Preparing to meet thy maker?

[Eyes to See]

So God has allowed inadequate versions of the Bible? Is that what a competent God would do?

God did put a curse on anyone trying to change his word. I doubt he is going to curse someone for making an honest mistake in translation, or a scribal error by accident.

Now there was a modern-day founder of a certain religion that once he started to rewrite the Bible to add himself into it died rather abruptly.

Religionsts have tried as hard as they could for many centuries to remove God's name Jehovah entirely from the Bible. And many translations have the name Jehovah missing replaced with the titles LORD or GOD in its place. Yet still there are faithful and accurate translations.

 

[Psalm23]

The answer is without hesitation "No"!

Guilty conscience!

Assuming God is a real entity who will judge thy soul, anyone here ready to meet their maker?

The Bible really doesn't send a consistent message. "Thou shalt not kill" is present in Scripture, then "kill every man, woman, and child, kill adulterers, kill those who work on Sabbath", has caused me to have a bit of an exodus from the bondage of using the Bible as an authority, with so many verses stating the opposite of others.

Follow one's conscience maybe? The golden rule perhaps? I follow coincidences, signs, and dots that connect. That has been very helpful!

Other ideas for preparing to meet one's maker?

For me there is a mix of desiring to meet God but also fear. I want to work on trusting God more and trusting in his love for me.

 

[Ella S.]

As a Gnostic, I don't believe that God is my maker. I am a lost fragment of God trapped in a body made by the Demiurge. In that sense, I am involuntarily submerged in my maker. Freedom only comes through meditation, sleep, and death.

 

[F1fan]

God did put a curse on anyone trying to change his word.

Well that's bad news for thousands and thousands of people through history. That might even be bad news for you using an English version of the many English versions of the Bible.

I doubt he is going to curse someone for making an honest mistake in translation, or a scribal error by accident.

Assuming a God exists, you may be mistaken. Let's note it is a Word that is vague and lacks clarity. And the God doesn't want it changed? Look at how Christians interpret it, from bleeding heart liberals to the KKK, and all are saved by the blood of Christ. How does a God dare curse anyone with such a book that allows this much diversity of misunderstanding?

Now there was a modern-day founder of a certain religion that once he started to rewrite the Bible to add himself into it died rather abruptly.

Yet your god couldn't bother to kill Hitler, is this what you are defending? Bad to adjust the Bible, OK to kill 6 million Jews?

Religionsts have tried as hard as they could for many centuries to remove God's name Jehovah entirely from the Bible. And many translations have the name Jehovah missing replaced with the titles LORD or GOD in its place. Yet still there are faithful and accurate translations.

And to what end are these translations? More diversity of interpretation. If your god wanted people to understand it should have inspired a more concise book.

 

[Clara Tea]

ARE YOU PREPARED TO MEET THY MAKER?

The answer is without hesitation "No"! Guilty conscience!

Assuming God is a real entity who will judge thy soul, anyone here ready to meet their maker?

The Bible really doesn't send a consistent message. "Thou shalt not kill" is present in Scripture, then "kill every man, woman, and child, kill adulterers, kill those who work on Sabbath", has caused me to have a bit of an exodus from the bondage of using the Bible as an authority, with so many verses stating the opposite of others.

Follow one's conscience maybe? The golden rule perhaps? I follow coincidences, signs, and dots that connect. That has been very helpful!

Other ideas for preparing to meet one's maker?

You'll be fine before God. You just have stage fright.

A good way to overcome this stage fright is to picture your audience naked. It will make you laugh. However, it could be that God doesn't wear clothes. Only we are supposed to dress, but God doesn't have restrictions.

It would be interesting if KKK (Ku Klux Klan) members went to heaven. They certainly think that they are headed to heaven, and that is why they wear crosses. They think that they are doing God's work by killing Blacks and Jews. Supposedly, God is the God of the Jews, and the Christian and Muslim religions are spin-offs. If so, God might be Jewish. He was the father of Jesus.

