By now, if Christianity were authentic it would have a formula that would fulfill its premises and work for everyone who honestly applied the minimal effort—it doesn’t—except for the chosen ones. (Romans 8:29–30)
And if you put forth the effort and get no response, one should be free to go. Should not the churches at least be honest about this?
Christianity, which in fact resists knowing, is to pretend a carefully crafted teaspoon of belief is the full measure. When those “chosen” to believe do so with no free will of there own and with no merit at all, while the rest of us struggle on, hoping we’re on the in-crowd. This is silly, yet the chosen continue to preach like it matters—like they can save us.
If you follow the precepts of Christianity and nothing happens, it is your fault. Ie; there is underlying sin, spiritual immaturity, or the “gods will” clause. But God has no will ‘cept your own. You can do nothing to merit salvation. He has already decided who’s in and who’s out, before you were even born. That is a real head-trip for those with the “correct” neurons, so what about the rest of us? Why make the effort again and again when the Bible clearly says it is futile—except where it isn’t. Which side of the contradiction is the correct side?
Any proper school has the tools and methods to prepare its students for a minimum level of competence—for graduation. Anything else is a hobby. Certainly some different lines of thought are interesting and sometimes comforting to explore, but let’s be honest; maybe beliefs should be identified as what they are—likes and preferences.
TheCommonAtheist 
A strange way to approach the subject, Jim, but one that your friends will agree with. However they are already freethinkers, for the most part. Believers will see themselves as the “chosen ones,” chosen by the fact they were given access to their truth, and therefore they should be grateful for being chosen. Round and round and round they go, unable to see outside the circles as long as they refuse to look.
LikeLiked by 2 people
Methinks their confidence in this nonsense is pretty shaky since they all seek validation through apologetics to umph their doubts—and to explain their version.
When there are better explanations it must cause a little anxiety; Is it real, or my imagination that I saw god, sat on his lap and hugged his almighty self? Hmm. Role play can be fun, but pretending it’s real must be a genuine kick!
LikeLiked by 2 people
To me, IF their God was real, everyone would be believers, even us. That would be a natural conclusion. But, not everyone believes, therefore no one should believe. God is fallible, and that is an impossible situation, by definition.
LikeLiked by 2 people
rawgod, not everyone goes fishing, therefore no one should go fishing?????? rather crooked, i say.
LikeLike
While I would prefer no one go fishing, the cases are not thevsame. Christians claim their God is Omni-Everything, but life proves He is Omni-Nothing. If people want to believe in him that is up to them. But they feel everyone should believe, just because. Therefore, one non-believer shows the lie to their beliefs. God is not as great as they believe Him to be. Therefore he is nothing at all.
LikeLiked by 2 people
Why did you specify Christianity in this post? Is it different than other faiths in this way?
-David
LikeLiked by 1 person
It is certainly the one I am most familiar with. There are other systems that don’t string you out—and you’re free to go whenever you’re ready, like in Buddhism. How does one graduate from Judaism? Is it a perpetual machine or is there a point where you’ve completed the course?
LikeLiked by 1 person
hmmmnnn…. I don’t think you “graduate” in Judaism – I think, in traditional Judaism, the concept is that you perform commandments to the best of your ability until you die, and afterwards your soul’s proximity to God is a reflection of the extent to which you lived a virtuous life. That’s kinda the nutshell…
LikeLiked by 1 person
“If you follow the precepts of Christianity and nothing happens, it is your fault.”
yep, the blame the victim tactic of any cult.
LikeLiked by 4 people
Only those chosen to believe before they were born can truly believe. If you ever stop believing you were never a true believer. Unless you believe the other version in John.
Either way you’re here on probation as a free agent—and we can either blame you or praise you for your beliefs and actions. All merely candidates for gods good graces. Quite a strange way to parent.
LikeLiked by 2 people
indeed. the comparison of this god to a parent ends up with nothing more than an abusive parent.
LikeLiked by 3 people
you love your mother because you want to get something from her??? so… what exactly are you looking to ‘get’ from any spiritual practice??
LikeLiked by 1 person
Personally I’m not looking for anything, but wouldn’t anything true have a degree of finality or achievement before you’re dead?
LikeLiked by 1 person
only an entity/person can have goals. consciousness has no goals. if you identify with the entity, there will be no end to your ‘goals’. all goals exist in mind only, whereas you (the real you) are weeeell beyond mind😊
LikeLiked by 1 person
i think you’re looking plenty. you are looking for validation to your faith, otherwise you have no interest. you have invested, and got nothing in return (or so you feel) so you’re angry. that is the way a business works. if you carry any expectations in your heart, no matter how minuscule, you are already miles away from your own source. drop all expectation, drop wanting proofs. your cosnciosuness knows you better than you think you know yourself. so you can never lie to your Self.
LikeLike
Wow. A lot of assumptions in that comment …
LikeLiked by 3 people
why assumptions? ‘fulfilling promises’, ‘applying effort’, and ‘nothing happens’, are these not sentiments showing expectation? this all about getting something.
if you expected nothing, the idea of effort would never even enter the mind.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Well my old Christian self expected at least to get what was offered. It never happened.
LikeLiked by 2 people
i understand. the path is very difficult. i heard even the greatest masters, and even Saints, had moments of doubt.
Nan is right, i am taking a lot of liberty when speaking with you. pls know that is from best intentions, and also because there is an affinity which i cannot allow with other people. i felt that we can leave our egos aside. but i appologise if i ever go to far. i can be a lil severe at times.
LikeLiked by 2 people
No worries. Having you around is like getting your ass kicked in judo while sunbathing on near a herd of mongoose wasps carrying cattle prods.
LikeLiked by 1 person
haha! not sure if that’s good or bad. but it’s better if i don’t know😂
only an aries will understand another aries. Happy early Birthday!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you, Aries. It’s good and bad, if there is such a thing. It’s usually the jolt that matters.
LikeLike
Assumptions against grammar?
LikeLike
Well if I sound mad it’s my poor writing skills. This is a knockoff of another conversation I have been having on the side where the patients “new” arguments for faith are copy and pasted quotes form prominent apologists. But they are sure that they are their own thoughts. I’m prescribing 3 weeks alone in a remote setting with no electronics or books to read to solve the hijacking.
LikeLiked by 4 people
i’ll also take that advice!😃
LikeLiked by 1 person
“If you follow the precepts of Christianity and nothing happens, it is your fault.”
Kinda reminds me of how those pitching mid-level marketing, and other such scams, behave. If you fail at these tasks it is always treated as your fault. It’s the way they hold up the scam.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I always thought those were actually modeled after the religious structure. Good catch Herald!
LikeLiked by 1 person
I’m not exactly sure what the “promises” are that you’re expecting to be fulfilled. Life after death seems to be the biggee for most. Live, die with god. Live, die without god. Same difference. Except in the first you have to play a bunch of silly games by someone else’s rules. If the promise is answered prayers, well you’re just screwed, no matter what. If something good happens, thank god! Something bad happens…..
LikeLiked by 2 people
The promises…signs greater than these shall follow them that believe…. Greater than these would be, water into whiskey, fish into steaks, commanding the elements and so forth. Move this mountain and it shall be done! That one I know doesn’t work…
LikeLiked by 2 people
🤣 I’d go for the whiskey, myself. Moving mountains is good exercise – whiskey, the reward.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Well to top it all off since there’s no visitation for me, a toast from god in the spirits will do 🥃
LikeLiked by 1 person