Is Christianity a Negative Religion?

[Muslimwoman]

Originally Posted by Nick the Pilot

Muslimwoman,

You asked,

"What in your belief is the source?

--> I am not sure what you are asking. The source is the Absolute.

"But surely you must speculate about what the Absolute is, isn't it human nature to question this?"

--> It is. However, we are told such questions are fruitless. We have been told the finite mind cannot understand the infinite.

"Would it be akin to Nirvana?"

--> No, Nirvana is completely different, and is a core teaching within Theosophy.

"When you say there is a creator deity, it sounds as though this is just one, do you believe in multiple deities?"

--> Please read my post #26 in this thread.

http://www.comparative-religion.com/...tml#post100140

Wow Nick, think I need a lie down and rest after that one, my brain blew a fuse or two. Interesting stuff, it seems to encompass so many ideas that are core parts of other religions.

I certainly agree that it is fruitless to try to imagine G-d (but must admit sometimes I am just daft enough to try - the nearest I get is an enormous mass of energy).

Salaam

[shadowman]

it is very negative. Most religions are. They propose that humans need fixing.

Chrisitanity says we are all terrible sinners, wicked people. Deserving aweful judgement against a god that is perfect in everyway and can not exist in the same place as us.

we need salvation. we need to be saved. we are all worthy of hell. we are constantly told by christianity that god loves us, as if this is an amazing revelation or an unexpected occurance, infact its almost a warning. "hey buddy, JESUS LOVES YOU so WATCH OUT or you'll GO TO HEEEEELLLLLL!"

I think its a religion of doom and gloom and teaches self hate. (obviously since self is opposite to god, who is the source of all good)

and every human construct is worthless

math science art music movies theater culture history writing its all rubbish, it means squat compared to the kingdom of heaven.

[Thomas]

Originally Posted by shadowman

it is very negative...

You sure it might not be you who's negative?

Originally Posted by shadowman

math science art music movies theater culture history writing its all rubbish, it means squat compared to the kingdom of heaven.

Unless, of course, it's in the service of the kingdom of heaven, in which case it can be sublime?

There is a difference between negativism and pessimism, and I think your post falls into the latter category ... I see a lot wrong, certainly, but I see a lot right, and I am an optimist – Christianity demands that I be.

"Amen I say to you, whosoever shall not receive the kingdom of God
as a little child shall not enter into it." Mark 10:15

You need to find your 'inner child' shadowman, you need to discover the wonder of God's creation ...

Thomas

[Snoopy]

Originally Posted by shadowman

math science art music movies theater culture history writing its all rubbish

Reminds me of Rubbish Dad from the Fast Show.

"Take That? Take That? Take what? It's bloody rubbish!"

s.

[17th Angel]

Originally Posted by shadowman

it is very negative. Most religions are. They propose that humans need fixing.

Chrisitanity says we are all terrible sinners, wicked people. Deserving aweful judgement against a god that is perfect in everyway and can not exist in the same place as us.

we need salvation. we need to be saved. we are all worthy of hell. we are constantly told by christianity that god loves us, as if this is an amazing revelation or an unexpected occurance, infact its almost a warning. "hey buddy, JESUS LOVES YOU so WATCH OUT or you'll GO TO HEEEEELLLLLL!"

I think its a religion of doom and gloom and teaches self hate. (obviously since self is opposite to god, who is the source of all good)

and every human construct is worthless

math science art music movies theater culture history writing its all rubbish, it means squat compared to the kingdom of heaven.

Seeing the light brah..

[Dondi]

Originally Posted by shadowman

it is very negative. Most religions are. They propose that humans need fixing.

Chrisitanity says we are all terrible sinners, wicked people. Deserving aweful judgement against a god that is perfect in everyway and can not exist in the same place as us.

we need salvation. we need to be saved. we are all worthy of hell. we are constantly told by christianity that god loves us, as if this is an amazing revelation or an unexpected occurance, infact its almost a warning. "hey buddy, JESUS LOVES YOU so WATCH OUT or you'll GO TO HEEEEELLLLLL!"

I think its a religion of doom and gloom and teaches self hate. (obviously since self is opposite to god, who is the source of all good)

and every human construct is worthless

math science art music movies theater culture history writing its all rubbish, it means squat compared to the kingdom of heaven.

