Larry King interviews religious leaders

[chris250]

Has anyone watched Larry King when he interviews different religious leaders like Billy Graham, Joel Olesteen, Ted Haggard, Creflo Dollar, etc?

 

Larry King will usually ask each of them during the interview what happens to people who don't believe in Christ. All of them give the same answer. They all say "well I can't be the judge and God knows the heart."

 

But when you see these same leaders in the pulpit they preach hellfire and brimestone aggressively as awaiting the fate of unbelievers. Why the hell do they give a different message when they are interviewed on secular tv?

 

I'll tell you why. It's because they are ashamed of their own gospel. They really don't believe in hell. I'm glad they are ashamed of their own gospel. There hasn't been a single one yet who has gotten on the Larry King show and said "yeah Larry all unbelievers are going to roast!"

 

If they really believe hell is real then why are they worried about political correctness? I think the politically correct churches who preach on hell are more dangerous than the street preachers who boldly proclaim what they really believe. I think street preachers are acting with good intentions because they really do believe they need to warn the people about a hell.

 

Anyway I wish they had someone like Carlton Pearson or Mike Williams on the Larry King show. Heck I wish I got a chance to be interviewed on Larry King show so I and others like Mike Williams and Carlton Pearson can say with boldness that everybody is going to heaven.

 

If Larry King asked me what about the hindus and atheists and buddists I would say "we're all going to heaven." Unlike the hellfire & brimestone fundies who get interviewed on there I don't have to beat around the bush with my answers. I can unashamedly say "yes we're all going to heaven. God's grace is ALL inclusive."

 

But I'm sure it's only a matter of time before Mike Williams or Carlton Pearson get interviewed on a secular tv show and they probably will say that everybody's going to heaven. Larry King will ask "so you think Hitler is in heaven?" They would unashamedly answer "absolutely!" Hopefully either Larry King or Oprah will interview them as guests on her show.

 

It would be a wonderful opportunity for the world to hear a different perspective on the gospel. It will get people thinking "yes there is more than one side to the story than what the traditional church has taught for 2000 years about hell."

 

By the way even Billy Graham is a closet universalist. He too has come to believe that all will be saved but he just won't come out in the open about it because it would definately start a riot in the evangelical community.

 

We saw what happened when Carlton Pearson came out in the open about his newfound beliefs. I commend Carlton and respect him for his courage to come out in the open about his belief that all are saved. He was willing to risk everything in his life just to be true to himself.

 

He could have kept his universalism belief to himself and continued to preach in that pentecostal church and continuing to make thousands of dollars a week. He had a big church too! That would have been the easy road for him and he still would have wound up in heaven in the end but he would have been miserable the rest of his days on earth never taking a stand in what he believes in.

 

Carlton is a former 5th generation hellfire & brimestone pentecostal preacher who recently converted to universalism. That's quite a leap. I'm sure he used to preach a hotter hell than most.

 

Obviously Carlton did his homework enough to be convinced that he was teaching error so it was worth it for him to risk losing the church he worked so hard to build.

 

The apostle Paul too could have decided not to preach the gospel and just sat as a bump on a log for the rest of his life and he would have gone to heaven. But would he have been happy and fulfilled quitting his ministry altogether and just sitting on the sidelines? I doubt it simply because he was convinced in his own mind & heart that the gospel he was preaching was the truth.

 

What we believe is either going to motivate us to action or passivity sooner or later. You can't really believe in something without it having some effect on your life. Either you really believe in it or you don't.

[disgracian]

I'm growing a bit bored with your constant preaching. You're a universalist, we get it. Now move on, please. You're sounding like a broken record.

 

Cheers,

D.

[Geishawhelk]

Has anyone watched Larry King when he interviews different religious leaders like Billy Graham, Joel Olesteen, Ted Haggard, Creflo Dollar, etc?

 

These people are not religious 'leaders'. They're personalities...I have only heard of one of them, for a start, so I don't figure much on their leadership qualities.

 

Larry King will usually ask each of them during the interview what happens to people who don't believe in Christ. All of them give the same answer. They all say "well I can't be the judge and God knows the heart."

THis is known as pseudo-religious parrot-speak.....

