Zone1 Jesus was mean.. (I guess) because He said that anyone who does not accept the Gospel is condemned!

[surada]

First you should realize that not all Christians think the Bible is totally literally true.

Should We Read (All of) the Bible Literally? - Topical Studies

While much of the Bible is not intended to be taken literally, and may not always be accurate by today’s standards, it is always truthful. Allow the message of the Bible to speak its timeless truth to you without trying to make it be something it’s not. ...

www.biblestudytools.com

The Power Of Storytellers To Shape Our World

Yuval Noah Harari says Sapiens conquered the world because we can tell stories that inspire people to cooperate.

www.forbes.com

Sapiens conquered the world because we can tell stories that inspire people to cooperate in very large numbers.

“Storytelling is our superpower,” Harari told me.

“We are the only species with the ability to use language—not just to describe things we can see, taste, and touch, but also to invent stories about things that don’t exist.”

RE/MAX

 

[lg325]

A lot of people once believed that ceartin things did not exist and were proven wrong. Jonah or ''Jonas'' did exist as does the city of Ninevah. As far as the fish story I can see that happening in some way or the other. Remember a lot of folks thought that humans could fly was fantasy even to recent years thought man could never survive in outer space but were proven wrong.

 

[Batcat]

The Power Of Storytellers To Shape Our World

Yuval Noah Harari says Sapiens conquered the world because we can tell stories that inspire people to cooperate.

www.forbes.com

Sapiens conquered the world because we can tell stories that inspire people to cooperate in very large numbers.

“Storytelling is our superpower,” Harari told me.

“We are the only species with the ability to use language—not just to describe things we can see, taste, and touch, but also to invent stories about things that don’t exist.”

RE/MAX

I believe in Jesus although I do not believe the Bible is the literal truth. I seriously believe that my faith carried me through some rough times in my life.

 

[Donald H]

First you should realize that not all Christians think the Bible is totally literally true.

Should We Read (All of) the Bible Literally? - Topical Studies

While much of the Bible is not intended to be taken literally, and may not always be accurate by today’s standards, it is always truthful. Allow the message of the Bible to speak its timeless truth to you without trying to make it be something it’s not. ...

www.biblestudytools.com

It's sort of a 50/50 split with Americans. Half believe that it's actually possible to live in the belly of a big fish. No argument about that! Do you?

 

[Batcat]

It's sort of a 50/50 split with Americans. Half believe that it's actually possible to live in the belly of a big fish. No argument about that! Do you?

I believe God created the entire universe. A man living in a fish would be no big deal for such an entity.

Was Jonah truly swallowed by a whale? | GotQuestions.org

Was Jonah truly swallowed by a whale? How could Jonah possibly survive being swallowed by a large fish?

www.gotquestions.org

snip


As for the whale or great fish that swallowed Jonah, the Bible doesn’t specify what sort of marine animal it was. The Hebrew phrase used in the Old Testament, gadowl dag, literally means “great fish.” The Greek used in the New Testament is këtos, which simply means “sea creature.” There are at least two species of Mediterranean marine life that are able to swallow a man whole. These are the cachalot (also known as the sperm whale) and the white shark. Both creatures are known to prowl the Mediterranean and have been known to sailors since antiquity. Aristotle described both species in his fourth-century-BC Historia Animalium.

Skeptics scoff at the miracles described in the book of Jonah as if there were no mechanism by which such events could occur. That is their bias. We are inclined, however, to believe that there is One who is capable of manipulating natural phenomena in such supernatural ways. We believe that He is the Creator of the natural realm and is not, therefore, circumscribed by it. We believe God sent Jonah to Nineveh to bring about their repentance and that, in the process, Jonah was swallowed by a whale or great fish.

Jesus spoke of Jonah’s ordeal as a real historical event. He used it as a typological metaphor for His own crucifixion and resurrection: “As Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of a huge fish, so the Son of Man will be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth. The men of Nineveh will stand up at the judgment with this generation and condemn it; for they repented at the preaching of Jonah, and now something greater than Jonah is here” (Matthew 12:40–41.

The evidence is such that any Christian should have confidence to believe that Jonah was truly swallowed by a whale, and any skeptic should think twice before dismissing the story of Jonah as a fairy tale.

 

[Donald H]

I believe God created the entire universe. A man living in a fish would be no big deal for such an entity.

