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Discussion » Questions » Religion and Spirituality » For those who believe in God, if you had proof that when you die there is no afterlife and there will only be oblivion,

For those who believe in God, if you had proof that when you die there is no afterlife and there will only be oblivion,

would you still be a believer?

Posted - September 8, 2017

Responses


  • 6126
    I wish I believed in God so I could answer your question.
      September 8, 2017 5:32 PM MDT
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  • 591
    I'm glad that I don't.
      September 8, 2017 5:57 PM MDT
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  • 6126
    I didn't like the fact that no one answered his question.  So, I posted sumptin'
      September 8, 2017 6:02 PM MDT
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  • 5455
    It's a good question but I can't really answer it because I don't really believe in God either.
      September 8, 2017 6:27 PM MDT
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  • 6126
    Hi Livvie! 
      September 8, 2017 6:38 PM MDT
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  • 591
    Ditto
      September 8, 2017 8:22 PM MDT
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  • 32661
    No, as the Bible says:

    1 Cor 15:12
    12But if it is preached that Christ has been raised from the dead, how can some of you say that there is no resurrection of the dead? 13If there is no resurrection of the dead, then not even Christ has been raised. 14And if Christ has not been raised, our preaching is useless and so is your faith
      September 8, 2017 6:29 PM MDT
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  • 591
    I can say that preaching a thing does not make it in any way a fact but you are spot on with your 13 & 14
      September 8, 2017 8:25 PM MDT
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  • 32661
    Notice the "IF" in 13 and 14. 
      September 9, 2017 7:14 AM MDT
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  • 591
    Actually I noticed an 'if' in all three of your sentences.
      September 9, 2017 2:51 PM MDT
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  • 492
    Sentences?
    I don't believe it.
      September 9, 2017 4:48 PM MDT
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  • 591
    Sentences are those strings of words that people put together, these strings normally end with a full stop, a question mark or even occasionally a exclamation mark.

    Which particular 'it' is it that you do not believe? 
      September 9, 2017 5:20 PM MDT
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  • 492
    Those strings of words that people quote, from the bible, are not refereed to as sentences. 
    Again, it shows me how oblivious you are to something you know so little about.
    When you oppose something you know so little about, you loose credibility in your mission.
    That I believe.
      September 9, 2017 7:55 PM MDT
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  • 44226
    I guess all of us non-Christians will go into oblivion.
      September 9, 2017 8:54 AM MDT
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  • 32661
    No, all Jewish believers will be saved as the Bible also says.

    Romans 11:25-26
    25I do not want you to be ignorant of this mystery, brothers and sisters, so that you may not be conceited: Israel has experienced a hardening in part until the full number of the Gentiles has come in, 26and in this waye all Israel will be saved This post was edited by my2cents at September 10, 2017 8:12 AM MDT
      September 9, 2017 11:12 AM MDT
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  • 44226
    My mistake. I should have said all non Judeo-Christian religions.
      September 10, 2017 8:13 AM MDT
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  • 32661
    I believe God knows our hearts. And He knows if we had an opportunity to accept Him. 
    Those who are not wicked will have an opportunity in the Millinium to worship the God.
      September 10, 2017 8:49 AM MDT
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  • 1393
    I study the Bible but I assume you know it better than I do. You quote 1 Cor 15:12 as saying "it is preached that Christ has been raised from the dead" Those are the words of Paul. The Gospels record instances of Jesus speaking to people after his crucifixion. Did Jesus himself say, in any of those appearances, that he "has been raised from the dead"?
     
      September 26, 2017 5:20 PM MDT
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  • 2657
    Of course not. They saw Jesus die and they saw him alive later as he previously said that he would be raised from the dead. Why state the obvious? Do I need to say that 'texasescimo is making this comment' for you to accept that I am making this comment? Absurd!

    To an honest person I would think that Jesus saying before he died that he would be raised as well as eye witness accounts from others that that would be sufficient. A bit disheartening and pretentious for someone to say it needs to be said at exactly a certain time, in exactly a certain circumstance and exactly in certain words all predetermined by an insincere person that would not accept it anyway because of preconceived ideas.

