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Law suit? Porn addict? Divorcing? Seeking investment ideas? Worried about the world?
Jesus of Nazareth was a Jewish carpenter that was born about 2,000 years ago in Bethlehem, which is now a Palestinian city located in the central West Bank about 10 kilometers south of Jerusalem. Over the course of a very short period of time (about a year) Jesus developed a large following as a miracle worker and religious teacher. He was publicly executed by crucifixion around the year 35, and many millions believe the historical narrative that he was raised from the dead after three days in a tomb, and later ascended into the heavens.
Below is an English translation of one of Jesus' very famous outdoor lectures, which was widely shared by his disciples that were present, and eventually written down circa 70-90.
If you take 5-10 minutes to read this sermon, then you will know what being a Christian is actually supposed to mean.
I like to read this first thing in the morning, immediately followed by a few minutes of meditation where I sit quietly listening. I would not expect everything in the reading to speak to you, but I believe something will, as is always the case for me.
Excerpted the Gospel of Matthew - Chapters 5-7
The Beatitudes
When Jesus saw the crowds, he went up the mountain; and after he sat down, his disciples came to him. Then he began to speak, and taught them, saying:
“Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
“Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.
“Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth.
“Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.
“Blessed are the merciful, for they will receive mercy.
“Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.
“Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God.
“Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
“Blessed are you when people revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.
Salt and Light
“You are the salt of the earth; but if salt has lost its taste, how can its saltiness be restored? It is no longer good for anything, but is thrown out and trampled under foot.
“You are the light of the world. A city built on a hill cannot be hid. No one after lighting a lamp puts it under the bushel basket, but on the lampstand, and it gives light to all in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father in heaven.
The Law and the Prophets
“Do not think that I have come to abolish the law or the prophets; I have come not to abolish but to fulfill. For truly I tell you, until heaven and earth pass away, not one letter, not one stroke of a letter, will pass from the law until all is accomplished. Therefore, whoever breaks one of the least of these commandments, and teaches others to do the same, will be called least in the kingdom of heaven; but whoever does them and teaches them will be called great in the kingdom of heaven. For I tell you, unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.
Concerning Anger
“You have heard that it was said to those of ancient times, ‘You shall not murder’; and ‘whoever murders shall be liable to judgment.’ But I say to you that if you are angry with a brother or sister, you will be liable to judgment; and if you insult a brother or sister, you will be liable to the council; and if you say, ‘You fool,’ you will be liable to the hell of fire. So when you are offering your gift at the altar, if you remember that your brother or sister has something against you, leave your gift there before the altar and go; first be reconciled to your brother or sister, and then come and offer your gift. Come to terms quickly with your accuser while you are on the way to court with him, or your accuser may hand you over to the judge, and the judge to the guard, and you will be thrown into prison. Truly I tell you, you will never get out until you have paid the last penny.
Concerning Adultery
“You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall not commit adultery.’ But I say to you that everyone who looks at a woman with lust has already committed adultery with her in his heart. If your right eye causes you to sin, tear it out and throw it away; it is better for you to lose one of your members than for your whole body to be thrown into hell. And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away; it is better for you to lose one of your members than for your whole body to go into hell.
Concerning Divorce
“It was also said, ‘Whoever divorces his wife, let him give her a certificate of divorce.’ But I say to you that anyone who divorces his wife, except on the ground of unchastity, causes her to commit adultery; and whoever marries a divorced woman commits adultery.
Concerning Oaths
“Again, you have heard that it was said to those of ancient times, ‘You shall not swear falsely, but carry out the vows you have made to the Lord.’ But I say to you, Do not swear at all, either by heaven, for it is the throne of God, or by the earth, for it is his footstool, or by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the great King. And do not swear by your head, for you cannot make one hair white or black. Let your word be ‘Yes, Yes’ or ‘No, No’; anything more than this comes from the evil one.
Concerning Retaliation
“You have heard that it was said, ‘An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.’ But I say to you, Do not resist an evildoer. But if anyone strikes you on the right cheek, turn the other also; and if anyone wants to sue you and take your coat, give your cloak as well; and if anyone forces you to go one mile, go also the second mile. Give to everyone who begs from you, and do not refuse anyone who wants to borrow from you.
Love for Enemies
“You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be children of your Father in heaven; for he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the righteous and on the unrighteous. For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? And if you greet only your brothers and sisters, what more are you doing than others? Do not even the Gentiles do the same? Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.
Concerning Almsgiving
“Beware of practicing your piety before others in order to be seen by them; for then you have no reward from your Father in heaven.