What would happen if a KKK member found out that God was Black. There doesn't appear to be a size limit for God. It seems doubtful that God is the size and image of George Burns. More likely, God is of fearsome proportions. So, if you are a KKK member, and you see a giant foot coming down over your head, and the last thing that you remember is a squishing sound, you'll know that somehow, you angered God.

Atheists should be able to make very convincing cases to get into heaven, particularly if they were moral and nice. Wouldn't it take a rather mean God to burn atheists in hell for all eternity merely for not believing? Especially considering that God seems to conceal himself, so that reasonable atheists can't see or understand Him. For example, God may have put bones of ancient dinosaurs on earth, just to fool us. Those bones date to millions of years ago. If it is true (and it may not be) that the earth is only 6,000 years old, as many theists claim, then God must have put those ancient bones there in order to fool us. That's dirty pool....fooling us into believing that theism is wrong, then holding us accountable at the end of our life for making the right choice for the afterlife.

What if everyone was wrong, and there is no God, and no one to greet us? Was anyone expecting to meet their spouse (marriage vows are "til death due you part)." Are we suppose to spend a great deal of time with our ex spouses? If so, what if we married multiple times. Things could really get confusing. Lets say that we had ten spouses, and our spouses had 10 spouses, and their spouses had 10 spouses....etc. Orgy?

Are we able to meet the great people of history? Ben Franklin? Elvis? What kind of joy would it be for them to stand around meeting and greeting and no getting paid for it.....but who said it was heaven for them????

I wonder what the music is like if we all have harps? Wouldn't it be a cacaphony of various melodies clashing with one another? Wouldn't wings be cumbersom if not in use (always bumping things and knocking them off of shelves).

How close to the edge of heaven could we stand without falling off, and if we do fall, where to?

Are there fights to the death in heaven (though we're all dead)?

What do you eat in heaven? I'd stay away from the devil's food cake and deviled ham....too many calories.

Do we remember our past lives in heaven? Do we get reincarnated? Does reincarnation change us into animals? Plants? Objects?

Could we interact with humans when dead? Warn them? Tell them where the loot is stashed?

 

[Clara Tea]

God did put a curse on anyone trying to change his word. I doubt he is going to curse someone for making an honest mistake in translation, or a scribal error by accident.

Now there was a modern-day founder of a certain religion that once he started to rewrite the Bible to add himself into it died rather abruptly.

Religionsts have tried as hard as they could for many centuries to remove God's name Jehovah entirely from the Bible. And many translations have the name Jehovah missing replaced with the titles LORD or GOD in its place. Yet still there are faithful and accurate translations.

Why did God allow other versions of the bible?

 

[Spiderman]

You'll be fine before God. You just have stage fright.

A good way to overcome this stage fright is to picture your audience naked. It will make you laugh. However, it could be that God doesn't wear clothes. Only we are supposed to dress, but God doesn't have restrictions.

It would be interesting if KKK (Ku Klux Klan) members went to heaven. They certainly think that they are headed to heaven, and that is why they wear crosses. They think that they are doing God's work by killing Blacks and Jews. Supposedly, God is the God of the Jews, and the Christian and Muslim religions are spin-offs. If so, God might be Jewish. He was the father of Jesus.

What would happen if a KKK member found out that God was Black. There doesn't appear to be a size limit for God. It seems doubtful that God is the size and image of George Burns. More likely, God is of fearsome proportions. So, if you are a KKK member, and you see a giant foot coming down over your head, and the last thing that you remember is a squishing sound, you'll know that somehow, you angered God.

Atheists should be able to make very convincing cases to get into heaven, particularly if they were moral and nice. Wouldn't it take a rather mean God to burn atheists in hell for all eternity merely for not believing? Especially considering that God seems to conceal himself, so that reasonable atheists can't see or understand Him. For example, God may have put bones of ancient dinosaurs on earth, just to fool us. Those bones date to millions of years ago. If it is true (and it may not be) that the earth is only 6,000 years old, as many theists claim, then God must have put those ancient bones there in order to fool us. That's dirty pool....fooling us into believing that theism is wrong, then holding us accountable at the end of our life for making the right choice for the afterlife.

