Calzaer

So which is it? "Ask and ye shall receive," or "Do it yourself, you lazy bum"? You can't have it both ways.

Queen of Swords

Originally posted by Magus55
He provided me salvation, gives me comfort, guidance, and reassurance.

He should try providing starving children with a little edible comfort. After all, if he could feed five thousand even before he ascended to the right hand of the father, he could probably end world hunger right now if he just exerted himself a bit.

He is reality, not fiction.

Of course he's reality. Very dead reality, but reality nonetheless. RIP Jesus; when you were alive, I'm sure you did your best.

lpetrich

Or else set the record straight about which sect is correct; he seems to have been remarkably meek about the rise of Islam in the Middle East.

AJ113

I thought it may be useful to look at one of the passages that are under discussion:

John 16:24
Until now you have not asked for anything in my name. Ask and you will receive, and your joy will be complete.

(NIV)

As far as I can see there is no "you must believe." here. All we have to do is ask in Jesus' name (by implication) and our joy will be complete.

A big fat lie, really.

AJ113

In that case he is a liar, as he has not granted the requests that I have made of him.

The Naked Mage

Oh dear, where to start?

To get us to believe that he saved you from anything, you'll first have to prove you were in danger in the first place; that you are no longer in said danger; and, just for good measure, explain how creating a cancer and then selling the cure for that cancer is not only unethical, but downright evil.

Your comfort and reassurance are self-induced, similar to how patients with chronic pain often report a reduction in their discomfort when they are convinced that the sugar pills their physician perscribed them are actually powerful pain relievers.

And your guidance comes from third-hand accounts of a man who is mentioned in no other source, not from the man himself.

You really do love misrepresenting the circumstances surrounding your religious ideals, don't you, Magus?

Gawen

The title of the thread is "Ask and you shall receive."

I ASK that every god-type believer RECEIVE the truth and believe the same evidence that I and 100 million other people see, that the world will live in peace and not pieces.

Magus55

You don't have faith that God exists, let alone can do it. You won't get anything.

Magus55

You're right, He could end world hunger, but why should He when we caused the problem in the first place? Did your parents always clean up your mistakes and messes, and let you lay around and do nothing but demand things of them?

Magus55

What do you think asking in Jesus' name means?