lolis: You may not like the image and vote me down, but, nonetheless....IF the story of Jesus and the crucifixion are true, then Jesus was the only one who knew the way the story was going to end -with the resurrection. He knew he wasn't going to die and be buried, be eaten by worms for years and eventually turn into dust -the way everyone else does.
So, what did he have to be afraid of? He was just working to try and psych everyone into joining his posse and beat the Devil.
Of course, if you are skeptical about the entire concept (as I am) and apply common sense and reality to any of it, then you start to realize that this was the best that the old poets and writers could come up with at a time when most people didn't read or write or understand anything about the universe or physics or any of those things.
If someone back then were to ask "Where did we come from? Why are we here?"...then they were given stories that worked for the minds of that era. Sure...God was this big guy that lived in the sky and watched us. Sure...makes total sense...I guess?
Unfortunately, it often just boils down to which superhero you're going to side with. Mocking any of them, no matter how earnest it may be, is just like booing for the opposing team. They don't want to hear it and so they boo right back at the other side. And if these ideas scale up high enough, we usually get a war.
People are so afraid of death, they must create a way to reassure themselves that they won't really die....IF they follow certain rules. If they choose not to go along with the blueprint, then not only will they die, they won't just turn into dust and be gone...No....Instead they will be sent to a place to be burnt and tortured forever. Seems totally fair...right? After all, none of us chose to be born. Our parents decided that. Once we became aware of any of it, it was too late to go back.
We get these stories and choices given to us as if we signed up for any of it. If you're never born, then you never stand the chance to be burnt to a crisp for eternity.
Is life so great if making the wrong choices can lead you to something so terrible as Hell? Maybe non existence would be better...But again, we don't have any choice as to whether we are born or not. So whom do we have to blame for how we spend eternity? Why not a third choice: "Not participating"? That way, those people can just go back to nothingness instead of burning in Hell. Seems MUCH more fair.
Comments
So, what did he have to be afraid of? He was just working to try and psych everyone into joining his posse and beat the Devil.
Of course, if you are skeptical about the entire concept (as I am) and apply common sense and reality to any of it, then you start to realize that this was the best that the old poets and writers could come up with at a time when most people didn't read or write or understand anything about the universe or physics or any of those things.
If someone back then were to ask "Where did we come from? Why are we here?"...then they were given stories that worked for the minds of that era. Sure...God was this big guy that lived in the sky and watched us. Sure...makes total sense...I guess?
Unfortunately, it often just boils down to which superhero you're going to side with. Mocking any of them, no matter how earnest it may be, is just like booing for the opposing team. They don't want to hear it and so they boo right back at the other side. And if these ideas scale up high enough, we usually get a war.
People are so afraid of death, they must create a way to reassure themselves that they won't really die....IF they follow certain rules. If they choose not to go along with the blueprint, then not only will they die, they won't just turn into dust and be gone...No....Instead they will be sent to a place to be burnt and tortured forever. Seems totally fair...right? After all, none of us chose to be born. Our parents decided that. Once we became aware of any of it, it was too late to go back.
We get these stories and choices given to us as if we signed up for any of it. If you're never born, then you never stand the chance to be burnt to a crisp for eternity.
Is life so great if making the wrong choices can lead you to something so terrible as Hell? Maybe non existence would be better...But again, we don't have any choice as to whether we are born or not. So whom do we have to blame for how we spend eternity? Why not a third choice: "Not participating"? That way, those people can just go back to nothingness instead of burning in Hell. Seems MUCH more fair.
amen