“So whenever you give alms, do not sound a trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, so that they may be praised by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward. But when you give alms, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, so that your alms may be done in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you.
Concerning Prayer
“And whenever you pray, do not be like the hypocrites; for they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and at the street corners, so that they may be seen by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward. But whenever you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you.
“When you are praying, do not heap up empty phrases as the Gentiles do; for they think that they will be heard because of their many words. Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him.
“Pray then in this way:
Our Father in heaven,
hallowed be your name.
Your kingdom come.
Your will be done,
on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread.
And forgive us our debts,
as we also have forgiven our debtors.
And do not bring us to the time of trial,
but rescue us from the evil one.
For if you forgive others their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you; but if you do not forgive others, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.
Concerning Fasting
“And whenever you fast, do not look dismal, like the hypocrites, for they disfigure their faces so as to show others that they are fasting. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward. But when you fast, put oil on your head and wash your face, so that your fasting may be seen not by others but by your Father who is in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you.
Concerning Treasures
“Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust consume and where thieves break in and steal; but store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust consumes and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.
The Sound Eye
“The eye is the lamp of the body. So, if your eye is healthy, your whole body will be full of light; but if your eye is unhealthy, your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light in you is darkness, how great is the darkness!
Serving Two Masters
“No one can serve two masters; for a slave will either hate the one and love the other, or be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and wealth.
Do Not Worry
“Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? Look at the birds of the air; they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? And can any of you by worrying add a single hour to your span of life? And why do you worry about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they neither toil nor spin, yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not clothed like one of these. But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which is alive today and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you—you of little faith? Therefore do not worry, saying, ‘What will we eat?’ or ‘What will we drink?’ or ‘What will we wear?’ For it is the Gentiles who strive for all these things; and indeed your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. But strive first for the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.
“So do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will bring worries of its own. Today’s trouble is enough for today.
Judging Others
“Do not judge, so that you may not be judged. For with the judgment you make you will be judged, and the measure you give will be the measure you get. Why do you see the speck in your neighbor’s eye, but do not notice the log in your own eye? Or how can you say to your neighbor, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ while the log is in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your neighbor’s eye.
Profaning the Holy
“Do not give what is holy to dogs; and do not throw your pearls before swine, or they will trample them under foot and turn and maul you.
Ask, Search, Knock
“Ask, and it will be given you; search, and you will find; knock, and the door will be opened for you. For everyone who asks receives, and everyone who searches finds, and for everyone who knocks, the door will be opened. Is there anyone among you who, if your child asks for bread, will give a stone? Or if the child asks for a fish, will give a snake? If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good things to those who ask him!
The Golden Rule
“In everything do to others as you would have them do to you; for this is the law and the prophets.
The Narrow Gate
“Enter through the narrow gate; for the gate is wide and the road is easy that leads to destruction, and there are many who take it. For the gate is narrow and the road is hard that leads to life, and there are few who find it.
A Tree and Its Fruit
“Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves. You will know them by their fruits. Are grapes gathered from thorns, or figs from thistles? In the same way, every good tree bears good fruit, but the bad tree bears bad fruit. A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a bad tree bear good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. Thus you will know them by their fruits.
Concerning Self-Deception
“Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father in heaven. On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many deeds of power in your name?’ Then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; go away from me, you evildoers.’
Hearers and Doers
“Everyone then who hears these words of mine and acts on them will be like a wise man who built his house on rock. The rain fell, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house, but it did not fall, because it had been founded on rock. And everyone who hears these words of mine and does not act on them will be like a foolish man who built his house on sand. The rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell—and great was its fall!”
Now when Jesus had finished saying these things, the crowds were astounded at his teaching, for he taught them as one having authority, and not as their scribes.
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"Take no thought for what you shall eat, or what you shall drink, or wherewith thou shalt be clothed."
This is a hard one to relax into, but when I do, I realize that the economy is an illusion. Even if we were on the gold standard (and the Roman Empire was on the gold standard), the economy is an illusion. Eating and drinking and wearing clothes is the reality of economy, and these things don't come from the economy, they come from God. So, now that our economy is one of smoke and mirrors, how much more do these words resonate. If even ten percent followed these words, the FED would collapse overnight.
I recently lost my dad, a wonderful man of whom it could truly be said -to know him was to love him-. He was not a rich man but not a pauper either, he did well for his family, fellow workers and his community. After his death the passage you quoted took on a deeper meaning.
Hard work is my service to family and employees, and of course I work to earn money but since 'we come naked into this world and naked we shall leave' it is abundantly clear that the most important legacy is that of relationships. If I heed the words of Jesus as Hedgeless has reminded me, people become the priority and all the other concerns fall into their rightful place on the list.