Was Jonah truly swallowed by a whale? | GotQuestions.org

Was Jonah truly swallowed by a whale? How could Jonah possibly survive being swallowed by a large fish?

www.gotquestions.org

snip


As for the whale or great fish that swallowed Jonah, the Bible doesn’t specify what sort of marine animal it was.

Your new evidence is compelling IMO for many Christians, but not to be accepted by Catholics. They have been granted the right by the church to not need to accept their bibles as being literally true. That allows them the freedom to throw out Genesis and anything else stated in the bibles as fable, with a clear conscience.

Personally, I have no opinion because I'm not obliged to form an opinion. Your task is in selling or convincing Catholics that the story is still quite possible.

Fwiw, a Blue Whale would also easily be capable of swallowing a man, although lacking any motivation to do so.

 

[irosie91]

Your new evidence is compelling IMO for many Christians, but not to be accepted by Catholics. They have been granted the right by the church to not need to accept their bibles as being literally true. That allows them the freedom to throw out Genesis and anything else stated in the bibles as fable, with a clear conscience.

Personally, I have no opinion because I'm not obliged to form an opinion. Your task is in selling or convincing Catholics that the story is still quite possible.

Fwiw, a Blue Whale would also easily be capable of swallowing a man, although lacking any motivation to do so.

here is my take-----"SWALLOWED UP" in poetry--is likely not anything like chewed up and eaten.
It is just more like grabbed and held. It is (perhaps) remotely possible that Jonah took a ride on some sort of sea creature---and ended up in Nineveh which was not all that far away---maybe a Dolphin----or maybe he just did the BUTTERFLY stroke. He didn't go around the world and he was not DIGESTED

 

[Donald H]

here is my take-----"SWALLOWED UP" in poetry--is likely not anything like chewed up and eaten.
It is just more like grabbed and held. It is (perhaps) remotely possible that Jonah took a ride on some sort of sea creature---and ended up in Nineveh which was not all that far away---maybe a Dolphin----or maybe he just did the BUTTERFLY stroke. He didn't go around the world and he was not DIGESTED

I'm not committed either way but to be honest, I'm very interested in hearing more theories that could be possibly the truth.
However, to be completely honest, I have to lean with the Catholics' theory that calls it all bullsh-t.

Run your theories by Meriweather.

 

[irosie91]

I'm not committed either way but to be honest, I'm very interested in hearing more theories that could be possibly the truth.
However, to be completely honest, I have to lean with the Catholics' theory that calls it all bullsh-t.

Run your theories by Meriweather.

nothing is ALL bullshit----even the "new" testament if you read it with discernment---and the BAGHAVAD GITA------however BEOWULF seems silly to me

 

[ding]

nothing is ALL bullshit----even the "new" testament if you read it with discernment---and the BAGHAVAD GITA------however BEOWULF seems silly to me

It's doubtful Donald H. has read any of these texts with discernment. He's a hammer looking for a nail and his signature move is to intentionally and habitually misstate what others have said. Which just so happens is a trademark of subversives.

 

[lg325]

What you say about the Catholic church is true how does the hierarchy feel about the Virgin Birth?

 

[Lisa558]

True story.. I believe it is the last chapter of Matthew.. (Mt 28:20?)

He says He is with us always, until the End

Then he says to preach the Gospel to everyone. Those who accept and are BAPTIZED will be saved. Those who do not are condemned.

Yep, that Jesus... what a meanie

LOL

I doubt he said that. It runs contrary to Jewish thinking.

 

[Batcat]

Your new evidence is compelling IMO for many Christians, but not to be accepted by Catholics. They have been granted the right by the church to not need to accept their bibles as being literally true. That allows them the freedom to throw out Genesis and anything else stated in the bibles as fable, with a clear conscience.

Personally, I have no opinion because I'm not obliged to form an opinion. Your task is in selling or convincing Catholics that the story is still quite possible.

Fwiw, a Blue Whale would also easily be capable of swallowing a man, although lacking any motivation to do so.

I have no interest in trying to convince a Catholic of anything.

I personally am not fond of the concept of a Pope and I don’t pray to the mother Mary although I respect her. Still, I don’t believe that Catholics are destined to go to Hell simply because they are Catholics. I feel Catholics can quality for heaven the same as Protestants.

