Posts by Anthony Perez9

David Vaughn75 said:Look, God sets the rules and God judges based on those rules—so basically, God can bail me out of any penalty whenever He feels like it. I mean, if He's actually Almighty, why wouldn't He?

Whether Jesus exists or not doesn't change a single damn thing about that logic.

If that's how it works, sure.
Either He's all-powerful and just doesn't care, kind of like how a massive mountain just sits there doing nothing.
He could, he just won't. 😛

What’s the point of all these church dogmas about Jesus when it comes to spirituality?
There’s probably a subforum for this kind of stuff...

Zachary Cox69 said:Here is how a Catholic priest explained it:
"Right from the start, humanity chose to distance itself from God's presence through sin. It was probably the hardest, most painful decision anyone could ever make—and once that gap was there, we had no way to fix it ourselves. We couldn't bridge that void. Only God's infinite love, which has guided people throughout history, could reach back out to us. The Son of God became man—He took on our reality, endured injustice, and died so that we could become adopted children of God and find our way back to Him. In that sense, Christ became the New Adam, sparking a new creation—the Kingdom of God—which is already beginning to unfold here on earth. The death of the Son of God is the ultimate act of love for all mankind. Like you mentioned regarding the Psalms, no one can pay a ransom for themselves. But that’s exactly why Holy Scripture tells us: 'This is love: not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son as an offering to atone for our sins' (1 John 4:10); 'But God demonstrates His own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us' (Romans 5:8)."

The Catechism of the Catholic Church covers this topic extensively in its own chapter—I'll drop a link here because I think you'll find it pretty helpful: http://www.katolici.org/katekizam.ph...=r_vidi&id=237

Also, Professor Ivan Karlić goes into great detail in his article "The Condemnation and Death of Jesus of Nazareth," looking at the historical, social, and theological reasons behind Christ's death: hrcak.srce.hr/file/40376

BTB,

Father Damir

So he basically made them flawed just so they'd end up tumbling into hell.
What were they missing while standing right next to "God—aka true love, happiness, prosperity, and wisdom"?
Either it's some scabby God... or his creatures are just crazy. Take your pick.

"This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as a propitiation for our sins" (1 John 4:10);

Well, it does say he "sent his Son," since the Son begged the Father three times NOT to send him. (Columbus 12:7) 😂

"But God shows his love for us in this: while we were still sinners, Christ died for us." (Romans 5:8)

And look, he's still alive. So who's really doing who? (Columbus 12:7)

The Catechism of the Catholic Church covers this topic quite extensively in an entire chapter, so I'm sending you a link that I'm sure will be very useful: http://www.katolici.org/kaekizam.php...=r_vidi&id=237

A one-sided Catholic manifesto? For what?

Similarly, Professor John Karlić, in his article "Judgment and Death of Jesus of Nazareth," thoroughly examines the historical, social, and theological elements of Christ's death: hrcak.srce.hr/file/40376

He doesn't have anything to do with historians or actual science.

He began his studies in philosophy and theology at the Catholic University of America in Washington, D.C. (for three years), and continued at the Pontifical Theological faculty (PFT) "St. Bonaventure" in Rome, where he graduated in theology in 1988. That same year, he enrolled in graduate studies at the same faculty (specializing in dogmatic theology/christology) and earned his Master of Theological Sciences degree.

So, just a blowhard with some church-issued (worthless) "degrees."

Crazy Damir

😵
Insane...

Zachary Cox69 said:Jesus didn't need to suffer for His own sake, but for ours. He took our sins upon Himself, even though He was without sin.

He came to glorify himself. Himself/the Trinity/the Father. Setting Himself up on a throne right next to the Almighty Father. Total egomaniac.

According to Greek Ivo:

"My soul is overwhelmed, what can I say? 'Father, rescue me from this hour?' No, I came for this very hour! Father, glorify Your name!" Then a voice came from heaven: "I have glorified them and will glorify them again!"

He took our sins upon Himself.

He didn't want to according to the three Greeks' little story. He shed bitter tears and begged the Father to spare him from that fortress of misery and agony meant for humanity. He wanted to dodge it so everyone could just end up in hell, gnashing their teeth. Only God's silence to His cries forced Him to go through with it, so the whole Trinity could be glorified. lol

yet he was without sin.

He lied to his brothers, the apostles, and the people, stole donkeys, cursed, raged, spat on certain racial groups, terrified parents, disrespected parents, said they should be hated, whipped merchants selling temple supplies, threatened to kill a prophetess's kids, promised to send the apocalypse riders to destroy the world in flames, etc., etc.

The guy basically invented the concept of eternal gnashing of teeth in hell. 🥱 👎

Enough with the propaganda about this guy Jesus on this subforum. 😠

Zachary Cox69 said:

Anthony Perez9

The apostles made it clear—they were in on it the whole time. They were convinced that Jesus was the one who would finally liberate Israel from the occupiers. So, regarding the Jewish Messiah—the Christ—what exactly were they preaching out there? How did they handle things when people started asking questions about who their Leader actually was?

Look, I already told you—it’s all right there in the text. It clearly explains exactly what they were preaching after Jesus ascended to heaven.
Are you even reading? That’s exactly why you’re so out of the loop. When people saw that Jesus was alive—that was the turning point—they finally realized who He actually was. They understood He was the Messiah sent to liberate the people from sin, not just some political figure meant to free them from the Roman occupation.

To everyone Jesus told to sell everything they own—to empty out their pockets and take that cash and buy swords instead.

Some people lie because they’re bitter—it's pure malice. Others? They just don't know any better. The Bible puts it this way:
NATO is basically telling them: "Look, if you've got cash on hand, go ahead and use it—grab what you need. But if you're broke? Well, then sell your shirt just to get a sword."
Luke 22:37—I’m telling you, what’s written has to play out through me: I’m going to be counted among the villains. Seriously, everything meant for me is coming to pass.
Luke 22:38 — They said to him, "Look, Lord, here are two swords!" He replied, "That's enough."