 

But when you see these same leaders in the pulpit they preach hellfire and brimestone aggressively as awaiting the fate of unbelievers. Why the hell do they give a different message when they are interviewed on secular tv?

because they're on TV, stoopid! They'll say what they're expected to say.

 

I'll tell you why. It's because they are ashamed of their own gospel. They really don't believe in hell. I'm glad they are ashamed of their own gospel. There hasn't been a single one yet who has gotten on the Larry King show and said "yeah Larry all unbelievers are going to roast!"

 

They're religious representatives, not chefs.

If they really believe hell is real then why are they worried about political correctness? I think the politically correct churches who preach on hell are more dangerous than the street preachers who boldly proclaim what they really believe. I think street preachers are acting with good intentions because they really do believe they need to warn the people about a hell.

 

I've heard of Manic Street Preachers. Their music's good, but as for the rest, I've never met any.

You mix with the wrong crowd.

I'd stick to wicked sadistic dominatrices who will whip you to within an inch of your life, and at the same time, tell you how absolutely perfectly wonderful you are, darlink....

 

Anyway I wish they had someone like Carlton Pearson or Mike Williams on the Larry King show. Heck I wish I got a chance to be interviewed on Larry King show so I and others like Mike Williams and Carlton Pearson can say with boldness that everybody is going to heaven

.

 

Write to Larry King.

This I gotta see........

 

If Larry King asked me what about the hindus and atheists and buddists I would say "we're all going to heaven." Unlike the hellfire & brimestone fundies who get interviewed on there I don't have to beat around the bush with my answers. I can unashamedly say "yes we're all going to heaven. God's grace is ALL inclusive."

 

I wouldn't belong to any organisation that would have me as a member....

 

But I'm sure it's only a matter of time before Mike Williams or Carlton Pearson get interviewed on a secular tv show and they probably will say that everybody's going to heaven. Larry King will ask "so you think Hitler is in heaven?" They would unashamedly answer "absolutely!" Hopefully either Larry King or Oprah will interview them as guests on her show.

 

They'd have a job making themselves heard over the laughter and the booing though, wouldn't they....?

 

It would be a wonderful opportunity for the world to hear a different perspective on the gospel. It will get people thinking "yes there is more than one side to the story than what the traditional church has taught for 2000 years about hell."

 

There you go again, twisting words to suit your own end. Interpretation is one thing. you have taken it to a whole new level and form of art.

 

By the way even Billy Graham is a closet universalist. He too has come to believe that all will be saved but he just won't come out in the open about it because it would definately start a riot in the evangelical community.

 

I'm sure he told you this whilst you were both stark naked, covered in honey and itching powder, and being marched over by an army of stainless steel stillettos, didn't he? How else would you know this?

 

We saw what happened when Carlton Pearson came out in the open about his newfound beliefs. I commend Carlton and respect him for his courage to come out in the open about his belief that all are saved. He was willing to risk everything in his life just to be true to himself.

 

We did? oh, good, ok. Yes, we did. (Who's Carlton pearson...?)

 

Blah blah, blah blah blah....

 

The apostle Paul too could have decided not to preach the gospel and just sat as a bump on a log for the rest of his life and he would have gone to heaven. But would he have been happy and fulfilled quitting his ministry altogether and just sitting on the sidelines? I doubt it simply because he was convinced in his own mind & heart that the gospel he was preaching was the truth.

Hang on though.

He believed in Heaven - and Hell, too.... so, apart form the fact that he spoke perfect sense - what's your point?

 

What we believe is either going to motivate us to action or passivity sooner or later. You can't really believe in something without it having some effect on your life. Either you really believe in it or you don't.

 

Buddhism doesn't require a belief.

 

You however, defy it.

[quankanne]

It's because they are ashamed of their own gospel. They really don't believe in hell.

 

I think it's because they're put on the spot and have to admit that only God can judge. They have no say as to who is going to heaven or hell, but when the cameras are rolling and the money's coming in, of course they're going to spew their hell-fire and damnation stuff.

 

not sure what Paul has to do with those others you're talking about – when he experienced his spiritual conversion, he came wholeheartedly to Christ, and accepted that hell was a reward for a life lived contrary to God's design. However, being a *true* Christian, he didn't harp on that. Instead, he encouraged people by means of love of Christ ...

