There has been some recent studies done in the past 3 years that show cohabiting partners have a higher rate of divorce after 5 years of marriage. This is based on American studies in psychology and sociology.
One of the largest disadvantages to premarital cohabitation is economic for couples. There are certain factors as to why it's not the best for long term relationships depending on the couples themselves and their personal goals and beliefs.
Although it is the new normal for American society it doesn't necessarily mean it's healthy or better. There have been studies conducted and have produced the data showing that people and entire families benefit substantially and notably from couples who refrain from not only premarital cohabitation but also premarital coitus. These alternatives are not popular within many cultures including our own (if you're from a western culture) but they produce excellent results and benefits for all parties involved in most cases. @VanillaSalt@Jamie05rhs
So... don’t live together or have sex before marriage... does anal count? Na jk. Still don’t understand how though unless it changes how a person looks at the relationship and going In order effects this. I would believe it was the opposite.
Oh well I’ll prob never get married so I’ll never know lmao.
Because you can get use to living with each other before actually decided on a marriage and maybe to test how your relationship change when living together whether it's going to be good or bad.
Setting yourself up for failure before or maybe after marriage. It's not a guarantee that your relationship will be good when you get married. You will still learn and disagree about things before and after marriage.
Ask yourself this.."Which part of the traditional vows can you not see yourself committed to? If you name one, you do not need to get married. Because you will definitely experience one specifically... "Better or worst".
Marriage is nothing more than a verbal commitment before God and man. So, umm, yeah... Knock yourself out! You want to stand before man than God. "It's your pleasure." (In my Chick-fil-A voice)
Well another christian told me that athiests should be banned from marriage so I'm just asking to see what you believe. Sorry if that question seems ridiculous, but religion is ridiculous sometimes, at least in my opinion. Have you seen the christians who speak in tongues? Anyways I'm getting off track. Good, I'm glad you think no one should be banned from marriage.
Unfortunately, I dislike so call "Christians" not representing the very God they say they follow. Jesus never treated people like that. The entire Bible is all about love of God and mankind. If you ask God for understanding of the Bible, read it and study it without judgment, you will walk away with "Love".
And, yes, religion can be silly because of "Man". But, we shouldn't allow "Man" from stopping us to read and study for ourselves. I grew up in the church all my life and was never taught to look at "Man" but God. God uses man for many things "Spiritual, Medical, Education, Science, etc. He created it all due to popular belief.
And, yes, I have "Speaking in tongues as the "Spirit" gives utterance. I look at one every day in the mirror. If you wanna chat about it message me. I'll tell you my testimony.
What is your interpretation of exodus 21:2-11? How does this teach love? The story of jephthah? 2 kings 2:23-24?
What does it mean to not look at "man" but god?
What have you said? Which languages has he made you speak? How do you know you were speaking an actual language and not making things up? Have you looked into any of the analysis of this phenomenon? For example William J Samarin analyzed 5 years worth of data on the subject in 1972 and found it to be "meaningless but phonologically structured human utterance, believed by the speaker to be a real language but bearing no systematic resemblance to any natural language, living or dead". Other linguistic experts have done similar analysis and reached similar conclusions.
I'll say this my friend. You will not comprehend anything I will say because you don't believe. Now, as far mankind. My thoughts and not a Christian. I'm using my God given brain. Man is stupid yet have the intelligence of a fool. No matter how you dice it. You were made by something far greater than yourself. And, God has given man the choice to believe him and follow or get left behind. Yes, God has given you the choice to not believe in him. And, you have made that choice. Or, have you? Because for life of me I don't understand why you are trying to understand something you don't believe in. I don't try to understand an atheist (If that's what you are) because there's nothing to know about you. I don't try debunk your God (Which is you.. You are a god unto yourself) Now, if you came to learn and study, that's "one thing" But, you ask questions to challenge. I don't like throw offs "How is that showing love" Read it! The Bible is about "People" no different than what's going on in the world today. God's word gives guidance back then and now. You can't take one passage from the Bible and run with it. You must prayer, read and study. Annd, pray again. The Bible says "Study to show thyself approve... Man shall not live by bread alone but by the word of God, love God, etc." What's wrong with that? Sounds good to me. You focus your attention on the wrong things in the Bible "Man's sins" to justify "you" And, why do you believe in you. I don't believe in me. I am my worst enemy. I believe in God and his word.
