Parables: The Way to Heaven

Author: Discipulus_Didicit

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#271
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@Mopac
They [nihilists] do exist. They do change their minds! I might have been there once.

I have no doubt that they exist. I have simply never met one or been one, though I would like to meet one.

If someone claimed the same thing, well, that wouldn't be strange. However consider this..

The God of my religion is The Ultimate Reality. Is there any God greater? Nothing else is even worthy of being called God.

You have said this already. You are repeating yourself. My question is... If someone said the same thing that you say here about some theology other than yours would they be incorrect in saying so? I have my own opinion on this but I wonder what yours is.
#272
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@Discipulus_Didicit
In the words of St James the Just...

"Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble."
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#273
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@Mopac
So someone that says their theology, being a different theology than yours, worships God as the ultimate reality... That persons theology is incorrect?
#274
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@Discipulus_Didicit
Simply recognizing God isn't all there is. What makes the relationship?

Besides that, what many people call "The Ultimate Reality" may in fact be a conception of the mind. The Trinity effectively solves this problem.



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#275
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@Mopac
Simply recognizing God isn't all there is. 

Exactly. So someone that says their theology, being a different theology than yours, worships God as the ultimate reality... That persons theology is incorrect? Yes or no?
#276
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@Mopac
No, it is pretty obvious to this one here that sin is very influntial in the motivations of the ungodly, even to the point of being the primary motivation.
That is why the 'slavery' metaphor is agood one.  But an addiction to drink or drugs is only figuratively slavery, it's not slavery in its literal sense.

But I'm interested in the word 'ungodly'.  What makes a person an 'ungodly' person?  I am an atheist, but I sin very little, at least not in the ways that cause any harm to anyone.  On the other hand a pedophile priest believes in god but sins in a big way.   Which of us is 'ungodly'?  Perhaps we both are, but to lump me and James Fletcher together loses a lot of fine detail!

I don't think that many people take up atheism in order to sin more easily.  If you are the sort of person prone to being light-fingered or are attracted to young children then the fear of god might act as a disincentive, but that holds whether god is real or not - all that matters is the belief is present. 
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#277
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On the other hand a pedophile priest believes in god but sins in a big way.   Which of us is 'ungodly'?  Perhaps we both are, but to lump me and James Fletcher together loses a lot of fine detail!

I don't know keith... I just found out that you and I are apparently genocidal maniacs. Perhaps Fletcher and Grozovsky aren't so bad after all?
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@keithprosser
I am certain there are many crackheads, alcoholics, and smokers who call their slavery an exercise of their freedom.





#279
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@Discipulus_Didicit
If they aren't Orthodox, they aren't doing it right by definition. 


For example, many Christians claim the same God, but are they Orthodox? No, they are heterodox. This might be a nicer way of calling them heretics, but the point is that they aren't really with The True Church. At best, they may have an incomplete faith. At worst they are defined by their errors.

The Ultimate Reality is recognized in just about every major religion. The religions are different though. Maybe even their God is different. What would I do? I would rather have a discussion about these things with someone on an individual level. I think the differences would become more apparent that way.




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@Mopac
I am certain there are many crackheads, alcoholics, and smokers who call their slavery an exercise of their freedom.
'Many' is a weasel word.  

I suppose that someone who is not free cannot choose to be a crackhead, but somehow I don't see that as a good reason to not judge freedom to be a good thing.  I'm not even sure why we are having this discussion...

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#281
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If they aren't Orthodox, they aren't doing it right by definition.

Very well. So there are some that know through experience that Orthodox Christianity is the right way to go and we know that these people are correct, meanwhile there are those that know through experience that some other theology is the right way to go and we know that those people are incorrect.

I think I am beginning to understand.
#282
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@Mopac
And what purer religion is this? For we take care of orphans, widows, the poor, and love those around us without being pietists. The works themselves are not the faith, and indeed such a faith is empty. We do these things because we love God, who is sure and eternal.
Isn't it possible to do those things simply because they are good things to do? 

If people don't do good works 'orphans and widows' will starve, while we wait for a god to do anything.

#283
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@keithprosser
Because you got triggered by the word "godless", which is really another. way of saying wicked.
#284
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@keithprosser

Isn't it possible to do those things simply because they are good things to do?  

But why are they good things to do? And that is where the moral nihilist, such as yourself, is going to reveal their blindness. Even though it is written on your heart, as well as God, to you what can it be but an aesthetic decision? What is good now for you may not be as appealing later.

You want to know something that is really hard? Helping the homeless. A lot of people go in to it with all these good heroic feelings, but most of them end up bitter and decide to give up on that. Yes, even so called Christians. Why is it good to help the homeless? Well, many who they end up very disillusioned. It is not what they thought it would be. 