How to Get To Heaven God's Way​

The Gospel Truth About How to Get to Heaven

If you believe you can get to heaven by being a good person, you'll be shocked at what the Bible says. We unmask the biggest misconception in Christianity.

www.learnreligions.com

snip

Because people can never be good enough to get to heaven, God provided a way, through justification, for them to be credited with the righteousness of Jesus Christ:


“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life." (John 3:16, NIV)


Getting to heaven is not a matter of keeping the Commandments, because no one can. Neither is it a matter of being ethical, going to church, saying a certain number of prayers, making pilgrimages, or attaining levels of enlightenment. Those things may represent goodness by religious standards, but Jesus reveals what matters to him and his Father:


"In reply Jesus declared, 'I tell you the truth, no one can see the kingdom of God unless he is born again.’” (John 3:3, NIV)


"Jesus answered, 'I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.'" (John 14:6, NIV)


Receiving salvation through Christ is a simple step-by-step process that has nothing to do with works or goodness. Eternal life in heaven comes through God's grace, a gift. It is gained through faith in Jesus, not performance.


The Bible is the final authority on heaven, and its truth is crystal clear:


"That if you confess with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved." (Romans 10:9, NIV)

 

[ding]

Your new evidence is compelling IMO for many Christians, but not to be accepted by Catholics. They have been granted the right by the church to not need to accept their bibles as being literally true. That allows them the freedom to throw out Genesis and anything else stated in the bibles as fable, with a clear conscience.

Personally, I have no opinion because I'm not obliged to form an opinion. Your task is in selling or convincing Catholics that the story is still quite possible.

Fwiw, a Blue Whale would also easily be capable of swallowing a man, although lacking any motivation to do so.

Why do you lie so much?

 

[Clyde 154]

True story.. I believe it is the last chapter of Matthew.. (Mt 28:20?)

He says He is with us always, until the End

Then he says to preach the Gospel to everyone. Those who accept and are BAPTIZED will be saved. Those who do not are condemned.

Yep, that Jesus... what a meanie

LOL

This the truth that "sets you free" (John 8:31-32)..........Jesus was anything but tolerant when it came to teaching the gospel truth. He called those who corrupted the Holy Scriptures with man made traditions ".......vipers and hypocrites" (Matt. 23) Its not mean to provide a path to salvation through GRACE, as a gift from God......as none are worthy of salvation, all men sin. (Romans 3:10-20). Jesus confronted liars every time they challenged the Gospel truth........He even took a strap to the money changers in the Temple. (Matt. 21:12-13)

 

[Clyde 154]

I have no interest in trying to convince a Catholic of anything.

I personally am not fond of the concept of a Pope and I don’t pray to the mother Mary although I respect her. Still, I don’t believe that Catholics are destined to go to Hell simply because they are Catholics. I feel Catholics can quality for heaven the same as Protestants.

How to Get To Heaven God's Way​

The Gospel Truth About How to Get to Heaven

If you believe you can get to heaven by being a good person, you'll be shocked at what the Bible says. We unmask the biggest misconception in Christianity.

www.learnreligions.com

snip

Because people can never be good enough to get to heaven, God provided a way, through justification, for them to be credited with the righteousness of Jesus Christ:


“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life." (John 3:16, NIV)


Getting to heaven is not a matter of keeping the Commandments, because no one can. Neither is it a matter of being ethical, going to church, saying a certain number of prayers, making pilgrimages, or attaining levels of enlightenment. Those things may represent goodness by religious standards, but Jesus reveals what matters to him and his Father:


"In reply Jesus declared, 'I tell you the truth, no one can see the kingdom of God unless he is born again.’” (John 3:3, NIV)


"Jesus answered, 'I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.'" (John 14:6, NIV)


Receiving salvation through Christ is a simple step-by-step process that has nothing to do with works or goodness. Eternal life in heaven comes through God's grace, a gift. It is gained through faith in Jesus, not performance.