You should try to see the glass half full, for once, shadow. The fact is that one day we will DIE (Thanks Adam, though I can't really blame him, for man was probably going to fall anyway). Which means we are limited creatures with just a few years here on earth before becoming fertilizer in some lush cemetery somewhere. Not very encouraging, but that's the reality. The HOPE is that God will raise us up to a new incorruptable life. There are promises there to encourage us that this does not have to be the end. The differnece is that with God's Spirit inside, we will be able to live the life Adam couldn't. There will be no more pain, no more sorrow, no more tears in the Kingdom of Heaven. That's good news, man.

The question is, how does one obtain God's Spirit?

[Tao_Equus]

Originally Posted by Dondi

The fact is that one day we will DIE

Hmmm I'm really not so sure. I certainly know we cant prove it as a fact. Given that time is an illusion and the progression of life from birth to death is part of a linear movement through that illusion it is not all certain that we 'die'. One thing about 'preachers' though, they do tend to make out they know one hell (forgive me the pun), of a lot more than they do. And I am largely in agreement with Shadowman on this.

[Dondi]

Originally Posted by Tao_Equus

Hmmm I'm really not so sure. I certainly know we cant prove it as a fact. Given that time is an illusion and the progression of life from birth to death is part of a linear movement through that illusion it is not all certain that we 'die'. One thing about 'preachers' though, they do tend to make out they know one hell (forgive me the pun), of a lot more than they do. And I am largely in agreement with Shadowman on this.

I don't get it. I haven't known anyone who hasn't died physically when their time has some. I went to a funeral recently, I can most certainly tell you that death is NOT an illusion. All men and women will eventually. The fact is that we have family and friends that are no longer here, you cannot see them anymore, they are no longer in the sphere of existence, so there is a sort of a finality to seeing one lowered in the grave. I was really trying to make that point in response to shadowman's post. If you have some conviction that death is an illusion, that's fine, but we won't find out if it is until we are gone from this life.

[Tao_Equus]

Originally Posted by Dondi

I don't get it. I haven't known anyone who hasn't died physically when their time has some. I went to a funeral recently, I can most certainly tell you that death is NOT an illusion. All men and women will eventually. The fact is that we have family and friends that are no longer here, you cannot see them anymore, they are no longer in the sphere of existence, so there is a sort of a finality to seeing one lowered in the grave. I was really trying to make that point in response to shadowman's post. If you have some conviction that death is an illusion, that's fine, but we won't find out if it is until we are gone from this life.

And probably not then either.

I personaly dont discount anything. The special theory of relativity is a well tested theory that seems to have some merit in it. Its certainly as good a theory as any we have into the nature of space/time. I have given some thought to how it relates to our perception of linearity of time and it seems to me that as a mass we are still stuck on the old Newtonian ideas of 3 absolute dimensions with an independent universal time. But this is clearly not the case. Certainly the way you describe our lives is within the structure of that old theory.

I would liken our reality to a rollercoster ride. Once you are on and strapped in and that chain has pulled you up the first hill then there is nothing else percieved but the ride till the ride is over. As you hurtle down the set path of these rails the intensity of the experience allows for few observations outwith that experience. We might feel fear, or look to the heavens and attempt to pray, or feel our guts churn. But first and above all the ride is all consuming. There is no universe outside of the experience till eventually the brakes come on.
"For we convinced physicists, the distinction between past present and future is only an illusion however persistent" Einstein.
Its maybe not the best analogy, and maybe I am thinking my thick head up my own backside, but I 'feel' and, on a very few occasions, have experienced a breakdown of my standard linear perceptions. These have led me to question. I do not believe this Birth, School, Work, Death is not real, but neither do I believe it to be the entirety of reality. But then I'm a Pisces dreamer


Regards

TE

[Snoopy]

Originally Posted by Tao_Equus

But then I'm a Pisces dreamer

Ah yes, I know the feeling.

s.

[Dondi]

Originally Posted by Tao Equus

But then I'm a Pisces dreamer

I dream of salmon myself.

[Snoopy]

Originally Posted by Dondi

I dream of salmon myself.

I'm too koi to be specific.

s.

[Nick the Pilot]

Snoopy-san!

Do you speak Japanese? Nihongo dekiru kao ****e irun desu keredomo....

[Snoopy]

Originally Posted by Nick the Pilot

Do you speak Japanese?

Only the word "koi". And possibly "noodles."

Why?

s.

[Nick the Pilot]

Snoopy-san!

With your knowledge of koi (a product of the Japanese culture) I was hoping that perhaps you also spoke the language. (Nick the Pilot sips a little green tea, kicks off his geta, and ponders what might have been....)

And, if you play Go, let's have a game sometime.