Recent Comments

1. about 7 hours ago on Pearls Before Swine

   What a discussion. As a psychology major, I can assure all that happiness may… or may not… be a choice.

   It is true that some people “think” themselves into unhappiness. It is also true that some people are unrealistically optimistic… which wouldn’t be bad except it can cause them to ignore very real dangers.

   Chronic depression is usually a state of chemical imbalance that does not permit a person to be “happy”. Some people have never been depressed, so they have no idea what it is like. Break a bone… and that severe pain wouldn’t come close to describing serious chronic depression— which is so real it can be physically lethal.

   So no, happiness is not a blanket, “fit’s everyone” choice. It would be unrealistic and even ridiculous to expect someone who has been shot with a gun to be “happy”. Humans are emotional creatures and we cannot always control those emotions. To “force” ourselves to think we are happy would be a form of irrational delusion, and possibly dangerous. There are times when happiness absolutely is not warranted.

   On the other hand, there are those who “think” themselves into being unhappy, or who are understandably unhappy about things which can be corrected by effort or medication (like many medical problems)— which is part of what psychotherapy is about.

   But the blanket statement “A person can choose to be happy” is false… created by those whose natural chemical and physical nature does not allow them to understand human psychological reality. We fear for a reason, grow angry for a reason, love for a reason, hate for a reason… and can be unhappy for a reason. Psychologically, there is no single attitude-platitude that fits all humans.

   For some unfortunate people, happiness is literally not possible… so they just do the best they can. To tell them, “Don’t worry, be happy” or “You can choose to be happy” would be both unrealistic… and unkind.

2. about 7 hours ago on Phoebe and Her Unicorn

   I once tried Club Soda, neat. Bleh. Nastee stuff.

3. about 16 hours ago on Pearls Before Swine

   Myself, I see no advantage to anti-faith. It’s a dead-end road, quite literally.

   As someone above said, it is wrong to tell an unbeliever they’re going to hell, period. Firstly, the Bible states the dead are dead and conscious of nothing. In addition, Jesus told us to “preach the good news of the Kingdom” and that “God is Love”. He did not tell us to preach a God of unforgiving hatred. Further, he strongly warned against judging others. “Judge not lest you be judged.” That’s quite clear. It’s his place to judge, not ours.

   At the same time, it is equally wrong to tell someone of faith that God doesn’t exist and that all religion is a myth. It is as rude and obnoxious as telling someone they’re going to hell. There is no difference between these two biased attitudes.

   Both are just personal opinions, voiced by people who think too much of their own opinions and beliefs and who have little or no regard, respect or love for others. In plain language, both types of people are “shooting their mouths off”… something that is frowned on in any society.

   People will believe what they choose to believe. Vehemently insisting on one’s personal beliefs is a display of arrogance. Which side of the fence one is shouting from doesn’t matter.

   As a wise friend once said, “You don’t convince people by telling them they’re wrong. You convince them by helping them to arrive at the truth via their own volition and discernment.”

4. about 18 hours ago on Pearls Before Swine

   “You make a lot of good points but at the end of of the day, it’s still just religious myths.”

   You are correct that the majority of it is just religious myths. However that doesn’t mean that all of it is. What it comes down to is what each individual chooses (or wants) to believe. I’ve met many people who don’t believe in God simply because they don’t want to, and no amount of logic will get them to even consider the possibility He might really exist.

   At the same time I’ve met many claiming to be Christian whose beliefs are both self-contradictory and contradict the Bible itself… and nothing will get them to consider otherwise. Closed minded is closed minded, no matter which side of the fence someone stands on.

   “Wouldn’t logic tell you that if they are all really following Jesus, there would be no need for all these different doctrines?”

   Absolutely. No disagreement there. However you know people as well as I. Humans as a species tend to be very divided and adversarial… in all walks of life. Look what’s going on in politics right now. Using the same logic, wouldn’t you think that if politics worked, everyone would agree and we wouldn’t literally have two diametrically opposed political systems out to sabotage one another?

   Jesus and the Apostles actually prophesied this would be the case… rather amazing considered they hadn’t even started “Christianity” yet (that came later, by direction of holy spirit). Based on the history of religion I can understand people being against it as a concept. But as a person who has studied the scriptures extensively, I find the truth there undeniable. Others may disagree, and that’s their personal decision. That doesn’t mean they’re right and faith wrong; it just means that’s their personal decision.

   (cont)

5. about 18 hours ago on Pearls Before Swine

   " I was considered quite a rebel because I would argue with the professors using concepts from a variety of other denominations and religions, as well as historical texts."

   Good for you. If I remember correctly, Jesus did somewhat the same with the religious leaders of his day (sans the other denominations, because Jesus represented God Himself). ;D

   But in our day when there are some 40,000 (or so) Christian denominations teaching whatever they want to teach and largely disagreeing with one another, one has to wonder exactly what and who they consider to be their authority.

   A college student I knew once said he had transferred from a Bible college, because what they were mostly teaching him was how to make money from religion… and that’s not what he went for. So he figured if it was all about money, he might as well go with a secular institution.

   It’s not that all religion is bad. There has to be ONE true religion because God would see to that. But that means that if someone questions the doctrine of a religion they belong to, A) Good for them. We should always question and make sure (like the Beoreans) that “what these men were saying is so” and B) The chances are that particular denomination is not THE religion that actually follows the teachings of the Bible.

   Some people think “as long as one has faith in Christ they are saved”… but fail to realize that having faith in Christ means doing their best to do what he said to do. In my study of religions, the vast, vast majority of “Christian” religions failed that test… miserably so. We see that just in this discussion of the state of the dead. I am in truth surprised to see an unusual number of people here who recognize death for what it is. Can’t attribute that to mainstream religions.

