Imagine

[artsylady]

So was Jesus the son of God or was he a liar and a lunatic? If he wasn't who he said he was, he died to con the whole world into a beleif system that is wrong. And so did his apostles. And so did thousands of other Christians at the time. Quite the conspiracy theory. Twelve bad men and invented a non existant religion of peace, love, forgiveness and TRUTH, and then willingly died for this belief rather than renouncing it. Never mind the thousands of other men and women who also died during the time. If you think about it, there were MANY religions around at the time, but this ONE caused a huge stir and a lot of bloodshed. But the bloodshed was not caused BY the believers, but to the believers. It shouldn't have lasted. It started small in one area and it was made illegal with the penalty of death and is now the world's number 1 religion.

John Lennon:

I'd written the above in a previous post but you did not respond so I thought I'd use it again as a response to this.

What I see is a fear of dying. I know that sounds simplistic but it's true..we are afraid of the unknown. So we invent this place where life is everlasting as a security blanket thru our lives to give it this glimmer of hope at the end. But,..it could be we get one chance at life and that's it. I'm afraid too sometimes..how and what is life all about-we want it to have purpose. Maybe all that awaits is a peaceful sleep that we don't wake up from-and in reality, only the dead know, but they can't come back and tell us the real deal can they?

In regards to other religions, this could be true, but in Christianity, this just doesn't make sense, as the early Christians, including apostles who knew Jesus best, willingly died to defend what they believed to be true. They didn't make it up out of FEAR of dying,. They were more concerned with holding onto Jesus than facing death.

So we invent this place where life is everlasting as a security blanket thru our lives to give it this glimmer of hope at the end.

John Lennon clearly did invent such a thing. But do you think any, other than lunatics, would die rather than renounce his invention?

Maybe all that awaits is a peaceful sleep that we don't wake up from-and in reality, only the dead know, but they can't come back and tell us the real deal can they?[

Einstein stated that there when a human being died, there was far too much energy and that that energy had to go somewhere.

Don't you believe in a spirit or a soul? Don't you believe we are spiritual beings? No matter where you go on earth, no matter how remote, human beings are worshipping something.

A restful sleep? Have you ever read quotes of the last words of famous Christians as opposed to famous non believers? It's quite alarming and disturbing. I can find some if you would be interested.

[John Lennon]

Further if you are willing to see the truth instead of imagination then i challenge you to read "Tortured For Christ" by Richard Wurmbrand. An autobiography that shows this non religious man made system challenging the love of Christ of a true believer.

With all due respect and I speak from the heart, I think John has been misinterpreted. As Christians we need to speak our of understanding and love. Christians are challenged all the time and have been for centuries and will be in time to come. If we want to get the truth to John it isn't through an antagonists point of view but through scripture and our own testimony. Please do not take offense Rebekah for I am not speaking to you alone.

This thread has turned in to posting on one person because of the lyrics of a song writen a long time ago. Can we focus on what this forum is about and attempt to show compassion and love in the face of insults and off the origional topic? These things can get out of hand and I for one don't want to belong to a forum where there is behavior towards non believers (as obnoxious as they may be ) Are we to not love them as Jesus loved? Some of these posts come across as very combative and there is no reason for it. This is the world and everyone has their own opinions. It's great that we can give them narratives and websites and articles, etc... but do those things really plant seeds? No, we do.

spreading the love...

Ephesians 4:3 Endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace

Just remember Cjrose, if there is a God-He loved John Lennon too! Open your heart just a little. okay?

The love of God is revealed in Jesus Christ. All who are outside of Christ find nothing but the wrath of God.

sw

[John Lennon]

I believe what people call 'God' is something inside all of us. What Jesus and Mohammed and Buddha and all the rest said was right. It's just that the translations have gone wrong. John Lennon-1980.

[John Lennon]

With all due respect and I speak from the heart, I think John has been misinterpreted. As Christians we need to speak our of understanding and love. Christians are challenged all the time and have been for centuries and will be in time to come. If we want to get the truth to John it isn't through an antagonists point of view but through scripture and our own testimony.

Just remember Cjrose, if there is a God-He loved John Lennon too! Open your heart just a little. okay?

And furthermore, I was just defending you and you come back at me with this? When I mentioned John I was speaking of you, Sam, not Lennon.

