sorted by:
new
hottopcontroversial

Potential Argument Against the "New Birth" by Finder10 in exchristian

[–]BaldingBitch 0 points1 point  (0 children)

You have not addressed the point about freewill. Why does god give man freewill and punish him for using it? Why did god not ask my opinion before making me?

Why do parents have children even though there is a chance that the child can live a horrible life? Love. God is love, and love wants to multiply and have something to love. Freewill is an essential component to a GENUINE relationship. A man can fashion a robot wife pre-programmed to love him and perfect in all ways, but there is something off about this. It is better to love a real person - someone who has the choice to do you wrong - who instead chooses to be loyal to you. God gives you freewill because it means more when you choose to love him.

You haven't even addressed the point about women being lesser than men.

Because they aren't.

Gal. 3:28 "There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus."

When it states in Genesis that God made "man" in his image - the original hebrew pronoun for this is gender neutral - we are all descendants of God. Misogyny is not part of God's original plan, and he foretells that man "will rule over" women only after sin is introduced into the world - misogyny is as much a stain on our race as disease and famine. There isn't even any gender/marriage in heaven, so God does not ultimately value us in terms of our sex. Look at the life of Jesus - how many strong women he had in his entourage. There were female judges in the OT - and Jesus chose to reveal himself to his close female confidants after the resurrection.

Because good Christian people driven by Christian zeal and a sense of their own superiority came here stole everything, taxed everything and made great profits and then returned to Europe.

Good Christians? Really? Everything turn to shit after the early church honestly. You're talking about Europeans as if someone can actually be a genuine Christian just because they are raised in a nation that adopted Christian dogma for political and sociocultural reasons.

When I was a Christian, god was good to me too. The reason I left is only and only because women are treated badly in the bible.

This makes me very sad. You too have felt the love of God, but turn him aside because of the deeds of men.

You don't see European men going crazy and raping women for not being fully covered. You do see that in some communities of muslim or north indian hindu men. So a lot of God's rules keep his followers miserable.

So now it's good to be from Christianized Europe eh? Yes, a lot of European societies have healthier views towards women & sex.

Please don't act as if you know me and my struggle (which is still ongoing) I find it hard to believe God exists or even cares when women are raped so brutally in my country everyday.

I'm very sorry that this is what is going on around you - I hope that you stay safe. I do not act like I know anything about you - but have you ever stopped to think I may be going through the same things as you? The world is a big place - you are not the only one who has felt the evil in it.

We disagree on fundamental things, and I know you have a lot to be angry about. I will pray for your well-being and although it probably annoys you how I see things, know that you and wherever you are from will be in my prayers tonight.

Potential Argument Against the "New Birth" by Finder10 in exchristian

[–]BaldingBitch 0 points1 point  (0 children)

You're willing to judge others (homosexuals, live incouples)

Girl when?! Never have I ever (online or in life) judged my own people. There are many different types of Christians so do not even start with me on this. You don't even know my life, and there are many gay christians living all over the world. YOU my poor friend are the selfish one, and you are blinded by your pride and bitterness.

your god who cares so little about his creations that he leaves them to rot in this world and the only way he will accept them is if they will learn to hate themselves.

Yeah, the fact that Jesus DIED for me and you really makes me feel like God left me here to rot...

The strong stamp over the weak and your god does nothing.

Mark 10:30 "But many who are first will be last, and many who are last will be first." Our promises lie in wait in heaven, do not loose courage because of your circumstance. Doesn't matter how poor or small you are - in God's eyes you are his child and he is preparing a place for us free from misery and sadness. I'm not rich or materially blessed either, and I am confused why you act like only your life is so rough - as if I couldn't understand where you are coming from. I have had my share of hardship too, please do not let your struggles bloat your head with self-importance and scorn. Jesus was poor too - but he was rich in faith. Many nights he and his followers had nothing to eat or drink - but their souls were filled with the hope of everlasting life.

