The Christian Discussion thread IX: Pelagius Rising.

[Lower Nubia]

I’m thinking a Matt Damon Martian scenario.

Alien shows up like, “HaLLo EaRThlINg JeSUs sAiD I shOUld bAPtIZE yOU.” And then you freak out.

The backup priesthood: aliens sent of God.

[Luminesa]

Is it a sin to harbor involuntary romantic feelings for someone who already has a partner?

What UMN said, but as the priest said to me when I asked him, cut yourself some slack. Feelings are involuntary, as long as you recognize them for what they are and act appropriately, you’re alright.

I suppose it happens to all of us one way or another?

[Luminesa]

Alien shows up like, “HaLLo EaRThlINg JeSUs sAiD I shOUld bAPtIZE yOU.” And then you freak out.

The backup priesthood: aliens sent of God.

They’re not called the Men in Black for nothing.

[Germanic Templars]

The backup priesthood: aliens sent of God.

They’re not called the Men in Black for nothing.

The only Men in Black I know are the Blues Brothers.

[FelrikTheDeleted]

They’re not called the Men in Black for nothing.

The only Men in Black I know are the Blues Brothers.

Truely patrician taste.

[Tarsonis]

I am now, officially, a Master of the Arts in Religion: Systematic Theology.

[Saint Ryvern]

I am now, officially, a Master of the Arts in Religion: Systematic Theology.

Congratulations! What’s next in life for you now?

[Tarsonis]

I am now, officially, a Master of the Arts in Religion: Systematic Theology.

Congratulations! What’s next in life for you now?

All the naps.

[Lower Nubia]

I am now, officially, a Master of the Arts in Religion: Systematic Theology.

Nice, what area of systematic theology?

[The 13 colonies of england]

i know this question is kind of dumb but will you go to hell for beliving the wrong christian branch.

[Ndaku]

i know this question is kind of dumb but will you go to hell for beliving the wrong christian branch.

Good question! What determines where you will spend your eternity is how your relationship and your faith in Christ was during your lifetime. Jesus tells us in Matthew 18:1-3 when He's asked by His disciples "who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven" that we cannot enter the kingdom of heaven unless we are converted and become as little children, such as it's written:
'At that time the disciples came to Jesus, saying, “Who then is greatest in the kingdom of heaven?” Then Jesus called a little child to Him, set him in the midst of them, and said, “Assuredly, I say to you, unless you are converted and become as little children, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven. ' Matthew 18:1-3

He's telling us that we will by no means enter heaven without being reborn in Spirit and live for Christ for the remainder of our lifetime. To be reborn, we must repent of our sins and be converted so that we can be saved, such as it's written in Acts 3:19-21: 'Repent therefore and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, so that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord, and that He may send Jesus Christ, who was preached to you before, whom heaven must receive until the times of restoration of all things, which God has spoken by the mouth of all His holy prophets since the world began. '

If you ask me, whatever Christian denomination you adhere to does not matter. What matters is your faith and relationship in Christ.

[Lost Memories]

i know this question is kind of dumb but will you go to hell for beliving the wrong christian branch.

I'm no theologian, but I'll try:

Hell is sometimes understood as the state of separation from God, so someone goes to hell when they go astray from God.
Going to hell as result of believing in a specific christian branch, is relative to how that branch can lead astray from God. Which can sound a bit contradictory, but just for hypothetical sake. (what it means to "go astray from god" is an open question)

In a more liberal outlook, affiliation alone shouldn't decide if someone goes to hell or not, but the outcome is only on the person's conduct. The idea is that even if someone lives in a corrupt environment they are still able to be virtuous and gracious, and in God's grace. But same could be said for the reverse, being in a virtuous enviroment doesn't safeguard anyone from falling off.
(being able to be in contact with god by oneself alone, is what makes this view liberal, contrasted with the conservative view that God reaches the single individuals when they are part of a group/community which seeks him/it=church, individual direct revelations are on the level of miracles, and those are rare)
In a more conservative understanding instead, the institution of the church was started by Jesus himself, so if a church can't be traced back at Jesus, then being part of it is no different from being outside the church of Jesus. At that point the question changes to: will you go to hell for not believing in any christian faith?
(to which question I would answer mostly the same as the first question, except the conservative part)

[Auze]

i know this question is kind of dumb but will you go to hell for beliving the wrong christian branch.

No.

[FelrikTheDeleted]

I am now, officially, a Master of the Arts in Religion: Systematic Theology.

Congratulations.

[Soldati Senza Confini]

I am now, officially, a Master of the Arts in Religion: Systematic Theology.

Congratulations Tarsonis. Enjoy your achievement. You have certainly earned it my dude.

[The Great Western]

What does 'Birth from above' mean?

[The Portland Territory]

Alright, shall I begin Emeline?

[Petrolheadia]

Alright, shall I begin Emeline?

Go on, I'll post it where it should actually be supporting your argument.

[New Emeline]

Alright, shall I begin Emeline?

Sure, if you want.

