Why do you think god demands blood sacrifices and burnt offerings? [Spirituality & Religion]

@SW-User Indeed, and most real believers do know that; but sadly some people do find comfort in the spurious "certainty" of literalism.

@ArishMell Yeah, but then again most contended believers don’t promote their religion like salesmen, they way many do here

@SW-User I agree, and reckon the less secure and content they are, the harder their proselytising!

I know three Anglican clerics among my friends (I attended by invitation, the ordination service of one, last year), and none try to convert me.

@SW-User Its rather stupid to [b]not[/b]!

@ArishMell lol same none of the ppl I met at Jesuit summer camp were selling their beliefs

@Carazaa okay so go sacrifice ur pets on some hill 😂

@Carazaa I call it etiquette, not stupidity.

When door-stepping cold-callers try to convert me to their sect, or cult, I am polite but they soon realise it won't work.

If I wished to follow the religion that was rather loosely in my family and State-education school backgrounds, I would approach those ordained friends, or more likely since they live a long way from me, my local vicar. (Anglican)

@ArishMell @SW-User I was responding to Arishmells statement that it is "stupid" to take the bible literal. she is insulting most Christians! I would not dream of saying it is stupid to not believe in the bible; although God has said "Only a fool says in his heart, 'there is no God'.

@Carazaa It was not my statement, but there is a big difference between taking the Bible literally, and believing in God and the Bible's main messages.

I doubt most Christians take all of the Bible literally - some of its Old Testament stories are patently too absurd to be more than either ancient myths or purely allegorical; whether you believe in God or not.

Similarly, I expect there are many agnostics and even atheists - all rational and intelligent, not foolish despite the alleged statement by an apparently rather vain God - who would admit there is a historical background to other accounts.

The Bible is essentially a guide to what was believed by its authors and their society; and to major events like escaping from Egypt.

The last quote is a sort of circular reasoning, but effectively says you are a fool if you do not believe in God. Really? The most ardent atheist might say the opposite; but neither side of that argument can be no more than simple faith, provable by and to no-one.

@ArishMell You call God vain? Wow! And God is very provable. He has Bible promises that he asks us to challenge him on. I have challenged him on a few and its under my post on how God answers prayers.

@Carazaa irrespective of religion, the kingdom of God is within you. So why would you, take things literally? As someone who keeps preaching I thought you’d know better

@SW-User Because God means what he says. And he answers my prayers. I take the Bible literal except the parables.

@Carazaa I have no idea what God is like.

If he exists, of course - your [i]believing [/i]he does thanks to some old books written by Late Bronze Age scribes, does not [i]prove[/i] he does; any more than an ardent atheist could prove otherwise.

Nor has anyone else any idea.

It's [i]people [/i]who made him seem vain by depicting him in those old books as jealous, wrathful, wanting all the attention, etc. and by putting words to support that into his (metaphorical) mouth.

@SW-User It is the will of God that all believers are to testify of Him, in any way and every way possible, in hopes of winning another soul, each of which is very valuable to the Lord, and very important, including you.

@ArishMell Only an unregenerated mindset thinks of the God of the Bible as being any of those things that you accused him of, I certainly do not, never have and never will, but unbelief leads to destruction.

@Silverwings it’s not the Hunger Games lmao

@SW-User https://minethedepths.com/is-bible-literal-sometimes/

@SW-User Thank God for that!!