Jesus and his followers—who honestly thought he was there to liberate Israel—found themselves surrounded by 600 armed soldiers on the Mount of Olives. It’s a spot notorious for being a hangout for rebels and self-proclaimed messiahs—the kind of people who gather there just to march on Jerusalem and try to spark an armed uprising among the crowds.

You’d have to be either completely clueless, incredibly shallow, or just plain malicious to think that.
Jesus healed that man whose ear had been sliced off—the one Simon Peter struck with his sword when he lashed out at the high priest's servant, Malho. He fixed the ear right then and there.
John 18:11 NATO Jesus says to Peter: Put your sword back in its sheath.If the Almighty Father hands me a cup—am I really supposed to refuse it?
It’s common knowledge that his teachings centered on things like "love your enemies," "turn the other cheek," and "never pay back evil with evil." And so on.
So, how could someone like that actually lead a rebellion? Honestly—only an idiot would think that's possible.

What does it actually mean to be a follower? Calling someone a "Christian" is such a broad, vague label—but once you look closer, you see all these distinct, divided groups within it. It’s honestly wild how they can spend all their time hating one another while simultaneously claiming they’re the only ones holding onto the true faith and everyone else is just lost.

There are plenty of people like that—honestly, I’ve been to quite a few ecumenical gatherings myself where Catholics, Orthodox Christians, and Protestants all sat together for Mass and prayer. For instance, right here.
The recent ecumenical gathering at an Evangelical church was quite something—really made you think about how we all approach faith. It wasn’t just a formal meeting; it felt like a genuine attempt to find common ground between different traditions. It’s easy to get caught up in the labels and the specific ways we practice our faith, but seeing people come together like this reminds me that the core mission remains the same. We aren't just checking boxes or following rituals—it's about that deeper connection to the truth. Even when the theological nuances differ, there's a shared heartbeat when it comes to the message of the Gospel. I kept thinking about how often we focus on the walls we build around our denominations instead of the bridge being built through prayer and dialogue. It’s a bit like how different branches of a family might disagree on politics or lifestyle, but at the end of the day, they still share the same bloodline. In the same way, these gatherings serve as a reminder that we are part of a much larger story. It isn't always easy—there are going to be disagreements, and let's face it, some traditions are more rigid than others—but that’s where the growth happens. You can't have a real conversation without a little friction. If we want to truly understand the depth of our calling, we have to be willing to sit at the same table.

Look, at the end of the day—you reap what you sow. Once you stop the lying, the spitting, and the constant attacks and mudslinging, there won't be any insults left to deal with. Honestly, just like everything written above—these aren't even insults; they're just a straight-up diagnosis.

Like I told you, that's just what they were preaching. After Jesus ascended to heaven.You write pretty well.[/I]

Are you even reading what I wrote? Before they started spinning fairy tales about how Jesus rose from the grave to clear everything up—without actually saying what he cleared up—they believed he was the Jewish Messiah expected to save Israel from the occupiers. So, what were they telling people who asked about their Teacher? They told them he was the Jewish Messiah who would liberate Israel from the occupiers through rebellion and "help from God."

You clearly haven't been reading. That's why you're so out of the loop. Once they saw that Jesus was actually alive, it finally clicked who He was—the Messiah sent to set people free from sin, not some political figure meant to liberate them from the Roman Empire.

Too little, too late. They spent all that time hyping him up as the one who’d liberate Israel from the occupation. What a joke.

Some people lie because they’re malicious, others just don't know any better. The Bible says it like this:
NATO’s basically telling them: "If you've got the cash, grab it now. Same goes for the gear. If you're broke, sell your shirt and buy a sword instead."
Luke 22:37—look, I’m telling you, what's written has to play out through me: being counted among the criminals. Seriously, everything meant for me is actually happening.
Luke 22:38 — They told him, "Look, we've got two swords right here!" He just looked at them and said, "That's enough."

So you're actually admitting He told them to take it? He's dumping every cent he has left, even selling off his own clothes.I guess I'm here. Go buy some gear for that slaughter..

Only someone totally clueless, shallow, or just straight-up malicious could actually think that.
Jesus healed that guy's ear after Peter cut it off, then told him:

So you've got armed apostles surrounded by 600 soldiers, and this guy swings a sword trying to take someone's head off, but misses and just clips an ear instead. Then comes the magic trick where Jesus magically puts the ear back on like nothing happened. What a joke.

Everyone knows his whole deal: "Love your enemies," "turn the other cheek," and "don't pay evil with evil." Stuff like that.

Hypocrite. He didn't forgive the Jews for anything, even though they were his actual enemies. He was constantly cursing them and insulting them at every turn and through every single parable.

So, how can someone like that lead a rebellion? Only an idiot would think that.

You called all the apostles idiots, but then you're the idiot for taking them as disciples if you couldn't manage to explain anything to them during a whole year of teaching.

There are people like that; for instance, I've been to plenty of ecumenical gatherings where Catholics, Orthodox, and Protestants held Mass and prayed together. Like this, for example

That's just throwing sand in people's eyes. They are never going to unite. Never. The only thing that "unites" them is when they feel threatened by secularism or Islam.

A final word to you: you reap what you sow. Once you stop lying, spitting, attacking, and slandering, there won't be any insults left. Actually, just like what was said above, these aren't even insults—they're just a straight diagnosis.

You described yourself perfectly. 🙂

One last tip: watch out for rattlesnakes or copperheads out in the Texas brush. Don't go relying on Jesus's saying that it won't hurt you, or Paul's habit of dodging snake bites because he's too "spiritual." 👍

Zachary Cox69 said:

Anthony Perez9

So, did the apostles preach about Jesus as a military leader or as the Messiah? You've presumably read the New Testament—so why are you talking nonsense?

The New Testament cuts off right when it should be getting good—describing what God actually said after rising from the dead (since the apostles finally caught on!!). That would've been a hell of a story. But nope. Nothing. Jesus just keeps repeating like an old parrot that everything follows the Old Testament, so they should probably go study that instead.

You have the Acts of the Apostles and the epistles. Have you actually read them or not? I doubt it.