What if everyone was wrong, and there is no God, and no one to greet us? Was anyone expecting to meet their spouse (marriage vows are "til death due you part)." Are we suppose to spend a great deal of time with our ex spouses? If so, what if we married multiple times. Things could really get confusing. Lets say that we had ten spouses, and our spouses had 10 spouses, and their spouses had 10 spouses....etc. Orgy?

Are we able to meet the great people of history? Ben Franklin? Elvis? What kind of joy would it be for them to stand around meeting and greeting and no getting paid for it.....but who said it was heaven for them????

I wonder what the music is like if we all have harps? Wouldn't it be a cacaphony of various melodies clashing with one another? Wouldn't wings be cumbersom if not in use (always bumping things and knocking them off of shelves).

How close to the edge of heaven could we stand without falling off, and if we do fall, where to?

Are there fights to the death in heaven (though we're all dead)?

What do you eat in heaven? I'd stay away from the devil's food cake and deviled ham....too many calories.

Do we remember our past lives in heaven? Do we get reincarnated? Does reincarnation change us into animals? Plants? Objects?

Could we interact with humans when dead? Warn them? Tell them where the loot is stashed?

Beautiful!

 

[Clara Tea]

Speaking as an ex-Christian, I'm no longer afraid of being judged by God or sent to hell. I've finally let go of these fear tactics of Christianity. I no longer adhere to the fear, shame and guilt that Christianity inflicts upon its followers. It's mainly a religion of fear, shame and guilt trips. It's fear of God, fear of hell, and shame and guilt trips from sinning. According to Christianity, if you do not accept Jesus as your savior and you don't get God's forgiveness for disobeying him, then you go to hell. A lifetime of disobeying God gets you an eternity of torture and suffering in hell. If that belief right there isn't a self-defeating guilt trip, then I don't know what is.

Personally speaking, I have doubts that the God of the Bible even exists. But if he does exist, then I will consider him to be nothing more than a sadistic, bloodthirsty psychopath, who takes personal pleasure from wrecking havoc in the world (Isaiah 45:7). He then sits back and watches the world burn and tear itself apart, and he does nothing to stop the immeasurable violence, corruption, and human suffering. An estimated six million Jews, supposedly God's own chosen people, were ruthlessly murdered by the Nazis, and their God did nothing to save them. And unlike devout Christians, I don't blame the creation (humanity and Satan) for the evil and violence in the world. I blame God, the Creator. According to the Bible, God is all-knowing (Psalm 139:1-6; Isaiah 46:9-10; 1 John 3:20), all-powerful (Psalm 147:5; Job 42:2; Daniel 2:21), and ever-present (Psalm 139:7-10; Isaiah 40:12; Colossians 1:17).

If God actually does exist, and he has infinite knowledge and wisdom (omniscient) and infinite power (omnipotent) and he's present everywhere simultaneously (omnipresent), then he knew ahead of time that humanity would become morally depraved before he created Adam and Eve. Mankind isn't responsible for sin coming into the world. God is responsible for sin, because he even created Adam and Eve knowing that they would disobey him, and he had already planned to curse all of mankind for their disobedience.

Okay, rant over (for now).

It's quite a stretch to prove that the world is virtual (like the Matrix movie) and to prove that God is in control of this virtual world from the premise that there are self-correcting codes in string theory (if, indeed there are, and if string theory proves to be right).

That would be like finding out how tall a bus is, and concluding that God made the bus.

 

[Clara Tea]

It's quite a stretch to prove that the world is virtual (like the Matrix movie) and to prove that God is in control of this virtual world from the premise that there are self-correcting codes in string theory (if, indeed there are, and if string theory proves to be right).

That would be like finding out how tall a bus is, and concluding that God made the bus.

Many theists use physics (or pseudo-physics) to baffle others into believing God, or to impress.

Physics is a science, and it is not supposed to be used to venture wild guesses about God.

 

[Clara Tea]

Beautiful!

Thank you.

 

[Clara Tea]

So God has allowed inadequate versions of the Bible? Is that what a competent God would do?

