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

[Maxwell.]

if there is a god why did he make roosterroaches

this is a pretty solid point actually

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[SeventhSandwich]

This may be an incorrect way to view things, but I see the point of life as a test. Those who accept Christ pass and those that don't fail. God collects all that pass this "righteous test" in his kingdom. The purpose of life would be voided if forgiveness was dished out unconditionally. And a test really doesn't get much easier than just having faith.

stuff must have sucked bad for the millions of humans who lived before Jesus Christ, or the folks living in indigenous tribes today that have no contact with civilization/Christainity/etc.

You die, you find out you 'failed some test' that you didn't even know you were taking, and then you gotta spend eternity getting tortured. Bum deal.

[Machaty]

What about a tsunami like the one we saw in 2004? 280,000 people died. That isn't a matter of free will, there is no way it could have been caused by humans. 280,000 people died, leaving presumably many more to mourn and grieve over their losses. Any God that sees this and does nothing is either impotent, or evil.

[Sheepocalypse]

Does anyone else's school teach 'Big History'?

[Wesley Williams]

What about a tsunami like the one we saw in 2004? 280,000 people died. That isn't a matter of free will, there is no way it could have been caused by humans. 280,000 people died, leaving presumably many more to mourn and grieve over their losses. Any God that sees this and does nothing is either impotent, or evil.

stuff must have sucked bad for the millions of humans who lived before Jesus Christ, or the folks living in indigenous tribes today that have no contact with civilization/Christainity/etc.

You die, you find out you 'failed some test' that you didn't even know you were taking, and then you gotta spend eternity getting tortured. Bum deal.

This is just the same thing we've been discussing put a number of different ways.

As for children, read this (especially the last paragraph).

God in the Bible is portrayed as a just and righteous, he's not going to condemn people without reason.

[sir dooble]

What about a tsunami like the one we saw in 2004? 280,000 people died. That isn't a matter of free will, there is no way it could have been caused by humans. 280,000 people died, leaving presumably many more to mourn and grieve over their losses. Any God that sees this and does nothing is either impotent, or evil.

The saddest thing in regards to the Boxing Day Tsunami isn't a Christian view of it, but rather the Hindu/Buddhist views that many of those affected by the Tsunami believed in.

There were a lot of people who weren't overly distraught at the deaths of children, because by their views, those children had bad karma in their previous lives, and their death in the tsunami was punishment for their previous incarnation.

To me, that's a really tough view to hold.
How could you have a child but live with the thought that they could be punished severely in this life for something they have no recollection of, but their soul was involved in.
I have trouble understanding that more than the idea that they were sinners in their current life.

[Wesley Williams]

What about a tsunami like the one we saw in 2004? 280,000 people died. That isn't a matter of free will, there is no way it could have been caused by humans. 280,000 people died, leaving presumably many more to mourn and grieve over their losses. Any God that sees this and does nothing is either impotent, or evil.

Guess I might as well address disasters. God created the world, but as you know the weather, earthquakes etc. all happen naturally over time, without intervention. In Bible he often played an active role in controlling weather/ocean activity, but that's because the Bible documents remarkable times.

Not to mention, if he did decide to save people, where would he draw the line? When more than 100 people will be affected? Why should someone about to get hit by a car by treated differently than people in a hotel about to be hit by a tsunami?

[Darryl McKoy]

Not to mention, if he did decide to save people, where would he draw the line? When more than 100 people will be affected? Why should someone about to get hit by a car by treated differently than people in a hotel about to be hit by a tsunami?

So you're saying that the entity that created the world, universe and everything can't multi-task?

[hillkill]

i'm afraid of dying and then finding out that god is real and that i'll go to hell. so i choose to be christian just in case

[Red Spy]

i'm afraid of dying and then finding out that god is real and that i'll go to hell. so i choose to be christian just in case

Please tell me you were joking

[hillkill]

Please tell me you were joking

nope

[Red Spy]

Well that's a stuffty reason to be a Christian

[Maxwell.]

Well that's a stuffty reason to be a Christian

no it's not shut the forget up

[Red Spy]

no it's not shut the forget up

Well sorry if I think Pascal's Wager is stupid

[Khaz°]

no it's not shut the forget up

it's not really genuine faith though lol