Originally posted by twhitehead
The whole Christian justice system relies on two key concepts that I believe are faulty.
1. That crimes must be paid for - and that is justice - and that this justice is 'right'. I think this belief is based on a total misunderstanding of the human criminal justice system and its true purpose and origins.
2. That the payment can be made by somebody else ...[text shortened]... cular perversion of justice has been used by the rich to hoodwink the poor throughout history.

Said the man who's "not sure how it works".

For someone who's "not sure how it works", you certainly do a lot of hypothesizing and then make vague, incorrect analogies to human justice systems, as if the two systems are analogous. And then you go on to render a verdict on it and a misrepresentation of it, even though you're "not sure how it works".

Originally posted by Phranny
Question: If one lives a good "Christian" life in terms of following the teachings of Jesus in their everyday existance yet they do not believe in the story of Jesus being the son of God, does not take Christ into his/her heart, does that person go to hell? And likewise, if someone is extremely evil yet decides to take Christ into his/her heart, does he/she get to go to heavan?

I wonder what a person would be doing living a good Christian life following the teachings of Jesus without believing Jesus was the Son of God sent to atone for man's sins. Being a Christian and following Jesus' teachings isn't exactly easy in this day and age. Why would one do that without believing He was sent to take on man's sin?

Anyways, in answer to your question, God can see into one's heart. He knows what is written there and whether one is true or false. I believe that makes a difference. Man needs a Christ-centered life to defeat sin. Man cannot bridge the gap to God without Jesus, because of man's sin. Denying the Christ is denying God and it means one has decided not to conquer sin. God cannot abide sin, so a self-centered life is simply not good enough for God.

I know. It's a bit rough to buy this if you don't believe in God in the first place. This is why unbelievers don't "get it".

Originally posted by twhitehead
Yes and yes. Its very simple. Imagine you are in a long line of prisoners going for execution. You have all done very bad things. You get to the front of the line, and you are asked by the 'Judge' (who doesn't really judge because you are all guilty anyway) 'do you believe in me?'. If you say yes, then the Judge pays your fine and lets you off. If you say ...[text shortened]... ging for your crimes, I have been asking theists this for years and they never answer.

Again, for someone who's "not sure how it works", you do have a lot of theories. And you still can't get it right, exactly because you're "not sure how it works".

Here's a thought. Why don't you go find out "how it works" and then maybe you'll have room to talk.

Originally posted by Suzianne
Again, for someone who's "not sure how it works", you do have a lot of theories. And you still can't get it right, exactly because you're "not sure how it works".

Here's a thought. Why don't you go find out "how it works" and then maybe you'll have room to talk.

I have asked many many times on this forum how it works, and every time I do, you theists run for the hills. I notice you aren't actually going to explain it either but are just going to hide behind the age old "you can't understand because your an atheist" nonsense.

Originally posted by checkbaiter
Jesus Christ is the Red Thread of Scripture...

Genesis, – He is the promised seed of the woman
Exodus – He is the High Priest
Numbers – he is the star to rise out of Jacob
Deuteronomy – he is the two laws – love God and love your neighbor
Joshua – he is the captain of the lord of hosts
Judges – he is the covenant angel named wonderful
Ruth – he ...[text shortened]... is as we are
Jude – he is the beloved
Revelation – he is the King of kings and Lord of Lords.

That was pretty good.

Yes, Christ is the centrality of the Bible - the hub and the rim and all the spokes.

Originally posted by Suzianne
Anyways, in answer to your question, God can see into one's heart. He knows what is written there and whether one is true or false. I believe that makes a difference. Man needs a Christ-centered life to defeat sin. Man cannot bridge the gap to God without Jesus, because of man's sin. Denying the Christ is denying God and it means one has decided not to ...[text shortened]... conquer sin. God cannot abide sin, so a self-centered life is simply not good enough for God.

And what does God see when he looks into a pious Hindu's heart? What is so bad that it warrants (as per checkbaiter) being resurrected and thrown in the Lake of Fire?

And why is it made easier (I didn't say easy) for someone brought up in the Christian faith from birth?

After all, you must accept that, if you were brought up as a Hindu from birth, and told by parents that you trust and love, and almost everyone else around you, that it is the one true religion, it would be much harder to turn to Christ later in life.

Especially as there is no objective way to see that Christianity is the one true religion.

Why do some people have the odds stacked in their favour/against them in this way?

Originally posted by Suzianne
Said the man who's "not sure how it works".

For someone who's "not sure how it works", you certainly do a lot of hypothesizing and then make vague, incorrect analogies to human justice systems, as if the two systems are analogous. And then you go on to render a verdict on it and a misrepresentation of it, even though you're "not sure how it works".

Surely you can only hypothesise when you dont know how something works?

If you know how it works it's not a hypothesis!

Originally posted by sonship
That was pretty good.

Yes, Christ is the centrality of the Bible - the hub and the rim and all the spokes.

Absolutely, He is the man God bet all His marbles on...thanks