☆< IMPORTANT REMINDER > ☆ For those attending church today.

There is a difference between insults and identity,

As well as a difference between connotation and literal meaning.

The where is on this thread,

The why is known to you, hence why I asked?

I don't have any kids,

But if I 'did have kids, I don't think I'd use beating them as my first line of discipline and education.

You on the other hand,

Seem ready to jump to verbal and emotional abuse,

Have any kids?

One generation to go if the stats are right;  although, ironically, we collectively could have all the benefits of that generation today, if we moved our collectives asses.

We are allowing the fact that we are too good to each other, destroy our chances of not being harmed by pending ecological disasters.

People, more and more, are wanting freedom, and that would include freedom from the religions that say a man has to hate his son, should he be born gay, and his daughters for just being inferior to men.

Men are learning to put love over sex, finally, and leaving those vile religions in droves.

Regards

DL  

 

I have 4 male children.

I abuse my first 2 more than the next 2 because I found out what love was about.

I was a late bloomer to learning of love and hate.

I admit to being a bully.

Love gives birth to hate of all the puts what is loved in jeopardy.

Loving good morals makes me hate religions, like Christianity and Islam, that have such poor morals.

All who respect them, are being unethical, by not trying to convert them.

Thank all the Gods that atheist churches are opening to challenge their inequality of all people.

Regards

DL

Abuse isn't good, I'm sure you know, nor being a bully.

Fear of what you love being harmed, probably 'does often give rise to hate, often.

I admire many of the morals espoused by Christianity,

Of Islam I don't know much,

But I'm doubtful that it is without morality.

I don't really see the value in converting people to Atheism,

For myself, Atheism goes hand in hand with Nihilism,

A realization that Plato's Cave does not exit into the light, but another Cave,

It's my habits, of nature and nurture that keep me moral,

Moral as people 'currently, subjectively call it, anyhow.

If Atheists enjoy Atheist Churches,

Well enough upon them, I suppose.

I am pleased that you like Christianity.

What do you like about the genocidal, homophobic and misogynous prick, Yahweh/Jesus?

His pending Armageddon perhaps?

Which other moral tenet of his is best?

His no divorce for women and substitutional punishment policies perhaps?

Regards

DL

  

@#35

I do not think insulting God, will encourage Theists to give you an ear,

So what o your claim of wanting to convert?

You say Armageddon, some others see Salvation.

The Parable of the Sower - Wikipedia,

Reminds me greatly of Ox Mountain - Simple English Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia,

And the importance of considering environment, in relation to humans.

. . .

The world and society is not what it was,

And only 'became what it 'is,

'Through older societies.

There are people who value marriage, see it a sacred union, promise between two individuals, living their lives for each other and becoming one.

Not some dalliance or meaningless affair,

But regaurdless,

Was divorce 'never allowed in the bible?

Do you mean Jesus's sacrifice upon the cross?

If you don't want to practice a religion then walk away from it. If you don't because you're afraid your parents are somebody else won't like it then you are a coward.

@#36

Somehow, I don't see many modern Christians in America, advocating for the return of slavery?

I think Jesus would speak well of individuals, Christian, Muslim, or Atheist,

If their actions and deeds are good.

What is a Gnostic Christian?

It has the word Christian, so I am confused at your hatred of Christians, having Christian in your name?

Yes. I was speaking of a Christian having to abdicate his responsibility for his sins and having Jesus as substitute for their punishment.

A Christian must sin again to be saved. Strange eh?

Scapegoating is evil. Right?

You neglected to condemn the Catholic and Christian/Muslim no divorce for women policies, but might show what you think justice is in the issue of guilty people sitting back silently, while some innocent guy take their just punishment.

Regards

DL

It's been a while since I read and thought about Jesus upon the cross,

I'd have to read it again, and consider it,

Before I had a decent answer.

I don't think it's a matter of scapegoating though,

There are many forms of religion, many forms of the Abrahamic religion,

You specifically mentioned Christianity in post #35,

So I chose to address marriage in Christianity, as I see it,

Though I admit there are many forms of Christianity, and other religions,

I'm not going to address them all.

It is also not beyond my mind, to envision an Atheist State or Religion,

That would ban divorce in marriage,

You grind your teeth upon Theism,

But I do not see Theism as automatically equaling no divorce.

It's groups of humans, rather.

""Somehow, I don't see many modern Christians in America, advocating for the return of slavery?""

Slavery of the body, via a denial of a wanted abortion, is slavery. That is the right advocating slavery.

Given that most major cities world wide have sex slave populations in the thousands, let me ask you a question. You said "return of slavery". When did it leave?

Regards

DL 

Gnostics are a gap religion between monotheism and polytheism. They believe in this one true secret God out there beyond the universe that nobody could know and never really created anything. And they believe Christ served that god and not the god of Abraham. They believe the other gods are real and you can work through them to get the best one true God that's for some reason hiding out beyond the edge of the universe. They also are heavily influenced by psychology there's a lot of Jungian concepts and there's a lot of alchemy and a occult concepts. The major arcana in the tarot that was developed by Crowley, the Fool's journey, is sort of based on the Gnostic journey. They also believe that there is a divine feminine aspect tied to the divine masculine. They're more of don't follow religious rules follow spiritual practices kind of thing which makes me believe he's not a gnostic at all because he engages from what I can tell in no spiritual practice whatsoever. It sounds to me like he has been influenced by psychologist who was trying to let him keep his Christian religious aspects intact that he liked but getting rid of those stuff he didn't like.  Because he only speaks to certain concepts within the religion and not all the other stuff as a matter of fact he tends to turn down his nose to a lot of the other stuff so I don't know how he thinks he can practice one aspect of the religion but not the others. But either way I'm pretty sure he's just somebody who also has another account here because of the way he posts are too familiar with another poster and this is just a way for him to beat up on Christians but say he's a theist. But a lot of the Masons and other ceremonial magical practices including Crowley's Thelma are based off Gnostic texts. And Thelma is the basis for Wicca which was developed in the 50s/60s. 

