ellen@ucla-cs.UUCP (10/30/84)
Thank you, Eric Kaylor and friend (sorry, i didn't write your name down), for a posting expressing what seems to me to be more in line with the spirit of Christianity. Of course, i'm not a Christian, but from my reading, i would assume that Christ's teaching were of tolerance, acceptance, and love, rather than "fire-and-brimstone", "go-to-Hell,-unbeliever". Too many religions began with a teacher who was a revolutionary in his/her day, spreading a message which transformed her/his culturer, and unfortunately, when that teaching became the norm, it also became intolerant, hateful, and down right aggressive in a nasty way towards any who did not narrowly adhere to the current interpretation of dogma. Christ must have been a really good man and teacher, tho' i see him as being as much the son of god as any other person and animal and plant is the child of the creator, and it is sad to hear many who claim to follow his teachings, preaching, nay, sneering and sniping, at those who have not chosen to follow the same path. Thanks again for some REAL CHRISTIAN LOVE.
dubois@uwmacc.UUCP (Paul DuBois) (11/13/84)
> Thank you, Eric Kaylor and friend (sorry, i didn't write your name down), > for a posting expressing what seems to me to be more in line with the > spirit of Christianity. Of course, i'm not a Christian, but from my > reading, i would assume that Christ's teaching were of tolerance, acceptance, > and love, rather than "fire-and-brimstone", "go-to-Hell,-unbeliever". I guess you can assume what you wish; however, when you go to the Bible, you will find that although Jesus Christ did indeed talk of love and acceptance (tolerance I'm not so sure about), He also said a few things about Hell. Also, love and acceptance, by God, of us, is not unconditional. The impression I get from reading many articles in this newgroup is that people think that God is love and that's all. "Behold the goodness *and severity* of God" "It is a fearful thing to fall into the hand of the living God". God is love, yes. God is wrath as well. Sorry. -- Paul DuBois {allegra,ihnp4,seismo}!uwvax!uwmacc!dubois
jnelson@trwrba.UUCP (John T. Nelson) (11/18/84)
> I guess you can assume what you wish; however, when you go to the > Bible, you will find that although Jesus Christ did indeed talk of love > and acceptance (tolerance I'm not so sure about), He also said a few > things about Hell... "Behold the goodness *and severity* of God" "It > is a fearful thing to fall into the hand of the living God". God is > love, yes. God is wrath as well. Absolutely! The problem on net.religion (and with most people) is that they prefer to view God from only one perspective. The word "Holy" does not denote untouchable and clean... it denoets complete and total. This definition shows God to be a complex and quite incomprehensible being whose behavior it would be unwise to second-guess. The priests and pharrasies thought they had everything sewn up in the law and the "One God." Yet the Messiah came in a form totally contrary to their conception of God. Who's to say it couldn't happen again? Whever you go.... there you are. - John
rlr@pyuxd.UUCP (Rich Rosen) (11/20/84)
> I guess you can assume what you wish; however, when you go to the > Bible, you will find that although Jesus Christ did indeed talk of > love and acceptance (tolerance I'm not so sure about), He also said > a few things about Hell. [PAUL DUBOIS] That's the beauty of the bible, there's something in it for everyone. Yes, it has talk of universal love for those who would like to see the world as a place of universal love. But it also has great parts about hell and god's wrath, for those who don't want to see the world in the above way (so much so that they just skip over the parts on tolerance that they're "not so sure about"), but rather in a way conforming to their preconceptions about the world, the lowliness of humans, the wrath of god, etc. Amazing how a book of divine truth, the exact unswerving unambiguous word of god, is interpreted in so many ways by so many people. Maybe when god "gave" us the bible as the unambiguous truth, he was trying to tell us something: that when you've got a billion people you'll have a billion perspectives on the "truth", and that one shouldn't expect god or anything else to provide some universal code applicable to everyone. After all, if the word of god is interpreted in a billion different ways, then it's clearly not as unambiguous as was "intended". I'm sure there's an explanation for this, akin to "It's Satan (that old devil) who's leading *others* (not them, of course) astray with the 'wrong' interpretation!" or "It's all in the plan of God!", or ... (See, even the explanations aren't consistent. Says something, no?) > "It is a fearful thing to fall into the hand of the living God". It is more fearful to fall into the hands of a religious believer who presumes to know the truth about what god wants, especially when he tries to "help" you do what's best for you (according to him, of course). > God is love, yes. God is wrath as well. Sorry. Why be sorry? After all, that's the way it IS, not merely what you choose to believe, right? :-? -- AT THE TONE PLEASE LEAVE YOUR NAME AND NET ADDRESS. THANK YOU. Rich Rosen pyuxd!rlr
dubois@uwmacc.UUCP (Paul DuBois) (12/03/84)
> The priests and pharrasies thought they had everything sewn up in > the law and the "One God." Yet the Messiah came in a form totally > contrary to their conception of God. Who's to say it couldn't > happen again? That same Messiah. -- Paul DuBois {allegra,ihnp4,seismo}!uwvax!uwmacc!dubois