Just as it read. You focus your attention on a man or woman to know God for yourself. And, by doing so you will fail. A Christian is just a representative and not the owner of heaven or hell. God is. Look to Jesus the author and finisher of the faith. In him we move and have our being. Not man.
Fourth question:
If one don't believe, he will not understand. The Bible says the Christian life is a believe lifestyle. You are taking information from someone who don't believe. The Bible says as the "Spirit" gives utterance. If you don't have the spirit of God, you will not speak in tongues.
I Corinthians 2:14 "But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned."
So my lack of belief makes me stupid? Is that what you're saying? Those who don't believe in God are incapable of comprehending anything about him? Seems ridiculous to me tbh, I don't see how belief affects my intelligence/comprehension skills like that.
How do you know I was made by something greater than myself? Does this mean something greater than God created God? Did God create himself? Can anything exist without being created?
Apparently God has not given me the choice to belief in him, because according to you, I can't comprehend anything about him, and therefore cannot possibly believe in him.
I tried to believe in Christianity, I went to a christian highschool, I read the full bible, when I was 12, I prayed, I begged God for a sign, I begged God to save me from my sadness and loneliness, I begged and begged to God and I heard nothing, I saw nothing, all I felt was emptiness and lonliness. I understand the religion because when I was suicidal I threw myself at it in the hopes it would save me, it didn't, in the end I saved myself.
I am an athiest. With that said, why don't you try to understand athiests? I try to understand christians out of my love for humanity. I want to see us succeed, I want to help people, I want to know the truth, and I want to know my place in the world. I am curious about so much, understanding the how and why of the universe is one of my greatest desire, helping humanity to grow would be another of my greatest desires. I don't understand how you (regardless of religion) can just choose to not try to understand others, maybe you just love christianity instead of humanity? I don't know for sure, I'm just guessing. What do you mean there is nothing to know about me, I just divulged a lot of information about myself.
I am not God. I dont think anyone or anything is God, if I had to choose something then I would say everything is part of God. The universe as a whole, is God, I don't see anything else great enough to worship. If there is a God who is able to percieve how his actions affect us then in my opinion, he must be as flawed as we are. If he were perfecf then the world wouldn't be as flawed as it is. That isn't specifically against your God by the way, that's my view on the universe, I see flaws everywhere, not just in humanity but everywhere, what kind of loving God would create cancer? Or mental illness? Why would a God create people who are incapable of comprehending him?
I already did learn and study. You however, did not. You know nothing of my beliefs, yet I have read the bible. I mean that doesn't give me insight into your interpretation of the bible, but it certainly helps me to understand where you're coming from. To be fair, in your defence athiests don't have a book like the bible so the only way you can understand anything about any athiest's beliefs is to ask about it.
I ask questions to understand and to help others understand, I can be quite straightforward with my challenges. Socrates (a great philosopher who I look up to) once said, "an unexamined life is not worth living.", he said that just before he drank poison (he was convicted of a crime and sentenced to death, they gave him this choice because he had served as a warrior or something). The meaning should be clear, you should question and examine everything, never accept something purely on faith, I use this to examine my beliefs and try to figure it flaws in my logic, I wish I was perfect, but I am FAR from it. Examing myself is the only way I can improve myself, so I constantly question myself. I also extend this to others, and instead of berating them I try to ask them questions in order to lead them into examining themselves and their own beliefs.