@Polytheist-Witch #43

It's interesting, the variety of ideologies that exist in the world.

A Gnostic Christian is what Christianity was in it's better days, when all Christians knew that the genocidal prick, Yahweh, was a myth.

How much better follows.

I hope you can see how intelligent the ancients were as compared to the mental efforts that modern preachers and theists are using with the literal reading of myths. I am a WIP.
 
https://bigthink.com/videos/what-is-god-2-2
 
Further.
http://www.pbs.org/moyers/journal/03132009/watch.html
 
Rabbi Hillel, the older contemporary of Jesus, said that when asked to sum up the whole of Jewish teaching, while he stood on one leg, said, "The Golden Rule. That which is hateful to you, do not do to your neighbor. That is the Torah. And everything else is only commentary. Now, go and study it."
 
Please listen as to what is said about the literal reading of myths.
 
"Origen, the great second or third century Greek commentator on the Bible said that it is absolutely impossible to take these texts literally. You simply cannot do so. And he said, "God has put these sort of conundrums and paradoxes in so that we are forced to seek a deeper meaning."
 
Matt 7;12 So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets.
 
This is how early Gnostic Christians view the transition from reading myths properly to destructive literal reading and idol worship.
 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oR02ciandvg&feature=BFa&list=PLCBF574D
 
Regards
DL
 

The Gospel of Thomas being left out of the Bible proves Gnosticism.

The reason the Gospel of Thomas was left out is because it advocated spiritual knowledge as they key to salvation rather than faith.

Many scholars consider the Gospel of Thomas to be a gnostic text, since it was found in a library among others, it contains Gnostic themes, and perhaps presupposes a Gnostic worldview.

It is immoral to deny anyone a divorce.

It is also immoral to punish the innocent instead of the guilty

Right?

Regards

DL 

I think some people would be better off trying couple's therapy first,

I think that marriage is not something that should be entered into lightly.

Personal sacrifice towards others, is not the same as sacrificing another for one's own gain.

Most start from some source and then branch out there's very few religions that are just a single line of thread, they almost always end up having other threads tied to them and go off in their own direction just like most of the polytheists religions in Europe come from animism.  There's always some kind of source and then as people spread out and add things to it from other practices it changes and becomes a little different than the original. For instance even though I mentioned Crowley with gnosticism he his practice is heavily influenced from Egyptian religious practices and ritual so even his version of gnosticism is tainted probably from the original version which is more of a thinkers theology than an occult theology.

Take all that supernatural garbage out of what we believe, and you will know what Gnostic Christians really think.

You seem way off the mark.

Might I suggest you see above.

Here is what we think of the supernatural and who God is.

Modern Gnostic Christians name our god "I am", and yes, we do mean ourselves.

You are your controller. I am mine. You represent and present whatever mind picture you have of your God or ideal human, and so do I.

The name "I Am" you might see as meaning something like, --- I think I have grown up thanks to having forced my apotheosis through Gnosis and meditation and “I am”, represents the best rules and laws that we have found to live by.

In Gnostic Christianity, we follow the Christian tradition that Christians have forgotten that they are to do. That is, become brethren to Jesus.

That is why some say that the only good Christian is a Gnostic Christian.

Here is the real way to salvation that Jesus taught.

Matthew 6:22 The light of the body is the eye: if therefore thine eye be single, thy whole body shall be full of light.
   
John 14:23 Jesus answered and said unto him, If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him.

Romans 8:29 For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren.

Allan Watts explain those quotes in detail.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=alRNbesfXXw
 
Joseph Campbell shows the same esoteric ecumenist idea in this link.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aGx4IlppSgU
 

The bible just plainly says to put away the things of children. The supernatural and literal reading of myths. 

Gnosis enlightens adults.

Regards
DL 

Like I said he's not a gnostic he just uses that term to throw it around here so he can criticize Christians and theist but claim to be one.

Donald Trump would disagree with you and God loves him.

Always from a moral POV, and have you noted has fast those moral cowards run away?

To promote Christianity is to promote homophobia and misogyny, and that a God who kills when he could just as easily cure, is a good god.

Are you ready to talk that a hole theology?

How about formally? I have yet to even try that.

Regards

DL 

Everyone is a liar.  Every organization is a liar.  Organizations don't get tax breaks for telling the truth, they get tax breaks for either being a charity /  non-profit machine or because their expenses required it.  

Yet, as I said above and obviously you did not read, churches are separate from the state, aren't they? Powers don't pay taxes to other powers.  

Nice one Deb.

Light the blue touch paper and stand well back.

Yep...Religion has always been big business,

Selling waffle to the dimwits.

Roll up roll up get your salvation here.

Only 5 pieces of silver for a quick de-sinning .

8.50 for a married couple,

And 20 for the family.

So the more you breed the more you save.

But don't forget that,

The more you breed the more you sin.

So same time same place next Sunday.

Right, now it's a time for a sing song.

You all know the words.

La de dah de bollocksy  bollocks.

Correct.

Both religious and political liars are fucking us all and that is why the less religion the less fucking we get.

Especially given their genocidal, homophobic and misogynous prick of a God.

The secular God, money, is better. Right?

Or do you favor the prick?

Regards

DL

"Right, now it's a time for a sing song."

I like your tone.

I wondered if you had ever questioned a Christian as to why they sing of Adam's sin as a happy fault and necessary to God's plan?

I get silence in reply, as if they did not seem to know or be able to do apologetics for their own theology.

Regards

DL