You are loathsome filth in the omniscient eyes of your omnipotent and omnibenevolent God

[Fumesucker]

I was lucky, by the time I fit that description I didn't believe in the god any more so all I got was social disapproval and peer pressure. I learned pretty quick to keep my mouth shut about it and problem solved.

Getting that message while still believing in the God must be excruciatingly awful, there is nowhere to hide yourself from Him, your innermost thoughts are His.

You are flensed before your perfect and all loving Creator who finds you so despicable you must suffer for eternity rather than be allowed to worship Him.

A mental torture devised by subtle sadists, the real surprise is it doesn't send more victims completely around the bend.

[Silver_Witch]

1. I think it send plenty around the bend!

Orlando shooter for one!

[struggle4progress]

2. Cotton Patch Version of Luke and Acts (Clarence Jordan, 1969)

A man had two sons. The younger one said to his father, ‘Dad, give me my share of the business.’ So he split up the business between them. Not so long after that the younger one packed up all his stuff and took off for a foreign land, where he threw his money away living like a fool. Soon he ran out of cash, and on top of that, the country was in a deep depression. So he was really hard up. He finally landed a job with one of the citizens of that country, who sent him into the fields to feed hogs! And he was hungry enough to tank up on the slop the hogs were eating. Nobody was giving him even a hand-out

One day an idea bowled him over: a lot of my father’s hired hands have more than enough bread to eat, and out here I’m starving in this depression. I’m gonna get up and go to my father and say, ‘Dad, I’ve sinned against God and you, and am no longer fit to be called your son — just make me one of your hired hands’

So he got up and came to his father. While he was some distance down the road, his father saw him and was moved to tears. He ran to him and hugged him and kissed him and kissed him.

The boy said, ‘Dad, I’ve sinned against God and you, and I’m not fit to be your son any more —’ But the father said to his servants, ‘You all run quick and get the best suit you can find and put it on him. Get his family ring for his hand and some dress shoes for his feet. Then I want you to bring that stall-fed steer and butcher it, and let’s all eat and whoop it up, because this son of mine was given up for dead, and he’s still alive; he was lost and is now found.’ And they began to whoop it up

But his older son was out in the field. When he came in and got almost home, he heard the music and the dancing, and he called one of the little boys and asked him what in the world was going on. The little boy said, ‘Why, your brother has come home, and your daddy has butchered the stall-fed steer, because he got him back safe and sound.’ At this he blew his top, and wouldn’t go in. His father went out and pleaded with him. But he answered his father, ‘Look here, all these years I’ve slaved for you, and never once went contrary to your orders. And yet, at no time have you ever given me so much as a baby goat with which to pitch a party for my friends. But when this son of yours — who has squandered the business on whores — comes home, you butcher for him the stall-fed steer.’ But he said to him, ‘My boy, my dear boy, you are with me all the time, and what’s mine is yours. But I just can’t help getting happy and whooping it up because this brother of yours was dead and is alive; he was lost and has been found’

[Manifestor_of_Light]

3. original sin destroys lots of people.

You can't live up to the perfect example of Jesus H. Christ, and we have predestination (god knows already if you're going to hell or not) so you might as well kill yourself. Best solution: walk out the door, realize it is bullshit, and live according to your conscience instead of what some preacher tells you. You will be much happier. Don't blame me. It's not my book. I didn't write it. It's THEIR doctrine.

[struggle4progress]

4. Do you ever wonder why some people insist on misrepresenting the views of others?

[Manifestor_of_Light]

5. You talking to me?

The foundational premise of Christianity is original sin. That we are all sinners because Eve ate a fruit, tempted by a talking snake, and tempted Adam to eat from the Tree of Knowledge. Just because we are breathing we are responsible for two fruit munching simpletons in a fairy tale.

Therefore, because we are sinners, we need substitutionary atonement, in the form of Jesus, to "save" us from hell. I really have never understood what "saved" means.

That is a made up problem with a made up solution. That is what Christianity is based on.

Catholics and Protestants both.

[struggle4progress]

7. You own your own stereotypes

[skepticscott]

6. Do you ever wonder why

some posters' only weapon is passive-aggressive obliquity? Why they are so reluctant to debate points honestly and directly?

[Manifestor_of_Light]

8. It is their religion, not mine.

They have no defense for their unrelenting cruelty and socially sanctioned emotional abuse of millions of people.