Could you explain to me why God loves us so much that he gave us his one and only child? To me, it doesn't make any sense what "giving out an only child" have to do with loving somebody else.

So thanks to god I can have hardships? um thanks? If my family didn't go through the hardships, I will tell you what I would be today. If my parents could have started college right after high school, today, we would be millionaires.
You say that hardships could make me a successful young man. Growing up poor, I know that there were many people in worse of conditions than I was in, and that directly hits my heart. I have decided that I will try to improve the world the best I can through my charity work. Now if you say that is what god meant for me to do, that's bull, because that's what I choose to do. For everything, you can make up a crap reason of what god meant. This is a favorite one I heard, "oh I broke a leg, god is telling me to spend more time at home with my family".
sorry but you are completely wrong.
our family "poverty" did not come from bad money management, laziness, or gamboling.
in fact, all my family has been the COMPLETE opposite.
one side of my family were countryside farmers and the other fishermen... in China.
so that's the problem, the society and environment.
This is true, any Chinese person with parents from the countryside can back me, our parents work harder than 99.99% of American. The stories I hear of hardships are scary.
if you are gonna argue that the actions of my pervious ancestors affect the like god had for me, then I should have a great life. My family has done, what you would call "gods work" for many people.

Back on topic.. I just don't understand how some people can believe in god. I fully agree with an idea that sprouted in the 1920's that god is the best advertiser. I see religion as too political and a means to control people.

That brings me to another question: missionaires.
Do Christians seriously believe it's right to change what other people believe? Imagine if I tried to convert you. Why, trough out history, were so many groups of people FORCED to convert?

In Chinua Achebe's famous novel, Things Fall Apart, he wrote exactly what religion/missionaries are about:
"The white man is very clever. He came quietly and peaceably with his religion. We were amused at his foolishness and allowed him to stay. Now he has won our brothers, and our clan can no longer act like one. He has put a knife on the things that held us together and we have fallen apart.”

The Boxer Rebellion that put China back was caused by the diaspora of religion.

Religion kills, go flood the world again god, go plague the Egyptians.

I seen very negative, because it's the easiest way to get my point out. However, I do respect people who believe in their religion, as long as they don't preach it. Religion is good for the morals and ethics.

The way I see it, I'm not a bad person, if there is a god and if god is the fair person that he is, I should be fine. You die, I die, We all die.

Just because you're a Christian doesn't mean you're going to have a happy life. In fact, we're taught that we're going to have a shitty life. Life is going to be horrible, and especially more since we're followers of Christ. The Bible teaches the world is unfair.

God doesn't have bad things happen to you, but he allows them to happen. If God intervened at every person's misfailings and mishaps, then he wouldn't be God. He would be our personal slave. God only intervenes at times where his Glory would have been upheld. If all those bad things didn't happen, you probably wouldn't have honestly thanked God. You would have probably thanked luck, perhaps.

Also, we don't force anyone to believe our religion. We talk to people about them, but that's no different than when me trying to get you to see my side of the fence. If you don't want me to preach my religion, then we might as well not have this discussion, because I am preaching to you. Right now.

We don't force indegenious people. We give them food, shelter, education. Their acceptance of Christ is completly voluntary.

Anyways, I'm technically banned. I'll be back in a month or so.
BTW, Just by going to college doesn't ensure an education. Look at Bill Gates, he dropped out of college.

Could you explain to me why God loves us so much that he gave us his one and only child? To me, it doesn't make any sense what "giving out an only child" have to do with loving somebody else.

i have another problem as well with the whole God thing. I just didn't want to forget it. ok so how did god become him. he couldn't have been around since the beginning of time. Something had to have made him. He couldn't have just gone poof and appeared knowing everthing he did. I don't believe b/c I just don't understand of how he came to be.

Religion confuses me.

mkay. i don't know if this was already answered. But if god knew humans would sin why did he create it? cuz i mean if he's this all powerful being can't he prevent us from sinning and I know you say that he did it so humans can learn from their mistakes and yada yada. But why would God not prevent us from sinning? does he want us to go to hell?

also. so far I have lived a good life. i don't do anything terribly sinnful but just b/c I have doubt in god and don't read the bible and go to church, does that mean i'm condemned to hell?

Mebbe I asked it already, but, what if a child is born into an atheist family? What if he isn't educated on "god's will". It would seem like a pretty shitty god to send them to hell when they had no chance or opportunity to learn about Christianity (assuming the Christian god exists).