Headless;
Here is proof of the Anti-Christ or Satan on Earth:
“Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust consume and where thieves break in and steal;"
Jesus could not imagine the FED or what is happening to US Fiat today.
A little sarc or Irony here, but the seriousness remains.
“Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust consume and where thieves break in and steal;"
Jesus was definitely not a stacker.
Yeah, not a fan of the grasshopper and the ant story either, I'm guessing.
Teeth, respectfully, maybe Jesus Could imagine today's Fed and Fiat. In studies of the "mark of the beast" without which, you will be unable to conduct commerce, think about that in terms of Electronic Monies, and Govt issued ID Cards. Just a thought, just a thought...
okay, yeah... I didn't consider.
Still we have to have treasures to survive the inflation and extraction from the inflated economy...
"Consider the lilies of the field and how they grow.
They toil not, neither do they spin, and yet Solomon in all his glory was arrayed like them."
Saving up treasure will not save you in the times ahead.
"God will provide for all your needs, according to HIS riches." Philippians 4:19
Since He is the Creator of the entire universe, and everything in it, He owns EVERYTHING. I'm fairly certain that his riches are more than plenty
Bob Marley had it right: Jah provides the bread.
Absolutely agree, and amazingly enough, about 1/2 of the bible is about resources, of one kind or another, with tons of Info on proper stewardship.
Wow I didn't really know that. I picked it out on part of this prayer above. When there are few land owners or few that control the economics... then there are poor people.
The Salvation we want today may be very close to the situation in Judea 2000 years ago.
Maybe it was like the Hacienda System in South America... where the king grants the best land to certain men who leave this land to their children.(Agricultural & Mining)
I really never realized it myself until I sat in on a class which was written by Larry Burkett. It was really enlightening from many aspects. I'm not certain if this link is the exact book, but is the same topic and author. The detail on usury, bad loans, etc... was amazing to me.
http://www.amazon.com/Christian-Financial-Concepts-Complete-Principles/d...
Thanks Hedgeless.
"The Narrow Gate" - For the gate is wide and the road is easy for banksters and fraudsters and there are many that take it.
I have learned that if one acknowledges the Lord to people in an easy kind of way, you will most often get a good response.
It also feels great when you know God is smiling on you.
But for this zh crowd, I expect you are a'fixin to see some lame persecution for this post.
You God haters would feel better just to contemplate this.
Thanks HH for a good start to the week.
The Christian faith wants to persecute all women. I fucking hate religion. Truly.
And yet you somehow manage to bring a smile to my face.
Is there any reason why you would utter such a declarative about women without a single exposition of such? Are you simply trolling?
Really, where? Even noted athiests like Bill Mahr would debate you on that statement. PEW Polls from Egypt (a MODERATE Islamic Country) shows that 70+% of the people believe that a death sentence should be carried out for anyone that leaves the Islamic faith. They are mutilating and cutting off womens' clitoris in many Muslim countries today. They are stoning women in several Muslim countries for the crime of "adultery" when they get raped. I could go on about the stoning of homosexuals in all of those countries as well.
What is most worrying about this is that all of these Abrahamic religions (Judaism, Christianity and Islam) essentially display the same mentality. Indeed, it's quite baffling how a handful of illiterate goat herders, who must have lived roughly 3000 years ago, have managed to leave behind such a poisonous legacy of ignorance, intolerance, discrimination, hatred and violence across so many generations. And it continues to this day.
Either way one looks at this issue, religion simply is not a victim at all. It actively seeks to turn the working class against itself, it openly advocates the discrimination of women, homosexuals and non-believers, and it has a profoundly regressive effect on education and social progress.
Religion deserves no respect at all, because 1) it offers no respect at all, and 2) it offers no evidence at all.
Eirik the big BSer..is 100%- whatever crap it writes is always 90% in the wrong direction, off point or lies.
protector of such warn out tripe - painting all those who disagree as deserving of no respect. arrogance combinded with ideological fanaticism..homophobia, religion, economics eirik the expert allows no one any respect if they disagree. a monster of the left without any self doubt.
Institutions often grow and become corrupted.
Like Greek Universities
Like the Roman Church
Like the US Government
Like US Banks
I'm drawing a blank on things that don't become corrupted.
So many separate Spiritual Beliefs or Spiritual Practices from Religion or Religious Doctrine
Where do good ideas come from? Apparently there is little new under the sun. Maybe a new idea represents a spiritual experience?
Philosophy can examine life, death, after life, purpose of life, origins of life... maybe that is the alternative.
