If religion is supposedly so liberating then why so many strict rules?

@Budwick Only Jesus fulfilled the Law.

I notice you missed out covet. Advertising is based on wanting something that is not ours. Envy.

And as for other gods. There are plenty: power, position , wealth , greed.

None of us are without sin.

@SW-User [quote]None of us are without sin.[/quote]

That's why God gave His Son - to pay for out sins.

@Budwick And intercede for us and share in his glory.

@Budwick According to the fairytale, Christians should also approve of incest because Sara called her creepy brother Abraham her lord and master and she is cited as what a good wife should be like.

@Diotrephes Such unions were later explicitly banned in the Book of Leviticus

@Budwick Have you read 1 Peter 3:1-6 (NKJV) = "3 Wives, likewise, be submissive to your own husbands, that even if some do not obey the word, they, without a word, may be won by the conduct of their wives, 2 when they observe your chaste conduct accompanied by fear. 3 Do not let your adornment be merely outward—arranging the hair, wearing gold, or putting on fine apparel— 4 rather let it be the hidden person of the heart, with the [a]incorruptible beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is very precious in the sight of God. 5 For in this manner, in former times, the holy women who trusted in God also adorned themselves, being submissive to their own husbands, 6 as Sarah obeyed Abraham, calling him lord, whose daughters you are if you do good and are not afraid with any terror."

Notice that the writer cited the incestous union of Abraham and his sister as being a good marriage that Christian women should follow.

@Diotrephes Go ahead - pick a fight.
I'm not biting.

@Diotrephes I suggest you meditate on the Proverbs.

Tim Keller’s, ‘way of wisdom ‘ will help you through them.

@Budwick [quote]Go ahead - pick a fight.
I'm not biting.[/quote]

It's always a good thing when one knows his limitations.

@SW-User The more secular books like Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, Wisdom, and Sirach contain quiet a bit of useful, timeless bits of wisdom that almost everyone can benefit from at one time or another during their lives. The books that focus on deities are useless.

@Diotrephes [quote]It's always a good thing when one knows his limitations.[/quote]

FYI - Yours is Biblical truth.

@Budwick Are you up to a duel?

@Diotrephes A duel? That's stupid.
I'm sure you've studied all the 'flaws' Biblical naysayers put out.
I don't care how you all have decided to blaspheme the Word of God.
I pity you - but I will not waste my time caring.
My belief in God is not a contest, to be won or lost in some silly duel.

@Budwick So, with all of the over 33,000,000 deities humans have worshiped, how did you decide to worship the ethnocentric racist biblical deity who plainly states that he doesn't give a damn about you, a supposedly Gentile?

@Diotrephes Because I worship God, “there is no God but one.” For although there may be so-called gods in heaven or on earth—as indeed there are many “gods” and many “lords”— yet for us there is one God, the Father, from whom are all things and for whom we exist, and one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom are all things and through whom we exist.

@Budwick I will never worship an ethnocentric racist bigot who was a hypocrite. Besides, even the biblical fairytale says that a person with his attributes should not be trusted.

@Diotrephes I never asked you to worship any God.
The whole basis of our conversation has been you trying to goad me into an argument.
Your soul is likely lost.\
There's nothing I can do about it.
So,.... see ya!

@Budwick go in peace.

@Diotrephes You too, we wish you no harm

@SW-User The purpose of the threads should be to discuss issues in depth, which includes the bad as well as the good. If someone's feeling get hurt then the person should take up another hobby.

@Diotrephes Christianity is a relationship with the Living God, not a hobby!
Your hobby is attacking the Word of God.

One of eye openers I found is how anti Christian some people can be. Why waste your time attacking them?

Christianity is far more than meditating on the Bible, it involves prayer, worshiping in a Community, and helping others.

It is certainly not a set of rules and regulations.

How you set about helping others is up to you, there are no rules. And it certainly is not a hobby.

@SW-User It seems as if you are creating anew religion. According to th biblical fairytale, Christianity has a whole volume of rules. You may want to read the story again with open eyes.

@Diotrephes It is not for me to suggest how you help other people.

@SW-User Just saying, that if you want to discuss a topic in a meaningful way, you should have some real knowledge of it. The best way to understand the biblical fairytale is to actually read it for yourself and to analyze what it says. Depending on silly Hollywood movies and garbage spewed by conmen preachers will leave you ignorant.