Thinking...

I dont really feel like writing, in fact I made myself to do it because I'm really bad in writing so I need to practise. Anyhow, I had been reading to someone's blog who have been thinking about the folly of religions. He himself is leaning towards buddhism. Well, I was just wanting to write down my chain of thoughts and some questions.

I know you have had bad experience with evangelical christians particularly with those who claim to know everything and forcing you to believe in Jesus. I know it is bothering you when they say drink the poison and you will never die if you believe in Jesus. They are quoting:


"Later Jesus appeared to the Eleven as they were eating; he rebuked them for their lack of faith and their stubborn refusal to believe those who had seen him after he had risen.

He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the good news to all creation.

Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned.

And these signs will accompany those who believe: In my name they will drive out demons; they will speak in new tongues;

they will pick up snakes with their hands; and when they drink deadly poison, it will not hurt them at all; they will place their hands on sick people, and they will get well.”

After the Lord Jesus had spoken to them, he was taken up into heaven and he sat at the right hand of God.

Then the disciples went out and preached everywhere, and the Lord worked with them and confirmed his word by the signs that accompanied it." (Mark 16:14-20).

Well, I think when this passage is talking about "who believe" are people that believe the good news and the signs are with those who are going to share it. The signs are only to accompany, not the main thing. The main thing is the good news. It looks like what God has said to the disciples, God had confirmed (it's in the past) it by allowing the signs to happen just the way He had said it. I guess the signs are still continually happen nowadays, I mean people can get healed, but again these signs are just to accompany the preaching of the good news.


But when you tested them to drink it, they scared away. How can such faith make sense? I must say that I do not agree with them challenging you to accept Christ using the verse saying new believers in Jesus will not die with poison. Jesus did not use that verse to challenge people to accept him. I am glad that you are thinking about it and happy for you to challenge the evangelists.


Certainly, they miss the whole gospel, the good news, where Jesus God came to this earth to reconcile human and God. He died for our sins. You may think that you are a good person, you are not a sinner. But, the bible said that we are all have sinned against God.

If you look at a woman in lust you have committed adultery.

But I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart (Matthew 5:28).

You may have cheated in the exam/assignment or being proud and selfish. All these hurts God. If someone hurts you, only you that has the right to forgive, am I correct? so it is God. You hurted him by your actions, only Him that has the right to forgive. Indeed, He does want to forgive you by sending Jesus. Now, God is not the same as a just another person. He is perfect, He sets the standard not the wisest or kindest person on the earth, it is God who sets the standard. No matter how wise or kind a man is, they are not perfect, they are not in control of everything, they have their hopeless time, and they may not truly happy with the way they are. Now, Jesus is perfect. When you meet God, Jesus is your shield because He is perfect. God will look to Him not you, your imperfection and so you may stand face to face.

You argued about praying to a statue, in your case, the statue of Buddha. It was said that you are not asking or praying to Buddha but rather remembering all that he has done and taught you, his wisdom, and meditating through his examples and how you may too follow the example. I accept your disagreements of being called a baal worshipper because you do not plead or pray to him. You do not consider him as God anyway. My challenge to you is asking you why do you settle with a good, wise, loving and kind, thoughtful man, Siddharta Gautama (forgive me If I spelled his name wrongly). I know you do not have faith and you only believe what you can see and where there are evidences. I would say sometimes we do not see what we ought to see. Things that we could not see, it does not mean that it is not there. Do we have the right to see God who is perfect and in control, with us being little puny creature and much imperfections? Do we dare to demand? only by God's grace. Who are we to claim that we are to comprehend God so that we may believe though I must say He does not leave us totally without knowledge about Him. If we are able to comprehend God fully, then we are God, not him.

You also mention about doing good without the fear of going to hell. Well, I'm glad you understand the joy of doing good, not doing good for the sake of its wages which is heaven. I'm not sure whether you think that hell exists. If you do, why do you think hell exist? Who decide someone to go to hell? the person must be more powerful than humans, must at least at higher level, higher standard than human can do. If you cannot see God, it does not mean that there is no God.

You also talked about the ultimate goal of human is to be happy. But, I thought buddhism taught that desires bring a lot of misery, so it is better to deny desire, not to have desire. What about the desire to be happy? to do good? Do you expect to experience your true happiness in this world, as the result of your good deeds? because I do not think happiness is always a cause and effect thing. If you are looking for the realization of your true happiness on this earth, I dont think that your good deeds are always going to result in happiness e.g. success, health, fame, wise, etc.

"Patung bukanlah kriteria ajaran kami. Ada atau tidak ada patung tidak menjadi masalah. Guru besar kami sama sekali tidak mengajarkan pemujaan patung guna menuju kebahagiaan sejati. Tindakan melalui pikiran, ucapan dan jasmani yang senantiasa terkendali serta jauh dari keserakahan, kebencian dan kebodohan batin merupakan syarat mutlak untuk merealisasi kebahagiaan sejati. Setiap mahluk mengharapkan kebahagiaan, namun kebahagiaan tidak dapat muncul karena berdoa, meminta-minta.
Kebahagiaan merupakan akibat, dan akibat akan muncul apabila ada sebab tepat yang mendahuluinya. Sebab yang baik pasti akan menimbulkan akibat yang baik; sebaliknya sebab yang buruk akan menimbulkan akibat yang buruk pula. Proses sebab akibat ini akan berlangsung selama kondisi-kondisi penunjangnya terpenuhi; mereka berproses secara alamiah. Pengertian yang benar mengenai proses inilah yang menyebabkan saya secara sukarela berusaha melakukan kebaikan tanpa tergiur oleh janji/iming-iming surga dan secara sukarela pula
berusaha tidak melakukan kejahatan, tanpa diliputi rasa takut akan ancaman neraka. Semoga uraian kenyataan di atas dapat meredakan kesalahpahaman antar penganut religius." [Slamet Rodjali] [Buletin Dharma Manggala Mei 2007]

Oh and we pray before we eat is not to show off, that we are holier than you are. It is to express our gratitude to God the ultimate provider. If you argue that our non-christians parents may grawl at us by not thanking them of their hard work to provide for us, well I think we should thank God for them, for the success that God gives to them in their work, their ability to work and in so doing to provide for us. You see, God is still the ultimate provider, not dependent on my parents ability to provide.

Yes, some of the tele-evangelists committed adultery and were not transparent in handling money. You are also aware of prosperity doctrines being taught. I dont like what they do or what they preach. I challenge you to challenge what they say and not just taking it like that, or totally discard christianity. I know...sadly I have to say that it is hard to ask you not to look at them as christians representatives. They bore Jesus name everywhere they go. But, yea trust me not every christian is like that. I do not agree with prosperity doctrines, not for the sake of having arguements with people but I question that it is biblical. I found prosperity doctrines contradict with what Jesus said

For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows (1 Titus 6:10).

And again I say unto you, It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God (Matthew 19:24)

So yeaaa...have a think.