I would comment, but I don't want to cast my pearls before swine.
Nice avatar of Cesare Borgia there!
Headless; This caught my attention again:
"let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father in heaven."
Not because now I see an intent to create a social movement or a religious movement... But because of the the old Song. "That little light of mine...I'm going to let it shine".
- We have a choice how we show up in life
- Probably we can choose to bring spirit into any situation
- Bringing Spirit is a survival skill
- Oral Statements of benefits to yourself probably help build success, in the case of giving glory to the Christian Religion for instance
Beatitudes;
Just to take one piece at a time. Seems like the meaning when I was a child was direct. Do the right things and you will be blessed or have the kingdom of heaven.
In the spirit of the article it is best to set aside politics and even revisionist history.
What we know of the English Bible seems to be an enlightened work put together years after based on writings of people that believed in Good, in Contemplation, in Medication, in Prayer, and in learning... perhaps for political & economic change, but surely for individual change, growth, and higher spirit, closeness to God (yaweh).
Beatitudes seem to tell us that there is a new way of looking at life and dealing with life's challenges. Perhaps there is a silver lining to each situation. Perhaps you will be more successful in home, community, work, and in facing aggression if you live "Correctly" and treat others with more charity. Perhaps you will be raise spiritually and find a spiritually fulfilling life through Christ's Teachings
But so many other thoughts now come to me looking at the words today. It is clear that life is much more difficult as an adult who knows more about government, war, politics, and relationships. In order to utilize the Proverbs or sermons in the Bible... it takes work, discipline, and quiet time as all spiritual practice does.
I think you can use parts of all spiritual works if you contemplate them like art.
For those of us who experienced life, see what hell on earth is like as well as heaven on earth and think about what he taught, it makes a whole lot of sense.
Following his teachings allows a human an opportunity to achieve peace and contentment within self, something that the practices of many who control lives cannot claim. How can a person be at peace when it is a fight to climb a pedestal and to remain there one has to be willing to lie and back stab. What is the reward for being a groups' idol for 15 minutes?
Some people justify and correlate success and peace in monetary and material terms. I experienced both sides of life, I prefer the one Jesus taught. Jesus taught us how to be free.
This isn't a discussion about dogma, nuances of history and time, Jesus taught us about life and how best to live it. It is not about bible thumping, trying to force others into believing what you believe. Every time a subject such as this comes up, people jump on those who want to share what helps them in life.
Maybe it is worth listening for a change. There is just too much out there we do not understand and never will.
Unless you're a woman. I fucking hate religion. Truly.
Tyler, please bring back the math problem captcha comment requirement. Ignoramuses like Don here are making us all more stupiderer vomiting their bile all over the site. It's gotten worse in the past year. Please bring back the math captcha.
Does this have something to do with 'hero worship'? Have you ever smoked peyote, and watched Zeitgeist..., while 'thinking'? Heck, you can smoke a few other items if ya want. The Big Electron made the 'smokeables' for 'the people'. Or not? God is Love. I'll buy into that.
Huh?
Jesus was not Jewish. There was no such thing. He was however a Galilean, in Judah.
Jews are descendants of dark-ages Khazars in what is now southern Russia. Nice try though.
Jesus was absolutely Jewish as he was from the tribe of judah at minimum on his mother's side and depending.
The Rothschilds on the other hand probably not so much and are more likely that group of lying Jews that claim to be Jews but are not that John discusses in Revelations and are rather affiliated with the synagogue of Satan.
Just my opinion.
S. Mars, Orsen calling; it's time to schedule your return trip, your mission has been aborted. Reason: The first century is not the 8th century.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Thirteenth_Tribe
In the book, Koestler advances the thesis that Ashkenazi Jews are not descended from the historical Israelites of antiquity, but from Khazars, a Turkic people originating in and populating an empire north of and between the Black Sea and Caspian Sea. Koestler's hypothesis is that the Khazars – who converted to Judaism in the 8th century – migrated westwards into current Eastern Europe (primarily Ukraine, Poland, Belarus, Lithuania, Hungary and Germany) in the 12th and 13th centuries when the Khazar Empire was collapsing. At the end of the book's last chapter, Koestler summarizes its content and his intentions as follows: "In Part One of this book I have attempted to trace the history of the Khazar Empire based on the scant existing sources. In Part Two, Chapters V-VII, I have compiled the historical evidence which indicates that the bulk of Eastern Jewry — and hence of world Jewry — is of Khazar-Turkish, rather than Semitic, origin. In the last chapter I have tried to show that the evidence from anthropology concurs with history in refuting the popular belief in a Jewish race descended from the biblical tribe."