[United Muscovite Nations]

Do you guys think that the other gods mentioned in the Old Testament exist as lesser beings than YHWH? Like, a lot of the way the Old Testament talks about gods like the Egyptian deities and Ba'al, it seems to imply that they believe that those beings are real, just that they aren't worthy of worship like YHWH is.

[New Emeline]

Do you guys think that the other gods mentioned in the Old Testament exist as lesser beings than YHWH? Like, a lot of the way the Old Testament talks about gods like the Egyptian deities and Ba'al, it seems to imply that they believe that those beings are real, just that they aren't worthy of worship like YHWH is.

That is an interesting question. Kind of fun to think about Ra running around all huffy because nobody worships him anymore.

[Durzan]

Do you guys think that the other gods mentioned in the Old Testament exist as lesser beings than YHWH? Like, a lot of the way the Old Testament talks about gods like the Egyptian deities and Ba'al, it seems to imply that they believe that those beings are real, just that they aren't worthy of worship like YHWH is.

That is an interesting question. Kind of fun to think about Ra running around all huffy because nobody worships him anymore.

Honestly, that is an interesting thought. From a purely intellectual standpoint, its quite possible that these lesser beings are archangels whom pagans falsely interpreted as being gods, and that each culture had different interpretations/understandings of these beings.

Its also possible that they are actually gods (but obviously not God), or that the pantheons originally represented specific aspects of God's nature, but that that information was lost overtime.

Also, Mormon here, with some rather unconventional views (for a mormon, that is).

[United Muscovite Nations]

That is an interesting question. Kind of fun to think about Ra running around all huffy because nobody worships him anymore.

Honestly, that is an interesting thought. From a purely intellectual standpoint, its quite possible that these lesser beings are archangels whom pagans falsely interpreted as being gods, and that each culture had different interpretations/understandings of these beings.

Its also possible that they are actually gods (but obviously not God), or that the pantheons originally represented specific aspects of God's nature, but that that information was lost overtime.

Also, Mormon here, with some rather unconventional views (for a mormon, that is).

The Muslims believe in the concept of Jinn, which are basically spiritual beings that God created that have free will like humans do.

[G-Tech Corporation]

Honestly, that is an interesting thought. From a purely intellectual standpoint, its quite possible that these lesser beings are archangels whom pagans falsely interpreted as being gods, and that each culture had different interpretations/understandings of these beings.

Its also possible that they are actually gods (but obviously not God), or that the pantheons originally represented specific aspects of God's nature, but that that information was lost overtime.

Also, Mormon here, with some rather unconventional views (for a mormon, that is).

The Muslims believe in the concept of Jinn, which are basically spiritual beings that God created that have free will like humans do.

Just an echo of a past cultural idea though, integrated into Islam. One I find funny to talk to Muslims about, really.

[The Portland Territory]

Alright, to prove the existence of Jesus Christ as our Father, one must first prove that there is a divine being at all. And so I propose the "Will to Live" theory

No matter what happened, whether the Big Bang, Elastic Universe, Creationist, or a mixture of all three, we came from somewhere. We as mortal beings are bound by time, and as evolution proposes, are derivatives of a much simpler being. Those simpler beings are, hypothesized, to begin as microorganism, born, living, and breeding on the many broken asteroids and forming planets throughout out Galaxy. But where did they come from? Science states that something cannot come from nothing, and again since beings are bound by time, an origin is required.

Science alone could easily explain this giving it a few years, however there is one question which even the brightest of scientists may never be able to prove ever. But before I state that question, allow me to ask another of my own: What's the different between animate and inanimate objects? Simple question, isn't? Humans and organizations can move by their own consent without any outside forces. A bunny can hop over a small gate because it wants to, not because the gravity is slow and a large wall of force pushes it to. They produce their own food, in many cases, their own energy, and can even create duplicates of themselves (genetically speaking) through reproduction. Inanimate objects can't because, well, they have no need to.

Now allow me to ask yet another question: Can physical objects or particles create metaphysical ideas, or the other way around? No, they simply cannot. Metaphysical ideas are not physical for an obvious reason. I dont think that I need to delve into this any further.

So, why do I ask both questions? Let's put them together! If inanimate objects have no reason to reproduce/ any other special characteristic of living organisms, then that means they do not have a will to live. Animals, plants, and organisms, however, do. Everything they do, including humans, is to further this will to live, save suicide. Whether it be eating, reading, socializing, everything we do is to contribute our minds to the goal of continuing to live. This will to live is metaphysical. We think it, speak of it, and strive towards it, however it has no physical manifestation. Electric brain waves do not count because at one point in our species' evolution, there were no brain waves. Yet even then, there was still a will to live. So, where does this will to live arise from? As the second question answers, it cannot be an physical object, animate or inanimate, since it would be impossible for a physical object to transfer over to the metaphysical realm. Not even the mixing of very very specific elements can create such a will since those are physical.

With all this mentioned it can be determined that such a will to live in organisms derives only from one plausible source: a divine being. Since divine beings are not bound to the laws of physics or elements, they can do as they please. If you have any counters to this, please go ahead