The Bible is the final authority on heaven, and its truth is crystal clear:


"That if you confess with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved." (Romans 10:9, NIV)

The scriptures declare.......that none are "GOOD", EXCEPT GOD. (Mark 10:18-21) Thus its a most difficult thing to find salvation through goodness when there is not one GOOD person in existence. Salvation comes as a GIFT from God through the Grace of Jesus Christ (Eph. 2:8-10)..who sacrificed Himself to stand as sin for all mankind (1 John 2:2, 1 Peter 2:24)

The Apostle Paul is the perfect example of finding redemption through the kindness of Jesus Christ.............Saul, as he was known........persecuted Christians, having them stoned.....or worse. Yet Jesus forgave him and made him the Apostle of the Gentiles to spread the gospel as delivered to Paul through the Spirit of Truth.....truth from Heaven, AKA the gospel truth....i.e,, the GOOD NEWS, God has made a path for salvation to all mankind having planned this gift for mankind before the worlds were created (1 Peter 1:20) or time itself began (2 Tim. 1:9) Tell us how this is an example of Meanness? God would have all mankind saved by coming to the knowledge of the truth (1 Tim. 2:4) God does not condemn anyone..........people go to hell via free will choice. Heaven or Hell is a free will choice.

 

[irosie91]

This the truth that "sets you free" (John 8:31-32)..........Jesus was anything but tolerant when it came to teaching the gospel truth. He called those who corrupted the Holy Scriptures with man made traditions ".......vipers and hypocrites" (Matt. 23) Its not mean to provide a path to salvation through GRACE, as a gift from God......as none are worthy of salvation, all men sin. (Romans 3:10-20). Jesus confronted liars every time they challenged the Gospel truth........He even took a strap to the money changers in the Temple. (Matt. 21:12-13)

How did the money changers in the Temple courtyard 'CHALLENGE' the 'gospel truth'?

 

[Hawkins]

True story.. I believe it is the last chapter of Matthew.. (Mt 28:20?)

He says He is with us always, until the End

Then he says to preach the Gospel to everyone. Those who accept and are BAPTIZED will be saved. Those who do not are condemned.

Yep, that Jesus... what a meanie

LOL

God is to build an eternity (not earth) we call Heaven where God will live with angels and humans happily forever and ever. Earth is just a stepping stone to achieve the goal.

On the other hand, God is completely sin-incompatible. He can't be happy in an eternity living with sins. That's why, for everyone's happiness, Law is set up to identify the so-called righteous who can live with such a sin-incompatible God eternally. Law followed by a Final Judgment defines who is qualified to enter Heaven. At the same time, Law serves as God's promise to say that, "if you pass this Judgment of Law, I will bear with you in eternity, no matter what".

Under this Law, 2/3 angels will pass the Judgment to enter Heaven, as hinted in the book of Revelation. However under the bad influence of the other 1/3 angels who are much more capable and intelligent than humans (like the crafty snake in Eden), no human can pass such a Judgment of Law. Just as said, no one is righteous (i.e., in front of Law) not even one.

As a result, either humans as a whole shall be destroyed, as demanded by Law, or God must provide an alternative salvation for human kind. Needless to say this alternative salvation is through Jesus Christ's self-sacrifice. Covenants are thus granted to humans (human only) and now humans are subject to the Judgment of Covenant instead of the Judgment of Law.

As shown in Genesis, the Eden story to be more specific, there are two crucial factors which caused the fall of Adam. First is the lack of obedience and the second is the lack of faith. Law is an assessment of obedience, which humans would fail. Covenants at the end are about the assessment of human faith. If humans failed again, naturally they will be condemned.

God is the God of living, not the God of the dead. God at the end will withdraw His knowledge as well as His influence from a place lying outside of God's own dwelling realm. While any realm outside of God's realm will inevitably decay to a hell where the most evil and the most powerful one will eventually rule. This happens to be Satan. Satan is your god in a realm where God's influence is absent, it is a thus a hell. So ask your god Satan for help in case you have any needs. That's actually the meaning of being condemned.

Moreover, our universe is not the nature, it's God-made instead. True nature is supposed to be filled with energy and fire. Without God's active maintenance, hell will return to the true nature at the end. Satan is incapable of countering being swallowed by the true nature. That's what the meaning of a burning hell is.

By then and when you have to seek help from your god Satan, you will truly know who the meanie is.

 

[Mac-7]

Also a party pooper when he told the woman to go and sin no more

 

[LordBrownTrout]

Jonah and the big fish story are going to be a very painful and bitter pill for Christians to swallow, no matter how the it's manipulated to make it rational to believe.

Do you have any ideas for the rewrite?

Speaking of Jonah, the second part of the eclipse going through america crosses 7 cities named ninevah. The first eclipse went through 7 cities named salem, the ancient name for jerusalem. All coincidence? I dont think so.