I have read it, if I hadn't read it then I wouldn't be quoting it. I agree that the bible is about people and the biblical God and the relationship between the two, however I cannot say if the bible is about real people or fictional people, I cannot even say who the authors are. Neither can you tbh, you believe what you believe and I'm not attacking you on that, but we have no certainty on the Bible's author or whether or not many of the people in it ever existed. We have evidence for some but then, for example, Jesus is basically only mentioned in the bible, outside of that we have a couple Roman's who said that they saw someone who was supposedly related to Jesus or knew Jesus. For example we have writings from Josephus Flavius that he watched Jesus' brother, James, being executed by roman soldiers. We have no eye witness accounts of Jesus' death other than the bible.
You can get guidance just about anywhere tbh, the native/indigenous peoples of my country, Canada, used to seek guidance from their ancestors and animal spirits. I'm not saying there is anything wrong with that by the way, just using it as an example. People can get guidance in many many ways, some people even think they see messages of guidance written in the stars or in their alphabet soup.
How does prayer help? I ask genuinely, I've tried prayer, it did nothing for me, so I have 0 understanding of it's benefits.
There is nothing wrong with that verse, but here, let me show you something, "The art of reading and studying consists in remembering the essentials and forgetting what is not essential.", I won't even give you a chance to wonder where that's from by the way, it's mein kampf, that was written by Hitler.
You can find decent guidance in pretty much any book, as long as you ignore the bad parts, but that doesn't mean that the book is necessarily good. In this case I am not saying the bible is like Mein Kampf, but rather using Mein Kampf as an extreme exampke that shows even the most vile and bigoted pieces of work can have slivers of insight that actually aren't bad. I focus on everything in the bible, good and bad, I only pointed out the bad to you because you only see the good. You are correct that there are things we can learn in the bible, much of what Jesus said was very wise, for example giving to charity is good.
I focus on the sins because it shows that even the bible has evil in it. Not everything the bible teaches is good, just like how not everything Mein Kampf teaches is bad. Both good and evil exists inside everything and everyone.
I believe in myself because the existence of my mind is the only thing I have true 100% certainty of. For all I know I could be insane, I could be schizophrenic, everything I experience could be fake, a chemical response in the brain. Beyond that, I don't believe in me, I often think that I am a failure and that everything I do is wrong, my self esteem is shit, I've even thought that I'd be better off dead and the world would be better off without me. I am also my worst enemy, I've always been my own biggest bully, I'm flawed and I often feel conflicted, but I think that's just normal for humans.
Why do you believe in God and his word?
Exodus 21: 2 “If you buy a Hebrew servant,(D) he is to serve you for six years. But in the seventh year, he shall go free,(E) without paying anything. 3 If he comes alone, he is to go free alone; but if he has a wife when he comes, she is to go with him. 4 If his master gives him a wife and she bears him sons or daughters, the woman and her children shall belong to her master, and only the man shall go free.
This is "indentured servitude", but if you read further and deeper, you'll see that this doesn't extend to everyone, only male jews. Non-jews, and women, were owned for life.
Exodus 21: 7 “If a man sells his daughter as a servant, she is not to go free as male servants do. 8 If she does not please the master who has selected her for himself, he must let her be redeemed. He has no right to sell her to foreigners, because he has broken faith with her. 9 If he selects her for his son, he must grant her the rights of a daughter. 10 If he marries another woman, he must not deprive the first one of her food, clothing and marital rights. 11 If he does not provide her with these three things, she is to go free, without any payment of money.
For non-jew slaves we have to turn to leviticus 25:44-46, which says: 44 And as for your male and female slaves whom you may have—from the nations that are around you, from them you may buy male and female slaves. 45 Moreover you may buy (A) the children of the strangers who dwell among you, and their families who are with you, which they beget in your land; and they shall become your property.
