"I'm an imperfect Christian whose spiritual brethren have been responsible for crimes against humanity .......

Question

... and I'd like a moment of your time to tell you how to avoid Hell."

(o.O)

By the fruits of the religion you will know it?

Why do you want to buy into a religion that has inspired people, in the name of God and devotion, to commit crimes against humanity?

Throughout history, over and over again, Christianity has had need to persecute, to kill, to bring harm to others in the name of God and devotion.

By the fruits of the religion it is known whether it be a benign faith or a malignancy, an addiction, a cancer upon humanity.

Yes indeed, there is some good in Christianity. But it is the bait that every hook requires in order to get you to swallow it.

Sugar is also sweet, but a diet of nothing but sugar will kill you.

Why do you not admit that christians have commited crimes against humanity, and that you lack the authority to preach to anyone about the condition of their soul?

Isn't it obvious Christians have enough trouble with their own souls?

Answer 1

It is obvious that Christians have enough trouble with our own souls.

I pray every day for strength and insight and to be a better person. Sure, no argument there.

But Christianity has not had to persecute, kill, or bring harm to others. It has happened, but it did not need to happen. Again, some Evil people use religion or nationalism to keep power. That is not the fault of Religion, but the Evil men using it.

Christianiaty did not inspire people in the name of God to commit any Crime against anyone. Again, humans are imperfect, the Faith is not imperfect.

As for us Catholics, do a read of the Catechism of the Catholic Church, (our official guide) along with the new Testament, show me where, anywhere that we claim to need to kill others or commit crimes against others in the name of God.

You will not find it. It is not there.

So either we are hiding it, (absurd) or when Evil people do commit crimes, they are not following the Religion.

You seem very angry and determined to undermine Christianity and Catholicism. I understand that. Don't you think that as an "free thinker" you owe it to yourself to first REALLY learn about the Catholic faith and what it REALLY teaches before spewing this hatred?

You never know, you might find more ammunition, and at least then we can debate REAL issues.

Peace be with you!

Answer 2

I've yet to be charged with my crimes against humanity. They just haven't found all the bodies yet.

Relax. Enjoy life more and stop worrying about whether your Christian Neighbor is going to buy an anti-Muslim tank and take out the world in a destructive manner. Talk to as many people as possible in life and see what THEY believe. Your excuse that others have done bad in the past seems more a sign of laziness on your part to take each person as a unique individual.

Humans are not as robotic as you think.

You're right on a point though....nobody should preach about the condition of your soul. They should only discuss their own experiences. But why would they bother with someone like you if you've already pre-judged them?

My 2 cents! Wonder if it'll be a thumbs down or if readers actually have the capacity to learn something new and expand their limited thinking.

Matt

Answer 3

It is, indeed, imbecilic to state that Christianity has not had a hand in fomenting wars. In some few instances those wars were just and legitimate. In some those characteristics did not appear.

The Holy Father, Pope John Paul II, had stated publically that the Iraq war is unjust. He had written and preached against the waging of this conflict. Pope Benedict the XVI has stated that John Paul II's judgements are correct.

That being said, I find it indecipherable why you would say that no one could preach on the condition of one's soul. A priest, in the normal course of his duties, must preach during Mass. Because the church, in say, 1300 incited a war, then a Catholic priest cannot say that living a life of theft, drunkeness, debauchery will harm your soul eternally? Why not? That is a portion of his assigned tasks - to indicate that a dissolute life can lead to separation from God and eternal damnation. Another association related to your charge and its inability to address real life scenarios: A young lady becomes a hooker. She straightens up and connects with Jesus Christ. Is she not allowed to say that hooking will help to destroy your soul? That would be absurd to deny her the right to do that. She is not judging someone's soul to hell but is pointing out that you are 'under the gun' unless you make the corrections to love God and obey him.

Yes, Christians and and all others have a day-to-day difficulty in keeping themselves in God's light of approval. The task has its rewards, however.

Straighten it up a little and 'bring' something sensible that connects - I'll be here!

