Christian Discussion Thread XII: Soter? I hardly know her!

[Sordhau]

So I've sort of lost track of how long it's been since I last watched porn but I think it's been around 4-5 months now? Either way this is tremendous progress for me. I still get urges and deal with them appropriately, which is y'know not great, but at least I'm not watching porn while doing it. I have had marginal success at suppressing said urges in general. That's much harder, though. Doesn't always work out.

I still think having a girlfriend might make this easier. Like, Paul talks about people who can't be celibate because they can't control their urges and says it's better for them to be married if that's the case. I identify with that a bit; I think I'm just one of those people, but I'm too socially awkward to be an adulterer (which I'm pretty sure is what he was trying to prevent) so I just sit here with nothing but my hand to keep me company which is just... pathetic.

Lust is the worst sin. It's the hardest to fight and the easiest to fall victim to.

A wife. A girlfriend would just transfer the sin from masturbation to fornication.

I’d also be cautious that simply having a wife is an easy fix for masturbation and pornography, it’s absolutely normal for masturbation to still accompany married life which makes it a constant issue to deal with if it’s an issue now.

Tbh I don't believe it should be considered fornication to have sex with someone you're dating. Dating today isn't really the same as the courting of old. In many respects the barriers between having an SO and a spouse have been blurred to the point that functionally speaking the only real differences are ceremonial. Marriage doesn't carry the economic or political connotations it had in the Apostolic Era. At least not within the confines of Christendom.

And I'm aware that having a wife/girlfriend doesn't automatically mean an end to masturbation. I just think it'd be easier to avoid when I could just have sex instead.

I will never understand people who are ashamed at their own sexuality.

That's cool, yo. No one asked tho.

[Hamidiye]

I will never understand people who are ashamed at their own sexuality.

Me neither... but this thread is for them to be among themselves. From what I gather this here is some sort of echo chamber for the religiously infected.

[Diopolis]

So I've sort of lost track of how long it's been since I last watched porn but I think it's been around 4-5 months now? Either way this is tremendous progress for me. I still get urges and deal with them appropriately, which is y'know not great, but at least I'm not watching porn while doing it. I have had marginal success at suppressing said urges in general. That's much harder, though. Doesn't always work out.

I still think having a girlfriend might make this easier. Like, Paul talks about people who can't be celibate because they can't control their urges and says it's better for them to be married if that's the case. I identify with that a bit; I think I'm just one of those people, but I'm too socially awkward to be an adulterer (which I'm pretty sure is what he was trying to prevent) so I just sit here with nothing but my hand to keep me company which is just... pathetic.

Lust is the worst sin. It's the hardest to fight and the easiest to fall victim to.

It is generally not recommended for Christians to date while still addicted to masturbation.

[Tarsonis]

So I've sort of lost track of how long it's been since I last watched porn but I think it's been around 4-5 months now? Either way this is tremendous progress for me. I still get urges and deal with them appropriately, which is y'know not great, but at least I'm not watching porn while doing it. I have had marginal success at suppressing said urges in general. That's much harder, though. Doesn't always work out.

I still think having a girlfriend might make this easier. Like, Paul talks about people who can't be celibate because they can't control their urges and says it's better for them to be married if that's the case. I identify with that a bit; I think I'm just one of those people, but I'm too socially awkward to be an adulterer (which I'm pretty sure is what he was trying to prevent) so I just sit here with nothing but my hand to keep me company which is just... pathetic.

Lust is the worst sin. It's the hardest to fight and the easiest to fall victim to.

It is generally not recommended for Christians to date while still addicted to masturbation.

But then they fall pray to that Fat Bastard cycle "I'm unhappy because I eat, and i eat because I'm unhappy."

[Europa Undivided]

I will never understand people who are ashamed at their own sexuality.

Me neither... but this thread is for them to be among themselves. From what I gather this here is some sort of echo chamber for the religiously infected.

Go back to Twitter lmao

[Hamidiye]

It is generally not recommended for Christians to date while still addicted to masturbation.

But then they fall pray to that Fat Bastard cycle "I'm unhappy because I eat, and i eat because I'm unhappy."

Are you guys for real?`

Me neither... but this thread is for them to be among themselves. From what I gather this here is some sort of echo chamber for the religiously infected.

Go back to Twitter lmao

Srsly, what's the purpose of this thread? Comparing flavours?

[Syria-Lebanon-Iraq]

true

[Tarsonis]

Me neither... but this thread is for them to be among themselves. From what I gather this here is some sort of echo chamber for the religiously infected.

Go back to Twitter lmao

Dont engage

[Prima Scriptura]

I have a question about the theology around hell. There is a point of view that does acknowledge the real existence of hell but holds that only the truly evil go there. Like your Pol Pots, Hitler, and those that shook up Elementary schools. Are they’re any historical theologians that held this view?

[Hamidiye]

I have a question about the theology around hell. There is a point of view that does acknowledge the real existence of hell but holds that only the truly evil go there. Like your Pol Pots, Hitler, and those that shook up Elementary schools. Are they’re any historical theologians that held this view?

Does it work like this?

[Pasong Tirad]

I have a question about the theology around hell. There is a point of view that does acknowledge the real existence of hell but holds that only the truly evil go there. Like your Pol Pots, Hitler, and those that shook up Elementary schools. Are they’re any historical theologians that held this view?

Hans Urs von Balthazar holds the position that we may reasonably hope that all people will be saved but in the end can never really be sure because we have no idea who's in hell.

[Prima Scriptura]

I have a question about the theology around hell. There is a point of view that does acknowledge the real existence of hell but holds that only the truly evil go there. Like your Pol Pots, Hitler, and those that shook up Elementary schools. Are they’re any historical theologians that held this view?

