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[ajacazz]

Philip started a nice trend in his LJ, and I've been thinking a lot about the questions that he's raised. So from here on out, my LJ is going to still contain some random shit from my skull, but will be primarily dedicated to important concepts that I want my friends to discuss, learn, and discover all there is to find out based upon our little

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[meansnoworries]

I'm sure you at least had an inkling that I'd want to post here, so let me fulfill that prediction.

Christianity teaches that through Jesus, you can obtain salvation, and only through him. Which means that, if you want some kind of future, you have to believe that Jesus is actually not only a man, but also an invisible giant, and also the air that encompasses us? Well...that's cool and all. But what about everyone else? Oh, you're supposed to 'save' them too. if you save them, according to Deuteronomy, and Revelations, you will earn more 'crowns' in heaven. So by leading people on to believe about an invisible man, you get to be better than other people in heaven. Stop. Hammer time. So I guess I'm saying that Chrisitianity just teaches that you should do whatever you can to be a defender of the faith, so you can always look down on other people? Wait...that's a loop hole. That can't be right.

You know why it can't be right? Cause it's wrong. The only reason the Bible talks about "crowns in heaven" is to emphasize not that we are recieving an award, but rather that we are not. All of those passages are made in the context that the person [believer] will not recieve an earthly award. It's not to say, "Do good stuff cause we've got some cool toys for you when you die."
And seriously, what's this "looking down" crap? Tell me, where do you even get the idea that being a defender of the faith in any way, shape, or form, implies that one should look down on others.

But you know, to give anything I say validity, you've got to know why I believe what I believe. Why I know that my God, through Jesus, is not just some human invention, some metaphysical security blanket.

You've got to understand, I mean - I know you understand - and I'm not trying to toot my own horn here, but you would at least agree that I fit well out of the "stereotypical" Christian. I'm not ignorant, I would like to think. I'd also like to think that I've never persecuted anyone for their beliefs, Christian or otherwise. And... I hate to say this, cause it's so arrogant to say- but I'm intelligent. You know that usually the "intelligent" kids are usually the ones to eschew religion. Honors dorm at UF last year- case in point. But I digress.

Well, it's certainly not "fitting into a mould" that leads me to Christ. So why do I believe what I believe? I offer the only irrefutable evidence I can give - myself. I have been changed as a person, in ways I would never have done myself. Now, you didn't know me in middle school, but there are a handful that did; you could try asking Chris, for one. I was not a nice person in middle school. I was a perverted, immature butthead, basically. My person is a different one now- not through any means of my own, but rather through God's spirit working through me. I have reason for what I believe, sir, and that is it.

[ajacazz]

I'm not attempting to turn anyone who disagrees with me into a martyr. People SHOULD be able to believe whatever they want without trying to make others feel bad about their decision to believe in something different. I honestly respect you for your beliefs. The fact that you've been able to uphold the 'good' things in your faith, and apply it to your life to make you a 'better' person is commendable. If you believe that your personality is 'better' than that's your opinion, I like to look at it as levels of survivabilty. This being survival of the mind. Without socializing...we'd probably all go insane. So you've managed to become more social. I'm glad Christianity helped you with that. Once again, it's not Jesus I have a problem with, it's his fan club.

You seemed to get a bit defensive in this post. There's no need to get aggressive, it's just a civilized form for civilized youth.

Read my commentary again about superiority complex. You (when I say you, I mean humanity in general, there are exceptions) feel that your beliefs are more correct than mine. You're right, and I'm wrong. You feel that I should believe what you believe, because you're right, and I'm wrong. Therefor, because your beliefs are better than mine, you represent something better than I do. You are in essense looking down on the skum that is me, because my beliefs are incorrect. Once again, generalities of course. You wish to convert me to your faith because I am a heathen sinner, and I'm going to burn in hell. So by saving me, you WILL earn more crowns in heaven. I completely understand this concept being completely foreign to earth standards. Once again, I've read the bible 4-5 times. That being said, you will still earn something that is 'better' than someone who did not convert others. If you convert me on my death bed, you will be a 'rich' man, in heaven terms, and I will be a peasant, because I've lead a life of sin. Right there is two perfect examples of humanities (Christianities in this example) basic instinct to want to be superior to one another. It's not a 'bad' thing. It's just a thing.

So, in conclusion, believe whatever you want, I will respect you to the extreme, and make sure that you're beliefs are not infringed upon. Just make sure you don't infringe upon my ability to find out what I believe, or develop my beliefs even further. That being said, in your standards, you're a good man, Peter.

[meansnoworries]

If I seemed defensive, I apologize for this miscommunication of tone, I was merely presenting a counterpoint.
P.S., though, I am a member of Jesus's "fan club." Were you tacitly saying that you have a problem with me, as a person, because of that?)

As for your point made in that last paragraph; you're darned right I feel that my beliefs are more correct than yours. Same way you feel yours are more correct than mine. As a matter of being, everyone adopts a belief set. No matter how that manifests itself, everyone believes something. And that given person will always feel their beliefs are correct, otherwise, they wouldn't choose that as their belief. As a point in general, the "oh, you feel that you're more right than me" is defunct.

Also, I feel you misinterpreted my... well, my interpretation, or at least the way I presented it. All I gather from the "crowns in heaven" passages is that I'm not gonna get anything for doing God's will on earth. Nothing. All I get is a pat on the back when I die, and, believe it or not, I don't really find myself wanting any more than that. You speak of these "crowns" as though they're some sort of motivations for me, or Christians in general. The Bible makes it clear that new believer or old when you die, all are equal in Christ. No person has "more" than anyone else in heaven.

And... I appreciate the compliment, I think, although I might have detected a touch of condescension. You know I'd love to be a "good man," but "in my standards," I am not.

That being said, and argument aside, I'd love to hang out some time. I haven't seen you in quite a while. Gimme a call, the cell still works ;).