What are your reasons for believing whatever you may believe about Christianity?

[Wesley Williams]

I don't know a lot about christianity as I have never studied it in-depth, but does God punish sinners or are they just sent to Hell automatically

There's nothing between death and Hell, if that's what you're asking.

Might as well give some quick concept overviews as most people (even Christians) don't seem to have a great grasp on some concepts. If people can help me nail these down that would be great.

• God - an infinite, all powerful being that exists everywhere outside of time. God deserves to be praised by his creation (us), and thus he is wrathful against us when we sin
• sin - literally 'missing the mark' (was originally a term used by archers), describes human failure to be righteous. Anything that falls short of God's standard is sin. In the Old Testament God specified that it was necessary to spill blood to cleanse oneself of sin.
• soul - a non-material, eternal part of every person that is connected to our body while alive. Humans were made in God's image, and thus have a soul unlike animals etc.
• Hell - a place where God's wrath is constantly poured out eternal disconnection from God's love
• Heaven - a place filled with God's love/presence, where evil doesn't exist
• The gospels - The first 4 books of the New Testament. They each provide eye witness accounts of Christ's teachings and crucifixion. The overlying message of each is that Christ sacrificed himself on the cross to be an eternal sacrifice for all sin. Accepting his sacrifice by putting your faith in him makes us right with God so we may go to Heaven.

• Old Testament - A collection of stories beginning from God's creation of the world and ending at around 400 BC, written by around 40 main authors
• New Testament - A collection of eye witness accounts and letters to people and churches written by 9 different people. They usually include references so readers can ask other witnesses to verify the accuracy of these accounts.

This may all sound pretty condemning, but Christianity is really a religion of hope. We have hope that we will be together again after death and live eternally in God's kingdom.[/list]

[Ad Bot]

[GoldenLego]

I don't know a lot about christianity as I have never studied it in-depth, but does God punish sinners or are they just sent to Hell automatically

Do you mean when you die? Everyone is a sinner but Christians believe that you can be saved by having faith in what Christ did at the cross. Everyone has multiple chances of coming to Christ, and all man is born with eternity in their heart so no man is without excuse.

If you mean if some-one who has not accepted Christ dies, then, but they are judged and doomed to eternal fire. Which is very sad, but it is the result of satan and the rebellion of man.

[Path]

Who judges them and sends them to hell?

[Satan From Wreck-It-Ralph]

Who judges them and sends them to hell?

me

[GoldenLego]

as long as you accept jesus as your savior you dont go to hell. which doing this involves praying

This is a common misconception, there is no magical "prayer" that saves you. It is the act of actually having faith in what Christ did at the cross. Although a lot of times people come to their faith by demonstrating faith by asking Christ to come into their hearts.

[Red Spy]

I love everyone equally, because at the foot of the cross we are all equal. I just think homoloveuality is a bad lifestyle.

That is %100 more respectable than that group of Christians who say "Homoloveuals should be wiped off the face of the planet."

[Trogtor]

Although a lot of times people come to their faith by demonstrating faith by asking Christ to come into their hearts.

this what what i pretty much meant

[Nonnel]

The new testament calls the old testament a bunch of bullstuff so I'm down with it

[Wesley Williams]

The new testament calls the old testament a bunch of bullstuff so I'm down with it

what

[XR-7]

That is %100 more respectable than that group of Christians who say "Homoloveuals should be wiped off the face of the planet."

As far as sinning goes, there is not one that makes it impossible to reconcile and ask for forgiveness. In other words, I think it's possible that a Flash Mober could come to terms with himself and God, sincerely recognize what he did wrong, and thoroughly ask for forgiveness. Even then however, there is no doubt that he will be harshly judged when he dies.

The new testament calls the old testament a bunch of bullstuff so I'm down with it

Really now? Where?

[Red Spy]

what

Basically, the bible says Jesus abolished the Old Testament when he died.

[XR-7]

Basically, the bible says Jesus abolished the Old Testament when he died.

Really now? Where?

[Red Spy]

Right here, it actually states a few.

[Wesley Williams]

Basically, the bible says Jesus abolished the Old Testament when he died.

Read my post at the top of the page. Jesus' sacrifice on the cross made sacrificing and other Old Testament practices no longer necessary. The New Testament is still a continuation of the Old Testament, however, and wasn't even separated out into Old and New until 100 years or so after Jesus' death.

Right here, it actually states a few.

Exactly. Thanks for providing the link.

[Path]

So God isn't so merciful. Exacting praise from your creations is considered a bad quality in our society. Does that mean that the God we look up to and praise is not truly benevolent? I mean, he offers everyone a chance to repent their sins and change themselves so they can go to heaven, but true benevolence means unconditional forgiveness. This can be observed in the practices of Gandhi.

Again, not defying the Bible, just putting stuff out there.