of this and us? All you are seeing is the end result without thinking about the reason why. Justice is the reason. How do you feel when someone commits murder with intention? Rape of a 5 year old girl....things like this? You feel outraged and you want justice. Especially if it happened to someone you loved. This is no different for people who refuse to recognise God and go their merry way. Not just going their merry way but act ungratefully as well. Giving no credit to the creator life itself. No credit for happiness, love, families and every other good thing. How would you feel if you spent billions of years creating all the universe, the earth and all the living things on it all for the sake of humans, and the humans turned their back on you and said you did not exist at all, or called you something different than what you are? You see, the Bible teaches THIS is what most of mankind has done to God. THIS is how most of mankind has treated the creator of all things. And yet, this same creator does not want ANY of us to die. He gives ALL of us opportunities to get to know him and to benefit greatly from his generous love. I am not a spokesperson for God. No man on this earth can be. All I can ever do is tell the truth about what the Bible says about these matters. What you do with this information is your choice and I respect that. I will not judge you in any way. However, when statements are made about Jesus, God or the Bible, I must discuss these statements in the hope that people will have a more accurate understanding of the scriptures. I can only hope you find somewhere in your heart to just take a look without judging first. You know the saying "you can't judge a book by it's cover"? The Bible is no different in this case. Many people have put all sorts of covers on the Bible. But, if you, for yourself, spend some time and look into it. You might think a bit differently about God than you do right now. Col
There is no thing as a "true christian" there was only one, the person who could say that it was finished when he was hanging on his cross. If we were all true christians, then he wouldn't have to come.
that is interesting but when you say you don't punish people for not paying thithing instead they get burned at the second coming is this not a punishment
I don't believe we are. It says in the bible that we are human and we will sin. None of us are or will be perfect. That's why we must ask for forgiveness for our sins daily. You are a christian forever a True Christian when you ask Jesus into your heart and believe in him.
Why? It so much easier just labeling people instead. Just kidding Sorry if I accused you of something that you are not. But really, I have taken a look at christianity and it makes no sense to me. We will never agree on this, but that is ok we are all free to come to different conclusions about reality. Here is a weird question for you...I was wondering what about people with multiple personality disorders? What if one of there personalities was a christian and another was agnostic, then would God still turn there body to ash? Also, for those that believe in tithing same scenario but would it be ok to only pay 1/2 tithing required?
WE don't punish people, we leave God to judge them. What's so difficult about this concept? Why are you just trying to, so hard, find a loophole in my beliefs?
Ladies and Gents, I can most definitely say that I'm donating 30% of my income to GOD .. even thou I'm not a firm believer and if I find a way not to I won't. Yes, You might wonder how crazy can that be .. but I'll tell you that some of you do pay the same price to the same GOD even if you don't worship it in the way some of us do ... Yess... I'm talking about GOOGLE AdSense .. yes .. we pay 30% of our income to the God Of Google ... and only because it's a requirement ..... He he he he ... Cheers, Venetsian
congratz to everyone who can give 10% or even more to their church. I respected all religions in this world, Jews, Hindu, Islam, Christians, etc. But one thing concerned me is sometimes I saw a big and expensive church standing out there. And the priests are fats (but it's true right?) I know what is the true meaning of "Church" and both of us know there are too many people out there need our helps. I think you (Christians) should suggest those churches to spend more to help poor people and less to help themselves. Because I knew several expensive and "high class" churches and I think those kind of churches are naive. Same to mosques in Islam.