Sure, some bible verses say one thing but I can find verses which contradict that. I can find verses of God hurting young ones, and the bible condoning the stoning of children. If you don't believe me, 2 kings 2:23-24 features children harmed by God, the story of Jephthah features God allowing and condoning child sacrifice, and Leviticus 20:9 says: "`If anyone curses his father or mother, he must be put to death. He has cursed his father or his mother, and his blood will be on his own head.
With that said I cannot see the questions I asked anymore, and I'm not sure what you were responding to with the second answer.
Please stop telling me what I believe or what I do. Stop making assumptions about me. I dont focus on anyone to know God for myself, I focus on the bible to know "God" (the god of the bible, aka Jehovah aka Yahweh), and I focus on people to understand them and their understanding of things.
A Christian is a representative of what? Is God the creator of Heaven and Hell? Is God the creator of Sin? To be honest, that seems like a nice non-answer. I still don't feel like I understand how YOU personally, look at God and not man. What does that even mean? Does it mean God tells you what to believe? Does it mean you interpret the bible in order to know what to believe? What does it even mean? I genuinely don't understand.
Why do people need to believe in God to understand anything? What does "believe lifestyle" even mean? I've never heard that term before. Why do I need information from someone who believes in YOUR God? How would belief in a God help me to understand things? I genuinely want to understabd everything so please explain this to me. I don't really want to speak in tongues, in my opinion it seems like the same as saying nothing, so I have no desire to do it.
So you think Athiests can never know anything about God? Can Athiests learn about God without believing in him? If not then how does anyone convert from athiesm to Christianity?
Sorry that was so long, I wanted to respond to as much as I could and actually offer a full explanation about myself so you maybe understand me a little. I also wanted to question your beliefs, both to push you to question yourself, and to help myself understand YOU personally, and what leads you to believe in God.
I just reread a bit of what I said and realized I left out the last verse of leviticus 25 44-46
44 “‘Your male and female slaves are to come from the nations around you; from them you may buy slaves. 45 You may also buy some of the temporary residents living among you and members of their clans born in your country, and they will become your property. 46 You can bequeath them to your children as inherited property and can make them slaves for life, but you must not rule over your fellow Israelites ruthlessly.
"Slaves for life" "you can bequeth them to your children as inherited property"
by the way I tried to respond to everything in order of how you wrote it, so I apologize if it gets confusing at points, maybe I should have quoted you to show what I was refering to.
I would say so yes, because the idea of marriage is for life, so it is vital to understand how you both cope with each other in close proximity before making the leap.
I mean dating is a test drive so why not living together as a test drive before getting married? I think that's a great idea.
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Anonymous
(36-45)
+1 y
Yes, I need to know is it possible to live with her as I suppose to sing up for rest of my life being with her, but that is not relevant these days marriage only peace of paper letting women to take everything in time of divorce...
I did that and it did not help. Things change when you get married not mater if you live together first or not. It is how you handle the change that counts.
I think it's a good idea as it gives each of them an idea of how it will be like when married , that way they can decide if they want to proceed or not
yeah because it will give you the opportunity to feel out the situation and you can still RUN away any time when you see this person won't be a suitable lifelong match
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Not necessarily.
I mean you don't need to try every dish on the menu, to know a shitty restaurant from a good one.
I say no because science has proven that it's actually more harmful and unhealthy for long term goals in relationships like marriage.
I don’t understand how. It makes no sense.
Can you tell us more about that, @90sVibe?
There has been some recent studies done in the past 3 years that show cohabiting partners have a higher rate of divorce after 5 years of marriage. This is based on American studies in psychology and sociology.
One of the largest disadvantages to premarital cohabitation is economic for couples. There are certain factors as to why it's not the best for long term relationships depending on the couples themselves and their personal goals and beliefs.
Although it is the new normal for American society it doesn't necessarily mean it's healthy or better.
There have been studies conducted and have produced the data showing that people and entire families benefit substantially and notably from couples who refrain from not only premarital cohabitation but also premarital coitus.
