How Did Christianity Get so Toxic?

[BigElCat]

Originally Posted by nailer

Organized religion was toxic in Rome where Jesus of Nazareth's followers were being killed and raped by humans and animals in the Colesium. The Emporer in Constantinople told his Roman preists to knock it off and all of a sudden, historically speaking that is, there was but one God who had a son. Just like Jupiter/Zeus. Mary, the nice Jewish girl God raped to bare him a son became the new Isis. Jesus of Nazareth was a good Jew. Everyone who is worshipping Jesus Christ is worshipping the Revelation anti-Christ.

In confirmation class Cecil and I noticed that drinking blood and eating flesh was cannibalism. When Reverend Godsey asked what we were giggling about, we knew by his look and tone the he liked our truthful answer. By ninth grade I knew the Universe is and the need for a creator is a human constuct although I wouldn't have been able to phrase it so at that time.

At the present time, you have thrown out the baby with the bath water.

You see through a glass darkly, however, you see more of the big picture than most people.

Forget Constantine. Forget Apostolic Succession as if it were a democratic process. Don't give up on Jesus. The Kingdom of God resides within us, and among us.

Of the 2.5 billion people whom identify as Christian, 99.9% of them (apparently) don't get it.

[nailer]

I merely pointed out that Christianity was born toxic. My glass is transparent and the perspective is 21st century.

[piece-itpete]

That God 'raped' Mary is ridiculous and insulting on its face, similar to the claims that God is guilty of child abuse because of the necessity of the cross. The Bible is one of the most ubiquitous books in the world - actually finding one and reading it is no difficult task.

If a cult is "a system of religious veneration and devotion directed toward a particular figure or object." - then I suppose if God himself is that 'particular figure or object', Christianity does fit. But this means ANY religion is a cult - why have two different words then?

Most Americans throughout our history would agree Christianity isn't a cult. Merriam Webster has as its first def as:
"1: a religion regarded as unorthodox or spurious (see SPURIOUS sense 2)
also : its body of adherents
the voodoo cult
a satanic cult"

A cult used to be considered in the western world as a religion that considers a source outside the Bible as 'gospel'. Hence, mainstream Christianity wouldn't be considered a cult - but the Mormons and Jehovahs Witnesses would be.

As a side note, Christian charities are among the largest charities in the world. And local Christian churches are super active in the worst neighborhoods.

[Pio1980]

A "cult" usually requires a living venerated entity, re the Magamob cult.
Scientology is an exception that proves I know not what.

[Pio1980]

Orthodox Christian churches are drawing in far-right American converts https://www.npr.org/2022/05/10/10967...rican-converts

[BigElCat]

Originally Posted by barbara

Misunderstand christianity? I believe you are right, many have a skewed understanding.

You mention, the Father as the creator and the son as Jesus......so, how did that information come to you? How did you come to know you are christian? Where do your beliefs come from? Certainly you didn't pull that information out of thin air, right?

Hi Barabara.

It's not like I'm ignoring your question on purpose. The answer would be about a 10 page short story, and it would reinforce other people's opinion that I'm totally crazy. I'm just not willing to go to the effort at this time.

I did not pull it out of thin air. It did not come from my parents. My 'conversion' came as a result of being emotionally bankrupt (some would call it 'demoralized') and suicidal.

In 1985, I was walking home across a college campus, and then about 8 blocks to my house. I met and passed about 100 people walking in the other direction. No one would say 'Hi' to me, or even make eye contact. I vowed to commit suicide when I got home, if no one would say 'Hi' to me before I said 'Hi' to them. Yeah it's stupid, but I was serious about my vow and my intent. There was 8 inches of newly fallen snow on the ground, this becomes relevant to my story shortly.

About 2 blocks from my house, i saw a dude walking toward me. He was wearing a tunic, or serape. I thought I recognized him from some stoner party or some thing. As we made eye contact he was about 2 feet in front of me, his eyes were pure black. No white part at all. He said 'Hi', and I was stunned, didn't say anything. As soon as he walked past me, I suddenly thought 'That's Jesus Christ'. I spun around to look behind me and he was gone. No foot prints in the snow on either side. Just like the headlines on the old school National Enquire tabloids, i saw Jesus then he vanished.

I did not commit suicide that day. I was too terrified that I would go to Hell if I did. Years later, I came to realize that it was not Jesus, that it was a manifestation of the Devil masquerading as Jesus. I can't go into explaining how I came to this conclusion. It would take too long.

Some years later, I received a Baptist of the Holy Spirit. And no I'm not self-righteous or pious. I'm a back-slid, terrible Christian. Enough typing for now.

[UncleAng]

[QUOTE=BigElCat;406753 As soon as he walked past me, I suddenly thought 'That's Jesus Christ'. I spun around to look behind me and he was gone. .[/QUOTE]

How do you know it wasn't Buddha.

[donquixote99]

Jesus needed AR-15s, he could have stopped his government from killing him, if he'd only had enough. (Lauren Boebert, slight paraphrase).

https://twitter.com/patriottakes/sta...48987361366022

[RickeyM]

Originally Posted by donquixote99

Jesus needed AR-15s, he could have stopped his government from killing him, if he'd only had enough. (Lauren Boebert, slight paraphrase).

https://twitter.com/patriottakes/sta...48987361366022

The scary, but not surprising, part was the so-called Christians cheering what she said.

[barbara]

BigElCat....so, one day you were depressed, you saw someone and thought, "That's Jesus Christ". Then, you say, he vanished.

Kind of sounds like pulling something out of thin air to me.

Don't need your ten page story. I got the picture.