That's a great question Rebecca. Firstly, you might have looked at what is called "Christendom". A bit deeper research will allow you to see a distinction between Christian and Christendom. Now, to that question. Let's look at some information about this. Does God Care About the Mentally Ill? FLORENCE was an attractive young woman. She had just begun an exciting career as a fashion model when suddenly she was struck by a mental illness. She became deeply depressed and shut herself up in her parents’ home. Having lost her zest for life, she totally ignored her appearance. Finally, she planned to commit suicide. Florence is not alone. Similar tragedies affect people all over the world. In fact, mental disorder is one of the most common maladies today. How does God feel about the mentally sick? Does he really care about them? Some are apt to believe that God deals only with persons considered mentally normal. Some even think that mental illness is a form of direct punishment from God. But is God to blame? What really is the cause of mental illness? The Basic Cause In the past it was commonly believed that almost all mental disorders had supernatural origins, and some think this is the Bible’s view of mental disorder or insanity. True, the Bible does tell of cases where persons were possessed by invisible wicked spirits, but this does not mean that it stamps all kinds of mental disorder as demonic possession. It must be remembered, of course, that the Bible is not a medical book describing the cause for different maladies. Yet it does explain what is the common cause for all human diseases, mental and physical. It shows that we are victims of the imperfection resulting in death that was passed on to the human race by our sinful forefather Adam. As the apostle Paul explains: “Through one man sin entered into the world and death through sin, and thus death spread to all men because they had all sinned.†(Romans 5:12) This means that every descendant of Adam is imperfect and thus somewhat deficient both mentally and physically. Therefore, mental aberrations are but extreme forms of an inherited weakness we all have. God’s Provisions for the Mentally Ill That God does care for those mentally ill can be seen by the provisions he has made. First, he lays the obligation to care for them upon their closest family members. At 1 Timothy 5:8 we read: “Certainly if anyone does not provide for those who are his own, and especially for those who are members of his household, he has disowned the faith and is worse than a person without faith.†No exception is made for members of the household who are sick. This means that mates have such obligations toward each other. A Christian wife who readily decided to take care of her husband at home when he was struck by a severe mental illness commented: “You marry for better or for worse, don’t you?†She lovingly took care of him for years until his death. Likewise, God lays the obligation upon parents to care for their sick children. The parents may have passed a genetic defect on to them. A Swedish couple whose three-year-old boy was born with an incurable chromosome defect that caused him to be severely retarded said this: “He is our child. We have brought him into the world. We can’t think of leaving him with someone else. We love him so much. We want to help him make the very best of his life. It is a big job, but he is really making progress, and that makes us happy.†The same is true when one’s parents are in need of care. God’s Word shows that grown children also have the obligation to care for their aged handicapped parents, including those who are no longer fully sound in mind.—1 Timothy 5:4. There may, of course, be circumstances making it inadvisable to care for a mentally ill person at home. He may be a danger to himself or others, may need special treatments or constant professional care, or may be totally unwilling to stay at home. Care for him in the home may also become too heavy a burden upon other family members, severely affecting their own health and welfare. But if such circumstances do not exist, the best place to care for him may be in the home, where the family arrangement lovingly instituted by God may well contribute to the person’s progress toward recovery. How God’s Word Helps A provision of God that can be used when caring for mentally disturbed persons is helping them to take in knowledge from the Bible. Examples show that mentally disturbed persons have been relieved of much tension and anguish, and at times have even been cured, by having their thinking adjusted through knowledge from God’s Word. Why so? Primarily because the Bible is a book that provides spiritual guidance and infuses hope in man. (Romans 15:4, 13) Hope is especially vital for depressed persons. And God’s spirit, along with a strong hope, can help a confused person to adjust his thoughts and resume wholesome ways. Therefore, a regular Bible study has often proved to be beneficial. A mind that deviates from a normal way of thinking needs adjustment, as does a clock that keeps going too slow or too fast. The clock may still be useful if it is regularly set against a correct clock. By means of the Bible Jehovah God has provided man with a “correct clock,†a standard for right thinking. If a mentally disturbed person is regularly helped to make use of this fine provision, it brings comfort, faith and hope to that one’s troubled mind. That is what happened with Florence, the young woman described at the beginning of this article. A woman from the local congregation of Jehovah’s Witnesses visited her parents and arranged to hold a weekly Bible study with her. The Witness says: “In the beginning she was very shy and sensitive and would rush out of the room and cry. But gradually, as she gained Bible knowledge, she became more balanced. Next, I acquainted her with other persons whom I invited to attend the study, and finally, for the first time in several years, she could leave home to accompany me to a meeting. Florence is now living a normal life. She is married, has two small children and is herself conducting Bible studies with others. Her own comment was: ‘I would never have managed to rise again without the truth and the hope from the Bible.’