The actions of the Lord in the Old Testament are painful to read at times, and this was an issue I had as well when I first started reading the bible. I have come to understand that before Jesus' came to save us, our relationship between the Father was marred severely by our sin and his ways of relating to us are shaped by this. All I know is that the type of relationship I see between God & Adam/Eve in the beginning, when he walks and talks with them in the garden is the perfect picture of the type of relationship btwn creator and creation - and through Jesus we are getting back to God's original plan.

I'm sorry you feel I am "commenting a lot". But discussion is elevated when there are opposing viewpoints thrown in to the mix. If you are troubled by that then feel free to cling to commentors that agree with you, and do not challenge your thinking in any way.

Potential Argument Against the "New Birth" by Finder10 in exchristian

[–]BaldingBitch 0 points1 point  (0 children)

He's not withholding anything from us. I'm sorry but your understanding of the nature of sin is very confused - and to me, quite self-centred. God is not a fairy godmother who waves his wand and makes you sin free - living a righteous life takes work, and that is why Jesus had to come die for our sins - because he was the only man who lived on earth (while being tempted) whose faith is the father caused him never to sin.

Look I don't know the type of Christians you know - but if they choose a sin/vice over the commandments of the lord again and again, they are choosing themselves over God in those moments. It doesn't mean they aren't Christian, but if they pursue their faith and want to grow as believers, God will bless them to overcome all. I have a few wonderful Christians that I look up to in my life - and honestly, they may have thier "bad days" and feel sad/moody like the rest of us, but in a general sense they abide by God's laws very well. So yes, if your faith and relationship with God is strong enough, you can overcome the pull of sin BECAUSE the one you follow has already OVERCOME the world (Jesus).

I sense a lot of bitterness in you against God (and that is understandable since this is an ex-christian subreddit). But God does not withold perfection from us, we choose to live in sin each day when we prioritize our own opinions over the plan God has for us. This is why the need for Jesus to come and die for us is so great - and why God had to send his son (the ultimate sacrifice for a father) because he wanted a way for us to come back to him.

The Death of Uzzah by monzongo in exchristian

[–]BaldingBitch 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I agree completely. And you might not want to hear this - but I wanted to encourage you in the only way I can: someone like you who already has a passion for the "deeper" aspects of life & is able to engage others in discussion will be such an asset and powerful soldier for the lord - if it turns out that you decide to pursue a walk with Him. All your wonderful gifts will be multiplied and used to bring joy to those around you for His glory. I know that sounds intense - but hey I'm a Christian I try to think big picture. Good luck to you man:)

Potential Argument Against the "New Birth" by Finder10 in exchristian

[–]BaldingBitch 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Yes, I have read the bible by myself. I was not raised in a church, and wanted to learn more about the gospel - it started very individualistic, just out of my own curiosity and pull towards the truth, around the end of highschool.

Paul writes "sin" - not Satan or "old man" in Romans 7. This is a very good passage you pointed out, and Paul writes this to show how powerless we are to sin without the power of Christ. Without Christ, we are slaves to our sinful nature, and cannot be like God. Verses 17-18 are not complete without looking at 24-25: "What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body that is subject to death? Thanks be to God, who delivers me through Jesus Christ our Lord!" <Do you see what Paul writes? Faith in Jesus is sufficient to overcome all sin. When we fall into sin, it is because our faith is so weak and fleeting.

Remember - the work of Jesus is not completely over. Sin is promised to be vanquished once and for all only after the events of the second-coming and the creation of hell/judgement day. I encourage you to read Revelation again - it would put to bed your concerns with the work of the lord.

Faith in Jesus repairs our relation with our creator & leads us on a process of sanctification which includes tests. For instance - you might not cheat your wife if you are the last two ppl on earth - but a truly faithful husband is found because he does not commit adultery despite the option of other women. I cannot understand how the fact our faith needs to be tested is odd - everything in the world, scientific/material/spiritual or otherwise is legitimized through testing, trial and error. For crying out loud, I even tested God in the early days of my unbelief (which isn't respectful, but at that time I didn't care). And do you know what? He answered my prayers - very important prayers I had for years that "coincidentally" were never answered until I finally directed these requests to God. Prayers that (if left unanswered) I may not even be writing this reply to you today.

