GOD Unplugged. (continued from previous page)

     (or how to get religion off of your back forever)

  click for full 300K version or translate

Most people are turned off by religion. I don’t blame them - it did me (and still does at times).  But is there any proof there is a supernatural world in addition to the natural world?  If so, should we all buy crystals or a Bible?  I quit being afraid of asking hard questions about religion and what I found out is below.  See the booklet The Spiritual Emergency Manual, which tells you exactly what the Bible promises to deliver on Health and Wealth; and why troubles come.

BEGINNING - Page 2 - CONTINUED from Page 3 (Evidence?)

What does the bible actually say?

The Quick Drift of the Bible:  (with apologies to Cliff’s Notes, Readers Digest and the Author Himself)

God made man and woman for Himself.  He gave them a free will, because we all know you can’t  force someone to love you.  And He gave them all kinds of great things to see, eat and enjoy so that they would be happy.  (He made sex fun for goodness sake.  He must have really liked them.)

Because of the influence of the devil (the snake) and evil, man decided to figure out what was best for himself without taking God's advice.  This caused man no end of troubles.  He had to question why you couldn’t do what you want. Like steal from others.  God, of course, knew that in the long run people you stole from would get upset and kill you.  But some guys would do it anyway just because they felt like it.  This was the snake's great advantage: At first, doing bad was kind of fun.  Humans were so drawn by the immediate pleasure - God’s rules seemed dumb.

GOD UNPLUGGED! CONTENTS

How it started

Think for Yourself

What’s in it 4 Me?

Isn’t Praying Medieval?

Give Me Evidence

Jesus: Liar or Lunatic?

What does the Bible REALLY say?

Can there be more than 1 religion?

God saw man was screwing things up so He spelled it out for him with commandments and laws with a bite - or penalties in them.  Don’t steal, moron.  Don’t murder people.  This is the way I invented this place to work!  Of course, God knew man couldn’t live up to all this.  They were made to instinctively be innocent. But one bite from that apple and the allure determining what was "right" and "wrong" for themselves was too strong.  But God gave them a loophole.  “If you sacrifice a valuable animal to Me that you own, I will let the loss of life - paid by that animal - substitute for the penalties of breaking the rules.  The snake is using those unpaid penalties against you to cause you sickness, poverty and stuff.”  You and I can hate gravity because it constrains you to earth, but that’s the way the world is made.  You can dislike the penalty God instituted for killing your neighbor in cold blood, but that’s the way God made it.

By doing what the snake suggested, man inadvertently gave the snake authority over the world. (God had given it all to man after the flood.)  And since God doesn’t cut corners and He gave man had free will, He couldn’t just come in and take it back.  So God’s Son offered to come down, give up His perks as God, and:

• Permanently become the sacrifice to take care of the penalties.  When they screwed up in the future, all they would have to do is honestly admit it to the Son, and throw themselves into not doing it again.
• Give man a part of God (the Holy Spirit) that would come live with them - inside their heart - to instinctively know right from wrong at a moment’s notice.  Also, this Spirit would continually comfort, encourage and teach them, so that they can navigate decisions and events as they happen.
• Give man something better than an overnight stay at the White House (heaven):  Status as a son or daughter of God and the legal right to fellowship with the Omniscient, Omnipresent Creator of the World any time they want.
• Give man happiness and fulfillment forever, running things with the Son, instead eternal pain.

The Son accomplished all this by fulfilling all those rules man couldn’t as a human.  He also paid the penalty of death for every rule that was broken, then going into hell and busting the chops of the devil and reclaiming the authority man lost.  He and the Father knew man’s nature to disbelieve and do whatever is easiest.  So they made sure no one could dispute what happened by designing thousands of years of prophecies to came true (where He would be born, where and how He would die, etc.) which was mathematically impossible to have happened to one man.  When He came back to life, He showed himself to over 500 people making sure there were enough witnesses and then helping those who lived his teaching to perform miraculous wonders like healing people, raising them from the dead and delivering them out of impossible situations.

Back to our original questions on religion:  What does it do and how much does it cost?  We just listed the benefits and, millions will verify they come true.  What you have to do is unlike any other religion.  It’s the easiest and hardest thing to do.  It doesn't have anything to do with rules or climbing a mountain.  It does involve the following:

1) Admit you haven't done the right things in your life.  If we really admitted it, there are some scary thoughts or intentions in us at times that we know are bad.  Tell God you aren't all that good (including ignoring Him) and that you know it.

2) Admit you need help.  Believe (trust and rely) on His sacrifice to pay for all those things you’ve done.  Realize He was completely innocent and said He would do this just for you even if you were the only one in the world. He knew you'd be reading this book.

3) Know God is good.  He really wants the best for you.  Know He is hearing your prayer and, like a little kid, ask Him to save you and become the boss of your life.  Expect Him to do and be everything good that He says He is.  Ask Him to live through you.  (If you don't just accept all this, knowing it or believing it, keep getting more info until you do.)

 That’s it.  Like any relationship, being with one another is how you get to know each other.  Also, like some new relationships, some of your other friends may not like Him - especially if it causes them to face their belief system.  So, you treat them like you would anyone that hasn’t come to the same decisions you have - you continue to be their friend unless you find it uncomfortable.  If you really love Him (you should for what He’s done and going to do for you), He’s now a priority and you’ll make hard decisions if necessary. 

He is a stickler for respect, but He won’t force Himself on you. When He created Adam (and had Adam all to himself) He still created Eve and didn’t monopolize his time.  On the other hand, He wants to spend as much time with you as possible.  He really loves you.

 Someone asked Him, “What is the greatest commandment.”  His answer was simple.  “Love God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.  The second is this: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no commandment greater than these.”

 And loving God doesn’t mean obeying a bunch of rules.  Sure, if He is your Father, you'll want to obey Him.  But, you have no rules except trying to please Him.  And, if He is a good God (He is)  and wants your best (He does), anything He wants from you is in your best interest.  You will benefit and oblige Him in trust.

Can there be more than 1 religion?

I wish I could be more politically correct.  Jesus said He was the only way.  (Of course, if He was God, and created everything you live and breath, and someone else wanted to be god - you wouldn’t expect God to allow it.)  Some sincere people in history made up really good sounding rules and ideas that initially seemed plausible.   But, if there is just ONE God, no matter how men might try to weasel another way into eternity, it is ultimately up to that God on how He wants it.  We shouldn’t be surprised it to be exclusive.

 Christianity claims a relationship with God on a daily basis as opposed to some kind of ritual or mechanical behavior.  It is the only religion that immediately offers salvation for merely loving & trusting God.  Jesus said He'd give everything to you if you give everything to Him.  Simple. Powerful.  It neatly ties back to everything written over 6,000 years.  God wants a relationship with his people.  He doesn’t want them to jump through hoops.  And that is the fundamental difference.

 You can worship and believe in any god you want - it's a free country.  You can argue if there is more evidence (historical and otherwise) for Christianity than any other.  But what is important is that you have a reason for what you believe. God isn't intimidated by your questions or investigation. Not wanting to know the truth - whatever it is - could have a huge downside.

 Ultimately, we can’t scientifically prove there is a specific God.  We can’t examine Him or His processes as science demands. But we can gather knowledge to make an intelligent decision on what to believe.  Whether we acknowledge the call of God is up to us.  Like any good father, God desires to you to come home and help you.  But,

                                                                                                 ...you were given free will.

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