[chris250]

The thing is that it's hypocritical to preach one message in church and preach something contrary when one is put on the spot on secular tv.

 

If they truly believe that they are not qualified to judge who goes to heaven or hell then they should preach that same message in their pulpits. They have no business preaching on hellfire & brimestone anywhere at anytime if they won't preach the same message in all places.

 

So bottom line is they are hypocrites! They talk a good game behind their pulpits but when it comes time to be on tv they don't take a stand for what they believe in.

 

That's the point I'm making. If you can't preach the same message everywhere and you have to beat around the bush in certain situations then you don't have any business preaching it at all.

[chris250]

These people are not religious 'leaders'. They're personalities...I have only heard of one of them, for a start, so I don't figure much on their leadership qualities.

 

 

THis is known as pseudo-religious parrot-speak.....

 

 

because they're on TV, stoopid! They'll say what they're expected to say.

 

 

 

They're religious representatives, not chefs.

 

 

I've heard of Manic Street Preachers. Their music's good, but as for the rest, I've never met any.

You mix with the wrong crowd.

I'd stick to wicked sadistic dominatrices who will whip you to within an inch of your life, and at the same time, tell you how absolutely perfectly wonderful you are, darlink....

 

.

 

Write to Larry King.

This I gotta see........

 

 

 

I wouldn't belong to any organisation that would have me as a member....

 

 

 

They'd have a job making themselves heard over the laughter and the booing though, wouldn't they....?

 

 

 

There you go again, twisting words to suit your own end. Interpretation is one thing. you have taken it to a whole new level and form of art.

 

 

 

I'm sure he told you this whilst you were both stark naked, covered in honey and itching powder, and being marched over by an army of stainless steel stillettos, didn't he? How else would you know this?

 

 

 

We did? oh, good, ok. Yes, we did. (Who's Carlton pearson...?)

 

 

 

 

Hang on though.

He believed in Heaven - and Hell, too.... so, apart form the fact that he spoke perfect sense - what's your point?

 

 

 

Buddhism doesn't require a belief.

 

You however, defy it.

 

Paul didn't believe in hell. The word hell was never mentioned in any of his epistles. He did however believe in death & the grave. He also believed death & the grave were destroyed in the death, burial & resurrection of Christ.

 

I think Paul did believe in universal salvation so much so that he was willing to risk his life just to get the gospel message out. He knew the gospel had the power to transform the minds of those who believe it.

 

Yes there is a salvation that takes place when one believes the good news but it's not a salvation from hell. This salvation is the renewing of the mind. Renewing of the mind is certainly a process.

 

Guilt and pride are 2 things that the gospel takes away from the believer's life. I don't have any guilt about anything I've done wrong. I don't have any pride about anything I've done right either.

 

Besides guilt does not serve a productive purpose. Guilt will not erase what I've done in the past. I might as well learn to live with whatever I did right or wrong and make the most of it.

 

But there's so much freedom in the gospel that even those who would try to be self righteous and judge me and persecute me are still loved by God just the same as everyone else. It makes no difference what the human courts say.

 

If you want more information on Carlton Pearson look him up on you tube. How do I know Billy Graham is a universalist? In his early ministry in the 40s and 50s he was more hellfire & brimestone evangelist but not anymore.

[chris250]

Don't go to their churches or watch them on King, that should solve your problem with them.

 

But not too many people pay attention to the inconsistency in the message they preach. They don't stop and think that they put political correctness as a higher priority over what they call their gospel truth.

 

Ok so maybe they don't feel qualified to judge who goes to heaven or hell. Fine. Then why even preach about hell in the pulpit? But you won't hear them say in their pulpit "as for those who don't believe in Christ I don't know what will happen. That's God's business."

 

No. They have no problem preaching condemnation behind the pulpit because it's safe for them. Nobody can challenge them in their own church buildings. If they are told what they can or cannot say on secular tv then maybe they shouldn't do the interview at all. It's not like they are required to be interviewed.

 

It reminds me of Tony Evans when he was asked to pray at some political luncheon but he was told he could not pray in Jesus' name. He replied "If you don't want me to pray in Jesus' name then find someone else to pray." I respect Tony Evans for this. If one is being asked to do something where they would have to compromise & water down what they really believe then they don't have to go through with it.

