Is religion just a bunch of lies...

[kteas1]

Originally Posted by ShootinInCa

That play on the fear of our inevitable death?

I was raised Christian , forced to go to church as a kid, and told that if you believe in jesus, then you go to heaven when you die, regardless of your transgressions in life. Furthermore, anyone who DIDNT accept jesus was automatically condemned to eternal damnation. I was obedient, I sincerely believed and prayed (who can pray more sincerely than a 8 year old kid?), so I was very disappointed when I prayed for a medical miracle which never happened, even though I was assured by all the preachers that it would if I prayed with all my heart.

22 years later and after as much thought, I just find it hard to believe that a Jewish carpenter, whom walked the earth as a man, is actually a deity, whose return has been awaited for the last 2000 years.
Add to this all the discrepancies regarding the age of the planet, the universe , fossil records, etc. And I can't help but feel that it's just fearmongering of our inevitable deaths, in exchange for capital gains and/or power or authority of those in the upper levels of religion.

Ive felt this way all of my adult life, when I started thinking for myself instead of out of fear.

Now, I'm no atheist. I do believe in intelligent design. I do believe there is a higher power which we cannot fully comprehend. However, I'm convinced religion has been corrupted by man. I also feel that worshipping Jesus is really just worshipping a Jewish man, who was a carpenter by trade.

Don't even get me started on islam.

I know a guy who is a preacher , though he drinks and smokes. I had this discussion with him bc he kept inviting me to his church, so then I told him thanks but I don't believe in that. He was somewhat offended. My parents get offended when i tell them this too. This is not intended to offend anyone, just looking to discuss.
Thoughts?

No, it's not just a bunch of lies. It's just not easy for a lot of people to defend it. Did Jesus die in the cross. Yes its in the Bible, it's in Roman history, it's written about by a non Christian Jewish historian, Josephus. Among many other writings from outside the Bible. There is enough written outside the Bible, that you can match up with old testament prophecy.

Born in Bethlehem. Micah 5:2
Born of a virgin birth Isiah 7:13-14
Be rejected by his brothers Psalm 2:1-2
His hands and feet peirced
Psalm 22:16

The are hundreds of prophecies going back hundreds even thousands of years before his birth.
What would the apostles tell you? We believed, then they killed him, so we ran and hid because we didn't believe. They like you questioned him. How could they kill a Messiah? Peter denied him three times. The men were to scared to go to the tomb, they had the women do it. If the Bible were false teachings meant to control people, you don't write the story having women find the tomb empty, their testimony didn't count much in those days. You would have read, the brave men that followed him went to the tomb.

Do you know anyone that would die for a lie? I know, your answer, yes Islam. Yes but they don't know its a lie. The apostles wrote the gospel and suffered horrible deaths for following Christ. You don't die if you know it's a lie. Other religion's have their anointed one. Of course you have to believe what he says. God did not leave man to accept Christ by his word only. He told us where he would be born. How he would die. What he would do between birth and death. Jesus fulfilled every prophecy. If he was born in Jerusalem, he wouldn't be the messiah.

Listen to cross examined. Download the app on your phone. Crossexamined over word is the name of the app.
Listen to Dr. Frank Turek.

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[kteas1]

Meant crossexamined one word.

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[Sir Toast]

God is real. "Religion" can be untruthful. Just read the Bible with an open mind and re-connect.

The power of prayer is real. Make a prayer list. Keep it in the bathroom. Read/pray for the things you listed every morning and night. You will see God working in your life.