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[edit] I know masturbation is wrong, but is it okay that sometimes I get erections? It's natural and part of being a woman, right?
[edit] If Jesus returned tomorrow, how would you react?
Would you recognize Him immediately and fall to your knees? Would you ask for proof that He is who He says He is? What would it take to make you believe that you are indeed witnessing the second coming of Christ?
If Jesus returned tomorrow, how would you react?
The same as today - It should make no difference to a Christian when Jesus returns, if you try to live according to the Bible and follow his example. If you're reaction is "Oh crap, I have to live right now" you where doing it wrong all along. I think this is why he doesn't tell us when he's coming, because it removes the option "convert to Christianity on the last day just in case". --admin 19:02, 15 May 2009 (UTC)
Would you recognize Him immediately and fall to your knees?
If and only if he returns and does what he says he would in the Bible. I'm thinking it's going to be pretty obvious, so yes. --admin 19:02, 15 May 2009 (UTC)
Would you ask for proof that He is who He says He is?
No; the Bible says not to test God, and the proof will be evident in whether or not he fulfills the Bible prophecy. --admin 19:02, 15 May 2009 (UTC)
What would it take to make you believe that you are indeed witnessing the second coming of Christ? --admin 19:02, 15 May 2009 (UTC)
If 'He' would sin, or disobey a single bible prophecy I would not believe him.
[edit] Why is God necessary for meaning in your life?
Why are other routes to meaning less meaningful?
Isa 64:6 states "But we are all like an unclean thing, and all of our righteousnesses are like filthy rags" - without God we are nothing. I presume non-believers gain meaning for thier lives in other ways, but as a Christian that doesn't make sense. The bible makes it apparent that meaning (for a Christian) is doing the will of God. I don't see any way any other meaning (defined as "filthy rags" by God) can have as much meaning as doing the will of God.--admin 19:02, 15 May 2009 (UTC)
[edit] What does the Bible say about alcohol?
From Matt 26:26-29, Jesus instituted communion with wine and talked about not drinking it again until he was with his disciples in heaven.
There's an earlier reference in John 2:1-11 where he turned water to wine for the wedding party he was attending. To be fair, no verse in that passage explicitly mentions him drinking the wine, but I imagine most would infer that he did.
As for warnings not to over-indulge, I'm sure there are several but Ephesians 5:18 comes to mind:
Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Spirit.
- Credit for this response goes to Reddit user jmikola for his answer.
What does the bible say about smoking / drinking / marijuana?
The New Testament clearly denounces drunkenness and being controlled by substances, most Christians take this to include drug use (drugs that cause a high or addiction, medicinal drugs are allowed). Marijuana use is also illegal, so the doctrine of respecting the government that God has put in place would restrict you from it also.
The New Testament also says the the 'body is the temple of the Lord', and take that to mean that you shouldn't drink at all, or smoke. I think this is a stretch, Jesus turned water into wine, and wine or alcohol in small quantities has proven health benefits. People against smoking would probably also use this passage, I don't think it's wrong, but not wise, as it's not healthy; I try to stay away from other unhealthy foods, and smoking is addictive. --admin 19:22, 15 May 2009 (UTC)
What does Romans 14 have to do with your opinion?
Romans 14 deals with "Christian liberty" or the responsibility to appropriately exercise your freedoms. It says that although doing something not classified as sin could be allowed or even beneficial, doing it could hurt your testimony to others if they believe it is wrong. To cause somebody to do something that they think is sin is in itself sin if you do it on purpose. Why? Because it hurts your testimony to them; you lose their respect and the ability to disciple (teach/exemplify Christ's teaching to) them.
Example: If another Christian would have had a drinking problem and you would drink in front of him, that's a bad idea and very inconsiderate.--admin 19:22, 15 May 2009 (UTC)
[edit] For those Christians who believe the bible is innerant, how do you fit it together with evolution?
I believe the bible is inerrant, so I assume that evolution is wrong. Not to say that it's completely idiotic and stupid, but that it's a misinterpretation of evidence. The big bang theory is actually very similar to how Christian Scientists (not to be confused with Christian Science) believe the world was created, with the exception that we believe that it was a result of God speaking. Perhaps God made the animals from one another -- Genesis only uses the word "create" a few times in Genesis 1 & 2, the rest of the time it says God "made" things. I picture God making the animals and possibly borrowing concepts and parts from one animal to make another from the simple to the more complex, which explains (in my mind) the perceived evidence for evolution. --admin 19:46, 15 May 2009 (UTC)
[edit] People all over the world claim to have personal experiences with gods you don’t believe in. If you can dismiss their experiences as delusions, what makes you think yours isn’t a delusion?
I don't think they're delusions. I believe Satan misguides people into believing other things, and misguides Christians into denominationalism and arguing amongst ourselves. Satan doesn't care what you believe, as long as it's wrong, so he'll reinforce false beliefs.