    (Matthew 16:21-23) From that time forward, Jesus began explaining to his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things from the elders and chief priests and scribes and be killed, and on the third day be raised up. 22 At this Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him, saying: “Be kind to yourself, Lord; you will not have this happen to you at all.” 23 But turning his back, he said to Peter: “Get behind me, Satan! You are a stumbling block to me, because you think, not God’s thoughts, but those of men.”
    (Matthew 28:5-10) But the angel said to the women: “Do not be afraid, for I know that you are looking for Jesus who was executed on the stake. 6 He is not here, for he was raised up, just as he said. Come, see the place where he was lying. 7 Then go quickly and tell his disciples that he was raised up from the dead, for look! he is going ahead of you into Galʹi·lee. You will see him there. Look! I have told you.” 8 So, quickly leaving the memorial tomb, with fear and great joy, they ran to report to his disciples. 9 And look! Jesus met them and said: “Good day!” They approached and took hold of his feet and did obeisance to him. 10 Then Jesus said to them: “Have no fear! Go, report to my brothers so that they may go to Galʹi·lee, and there they will see me.”
    (Matthew 17:22, 23) It was while they were gathered together in Galʹi·lee that Jesus said to them: “The Son of man is going to be betrayed into men’s hands, 23 and they will kill him, and on the third day he will be raised up.” And they were very much grieved.
    (Luke 9:22) but he said: “The Son of man must undergo many sufferings and be rejected by the elders and the chief priests and the scribes and be killed, and on the third day be raised up.”
    (Acts 10:40) God raised this one up on the third day and allowed him to become manifest,
    (1 Corinthians 15:4) and that he was buried, yes, that he was raised up on the third day according to the Scriptures;



    (Psalm 16:10) For you will not leave me in the Grave. You will not allow your loyal one to see the pit.
    (Isaiah 53:12) For that reason I will assign him a portion among the many, And he will apportion the spoil with the mighty, Because he poured out his life even to death And was counted among the transgressors; He carried the sin of many people, And he interceded for the transgressors.
    (Matthew 17:22, 23) It was while they were gathered together in Galʹi·lee that Jesus said to them: “The Son of man is going to be betrayed into men’s hands, 23 and they will kill him, and on the third day he will be raised up.” And they were very much grieved.
    (Matthew 20:18, 19) “Look! We are going up to Jerusalem, and the Son of man will be handed over to the chief priests and the scribes. They will condemn him to death 19 and hand him over to men of the nations to be mocked and scourged and executed on a stake; and on the third day he will be raised up.”
    (Mark 8:31) Also, he began teaching them that the Son of man must undergo many sufferings and be rejected by the elders and the chief priests and the scribes and be killed, and rise three days later.
    (Luke 9:22) but he said: “The Son of man must undergo many sufferings and be rejected by the elders and the chief priests and the scribes and be killed, and on the third day be raised up.”
    (Luke 24:46) and he said to them, “This is what is written: that the Christ would suffer and rise from among the dead on the third day,
    (1 Corinthians 15:3, 4) For among the first things I handed on to you was what I also received, that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures; 4 and that he was buried, yes, that he was raised up on the third day according to the Scriptures;
    (Isaiah 53:5) But he was pierced for our transgression; He was crushed for our errors. He bore the punishment for our peace, And because of his wounds we were healed.
    (Isaiah 53:8) Because of restraint and judgment he was taken away; And who will concern himself with the details of his generation? For he was cut off from the land of the living; Because of the transgression of my people he received the stroke.
    (Daniel 9:26) “And after the 62 weeks, Mes·siʹah will be cut off, with nothing for himself. “And the people of a leader who is coming will destroy the city and the holy place. And its end will be by the flood. And until the end there will be war; what is decided upon is desolations.  




    EDIT: If the words of an angel don't mean anything to you, I doubt the words of Jesus would as you consider him only to be a prophet and nothing else.
    (Matthew 26:31, 32) Then Jesus said to them: “All of you will be stumbled in connection with me on this night, for it is written: ‘I will strike the shepherd, and the sheep of the flock will be scattered about.’ 32 But after I have been raised up, I will go ahead of you into Galʹi·lee.”
    (Matthew 28:5-7) But the angel said to the women: “Do not be afraid, for I know that you are looking for Jesus who was executed on the stake. 6 He is not here, for he was raised up, just as he said. Come, see the place where he was lying. 7 Then go quickly and tell his disciples that he was raised up from the dead, for look! he is going ahead of you into Galʹi·lee. You will see him there. Look! I have told you.” 










    This post was edited by texasescimo at September 27, 2017 6:14 AM MDT
      September 27, 2017 5:06 AM MDT
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  • 32661
    Thank you...I could not have said it better myself. 
      September 27, 2017 6:15 AM MDT
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  • 2657
    You're welcome. The scriptures are powerful. Reasoning on them has helped many to discern the truth.

