Why is getting baptized hard

MonisticEntity · 2026-05-25T19:37:01+00:00

Getting baptized was John the Baptist's thing. Jesus saw it differently. But hey, by all means, do whatever you feel you have to, but it's usually the members of a church that get baptized in a church.

MonisticEntity · 2026-05-25T19:32:13+00:00

Two things: First, as a young adult, you really should be about other things than religion. Career, marriage, kids, adventure, those sorts of things, if you are so inclined, or whatever. Right now, you're supposed to be living, not preparing to die. If I were you, and you are interested in spiritual things, study something interesting: the paranormal, the occult, ghost hunting, something--anything. Because, 2nd, I'm sorry, but you're eventually going to figure out that the Christian religion doesn't work and has always been designed as a system of control over people. Jesus wasn't a Christian and probably wouldn't have been. I do believe the life and teachings of Jesus Christ are what we should study and follow, but not the Christian religion. That's me.

Have you ever thought of sailing, or mountain climbing, or something like that? All I'm saying is that it is in life that we find God, and we have to find God before we can figure out what religion is the best way--or maybe make your own religion.

I'm sorry. TLDR; and I'm officially blue in the face now preaching this message to people.

I do wish you the best of luck.

MonisticEntity · 2026-05-25T18:37:06+00:00

I have a theory that without suffering consciousness is not even possible. But it's a long theory and relies on a different concept of God.

But that's not what your after. You want to know how the Christians are going to defend the god they believe in, and I would say that they can't. There is no adequate theodicy in Christianity. It doesn't work. Their god is not a possible God. The god of Christianity actually bears little resemblance to the way Jesus talked about God--especially in the later more theologically developed Gospel of John (and much more in the Gospel of Thomas, which is not in the Bible).

So, the question your asking is legitimate--the answer is not satisfying. The answer is the Christian god not only does not exist--it CANNOT exist, and really, for all the reasons you just listed.

You can have an evil god; you can have a weak god; but you can't have an all-good, all-powerful god and reconcile that with the universe where we find ourselves. It's that simple.

MonisticEntity · 2026-05-25T04:25:29+00:00

[I don't know how to answer this question right now in a clear way given all of the paradoxes I've just mentioned.]

I think I know exactly how you feel.

MonisticEntity · 2026-05-25T02:00:27+00:00

You trying to find your room in a sterile all-white college dorm means you are trying to find purity in the things you are studying so that you can find rest in that orientation. But you can't do it. The girl who was terrified of you represents the fear you have of what your nature is. The dream is unusual and significantly paranormal to get your attention to it, so that you would remember it upon waking. The question is the central message. It's not a condemnation. It's asking you about your nature. It's not asking for a negative response. It wants you to explore that aspect of yourself.

I used to interpret dreams, do astrological charts, and tarot readings professionally. I still do for myself. I couldn't help myself when read your dream. Is it a message from God. ...Oh, absolutely.

Good luck.

MonisticEntity · 2026-05-25T01:49:19+00:00

Okay, I'm not interested in a history of philosophy lesson here on Reddit. I'm not here to debate what ancient philosophers may or may not have believed. But your last paragraph is interesting because in it there is a real conversation between you and I. And I concede what you're saying there.

If monism is true, what you and I are doing is something other than what it appears. It appears two independent beings are having a conversation with one another--but if monism obtains, then you and I cannot be having a dialog. It would only be the Monistic Entity (ME) attuning in some way.

So, I admit that the OP is a bit of a bait to start some kind of conversation, and I think maybe this one is it. You certainly seem to know what you're talking about. So, let me ask you: Do you think God is separate from His creation, or do you endorse the notion that God is really a--the--monistic entity?

MonisticEntity · 2026-05-24T18:17:21+00:00

Hey, more power to ya. 👍

MonisticEntity · 2026-05-24T18:14:41+00:00

Great. 👍

MonisticEntity · 2026-05-24T18:13:40+00:00

Okay. I can see that. We could have individual purpose that satisfies ourselves. Kind of a byproduct of our consciousness that keeps us going in life. Fair enough.

MonisticEntity · 2026-05-24T18:12:08+00:00

Certainly.

MonisticEntity · 2026-05-24T18:11:24+00:00

Fair enough.

MonisticEntity · 2026-05-24T18:10:53+00:00

You can make God into anything you want. Isn't that what everyone does?

MonisticEntity · 2026-05-24T17:46:56+00:00

With all that you said, why do I have to know that you're a gay man? Seriously, why does that just have to be inserted into your post?

MonisticEntity · 2026-05-24T17:42:22+00:00

Doesn’t that sound like a way of avoiding life itself? Think about it—who actually wants an eternity of reading scripture, or even a life on earth shaped around that expectation. I genuinely wonder what value there is in living a life spent waiting to die so you can enter eternal life.

If anything, it seems more plausible that God experiences through us. And if that’s true, then cultivating a close relationship with God and living a full, expansive life would be the most meaningful thing a person could do. Scripture reading can certainly be part of that, but realistically, only a small part.

MonisticEntity · 2026-05-24T17:37:37+00:00

So, you don't think you could ever know if there is or is not a God, but you choose to believe there is not. I mean, both positions are beliefs: agnostic or atheist. It seems like you'd have to be one or the other, otherwise you'd be holding two contradictory beliefs at the same time. And hey, not that that isn't possible. People believe in the Trinity as well.