 

At least I stay consistent. I can preach anytime anywhere that everyone is going to heaven. It doesn't matter if I'm surrounded by hardcore legalists like the apostolics or 7th day adventists or whether I'm in a bar or doing a presentation in a secular classroom, posting here, posting on any other forum, etc. I don't beat around the bush in certain situations and speak more boldly in others.

[Geishawhelk]

I think I prefer it when you talk about sado-masochism, getting married at 70, and wanting compliments.... That's great material, and you're much funnier.

[taiko]

The thing is that it's hypocritical to preach one message in church and preach something contrary when one is put on the spot on secular tv.

 

If they truly believe that they are not qualified to judge who goes to heaven or hell then they should preach that same message in their pulpits. They have no business preaching on hellfire & brimestone anywhere at anytime if they won't preach the same message in all places.

 

So bottom line is they are hypocrites! They talk a good game behind their pulpits but when it comes time to be on tv they don't take a stand for what they believe in.

 

That's the point I'm making. If you can't preach the same message everywhere and you have to beat around the bush in certain situations then you don't have any business preaching it at all.

Billy Grahamn has not preached "fire and brimstone" for 30 years. He became the beloved pastor, America's pastor if you will. His son Franklin however is heavy on preaching the danger of Islam.

 

Joel Olsteen, pastor of Lakewood Church in Houston. With perhaps America's largest congregation is right there with Rick Warren and is accused of preaching the feel good "Christian lite" message. If you heard "fire and brimstone from him you are alone.

 

Crefelo Dollar is known as a Word/Faith prosperity preacher, not fire and brimstone preacher out of Atlanta. He is wealthy enough to buy time direct from TBN and unlike their second teir pastors he doesnt have to take a turn on the "praise o thons" which look and sound like like PBS fundraiser time. Olsteen also buys direct on TBN. I believe he is Charismatic or Pentecostal but you will never notice that on the broadcast from Lakewood Church.

 

Ted Haggard pastored a mega-church in Colorado and was president of somekind of association for evengelical churches. He showed up in a mocking documentary of evangelics and about the time of the movies release was outed by a gay prosititute. After he stepped down his mega church was attacked by a gunman who was shot and killed by an ex-cop church member who worked the security ministry.

 

Very few preach you will go to hell, rather they preach that only the born again have assurance of going to heaven. Only Pope Benedic and President of the LDS among others claim the spiritual infallability to make such pronouncements in God's name. And they never say for sure someone is going to hell. Which is why evangelist and apologist always have to defend the possibility that Hitler, Pol Pot, Mao, etc. went to heaven because of a deathbed conversion

[anne1707]

The thing is that it's hypocritical to preach one message in church and preach something contrary when one is put on the spot on secular tv.

 

If they truly believe that they are not qualified to judge who goes to heaven or hell then they should preach that same message in their pulpits. They have no business preaching on hellfire & brimestone anywhere at anytime if they won't preach the same message in all places.

 

So bottom line is they are hypocrites! They talk a good game behind their pulpits but when it comes time to be on tv they don't take a stand for what they believe in.

 

That's the point I'm making. If you can't preach the same message everywhere and you have to beat around the bush in certain situations then you don't have any business preaching it at all.

 

I am amazed. I actually agree with Chris250 on something

[OpenBook]

Larry King will usually ask each of them during the interview what happens to people who don't believe in Christ. All of them give the same answer. They all say "well I can't be the judge and God knows the heart."

 

But when you see these same leaders in the pulpit they preach hellfire and brimestone aggressively as awaiting the fate of unbelievers. Why the hell do they give a different message when they are interviewed on secular tv?

 

I think it's because Larry King is Jewish. :D:D

[chris250]

What if it turns out that I'm wrong about universalism? That's the question I've been asked from time to time.

 

If it turns out I'm wrong then I'll beg God not to send anyone to hell who may have happened to be swayed by anything I've written or preached.

 

I'll beg God to let them off the hook and let me serve their punishment for them since it was my fault they got deceived. It's only just that those who want to be teachers of the bible are held to a greater accountability if (that's a big if) there is a future judgment day in the first place.

 

If I find out one second after I die that there really is a hell then I'll beg God to let everybody out of hell and let me be the only one to go to hell. Seeing others in hell would be worse than going to hell myself. Watching others be miserable is worse than being miserable myself.

