Religious Disscusion Thread

Not really. If I understand right, a “soul” is really just a more modern way of saying “Breath” in Hebrew, indicating anyone or anything that is alive but is not a fish or some other sea creature of that sort. “Let all that which has breath praise the LORD.” (Psalm 150:6.) If someone dies, they stop breathing; the breath “is” their soul or spirit (also: I’m not sure what difference in definition, if any, is between the words “soul” and “spirit.”)

Would God really put souls in Androids (which implies breath?) He’d need to somehow cause them to be dependent on air, and that’s something that could probably also be done by humans, or maybe a forgery of it could be done. Androids could be programmed by people to breathe, and possibly programmed to breathe or die (though I don’t know how or why, and it could be a stupid thing in the eyes of insurance companies.)

It doesn’t surprise me in the slightest if Satan has “very beautiful” people who really are devils on the prowl. “Satan appears as an angel of light.” (2 Corinthians 11:14.) And doesn’t the name “Lucifer” mean something like “Son of the Morning?” Furthermore, I read in one or more of the Gospels; Jesus’ words say that there will be false Christs (Matthew 24:24, for one) and later in the N.T., it says to be wary against contrary doctrine. I forgot which book that’s in, though; it’s just not in the Gospels, and it said something like “If you are preached a word that has not been preached here, don’t regard it.”

BTW, I might need to look this up again, but I read the word “Satan” originally meant “Adversary” or “Accuser.” Otherwise, the New Testament verse where Jesus rebuked Peter, saying “Get behind me, you Satan” does not make any sense. Though I still question if I understood it right.

They make it illegal to see a real-life naked woman while homosexuality is frowned upon but hey you’re going to a better place than this dump. All you gotta do is die first!

If hell is so hot then what do you call that big ball of fire in the sky?

That’s from what I read by Christian and Muslim conservatives as what happens in a free sex society.

*^{as if religious extremists torturing their kids to avoid the orgy hell aren’t enough for them}

Satan being the most beautiful angel before the Fall is why I think he might be obsessed with perfectionism, to a brutal extent that he will hate humanity, the universe, and God for being too “imperfect” simply because we would not be simply wiped out over a little offense.

I never seem to die, I only awaken in a drastically altered world.

I should be dead…..

@乃ﾑりん乇ﾑ尺ｲ
Hell is actually an abyss, it’s just easier to visualize an inferno than a void.

@乃ﾑりん乇ﾑ尺ｲ
Are you were to discuss or just want to post random stuff?

I usually depict Hell as a chaotic void, a riot of colour, discord, disorder, and cannibalism.

Hell is the opposite of Heaven and its beauty, nothing but pure chaos, savagery, cacophony, and noise. The very raw stuff of primordial chaos, swirling and snarling as it devours all.

@乃ﾑりん乇ﾑ尺ｲ
Correct me if I am wrong, but weren’t you the one saying that I would “grow out of being religious” in a few years? Your first post could be seen as trying to start a discussion (though could be much better worded), but the second post looks much more like something you would post in the Stupid Stuff thread.

Would it be a bad thing for an atheist to love mythology?

Those are the sort of characters in my book - they refuse to worship or believe in any of the Gods, but they love their classical mythology so much as their art.

@HorsesandMuchMOAR
Don’t see why it would be.

@HorsesandMuchMOAR
No, not a bad thing.

As an atheist myself, I can still enjoy mythology as long as it is interesting to me.

Maybe because the more nuttier ones (the “militant atheist” types) would oppose all forms of spirituality. These are just a small, loud portion of keyboard warriors.

What’s even more weird is that these atheist characters in my stories are also very obsessed with gathering and preserving all kinds of knowledge - their dedication has pleased Odin in spite of their lack of faith, that he offered to help them.

It’s to show that even though they don’t believe in any Gods, an atheist migt end up becoming their instrument because of their dedicated actions, furthering the deities’ plans and perhaps building a better world. What do you think?

@HorsesandMuchMOAR
And the other extreme gets offended whenever they hear someone say “happy holidays.”