As a christian, the bible says to 'test the spirits', if whatever you see doesn't fit God's plan according to the bible, then I believe it's from Satan (or just from people).--admin 19:46, 15 May 2009 (UTC)
[edit] According to Christian belief, when was the human race given free will?
There is no evidence in the Bible of a time we did not have free will. Humans have free will as part of our specifications. --admin 19:46, 15 May 2009 (UTC)
[edit] When the Bible says not to take the Lord's name in vain, does it mean "God" or does it mean "Yahweh" or "Jehovah" or all of the above?
All of the above + Jesus, etc. As Christians, we should try to be as far from sin as possible, so if you have to ask if something is sin, you probably just shouldn't do it. --admin 19:46, 15 May 2009 (UTC)
[edit] Is God mean if he lets even one person be tortured in hell for eternity?
No. God loved us so much that even though we sinned (which brings a penalty of eternity in hell), he sacrificed his own son so we wouldn't have to go there. God only allows people to go there as a result of an entire lifetime of refusal to accept this. We choose where to go, God just honors the choice. --admin 17:10, 5 June 2009 (UTC)
[edit] Is a newborn baby that has not been baptized really guilty of the original sin?
Would it have to go to Hell if it died before baptizing? What happens to a stillborn baby which was alive in the womb for a few months?
Everyone has original sin.
I don't think the Bible's really clear on this, but I and pretty much everyone I've ever talked to agree that up until when a child is able to understand the choice to accept or deny Christ, they haven't committed the unpardonable sin and would therefor go to heaven. This would obviously include babies - born or unborn. --admin 17:10, 5 June 2009 (UTC)
[edit] Does God think incest is cool? First he makes Adam & Eve's offspring interbreed, then he does the same to Noah's family - as well as all animals. Finally, he lets his faithful 'slave' Lot be raped by his own daughters
The Bible clearly condemns incest as sexual perversion. In these instances, incest was necessary to preserve human life, and continue God's plan. In all these cases the incest was a product of prior sin: Adam and Eve's disobedience, a world so sinful God came down to destroy it, and Lot's decision to live in the most sinful city around.--admin 17:10, 5 June 2009 (UTC)
[edit] How did Noah capture koala bears, jaguars, yaks and other creatures 1000s of kilometers away? How did he capture all those creatures who were faster than him or could climb real high?
Genesis 6:20 states that the animals would come to him, indicating that it's probably that God instructed the animals to come to Noah rather than Noah searching for all the animals. --admin 17:10, 5 June 2009 (UTC)
[edit] Have you ever even read the Bible? You are part of a religion that breaks countless rules set by God, every day. Jesus says God's (i.e. his) law is eternal and that he isn't there to change what the prophets told people.
Although I have been gone to church, studying and reading the Bible my entire life, there are probably some passages I haven't yet read. I have however, read every verse in the New Testament, and the majority of the Old Testament several times. Although at first glance the two testaments may seem contradictory, if you consider the purposes of each testament they are not. Most 'prophecy' was not law, and some was about Jesus (the savior). The Old Testament merely showed us we couldn't live up to God's standards; the New Testament addressed that problem, through Jesus.--admin 17:10, 5 June 2009 (UTC)
[edit] In Matthew 6:5 Jesus says you shouldn't pray in public. Why did you join a religion that loves making people do this?
Context is key. In the beginning of verse 5, Jesus indicates that he is talking about people who pray for the benefit of other people seeing how 'spiritual' they are rather than a personal communication between them and God. This is the hypocrisy it speaks of.
1 Thessalonians 5:17 says "Pray continually", Matthew 18:20 instructs us to "gather in his name" (i.e. prayer), and Jesus prayed in public, so it's evident that Jesus is merely addressing the "showiness" of prayer rather than saying giving a rule. --admin 17:10, 5 June 2009 (UTC)
[edit] Since God can't die, how is Jesus' death a sacrifice?
Jesus died as a human, just as we do, in a very brutal way and then spend three days in hell being tortured. He did not die spiritually, just as we do not. To say that Jesus "couldn't die" would have to imply that we could not either. His body was resurrected after three days, indicating that he was actually dead.--admin 17:10, 5 June 2009 (UTC)
[edit] How can you sacrifice yourself to yourself to appease yourself?
You can change the wording of anything to make it sound ridiculous, but God wasn't being "appeased" nor was Jesus sacrificed to God - Jesus was taking the punishment for all of us because he's the only one that could. --admin 17:10, 5 June 2009 (UTC)
[edit] Since God knows everything, doesn't this make his actions as Jesus suicidal?
Suicide is the taking of one's own life, which Jesus did not do, so no. Knowing you're going to die does not equal killing yourself.--admin 17:10, 5 June 2009 (UTC)
[edit] What is the deal with God and killing people?