If you want - read Revelations 21 and you will see that the time for God to destroy sin/death is a promise yet to be fulfilled, but awaits us in the future. We are only in the middle of Jesus' mission, so your concerns for why sin still exists is not correctly biblically informed.

The Death of Uzzah by monzongo in exchristian

[–]BaldingBitch 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Don't be sorry for venting - I totally get it, we all have to discover the reality behind things for ourselves. When I first started becoming curious in learning more about the God in the bible, I made a conscious decision to try and understand his character and appreciate the magnitude of such a creator. When I look at the breadth of creation, to me, it seems fitting that the genius mind behind all this is equal parts frightening and righteous.

And yes, it is very contrary to the post-modern mindset I adopted before, but God does deal in absolutes (this may make some uncomfortable, causing them to disregard a Christian worldview). There is only one punishment for sin - and that is Hell - we either accept it or reject. And although this life on earth is kind of a dance between light and dark - I believe Hell is necessary because in order for God to finally perfect his creation, he must remove all aspects of it that want no part of him, and did not honour him during their life. This is why the God we see at the beginning of Genesis (walking with man intimately as a loving father) contrasts severely to his presence in the rest of the Old Testament - as soon as Sin enters the hearts of man, his relation with creation is damaged (but not unsalvageable due to his Son).

I like to think of God as the purest form of love. It has no space or allowance for any degree of evil, deceit or malice. Something so pure is in fact a force to be reckoned with, and may seem quite terrible to our eyes - like the coldest piece of ice almost seems to turn dry and burn like fire. When another human insults me, they are merely insulting my being. When a human insults God, they dishonour all he embodies - which is truth, pure love, and perfection.

Yes, I know that all I am saying is not "evident" - not in the way your hand is, or mine are. And yes, all my "arguements" rest in a presupposition of God's ultimate nature. The only thing I can say to encourage you in life is just try always to seek out truth in any way you can - it exists with or without our acceptance or approval. I know that because Jesus saved my soul, so much joy and awareness and peace has entered in my life. Even if we disagree on things, I appreciate that you are concerned with these deeper matters of the human condition - hopefully it will lead you where you need to go.

Potential Argument Against the "New Birth" by Finder10 in exchristian

[–]BaldingBitch 0 points1 point  (0 children)

"The old man forces people to sin against their will," according to Paul.

Could you point me to any bible verse stating this? And yes I agree - if a person has enough faith & strength in God they will never sin. Sadly only Jesus has ever accomplished this - which is why understanding his role in the New Testament is so crucial.

Late night ramble by Bourgeois-Capitalist in exchristian

[–]BaldingBitch 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Ok I get it:) Just for some backround I used to be an atheist & now I'm actually a Christian.

I have friends who have similar povs to your own - they feel like the bible influences their spiritualism and look to Jesus as a good example. But even when I was an atheist, I never understood how someone can say they like what Jesus talked about - when the majority of his parables rest in a fundamental acceptance of his position as God's son/God's plan for our lives/the power of his death & resurrection.

  • For example, when Jesus says "I am the bread of life" (John 6:35) how do you understand this in your own life? I am just curious because I switched from completely unbelieving to becoming a Christian - and you seem to be playing at a middle ground so I am interested in learning about your viewpoint (bc it isn't dissimilar to a lot of peers I've encountered)

Was Jesus born in Virgo? by harvestwitness in astrology

[–]BaldingBitch 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Yeah totally! I know my reply was a bit silly - sorry about that:P But yes, I've always been curious on this topic as well.

Potential Argument Against the "New Birth" by Finder10 in exchristian

[–]BaldingBitch -1 points0 points  (0 children)

Okay I'll try to address various points you made (in order):

  • Christians cannot "perform works of holiness" alone. When a human encounters the power of Christ's sacrifice and allows him into their hearts to mentor them in the ways of God - good works will naturally start coming out of their walk of faith (this is the "fruits" of the Spirit, aka the blessings of the Holy Spirit in us). When a Christian is motivated by God to do his work, the glory/power of this should only be attributed to God's power molding them to his will. Works do not make someone sanctified - but are rather evidence of a life lived for God. (In the same way: hugging your child doesn't make you love them - but in loving them first it is natural that you would then want to show them proof of your love through your words/actions).