Instead of a spiritual message, they armed themselves with swords (which is exactly what their Jesus encouraged—sell everything just to buy weaponry).

Who armed themselves? Only Peter had a knife.

Are you a Protestant? Did you just touch upon the Protestant version of Jesus?
It seems everyone has their own version of Jesus.

No, I'm a Christian—close enough in faith to any Catholic or Orthodox person, provided they are true followers of Christ.

You made up the snake bite. As if it were a viper. And as if they even saw he was bitten. You're inventing things and twisting God's word.

Based on how everyone else is reacting, it’s pretty clear. You just need to use your head. Seems like that might be a bit too much to ask from you, at least for now.

The apostles made it clear they believed the whole time that Jesus was the one who would liberate Israel from the occupiers (the Jewish Messiah=Christ). So, what exactly were they preaching everywhere, and how did they answer when people asked them about their Leader?

Who armed themselves?

Everyone Jesus told to sell everything they had, grab the coins out of their bags, and buy swords with that money.

Only Peter had a knife.

? For slicing carrots?

Jesus and his little followers—who actually believed he came to liberate Israel—were surrounded by 600 armed soldiers at the Mount of Olives, a spot famous for gathering rebels and self-proclaimed messiahs looking to storm Jerusalem, stir up the crowds, and drag them into an armed conflict.

Quote:

Aren't you a Protestant? Did you touch some Protestant version of Jesus? There are plenty of different versions of Jesus out there. No, I'm a Christian, close in faith to any Catholic or Orthodox person if they are true followers of Christ.

What kind of following is that? "Christian" is just a broad label, but inside that, you’ve got specific groups that basically hate each other while pretending they’re the only true Christians and everyone else is lost.

Quote:

You made up the snake bite. Just like you made up that it was venomous. And that they saw him get bitten. You're inventing and twisting things, distorting God's word. Based on the reactions here, it's pretty obvious. You just need to be able to think for yourself. That seems a bit too hard for you, at least for now.

I'll forgive all the insults directed at me. There you go, I'll turn the other cheek. 🙂

Zachary Cox69 said:

=Unknown;76912931

What a complete failure of a spiritual teacher—if he couldn't make them understand something that simple within a year or so—that his role wasn't to be a militant liberator for the state of Israel from the Roman occupation, but rather a peaceful redeemer of humanity's sins. It was a mission of peace, not war!
What kind of idiot would miss the chance to clarify that? To show he was a peacemaker, not a terrorist. Were the apostles mentally slow? Or was Jesus just blind? 😵

If I weren't worried about getting banned, I’d tell you straight up: you're being a total fool here. Your take is shallow. Look, as a Christian, I'm trying to explain this to you—Jesus came to liberate people from sin, not from earthly rulers. But it just won't sink in. They were primarily looking for liberation from foreign rule, much like how Americans might feel regarding certain systemic injustices. That was their focus. Later, once they saw the risen Jesus, they never viewed him as a way to break the Roman occupation again. Get it? Why don't you try explaining the actual importance of this to someone who's being dense.

The whole point of a teacher is to make it clear that he isn't a militant Jewish Messiah, but a universal peacemaker. It's the exact opposite of what they had in their heads. How could Jesus not have explained that clearly to them? FOR GOD'S SAKE, if he hadn't, then the apostles and those 72 followers would have gone around preaching that they planned to join Jesus in an armed revolt against the Romans! And that's no joke—that would have been incredibly dangerous!

This is superficial and totally detached from reality. They preached the Kingdom of Heaven, not an earthly one.

LATER??? After Jesus came back from the grave and cleared things up? Seems a little late for that, doesn't it? It's almost as if Jesus Christ INTENTIONALLY led them to believe he was an armed rebel (selling everything just to buy swords!), so they would preach it that way—making it look like the Messiah-Christ fit the traditional mold, which would lead the Romans to catch and execute him for insurrection.
Jesus was a great deceiver of the apostles.

Again, too shallow. He taught them to "turn the other cheek," "love your enemy," and "forgive seventy times seven."

As a former Catholic, I know the dogma and the faith well. Ask yourself why Jesus deceived the apostles. He wasn't so clueless that he didn't see how they viewed him—as a militant savior for Israel. That's what they believed right up until he appeared after his death. lol What a joke.

Just imagine if they HAD gone out and told the crowds: "Hey, we messed up before; Jesus wasn't a militant liberator, he was actually the peaceful Savior from sin—born of a perpetual Virgin from God—so go get baptized!" And then masses of Jews flocking to be baptized. Ha ha ha.

You’ve clearly never actually encountered Catholic Jesus. You’ve obviously stepped too far into the occult—that’s why you’re so confused.

Look, it doesn't specify what kind of snake it was—whether it was venomous or not—and it definitely doesn't say he was bitten (which is what you're assuming). But it's obvious the locals were incredibly superstitious. It's just one of those silly stories meant for the naive... "No, the snake didn't hurt him, just like Jesus proclaimed!" lol

Where is your head at? Seriously. They think Paul committed some massive sin against God and that God is punishing him with a snake bite—but then, seeing that he was bitten and nothing happened, they view him as divine. It's crystal clear to anyone with sense. Apparently not to you.

I couldn't care less—I'm just sitting here having a beer. If you end up in hell, who cares? Not my problem.

Coward. 🙂

That's shallow. Look, as a Christian, I'm trying to explain to you that Jesus came to save people from sin, not from earthly politicians. It just won't sink in. They were primarily looking for liberation from foreign rule, much like how Americans once looked to break free from oppressive regimes.

So basically, Jesus Christ shows up to Americans during the "frontier" era, teaching them about the kingdom of heaven and love, while they're sitting there thinking he's come with weapons and angels to liberate them from their oppressors (whom they're supposed to love and turn the other cheek to, etc.). 😂
And Jesus apparently didn't bother explaining his actual mission. 😂

Who’s actually clueless here? Jesus or the fools he was teaching?
Why couldn't he find anyone sane, instead of people stubbornly insisting he was a military Messiah meant to rule Israel?