 

If even one soul goes to hell then heaven would not really be heaven. I don't think I could enjoy heaven with the knowledge of even one soul being excluded no matter what they did wrong during this life. Even Hitler doesn't deserve to be tortured forever.

 

I doubt I have the charisma necessary to deceive anyone but God only knows.

 

That's how confident I am in what I believe to be the truth. I feel pretty good about taking my chances on being wrong. Even if I'm wrong a guilt free life is still a much healthier path to take than a lifetime of fearing death & hell.

 

I would rather risk erroring on the side of overestimating God's love & grace than underestimating it. When your heart is kinder than your doctrine then it's your doctrine that needs to be examined and not your heart. You can feel free to follow your heart. There's nothing wrong with your heart.

 

I suspect these pastors who get on Larry King and backpeddal on their hellfire & brimestone preaching are good examples of people whose hearts are kinder than their doctrine.

 

Especially the christians who disagree with my views but say "I would like to believe that everyone is saved but I don't see that when I read the bible" have revealed that their hearts are kinder than their doctrinal beliefs.

 

Well where did that kindness come from? It had to have come from God. God put His kindness in human hearts. I don't think we produce it ourselves.

 

If there is any bad news in the gospel then it's not really the gospel. The gospel means "good news". It's such good news that it sounds too good to be true but it is true nonetheless.

[Enema]

How many people do you think you've swayed to universalism here?

[taiko]

What if it turns out that I'm wrong about universalism? That's the question I've been asked from time to time.

 

If it turns out I'm wrong then I'll beg God not to send anyone to hell who may have happened to be swayed by anything I've written or preached.

 

I'll beg God to let them off the hook and let me serve their punishment for them since it was my fault they got deceived. It's only just that those who want to be teachers of the bible are held to a greater accountability if (that's a big if) there is a future judgment day in the first place.

 

If I find out one second after I die that there really is a hell then I'll beg God to let everybody out of hell and let me be the only one to go to hell. Seeing others in hell would be worse than going to hell myself. Watching others be miserable is worse than being miserable myself.

 

If even one soul goes to hell then heaven would not really be heaven. I don't think I could enjoy heaven with the knowledge of even one soul being excluded no matter what they did wrong during this life. Even Hitler doesn't deserve to be tortured forever.

 

I doubt I have the charisma necessary to deceive anyone but God only knows.

 

That's how confident I am in what I believe to be the truth. I feel pretty good about taking my chances on being wrong. Even if I'm wrong a guilt free life is still a much healthier path to take than a lifetime of fearing death & hell.

 

I would rather risk erroring on the side of overestimating God's love & grace than underestimating it. When your heart is kinder than your doctrine then it's your doctrine that needs to be examined and not your heart. You can feel free to follow your heart. There's nothing wrong with your heart.

 

I suspect these pastors who get on Larry King and backpeddal on their hellfire & brimestone preaching are good examples of people whose hearts are kinder than their doctrine.

 

Especially the christians who disagree with my views but say "I would like to believe that everyone is saved but I don't see that when I read the bible" have revealed that their hearts are kinder than their doctrinal beliefs.

 

Well where did that kindness come from? It had to have come from God. God put His kindness in human hearts. I don't think we produce it ourselves.

 

If there is any bad news in the gospel then it's not really the gospel. The gospel means "good news". It's such good news that it sounds too good to be true but it is true nonetheless.

Of the star pastors you mentioned only Billy Grahamn was a "fire and brimstone" type. And he dropped that message decades before Larry King became a popular host

[chris250]

How many people do you think you've swayed to universalism here?

 

I don't think I've swayed anyone on LS. But this is not the only place I post. I get different feedbacks and responses on my myspace blogs & a few other forums.

 

I tell them all the same thing. If it turns out I'm wrong I'll beg God to hold me responsible for leading anyone astray.

[The Collector]

Larry King is terrible interviewer. He often knows next to nothing about his guests, asks them stupid questions, doesn't listen to their answers and misses interesting follow-ups. And he looks weird.

[chris250]

It seems like on LS nobody wants to hear good news. It boggles my mind. I would have thought that people would want to believe this message even if it were not true. Why would anyone get angry at good news? Why would anyone prefer the doom and gloom gospel message?