    (Hebrews 4:12) For the word of God is alive and exerts power and is sharper than any two-edged sword and pierces even to the dividing of soul and spirit, and of joints from the marrow, and is able to discern thoughts and intentions of the heart.
    (Acts 17:2, 3) So according to Paul’s custom he went inside to them, and for three sabbaths he reasoned with them from the Scriptures, 3 explaining and proving by references that it was necessary for the Christ to suffer and to rise from the dead, saying: “This is the Christ, this Jesus whom I am proclaiming to you.”
    (Acts 17:11) Now these were more noble-minded than those in Thes·sa·lo·niʹca, for they accepted the word with the greatest eagerness of mind, carefully examining the Scriptures daily to see whether these things were so.
      September 27, 2017 6:43 AM MDT
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  • 1393
    1. I thought maybe I had missed something in my reading of the Bible. That's why I asked "The Gospels record instances of Jesus speaking to people after his crucifixion. Did Jesus himself say, in any of those appearances, that he "has been raised from the dead"?" Your answer "Of course not." gives me an assurance that I haven't missed anything in my reading on that question and that my understanding of the teachings of Jesus is quite accurate and does not need amending.

    2. According to my study of the teachings of Jesus the resurrection of Jesus from the dead did not form part of the mission God sent Jesus on. IF that is wrong then anyone who is well versed in the Gospels is welcome to show me where Jesus declared that his mission was to come and die and be resurrected for the sins of mankind.

    3. It was, however, very crucial to the teachings of Paul. He authored that doctrine as  he openly admits in his second letter to his student Timothy. We can see that at 2 Timothy 2:8 where he says to his student, “Remember that Jesus Christ, of the seed of David, was raised from the dead ACCORDING TO MY GOSPEL” and he made the doctrine crucial with his warning to the hesitant in 1 Corinthians.15:17 that "if Christ be not raised, your faith is vain; ye are yet in your sins". I have not found any such warnings in the teachings of Jesus.

    4. It is clear that my understanding of the biblical teachings of Jesus is different from that of others. Unless someone can demonstrate that my understanding is flawed then it is possible that it is the understanding of the others which is at fault.

    5. Don't forget that there are, in anyway, big differences between the understanding of different branches of Christianity itself. For example, whereas the JWs believe that Jesus is archangel Michael and God is NOT a trinity, the world's largest church, the Catholics, and the vast majority of Protestants do NOT accept that Jesus is archangel Michael and insist that God IS a trinity. That is despite the fact that all argue their respective cases from the Bible.
      September 27, 2017 4:54 PM MDT
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  • 2657
    You wouldn't accept it if Jesus said it exactly the way you are saying it needed to be said. Not sure why you keep attacking Paul, he is not the only one to say it. Perhaps you need to start throwing all of the other prophets in the Bible under the bus as well. All of the Bible writers that said it are credible inspired witnesses. You don't even accept that Jesus was going to be killed and raised on the third day even though Jesus himself plainly said that would happen.

    (Matthew 16:21) From that time forward, Jesus began explaining to his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things from the elders and chief priests and scribes and be killed, and on the third day be raised up.
    (Matthew 17:23) and they will kill him, and on the third day he will be raised up.” And they were very much grieved.
    (Luke 9:22) but he said: “The Son of man must undergo many sufferings and be rejected by the elders and the chief priests and the scribes and be killed, and on the third day be raised up.”
    (Matthew 20:28) Just as the Son of man came, not to be ministered to, but to minister and to give his life as a ransom in exchange for many.”
    (Mark 10:45) For even the Son of man came, not to be ministered to, but to minister and to give his life as a ransom in exchange for many.”


