As some of you may have read in my journal, recently I decided to have a look at the Bible. (out of curiosity)
There's a few things that confuse me:
1. The differences between the Old testament and the New testament.
For example, there is the "eye for an eye" and there's the "turn the other cheek" - how do those go together?
Also my impression is that, according to the Old testament, only the "chosen people" (Israelis) go to Heaven, whereas they go to war to other nations - and in the New Testament, if I understand correctly, the apostols are to convert people from any and all nations.
If I understand correctly, God is much more harsh in the Old testament - even Israelis themselves get killed for lacking faith. Whereas in the New Testament it seems to be a more open, loving figure.
2. What are the differences between the Hebrew faith and Catholicism that starts with the first Christians? And is the figure of Messiah that Israelis speak of meant to be Jesus? Is Messiah a human, an Earthly leader or God's messenger?
3. Can all sins be forgiven by entering the faith? I mean, suppose a murderer has guilty conscience and gets baptised, goes to church etc... - does that erase all of the bad things he's done? Or, if a person is calculating and gets baptised "just in case" - does that count for something or not?
4. Somewhere in the New Testament I read that "if you don't enter God's kingdom as a child you never will" (or something similar to that). Really? Is it too late to get baptised in, say, your teens or adult life?
Besides, isn't God (and religion) too complex of a concept to be grasped by children?
5. What's the difference between being religious and being spiritual? If you're spiritual, does it mean you believe in "something higher" but not necessarily in the shape of God?
6. The hardest to accept (most peculiar, if you will - apart from existence of God and God/Jesus miracles and rising from the dead) parts about Christianity in particular for me is the idea that people should repent and all of them are bad sinners and that we should be afraid, or that so many people were turned to Christianity by force or killed over religion - or that people could buy the forgiveness with money at priests.
I mean, certainly there are people that do horrible and evil things but surely someone like a child is innocent. Also, isn't God supposed to be good and loving - a "Father"? Why should people fear their creator?
7. Is it true that Jesus spent some time in India, learning and studying? He didn't spend his whole life in Palestine?
Is Jesus a human (being born by Mary, having died on the cross) or not (being God's son, and risen from the dead)?
8. Also is it true that the famous shrowd had traces of blood (after all, dead bodies don't release fluid) and that priests framed another sample when it was tested?
9. If there is Heaven, then why is there Hell? Wouldn't God want for all people to be with him after they die? (everyone deserves a second chance...with grace?)
I hope I don't offend anyone here with these, (curiosity killed the cat!) I'm just interested to find explanations and answers.
There's a few things that confuse me:
1. The differences between the Old testament and the New testament.
For example, there is the "eye for an eye" and there's the "turn the other cheek" - how do those go together?
Also my impression is that, according to the Old testament, only the "chosen people" (Israelis) go to Heaven, whereas they go to war to other nations - and in the New Testament, if I understand correctly, the apostols are to convert people from any and all nations.
If I understand correctly, God is much more harsh in the Old testament - even Israelis themselves get killed for lacking faith. Whereas in the New Testament it seems to be a more open, loving figure.
2. What are the differences between the Hebrew faith and Catholicism that starts with the first Christians? And is the figure of Messiah that Israelis speak of meant to be Jesus? Is Messiah a human, an Earthly leader or God's messenger?
3. Can all sins be forgiven by entering the faith? I mean, suppose a murderer has guilty conscience and gets baptised, goes to church etc... - does that erase all of the bad things he's done? Or, if a person is calculating and gets baptised "just in case" - does that count for something or not?
4. Somewhere in the New Testament I read that "if you don't enter God's kingdom as a child you never will" (or something similar to that). Really? Is it too late to get baptised in, say, your teens or adult life?
Besides, isn't God (and religion) too complex of a concept to be grasped by children?
5. What's the difference between being religious and being spiritual? If you're spiritual, does it mean you believe in "something higher" but not necessarily in the shape of God?
6. The hardest to accept (most peculiar, if you will - apart from existence of God and God/Jesus miracles and rising from the dead) parts about Christianity in particular for me is the idea that people should repent and all of them are bad sinners and that we should be afraid, or that so many people were turned to Christianity by force or killed over religion - or that people could buy the forgiveness with money at priests.
I mean, certainly there are people that do horrible and evil things but surely someone like a child is innocent. Also, isn't God supposed to be good and loving - a "Father"? Why should people fear their creator?
7. Is it true that Jesus spent some time in India, learning and studying? He didn't spend his whole life in Palestine?
Is Jesus a human (being born by Mary, having died on the cross) or not (being God's son, and risen from the dead)?
8. Also is it true that the famous shrowd had traces of blood (after all, dead bodies don't release fluid) and that priests framed another sample when it was tested?
9. If there is Heaven, then why is there Hell? Wouldn't God want for all people to be with him after they die? (everyone deserves a second chance...with grace?)
I hope I don't offend anyone here with these, (curiosity killed the cat!) I'm just interested to find explanations and answers.