These alternatives are not popular within many cultures including our own (if you're from a western culture) but they produce excellent results and benefits for all parties involved in most cases. @VanillaSalt @Jamie05rhs
So... don’t live together or have sex before marriage... does anal count? Na jk. Still don’t understand how though unless it changes how a person looks at the relationship and going In order effects this. I would believe it was the opposite.
Oh well I’ll prob never get married so I’ll never know lmao.
@90sVibe Cohabiting generally means having sex, though; right? I thought we were just talking about living together.
"unless it changes how a person looks at the relationship" @VanillaSalt I think that's probably a big part of it.
Because you can get use to living with each other before actually decided on a marriage and maybe to test how your relationship change when living together whether it's going to be good or bad.
to get some idea of just how they truly are before you decide to take things further.
Nope.
Setting yourself up for failure before or maybe after marriage. It's not a guarantee that your relationship will be good when you get married. You will still learn and disagree about things before and after marriage.
Ask yourself this.."Which part of the traditional vows can you not see yourself committed to? If you name one, you do not need to get married. Because you will definitely experience one specifically... "Better or worst".
Should non-christians be banned from marriage?
What kinda question is that? LOL!
Marriage is nothing more than a verbal commitment before God and man. So, umm, yeah... Knock yourself out! You want to stand before man than God. "It's your pleasure." (In my Chick-fil-A voice)
And, no! Non-Christian should not be banned from marriage. All marriages are honorable before God.
Hebrew 13:4
"Marriage is honourable in all, and the bed undefiled:"
Well another christian told me that athiests should be banned from marriage so I'm just asking to see what you believe. Sorry if that question seems ridiculous, but religion is ridiculous sometimes, at least in my opinion. Have you seen the christians who speak in tongues? Anyways I'm getting off track. Good, I'm glad you think no one should be banned from marriage.
My apology. Some folks ask ignorant questions.
Unfortunately, I dislike so call "Christians" not representing the very God they say they follow. Jesus never treated people like that. The entire Bible is all about love of God and mankind. If you ask God for understanding of the Bible, read it and study it without judgment, you will walk away with "Love".
And, yes, religion can be silly because of "Man". But, we shouldn't allow "Man" from stopping us to read and study for ourselves. I grew up in the church all my life and was never taught to look at "Man" but God. God uses man for many things "Spiritual, Medical, Education, Science, etc. He created it all due to popular belief.
And, yes, I have "Speaking in tongues as the "Spirit" gives utterance. I look at one every day in the mirror. If you wanna chat about it message me. I'll tell you my testimony.
What is your interpretation of exodus 21:2-11? How does this teach love? The story of jephthah? 2 kings 2:23-24?
What does it mean to not look at "man" but god?
What have you said? Which languages has he made you speak? How do you know you were speaking an actual language and not making things up? Have you looked into any of the analysis of this phenomenon? For example William J Samarin analyzed 5 years worth of data on the subject in 1972 and found it to be "meaningless but phonologically structured human utterance, believed by the speaker to be a real language but bearing no systematic resemblance to any natural language, living or dead". Other linguistic experts have done similar analysis and reached similar conclusions.
I'll say this my friend. You will not comprehend anything I will say because you don't believe. Now, as far mankind. My thoughts and not a Christian. I'm using my God given brain. Man is stupid yet have the intelligence of a fool. No matter how you dice it. You were made by something far greater than yourself. And, God has given man the choice to believe him and follow or get left behind. Yes, God has given you the choice to not believe in him. And, you have made that choice. Or, have you? Because for life of me I don't understand why you are trying to understand something you don't believe in. I don't try to understand an atheist (If that's what you are) because there's nothing to know about you. I don't try debunk your God (Which is you.. You are a god unto yourself) Now, if you came to learn and study, that's "one thing"
But, you ask questions to challenge. I don't like throw offs "How is that showing love" Read it! The Bible is about "People" no different than what's going on in the world today. God's word gives guidance back then and now. You can't take one passage from the Bible and run with it. You must prayer, read and study. Annd, pray again. The Bible says "Study to show thyself approve... Man shall not live by bread alone but by the word of God, love God, etc." What's wrong with that? Sounds good to me. You focus your attention on the wrong things in the Bible "Man's sins" to justify "you" And, why do you believe in you. I don't believe in me. I am my worst enemy. I believe in God and his word.
