Christian Discussion Thread IV

[Tarsonis Survivors]

He was a wildly unpopular pope and the first to resign in a great long time. officially he resigned on his own terms. and while i have no proof i suspect there was a lot of internal pressure for him to step aside.

Why would a bunch of conservative guys in the Vatican want a conservative Pope to step down? And then they get this new guy who's ragging on them hard, surely he'd be the guy they don't like.

Well I mean, they voted for him.

[Tarsonis Survivors]

Why would a bunch of conservative guys in the Vatican want a conservative Pope to step down? And then they get this new guy who's ragging on them hard, surely he'd be the guy they don't like.

Because these days the pope.is more than anything seen as the public face of Catholicism, and Benedict was losing them membership and respect.

also this.

[The United Neptumousian Empire]

But how exactly can anyone put pressure on the Pope, the Vicar of Christ, the universal and absolute head of the Catholic Church?

[Constantinopolis]

By the way Const, what do you think of the fact that the Old Testament allows for profit incentive?

The Old Testament often takes a pragmatic approach to social relations, allowing practices that were common in the time and place where ancient Hebrews lived, and seeking only to mitigate or regulate them rather than ban them outright. There are many examples of polygamy in the Old Testament, for instance, yet neither Judaism nor Christianity allow polygamy today.

I should also point out that Marxists are very much aware that socialism and communism are only possible after a certain point in human history (specifically, after the industrial revolution). If you transported me to 700 B.C. - or even to A.D. 1700, for that matter - I would not advocate communism, because it was not possible at that time.

Communism is not supposed to be an ahistorical, atemporal goal to be pusued by anyone at any time in any place.

[Nordengrund]

How do you get saved in Catholic and Orthodox churches.

[Constantinopolis]

How do you get saved in Catholic and Orthodox churches.

Well, as it just so happens, yesterday I ran across a YouTube video of Bishop Kallistos Ware answering that exact question! Here it is:

"Are you saved?"

[The Creepoc Infinite]

Hi I'm back.
Just wanted to say hi and hope you folks are willing to take me seriously, because I am now.
I'm done screwing around.

So...... Sorry bout the way I acted. Forgive me?

[Bunkeranlage]

Hi I'm back.
Just wanted to say hi and hope you folks are willing to take me seriously, because I am now.
I'm done screwing around.

So...... Sorry bout the way I acted. Forgive me?

NP

[The Creepoc Infinite]

Hi I'm back.
Just wanted to say hi and hope you folks are willing to take me seriously, because I am now.
I'm done screwing around.

So...... Sorry bout the way I acted. Forgive me?

NP

Cool nice to hear.

Your business is forgiveness!!
(Did I make up that? Or is it from something?)

[Bunkeranlage]

NP

Cool nice to hear.

Your business is forgiveness!!
(Did I make up that? Or is it from something?)

"You should forgive not 7 times, but 77 times."

(paraphrased)

[Planita]

NP

Cool nice to hear.

Your business is forgiveness!!
(Did I make up that? Or is it from something?)

I have yet to take you seriously

[The Creepoc Infinite]

Cool nice to hear.

Your business is forgiveness!!
(Did I make up that? Or is it from something?)

"You should forgive not 7 times, but 77 times."

(paraphrased)

Is that the significance of that number? 77?
I thought it would've been like the Christian equivalent of 666.

[The Creepoc Infinite]

Cool nice to hear.

Your business is forgiveness!!
(Did I make up that? Or is it from something?)

I have yet to take you seriously

I can understand that, but you got nothing to worry about.

I may be pretty good at arguing against Christians who don't know anything about their religion, of which there are many, (the statistic I hear tossed around is like 90% but I doubt it's that high).

And is reading the story of Noah's ark as literally a historical event missing the point of the story?

[Bunkeranlage]

"You should forgive not 7 times, but 77 times."

(paraphrased)

Is that the significance of that number? 77?
I thought it would've been like the Christian equivalent of 666.

He's basically saying that you should forgive as many times as necessary, but in a more indirect manner.

22 - Then Peter came and said to Him, "Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me and I forgive him? Up to seven times?" 23 - Jesus said to him, "I do not say to you, up to seven times, but up to seventy times seven.

Some translations say "seventy times seven" i.e. 490, while others say 77. However, the main message remains.

[The Creepoc Infinite]

Is that the significance of that number? 77?
I thought it would've been like the Christian equivalent of 666.

He's basically saying that you should forgive as many times as necessary, but in a more indirect manner.

22 - Then Peter came and said to Him, "Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me and I forgive him? Up to seven times?" 23 - Jesus said to him, "I do not say to you, up to seven times, but up to seventy times seven.

Some translations say "seventy times seven" i.e. 490, while others say 77. However, the main message remains.

Surprisingly informative from such little information.
What about satanic symbols? What significance do they have?
The pentagram doesn't count as it's actually a Wicca symbol.

[Bunkeranlage]

Surprisingly informative from such little information.
What about satanic symbols? What significance do they have?
The pentagram doesn't count as it's actually a Wicca symbol.

