Why did God forgive our sins?

And yet again I will ask you, "What the hell does that even mean?"Unless you can explain what that means how could I take that concept seriously? Again, "What the hell does that even mean?"Do you mean that when something is refuted by facts I should ignore reality and embrace fantasy? What issue? Why can't reason, logic or reality be used for that issue?AbE:Remember this started with this exchange. Edited by jar, : see AbEEdited by jar, : fix subtitleEdited by jar, : stil appalin spallin

It means (1) That God is alive..today..now...through Jesus...who is alive today.It means embracing the idea and possibility of communion with God and believing that He desires communion. This does not abdicate you of personal responsibility to try and do your best. It does not make God responsible for your success and/or failure. It simply means that you agree that being of one mind(versus double minded) and being of one heart (with the Creator of all seen and unseen) is a beginning... Not at all. Humans should be able to differentiate reality from fantasy. Often, however...in demanding evidence for supernatural(or unexplained) events, we can shut ourselves off from being healed...or of learning the "deeper mysteries of God". Right when we could learn something...of actually experiencing communion--edification---enlightenment...we instead resort to "Observer status" and critically examine God as if He were but a character in a book. I agree that we should never simply "check our brains at the door". I mean that we should never abandon faith while waiting for evidence. You seem to think God is like a parent who has kicked their offspring out of the nest and refuses to help them at all. Such a God is unapproachable and distant...making me feel like pond scum rather than a human. What possible good does that statement do for peoples faith? If we humans are charged to try and do our best, what insight can possibly be had through viewing God as a flawed character in a book rather than the One whom we trust and whom we commune with and whom gives us wisdom so that we actually can do our best on a daily basis?

I tried explaining it to jar in the previous post. Even though you have said that you were atheist, I respect the idea that you are open to communion. That is a big step for someone who doubts the idea of God and who doubts the possibility that a Creator gives a hoot about us. Much respect.

Because, as I've said more than once, those who claim to commune with God, who claim they have God-given wisdom, don't seem to have much sense. The wisdom which results from communion seems more like a subtraction than an addition.Edited by ringo, : Punctuation?

Again, "What the hell does that even mean?" So how does one commune with God or know the entity you are communing with is God and not just a bad burrito? More Jabberwocky. What the hell does that mean? "Just the place for a Snark!" the Bellman cried,
As he landed his crew with care;
Supporting each man on the top of the tide
By a finger entwined in his hair."Just the place for a Snark! I have said it twice:
That alone should encourage the crew.
Just the place for a Snark! I have said it thrice:
What I tell you three times is true."What the hell does "deeper mysteries of God" mean and what are they good for? So it comes down to creating a God that makes YOU feel good? What possible good would it do to pretend that Gandalf was actually a horse and hobbits were nine feet tall and wore shoes?It is simply what the Bible actually says; a concept that is called honesty IIRC.

I wouldn't get too respectful; I'm just rational. If this god that talks to you started talking to me, after seeking psychiatric help and ruling out mental illness, I'd be forced to listen. I'm not an atheist for dogmatic reasons; I'm an atheist because there's no rational reason for belief.

If we humans are charged to try and do our best, what insight can possibly be had through viewing God as a flawed character in a book rather than the One Whom we trust and commune with and Who gives us wisdom so that we actually can do our best on a daily basis? So does that mean that you, unlike tangle, are not open to communion? IIRC you just wanted to be left alone. Kinda like riding out the hurricane and refusing the rescue helicopter. Granted you are having beef with the God I market, but assume for a moment that you are having beef with the God Who actually may exist...would you have beef with Him? Or is your beef with organized religion and shoddy marketing?

Who says I not open to communion? Your god can get in touch anytime he likes; apparently he has my number but is ex-directory so I don't have his.I've asked this question several time - how come god only chooses to speak to some people and not others?

When you used to go to church and everyone recited the Book Of Common Prayer, and the people spoke as one voice, did you ever believe that anyone besides the people in the room heard the prayer? Were you concerned with anyone else besides the people in the room? Perhaps your belief is nothing more than the charge and the honor system. Perhaps that's all that is needed for you to believe in.Perhaps since asking Jesus into your heart is untestable or untested or an example of what you believe to be bad marketing, you simply ignore the idea.I will concede that honesty is more valuable than fantasy.

Note that I said that ringo was not open to communion while you apparently were. Also note what I just said to jar. But now that you are here, I will ask you. Is it necessary to create God in order to believe in Him? Is is necessary to even believe at all? Can doing the best you can to help others be enough to pass any arbitrary test of what it means to be a Christian?

No one recites the Book of Common Prayer. What is important is whether or not YOU hear what is being said.The Book of Common Prayer is not just a simple piece, it is rather a whole collection of historical knowledge, prior art, exercises and guides. It is something to help YOU meditate or learn your duties, or place your belief systems in relation to reality. I simply have absolutely no idea what "asking Jesus into your heart" even means.

The ongoing question currently is whether it is important or not.Perhaps what it means to you is taking on the lessons that Jesus taught us and doing them yourself.To others, it may mean a get-out-of-hell free card. A license to sin. A guarantee.To others it may mean a regenerated mind versus a fallen mind.I'mn stating to lean more towards the idea that it means taking on the character that Jesus taught.

Well it's rather difficult to believe in something that you can't even imagine or name isn't it? It has to exist as an idea for anyone to believe in anything. What a bizarre question - of course it isn't, millions don't. I haven't the first clue what that means, it's religious bubble-talk.

It's because the God character is unreliable that we can only rely on ourselves. What I'm saying is that in many people who claim to have "communion", it seems to be a negative effect. I'm not open to negative effects. But in your scenario, the helicopter crewman puts a gun to my head and says, "Come with us or else." Given that choice, I definitely would rather ride out the hurricane. If there is a God who actually exists, He doesn't have to be afraid to show Himself to me.

Everyone has beliefs. You dont know the final destiny of humanity, for example. Dont you believe that we will survive or find a way to do so or are you simply relying on facts and evidence....because if you are, there is no answer...only probabilities.