What does God look like to you?

[ashkat1`]

Or they're just familiar with a few denominations.

Look at what sincere Christians have claimed is Biblical and you'll find pronouncements that all sorts of things are both sanctioned and forbidden by the Bible:

- Trinitarianism
- slavery
- waging war
- same-sex marriage
- racial segregation
- communism
- child brides
- acceptance of evolution
- voting
- consuming alcohol
- infant baptism

... and on and on.

Chalking all of this up to "angry atheists" seems to me to be just blaming the messenger.

Pick any central tenet of a denomination that is supposedly Biblical and you can find some other denomination that opposes that tenet and cites the Bible to do it.

Christianity have never been a monolithic religion, just one way. Christianity is actually a plurality of richly diverse traditions and ideas which often do conflict with one another. To some, that was and is a problem. Emperor Julian complained that Christians fight among themselves like wild animals. On a more positive note, it means there is freedom, choice. If one church or denomination does not work out for you, there may be another one that does. Different strokes for different folks.

 

[VioletVortex]

I'm just thinking out loud here; I wonder if a similar electrical phenomenon
would have been why Lord Krishna was said to be blue. Might've just been
symbolism in His case though, I dunno, but it would make sense that
otherwordly beings would produce such an effect when condensing
and manifesting in our atmosphere.

-

Blue is a very spiritual color in many religions. Blue is a very complex color, that is also a reason it might be regarded as spiritual. By "complex", I mean that it's very hard to define.

I think Demons and such have a blue aura.

 

[Oculus]

I'm serious.

 

[Unveiled Artist]

Jimmy Stewart would have to be the 2nd person of the Trinity

The Son

Geordi: Data, that [joke] was [five months] ago.

Data: I know! I just got it!

 

[9-10ths_Penguin]

Christianity have never been a monolithic religion, just one way. Christianity is actually a plurality of richly diverse traditions and ideas which often do conflict with one another. To some, that was and is a problem. Emperor Julian complained that Christians fight among themselves like wild animals. On a more positive note, it means there is freedom, choice. If one church or denomination does not work out for you, there may be another one that does. Different strokes for different folks.

And in the meantime, there have been centuries of Christians killing each other because both sides think that their opposing views are both endorsed by God.

In and of itself, disagreement is fine; it can foster useful dialogue. But what shuts down dialogue is a certainty that one's own side is absolutely right and the other side is absolutely wrong.

The Bible is an echo chamber where you can stick any position into it and it comes out endorsed by God. It didn't create the diversity of opinions in Christianity; it just discourages Christians to respect or engage with dialogue with that diversity.

I'm sure you've heard the Christian slogan "God said it, I believe it, that settles it!" - right? When there are as many versions of "God said it" as there are Christians, this creates problems.

 

[ashkat1`]

And in the meantime, there have been centuries of Christians killing each other because both sides think that their opposing views are both endorsed by God.

In and of itself, disagreement is fine; it can foster useful dialogue. But what shuts down dialogue is a certainty that one's own side is absolutely right and the other side is absolutely wrong.

The Bible is an echo chamber where you can stick any position into it and it comes out endorsed by God. It didn't create the diversity of opinions in Christianity; it just discourages Christians to respect or engage with dialogue with that diversity.

I'm sure you've heard the Christian slogan "God said it, I believe it, that settles it!" - right? When there are as many versions of "God said it" as there are Christians, this creates problems.

Yes, it does prove a problem for some Christians,l but certainly not all Christians. I would identify myself as a liberal Christian. My agenda is a healthy skepticism for tradition, emphasis on creativity, personal experience over dogma, respectful interfaith and interreligious dialogues.

 

[`mud]

I thought we were talking about the image of 'GOD',
now Jesus also ??
Sorry....no portrait, no Apostle/artists,
And now......pixels everywhere !
~
'mud

 

[`mud]

The Jews just left the building !
Now about Jesus !
~
'mud

 

[9-10ths_Penguin]

Yes, it does prove a problem for some Christians,l but certainly not all Christians.

If the Bible points to different, contradictory "truths", it's a problem for any Christian who considers the Bible a source of truth or a source of insight into God's will.

 

[MrMrdevincamus]

picture of older beardie guy

At least there is some hope when I get older .....

 

[MrMrdevincamus]

And in the meantime, there have been centuries of Christians killing each other because both sides think that their opposing views are both endorsed by God.

In and of itself, disagreement is fine; it can foster useful dialogue. But what shuts down dialogue is a certainty that one's own side is absolutely right and the other side is absolutely wrong.

The Bible is an echo chamber where you can stick any position into it and it comes out endorsed by God. It didn't create the diversity of opinions in Christianity; it just discourages Christians to respect or engage with dialogue with that diversity.

I'm sure you've heard the Christian slogan "God said it, I believe it, that settles it!" - right? When there are as many versions of "God said it" as there are Christians, this creates problems.

Again you are wrong. Christians believe in God as I said before as long as one accepts Jesus as savior the rest are details. As for christian infighting all major religions have have far greater disagreements to the death than Christianity. Again X2 as I said before any group with more than three people will fight and bicker. So get off get off the christian phobic rant, its obvious you are posting to bait and troll because no one could be so ignorant and make so many error filled and subjective statements and present them as fact.

 

[MrMrdevincamus]

If the Bible points to different, contradictory "truths", it's a problem for any Christian who considers the Bible a source of truth or a source of insight into God's will.

Name them (ie to different, contradictory "truths") and show that they are presented as 'truths' and were not written as parable, poem, historical writings, or fiction (stories and metaphor) intentionally by the author. The bible was written over a period on many decades by many authors, and it includes many literary styles. It is literally a collection of texts hence the name 'bible'.

 

[9-10ths_Penguin]

Name them (ie to different, contradictory "truths") and show that they are presented as 'truths' and were not written as parable, poem, historical writings, or fiction (stories and metaphor) intentionally by the author.

That would be difficult, since one denomination's "truth" is another denomination's "fiction".

I can point to issues where two Christian groups disagree and both sincerely cite the Bible to support their position. I'm not going to be able to tell you which group is right.

The bible was written over a period on many decades by many authors, and it includes many literary styles. It is literally a collection of texts hence the name 'bible'.

I agree that it would be unreasonable to believe that a single mind guided the whole thing or that it would be foolish not to expect it to contradict itself occasionally. This is why I don't consider the Bible to be inspired by God.

... or really to hold any weight whatsoever except as an indication of what the people who wrote it believed.

 

[MrMrdevincamus]

Id rather be blue than gray~...

 

[ashkat1`]

If the Bible points to different, contradictory "truths", it's a problem for any Christian who considers the Bible a source of truth or a source of insight into God's will.

Yes, true, the Bible is problematic. Those of us in the liberal camp are well aware there are well documented 100 or so major contradictions in the Bible. We recognize that divinely inspired as it may be, the Bible is still the product of fallible human beings living in a prescientific, sexist, racist, semi-barbaric culture. Fundamentalists insist that the Bible is inerrant and was dictated word for word by God. I hold that such a view makes a paper pope out of the Bible and is essentially Bibleolatry. I'm glad to see the errors and problems with Scripture, as it reminds us we are to worship God, not a book. As my OT professor used to say, "The Bible is not the Word of God. The Bible is the word of ancient man. The Word of God is revealed through the word of man."

 

[Spiderman]

I notice this is not in the joke thread. So I'm just wondering if you're aware that she would have been Middle Eastern and not Caucasian.

Is that better?

 

[VioletVortex]

A possible physical manifestation: