Have Christians Been Duped?

I was a Christian for most of my life. I now consider myself a spiritual truth-seeker or I like the term; spiritual scientist. As a Christian it was my experience that it was not wise to question everything as that would make you an "independent thinker!" Having a mind that questions and thirsts for new information even if it goes against the "borg" was unthinkable.

A few years ago I left religion and no longer called myself Christian. Do I believe in Christ and believe that he existed? Yes, but no longer for the reasons I was taught or raised to believe.

Wouldn't it be interesting if the Bible was actually written as a conspiracy to mislead the religious? There seems to be countless confusion regarding many aspects of the Bible and the fact that so many parts were even left out.

What if the Gods used human writers to: set man up to be guided by human leaders and then to be in bondage to them as history will support? Since the beginning of time - man has wanted rulers or controlling systems to enslave them. Suppose the Gods gave them what they wanted? The Bible could than actually be an instruction book for religious controllers.

This book could actually have been written to separate those who wanted and needed the rigidity of divine writings to use as their conscience, rather than using free will and conscience to do what we feel to be right and to develop our own conscious contact with God.

I actually like the Bible very much but I have come to believe that the Bible is meant to be very confusing but that if a person chooses, can read between the lines and gain new insight. If we don't take the book at face value and as fanatical as the religious do - I think it holds some fascinating ideas or messages.

Anyway, I have my own blog at www.michelelyon.com for anyone who cares to hear more of what I think or care to add their thoughts!

Matrix Prophet

i agree u need to read between the lines in the bible there is so many unanswered ? in it and as ive said in another thread here i do believe Jesus existed but his message was not to be as a savior in the same sense as it is written.

Yes christians have been duped big time in one of the most sinister and longest lasting political conspiracies in the history of man. JeZEUS is a joke - a "divine" comedy fabricated to deceive the Jews into worshiping Caesar.

[edit on 15-3-2008 by Lilitu]

Apostosy, it was prophesied it would happen. Many falling away from the faith that was once delivered unto them, no longer accept it as truth because there are SO many other things that peek the interests of man.

It's actually more dangerous to once be a believer, then fall away, than to never be a believer. Did you know that? You've crucified Him again. Don't get carried away by every wind of doctrine or belief my friend, we don't have that much longer to go and you'll be so very sorry to realise you once held a treasure, a great and rare pearl and just tossed it out for something that holds no value in heaven at all.

The word of God can give you everything you need and then some.

Read some proverbs. They speak about the decorated and enchanting woman on every street corner luring you in by her scents and beauty, but in reality she just a wicked harlot out to deceive you from the truth.

[edit on 15-3-2008 by Elisha4Yah]

ok,

i used to be a christian i still celebraite xmas tho but i just give up on all religion as its just not logik to me anymore and i stopped beliving when i see something strange in the sky and started to take a huge intrest in new technology and space and many other new age things, all i see in history with religion is wars, hate, myths, and no logik i suppose in a way if i was closer to any religion it would be jedi, lol

reply to post by Lilitu

---

Well then the Romans had great teachings because the bible does teach wisdom. It is up to you to make what you want by what you are given. The bible not only gives you a set of morals to live by but it also gives you extra. Only thing you need to follow is Jesus' teachings. It does not matter if there is a heaven or hell, sins and what not. The reason people become Christians is for self righteousness. You will have a sense of accomplishment and joy knowing that you helped someone be happy. Not everyone was meant to do that, if you were meant to do that you will know. Maybe not now, but maybe later on in life.