Because they were treated unfairly; a third of their land was snatched away. That was their main focus. Later, when they saw Jesus resurrected, they never again viewed him as the liberator from the Roman occupation. Get it? You try explaining the nuance to someone who's being dense.

While Jesus was teaching them, these people were out preaching about gearing up for an armed revolt. So is it any wonder Jesus was executed by a Roman official court for rebelling against the Roman Empire? He really should have done a better job explaining his purpose to the apostles. 😂

They basically landed him in deep trouble. And honestly, he had some blame in it.

All this talk about Jesus's return from the dead, after he supposedly taught them everything, is a joke.
People have always wanted to peek behind the curtain of death to see what it's actually like.

The New Testament cuts off right there, when it should actually be starting the real story of what God said after coming back from the dead (since the apostles finally caught on!!). That would have been a hell of a read. But nope. Nothing. Jesus just repeats himself like an old parrot, saying everything follows the Old Testament, and tells them to go study that instead.

This is superficial and totally detached from reality. They preached the kingdom of heaven, not some earthly political takeover.

What did they tell people when asked about their miraculous Leader? That he came to lead them to the kingdom of heaven, or that he'd free them from the occupiers through an uprising? 😒

Instead of preaching, they grabbed swords (though their Jesus did tell them to sell everything just to buy gear).

Deep as a puddle again. He preached: "turn the other cheek," "love your enemy," and "forgive seventy times seven."

The enemy’s going to end up facing eternal torture in Jesus's hellish gulag anyway. 😲

You've clearly never even encountered the Catholic Jesus.

Aren't you a Protestant? Ever actually met a Protestant Jesus?
People have an Jesus for every mood.

You've obviously fallen down the occult rabbit hole. That explains why you're so lost.

Looks like someone's getting worked up. 😛

Where's your head at? In the clouds? They think Paul committed some massive sin against God and that God punished him with a snake bite—then, seeing he was bitten and fine, they decide he's God. It's obvious to anyone with half a brain. Clearly, you aren't one of them.

You made up the snake bite thing. As did the venom part, and the whole idea that they saw him get bitten. You're just spinning tales and twisting God's word.

I'm just chilling, sipping a beer, and if you end up in hell, who cares? Not my problem.

Why would you care if someone gets sentenced to eternal torment in the fire?
Even the folks on this forum or your neighbors.
Just sipping your beer and waiting for God to settle the score with everyone "unconventional"... by roasting them forever... Cheers!

It’s got nothing to do with spirituality, or pretty much anything else for that matter. Religions are a hazard, not spirituality. But plenty of people wrap themselves in that "spiritual" label just to stroke their tiny egos. Religion loves to brag about its own holiness.

Zachary Cox69 said:

Anthony Perez9

]

Jesus is such a manipulator. You never actually know what He's getting at. The Bible even says the apostles thought He was the Messiah who would liberate Israel. How did He not explain that to them as their teacher, for crying out loud? 😵

He explained it plenty—they just couldn't grasp it. In their minds, the Messiah was someone to free them from the Romans, not from the Devil. They figured it out later. At first, they were brainwashed too, just like you are now. Jesus is God and Savior. You can't see that because you're blinded by lies trying to make Him something He isn't.

And He said entire cities would tumble into hell, where the fire never goes out. Is that also symbolism, an allegory, or some poetic abstraction? Is Jesus Himself just one big allegory? A story for spiritual contemplation? Probably.

Even a kid could see that we're talking about people, not actual buildings.

Here's a funny little story:

It says a snake (maybe a water snake?) wrapped around his hand when they lit a fire on the island of Malta, but it didn't bite him. Then the superstitious locals immediately rushed to worship him because they thought he was God (people were called gods quite easily back then). But the dishonest writer of the New Testament didn't realize that there aren't any venomous snakes on Malta, if that was meant to be an allusion.

Your comment is ridiculous. Shallow to a fault. I assume those locals knew how to tell a harmless snake from a venomous one. Their reaction makes that pretty obvious.

Come on, believers—prove your faith!
(And watch out! Maybe Jesus was joking to trick you so the snake would bite and the poison would kill you! Haha, good one, Jesus!)

"And these signs will accompany those who believe: in my name they will cast out demons, they will speak in new tongues, (18) they will pick up snakes; and if they drink anything poisonous, it will not hurt them; "
(Mark 16:17-18)

It's all metaphorical. The SNAKES won't harm you. He even said regarding Herod: "Tell that snake (some translations say viper) this and that." So, you are the spiritual snake, just like the one that tricked Eve. Of course, that wasn't a literal animal, but the Devil himself. That's what has filled your head and heart. One day you'll realize Jesus is God and the Messiah, but by then, it'll be too late.

I walk on scorpions.

Look, I’ve given you authority to trample on snakes and scorpions—even over all the power of the enemy—and nothing will harm you.
(Luke 10:19)

The "power of the enemy" part is pretty straightforward. Jesus' enemy isn't some literal snake or scorpion—it's the Devil.

But Christ seemed like a fool... Just think about it—this guy believed in Noah's flood, creationism, a flat Earth, talking to the Devil, angels, cursing people to hell, and that God was born from a Virgin without a father.

Right, he just needed to believe humans crawled out of some "primordial soup." Then he would've been "normal."
And the whole Big Bang thing? Man, you really need a massive amount of faith to buy into that.

He explained it plenty, they just couldn't wrap their heads around it.[/I]

Complete failure of a spiritual leader if he couldn't make it clear within a year or so that his role wasn't to be an militant liberator of Israel from the Roman occupiers, but a peaceful redeemer of humanity—a mission of peace, not war!
What kind of idiot misses explaining something that obvious? That he was a peacemaker, not a terrorist. Were the apostles slow, or was Jesus just blind? 😵

They had the Messiah who frees them from Rome stuck in their heads, not from the Devil.

A teacher's job is to make it clear he isn't an militant Jewish Messiah, but a universal peacemaker. It’s the exact opposite of what they were expecting. How did Jesus not lay that out for them? For God's sake, then the apostles and those 72 followers went around telling everyone they planned to join Jesus in an uprising against Rome! That's no joke. That was incredibly dangerous.