 

I have gotten more depressed ever since I came to LS. I am spending less time here and as a result feeling a little better. This place doesn't give much hope and good news to give to anyone. It is 95% doom and gloom not only with spiritual topics but also with dating and career advice.

 

This place feeds on a person's fears and insecurities. If you have an anxiety disorder and panic attacks then LS is the right place to spend most of your free time at if you want to fuel those panic attacks.

 

We all go through trials and tribulations in this life regardless of our religious convictions. Nobody needs their tribulations compounded upon by being told that God is angry at them. If there is a God the good news is that an angry God does NOT exist.

 

No matter what trials you face in this life at the end of the day you are good to go with God no matter what. Everyone should face death with a clear conscience knowing that they will experience eternal joy & peace with God in heaven.

[The Collector]

I would have thought that people would want to believe this message even if it were not true.

 

You'd be wrong. Many people have no use for comforting lies.

[chris250]

Truth is suppose to set a person free not put them in bondage. I've known christians who ended up in the nut house because they believed they committed an unpardonable sin. Truth does not put a person's mind in such bondage that they wind up in the nut house.

 

Giving a person hope is not a lie. Hopelessness will drive a person insane and keep our mental institutions in business. Most of the patients in those institutions came from a strict legalistic background probably even more legalistic than what any of the posters here have been through.

 

The message I believe in and share does not require behavior modification on your part. It doesn't require you to believe in Jesus. It doesn't require you to produce good works. It doesn't require you to change anything about your life. '

 

You should change because you want to not because you think God or others expect you to in order to be accepted & loved.

 

It's a message that says you are free to do something with your life or do nothing with it. Whether you take an active role to stop world hunger or whether you sit around as a bump on a log for the next 80 years it doesn't change the fact that God loves you no more or less than anyone else. He won't love you any more or less than what He does this very minute.

 

If I do nothing with my life I will get the same reward in heaven as a person who stopped world hunger. It's called grace. We're saved by grace alone. No works and no faith required on mans' part.

 

God already fulfilled all the requirements in the life, death, burial & resurrection of Jesus Christ if you think God required anything of you in the first place. That's what unconditional love & grace is all about. God did for the world what the world was helpless to do for itself.

 

Will this ever be a popular message? probably not but that doesn't necessarily make it a lie. Not everyone will buy it in this life. In fact most will not.

 

But I think we will all be in for a surprise after we die when we find out that yes God did love everyone that much to bring everyone safely home. All souls are important to God. How could He think otherwise? Love keeps no record of wrongs and God is love. (1st Corinthians 13:3-8).

[chris250]

Chris, why would someone want to believe something that you say might be a lie? It's hard to look at something as good news when all you do is bash those who disagree. If it were so good, you could lay it out there and let others choose for themselves.

 

Your assumption that all our ministers preach doom and gloom is a generalization that isn't fair or true. You assume that's all we hear. I am a fan of Joel Olsteen and I have never heard him preach doom and gloom. Actually my current Pastor thinks he preaches to (his words not mine)lollipop religion. I hear how God loves me(and others) so much he sent his Son to die for me on the cross. I hear he loves me so much that he gives me chance after chance to do the right thing and still loves me when I fail. I fail a lot.

 

I don't read all the post on here, so I can't empathically say no one is being told that God is angry, but the what I do read, doesn't say that. You just seem so in need of something that only you are able to give yourself.

 

 

Joel Olesteen has invited Bill Wiese as a guest speaker at his church. Bill Wiese is the author of the book "23 minutes in hell." Joel Olesteen allowed Bill to share what he believes was a real experience of 23 minutes in hell.

 

If Joel was really all about positive messages then why would he invite someone like Bill Wiese to speak at his church? Joel Olsteen also believes in tithing and that God will not bless your finances if you don't give. Joel's gospel is more about money instead of other things.

 

By the way a chance salvation is not good news. That sounds more like probation.

[Geishawhelk]

It seems like on LS nobody wants to hear good news. It boggles my mind. I would have thought that people would want to believe this message even if it were not true. Why would anyone get angry at good news? Why would anyone prefer the doom and gloom gospel message?

