Re: [MLUG - DISCUSSION] Torture (was: The Passion)

[Mike Miller <EMAIL:PROTECTED>]

I agree with Michael.  Anyway, I'm sure most Christians won't agree with
us.  I feel that the underlying theme is that "we owe him" -- we owe a
great debt to Jesus/God and should there for do certain things.  For
example, we should be devoutly religious and we should go to church and we
should give money to the church, etc.  I think the ideas that "Jesus
suffered for our sins" and "God gave his only begotten son" are used by
Christian relious leaders to manipulate us into feeling guilty and
committing more of our resources to aid the church and its leaders.
Think about this -- what's with the "only begotten son" idea?  God isn't a
man who has a child and then, after some time, cannot have another.  He's
GOD, he's omnipotent, he doesn't even have to snap his fingers to make it
happen a million times over.  So how can we even have the concept that God
can make a sacrifice?  I'm sure theologians can write a long series of
books on the subject, but I won't read them because they are all baloney.
If someone has a short answer, I'd read it.  ;-)

Mike


On Tue, 2 Mar 2004, Michael wrote:

> >It takes a great strength of will to survive it as long as he did. Were
> >it me, I think I'd have found a way to commit suicide long before it
> >got to the cross.
> >
> If the fate of all your loved ones relied on you finishing the process?
> Your parents, siblings, friends, wife, children, etc.. let alone the
> fate of everyone who ever lived? No. I think most of us can more easily
> endure physical torment than emotional. Could you hedge out of the
> process knowing the resulting fate of everyone you loved? I couldn't.
> I'd be forced to suffer the torture process to the end rather than
> endure the short but agonizing torment of what'd happen to those I
> loved. In an odd way you'd be protecting yourself by accepting the
> destruction. Physical pain or fear of death just cannot exist on the
> same level as the mental pain you can submit yourself to. I can't
> imagine the level that pain would be if you felt responsibility for the
> whole of humanity. You'd endure anything to stop that.
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