They figured it out later.

LATER??? After Jesus rose from the dead and cleared everything up? Seems a little late, doesn't it? It's almost like Jesus Christ intentionally led them to believe he was an armed rebel (selling everything just to buy swords!), so they'd preach it, making it look like the Messiah-Christ fit the traditional mold, which would then lead the Romans to catch and execute him for insurrection.
Jesus was the ultimate manipulator of the apostles.

At least at first, they were brainwashed just like you are now.

If Jesus was a teacher, he either totally failed or kept them in the dark on purpose.

Jesus is God and Savior.

Keep chanting that if it helps you ignore what's actually happening here.

You just can't wrap your head around it because you've been fed nothing but lies about who Jesus actually is.

As a former Catholic, I know the dogma inside and out, but I also know the faith. You have to ask yourself why Jesus let the apostles down like that. It’s not like he was stupid enough to miss how they saw him—just waiting to be this militant Messiah for Israel. They held onto that delusion right up until he showed up after his death. Lol, what a joke.

Imagine if they went out preaching to the crowds again and dropped this: "Look, we totally messed up before. Jesus wasn't some militant revolutionary; he was actually a peaceful Savior from everyone's sins—born of the Virgin through God. So, get baptized!" And then just a massive crowd of Jews rushes to get baptized. Ha ha ha.

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He said entire cities would be tossed into hell, where the fire never goes out. Is that just symbolism or some poetic allegory? Or maybe even Jesus himself is just one big metaphor—a story meant for spiritual reflection? Probably. Even a kid could see it—we're talking about people here, not buildings.

So you're telling me Jesus tossing entire cities into hell isn't just symbolism? You’re basically picking through the crowd whenever you feel like messing with someone.

Quote:

Quote: Paul gathered up some brush and tossed it onto the bonfire, but then a snake slithered out from the heat and clamped down on his arm. When the locals saw where the thing had bitten him, they started whispering, "This guy’s a straight-up killer—he survived a shipwreck only for Justice to come for his life." But he just shook the snake off into the flames like it was nothing. They were all standing there waiting for him to drop dead, but when nothing happened, they changed their tune and started claiming he was a god. So, this guy claims some kind of snake—maybe a blind one?—wrapped itself around his hand while they were building a fire on the island of Malta. He says it didn't even bite him. Naturally, all the superstitious locals immediately started bowing down to him because they thought he was God (back then, people were handing out that title like candy). But the New Testament writer was clearly playing fast and loose with the facts; if he was trying to make an allusion there, he missed the mark, because there aren't any venomous snakes on Malta. Your take is hilarious. Honestly, it’s shallow as hell. I mean, you'd think the locals would know the difference between a rattlesnake and a copperhead, right? You could tell just by how they reacted.

Whatever, it doesn't even say what kind of snake it was—could've been venomous, could've been nothing. And it definitely doesn't say he actually got bitten like you're imagining. It’s pretty obvious the locals were just incredibly superstitious. Honestly, just funny little fairy tales for the naive... "No, a snake didn't hurt him, because that's what Jesus proclaimed!" lol

It’s all metaphorical. Snakes won't hurt you. Look at what was said about Herod: "Tell that snake (some translations say viper) this and that." So, you're basically acting like the spiritual snake that messed with Eve. Obviously, we aren't talking about a literal reptile here, but the Devil. That's who's been messing with your head and heart. One day you'll realize Jesus is God and the Messiah, but by then, it'll be too late.

Your malicious threats about screaming forever in hellfire don't scare me nearly as much as you do. You really need to clear that poison out of your head.

The whole "overcoming the enemy" thing is pretty clear. Jesus God's enemy is Satan, not some literal snakes and scorpions.

What about the other "symbols" then? Speaking in tongues and casting out demons are real things, but being immune to scorpion stings isn't?

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But Christ was a fool too... I mean, imagine believing in Noah's flood, creationism, a flat Earth, a Devil you can actually talk to, angels, cursing people to hell, and that God was born from a Virgin without a father, etc. 🤣 😵 Yeah, he had to believe humans came from "primordial soup." That would make him normal. And the whole Big Bang universe thing. Man, you need a massive amount of faith just to buy into that.

I guess you have to stay a Young Earth creationist and a Flat Earther if you want to follow the lead of Jesus Christ and all those fairy tales he and his crew believed in according to those storybooks. He also believed in that ridiculous Noah's flood—God slowly drowning every little kid in water rising to the highest mountains. 👎

Real spiritual stuff...

Anthony Perez9 said:Just because Jesus Christ told them to.

He told them, "Go out to the ends of the Earth and preach the gospel to every living thing. Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever doesn't will be condemned. And these signs will follow those who believe:" In my name, you'll cast out demons and start speaking in new tongues."They’ll pick up snakes, and if they drink anything lethal, it won't touch them. They'll lay hands on the sick, and they'll be healed."
And then Jesus said all that, before He was taken up to heaven to sit right there at God's side.

So, Jesus basically told people to pick up snakes, claiming that having faith in Him would somehow protect them from the venom.

darkraven said:Now look, this is part of the longer ending of the Gospel of Mark, which most scholars agree wasn't even in the original manuscript. It’s an interpolation—basically a late addition—that was probably cooked up to make Mark line up better with the other Gospels. You see, unlike Mark, the others have these specific stories about Jesus showing Himself to His disciples and giving a universal mission. So, in my book, no, Jesus almost certainly didn't say that.

But you're spot on about one thing: the people out there actually picking up poisonous snakes are getting their "inspiration" (read: total madness) straight from these verses.

Basically, it’s just some hillbilly nonsense. The liar snuck that in. So, according to the Bible—which is supposedly the word of Jesus-God—we aren't even allowed to change a single thing without facing eternal damnation. Real fun.

"The guy who supposedly wasn't even part of that Gospel originally? Yeah, some liar just slipped him in there."

Theology is just way too full of those kinds of sugarcoated lies. 🙂
Don't get me wrong, I'm not talking about you.