And I use this as an example because yes, it is a good thing. Why is it a good thing? Well, if you have wrong ideas, you might even believe the opposite after working with the homeless for an extended period of time! 





If people don't do good works 'orphans and widows' will starve, while we wait for a god to do anything.

Of course, Christianity is not an inactive existing only in the mind type of faith. 

It is written by the prophet Ezekiel..

"Behold, this was the iniquity of thy sister Sodom, pride, fulness of bread, and abundance of idleness was in her and in her daughters, neither did she strengthen the hand of the poor and needy. And they were haughty, and committed abomination before me: therefore I took them away as I saw good."


And it can be discerned from reading the Old Testament prophets that a people that does strengthen the hand of poor and take care of the helpless quickens its destruction.

Atheism has nothing to offer. Nothing to give the oppressed and poor. It won't help them. It is fundamentally wicked, as is materialism in general. Take a homeless man enslaved by their sin and give them a million dollars. Don't be surprised if they blow it all on scratch offs and liquor. Material things will not solve these problems. Atheism has nothing to offer but death.

And it is dumb, and even you know it is dumb because you say ourself that you believe The Ultimate Reality exists. That means you already believe in God.


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@Discipulus_Didicit
I am not entirely sure that you don't see it as an arbitrary thing.

#286
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@Mopac
And that is why Jesus says
"To you it has been given to know the mystery of the kingdom of God; but to those who are outside, all things come in parables."
Who is it that purports that this is a quote from Jesus and how would they know?

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@Mopac
Of course, though I doubt I could convince an epistemological nihilist that anything is correct or true.



I doubt you could CONVINCE anyone that water is wet, based entirely on your performance on these boards.
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@Mopac
No, it is pretty obvious to this one here that sin is very influntial in the motivations of the ungodly, even to the point of being the primary motivation.
Please explain?

#289
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poly
bahahahahahahahahaha
#290
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@Mopac
Because you got triggered by the word "godless", which is really another. way of saying wicked
Not according to Merriam-Webster it isn't!
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@Mopac
Loving God with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength. The first commandment and greatest commandment.
And the second is like it. Love thy neighbor as thyself. Where does that come from? Recognizing that we were created in the image of God. To love others is to love God. 
After you have complied with the first commandment What will you love your neighbour with?
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#292
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@Mopac
Very well. So there are some that know through experience that Orthodox Christianity is the right way to go and we know that these people are correct, meanwhile there are those that know through experience that some other theology is the right way to go and we know that those people are incorrect.

I am not entirely sure that you don't see it as an arbitrary thing.

There is a clear difference between the opinions described above that we can see in the bold portions. Some are correct and some are incorrect. This way they can be differentiated, therefore the distinction between them is not arbitrary. Would you not agree?
#293
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Yeap he murder of every theists is funny stuff. Which is why atheist are hated so much. 
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#294
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@Polytheist-Witch
You still haven't shown me any posts from keith indicating that keith is a genocidal loony. This lack of evidence can't possibly be because you are lying, can it? No, of course not... But I can't think of any other possible reason. Please help me by showing me the posts so that I can see them.
#295
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@Mopac
But why are they good things to do?

I'll recycle a reply i made to tradesecret.



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@keithprosser
So utility. Survival of species.

Yes, this is certainly an example of a common moral philosophy. Very worldly. Really probably a lot more arbitrary than you like to think.

#297
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@Discipulus_Didicit
You say "we", but I don't believe you are being sincere. 

In fact, you are responding as if this is simply a "fill in the blank" thing to you.


And yes, it looks arbitrary. It is as if the theology of the faith itself is meaningless to you.


Compare The Truth is God, love God by purifying the heart.

To

The Truth is God. Love God through hedonism.


Which is true worship? Which is right belief?

And that is what Orthodoxy means. True worship. Right belief.

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#298
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@Mopac
And yes, it looks arbitrary. It is as if the theology of the faith itself is meaningless to you.

It would be quite easy to show that it is not arbitrary at all.
#299
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@Mopac
So utility. Survival of species.
Yes, this is certainly an example of a common moral philosophy. Very worldly. Really probably a lot more arbitrary than you like to think.
But it is very probably true - and you worship the truth, don't you?
#300
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@Mopac
Compare The Truth is God, love God by purifying the heart.
To
The Truth is God. Love God through hedonism.
Which is true worship? Which is right belief?
And that is what Orthodoxy means. True worship. Right belief.
You have heard the term 'false dichotomy' before?   The choices are not limited to theistic religion or hedonism.