John A. Broussard

Why do you avoid answering the question?

How do you know you aren't being deceived by Satan and that some other religion contains the essential divine truth?

Don't you feel that this is an important issue?

Thanks.

JGL53

Hmmmm. So our choices are 1. Believing in nothing at all (rejecting all superstition) or 2. believing in an arbitrary imaginary something.

I'm gonna hafta go with choice #1. Seems saner.

Helpmabob

Hi John – I have too answered the question – just not in the way you wanted! It is precisely because of the thread topic (avoiding Hell) that I have gone in search of answers – even God Himself, and I have found Him, right here in the bible: Then Jesus declared, "I am the bread of life. He who comes to me will never go hungry, and he who believes in me will never be thirsty. [John 6:35] That’s where you will find Hmi too, if only you will make the effort to seek.

JLG53 - Saner. I prefer safer, whilst there is something to be kept safe from. The Gospel will remain a mystery to those who refuse to accept that there might be a God who cannot be understood in purely earthly terms.

JPD

Interestingly Christians & Muslims hold beliefs that doom each other to hell. Still, they must be wrong eh, as you have "the truth"
Did you find God whilst enjoying one of the contradictions, or can that be explained away as a cosy old case of "interpretation/context"?

It is mysterious how believers will accept an uncaused first cause for which no direct evidence exists as the source of all creation and just don't get the problem of infinite regression.

JPD

I thought that this was a very good takeoff - which would be funny - but it turned out to be genuine - which is tragic.

But my disappointment at it not being a joke will be as an infinitely small drop in an infinitely vast ocean when compared to the ravages of hell upon my tortured soul, yes?

*JPD wonders which of the various genuine versions of "the truth TM" to embed his mind within and concludes that infinite regression has some tasty offerings*

Clarice O'C

It must difficult for xians to exist so fearfully. The inordinate compulsion to escape living a normal, brave life as the trade-off for feeling safe misses the point of what xianity professes. The whole thing is contradictory. Xianity's 'truth' cannot produce real freedom when living in the dark box of obsessive objectives for feeling security, certainty, and success stifles that very freedom. As well, trusting a collection of books chosen by people with that same personality and written by 'sinners,' even 'evil-doers' as George Bush would say, is strange. Paul stated of himself that he is a liar and, therefore, he was not god-inspired and can't be trusted. It's no wonder that he and the other biblical authors had a hard time winning converts. They had to prey on people who needed for others to think for them and tell them how to live. Oddly enough there are no biblical characters, no role models, no one mature enough to fashion one's life after IMO. Too bad Gandhi came after the bible was written but he wouldn't have been included in any case.

Clarice O'C

What in the gospel is a mystery? We even know which reproductive organs it's god has! I hope you'll let us know what remains a mystery.

Thank you.

John A. Broussard

The question was, "How do you know you aren't being deceived by Satan and that some other religion contains the essential divine truth?"

How can what you said above possibly be an answer to that question?

Please explain.

Thank you.

John A. Broussard

Could you explain what "purely earthly terms" consist of?

Also, also it would be helpful if you describe in detail what terms your god can be understood by.

Thank you for your help in this matter.

Jack the Bodiless

A curious answer.

Wouldn't it be better if God existed, and could be found, in the real world, not just in a book?

I found Sauron in Lord of the Rings.