Pastor spends a year without God.

Quote: FrGamble

There is no doubt guilt is painful and that is why Jesus came to set us free from guilt,

Where does it say that? The word guilt never
appears even one time in the NT, I just did
a search. Why were you taught that Jesus
came to free you from something not even
mentioned.

Quote: FrGamble
There is no doubt guilt is painful and that is why Jesus came to set us free from guilt,

Quote: Evenbob

Where does it say that? The word guilt never
appears even one time in the NT, I just did
a search. Why were you taught that Jesus
came to free you from something not even
mentioned.

Still looking for guilt in NT, not finding any.

Depending on your translation you are going to have to search for the Greek word enochos, you'll find it but not that often. I don't know how to please you. First you complain that Christianity is all about guilt, guilt, guilt - then you do an interesting word study and find out that it is not used that often and you seem upset about it. I've been telling you all along that Christianity is about freeing us from guilt and past mistakes; not making you feel guilty about them.

Quote: FrGamble

Depending on your translation you are going to have to search for the Greek word enochos, you'll find it but not that often. I don't know how to please you. .

How to please me? You have said many times:

'Jesus came to set us free from guilt'

Where does it SAY this in the NT? Enochos
has nothing to do with being free from guilt.
I used to have a Catholic friend who said the
nuns told them constantly that Jesus died for
their sins and they were going to constantly
let god down because of their constant sinning.
This leads to crushing guilt in lots of people,
that they will get rid of.

I read an article that said what I did earlier. The
Church never lets up, thru the crucifix, of reminding
people they owe everything to the suffering of
Jesus. You can't pay something like that back, so
you feel guilt about it. How people live that way
is beyond my comprehension.

What you are saying makes no sense.

If Jesus died for all your sins and there was no way to pay anything like that back, why would you worry about letting God down or the impossibility of returning the favor? Instead of feeling guilty, wouldn't it be better and more healthy to be grateful and rejoice. Love and kindness is always a better motivator than fear and guilt.

Quote: FrGamble

Instead of feeling guilty, wouldn't it be better and more healthy to be grateful and rejoice..

Of course. But people internalize it as guilt, this
is a big surprise to you? Every time I look it up,
I see it bothers Catholics to be constantly reminded
of the sacrifice Jesus made on the cross. It makes
them feel guilty, that Jesus had to die for them.
They don't jump up and down for joy, they ring
their hands. One woman said she is surrounded
by crucifix's. On the bedroom wall, next to the front
door, on her rosary, in her car, and when she gets
to church there's the big one. She says the constant
reminder of of how she comes up short in the eyes
of god for the sacrifice Jesus made has her wracked
with guilt every day.

If the church wants people to be joyful, why does it
constantly remind them they are sinners? How do
you make a person happy by reminding them all
the time they are bad?

Quote: Evenbob, from Original Sin Thread

I can't figure out why Christians think atheists
live some kind of awful life, without joy or
passion or ethics.

I can't figure our why atheists think Christians
live some kind of awful life, without joy or
passion or ethics.

Quote: FrGamble

I can't figure our why atheists think Christians
live some kind of awful life, without joy or
passion or ethics.

Because of the Christians I meet, that's
why. The young ones are OK, but all
young people are the same. The older
ones seem conflicted at times, like
they don't like their lives. Especially the
married ones that want a divorce and
don't get one because they would be
exiled from the Church. They are miserable.

Then may I ask you to be a little more precise in your language. The 10 Christians you know well enough to really tell seem conflicted or unhappy.

By the way the list of things you misunderstand about the Church continues to grow. Please tell your friends that divorce will in no way exile one from the Church.

Quote: FrGamble

. Please tell your friends that divorce will in no way exile one from the Church.

Tell that to the couple who were kicked
off the church board and shunned by
the congregation. They weren't kicked
out, but it had the same effect. They
even lost the family pew.