   So as far as you challenging religious teachings… good for you. It’s by questioning what we are taught that we open our minds and hearts to what the scriptures really say.

6. 1 day ago on Pearls Before Swine

   “The concept of nothing is unimaginable.”

   Perhaps this differs from individual to individual. I enjoyed the comment of a comic one time: “I’m not afraid of death. Doesn’t bother me at all. I’m not crazy about the method…”

   I think this applies to a lot of folks, as I’ve heard many make that comment. I can imagine “nothing” because I’ve been asleep in a dreamless state. In death we “go to sleep”, our thoughts cease, that’s it. Some people are terrified of non-existence, but others just take it as a natural cycle.

   Fortunately that’s not necessarily the end. For those who are resurrected, their experience (from their point of view) is that they die (peacefully or otherwise), and the next moment they open their eyes in Paradise. There is no discerned passage of time; they don’t even dream. In their mind it’s an instant transition, from one life … to a far better one.

7. 1 day ago on Pearls Before Swine

   “This day you will be with me in Paradise” to the good thief,"</>

   That’s actually a mis-translation, again by mainstream Christianity. The actually translation (word for word from the Greek) is: “And he said to him Amen to you I am saying today with me you will be in the Paradise.” Or in modern English, “Truly I say to you today, you will be with me in Paradise.”

   How do we know this? Three reasons:

   1. The Bible speaks of the man as an “evil-doer”. Jesus forgave him because of his change in attitude, but certainly he was not qualified to serve with Jesus as a King and Priest in heaven. Jesus was speaking of the future Earthly paradise (Rev 21:3,4)

   2. Jesus himself was not in paradise that day. Scripture states he was dead for parts of three days before being resurrected.

   3. The Paradise Jesus spoke of had not yet been established, nor would it be established that day.

   So it is not possible the man could have been with Jesus in paradise that same day. Jesus was today (at that moment) telling him he would be with him in the future Paradise.

8. 1 day ago on Pearls Before Swine

   At least you gave life in heaven some real thought, which is more than most people do. Good for you.

   Actually, God is perfect in all ways. No amount of praise could make him “conceited”. Just the opposite, the Bible teaches that God is humble. So while praise to him is important (and even required, for our own good to keep us humble), it’s not because he “needs” such… but because it draws us closer to Him in our own minds and hearts.

   You are correct that there are specific jobs in heaven (as mentioned above). It’s not all floating in clouds and playing harps. The word Angel actually means “messenger” and those who go to heaven rule with Jesus as Kings and Priests… jobs that are not idle.

   So yeah, you’re on the right trail. There is more to heaven than we are taught in church litany. ; )

9. 1 day ago on Pearls Before Swine

   Follow-up: Yes, there are people who go to heaven, but they are specially chosen by God to do so. Revelation states twice they have a specific purpose: to be “Kings and Priests with Christ”. Not everyone can be a King or Priest. Who does a King rule over? A priest is a mediary between God and man. Who will they be priests for?

   Is this why people are so afraid of death… because the Churches have them so confused as to what death truly is?

   God is not a person of evil who will burn people forever in torment. Just the opposite, He is a loving God who will give the majority of mankind a “second chance” to change their ways. They lived their entire lives under Satan’s rule. So now he will give even the “unrighteous” a chance to experience life under the rule of Jesus… and then let them choose what they want to do (just as he allowed Adam and Eve to choose their course).

   There’s so much to the Bible people don’t understand because they listen to a preacher once a week instead of deeply studying God’s word themselves (with prayer for divine guidance and holy spirit). As in the days of Jesus… people didn’t listen to the Son of God himself, the Messiah. So too, people don’t read and listen to his words today and insist on following their own beliefs and opinions.

   Follow the Bible. Read the Bible. Or not. We can refuse to read it, twist it to our own opinions and bias, or stubbornly deny what it says, just as the majority of the Jews did in Jesus’ day twisted his words. Free will. That’s what it’s all about. We prove who we are.

   But as far as death and the afterlife… there is a lot more to it than we are taught in mainstream religion… which waters down the truth so as to “tickle the ears” of their supporters instead of teaching the actual word of God.

10. 1 day ago on Pearls Before Swine

    Oddly enough, scriptural description of death is far, far different than what is taught in churches. Dead is dead. “For the dead are conscious of nothing.” “For there is no work nor devising in the grave, to which you are going.”

    Death is a state of non-existence. No work, no suffering, no consciousness, no passage of time. It in fact requires the resurrection, which is spoken of all through the Bible. God has to intentionally resurrect a person for them to return to life. If he decides they don’t warrant it… that’s it.

    As far as the hellfire-pounders, scripture says “death absolves all sin” (so there is no further judgement), and those who are resurrected will be judged on their deeds from that point forward. “For there will be a resurrection of both the righteous and the unrighteous.”

    The concept of everyone going to heaven or hell makes no sense; it is a teaching of men, not scripture. If everyone goes to heaven or hell, who is it who will be part of the massive resurrection to take place in the future… foretold by Jesus, Peter, John, Paul and even Job?

    If someone is in heaven, they certainly would not wish to be “resurrected” back to Earth. And according to Church dogma, no one ever gets out of hell. So again, who will be in that massive resurrection? It only makes sense if death is a state of inactivity. “Lazarus is sleeping.” Not conscious. The little girl Jesus resurrected was “sleeping”. Not in heaven. Sleeping in death.

    The churches have it quite wrong. They want to please people and fill the collection plates… and scripture comes in second place. So “Yes, you’ll be blessed in heaven and be with God” yadda yadda, and forget what the Bible teaches.

    I sometimes wonder how many Christians actually read the Book and compare it with what mainstream Churches teach. And I wonder how many people understand the difference between literal and symbolic passages. The secret to following Jesus is to actually read and carefully examine his teachings.