If you are an athiest... on the Peoria.com Forums - Page 14

That's the magical part of The Bible; it speaks to everyone in different ways, because no two people are living identical lives, facing the same problems, concerns, worries.

The overall message is that God created everything, Jesus died for our sins and believing in God, accepting Jesus and admitting we are sinners that need forgiveness for those sins.

Everything else is a really a moral and philosophical lesson meant to show us how to live that overall belief.

Not that I can say I'm exactly right, since many theological scholars who are way more educated about it all have studied and tried to interpret The Bible for centuries.

Hip,

Thanks for helping prove my point. You know this means you are going to fall out of favor with AV8R now don't you?

My answer would have been that God doesn't take the "good" ones and leave the "bad" ones. God wants everyone but it's up to us to want Him.

BTW, there's also many cases of "bad" people who have converted and repented and have changed their lives completely. I could just as easily have been lumped in with the "bad" people before I got serious about God.

That's the rub for me. Let's say one of those "bad" people killed, tortured, raped (not you Froggy, I HIGHLY doubt you are that type of person). Then, they saw the light, they found God. Despite their pathetic existence, they get a "get out of jail free" card and await their seat in Heaven.

Meanwhile, an athiest leads a good life, does charitable work, holds doors for little old ladies, and at the end they are rewarded with the pits of hell?

I'll take morals over faith, personally.

Isn't faith in god supposed to be what reinforces the morals of said god?

Also, doesn't god say that the only unforgiveable sin is to shun him? Unless you believe in purgatory, limbo, etc, then you should believe you make it into heaven. Are there levels of heaven?

If you do, I'll hang out with ya.

I'm guessing hoping that we won't see you again on the religious forum?