If i were the devil... I would gain control of the most powerful nation in the world; I would delude their minds into thinking that they had come from man's effort, instead of God's blessings; I would promote an attitude of loving things and using people, instead of the other way around; I would dupe entire states into relying on gambling for their state revenue; I would convince people that character is not an issue when it comes to leadership; I would make it legal to take the life of unborn babies; I would make it socially acceptable to take one's own life, and invent machines to make it convenient; I would cheapen human life as much as possible so that the life of animals are valued more than human beings; I would take God out of the schools, where even the mention of His name was grounds for a lawsuit; I would come up with drugs that sedate the mind and target the young, and I would get sports heroes to advertise them; I would get control of the media, so that every night I could pollute the mind of every family member for my agenda; I would attack the family, the backbone of any nation. I would make divorce acceptable and easy, even fashionable. If the family crumbles, so does the nation; I would compel people to express their most depraved fantasies on canvas and movie screens, and I would call it art; I would convince the world that people are born homosexuals, and that their lifestyles should be accepted and marveled; I would convince the people that right and wrong are determined by a few who call themselves authorities and refer to their agenda as politically correct; I would persuade people that the church is irrelevant and out of date, and the Bible is for the naive; I would dull the minds of Christians, and make them believe that prayer is not important, and that faithfulness and obedience are optional; I would convince the young that marriage is old fashioned; that swinging is more fun; that what you see on TV is the way to be. And thus, I could undress you in public, and I could lure you into bed with deseases for which there is no cure. I would caution against extremes; In hard work: in patriotism; in moral conduct. I would make the symbol of Easter an egg, and the symbol of Christmas a bottle. I would take from those who have and give to those who want it until I had killed the incentive of the ambitious. So if I was the devil...I guess I would just leave things the way they are.
If I were the devil...i would be a figment of a believers imagination. just to have some more fun at your expense lets play the game. let me ask you a question. if your devil exists is he more powerful than your god?
I know you dont believe in devils that follow people, But if you look in the mirror I can show you a little troll that likes to follow me around. I'm not going to answer any more questions about my God to you. Why? Because you are not looking for answers. No matter how many questions of yours I answer or how good of an answer I give you, you do not believe. For those other readers that think I should answer him I will quote Matthew 7:6 Never give what is holy to dogs or throw your pearls before pigs. Otherwise, they will trample them with their feet and then turn around and attack you.
i knew you wouldnt answer.besides i think you intentionally post stupid things to bait the thinking people on this site. you cant possibly be as deluded as your writings suggest.
Jesus was a groovy long-haired hippy. And I'm cool with that. Judge for yourself: And when thou pray, thou shall not be as the hypocrites are: for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and in the corners of the streets, that they may be seen of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward. But thou, when thou pray, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret⦠[Matthew 6:6 & 7] But when you give a feast, invite the poor, the maimed, the lame, the blind, and you will be blessed, because they cannot repay you. You will be repaid at the resurrection of the just. [Luke 14:13 &14.] If you would be perfect, go, sell what you possess and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. [Matthew 19:21] You cannot serve both God and Money. [Matthew 6:24.] Truly, I say unto you, it will be hard for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven. [Matthew 19:23] Watch out! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; a man's life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions. [Luke 12.15.] Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy [Matthew 5:7] But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses. [Matthew 6:15] Punishment: If any one of you is without sin, let him be the first to cast a stone at her. [John 8:7] Do not judge, lest you too be judged. For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you. [Matthew 7:1 & 2.] I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despite-fully use you, and persecute you; [Matthew 5:44] Resist not evil: but whosoever shall smite thee on thy right cheek, turn to him the other also. [Matthew 5:39] ________________________________________ Peil, I know some people, not many, that take all of the above very seriously. And I, the agnostic have tremendous respect for them. They know my views and they say they pray for me and I treat them with the upmost respect. 'nuf said.
Mistos, You have declared a few times you are agnostic. Would you please explain what you mean by it? May I ask, are you agnostic about all supernatural images such as Odin, Osiris, Zeus etc. Or is it only the Jesus and God imagery you are agnostic toward? Thanks.