To answer your 1st question:
Does the Bible Condone Slavery?
emergencenj.org/.../does-the-bible-condone-slavery
Second question:
1 Chronicles 16:22
“Do not touch My anointed ones,
And do My prophets no harm.”
Proverbs 20:11
Even a child is known by his doings, whether his work be pure, and whether it be right.
Third question:
Just as it read. You focus your attention on a man or woman to know God for yourself. And, by doing so you will fail. A Christian is just a representative and not the owner of heaven or hell. God is. Look to Jesus the author and finisher of the faith. In him we move and have our being. Not man.
Fourth question:
If one don't believe, he will not understand. The Bible says the Christian life is a believe lifestyle. You are taking information from
someone who don't believe. The Bible says as the "Spirit" gives utterance. If you don't have the spirit of God, you will not speak in tongues.
I Corinthians 2:14
"But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned."
I digress.
So my lack of belief makes me stupid? Is that what you're saying? Those who don't believe in God are incapable of comprehending anything about him? Seems ridiculous to me tbh, I don't see how belief affects my intelligence/comprehension skills like that.
How do you know I was made by something greater than myself? Does this mean something greater than God created God? Did God create himself? Can anything exist without being created?
Apparently God has not given me the choice to belief in him, because according to you, I can't comprehend anything about him, and therefore cannot possibly believe in him.
I tried to believe in Christianity, I went to a christian highschool, I read the full bible, when I was 12, I prayed, I begged God for a sign, I begged God to save me from my sadness and loneliness, I begged and begged to God and I heard nothing, I saw nothing, all I felt was emptiness and lonliness. I understand the religion because when I was suicidal I threw myself at it in the hopes it would save me, it didn't, in the end I saved myself.
I am an athiest. With that said, why don't you try to understand athiests? I try to understand christians out of my love for humanity. I want to see us succeed, I want to help people, I want to know the truth, and I want to know my place in the world. I am curious about so much, understanding the how and why of the universe is one of my greatest desire, helping humanity to grow would be another of my greatest desires. I don't understand how you (regardless of religion) can just choose to not try to understand others, maybe you just love christianity instead of humanity? I don't know for sure, I'm just guessing. What do you mean there is nothing to know about me, I just divulged a lot of information about myself.
I am not God. I dont think anyone or anything is God, if I had to choose something then I would say everything is part of God. The universe as a whole, is God, I don't see anything else great enough to worship. If there is a God who is able to percieve how his actions affect us then in my opinion, he must be as flawed as we are. If he were perfecf then the world wouldn't be as flawed as it is. That isn't specifically against your God by the way, that's my view on the universe, I see flaws everywhere, not just in humanity but everywhere, what kind of loving God would create cancer? Or mental illness? Why would a God create people who are incapable of comprehending him?
I already did learn and study. You however, did not. You know nothing of my beliefs, yet I have read the bible. I mean that doesn't give me insight into your interpretation of the bible, but it certainly helps me to understand where you're coming from. To be fair, in your defence athiests don't have a book like the bible so the only way you can understand anything about any athiest's beliefs is to ask about it.
I ask questions to understand and to help others understand, I can be quite straightforward with my challenges. Socrates (a great philosopher who I look up to) once said, "an unexamined life is not worth living.", he said that just before he drank poison (he was convicted of a crime and sentenced to death, they gave him this choice because he had served as a warrior or something). The meaning should be clear, you should question and examine everything, never accept something purely on faith, I use this to examine my beliefs and try to figure it flaws in my logic, I wish I was perfect, but I am FAR from it. Examing myself is the only way I can improve myself, so I constantly question myself. I also extend this to others, and instead of berating them I try to ask them questions in order to lead them into examining themselves and their own beliefs.