    (Isaiah 53:4, 5) Truly he himself carried our sicknesses, And he bore our pains. But we considered him as plagued, stricken by God and afflicted.  5 But he was pierced for our transgression; He was crushed for our errors. He bore the punishment for our peace, And because of his wounds we were healed.
    (Isaiah 53:11) Because of his anguish, he will see and be satisfied. By means of his knowledge the righteous one, my servant, Will bring a righteous standing to many people, And their errors he will bear.
    (Daniel 9:24-27) “There are 70 weeks that have been determined for your people and your holy city, in order to terminate the transgression, to finish off sin, to make atonement for error, to bring in everlasting righteousness, to seal up the vision and the prophecy, and to anoint the Holy of Holies. 25 You should know and understand that from the issuing of the word to restore and to rebuild Jerusalem until Mes·siʹah the Leader, there will be 7 weeks, also 62 weeks. She will be restored and rebuilt, with a public square and moat, but in times of distress. 26 “And after the 62 weeks, Mes·siʹah will be cut off, with nothing for himself. “And the people of a leader who is coming will destroy the city and the holy place. And its end will be by the flood. And until the end there will be war; what is decided upon is desolations. 27 “And he will keep the covenant in force for the many for one week; and at the half of the week, he will cause sacrifice and gift offering to cease. “And on the wing of disgusting things there will be the one causing desolation; and until an extermination, what was decided on will be poured out also on the one lying desolate.”
    (Matthew 1:21) She will give birth to a son, and you are to name him Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.”
    (Luke 2:30) because my eyes have seen your means of salvation
    (Luke 7:18-23) Now John’s disciples reported to him all these things. 19 So John summoned two of his disciples and sent them to the Lord to ask: “Are you the Coming One, or are we to expect a different one?” 20 When they came to him, the men said: “John the Baptist sent us to you to ask, ‘Are you the Coming One, or are we to expect another?’” 21 In that hour he cured many people of sicknesses, serious diseases, and wicked spirits, and he granted many blind people the gift of sight. 22 In reply he said to them: “Go and report to John what you have seen and heard: The blind are now seeing, the lame are walking, the lepers are being cleansed, the deaf are hearing, the dead are being raised up, and the poor are being told the good news. 23 Happy is the one who finds no cause for stumbling in me.”
    (John 1:29) The next day he saw Jesus coming toward him, and he said: “See, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!
    (Acts 4:8) Then Peter, filled with holy spirit, said to them: “Rulers of the people and elders,
    (Acts 4:12) Furthermore, there is no salvation in anyone else, for there is no other name under heaven that has been given among men by which we must get saved.”
    (Acts 5:31) God exalted this one as Chief Agent and Savior to his right hand, to give repentance to Israel and forgiveness of sins.


    As far as your numbers game about largest Church, Jesus pretty mu eliminated the Catholic Church as well as Islam with the massive numbers of followers and their histories of slaughtering their own brothers. Notice the words of Jesus about love. You have told me that Shiites have killed more Shiites than Sunnis and more Sunni have killed Sunni than Shiites. How does that fall in with the words of Jesus?
    (Matthew 22:14) “For there are many invited, but few chosen.”
    (Matthew 7:13, 14) “Go in through the narrow gate, because broad is the gate and spacious is the road leading off into destruction, and many are going in through it; 14 whereas narrow is the gate and cramped the road leading off into life, and few are finding it.
    (Matthew 7:18-20) A good tree cannot bear worthless fruit, nor can a rotten tree produce fine fruit. 19 Every tree not producing fine fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. 20 Really, then, by their fruits you will recognize those men.

    (John 13:35) By this all will know that you are my disciples—if you have love among yourselves.”

      September 27, 2017 8:57 PM MDT
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  • 1393
    1. I'm not sure if your post shows any love for your enemies [those you have judged] or shows any hesitation in casting the first stone at their "sins". Perhaps you see no sin in JWs but only in others. Nevertheless, none of those are the subject of discussion here. They are all  matters for you to consider.

    2. What is important to the subject matter is that nothing in your post invalidates the truth of my understanding as I have posted and explained above.

    3. So it is true that the Gospels record instances of Jesus speaking to people after his crucifixion, but in none of those appearances does he say that he has been raised from the dead. In fact I can quote a passage in which he is at pains to assure people that he is the same flesh and bones Jesus they knew [not a resurrected being or spirit]

    4. It remains true that nowhere in the Gospels does Jesus declare that God had sent him on a mission to die and be resurrected for the sins of mankind. Jesus was a practicing Jew who preached in synagogues and from the Jewish scriptures. It is incompatible that he would have had, or expressed, such a strongly non-Jewish belief.

    5. To quote Paul, or any person, is not to attack Paul, or the person quoted, if the quote is accurate. It remains true that Paul DID say to his student Timothy, at 2 Timothy 2:8, “Remember that Jesus Christ, of the seed of David, was raised from the dead ACCORDING TO MY GOSPEL” and he DID make the doctrine crucial with his warning in 1 Corinthians 15:17 that "if Christ be not raised, your faith is vain; ye are yet in your sins". It remains true that there is no such warnings in the teachings of Jesus.

    6. It remains true that although my understanding of the biblical teachings of Jesus is different from that of others [just like others differ among themselves in their understanding] my understanding is nevertheless correct. I could even argue that it is better because it is supported by what both God and Jesus are quoted as saying in the Bible.

      September 28, 2017 4:05 AM MDT
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