Hans Urs von Balthazar holds the position that we may reasonably hope that all people will be saved but in the end can never really be sure because we have no idea who's in hell.

Thanks. It’s a position that one is not here that much these days. It’s either universal salvation or 99% of humanity is going to hell.

[Sordhau]

I have a question about the theology around hell. There is a point of view that does acknowledge the real existence of hell but holds that only the truly evil go there. Like your Pol Pots, Hitler, and those that shook up Elementary schools. Are they’re any historical theologians that held this view?

Hans Urs von Balthazar holds the position that we may reasonably hope that all people will be saved but in the end can never really be sure because we have no idea who's in hell.

I hold to the belief that even people in Hell can't be beyond salvation. It'd be theologically inconsistent with the concept of a merciful, forgiving God. Penance can be sought even when damned. Even Satan can (and I believe will) return to the fold.

[Prima Scriptura]

Hans Urs von Balthazar holds the position that we may reasonably hope that all people will be saved but in the end can never really be sure because we have no idea who's in hell.

I hold to the belief that even people in Hell can't be beyond salvation. It'd be theologically inconsistent with the concept of a merciful, forgiving God. Penance can be sought even when damned. Even Satan can (and I believe will) return to the fold.

Temporal punishment doesn’t entice man to repent of his sins and turns to Christ. “I’m going to be Heaven in the end, so why bother”

[Tarsonis]

I hold to the belief that even people in Hell can't be beyond salvation. It'd be theologically inconsistent with the concept of a merciful, forgiving God. Penance can be sought even when damned. Even Satan can (and I believe will) return to the fold.

Temporal punishment doesn’t entice man to repent of his sins and turns to Christ. “I’m going to be Heaven in the end, so why bother”

And? This assumes the primary purpose of hell is to scare one into following Christ. It's not.

[Australian rePublic]

I have a question about the theology around hell. There is a point of view that does acknowledge the real existence of hell but holds that only the truly evil go there. Like your Pol Pots, Hitler, and those that shook up Elementary schools. Are they’re any historical theologians that held this view?

From an Orthodox perspective, Heaven and Hell are the exact same place, the eternal presence of God. The difference is how you interpret it. There aren't many English sources, and my Greek isn't good enough for me to be able to read significant amounts of theological documents, and I don't speak any other languages, so take this with a grain of salt. Heaven is eternal bliss in God's presence, whilst Hell is eternal sadness is God's presence. God gives everyone the same afterlife, but he can't choose whether or not you actually enjoy that afterlife. God gives you a blissful and happy afterlife, but it's upto you whether you enjoy it. Another interpretation I have read is that hell is an eternal state of guilt. The reason why it's eternal is because after death, time stops, and once you exist outside of time, nothing can change, not even your emotions. I'm not sure whether or not the fires of hell, as written in the Bible, are literal or metaphorical, but either way, they don't physically burn you the way that Protostants interpret it, and the same fire that brings light and warmth to those in Heaven is the same fire that "burns" those in Hell. The literal interpretation of hell fire more or less wasn't a thing until Dante's Divine Comedy

[Prima Scriptura]

Temporal punishment doesn’t entice man to repent of his sins and turns to Christ. “I’m going to be Heaven in the end, so why bother”

And? This assumes the primary purpose of hell is to scare one into following Christ. It's not.

I think that we are all worthy of hell fire. I also believe that Jesus Christ took the pain and suffering that we all deserve, and his passion gives us the atonement that is free to all. I believe that one must accept Jesus as their personal Lord and Savior and repent in order to be granted that pardon

[Tarsonis]

And? This assumes the primary purpose of hell is to scare one into following Christ. It's not.

I think that we are all worthy of hell fire. I also believe that Jesus Christ took the pain and suffering that we all deserve, and his passion gives us the atonement that is free to all. I believe that one must accept Jesus as their personal Lord and Savior and repent in order to be granted that pardon

That has nothing to do with what I said

[Prima Scriptura]

I think that we are all worthy of hell fire. I also believe that Jesus Christ took the pain and suffering that we all deserve, and his passion gives us the atonement that is free to all. I believe that one must accept Jesus as their personal Lord and Savior and repent in order to be granted that pardon

That has nothing to do with what I said

My point is that Christians should fear hell..

[Tarsonis]

That has nothing to do with what I said

My point is that Christians should fear hell..

But, That doesn't mean Hell is set up for the purpose of Christians to fear it.

[Europa Undivided]

That has nothing to do with what I said

My point is that Christians should fear hell..

No.

One point of salvation is so that we won't have to fear it, as we have been given assurance. To be a Christian and then quake in fear over hell would be doubting the capabilities of a God that is omnipotent.

[Prima Scriptura]

My point is that Christians should fear hell..

No.

One point of salvation is so that we won't have to fear it, as we have been given assurance. To be a Christian and then quake in fear over hell would be doubting the capabilities of a God that is omnipotent.

Disagree. If a man falls into unrepentant sin, he can lose his salvation. Fear of hell makes men discipline himself.

[Prima Scriptura]

Question to the Reform/Calvinist Christians.

Should men hate his sinful nature, even though he will never overcome it(according to Calvinist theology)

[Pasong Tirad]

Hans Urs von Balthazar holds the position that we may reasonably hope that all people will be saved but in the end can never really be sure because we have no idea who's in hell.

I hold to the belief that even people in Hell can't be beyond salvation. It'd be theologically inconsistent with the concept of a merciful, forgiving God. Penance can be sought even when damned. Even Satan can (and I believe will) return to the fold.

Someone help me out here I think it was Origen who first posited this? That even the Devil can be redeemed?

[Lamoni]

I will never understand people who are ashamed at their own sexuality.

Me neither... but this thread is for them to be among themselves. From what I gather this here is some sort of echo chamber for the religiously infected.

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