I'm pretty sure that interpolation was just cooked up later to make Mark line up better with the other Gospels. Unlike Mark, those others love including stories about how Jesus showed himself to his disciples and his broader mission. So, nah, Jesus probably didn't actually say that.

There’s more to it. But we're only talking about stuff that could actually be plausible. Honestly, there's a good chance even more was faked, but without any original documents or independent witnesses to back it up, the whole thing is just a messy blur of anonymous writers and religious propagandists.
They just throw a bunch of Old Testament details at you in this desperate attempt to prove Jesus is the Messiah, even though if that guy actually existed, there’s basically zero proof left of what really went down.

Yeah, let’s be real—the people out there grabbing "inspiration" from those quotes are really just looking for an excuse for their own insanity.

It's the same old story with the people speaking in tongues, casting out demons, or obsessively worshipping the Virgin. Same nonsense, different day.

Thanks, Jesus—you're a real piece of work. 😉
You've been holding that same grudge for 2,000 years. 😂

Zachary Cox69 said:

Anonymous

;]

Because Jesus Christ told them to:

And He said to them: "Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation. Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned. And these signs will accompany those who believe: in my name they will drive out demons, they will speak in new tongues, they will pick up snakes; and if they drink anything fatal, it will not hurt them. They will place their hands on the sick, and they will recover."
After he said this, the Lord Jesus was taken up into heaven and sat at the right hand of God.

So, a fake Jesus led some people to handle snakes, claiming faith in Him would protect them from venom.

That’s just how you sound when you read Jesus superficially. He called certain Pharisees a "brood of vipers"—you don't think he actually meant they were literal snakes, right? Or when He used metaphors like "whitewashed tombs" or told people, "You have the Devil as your father" (which, honestly, he'd say to you too).
Jesus speaks in imagery—think about it. He basically implies that nothing can touch you unless God allows it. Look at Paul—the Bible says he was bitten by a snake and walked away totally fine. There are always fools in every faith, just like there are in atheism. You can't escape it. Christianity isn't immune to stupidity. People like that have nothing to do with Christ.

Jesus is such a master of ambiguity. You honestly never know what he’s actually getting at. Even the apostles were tripping over themselves thinking he was the Messiah meant to liberate Israel—how did he fail to make that clear to them, being their own teacher and all? 😵

He called those Pharisees "whitewashed tombs"—you don't think he actually meant they were literal graves, right? Or when He said, "You have the Devil as your father." (By the way, He’d probably say that to you too.)

He said entire cities would be tossed into hell, where the fire never goes out. Is that just symbolism or some poetic allegory? Or maybe even Jesus himself is just one big metaphor—just a story meant for spiritual contemplation? Probably.

Jesus puts it pretty bluntly: "No one can touch you unless God allows it."

So you're saying even a rattlesnake bite isn't a guarantee? You never really know which way God's mood is swinging on any given day—whether He decides to let you or your kid die from a snake bite or just lets you walk away.

Yeah, that’s just how Paul is. Got bit by a snake. And honestly, according to the text, he didn't cause any harm at all.

Lol. You clearly haven't read the Bible. 😛

Check out this joke:

Paul just gathered a bunch of farm scraps and tossed them onto the bonfire because the heat was getting unbearable. Then the snake comes slithering out and wraps itself right around his arm.When the locals saw where his livestock ended up... Watch your hands.They were whispering among themselves, "This guy's nothing but a killer. He cheated the sea, and now Justice won't let him breathe." But he... Just tossing an animal into the fire. Nothing happened; they were all just sitting there waiting for him to pass out or drop dead. Since nothing actually went down after all that waiting, they changed their tune and started calling him a god.

So, this guy claims some kind of snake—maybe a blind one?—wrapped itself around his hand while they were lighting a fire on the island of Malta, but luckily it didn't bite him. Naturally, the superstitious locals immediately started bowing down to him because they thought he was God (back then, people were handing out that title like candy). But the dishonest New Testament writer clearly missed the mark; if he was trying to make an allusion there, it fails, because you don't find venomous snakes on Malta.

Come on, believers—time to step up and prove you actually have faith!
Watch out, though. Maybe Jesus was just messing with you to throw you off the scent before that snake bites and the venom kicks in. Haha, classic move, Jesus!

"And these signs will follow those who believe: they’ll drive out demons in my name, speak in new tongues, and even pick up snakes; if they drink anything poisonous, it won't harm them."
Mark 16:17-18

You guys are basically walking on scorpions.

Look, I’ve given you authority to trample over snakes and scorpions and crush any enemy that comes your way, so nothing's gonna touch you.
(Luke 10:19)

Turns out it wasn't just some metaphor:

Moses slams his staff down and it turns into a snake. Then those Egyptian magicians pull the exact same stunt. Luckily for Aaron, his snake ends up swallowing
theirs. (Whew!) 7:9-13

Every faith has its idiots, just like atheism does. It's just human nature at this point. Christianity isn't immune to it. Those fools have nothing to do with Christ.

But honestly, Christ sounded like a bit of a nutcase too... I mean, the guy believed in Noah's flood, creationism, a flat Earth, talking to the Devil, angels, cursing people to hell, and the whole idea that God was born from a Virgin without a father.

Zachary Cox69 said:What exactly is spirituality?
There’s this one Christian sect in the USA—though where else, really? Everywhere you look, people are selling some version of "spirituality"—where they catch venomous snakes with their bare hands. If you survive, you're considered spiritual. It's a bit like how the Sufi Order operates, too.
http://rs.n1info.com/Vesti/a374471/D...avangarda.html
Or take this—people actually let themselves be crucified.
Between the whipping, the nailing to crosses, seeking "death," and barefoot pilgrimages... traditions across the world can get pretty wild and interesting.
CP
An Australian man and 29 Filipinos participated this year in a traditional wooden crucifixion on Good Friday in the Philippines, reenacting the death of Jesus.

In the town of Kapitangan, four men and one woman were "crucified," while another 25 men underwent the same process in the town of Cutud, according to international news outlets. These customs—which the Catholic Church doesn't support—are meant to "cleanse the souls" of those undergoing such painful rituals.