1. "FORGIVE EVERYBODY OF ALL THEIR OFFENSES AGAINST YOU."
(Forgive, and be forgiven.)
2. "YOU MUST BE BORN AGAIN."
3. "ABIDE IN ME, AND LET ME ABIDE IN YOU."
4. "LET PEOPLE SEE YOUR GOOD WORKS." (Do not hide your light
under a basket.)
5. "END DISPUTES QUICKLY."
6. "WHATEVER CAUSES YOU TO SIN, GET RID OF IT."
7. "DO NOT SWEAR OATHS AT ALL."
8. "DO NOT RETURN OFFENSE FOR OFFENSE." (Turn the other cheek.)
9. "GIVE WHAT PEOPLE ASK OF YOU, AND GIVE MORE THAN IS REQUIRED."
(Go the extra mile.)
10. "LOVE YOUR ENEMIES AND THOSE WHO WORK AGAINST YOU."
11. "GIVE TO THE POOR TO PLEASE GOD, NOT TO GAIN APPROVAL
FROM OTHER PEOPLE."
12. "PRAY PRIVATELY AND SIMPLY, NOT TO IMPRESS OTHER PEOPLE."
13. "MAKE YOUR PRAYERS BE LIKE THE LORD'S PRAYER."
14. "WHEN YOU FAST, DO IT SECRETLY, NOT FOR SHOW."
15. "STORE UP YOUR TREASURES IN HEAVEN, NOT ON EARTH."
16. "DO NOT WORRY ABOUT YOUR MATERIAL NEEDS."
17. "DO NOT WORRY ABOUT THE FUTURE."
18. "MAKE GOD YOUR HIGHEST PRIORITY, AND HE WILL TAKE CARE OF
ALL YOUR NEEDS."
19. "DO NOT JUDGE OTHER PEOPLE." (Judge not, lest ye be judged.)
20. "DO NOT GIVE HOLY THINGS TO DOGS OR CAST YOUR PEARLS
BEFORE SWINE."
21. "ASK GOD FOR WHATEVER YOU WANT TO HAVE." (Seek, and ye shall
find.)
22. "FEED THE HUNGRY, CLOTHE THE NAKED, SHELTER THE HOMELESS,
COMFORT THOSE IN DISTRESS."
23. "FOLLOW THE NARROW PATH TO LIFE." (Enter by the narrow gate.)
24. "BEWARE OF FALSE PROPHETS."
25. "EXERCISE POWER OVER UNCLEAN SPIRITS."
26. "LOVE LITTLE CHILDREN, DO NOT DESPISE THEM."
27. "DO NOT TAKE THE TITLES 'MASTER' OR 'FATHER' FOR YOURSELF."
28. "RESOLVE DISPUTES IN AN ORDERLY WAY, LIKE THIS . . . "
29. "DO NOT OPPOSE OTHER BELIEVERS IN CHRIST WHO ARE NOT IN YOUR
GROUP."
30. "HAVE TOTAL FAITH IN GOD FOR EVERYTHING."
31. "BE LIKE THE GOOD SAMARITAN." (Go, and do likewise.)
32. "LOVE OTHER PEOPLE AS I HAVE LOVED YOU"
33. "EAT BREAD AND DRINK WINE IN REMEMBRANCE OF ME."
34. "WASH ONE ANOTHER'S FEET."
35. "BE MERCIFUL."
36. "GO AND TEACH ALL NATIONS, BAPTIZING THEM."
37. "KEEP MY COMMANDMENTS."
38. "BE PREPARED FOR YOUR MASTER TO RETURN."

These are the set of rules to live by. Caeser was nothing like Jesus because the fact is he had killed to get what he wanted while Jesus spoke words of wisdom.

Yes say what you want about me. I am NOT a Christian. So why do I speak of this? hmmm, I don't know....

Translation: "Be afraid, be very afraid." Fear. It is all they know. It is all they have.

To the OP, go on thinking for yourself.

It isn't fear tactics, it's reality, the reality of the loss of the truth that was just dropped and trampled upon like a roach.

Lilitu needs to stop speaking for others because she/he has absolutely no fear of God nor His Son & He's going to come upon you like a thief and you'll be begging for a second chance when you realise who you rejected. Or maybe this verse fit's you:

John 8:44-
Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it.

Elisha, trust me I hear what your telling the man, especially in the 2nd paragraph.
Just thinking that perhaps we need to be careful as things are not always clear as to why they are, and we may not fully yet comprehend exactly where he is at. (yes I know the fruit bit.) But maybe we should exercise caution in prejudging the situation to quickly, no matter how fast it may apparently line up to what we believe.

It may be of more benefit to talk to the heart/subject matter and let God decide the apostocy (spelling) part. - Im not sure God really is interested in people being scared back into the faith. (I know you werent trying to do that.)

Anyway...I dont have anything to add to what the O.P. said except to say that I think I have some insight perhaps into where you are coming from...sit back, relax and things will begin to solidify. But dont force things or you may just end up on the polarizing end of where you were...and that wouldnt be to much of a benefit for you 'soul', if you know what I mean.

Sorry to sound so cryptic, but these things really are a bit more complex than the surface level would seem to reveal.

Peace

dAlen

Another reason why I no longer believe in christianity: christians who use scare tactics and if you go against the word, you're condemed. I don't think we need to go into all the inconsistencies the bible has......religion is simply this: to organize and control the masses with not being able to prove 100% that what they go by is factual....

