Questions: Including discussion with ChatGPT link at the end of this page
(1) Why does it require an army of people to interpret, give meaning to any message from God in religion – the Bible, the Koran, etc.? You would think that a message from God would be simple and clear enough for anyone to easily understand without any outside help.
Why do there have to be so many churches, preachers, ministers, pastors, priests, Pope, Sunday school teachers, youth ministers, theologians, many, many books and authors, evangelists and so on to give the correct meaning to words in the message?
And then the different denominations of a religions have very different meanings and interpretations?
Each with their own army of supporters.
Does this simply mean the message is not from a God at all?
(2) Sin?
A believer uses the word sin. What does that mean? When the word sin is used does the person assume you know what it is? Dig deeper and you get confusion. Sin seems to be such nebulous word that it means different things for different people.
Sin seem to be a word to help persuade people to someones way of thinking – Is it actually a political tactic?
Ask for a detailed meaning of the word. – with particulars – and reasons why.
(3) Blood Sacrifice, including Jesus on the cross:
How is there even any relationship between your behaviour and a blood sacrifice – the killing and blood-letting of another innocent being? There is none!
It just makes no sense. It is barbaric. Anyone with an ounce of empathy would not support it.
It is false and totally unfair!
There is no salvation from “sin” by destroying an innocent being for your behaviour..
Primitive and obnoxious!
(4) What part of us lives the longest?
According to: https://www.sciencefocus.com/the-human-body/what-cells-in-the-human-body-live-the-longest/
On average the cells in our body are replaced every 7 to 10 years.
Brain cells : 200+ years.
Eye lens cells: Lifetime
Egg cells: 50 years
to
Necrophilia cells: 2 days.
So our identity could last more than our lifetime if the supporting cells stayed healthy?
(5) God as a Trinity:
Another word that cannot be explained.
Why use it then? Just confuses people to believe impossible things.
People that believe it are being duped.
Interesting that Isaac Newton, the scientist, a Bible scholar of the past did not believe it,
Just another of those impossible things that clergy talk about, as if they know something no one else does – such arrogance! Just to impress us and to influence us.
(6)Holy Spirit:
Exactly what is that? The Bible is very confusing on the issue.
What exactly do you mean by Spirit?
What is a Holy Spirit?
Show me the details.
(7) What about Public Prayer?
I have wondered about Public Prayer, in churches, and especially in government.
For instance why would President Trump be at a White House’s National Day of Prayer Service (couple of years ago)?
Why would there even be White House prayer meetings?
Likely people attending these meetings consider themselves Christian – Followers of Jesus (Jesus is their God).
Is it not odd that they would pray together in spite of what Jesus says?
Why?
Is public prayer used as a political tool of influence, power or what?
Nothing could be clearer than the following verses:
Jesus says: Matthew 6:5 – 7 5. And when thou prayest,thou shalt not be as the hypocrites [are]: for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and in the corners of the streets, that they may be seen of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward. (Jesus says you must definitely not pray as the hypocrites pray.)
6 But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret; and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly.
But when ye pray, use not vain repetitions, as the heathen [do]: for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking.
Here Jesus says when thou prayest, you must pray this way:
(1) enter into thy closet.
(2) shut the door.
(3) pray to thy Father which is in secret.
(4) use not vain repetitions.(Prayer must be in private, not in front of other people.
Do not repeat things over and over again in prayer)
An attribute of a true Christian is: He only prays in private, never in public.
Extra comments:
Above is one of a few good things Jesus said.
Prayer is personal in the same category as time for introspection which includes time for reflection, communing with yourself, time out, thinking time, creative thinking time, a time to consider unusual questions, time to philosophize. time to be alone, meditation, talking (out loud or just in your mind) with yourself to solve problems.
Since I do not believe there is a supernatural realm I think prayer is talking to yourself. Some pray to their personal god – a god that dies when their brain dies.
I came across these verses when I was a kid attending morning Summer Vacation Bible School at our Church.
We were given workbooks. One of the questions in a workbook: Do these verses say that Public prayer is not as good as Private Prayer?
My answer was The verses obviously say private is THE right way to pray.
When I got my workbook back there was a line through my answer and the comment, “Wrong answer”.
Never did get reasons why. Was too shy to debate it any further.
I asked ChatGPT: Private prayer verses public prayer according to Mathew 6: 5 – 7
Naturalism and Religious Experience 