All right, Christians. I have a serious gripe/question. Or two . . . .?

Question

I have repeatedly read questions on here asking Atheists where they get their morality if not from God. I've read many non-Atheists accuse Atheists of using their lack of belief to get away with "immoral" or sinful behavior. But based on several answers from this question (http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index;_ylt=Ak0Ch2tegn2jYe1eogb.Akc8.Bd.?qid=20070708172947AAlg00R) and previous questions, doesn't this mean that Christians can do whatever they want in life as well?

Now, obviously, some people have answered that what we do in life DOES matter, so I'm also asking, what's the "true" Christian stance here? Does immoral or sinful behavior matter in life or not?

And if it doesn't:

Why pick on homosexuals, Atheists, Agnostics, etc.? Why say they are going to hell or that they are sinners? Why hold nonbelievers to a standard if not believers as well?

Girly-Girl: Gee, I'm pretty sure I avoided at least one generalization explicitly. However, I simply ran out of space to avoid the second.

Dark Angel: It's be a waste of your emotions to feel sad for me as I'm not a hateful person.

I'm angry at hypocritical Christians who repeatedly attack nonbelievers. I'm angry at a belief and an attitude. But I attacked no one personally.

Answer 1

Christians have free will just as non Christains. We believe that sin is sin regardless of what it is. We has Christians strive to live a holy life through the power of the holy spirit but, we often fail. When this happens we ask for forgiveness in the name of Jesus because Jesus was the sacrifice and through belief in him and his dying on the cross on behalf of us we ask and recived forgiveness.

Christians are not to judge other people regardless of what they do. We are to judge the sin and pray that God will deliver them from any wrong doing. All the specfics of sin can be found in the holy bible.If our actions are contary to the way God teaches us to live, it is sin and we need to repent.

Following the guidance of God makes life on earth easier to bear but our hope lies in the second life.. The bible says all have fallen short of the glory of God. God created us all and he wants all of us to come to repentence. For thoese that do not believe God exsist , God is will to prove that he does. He says in his word to test him. This is how I became to be a christian. I tested him in my own life. I witness miracles in my life and in the lives of others as well. He will speak to you and he will make you feel his presence if you ask. If it were not for this reality I would still be fumbling around in the dark and I would have no hope for tomorrow.

We as christians have excepted Christ as our living savior and because of this our spirits live forever. This is the hope we have and again, true christians do not pick on or judge any one. We love the people that commit any type of sin and pray that they be delivered from them.

Answer 2

You have asked an excellent question.

Since there has never been any proven contact between the architect of the universe and a human being we must rely on MAN MADE RULES.

Rules such as "do not kill" and then " Oh, its alright to kill if the leaders say it is a war" and

"Do not steal" but then " of course if you are in the government then you can pass a bill that will steal millions"

And, of course those hundreds of rules in the catholic church which seem to be broken daily by diddling priests and bishops who move the predators around from parish to parish.

In other words we make high standards by which to live and then proceed to ignore them or break them.

I believe each one of us should determine how to live our own life in an honorable way, according to our standards. Thereisonly one rule necessary and that is the golden rule:

Do to others as you would like to have done to you.

Why do we need any other standard?

Answer 3

I don't pick on homosexuals, atheists, or anybody else. I wouldn't waste my time. And anyway, if I did that, I'd lose some close friends. I'm a Christian and am not homophobic. As for atheists, the fact that some people choose not to be believers doesn't threaten my own faith in any way. Everyone must make his or her own choices in life, and I respect that. I just hope that they will subsequently respect my choices, as well. I don't necessarily associate morality with religion, because I know too many non-believers who live moral lives. As humans, we're all in the same boat. We all make mistakes sometimes, so for me to be self-righteous and judge other people would make no sense.

Answer 4

Theory?
If atheists KNOW and accept the Bible as the Word of God, and that God is I AM, then they would be accountable to its laws, and commandments. Thus, some atheist's lifestyle would be required to change. Some do not want it change.
The main issue is this:
Why is it that some folks find God while others don't? For atheists, their attitude is, since God cannot be found, God must not exist. But yet, Christians have found God. I, myself, have experienced God and His glory. I have felt His presence. Some atheists rather look where He isn't.
A true Christian desires to be holy and Christlike. The rewards in heaven are judged according to what we do on earth. We are not to practice sin or its characteristics. For sin separates us from God (Isaiah 59:2).
I don't believe it is atheists lack of faith to believe. They want proof He exists. How most look for this proof prevents them from seeing His works on this earth.