I have read it, if I hadn't read it then I wouldn't be quoting it. I agree that the bible is about people and the biblical God and the relationship between the two, however I cannot say if the bible is about real people or fictional people, I cannot even say who the authors are. Neither can you tbh, you believe what you believe and I'm not attacking you on that, but we have no certainty on the Bible's author or whether or not many of the people in it ever existed. We have evidence for some but then, for example, Jesus is basically only mentioned in the bible, outside of that we have a couple Roman's who said that they saw someone who was supposedly related to Jesus or knew Jesus. For example we have writings from Josephus Flavius that he watched Jesus' brother, James, being executed by roman soldiers. We have no eye witness accounts of Jesus' death other than the bible.
You can get guidance just about anywhere tbh, the native/indigenous peoples of my country, Canada, used to seek guidance from their ancestors and animal spirits. I'm not saying there is anything wrong with that by the way, just using it as an example. People can get guidance in many many ways, some people even think they see messages of guidance written in the stars or in their alphabet soup.
How does prayer help? I ask genuinely, I've tried prayer, it did nothing for me, so I have 0 understanding of it's benefits.
There is nothing wrong with that verse, but here, let me show you something, "The art of reading and studying consists in remembering the essentials and forgetting what is not essential.", I won't even give you a chance to wonder where that's from by the way, it's mein kampf, that was written by Hitler.
You can find decent guidance in pretty much any book, as long as you ignore the bad parts, but that doesn't mean that the book is necessarily good. In this case I am not saying the bible is like Mein Kampf, but rather using Mein Kampf as an extreme exampke that shows even the most vile and bigoted pieces of work can have slivers of insight that actually aren't bad. I focus on everything in the bible, good and bad, I only pointed out the bad to you because you only see the good. You are correct that there are things we can learn in the bible, much of what Jesus said was very wise, for example giving to charity is good.
I focus on the sins because it shows that even the bible has evil in it. Not everything the bible teaches is good, just like how not everything Mein Kampf teaches is bad. Both good and evil exists inside everything and everyone.
I believe in myself because the existence of my mind is the only thing I have true 100% certainty of. For all I know I could be insane, I could be schizophrenic, everything I experience could be fake, a chemical response in the brain. Beyond that, I don't believe in me, I often think that I am a failure and that everything I do is wrong, my self esteem is shit, I've even thought that I'd be better off dead and the world would be better off without me. I am also my worst enemy, I've always been my own biggest bully, I'm flawed and I often feel conflicted, but I think that's just normal for humans.
Why do you believe in God and his word?
Exodus 21: 2 “If you buy a Hebrew servant,(D) he is to serve you for six years. But in the seventh year, he shall go free,(E) without paying anything. 3 If he comes alone, he is to go free alone; but if he has a wife when he comes, she is to go with him. 4 If his master gives him a wife and she bears him sons or daughters, the woman and her children shall belong to her master, and only the man shall go free.
This is "indentured servitude", but if you read further and deeper, you'll see that this doesn't extend to everyone, only male jews. Non-jews, and women, were owned for life.
Exodus 21: 7 “If a man sells his daughter as a servant, she is not to go free as male servants do. 8 If she does not please the master who has selected her for himself, he must let her be redeemed. He has no right to sell her to foreigners, because he has broken faith with her. 9 If he selects her for his son, he must grant her the rights of a daughter. 10 If he marries another woman, he must not deprive the first one of her food, clothing and marital rights. 11 If he does not provide her with these three things, she is to go free, without any payment of money.
For non-jew slaves we have to turn to leviticus 25:44-46, which says:
44 And as for your male and female slaves whom you may have—from the nations that are around you, from them you may buy male and female slaves. 45 Moreover you may buy (A) the children of the strangers who dwell among you, and their families who are with you, which they beget in your land; and they shall become your property.