He murders the entire planet bar a handful of humans and trillions of animals. He sends bears to murder 42 children. He commands people to go to war. Et cetera. Don't you think this is a bit evil?
God is the only one who can justly and rightly decide when it's time for a life to be ended. This is mainly a trap question, God doesn't need me to defend him. --admin 17:10, 5 June 2009 (UTC)
[edit] Where in the Bible does it say you have to build churches?
Where are priests mentioned, the Pope, or the Eucharist? As far as I can tell people are only told to bring animal sacrifices to the "tent of God".
The Eucharist, or Communion is a celebration of the last supper, an event documented in Mathew, Mark, Luke, and 1 Corinthians. Priests and the Pope are elements of Catholic church leadership not in the Bible. As a protestant, I can't explain them either.
The Bible also never says to build churches. The bible does say to meet together in fellowship, and when you have too many people you need a building. Some churches meet in people's homes, but when you have enough people it makes sense to have a building designed for the types of things churches do. --admin 17:10, 5 June 2009 (UTC)
[edit] Don't you think the whole thing with the Eucharist is a bit suspicious?
Jesus says the bread they eat at the last supper is his flesh and that the wine is his blood. Nowhere is it mentioned that humans can turn bread and wine into these things. Doesn't it strike you as odd that the Romans did have a ritual involving bread and the altar, and that suddenly after their conversion there's this whole Eucharist thing? Also, doesn't it make you raise your eyebrow when you find out the church fixed the shortage of church-sanctifying relics by making the Eucharist one? And that it took till 1215 to confirm the whole thing?
Jesus said "Do this in remembrance of me". I don't believe in transubstantiation, I think it's a spiritual metaphor. The whole thing is a celebration of what he did for us.--admin 17:10, 5 June 2009 (UTC)
[edit] How come God keeps thanking himself when he is Jesus?
I'm not going to pretend to understand how the trinity works. I don't have to know everything to be a Christian. All we know is that the three parts are and are not the same. I suppose it's kind of like water being ice, liquid and vapor. --admin 17:10, 5 June 2009 (UTC)
[edit] Where did the talking flaming bushes and clouds of smoke go?
Why is no one nowadays invited to climb mountains where hallucination-inducing plants grow and talk with him? Why doesn't he show himself anymore?
I believe that miracles still happen, but usually on a smaller scale; also we don't need miraculous signs anymore, we have the Bible.--admin 17:10, 5 June 2009 (UTC)
[edit] Why doesn't God heal amputees?
I'm sure he has, but God doesn't heal the majority of people with sickness or physical disability. It actually amazing that a lot of people with disabilities eventually come to embrace their disability. We experience suffering as a result of sin, and it's necessary to get a fraction of a glance at the suffering of hell, in order to wrap our heads around the concept of it.
If God would always heal all of our injuries and sickness, we wouldn't even attribute it to him, because we wouldn't know what it was like to be disabled and just assume it didn't happen. It's the fact that he doesn't do it often that makes it special.
[edit] Isn't it at least a bit odd that there is absolutely no historical evidence of God's visit to earth as Jesus?
The only sources known are stories written at least three decades later or second- and further hand accounts. Surely, some water-walking necromancer would be mentioned in at least one piece of writing dating back to when it happened?
There are extrabiblical accounts of Jesus. Remember also that most people at the time could not read or write, and many in Jesus's sphere of influence where so troubled by his existance they wanted to kill him. Certainly they would not have written about him. --admin 17:10, 5 June 2009 (UTC)
[edit] Isn't it a bit odd the people who wrote the Bible also happen to be Gods chosen people?
And chosen for what anyway? To be outcasts for centuries until some Austrian decided to murder them by the millions?
This isn't odd; the people that God chose to write about him where the ones who wrote about him. The chosen people where the ones God chose to experience the events of the Bible, and be the example. Also since Jesus couldn't visit everywhere God prepared them for Jesus' coming.--admin 17:10, 5 June 2009 (UTC)
[edit] Why didn't Jesus visit any other places (except Japan and the US)? Why aren't cars, computers and other things that aren't from the Bronze age ever mentioned?
It was more profitable for Jesus' teaching to give a small group a high quality teaching than to visit the entire world and give them a superficial teaching. And it was all that was needed - Paul and the disciples took over from there, and wrote down and continued spreading the gospel.
Take a look in Revelation, Daniel or Ezekiel. Ezekiel contains a description of what most closely resembles nuclear fallout.--admin 18:44, 5 June 2009 (UTC)
[edit] Do you believe in the 'by faith alone' or the 'faith and good works' philosophy?
Faith alone. Faith saves you, good works are the byproduct. If you truly believe in the gospel, it will produce a change in your life and a desire to do good works. However, the good works are not a requirement, they are the byproduct.--admin 18:44, 5 June 2009 (UTC)