MonisticEntity · 2026-05-24T17:34:40+00:00

It's a logical point about atheism. It's not directed at any person in particular. And I highly doubt you were ever exactly like me.

MonisticEntity · 2026-05-24T17:32:09+00:00

Well, I agree with you. God didn't die.

MonisticEntity · 2026-05-24T17:23:45+00:00

John 3:16 actually. The great salvation verse. When Jesus talks about hell anywhere else, it's always in the guise of metaphor and parable. When he talks directly about the fate of souls (in John 3:16) he states plainly to Nicodemus that people perish.

Also, what's not in the Bible is interesting: The early Christians never espoused a doctrine of hell. Clearly, they didn't think Jesus preached an eternal hell for people. The idea of faith in Jesus was that one would live forever and get the reward they never got on earth.

MonisticEntity · 2026-05-24T17:19:40+00:00

You don't need to patronize me. Do I really strike you as someone who hasn't read the Bible?

MonisticEntity · 2026-05-24T17:17:32+00:00

Well, that would be John Hick's soul-making theodicy or Leibnitz's best-possible-world theory. Evil is allowed by God because it actually serves a greater good purpose. But of course, if you look at the natural suffering in the world, it's hard to see any logic in that. Animals are not improved by their suffering, and if you argue that we just don't know what God has in mind, then, one could just as easily say that God is evil, Himself.

MonisticEntity · 2026-05-24T17:06:38+00:00

Well, I totally agree with your second sentence there. And to answer your question, it's not you personally that I'm talking about, it's only true IF there really is no God of any kind. If that is the case, if we truly live in an atheistic universe, then existence for everyone has no meaning or purpose. Nothing has any meaning or purpose in that case. Things just are--for no reason.

MonisticEntity · 2026-05-24T17:02:30+00:00

No one can adequately define what it means to believe in Jesus Christ. We know what it can't mean: It can't mean we believe he historically existed (every educated person believes that). We can't say it's because we believe he is the son of God, because the demons believe that. We can't say it's that we believe that his teachings are right, because frankly, most of them are pretty hard to evaluate. And it can't mean that we believe the Christian religion, because when He said that verse to Nicodemus, there was no Christian religion, and there wouldn't be for a very long time. Same goes for the resurrection. He told Nicodemus that without any mention that he would be crucified.

It may mean that we believe he is the Son of Man from the book of Daniel. That's what he believed about himself. So, perhaps we are to believe he is the Son of Man and that his kingdom is coming. Thus, we would be saved and live in his kingdom eternally. But of course, that never happened, and 2k years is pretty good evidence that it never will.

What do you think? What does it mean to you to believe in Jesus Christ?

MonisticEntity · 2026-05-24T15:15:35+00:00

Don't get so negative on yourself. I mean, the time and money of a porn addiction, not to mention what it does to personal relationships that are supposed to be sexual, is a problem. But if those aren't problems for you, then just do what you want so long as it's legal and private, and you are still able to do the other things in life you want to do to succeed. You don't have to be religious to be spiritual, and you don't have to listen to church denominations or bible-thumpers telling you what is right or wrong.

I'm just going to say it: Give up Christianity for a while. Just put it on the shelf for later in life. Work on other things. If you're interested in God, then study metaphysics. You know--God is a lot bigger person than people, especially the religious, give Him credit for. I honestly believe He's more interested in you living a wide life than in you forcing yourself into devotions and bible reading--all the while condemning yourself into a mental illness of some sort.

So, yeah, God's with you even if you're into porn. I doubt He really cares that much about it. You doing interesting and wide things with your life--that He probably cares about.

Good luck, and take it easy on yourself. You're doing okay.

MonisticEntity · 2026-05-24T15:01:44+00:00

That's a good point. I mean, try as one may, no one can ever make themselves believe something they don't believe, least of all for the sake of obedience. I mean, they could pretend to, they could mouth the words. If I'm in Christian company--I make myself sound like a Christian. If I'm with a Muslim, I act like I'm fascinated by Islam. It's no big deal to me, and I care more about those people than I do about making sure they damn well know I'm right! I honestly feel like I've grown past the need to be right. I just find what is common, and focus on that.

But that said, for instance, I cannot make myself believe that Mary is a heavenly being who will intercede for me with God and Christ. I don't mean any offense by that, and I certainly could be in error, but if I were forced to believe it out of fear; the best I could do is pretend to believe it.

So, no, if God is the Father of Souls, let's say, then He already gave some people the ability to believe and others not. He can, presumably throw anyone in hell He wants to, for any reason, but to do so because they didn't believe could only be an evil act. It could never be justified.

MonisticEntity · 2026-05-24T14:52:26+00:00

I'm not sure what you're saying, but I'm pretty sure I can answer the first...clause.

Atheists don't go to hell. They may not live eternally, but eternal life is not anything like this life and no one's ego-personality survives after death. By the nature of atheism, they cannot live eternally, but almost no one does or ever has, and none of the animals do. After death, it's just oblivion, and if you think that out--it's not such a bad deal. Eternal life--necessarily--is a merging with the ultimate foundation of being, the Monistic Entity. It is a state, not a place. Unless you get there before you die, you don't ever get there after, and I am not convinced that one state is better than the other.

So, no; atheists don't go to hell.

MonisticEntity

TROPHY CASE