So yes, the old testament condones slavery.
Sure, some bible verses say one thing but I can find verses which contradict that. I can find verses of God hurting young ones, and the bible condoning the stoning of children. If you don't believe me, 2 kings 2:23-24 features children harmed by God, the story of Jephthah features God allowing and condoning child sacrifice, and Leviticus 20:9 says:
"`If anyone curses his father or mother, he must be put to death. He has cursed his father or his mother, and his blood will be on his own head.
With that said I cannot see the questions I asked anymore, and I'm not sure what you were responding to with the second answer.
Please stop telling me what I believe or what I do. Stop making assumptions about me. I dont focus on anyone to know God for myself, I focus on the bible to know "God" (the god of the bible, aka Jehovah aka Yahweh), and I focus on people to understand them and their understanding of things.
A Christian is a representative of what? Is God the creator of Heaven and Hell? Is God the creator of Sin? To be honest, that seems like a nice non-answer. I still don't feel like I understand how YOU personally, look at God and not man. What does that even mean? Does it mean God tells you what to believe? Does it mean you interpret the bible in order to know what to believe? What does it even mean? I genuinely don't understand.
Why do people need to believe in God to understand anything? What does "believe lifestyle" even mean? I've never heard that term before. Why do I need information from someone who believes in YOUR God? How would belief in a God help me to understand things? I genuinely want to understabd everything so please explain this to me. I don't really want to speak in tongues, in my opinion it seems like the same as saying nothing, so I have no desire to do it.
So you think Athiests can never know anything about God? Can Athiests learn about God without believing in him? If not then how does anyone convert from athiesm to Christianity?
Sorry that was so long, I wanted to respond to as much as I could and actually offer a full explanation about myself so you maybe understand me a little. I also wanted to question your beliefs, both to push you to question yourself, and to help myself understand YOU personally, and what leads you to believe in God.
I just reread a bit of what I said and realized I left out the last verse of leviticus 25 44-46
44 “‘Your male and female slaves are to come from the nations around you; from them you may buy slaves. 45 You may also buy some of the temporary residents living among you and members of their clans born in your country, and they will become your property. 46 You can bequeath them to your children as inherited property and can make them slaves for life, but you must not rule over your fellow Israelites ruthlessly.
"Slaves for life" "you can bequeth them to your children as inherited property"
by the way I tried to respond to everything in order of how you wrote it, so I apologize if it gets confusing at points, maybe I should have quoted you to show what I was refering to.
I personally would live with my fiancé since we are basically married anyway just without the legality. Not if I wasn't already engaged.
Congrats on your engagement! :)
Hmm thank you love but I don't think I'm getting married anytime soon. It was for the sake of the question. 😳
I would say so yes, because the idea of marriage is for life, so it is vital to understand how you both cope with each other in close proximity before making the leap.
Yes. Only way to truly know a person.
Prob why we have such high divorce rates.
Yeah, it's the best way to know what you are getting
Co-habitation for one year before marriage would work to see if it would work.
Yes
To make sure the relationship actually works
Yes, to see how well you two fare being in eachother's faces everyday
I mean dating is a test drive so why not living together as a test drive before getting married? I think that's a great idea.
Yes, I need to know is it possible to live with her as I suppose to sing up for rest of my life being with her, but that is not relevant these days marriage only peace of paper letting women to take everything in time of divorce...
I did that and it did not help. Things change when you get married not mater if you live together first or not. It is how you handle the change that counts.
I think it's a good idea as it gives each of them an idea of how it will be like when married , that way they can decide if they want to proceed or not
No. Couples should live together INSTEAD of getting married.
Yes because of all the things you can only learn about each other through living together.
yeah because it will give you the opportunity to feel out the situation and you can still RUN away any time when you see this person won't be a suitable lifelong match
I personally think so but its about how they feel about it