I find that most religions are derivative - going back to earliest civilizations - especially ancient Egypt and Mesopotamia. There's a lot of recycling there. Eastern religions and North American pre European migration are a little different of course. I don't believe in one religion over the other. So I guess that makes me agnostic. I do lean towards some sort of god/power/force. In regards to Jesus - I can't say he existed or not - I wasn't there and I find it peculiar that his contemporary Romans and Greeks did not write about him - and they wrote about everything. More was written about Apollonius of Tyana by them. The Essenes however, did record a lot. I have read bits of the Dead Sea scrolls. More importantly, I view Jesus's teachings the same way as I view Plato, Aristotle, Socrates.... to modern philosophers. It's a philosophy and a compelling one at that. (without the subsequently added fire and brimstone crap society created to keep it's ignorant elements well behaved) I have a crazy tinfoil theory of Jesus. Well, others share this as well. If he did exist, why is there no mention of his formative years. He disappears for at least over a decade. Some say he went East to India. Now imagine a Jew of that era that goes to India, and comes back to fuse Jewish beliefs with Indian beliefs. What would you have? I would think the quotes I posted earlier in this thread would then make sense. Who knows? (That's my agnostic conclusion) By the way, some of my beliefs were held by a well regarded American. Here are some quotes. Who do you think he is? Millions of innocent men, women and children, since the introduction of Christianity, have been burnt, tortured, fined and imprisoned; yet we have not advanced one inch towards uniformity Question with boldness even the existence of a god; because if there be one he must approve of the homage of reason more than that of blindfolded fear. Where the preamble declares, that coercion is a departure from the plan of the holy author of our religion, an amendment was proposed by inserting "Jesus Christ," so that it would read "A departure from the plan of Jesus Christ, the holy author of our religion;" the insertion was rejected by the great majority, in proof that they meant to comprehend, within the mantle of its protection, the Jew and the Gentile, the Christian and Mohammedan, the Hindoo and Infidel of every denomination. The whole history of these books [the Gospels] is so defective and doubtful that it seems vain to attempt minute enquiry into it: and such tricks have been played with their text, and with the texts of other books relating to them, that we have a right, from that cause, to entertain much doubt what parts of them are genuine. In the New Testament there is internal evidence that parts of it have proceeded from an extraordinary man; and that other parts are of the fabric of very inferior minds. It is as easy to separate those parts, as to pick out diamonds from dunghills. It is between fifty and sixty years since I read it [the Apocalypse], and I then considered it merely the ravings of a maniac, no more worthy nor capable of explanation than the incoherences of our own nightly dreams. Any guesses? And don't google this - just guess.
Thanks for the substantial reply but I don't think you have shown what it is you actually mean by agnostic. If you are agnostic about God then you are agnostic about all supernatural beings of one kind or another aren't you? One isn't agnostic about God unless one is agnostic about the God of Thunder. Are you? May I ask, do you think it is reasonable to be agnostic about Thor and His Hammer because no one can prove He does't exist? Agnostic is a cop out isn't it? In regard to religion overall , as you have mentioned the subject, I think the same applies. If you are going to be intellectually consistent , you cannot be agnostic about all religion except one you favor has the God in it to which you also say you are agnostic toward. Just as soon as the idea of agnostic is considered rather than just taking it as a "who knows / canât say" metaphore, it seems immediately apparent and obvious it doesnât stack. Isn't it the case truly a person can only be theist or atheist and an agnostic is really trying to be "a little bit pregnant" ? As for the quotes I had it down to Thomas Jefferson... it was the "Question with boldness even the existence of a god.." Although I must admit to Googling just after to be certain â¦. " I cannot tell a lie"
So what you're saying is that one who agrees with the morality of Jesus more than the morality of Zeus is a Christian? I fail to see your logic here. Agnostic: 1. a. One who believes that it is impossible to know whether there is a God. b. One who is skeptical about the existence of God but does not profess true atheism. 2. One who is doubtful or noncommittal about something. I guess if by cop-out you mean I am noncommittal or doubtful - than I agree. Isn't that what an agnostic is?