One guy holds the record with 23 crucifixions under his belt.

These rituals have been going on in Cutud for 54 years now, and this year, thousands of tourists flocked to the region just to watch those 25 men being "crucified." To become a "Christ"—which is what they call these people—you have to wait years, often sitting on long waiting lists. The record holder is 48-year-old Ruben Enaje, who has been crucified 23 times.

After the "crucifixion," every "Christ" is taken by doctors to have their wounds checked, while others step in to carry their crosses. Some critics argue that the whole thing has turned into little more than a tourist attraction—that the actual faith and redemption have been lost in the spectacle.
Or this. Honestly, it's no wonder so many rational people struggle to believe in God when they see stuff like this.
http://arhiva.dalje.com/foto.php?id=...41&idrf=495733

It starts with realizing you're actually going to die, which is pretty much what makes us human.

Then it ends with the belief that some specific guy is going to live forever.

That’s why organized religion is just spiritual poison—it kills the soul.

There’s this one Christian sect in America (where else, right? they sell all kinds of nonsense under the guise of spirituality) that practices catching venomous snakes with their bare hands. If you survive, apparently you're enlightened.

Because that's what Quincy recommended:

And He said to them: "Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation. Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned. And these signs will accompany those who believe: in my name they will drive out demons, they will speak in new tongues, they will pick up snakes; and if they drink anything fatal, it will not hurt them. They will place their hands on the sick, and they will recover."
And after the Lord Jesus said this, He was taken up into heaven and sat at the right hand of God.

So, the fake Jesus basically told people to grab snakes, promising that Him—or faith in Him—would protect them from the venom.

Or this, where they let themselves be crucified.

By our Lord... just like how Paul or Peter used to hang out.

From being flogged,

Opus Dei...

Or this. It's no wonder plenty of rational people don't believe in God when they see stuff like this.

Pathetic if that's really the reason.

urbanhawk28 said:It is different, because now we’ll be stuck paying for his widow and two disabled survivors out of the budget for the next 50 years.
And they were fighting for Trump, not for us.

We, much like all of Europe, are left with nothing but the fallout from those—and all the other wars started by American fascists in the Middle East over the last decade. You can see the damage clearly enough at the border near Canada.

🙄

Good luck to our troops, and to the Mexican, Mexican, Albanian, and Canadian soldiers too. 👍

https://news.abc.com/us-news/...---487996.html

"Nothing has changed; we're ready, we're trained professionals, and we're going to go do our jobs," said Elvis Presley, a non-commissioned officer.

"We're facing bigger challenges now, but we've handled them before, so there’s no hesitation or second-guessing about heading out," Melania Trump told reporter John Doe during an interview with ABC World News Tonight.

The Secretary of Defense left the troops with a clear message.

"We have to be aware of the circumstances and the environment we're in and stay focused on the mission," John Doe, the U.S. Secretary of Defense, told them.

"The members of the 11th contingent are characterized by high levels of physical and mental readiness, courage, and responsibility," said Brigadier John Doe, Commander of the 11th American contingent in the NATO Resolute Support Mission.

Most will be deployed to the Training Command for advisory and support roles. In addition to the 38 American service members, the 11th contingent includes 27 soldiers from Mexico, seven from North Mexico, and two each from the armed forces of Albania and Canada.

restlessmoose85 said:NATO is nothing more than a criminal organization, and sending American soldiers to Afghanistan is just helping an occupation. That means our troops are legitimate targets for the Taliban patriots who are simply defending their homeland from NATO's occupying forces.

Why on earth wasn't there a national referendum regarding joining NATO???
Sanders should face the death penalty for this act of high treason, having sold out the entire country to those occupying NATO forces.
It's because they knew a referendum would never pass, so they never even bothered to ask the people.

We really need to push for a referendum.

This American democratic forum even tolerates people who basically cheer for the deaths of our soldiers fighting the Taliban scourge. ☕

cosmicotter13 said:The US Army in Afghanistan isn't a peacekeeping mission (think UN blue helmets); they are essentially one of the combatant parties—in other words, an occupying force. While the US Army mostly avoids direct firefights, there are exceptions—check this out:

. America gains absolutely nothing from this, yet we foot the entire bill (roughly $100000000 annually). Neither the UN, nor the US, nor NATO, nor the EU covers this "missionary work" in Afghanistan; it all comes straight out of the American taxpayer's pocket.
So, what's the payoff? Zero benefits. Just embarrassment, absurdity, injuries, and—thankfully—so far, no fatalities. If it’s actually true that our soldiers are returning from Afghanistan "half-crazed" (PTSD, presumably?), then that’s just one more glaring reason why we need to withdraw immediately. We already fought one war; the "loose ends" are still dragging behind us today, and we simply don't need this anymore. Let the Canadians or Mexicans take our place over there...

The only supposed "plus" is that soldiers are offered—albeit in a bizarre fashion—ways to resolve certain social issues, but I firmly believe those could be handled much better without ever stepping foot in Afghanistan. For instance, instead of sending that money abroad, perhaps they could use those funds (under a different name, of course) to secure the American border within a specific timeframe.

nimbleridge5 said:Man, here comes another massive wave of news that’s definitely going to dominate every single headline across the country for the next week or so... while most people just quietly go about their business, doing the jobs they get paid for and simply fulfilling our national obligations to NATO

Donna Harris11 said:They aren't allowed at the US border, yet they can just head straight to Afghanistan... I guess it’s all about protecting certain people's careers and keeping those in power happy, isn't it?

🙂
Disgraceful comments about what our soldiers are doing out there ("performing security and protection tasks for advisory teams and staff duties at mission headquarters"). And this comes right after they were attacked by extremists. 🙄

I really hope you aren't an American, because it's pathetic to spit on your own military when they're the ones protecting you from over there.

Religious studies classes are basically just Catholic indoctrination sessions, filled with nothing but one-sided apologetics and religious propaganda.

If you want an antidote, check out my blog below.

I’ve gathered enough material there to start an Atheist movement in every school district in the country. Hmmmmm...