Is it possible that God made the universe, then the janitor stepped in to clean up while God went away, and that the one that we attribute Godly powers is really the janitor?

 

[Clara Tea]

You could always be like Jacob. Jacob physically fought with God and won Scripture says , earning him the name Israel, meaning "contender with God".

Or you could argue like Moses. Moses refused to bend the knee and bend to God's will , when God said "leave me alone, that I might go destroy Israel".

Moses told God essentially "that is a terrible idea, makes no sense, is stupid" but used a different choice of words, and Scripture says "God repented of the Evil he planned on doing to Israel"!

The right intercessor can fight with God and get God to change his mind, relent, repent, and save a nation, possibly even the world.

If that is true, there are limitless possibilities of what fighting with God can accomplish.

Jesus even said in his time "the violent are taking Heaven by force".

It implies that the right regime could potentially overthrow God, get control of his Kingdom, stop his atrocities, and flood earth with more grace and blessings.

It's actually on my "to do list". My primary goal and mission actually. If I can get enough heavenly beings to sympathize and cooperate with me, God knows it's a possibility (if Scripture is at all accurate).

If I can get most of Heaven to agree that my ideas are more compassionate than God's, and ease more pain and suffering in the end, God realizes his favorability ratings drop, and my regime and political party in Heaven has more sympathizers, and approval ratings go up.

To stay in good standing with his Kingdom he governs, God will then have to compromise, and be more merciful, generous, compassionate, and kind, to keep his approval ratings high and not let the Kingdom destabilize , stop another rebellion in Heaven, stop Heaven from being taken by force, stay in power, and keep his approval ratings high!

He will have to keep outdoing my plans and ideas for a generous outcome and future for earth, how he manages his graces, and the salvation of souls, and more merciful plan for sinners.

Jesus compared his father to a Judge who gives the angry persistent widow what she wants, because he is "afraid of what she will do to him"!

At any rate, God strikes me as a monster, but one I try to both respect , as well as contend with. If I can get him to see my fight with him is motivated by compassion and charity, the strongest enemy is the one you can sympathize with and admire, who is fighting a just and noble fight and cause!

Wish me luck!

If God wants to destroy us because we are annoying, I hardly think that annoying Him further, by pleaing our case, will convince Him.

 

[Hermit Philosopher]

Dear @Spiderman,

Think of the world as consisting of two buckets; one full of **** and the other full kindness.

Whatever you do, do not contribute to the bucket of ****.


Humbly
Hermit

 

[loverofhumanity]

The answer is without hesitation "No"!

Guilty conscience!

Assuming God is a real entity who will judge thy soul, anyone here ready to meet their maker?

The Bible really doesn't send a consistent message. "Thou shalt not kill" is present in Scripture, then "kill every man, woman, and child, kill adulterers, kill those who work on Sabbath", has caused me to have a bit of an exodus from the bondage of using the Bible as an authority, with so many verses stating the opposite of others.

Follow one's conscience maybe? The golden rule perhaps? I follow coincidences, signs, and dots that connect. That has been very helpful!

Other ideas for preparing to meet one's maker?

I wouldn’t jump to the conclusions you make because there are a number of factors involved. God has not only revealed to Moses but to other Prophets even quite recently and in writing.

These Prophets have revealed the essence of what God has taught throughout the ages.

So for instance, as the Quran was recorded over a period of 23 years during the lifetime of Muhammad, it is more authentic about the Bible and other things said about God, and God is certainly not a merciless killer.

In the Baha’i writings we read:


When 'Abdu'l-Bahá states we believe what is in the Bible, He means in substance. Not that we believe every word of it to be taken literally or that every word is the authentic saying of the Prophet. (Shoghi Effendi)

The Bible is not wholly authentic, and in this respect is not to be compared with the Qur'an, and should be wholly subordinated to the authentic writings of Bahá'u'lláh. (Shoghi Effendi)

We cannot be sure of the authenticity of any of the phrases in the Old or the New Testament. What we can be sure of is when such references or words are cited or quoted in either the Quran or the Bahá'í writings. (Effendi)

we cannot be sure how much or how little of the four Gospels are accurate and include the words of Christ and His undiluted teachings, all we can be sure of, as Bahá'ís, is that what has been quoted by Bahá'u'lláh and the Master must be absolutely authentic. As many times passages in the Gospel of St. John are quoted we may assume that it is his Gospel and much of it accurate.

