Thread: Is it possible for us as men to have a discussion on God

Originally Posted by Seraphim

Marinara sauce on ramen?!

Now THAT is sacriledge!

Well, FSM is the god of all things Noodly. His Noodliness cares not of the variety we choose to indulge in. Now where's my eyepatch?

RAmen!


(R-Amen! )

Originally Posted by Russel Baldridge

If it applies in one circumstance why does it not apply with equal respect across the board?

Can you see a correlation between the idea of an inherited sin and the inherited shame of the untouchables in a caste system like in India? And then further, the moral dilemma of transferring that sin to another person?

That would be because I do not believe in inherited sin. I think it's a FALSE concept.

Consequenses of sin are inherited but sin itself is NOT something that passes on from a father (or mother) to his children.

Originally Posted by Russel Baldridge

Craig,

Exactly, in the reference frame of Christianity, everyone is born a "slave".

Not in my form of Christianity.

I feel that we turn ourselves into slaves because of the wrong choices we make. We mess up and need help to pull ourselves out of it. That help came in the form of Jesus Christ.

Originally Posted by LX_Emergency

That would be because I do not believe in inherited sin. I think it's a FALSE concept.

Consequenses of sin are inherited but sin itself is NOT something that passes on from a father (or mother) to his children.

Does that also change the implications of not being baptized in your religion?
Because it does in catholicism (which is the local flavor of christianity where I cam from) and I've always found the catholic doctrine of inherited sin (and the implications of baptism or lack thereof) unconvincing.

I may be wrong, but I believe the concept of inherited sin is similar to the old saying, " the apple doesn't fall far from the tree! Now, doesn't that make a little more sense?

That may be your idea or mine, but under catholic doctrine, inherited sin is a pretty basic concept that means that if you are not baptized, there is no chance of salvation. Baptism washes away that sin and gives you a chance for salvation.

During WW2, anyone who qualified was allowed to baptize newborn kids to make sure that they got their ticket to heaven if they died before they could get to a priest (like during an air raid).

When I see my little daughters running around, playing or sleeping, I see pure innocence; a clean slate.
Anyone who tries to tell me that they will miss out on salvation because of their not being baptized is badly misguided imo.

Originally Posted by Bruno

That may be your idea or mine, but under catholic doctrine, inherited sin is a pretty basic concept that means that if you are not baptized, there is no chance of salvation. Baptism washes away that sin and gives you a chance for salvation.

During WW2, anyone who qualified was allowed to baptize newborn kids to make sure that they got their ticket to heaven if they died before they could get to a priest (like during an air raid).

When I see my little daughters running around, playing or sleeping, I see pure innocence; a clean slate.
Anyone who tries to tell me that they will miss out on salvation because of their not being baptized is badly misguided imo.

Being baptized as they do in church is only symbolic of what should happen in our hearts! Our very hearts should be baptized in the love of God and filled with the spirit that should guide us the rest of our days! To my mind, this is what is almost complete in a childs heart, and will come to completion as long as we guide our children, and not get in the way of their natural progression to this end!

Originally Posted by JMS

Being baptized as they do in church is only symbolic of what should happen in our hearts! Our very hearts should be baptized in the love of God and filled with the spirit that should guide us the rest of our days! To my mind, this is what is almost complete in a childs heart, and will come to completion as long as we guide our children, and not get in the way of their natural progression to this end!

I agree 100%.

Originally Posted by Bruno

I agree 100%.

Are you available for baby sitting Bruno?

Originally Posted by Bruno

Does that also change the implications of not being baptized in your religion?
Because it does in catholicism (which is the local flavor of christianity where I cam from) and I've always found the catholic doctrine of inherited sin (and the implications of baptism or lack thereof) unconvincing.

So have I. And yes. That does mean that the reasons and implications for being baptised are different from what they are in the catholic church.

The youngest that anyone can get baptised in or church is 8 years old. Why? (well...first of all because wel believe God said so but beside that because baptism is something that is a covenant (like a contract) between people and God. If the person didn't choose for it then the contract is void.

Second of all we believe in the innocense of newborn (and young) children. That means there is no guilt for the sin. Adam is held accountable for his own transgressions and this does not pass on to every man/woman/child that came after him.

JMS' description of the apple falling close to the treev is somewhat close to what I believe but not quite there.

It's more like "if you lite the fuse...thing will explode whether it was you who lit the fuse in the first place or not.". Adam set certain things in motion when he partook of the fruit of the tree of knowledge of good and evil. The results can still be noticed. But that does not mean that we'll be held accountable for it.

(Please note that this is what I understand the doctrine that is taught in our church to be....I might be misstaken here and there, only human afterall)