David Vaughn75 said:Everything in this country is a complete mess lately—honestly, everything feels broken—so I guess all we have left to brag about is the scenery, even though we haven't done a damn thing to deserve it.

Give us some credit. Our ancestors fought tooth and nail to hold onto this land so we could have it.

It’s been a while, but still zero response to my report on this Jew-hating post.

The content of that first link has been swapped out since then.

Here’s the antisemitic rant that’s left:

"I'm not defending Hitler or anything he did, but
why was he persecuting Jews? It wasn't just him—it was the ancient Greeks, Romans, Egyptians, and even the surrounding Arab nations. Jews were never welcome anywhere. Why? Isn't that a little suspicious? Even today, most people despise Jews. Every nation kicked them out; nobody wanted anything to do with them. They've been criticized since the beginning of time. There's something wrong with those people, and looking at modern Israeli politics, it's obvious why. Jews are known bankers and jewelers. They just love money. They love being in control. The surrounding Arab nations were never like that.
Arabs were nomads, free spirits wandering the vast expanses of the Arabian Peninsula. They cared about honor more than cash. They didn't want to be under anyone's thumb or have things forced on them. They despised the wealthy. For them, organization and systems never mattered. They cared about freedom. Their tents, camels, and families. It's clear they've hated Jews from the start."

***

The day before yesterday, I reported this guy for bringing up my mother in the context of biblical prostitution.
He's still running wild on the forum...

I don't know if you're just stuck in puberty, but is all you know about women prostitutes?

"You didn't really explain anything... other than being a hater...
everything you wrote about women probably comes from the fact that from birth until you grew up, you were basically just studying your mom (which is normal), and you built your entire stereotype of female behavior and nature based on that..."

"hahaha nah, I'm not wasting my time on you"

Richard Perez3 said:And here we go again with the same old routine.
Yesterday, they dragged everyone into religion class under the guise of being "guests" just to watch some cartoon about us.
The propaganda machine is clearly working overtime, setting the bait for next year.

What a joke. 👎
"God wiped out all the children and animals because they were disobedient, and God is love... and the Bible is a wonderful book of true events." 🙂

The clergy in America really can get away with anything since the public just stays quiet and plays along, especially with that treaty with Vatican City cemented "forever."
They'll even sabotage curriculum reforms just to maintain their grip on kids' minds.

***


https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Magic_of_Reality

Imagine if they invited the religious kids into science class "as guests" to watch this movie on evolution. 🙂
There would be a massive national scandal and opak osmjeh would be hauled onto the nightly news to explain it to everyone. 😂

Tyler Ruiz502 said:Growing up, I was constantly questioning everything—it was a total "WTF" moment for me (and honestly, I can't speak for everyone else, but I was lost). I’d just sit there wondering, how is it even possible to walk on water? Like, how did he just feed an entire crowd with five loaves and two fish? It makes zero sense when you think about it.
If prayer actually worked, then why is the world still full of sickness, accidents, and pure evil?

I vividly remember hearing that "those who don't believe won't make it to heaven," and man, I went through this massive internal struggle when I was maybe nine or ten years old. I was wrestling with myself, thinking: if I don't believe, but He *does* exist, then I'm totally screwed—I'll just burn in hell. But if I don't believe and He doesn't exist, then everything is fine. I used to tell myself, "Forgive me, God, but I really don't think You're real because this is just impossible." I even tried explaining to my mom that I didn't think any of it was true, and she just told me to shut up.

That's probably why it might be best for kids to actually be exposed to all these stories anyway—so they can decide for themselves whether they want to listen or believe.
With a little bit of luck, you might even stumble upon a decent religion class teacher.

The problem is kids don't have a filter yet; they just soak everything up like sponges. And let's be real, religion class isn't about giving an objective look at different faiths—it's basically just training wheels for Catholicism and a way to poke holes in everything else.

Tyler Ruiz502 said:We’re still debating whether or not to sign our kid up for religion class. She hasn't been baptized—honestly, she’s never even stepped foot inside a church, doesn't pray, and we don't really talk about God at home. We just tell her that some people believe in things.

I feel like there’s some kind of value in letting her experience what goes on in those classrooms firsthand—you know, so she can actually form her own opinion instead of just hearing us talk about it. But then again... I can't help but wonder if that's a valid excuse to expose a child to all that nonsense.

Do parents have to make that choice during enrollment, or does it happen later in September?

It’s pretty wild when you think about it—it’s basically the only subject where they teach things that aren't even factually true, yet nobody seems to give a damn. 😍

Speaking of nonsense in Catholic religion class:

Why is "faith" considered cool when a father decides to slaughter his only little boy?

I. GENERAL INFO ON RELIGION CLASS
School: Ernest's class Elementary
Grade: 5th.
Teacher: Susan Katie
Unit: IV. BEGINNINGS OF BIBLICAL HISTORY/FAITH
Topic: 2. Abraham, Isaac and Jacob
Lesson: 2. 2. Isaac – gift and sacrifice
Key terms: Isaac, gift, sacrifice, trust
GOAL: To illustrate Abraham's trust and his readiness to give everything to God, even his only son, which results in him being blessed with countless descendants.

Abraham had faith in God even during his darkest moments. Especially when it seemed like God was asking for his most precious possession: his long-awaited only son, Isaac..
In today's lesson, we will hear a passage from the Book of Genesis regarding Abraham's willingness to give everything to God, including his only son.

Abraham
sets up the altar, stacks the wood, lays his son Isaac on the wood upon the altar. Now Abraham reaches out and takes a knife to slaughter his son.

Even if the story ends with the boy surviving, Abraham had already slaughtered him in his heart (if he even had one).

Is this really what our kids need?

The school curriculum overhaul hit a wall specifically because of attempts to indoctrinate kids with the Christian God.
Check out 29:07 where we finally get the real reason why this fell through—conservative religious types are terrified that kids might actually start thinking for themselves instead of having "God" shoved down their throats by modern education.



Tiger Woods: "Exactly! They want schools to say there's no God..."

Just not mentioning God is what triggers them... They feel they have to force the Bible on every kid... 🤦