' Onward CHRISTIAN.....$$$$$$$$$$.....SOLDIERS '

[signals]

Don't worry Bears....most Christians don't really follow Christ anyways.

Technically, I'm not Jesus. And more importantly, Jesus came for the Jews.

 

[signals]

None of my posts are anti christian.

My supposed anti christian rants are to keep personal religious beliefs out of the public areas.

Bi-polar, a bit?

 

[NewHampshire Black Bears]

Tree's article did prove a few points.

1) Red states are more generous than blue states. The eight states where residents gave the highest share of income to charity went for John McCain in 2008. The seven-lowest ranking states supported Barack Obama.

2) Religion has a big influence on giving patterns. Regions of the country that are deeply religious are more generous than those that are not. Two of the top nine states—Utah and Idaho—have high numbers of Mormon residents, who have a tradition of tithing at least 10 percent of their income to the church. The remaining states in the top nine are all in the Bible Belt.

If nothing else, the article did prove that the average giving is more than the 1% absurdity that Bears postulated.

Something else that the study doesn't disclose very clearly -- it bases its assumptions on what gets listed on a tax return. Some people using independent thought might incorrectly assume that once someone hits the limit on itemizing deductions, they stop giving.

Maybe that's the case for those who donate only to get a tax break. Those who do it because it's the right thing to do will continue to give over and above the deduction cap.

I know for a fact that only about half of I give shows up on my tax return. Personally, it's not the IRS's business who I give to, especially when you consider the indiscretions exposed by the Lerner case.

 
You may have some people here on the 'cooler CONNED with your BULL SHIIT eolesen, BUT NOT ME !
 
Case in point.
 
The Arkansas WALTONS throw quarters around like 'MAN HOLE COVERS'
How you ask.
Nothing like 'giving other peoples money' to charity ...in the Waltons name.
Like the MONEY they hoard, that they DON'T Pay to thier workers nationwide  !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[eolesen]

Call it bull shite if you will, Bears.

If I'm wrong, then there's nothing to fear in the afterlife, since there won't be one.

If you're wrong?

 

[Ms Tree]

Are you saying that someone who leads a good life, helps his fellow man but does not believe in the right god will not go to heaven or what ever the religion believes in? Is your god really that petty and punitive?

 

[La Li Lu Le Lo]

Again with your assumptions of people. 

he is nothing like you.

LoL

 

[ChockJockey]

Wikipedia has a pretty informative article regarding Christian views on poverty and wealth:
 
At one end of the spectrum is a view which casts wealth and materialism as an evil to be avoided and even combated. At the other end is a view which casts prosperity and well-being as a blessing from God. Some Christians argue that a proper understanding of Christian teachings on wealth and poverty needs to take a larger view where the accumulation of wealth is not the central focus of one's life but rather a resource to foster the "good life".
 
Inasmuch as the Christian God can work as he will it's entirely possible that some are given financial wealth as reward, some as a test of faith, and some as even a punishment.  I suppose it depends on the individual, how they come by their fortunes, and what they do with it once they have it that determines whether or not they've acted righteously or sinfully.  Even when I was a believer I considered a wealthy Christian to be something of an oxymoron since temporal wealth has virtually nothing to do with the attainment of personal salvation but if I'd come from a moneyed family I'm sure I'd have felt differently.
 
For what it's worth one of the most convincing Christians I've ever met was essentially a vagrant who relied on others to provide him food and sleeping space; he lived the word as he understood it and his fearlessness in showing joy and love to others and thanking God was impressive, more so than any of the suit-wearing Doctors of divinity that came to our church to make guest sermons.

 

[ChockJockey]

Are you saying that someone who leads a good life, helps his fellow man but does not believe in the right god will not go to heaven or what ever the religion believes in? Is your god really that petty and punitive?

 
In Christianity salvation is attained by acknowledging your sinful nature and accepting and proclaiming that Jesus Christ was the son of God and that he was sent to Earth and, taking on the sins of the world, was sacrificed so that you may be given a chance at eternal life; further you must live by his teachings and follow his example so that others may come to redemption.  Simply believing in God isn't sufficient.  Good works, while encouraged, aren't technically required to be saved but you are expected to be mindful of your sins, and beg forgiveness of them that they may be lifted from your soul.
 
If you want to catch God acting petty and punitive then a perusal of the Old Testament will more than satisfy you.  Reading it you will likely make one of two conclusions: either the bloodthirsty totalitarian monarch described therein is the same deity that created a universe virtually infinite in span of distance and time (and decided that the rubidium atom should have 37 protons) OR he's a fictional creation made from the echoes of stories and legends and various gods and traditions that had been circulating the near East for centuries before finally being committed to writing as a somewhat coherent narrative.

 

[KCFlyer]

Is your god really that petty and punitive?

In short - yes.  

 

[eolesen]

Are you saying that someone who leads a good life, helps his fellow man but does not believe in the right god will not go to heaven or what ever the religion believes in? Is your god really that petty and punitive?

If that's what you got from what I said, then clearly nothing I can give as an answer with regard to faith will ever make sense to you.

Live the life of Mother Theresa or a Jeffrey Dahmer if you want. Salvation comes down to a matter of acceptance without any doubt on where all grace comes from.

Again, it's your gamble. I've already placed my bets. Place yours wherever you wish.

 

[Ms Tree]

I have arrived at the conclusion a long time ago that the god(s) of religion are all false. It contradicts all manner of logic to think that a god would create something, give it free will and the punish it for exercising this free will even though the person has lead a good life. That defines insanity. I believe that if there is some sort of God or what ever, that people will be judged on how they have conducted their life. To judge otherwise would just plain stupid.

 

[Ms Tree]

If that's what you got from what I said, then clearly nothing I can give as an answer with regard to faith will ever make sense to you.Live the life of Mother Theresa or a Jeffrey Dahmer if you want. Salvation comes down to a matter of acceptance without any doubt on where all grace comes from.Again, it's your gamble. I've already placed my bets. Place yours wherever you wish.

How is what you posted different. Dahlmer was a violent man and you seem to be indicating that if he 'believes' at the last min he is saved. I think that's insane.

 

[eolesen]

Trying to apply human logic to something greater than human logic? Good luck with that.

 

[Ms Tree]

That's a cop out. Besides, if you cannot give a rational explanation for that why should anyone believe that you understand the rest of it?

 

[eolesen]

That's the part you're missing -- you want it to be rational when all that's required is a leap of faith.