†The Power of Prayer Praying regularly with a mentally disturbed person may likewise help to bring better order to the confused mind. This provision from God can serve as a safety valve through which depressing thoughts can be released. The apostle Peter combined being “sound in mind†with being “vigilant with a view to prayers.†(1 Peter 4:7) Through prayer God may be reached at any time, day or night. And he invites us to petition him “in everything,†which also includes mental problems.—Philippians 4:6. The efficacy of prayer can be seen by the following example: A married man in Belgium had suffered from severe mental disorders since childhood. He accepted a Bible study with Jehovah’s Witnesses and he writes: “As soon as I understood that Jehovah is the only true God, I prayed, asking him to help me change because I realized that my behavior was anything but normal. Up to that time no psychiatric treatment had been effective, in spite of my being interned three times and undergoing all sorts of analytic tests. I thought of refusing medication, becoming aware of its ineffectiveness, but what would replace it? “As soon as I stopped taking the sedatives, my nervous tension was such that I was barely able to chew my food. I supplicated Jehovah many times each day and each time a feeling of peace came over me. Bible thoughts that came to mind also helped greatly. At first, this was of short duration, but I persevered. I realized that God’s spirit was really helping me out. Little by little, as the weeks, months and years passed, the fits diminished in both frequency and intensity. The battle had been won! I can certify that today I lead a normal life, being capable of shouldering my responsibilities and developing a Christian personality. I can do no better than encourage all those who have similar problems to turn to our God, Jehovah, to receive help.†Care Through the Christian Congregation There is yet another way that Jehovah God shows his care for the mentally ill, and that is through the Christian congregation. Here God has lovingly arranged for elders to take the lead. They endeavor to follow the counsel: “Speak consolingly to the depressed souls, support the weak, be long-suffering toward all.†(1 Thessalonians 5:14) Years of study of God’s Word and practical experience in handling problems have made Christian elders qualified to help all kinds of persons coming to them. They manifest genuine interest, patiently listening to all that the troubled one has to say. Christian elders are aware of the importance of trying to understand instead of being quick to censure a person or minimize the significance of his feelings. Despite their own shortcomings and limitations, elders sincerely try to comfort and help. Said the recovered Belgian man: “I must stress the love shown by the elders who, although not always understanding the situation, were there to sustain me as well as my family.†The elders also want to help troubled ones attend meetings of the Christian congregation. Held in a peaceful and sober spirit, such meetings provide wholesome association and a calming atmosphere for all who are willing to benefit from them. What About Incurable Cases? Obviously, not every case of mental illness can be cured by means of the provisions mentioned here. However, experience has shown that many mentally or emotionally troubled persons have recovered or have gained at least a measure of relief through them. Of course, there are cases so severe that the afflicted person cannot grasp Bible knowledge and understand spiritual things. But even in such instances, some relief has resulted from letting the person dwell in an atmosphere of love and security. Some situations may seem hopeless and difficult to endure. This does not mean that God does not care. Concerning the rule of God’s Messianic King, it was said prophetically: “He will deliver the poor one crying for help, also the afflicted one and whoever has no helper. He will feel sorry for the lowly one and the poor one, and the souls of the poor ones he will save.â€â€”Psalm 72:1, 12, 13. With permanent relief in view, God has permitted this imperfect human condition to exist during a certain period of time. But not forever! The Scriptures assure us that all unpleasant aspects of human life will completely disappear when God’s heavenly Kingdom government replaces Satanic rule with divine rulership of the earth.—Daniel 2:34, 44; Revelation 21:4. Yes, soon Jehovah God will remove the causes of all human disorders, both physical and mental. He really does care. Hope this answers your question about this scenario? Col
If you want to be legalistic about tithing, there are two or three annual tithes and one tri-annual. So it is 23% to 33% that you give to the theocracy....well, in the US I don't have a theocracy, the government and church are separate. My combined tithe is in the 23% to 33%, I wish more of it went to the church and not the state but I give a portion that would satisfy any legalist.
Years ago, after traveling Oceania for 3 months I was out of cash and hadn't yet secured a job yet. I cashed in $1200 of stock to live on and I tithed $120. The next day I got a check in the mail for $118 from my auto insurance company saying they over charged me a few years before. I was stunned but then jokingly thought "Lord, why didn't you give me the last $2?". Immediately, maybe divinely the thought entered my head that I would write that $120 off my taxes and get back at least $20. I don't recommend giving a set amount or giving just to get back, give joyfully and all your needs will be met.
as for as I'm concern,I never ever gave money to church. because I'm not a Christian,I'm a Muslim. hahaha.
I see what jehovah's witness think in general about mental illness, but not a direct answer to the question I asked. So, if someone had a multiple personality disorder with one personality believing in god and the other personality didn't...Do you believe God will turn that person to ash?