Paganism FTW.

I've looked at this thread for the first time today, i've seen it around, and its kind of an old thread, but all i have to say is, a lot of people laugh in the faces of Gods people believed in hundreds of years ago, so hundreds of years from now, if not sooner, and if the earth is still a life holding planet, people will laugh at our god(s) and Jesus.

Paganism FTW.

well i think that's extremely messed up. slavery is not right no matter where it is. slavery is wrong, it's always been wrong. god surely knows this, and any god that teaches how to treat slaves rather than that we shouldn't have them isn't a god that i want to worship.

wow, yeah, i don't know. things like this are things i can't just ignore.

God isn't going to destroy Earth just because people hate him.

Who said "God" would?

Amen.

The Bible doesn't support slavery. There is no actual verse in the Bible that explicitly promotes slavery.

You did. Your post was pretty incoherent, so I tried to understand it best I could.

If a person is an amazing charitable human being. Like amazing. Does a lot of good in the world, donates and helps people in need, but doesn't believe in God.

Would they go to hell?

Look, guys, all your arguments are interesting and whatever, but just answer me this one thing:

Can God create a burrito so spicy He cannot eat it?

I guess that's why he forgives murderers, rapists, and awful awful people just because they go to confession or ask for redemption.

Look, guys, all your arguments are interesting and whatever, but just answer me this one thing:

Can God create a burrito so spicy He cannot eat it?

Sorry (not sarcastic) i suck at wording things, what i was trying to say was that we mock the God(s) that people used to believe, not even (a) God(s), the objects and human-beings, that were simply just born into a royal family, that people used to believe to be magical or holy. So how ever many years from now, when no one believes in the God you believe in today, they will make a mockery of your God.

What I am asking is how does your God differ from the other God, Gods, Goddesses, holy objects, people, and animals people used to believe in and worship, that we mock and make fun of?
(I hope I explained better)

better question, does god shit?

I guess that's why he forgives murderers, rapists, and awful awful people just because they go to confession or ask for redemption.

That's an fallacy, bro. Not very clever at all.

uhmm. i don't think you get it kid.

god is either all-powerful or he isn't. he can either do everything, or he can't.
if he can't make the burrito, that's something he can't do.
if he can't eat the burrito, that's something he can't do.
thus, he couldn't possibly be all-powerful.
it's a simple tool to demonstrate the absurdity and meaninglessness of subscribing the anything to quality of "all-powerfulness" or "omnipotence."

more classically, "could god create a boulder so heavy that he himself could not lift it?"

p.s. you're obviously still a stupid kid or just a really really moronic and brainwashed adult. you suck.

Christians believe that we are no better than rapists, murderers, and perverts. Why? Because we're all human. We're nothing. We're slowly dying, and when we die, no one will care.

Since we are the same as every other human being who's done something wrong, we believe that we must treat them equal as human beings and also have the mercy and love that is reflected by Jesus Christ.

You might think that God is self-absorbed, but maybe perhaps you are?

There are some sins, some crimes that should never be forgiven. I find it hilarious that saying what you did wrong in a wooden booth and doing 10 Hail Marys is enough to absolve your sins. Those criminals who magically find God in their last days... I find it hard to believe they are sincere. They do not deserve forgiveness. Not ever. And any God who would grant salvation to a Hail Mary making child rapist over a nonbelieving humanitarian is worthless.

I am not self absorbed. If I do something wrong, I know it and I will own up to it. I will feel guilty and I might ask for forgiveness... but I'll ask it from the person I wronged.

Still a fallacy bro. Good to see you again, Nate.

p.p.s. don't you think religious belief is largely geographical (i.e. environmental: what society, your parents, etc. etc. believe and teach you) & pays little service, whatsoever, to reason, rationality, or honest discussion?

i don't know who you are, or don't remember you, or whatever. you're weird. iuhhno. hello.

if it works, why fix it

1. some people would argue that it doesn't actually work, or at least that it doesn't work as well as you suggest.
2. for the hopes of societal progression, religiosity serves to stagnate society (ex. stem-cell research, gay marriage, etc).
3. because there is some value in being aware of yourself & the world around you.
4. because the church is a monster that everyone refuses to quit feeding, it's a waste and a danger.

etc. etc. etc.

there are plenty of good reasons to reverse/destroy/subvert religious belief.

why do u need to serve god on earth? i don't understand why he needs people to serve him though, so he can feel high and mighty?