Answer 4

Not inferior in the least. There may be some qualities that men have in different degree than women, as a rule, and vice versa, but it's not a matter of superiority. It's more like division of labor, or specialization of purpose. The man provides the seed; the woman bears the children. Life requires both. God obviously made it that way. Women are generally more intuitive, more patient, more nurturing than men. But men have some qualities over women. Not that it's a hard and fast rule. It's more of an archetypical thing--the feminine principle vs. the masculine. A full study of this subject in the Bible would be very revealing. One important verse is Galatians 3:28: "There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, woman nor man, all are one in Christ Jesus." Other places maintain that Eve was the one who was deceived, not Adam. The implication is that woman is more susceptible to spiritual deception. For this reason, she is to be "covered" by a man as she is "covered" by her hair (1st Corinthians 11:10). Note, again, it's not inferiority, but difference. Adam wasn't deceived, true; he was disobedient. The fall from grace and the curse of death is attributed to him (Romans 5). Yours in Christ, Nick

Answer 5

If your logics is correct,

then assuming you are an American, that means...
You personally are responsible for the slaughter of the American Indians. Just the same as if you took the gun and blow out each and every one of their brains as the pleaded for mercy.

Assuming that you are white....
You are personally responsible for the kidnapping, enslaving, and beating of thousands of blacks during the time of slavery. Just as if you stood at the auction block and paid the money for each. Then you took the whip and tore their backs until they nothing but blood and tears.

Assuming that you were alive in the 1970s....
You are personally responsible for the break-in at the Watergate Hotel and coverup which followed it. You are personally responsible for every life that was lost in Vietnam as you tried to shift the focus from your crime to the slaughter of innocents to protect yourself.

Name me a single religion, country, people, race, or organization that has NOT had an atrocity committed by either one of its leaders, or someone who claims to be a member of that group. But that does not automatically make ever member of that group quilty of every action ever committed by someone who associated with that group through all of time. If it does, then as a white American alive in the 70's, you are at fault for all the crimes listed above and thousands more.

Rather, each Christian - like each Amercian, or each white male, or each person from the 70s - should be judged by their own actions. They can not change the past, nor should they be expected to be able.

There are millions of Christians today (and at any time in the last 2000 years) who are honest, goldy, good people. They lives their lives in way that help others, show love, and improve the world. The good they do each day (while not excuses the evil) far outweights any evil that has been done in their name.

The "good" of Christianity is not the "bait", but rather the results of a life that is yeilded to God, dedicated to serve to him and mankind, living a purposeful life, and following his principles.

Answer 6

Remember the very first thing almost that Jesus did. He called the church folks, the Pharisees and the scribes hypocrits and white washed sepulchres. Religion can take God's Word and twist it for their own means and never know the God of the Bible. All of us Christians need to learn the Word of God and follow it-not church, not Pope, not pastor, not preacher. God gave us His Word the Holy Bible - READ IT.

God has made foolish the wisdom of this world. Does not the gospel say, "The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom?" How do you know the Lord is you don't read His word? Only a foolish person would trust the word of man over the Word of God.

Answer 7

The book of Revelation tells us that there will be a false bride (church). The majority of Christians will follow it and receive the mark of the beast. I think the types of things you have described verify this prophecy. The true bride will keep the commandments of God and have the testimony of Jesus Christ which is the spirit of prophecy.

edit: While the false church is being sealed for destruction, the true church is being sealed for everlasting life.

Hebrews 8:10&11
This is the covenant I will make with the house of Israel after that time, declares the Lord. I will put my laws in their minds and write them on their hearts. I will be their God, and they will be my people. No longer will a man teach his neighbor, or a man his brother, saying, 'Know the Lord,' because they will all know me, from the least of them to the greatest.

Answer 8

You are wrong, and in need of prayer. Christians aren't perfect, we're sinners, we know that. But we also know that by the grace of God, Our Lord, Our FATHER, that we will one day live in a place without sin. Some Christians have used God and their "faith" to do horrible things, but that's not all Christians. Are we wrong if we get abortions? See, I feel that would be murder and I feel MURDER is a crime against humanity. We have the assurance that Jesus has saved us from our sins, but that doesn't give us the right to go out and sin just because we feel like it. That's pretty much taking God's promise and throwing it in his face. I'll pray for you.
God bless!

Answer 9

To every religion there is some good, some bad. It's usually the interpretation used, and interpretation is usually just a reflection of the person who's doing the reading.

I don't blame Christians on Christinaity, but on individuality. What other people have done, they would have done regardless of which god(s) they aligned themselves with.

Answer 10

I am also an imperfect christian human being ....... I know that because my savior, Jesus Christ, tells me that we're all short of God's perfection ....... I cannot bear the responsibility of other Christian's shortcomings ....... each person, past or present, has to be responsible for their own actions..and be judged accordingly ........ I don't have to be even close to perfect in order to pray for and receive the blessings that my Jesus gives to me every day ...... this world is a very imperfect place....