Yep, I think these people are nutcases. Rather ironically, they will put up their favourite politician or their rival instead of Jesus.

Sorry for the double comment - technical error

@HorsesandMuchMOAR
That’s a long read, but wow…

It’s said in the Bible it’s “outer darkness.” And what’s that? I’m guessing it’s like when I dreamed I was walking through a house, and it turned dark behind me; when I walked into the darkness since I thought I had to get back (it was only a 5 foot section of darkness, which seemed like it would be fine,) I felt all my energy sapped away and much fear took place. Yet one of these times (in a different, earlier dream) when I did so, I felt like it was also me doing it to myself, in a place and way that I could not tell that it was me.

“The man walking in darkness cannot see where he is going.” But perhaps he cannot see what he’s doing to himself, either.

Anyone else find it interesting that Christianity is a religion of death? I mean that the good part of your life is after to kicked the bucket, and before that is just trying to live your life.

I also feel the same way. So much for its supporters claiming it’s a “religion of life” because it tries to preserve life, whereas it’s more focused on after death. The same for Islam and some forms of Hinduism and Buddhism as well.

Religions that are more focused on the living world, and how to make it better, include Judaism, Hinduism, Shinto, Zoroastrianism, Asatru, and Rodnovery. These are what I can respect and admire.

@HorsesandMuchMOAR
You say that like in Christianity, it’s only the afterlife that matters. It still promotes being a decent human being, just that the best parts are after you died.

Technically, it should be. Unfortunately, some nutcases (like Westboro fundies in America) are more obsessed with the afterlife, so they torture people on earth into being obedient to Jesus out of fear.

@HorsesandMuchMOAR
That is moreso people using religion to justify their actions. It’s a human thing, not a religion thing (unless said religion promotes it).

Really? I mean yes, one is supposed to avoid some ways of existing (and “way” is old English meaning “path,” which is biblically accurate) because the ways told to avoid are supposed to end in disaster. However, it always seemed to me that it’s just about embracing what to do and avoiding what not to do, and then you’ll be fine in the end if you hold to it.

Of course, there are all sorts of ways people interpret and explain the Bible, and those ways might be as well as they can, but the ways aren’t quite on target. Perhaps you should see this:

“11 For this commandment I give you today is not too difficult for you or beyond your reach. 12 It is not in heaven, that you should need to ask, ‘Who will ascend into heaven to get it for us and proclaim it, that we may obey it?’ 13 And it is not beyond the sea, that you should need to ask, ‘Who will cross the sea to get it for us and proclaim it, that we may obey it?’ 14 But the word is very near you; it is in your mouth and in your heart, so that you may obey it.

15 See, I have set before you today life and goodness, as well as death and disaster. 16 For I am commanding you today to love the LORD your God, to walk in His ways, and to keep His commandments, statutes, and ordinances, so that you may live and increase, and the LORD your God may bless you in the land that you are entering to possess.

17 But if your heart turns away and you do not listen, but are drawn away to bow down to other gods and worship them, 18 I declare to you today that you will surely perish; you shall not prolong your days in the land that you are crossing the Jordan to possess.

19 I call heaven and earth as witnesses against you today that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing. Therefore choose life, so that you and your descendants may live, 20 and that you may love the LORD your God, obey Him, and hold fast to Him. For He is your life, and He will prolong your life in the land that the LORD swore to give to your fathers, to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.”

…

Mind, this is in about 1446 - 1445 BC, when Egypt is a huge nation and Canaan is about (before the book of Joshua,) and this is also before Greece and Rome were founded*. It’s a time when some nations were into sacrificing their children to carved-out gods to “win favor.” The Torah section of the “Old Testament,” though, is about God’s offers to make something unusual out of Israel as a nation, where God rests on and in Israel; doesn’t that mean that his character is meant to be in the people, not hardly but plainly seen?

Also, when it says “cling to the LORD,” it might be more accurate to say “Embrace your God YHWH as yourself; take on his characteristics, his attributes. Be just as he is.”