 

I have gotten more depressed ever since I came to LS. I am spending less time here and as a result feeling a little better. This place doesn't give much hope and good news to give to anyone. It is 95% doom and gloom not only with spiritual topics but also with dating and career advice.

 

This place feeds on a person's fears and insecurities. If you have an anxiety disorder and panic attacks then LS is the right place to spend most of your free time at if you want to fuel those panic attacks.

 

We all go through trials and tribulations in this life regardless of our religious convictions. Nobody needs their tribulations compounded upon by being told that God is angry at them. If there is a God the good news is that an angry God does NOT exist.

 

No matter what trials you face in this life at the end of the day you are good to go with God no matter what. Everyone should face death with a clear conscience knowing that they will experience eternal joy & peace with God in heaven.

 

You need to be able to distinguish your fact from your fiction.

The reason nobody buys into your stuff, is because you contradict yourself constantly, are unreliable in your comments, have some seriously twisted issues and we simply cannot give your assertions any credence.

 

Buddhism attracts a very fair and large share of cranks, and an awful lot of people who have mental problems.

 

Why?

 

Three reasons:

 

ONE: Buddhism is about taming and understanding the Mind.

TWO: Buddhism is about seeking and finding answers within.

THREE: There is no God, in Buddhism. So there's no judgement, and nothing to be accountable to, except yourself.

 

People think therefore, that Buddhism is an easy deal, something that can provide solutions to problems, because the bottom line is, it doesn't matter in the end.

 

This is how much people misunderstand Buddhism.

 

I am one of the happiest people I know.

I am very rarely despondent, and if I am, trust me, I refuse to stay there for long.

 

But Buddhism is hard work.

Hard work.

People think it's a cop-out, but it's quite the opposite.

 

It's very easy to believe that God loves everyone, and everyone will go to heaven.

it's a lovely thought.

It's a wonderful thing for you to believe in.

but the bottom line is that it's just that.

What you believe.

You have chosen to believe.

And that's fine.

 

Why don't you do a bit of investigating and study other cultures, other religions, other viewpoints, other perspectives....?

 

Your happiness or otherwise, is ultimately your choice.

All joking aside chris, you won't find it when you're 70, you won't find it with your dating (scorecard) plan, you won't find it by finding a dominatrix and you won't find it by making all these conditions of the type of woman you want and what you want her to do for you.

Your happiness, contentment, peace of mind and serenity, are sitting right here in your lap, right now.

Up to you whether you decide to be happy or not.

[chris250]

And it is doom and gloom if Joel Olesteen or whoever you listens to proclaims that not all will be saved. So yes 95% of the christian world believes in doom and gloom.

 

Everyone will buy into my message eventually but probably not in this life. Like it or not the human race is one big happy family. You all may as well get used to me because we're all going to be together for eternity.

[The Collector]

You all may as well get used to me because we're all going to be together for eternity.

 

Any evidence for that assertion? Seems like we die and that's it.

[chris250]

Here with the generalizations again. Have you visited and interviewed most of the patients in these mental institutions? Where is your empiracal evidence? How long did it take you to complete your case studies?

 

No one thinks you don't have a right to your opinion or a right to state it. But the assumptions you make are far reaching at best. Either you believe the bible or you don't. To pick out certain scriptures to support what you agree with and bash other scriptures as untrue or man made them up to support your argument only allows people see your inconsistancies in your own beliefs.

 

Everybody picks and chooses what they want to believe out of the bible. All denominations form their doctrines by picking and choosing. The only difference is that I admit to picking and choosing. They don't.

 

Most of them claim that the bible is 100% inerrant and infallable put still pick and choose including Joel Olesteen. I have never claimed that all of the bible is infalliable.

 

The scriptures are the law, the psalms, and the prophets. I don't believe everything I read in any of the new testament epistles until after I've checked it out against what the prophets foretold first. The prophets never foretold of a "chance salvation."

 

They never foretold of a time when the Messiah would come to put people on probation and give them an opportunity to shape up. They did foretell that a Messiah would come to redeem the world. Mission accomplished!

 

So yes I do pick and choose what to believe in light of what the Law, the Psalms, and the Prophets have written.

[chris250]

Any evidence for that assertion? Seems like we die and that's it.

 

I can appreciate your viewpoint because at least you don't believe in hell. Your mind will not get messed up by believing that we go into eternal sleep.