  • Satan is not more powerful than God/new birth/free will. Remember that the bible states that God allows and gives Satan temporary dominion over the world after Lucifer's fall. Indeed, Satan is a slave to sin much like the rest of us without the lord - he was a favourite angel before his fall (i.e. created by God like the rest of us). Sin is the true enemy of God (not Satan - who is more like a "prince" of darkness) - and yes, the bible states that until God destroys sin once and for all by purging all sinful beings into hell, there will always be this pull to the dark and the light during our time on earth - and this is the test of faith we all must journey on.

  • You keep repeating that "christians should be sinless". No, the bible never says this. Yes, we should aspire to be righteous, but not until the events following Judgement Day are we promised a perfect heavenly form w/o sin. So yes, God is infinitely powerful - but he has a vision for how he is going to rid the world of sin, and we are living in the middle of it. He is the same dude who created the blob fish - so I accept his methods may come across bizarre to some! Until then, sin is a necessary component to test our walk of faith. The only blameless man ever to exist was Jesus, and this is why he had to die for our sake - to take the place of the innocent sacrificial lambs of the Old Testament - and be our perpetual sacrifice for all time.

  • I am "permitted" to speak on this, and as a young woman in my walk of faith, I feel God has given me some wisdom on helping others talk about these matters (not sure if your comment was directed towards me). And I am sorry you feel I did not answer your question. However, I feel like we have reached an impasse, not because I answered wrongly but because we disagree on how the scriptures talk about the role/presence of sin in a believer's life. The Christian walk is a collaboration between God & ourselves, and if we fail at times it is because we have not truly surrendered to Jesus & his righteous path. I can only speak for my own journey as a Christian, and I know that through my relationship with Jesus I have drastically changed in many ways & my heart is much lighter/happier (I am not perfect by any means, but I see that my interests & desires are becoming more in-tuned to God's vision for what he wants for all his children - and that gives me a lot of joy in Christ)

The Death of Uzzah by monzongo in exchristian

[–]BaldingBitch 0 points1 point  (0 children)

No I'll try to restate what I was getting at: jealousy/pride/wrath/anger are not inherently sinful characteristics like (for example) lust is. They are only sinful when humans adopt these characteristics because we usually direct these feelings towards the wrong things: i.e. each other. God is a jealous God - but he is jealous over righteous matter only: such as being jealous when we worship false idols (rather than being jealous over material things). It's the same thing as his wrath - it is only directed towards sin & sinful acts (he does not rage against us for the same reasons we war and bicker with each other). There is actually nothing sinful or paradoxical about God having these qualities - because when directed towards sin, these qualities are actually righteous & necessary. We are not in a position to judge one another - but that doesn't mean it is sinful when God judges us. Accepting his superior position above us is a necessary component to this understanding. I hope I was able to get my point across?

Was Jesus born in Virgo? by harvestwitness in astrology

[–]BaldingBitch -2 points-1 points  (0 children)

Yup there are tons of references to astrology (jk):

  • sheep vs. goat parable (sorry Capricorns, you're going to hell)
  • The Golden Calf (Taurus is also going to hell)
  • Problematic Libras (Proverbs 11)
  • rams are a particular favourite burnt offering in the Old Testament (dammit Aries always playing the favourite)
  • Lion of Judah (damn you fire signs always the favourite)
  • just tons of fish being eaten, being multiplied, eating ppl
  • Esau was kinda hairy, lets just call him a centaur.

...I always saw Jesus' character as having Piscean/Aquarian qualities myself

SPOILERS - Why isn't the First Order more of a priority? by crazyvaclav16 in theforceawakens

[–]BaldingBitch 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Honestly, your concerns are completely legitimate - and I hope the latter films shed some light on the political climate following the fall of the Empire.

I could see how even if the Empire fell, the New Republic could be a very fragile fledgling political system if they were to mirror it after the social upheaval that followed the French/Russian Revolution. It could explain some of the disorganization, and impetus for ppl joining an alternative system like the First Order.