That's what I'm saying, you idiot
Thanks Hedgeless.
I needed that this morning.
I fucking hate religion. Truly.
Me too.
It does read like a liberterian manifesto. So much so that others have worked hard to change the intended meaning of much of this passage to avoid people from concluding the obvious.
Beatitudes
He starts out by saying, if you must choose, be the nail, not the hammer; in the section marked beatitudes.
Salt and Light
Then he advocates being a positive influence on community and society, to prevent its decay by bringing things into the light. IE, nothing like current NEOCON or Compassionate Left "vote buying is how things get done and corruption is just how DC politics are played" line of bs.
The law and the prophets
He clarifies that he is not advocating an amoral, do what thou wilst, world. There is right and there is wrong. there is a highest authority and law which will ultimately be used to judge man and those who currently pass themselves off as morally upright, the religious and political class, dont measure up. We can, we must, do better than pretending to be good in order to gain benefits for ourselves or control of others...
And so it goes on.
The real kicker, the one I cant understand how we lost the meaning of is, do not swear. If he wanted to say, dont use filthy language, he could have done that. But he didnt. He said don't take oath's. Don't transfer your allegiance and your responsibility to morally discern what is right and good. Dont promise to follow whoever is under the flag. Dont promise to vote for whoever is on the "whatever" ticket under a party loyalty oath. Dont promise to do what is necessary when the time comes and the order comes because we must have order in times of battle. DONT.
How the heck did we manage to lose sight of that one?
"he starts out by saying, if you must choose, be the nail, not the hammer; in the section marked beatitudes."
Well, there are a hell of a lot of hammers out there (.gov being the biggest of all of them) and to a hammer, EVERYTHING looks like a nail. I don't feel like being a nail thank you very much. What are my other options again?
Be a nail that has already been driven by God. That way you won't get hit anymore.
"When you are persecuted in one place, flee to another.." , the idea being that in going, you take this revolutionary way to live and see the world with you, spreading this "good news" to the ends of the earth (ie, not mission as the shoehorn for imperialism)
I think it was 'Blessed are the cheesemakers.'
Ahh, what's so special about the cheesemakers?Well, obviously, this is not meant to be taken literally. It refers to any manufacturers of dairy products.
http://olduvai.caJesus was not a Jew, the Pharisees of today, he never like them. Jesus lived in South America.
The faith that matters is not blind. It remembers when encouraged to forget. It takes steadfast courage and serenity in the face of opposition and ridicule.
It makes more sense to characterize as "blind" those who, lacking faith, imagine they understand it.
I fucking hate religion. Truly.
God bless you!
Whatever.
Buddha bless you.
Unrest in the flock?
Jesus. Tap-dancing. Christ.
It's the 21st century here people, get with the program. Jesus Christ is a story, an anthropomorphization of our own sun and our yearly journey around it. Look into "The Christ conspiracy, the greatest story ever sold" or even take a look at the Zeitgeist documentary part 1of 1 (although don't fall for their crap about backing the next currency with "a basket of" commodities).
Even without hard evidence that you've been lied to (I'll never understand how you see it so quickly with .gov, yet so slowly with the church) is it not obvious that religion is just a tool used to divide a conquer? You shaved apes are playing right into their hands. If you truly believe that the meek shall inherit the Earth and that a rich man will find more difficulty entering the gates of Heaven than a camel will have when trying to pass through the eye of a needle they've already won, as you will use this belief to justify not competing with your masters. If you dumb fucks really believe that jeezuz is going to come beam you up to his space disco (BTW, do the math. 6,000,000,000 souls divided by 144,000 to be saved equals NOT GOOD ODDS folks) then why the fuck are you hanging out here on doomy gloomy zerohedge bitching about TPTB when they are OBVIOUSLY going to hell and you are OBVIOUSLY going to heaven? Shouldn't you be outside enjoying gods creation and taking solace in the fact that you'll soon be tucking up at the big flat earth society meeting in the sky! Woo hoo! We're all (ok, just 0.000025% of us) are going to be saaaved!!!!
"Even without hard evidence that you've been lied to (I'll never understand how you see it so quickly with .gov, yet so slowly with the church) is it not obvious that religion is just a tool used to divide a conquer?"
A-fucking-men.
I went ahead and read it. Again. I thought perhaps I'd see something different this time. Something I missed all the other times.
Nope.
Christianity is still the same admonishment to slaves to be content in thier slavery that it has always been.
I agree with whoever it was that said Fonz nailed it. He did.