The only Ones I believe can authenticate any Holy Book are the latest Prophets of God and what the OP has posted is not confirmed by Them.

And I think we should not be over presumptuous especially that we cannot authenticate the texts being referred to. Recent Prophets only confirm some parts of the Bible as Divine Revelation but others are stories often with unknown authors such as 1 Samuel 15.

 

[RestlessSoul]

So God has allowed inadequate versions of the Bible? Is that what a competent God would do?

God didn’t write the Bible, humans did. Then translated it’s various books many times. That doesn’t mean the writers weren’t sincere in their desire to know and transcribe the word of God, nor that they weren’t at times divinely inspired. But they were human, and prone to error; as we are human, and prone to erroneous interpretation.

Of course if there is a God, His creation, or what little we see of it, is flawed in our eyes; have you seen the world? What does acknowledging this prove?

 

[RestlessSoul]

The answer is without hesitation "No"!

Guilty conscience!

Assuming God is a real entity who will judge thy soul, anyone here ready to meet their maker?

The Bible really doesn't send a consistent message. "Thou shalt not kill" is present in Scripture, then "kill every man, woman, and child, kill adulterers, kill those who work on Sabbath", has caused me to have a bit of an exodus from the bondage of using the Bible as an authority, with so many verses stating the opposite of others.

Follow one's conscience maybe? The golden rule perhaps? I follow coincidences, signs, and dots that connect. That has been very helpful!

Other ideas for preparing to meet one's maker?

My friend suggested what seemed a novel idea. He said, "Why don't you choose your own conception of God?"
That statement hit me hard. It melted the icy intellectual mountain in whose shadow I had lived and shivered many years. I stood in the sunlight at last.
It was only a matter of bring willing to believe in a power greater than myself. Nothing more was required of me to make my beginning.

AA p12, Bill's Story.

 

[Altfish]

The answer is without hesitation "No"!

Guilty conscience!

Assuming God is a real entity who will judge thy soul, anyone here ready to meet their maker?

The Bible really doesn't send a consistent message. "Thou shalt not kill" is present in Scripture, then "kill every man, woman, and child, kill adulterers, kill those who work on Sabbath", has caused me to have a bit of an exodus from the bondage of using the Bible as an authority, with so many verses stating the opposite of others.

Follow one's conscience maybe? The golden rule perhaps? I follow coincidences, signs, and dots that connect. That has been very helpful!

Other ideas for preparing to meet one's maker?

I've met my Mum & Dad plenty of times

 

[1213]

...
The Bible really doesn't send a consistent message. "Thou shalt not kill" ...

If we are accurate, it says:

You shall not murder.
Ex. 20:13

Which is not the same as kill. Murder is unjust killing. In Biblical point of view death penalty is accepted in some cases and it is not the same as murder.

 

[ChristineM]

Other ideas for preparing to meet one's maker?

The 1st law of thermodynamics is good enough for me

 

[Redemptionsong]

Other ideas for preparing to meet one's maker?

Seek to know him now, while it is still day. Seek to know him while it is still light.

Psalm 7
'The LORD shall judge the people: judge me, O LORD, according to my righteousness, and according to my mine integrity that is in me.
Oh let the wickedness of the wicked come to an end; but establish the just: for the righteous God trieth the heart and reins.
My defence is of God, which saveth the upright in heart.'

Psalm 9
'And he shall judge the world in righteousness, he shall minister judgment to the people in uprightness.
The LORD also will be a refuge for the oppressed, a refuge in times of trouble.
And they that know thy name will put their trust in thee: for thou, LORD, hast not forsaken them that seek thee.'

Amos 5:18. 'Woe unto you that desire the day of the LORD! to what end is it for you? the day of the LORD is darkness, and not light'.