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Originally posted by autowrench
Does Christianity forbid asking hard questions about its doctrines?
Does Christianity forbid questioning of its leaders and their doctrine or behavior?
Do Christian organizations whose primary focus is fundraising, and who may even resort to deception in order to line the pockets of their leaders?
Is it not true that some of these leaders live in luxury, while the one paying them live in poverty?
Do Christians not target young people, the elderly, and others who might be vulnerable to exploitation?
How can Christians be so sure they're right and everyone else is wrong? Isn't that arrogant? Isn't that evidence of a large ego?
Logically speaking, it is simply not possible for all the major world religions to be valid ways/paths to God.
Christianity states that the God of the Bible Yahweh is the only true God and salvation is only possible by accepting Christ as one's Savior and Lord. Judaism states that the God of the Torah/Old Testament is the only true God, and that Jesus is not the Messiah, putting it directly at odds with Christianity. Jesus either is the Messiah, or he is not. If he is, Judaism is not a valid way to God; if he is not, Christianity is not a valid way to God. The mutual exclusion only grows when other religions are added: Islam says that Allah is the only true God, and that anyone who says Christ is the Son of God will be condemned (Qur'an, 5:72, 9:30). Furthermore, if religions other than Christianity are valid ways to God, then one of Christianity's basic principles is false; in that case, can it still be said to be a valid, trustworthy religion?
Is Christianity is intolerant of other beliefs?
I have seen this intolerance many times, in this forum, and in real life.
Tell a Christian you are Wiccan, you very quickly are told that you work for Satan, or are in league with Satan, or Demons, or that you are a Demon, or are possessed by Demons. It is nearly the same if you tell a Christian you are a Buddhist, a Hindu, Taoist, or follow the Native American ways. Isn't it true, and the way if the Christ, that we shouldn't pass judgement on, or condemn these beliefs as being morally wrong? Or sinful?
Originally posted by BillyTJames
reply to post by EricD
Can u define intolerant?
Yes:
in·tol·er·ant/inˈtälərənt/Adjective:
1.Not tolerant of others' views, beliefs, or behavior that differ from one's own.
2.Unable to be given (a medicine or other treatment) or to eat (a food) without adverse effects.
I believe the OP is referring to the 1st definition
Originally posted by Zeer0
reply to post by Aeons
But Christianity is the only Religion that openly teaches people to KILL (key word being Kill) people of different Belifs and people who are different in general and it's tragic that this is being taught to children. How to expect people not to be offended?
Quran (3:151) - "Soon shall We cast terror into the hearts of the Unbelievers, for that they joined companions with Allah, for which He had sent no authority". This speaks directly of polytheists, yet it also includes Christians, since they believe in the Trinity (ie. what Muhammad incorrectly believed to be 'joining companions to Allah').
Originally posted by EricD
Originally posted by LunaKat
Most definitely at least within the Catholic Church the leaders --upper higherarchy-- live the absolute lap of luxury. Look at the Vatican. Who but them lives like that? Not the majority of the worlds population doesn't. Not the elderly Grandma that chances are is sitting in the pew next to you. No they want what little she eeks out from Social Security to go into their collection plate. They raise tons of money where does it go?? Its not going to feed the world. Its going to pay for elaborate churches, mega churches, and Vatican. The poorer churches when they run into trouble financially are shut down. People try to get their churches saved because they've gone there all their lives and its "home" to them, but in the Church's eyes its a financial loss, so see ya. Go find another church.
Really? They live in the absolute lap of luxury? Can you provide some evidence of that? The money raised does not go towards feeding the world? It's for paying of elaborate churches, mega churches and the Vatican? Do you have any proof of that, either?
Do you have any information, links, proof or background for any of your statements?
And to cap things off, you start by slamming profligate spending and then end by slamming attempts at fiscal responsibility. Nice.
Here are a few things you might want to look into:
1) What's the annual operating budget of the Vatican? How does that compare to other institutions such as, say, Harvard?
2) What hospices, hospitals, orphanages, shelters and food banks are run by the Catholic Church?
3) How do you define luxury and what members of the Church hierarchy exist in that bubble? How do you support that claim?
Eric
Originally posted by EricD
[
1) What's the annual operating budget of the Vatican? How does that compare to other institutions such as, say, Harvard?
Eric
Originally posted by Zeer0
reply to post by Aeons
But Christianity is the only Religion that openly teaches people to KILL (key word being Kill) people of different Belifs and people who are different in general and it's tragic that this is being taught to children. How to expect people not to be offended?
I for one never understood Wicca to begin with.