Actually, pentagrams are Satanic symbols as well.

TMK, the pentagram was originally a symbol of the five wounds of Jesus. However, it was later adopted by the Church of Satan, which used the Sigil of Baphomet (an upside down pentagram).

[The Creepoc Infinite]

Surprisingly informative from such little information.
What about satanic symbols? What significance do they have?
The pentagram doesn't count as it's actually a Wicca symbol.

Actually, pentagrams are Satanic symbols as well.

TMK, the pentagram was originally a symbol of the five wounds of Jesus. However, it was later adopted by the Church of Satan, which used the Sigil of Baphomet (an upside down pentagram).

Provide me with a citation? Cause I never heard of this before...

And the church of Satan doesn't genuinely believe that stuff do they?
If so, you got to pretty dumb to sign up with the guy everyone KNOWS is gonna lose.

[Unified Imperial States]

But how exactly can anyone put pressure on the Pope, the Vicar of Christ, the universal and absolute head of the Catholic Church?

You don't understand the way it works. Even with such a powerful head of state, the Pope faces internal pressure from the politics of various advisers and clergy. Kings felt this quite often in the days when absolute monarchies were prevalent from the various feudal lords within their realm. Being King truly doesn't make you a god, because even with unlimited power you must still answer to your people.

[Bunkeranlage]

Actually, pentagrams are Satanic symbols as well.

TMK, the pentagram was originally a symbol of the five wounds of Jesus. However, it was later adopted by the Church of Satan, which used the Sigil of Baphomet (an upside down pentagram).

Provide me with a citation? Cause I never heard of this before...

And the church of Satan doesn't genuinely believe that stuff do they?
If so, you got to pretty dumb to sign up with the guy everyone KNOWS is gonna lose.

Unfortunately, Church of Satan's website seems to be down, so I can't really link anything. Not that I'd want to link there, though.

And IIRC, they don't follow the Christian Bible, but their own.

[The Creepoc Infinite]

But how exactly can anyone put pressure on the Pope, the Vicar of Christ, the universal and absolute head of the Catholic Church?

You don't understand the way it works. Even with such a powerful head of state, the Pope faces internal pressure from the politics of various advisers and clergy. Kings felt this quite often in the days when absolute monarchies were prevalent from the various feudal lords within their realm. Being King truly doesn't make you a god, because even with unlimited power you must still answer to your people.

In other words, everyone answers to someone.
Even the pope.

Assuming god exists, he probably answers to rococop Jesus or something more powerful than him that we don't know about.

[Bunkeranlage]

In other words, everyone answers to someone.
Even the pope.

Assuming god exists, he probably answers to rococop Jesus or something more powerful than him that we don't know about.

God is an atheist. He doesn't believe in a higher power.

[Unified Imperial States]

Actually, pentagrams are Satanic symbols as well.

TMK, the pentagram was originally a symbol of the five wounds of Jesus. However, it was later adopted by the Church of Satan, which used the Sigil of Baphomet (an upside down pentagram).

Provide me with a citation? Cause I never heard of this before...

And the church of Satan doesn't genuinely believe that stuff do they?
If so, you got to pretty dumb to sign up with the guy everyone KNOWS is gonna lose.

Apparently you haven't heard of a lot of things before.

Are you saying you don't think Satanists are sincere? Of course there's true believers. Despite my obvious problems with them, you should know that not everyone in this world is a dishonest satirist devoted to making fun of others.

[The Creepoc Infinite]

In other words, everyone answers to someone.
Even the pope.

Assuming god exists, he probably answers to rococop Jesus or something more powerful than him that we don't know about.

God is an atheist. He doesn't believe in a higher power.

Than atheists must have more In common with him than we originally thought

[The Creepoc Infinite]

Provide me with a citation? Cause I never heard of this before...

And the church of Satan doesn't genuinely believe that stuff do they?
If so, you got to pretty dumb to sign up with the guy everyone KNOWS is gonna lose.

Apparently you haven't heard of a lot of things before.

Are you saying you don't think Satanists are sincere? Of course there's true believers. Despite my obvious problems with them, you should know that not everyone in this world is a dishonest satirist devoted to making fun of others.

Calm down.
When I think of satanism, I think of the movement started by Anton LaVey.

[Unified Imperial States]

You don't understand the way it works. Even with such a powerful head of state, the Pope faces internal pressure from the politics of various advisers and clergy. Kings felt this quite often in the days when absolute monarchies were prevalent from the various feudal lords within their realm. Being King truly doesn't make you a god, because even with unlimited power you must still answer to your people.

In other words, everyone answers to someone.
Even the pope.

Assuming god exists, he probably answers to rococop Jesus or something more powerful than him that we don't know about.

In terms of honest debate (in other words, religious beliefs aside) we can't assume there is a higher power than God because God lies outside the confines of the Universe, of which our perceptions are bound to. Beyond that, omnipotence gives the capabilities of both self-creation as well as simply existing forever.