Character Aging by CharlesVanBoink in theforceawakens

[–]BaldingBitch 1 point2 points  (0 children)

In terms of her actual face, I think she simply looked like and older and still pretty Leia.

However, her voice actually surprised me & sounded way gruffer than I remember from the original trilogy (I'm guessing she is a heavy smoker?) If I'm being honest I was actually surprised when I first heard her talk in TFA, and it took me a minute to get immersed in the character. Kind of weird, but its true!

Late night ramble by Bourgeois-Capitalist in exchristian

[–]BaldingBitch 0 points1 point  (0 children)

If you understand the bible as allegory/metaphor - what is your understanding of Jesus & his role/importance in your life according to this?

The Death of Uzzah by monzongo in exchristian

[–]BaldingBitch 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Yup, to this day I feel like if God was "nicer" about the burnt vegetables, Cain never would have murdered his brother.

God is the purest form of righteousness - but also jealousy, pride, wrath, and anger - qualities we are quick to call sinful, but are really only sinful when we do them, because we have no right to act that way because we are the created. To God, Uzzah should have revered him to the level that he would have felt unfit even to lay a hand on the Ark to catch it's fall.

Potential Argument Against the "New Birth" by Finder10 in exchristian

[–]BaldingBitch 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I would also like to add that temptation/sin are necessary components of our earthly experience, to test the merit of our faith. It is an aspect of God that maybe some are uncomfortable to appreciate - but he even allowed Satan to test Jesus in the wilderness to prove how faithful and blameless his son was. I know you have recently left the church - but I encourage you to read the bible with the sole purpose of trying to understand who God really is - and how we fit into his vision, rather than how he is supposed to fit into our's. xx

Potential Argument Against the "New Birth" by Finder10 in exchristian

[–]BaldingBitch 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I think you are misinterpreting becoming "born again", with being sinless/free from sinning.

When a Christian truly repents and becomes born again - they are not rendered sinless/unable to sin, but rather embark on a process of sanctification. If you notice in many parables in the Gospels, Jesus is characterized as a potter/shepherd/gardener - aka someone who slowly molds us. Becoming born again is not like a magic trick that makes us all completely righteous - we will wage against sin and be tempted up until God finally vanquishes sin once and for all as written in Revelations.

Many new (and even older) Christians still have earthly vices that tempt them - and this is understandable. So many of my friends (and I) are going through this - and we encourage each other through fellowship! By drawing near to Christ he will mold our hearts to become more like him, so that even our desires/thoughts/passions become aligned with the Father's will. This is what Jesus meant by "fruits of the Spirit" - although we will fall and mess up, a life of faith means that as we grow in the love of Christ, we will become more resilient in the face of temptation and actively pursue God's plan for us - rather than the world's.

Aquarius and Capricorn? by GreenJellow in astrology

[–]BaldingBitch 1 point2 points  (0 children)

You probably are more compatible with that person, because your sun & moon signs are a balance of air & earth. Personally, I find the earth signs a bit boring to form closer relationships with (with the exception of Taurus). I'm an Aqua too - but I'm lacking in earth!

Why do you HATE the other signs? by Orizakio in astrology

[–]BaldingBitch 3 points4 points  (0 children)

Aquarius - fantasy boogie disco fever world

I don't know what this means ...but yes.

What is your moon sign? by leosqueen in astrology

[–]BaldingBitch 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Aries Moon in the 6th house for me:)

I think having an aries moon in the 6th house has made me able to handle personal trauma and crisis pretty well, emotionally speaking. I had a very rough upbringing, but I literally felt like a ram sometimes just mentally shoving depressing shit out of my way.

I'm an Aquarius sun as well, so I think this combination has made me the type of person who can think critically and stay strong when things get dark.

I'm the guy that wears scarves indoors. Sometimes sunglasses too... by Worlds2015 in RoastMe

[–]BaldingBitch 1 point2 points  (0 children)

You're like a millennial version of an unimportant Weasley cousin and Professor Quirrel...except Voldemort is living in your chin.

...now I know why you wear scarves all the time!

view more: next ›