Faith is the biggest part because without it, there would be no followers. Same with fear, if there were no fear and scare tactics in religion and everyone thought the same like Liluta and I (not saying our beliefs and thoughts are superior), they'd have no way to get the word out.

No offense Elisha4Yah but we've came to our decision through lots of research and just because we don't believe the same as you, doesn't mean that what we are doing is bad and also it doesn't mean you're right or even we are right.

We are not to say...

We've just come to this conclusion by inconsistencies we have found.

I still wish you the best with everything, honestly and caringly :-)

[edit on 15/3/08 by thehelpguru]

More fear tactics. Not that it wasn't expected. It is all you know. It is all you are. Fear. No faith. FEAR.

Well it is basically like this, if you are a good person then you have nothing to fear. Knowing you are a bad person and have done bad things is what starts people fearing the wrath of God. I am not a Christian but I find the bible very intriguing, and the bible is filled with wisdom. If you don't think so then that is your opinion and you are entitled to it.

I won't say God will punish you because I have not been punished by God. So therefore I won't say God is going to send you to hell, and in fact no one can tell you that God will send you to hell because no one alive has had it happen to them.

Exactly! Here in the real world, we don't have to worry about crucifying him again. It's just not a concern. I'm a former Christian and I'm not worried in the slightest. I have absolutely zero doubt that Christ is 100% myth. I'm not worried that I'm going to fry in the eternal toasty place for deciding I no longer believe a myth.

Good luck with that, though! You better not slip up! Your God is the god of love, but if you slip up, he's just aching to fry you up good.

reply to post by Neiby

---

You know, that is just not true and is a misconception of Christianity. We still sin and will always sin, as Christians. Our sins are just forgiven and God does not punish us from our continuing fall into sin.

Paul lived with a thorn in the flesh his entire life. He continued to sin and questioned why he continued but said he just couldn't help it. God did not punish him for this continued sin. In fact, Paul was blessed with peace and understanding.

What an interesting thought! Maybe that's the answer! Instead of looking behind us at the past and saying "You are wrong, look at this!" We should be looking to the future and saying, "Wow! This is really cool, what do we know about this, and how do we find out more?" If we were focused on the Universe and how we fit into it, maybe we wouldn't be so focused on our Religious differences.

reply to post by idle_rocker

---

Stay away from that thought. That is the once saved always saved which is wrong. Sins of Christianity stays as with sins made by everyone else, the only thing in the end is that you admit you have sinned and want to be forgiven. If you sin and know you have sinned and keep on sinning then that means you do not want to be forgiven.

I also used to be a christian. I was a big time bible thumper. I would go soulwinning, sing in the choir, I was a bus captain. You know the really good christian kid who did what he was told his entire youth and never questioned his faith.

But one day I woke up and started thinking about everything I had been taught, everything my entire life was based on. THE BIBLE.

And I realized that there were so many loopholes in the christian faith that I just couldn't base my entire life on something that was not clear enough for me to know 100% that it was real.

I came to the conclusion that I had been manipulated my entire youth into doing exactly what I was told and not questioning anything. I needed to get away from that, which was really hard for me, I mean my whole life and everything I knew was based on Christianity. I really didn't want to give it up it would have been easier for me to just keep following what I had been taught.

So I really wanted to be a christian but I couldn't because it was full of lies and fear to control whoever stepped into it's trap.

reply to post by theendisnear69

---

You are right in a way. However you must not do something because you are told. You should do something because of self righteousness. That is why I stopped being a Christian and I am slowly starting to accept the teachings of Christ on my own. In the end the church is not going to judged because of your sins, nor the pope, nor will the priest it will be you. So seek God in your own way and not the mainstream way.

reply to post by Equinox99

---

Sorry, no, I didn't mean to imply that we can go on sinning. We must try to do our best, ask for forgiveness when we realize we have sinned, and then forgive ourselves as God has forgiven us. There is no reason to go around feeling guilty all the time if you are truly forgiven. This is a misconception about Christianity. We are forgiven and continually seek that forgiveness.

reply to post by Equinox99

---

Yes I already know religion is abunch of BS, but I have studied the bible from cover to cover, and I can't believe in the teachings it gives because there are so many loopholes in it.

I have tried finding "christ" in my own way but that turned out just the same. Just abunch of loopholes