Answer 5

Ok. Works matter once you have been saved. There is no such thing as a Christian who rapes someone after being saved for example. Before your saved it doesn't matter as much though. I say as much because there are other consequences to take into consideration, like your conscience and the law of the land, ect. but for straight heaven/hell the only difference is salvation. The problem is that many people don't listen to what is being written in questions and answers and are more eager to pick a fight than to get and give information. Non-Christians aren't picked on personally but feel that an 'attack' on their belief system is a personal attack on them. This isn't the case and for some people at least we are genuinely curious about others beliefs. Sinful behaviour matters when a person claims to be Christian as it both undermines their salvation and the Christian message in general. All Christians are told to lead a like that mimics Christ and this is a very difficult road to take. Many prefer to compromise their beliefs rather than continually search for answers. But this happens on both sides of the fence.

This may not have made as much sense as I hope it did but God Bless and I hope you find the answers you are looking for.

Answer 6

After receiving forgiveness of your sins our God requires us, and empowers us, to live holy lives. It is NOT a license to continue to live in blatant sin. If you continue down that path you will loose God's grace.

Before becoming Christians our Adamic nature knew nothing but to sin. It was is complete bondage to it. Through the merits of Jesus Christ and His sacrificial death He enabled us to choose between to sin or not to sin. We no longer were held in bondage to it. Although we could choose to sin we don't have to, we can now say no to it.

God's standards are universal. This means that we all contain them within. Even small tribes in foreign lands who have absolutely no contact with Christianity nor any other religion instinctively know what's right and what's wrong. according to the standards which God set. He created us that way.

Answer 7

It does matter....We are not picking on homosexuals atheists or anyone (if your a true Christian) True Christians lead by example, True Christians have looked at all the facts have scrutinized there religion as well as others and feel they are in the right place not becuase there parents raised them that way but because it is the right place for them. True christens don't badmouth the theory of evolution or the big bang theory unless they have read into it thourally (i hate it when other christians are out here saying that the theory of evolution says we came from monkeys! thats not what it says know what your attacking).

Christians cant do whatever we want to in life because our god says that it is not right. God has set up a way that we are supposed to be living (and for christians that should be very important i meen he brought you out of nothing so show him some respect and do what your told). When the Christian faith is truly looked at it can be seen that the fundamental important thing to remember is to love. Not do what ever you want to because you go to church every Sunday and there fore you are allowed to cheat on your taxes or gossip or lie. You are supposed to help every one no matter what and love every one in the same way that God showed us when he came down to earth as man.

Sorry i know i got a bit off topic there but i get kinda pissed off when i think about all the hypocirical christians out there in public making a nusince of them selves and making every one belive that all christians are idiots.

(to answer the question that you were offering to the atheists about where they get there moral code its quite simple.... Through culture. Atheists are raised in a society that is (whether you like it or not for good of for bad) christian. Our legal system what were taught in school everything has the impression of christianity on it. Christianity molded our society in the past and therefore has affected our values and what we belive is right or wrong even if you aren not a christian or raised one you were in one way or another)

Catholic 17!

Answer 8

What have we DONE in life does matter in the judgement ,you can't just act sinful and just go straight to heaven ,even if you have pray for God's mercy because you have sinful ,you just can't go straight to heaven if you don't change your way of life ,you can't steal twice after praying for mercy 'cause you have stealing ,even Hell gate opens wide for a christian who live like disbeliever. But God is the mercy ,He will forgive our sin and put a mercy on us as long as we really fight harder to change the way of our wrong life.But ,if you plays and fools God ,God still have a room for all this kind of "christian" in hell.

Answer 9

ok well....i couldn't link to that question. but, to answer your question on my morality. my morals come way back from the 10 commandments and moses...i really try to obey those. i try to model my life after my savior, Jesus Christ who lived a perfect life in the midst of His trials and temptations.

I am by no means allowed to do whatever I want in my life. laws are established for good reasons to guide and protect me. i am protected by the word of God which i use as my guidebook in life.

HOWEVER...what I DO in my life isn't what is going to get me to heaven. Jesus died for my sins and took care of that. Nothing I do besides following Him there will help me to get to heaven. Although, once you're saved you WANT to do things. I'm just saying it doesn't matter what you do...as long as your name is in that book when you get to heaven. We won't be asked what we do when we get there. He'll already know. We won't be graded on a scale of 1 to 10. We run to the prize which is eternal life in heaven with God...that's a pretty great prize.

I do not "pick on" homosexuals, atheists, agnostics, etc... I will agree that they will go to hell and they are sinners. BUT...I am a sinner as well and if it weren't for the fact that I accepted Jesus into my heart and let Him guide me and make sure that I at least try to follow His laws and His will, I am going to heaven and not to hell. It's called faith....my faith is in my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. He died for me for the sins I commit DAILY...and He died for you.That's what's getting me to heaven. That's what will get ANYONE to heaven.

Answer 10

Atheists aren't the ones praising a sadistic God who drowned, tortured, and slaughtered millions, conspired to have his own kid beaten and executed, and repeatedly commanded his followers to hurt and kill thousands of other people. None of that stuff is 'good', 'moral', or 'loving'. I would question my morality if I worshiped that kind of being.

We also don't believe that we can get magically forgiven for any wrongdoing - so most of us don't do wrong in the first place.