Are you so blind you can't see that I am open hearted and open minded by now?

You're right-I misenterpreted that post. Thank You. Some of my postings got twisted too, you can miss things jumping around from thread to thread-I'm a restless thinker.

[st. Worm]

I believe what people call 'God' is something inside all of us. What Jesus and Mohammed and Buddha and all the rest said was right. It's just that the translations have gone wrong. John Lennon-1980.

His views were based on ideas that excluded any concept of sin and a Holy God. It was just feel good spiritualism and a lie.

sw

[John Lennon]

Lennon honestly I think you like to hear yourself.....You've already posted three times together.....GBY and your soul.

'GBY and my soul?'

[John Lennon]

Further if you are willing to see the truth instead of imagination then i challenge you to read "Tortured For Christ" by Richard Wurmbrand. An autobiography that shows this non religious man made system challenging the love of Christ of a true believer.

With all due respect and I speak from the heart, I think John has been misinterpreted. As Christians we need to speak our of understanding and love. Christians are challenged all the time and have been for centuries and will be in time to come. If we want to get the truth to John it isn't through an antagonists point of view but through scripture and our own testimony. Please do not take offense Rebekah for I am not speaking to you alone.

This thread has turned in to posting on one person because of the lyrics of a song writen a long time ago. Can we focus on what this forum is about and attempt to show compassion and love in the face of insults and off the origional topic? These things can get out of hand and I for one don't want to belong to a forum where there is behavior towards non believers (as obnoxious as they may be ) Are we to not love them as Jesus loved? Some of these posts come across as very combative and there is no reason for it. This is the world and everyone has their own opinions. It's great that we can give them narratives and websites and articles, etc... but do those things really plant seeds? No, we do.

spreading the love...

Ephesians 4:3 Endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace

Just remember Cjrose, if there is a God-He loved John Lennon too! Open your heart just a little. okay?

The love of God is revealed in Jesus Christ. All who are outside of Christ find nothing but the wrath of God.

sw

[ted]

Lennon honestly I think you like to hear yourself.....You've already posted three times together.....GBY and your soul.

'GBY and my soul?'

God Bless You and your soul.

t.

[Jefferiah]

Well you know as for the real John Lennon. We really cant say ultimately what judgement God has made of him. Thats between God and John Lennon. I dont believe everything John Lennon thought, but I was a big fan. When you read an interview with the man it is quite apparent he had a sharp intellect, and he would have made a good writer. I think he could have been a hypocrite in some ways, but then so are we all. Definitely I dont know what he thought in his dying years, but his later songs seem to have a greater peace about them, for sure. Songs like Watching The Wheels or Living on Borrowed Time. I know during the early seventies he was supposed to have dabbled in communist thought. I am not sure whether he adopted that kind of thinking as a personal way of life or politically. I think there would be a big difference between the two. Sharing possessions and requiring from each person no more than his ability is not a bad view of things, but when you attempt to legislate sharing it doesnt become charitable. The state then decides when and how you are to share, and that can infringe upon individual rights. What am I talking about anyway? I really dont know. Someone else take over now.

[st. Worm]

Well you know as for the real John Lennon. We really cant say ultimately what judgement God has made of him. Thats between God and John Lennon. I dont believe everything John Lennon thought, but I was a big fan. When you read an interview with the man it is quite apparent he had a sharp intellect, and he would have made a good writer. I think he could have been a hypocrite in some ways, but then so are we all. Definitely I dont know what he thought in his dying years, but his later songs seem to have a greater peace about them, for sure. Songs like Watching The Wheels or Living on Borrowed Time. I know during the early seventies he was supposed to have dabbled in communist thought. I am not sure whether he adopted that kind of thinking as a personal way of life or politically. I think there would be a big difference between the two. Sharing possessions and requiring from each person no more than his ability is not a bad view of things, but when you attempt to legislate sharing it doesnt become charitable. The state then decides when and how you are to share, and that can infringe upon individual rights. What am I talking about anyway? I really dont know. Someone else take over now.

Well you are right about charity. Liberals are very charitable when it comes to government taking someone else's money and giving it away but typically liberals give less of their own money to charitable causes than conservatives.

sw