Are all believers in God automatically idol worshipers?

[Gnostic Christian Bishop]

I agree with this statement; if one reads segments of the Bible, there are references to killing people by stoning.
If the Bible is God's word; how can God be a forgiving being? He didn't forgive them did he?
My personal belief is that religions are founded to control the masses by writing rules for man to adhere to. If you are religious, you lose your free will to a certain extent; you are a slave of a being which cannot be proven.

I agree and even thought the bible itself says this ----

1 Thessalonians 5:21 Test all things; hold fast what is good.

Most theists do not do so and that is why they end with an immoral double standard of morality that forgives their god for what they would soundly condemn a man for doing.

If one expects the religious to walk their talk, one would be disappointed.

Regards
DL

 

[Senter]

In a nutshell, the whole problem is in taking the bible to be a factual record of historical events. It was never intended to be taken as such and it wasn't until the Catholic Church in the 1600s and 1700s put out the decree that the rank and file should not practice "contemplation" (meditation) and Christ consciousness was to be pursued only by the highest Church elite. At that point practitioners including priests and other church figures had to figure out how they would keep the congregation active and involved without seeking The Presence through contemplation. They landed on a solution: the detailed study of the bible. They developed "bible study" including many of the practices we know today like learning a little Hebrew and a little Greek, cross-word studies, etc, etc, etc. In short, they turned to an intellectual pursuit because the spiritual pursuit had been banned. And the religious of every denomination today continue to obey that ban without even realizing it. Christianity has become such an intellectual practice that people actually believe the bible is a factual record of historical events when it is actually, in basic and important ways, a compilation of allegories, complete with metaphors, symbolism and fantasies really. But the spiritual message is in it and was intended to be dug out of it. The truly spiritual today easily see the Truth concealed in the words while the non-spiritual only see what they believe to be fact and history. But it isn't.

 

[Colonel]

Simple answer - yes.

Man talks about God as this awesome being that is:

1. Omnipresent - yeah, prove it!
2. Omnipotent - so is my mother when angry.
3. Omniscient - really? Must know what I am typing before I do.

I think people worship God's as mythical beings without any rational thought.
The Bible says this - The Quran says this - Any more books I cannot remember.

People are putting these God's on a high pedestal. I have never felt, heard or seen anything to make be believe - I have even tried with Christianity.
If it helps people so be it - it's just hearsay to me.

 

[Gnostic Christian Bishop]

In a nutshell, the whole problem is in taking the bible to be a factual record of historical events. It was never intended to be taken as such and it wasn't until the Catholic Church in the 1600s and 1700s put out the decree that the rank and file should not practice "contemplation" (meditation) and Christ consciousness was to be pursued only by the highest Church elite. At that point practitioners including priests and other church figures had to figure out how they would keep the congregation active and involved without seeking The Presence through contemplation. They landed on a solution: the detailed study of the bible. They developed "bible study" including many of the practices we know today like learning a little Hebrew and a little Greek, cross-word studies, etc, etc, etc. In short, they turned to an intellectual pursuit because the spiritual pursuit had been banned. And the religious of every denomination today continue to obey that ban without even realizing it. Christianity has become such an intellectual practice that people actually believe the bible is a factual record of historical events when it is actually, in basic and important ways, a compilation of allegories, complete with metaphors, symbolism and fantasies really. But the spiritual message is in it and was intended to be dug out of it. The truly spiritual today easily see the Truth concealed in the words while the non-spiritual only see what they believe to be fact and history. But it isn't.

Interesting and factual. At least I think it is except for this.

" It was never intended to be taken as such and it wasn't until the Catholic Church in the 1600s and 1700s put out the decree that the rank and file should not practice "contemplation" (meditation) and Christ consciousness was to be pursued only by the highest Church elite."

I believe you my friend but would like a link if you have it.

I will trade you this one that proves what you said above on literal reading.

http://www.pbs.org/moyers/journal/03132009/watch.html

Rabbi Hillel, the older contemporary of Jesus, said that when asked to sum up the whole of Jewish teaching, while he stood on one leg, said, "The Golden Rule. That which is hateful to you, do not do to your neighbor. That is the Torah. And everything else is only commentary. Now, go and study it."

Please listen as to what is said about literal reading.

"Origen, the great second or third century Greek commentator on the Bible said that it is absolutely impossible to take these texts literally. You simply cannot do so. And he said, "God has put these sort of conundrums and paradoxes in so that we are forced to seek a deeper meaning."

Regards
DL

 

[Gnostic Christian Bishop]

Simple answer - yes.

Man talks about God as this awesome being that is:

1. Omnipresent - yeah, prove it!
2. Omnipotent - so is my mother when angry.
3. Omniscient - really? Must know what I am typing before I do.

I think people worship God's as mythical beings without any rational thought.
The Bible says this - The Quran says this - Any more books I cannot remember.

People are putting these God's on a high pedestal. I have never felt, heard or seen anything to make be believe - I have even tried with Christianity.
If it helps people so be it - it's just hearsay to me.

I could understand why Christianity and Islam have sustained themselves if they were moral creeds and had a moral ideology, but they do not.

I cannot understand why moral people would and do respect such immoral creeds and ideologies.

I can understand family and peer pressure, --- but not the selling of ones soul to a satanic creed just to be a part of something bigger than ones self.

Regards
DL

 

[Senter]

I believe you my friend but would like a link if you have it.

It is in the book "The Mystery of Christ" by the modern mystic Fr. Thomas Keating.

"Origen, the great second or third century Greek commentator on the Bible said that it is absolutely impossible to take these texts literally. You simply cannot do so. And he said, "God has put these sort of conundrums and paradoxes in so that we are forced to seek a deeper meaning."

Regards
DL

Good quote!

 

[Gnostic Christian Bishop]

It is in the book "The Mystery of Christ" by the modern mystic Fr. Thomas Keating.



Good quote!

Thanks for both entries.

Regards
DL