Continuation of Christianity debate.

[The1exile]

If Hinduism or Buddhism are true, you'll get another shot. The only think we've REALLY got to worry about is if Islam is true, but it's so fractured, that only a tiny percentage could have it right anyway.

never mind that, what about jehovah's witnesses? some of the funniest comedians known to mankind will be DOOMED!

[Backglass]

But how could these rituals and the Gospel message itself be a waste of time, if Mother Theresa was sustained and supported by her belief in them? It's, of course, possible that they did nothing to help her, but that doesn't seem to be the case given her choice to devote her life as a nun. If she was sustained in her work, by her faith, then it was integral and necessary. It's equally possible that without that faith she would have done less. Just because someone else is sustained by something else doesn’t nullify the benefits of a religious life.

I see your point. If someone wishes to believe in such superstitions and finds them a source of inspiration, good for them...I guess. But to me it's like saying "Whats wrong with heroin addict artists & musicians? They are very happy people and the drugs give them inspiration. Just because someone else is sustained by something else doesn’t nullify the benefits of Heroin addiction."

By the way how do you think I’ll find this out? If there is no after life then I just cease to exist. No regrets.

You wont...which is why all religions remain today. When you die, poof! Game over.

[CrazyAnglican]

I see your point. If someone wishes to believe in such superstitions and finds them a source of inspiration, good for them...I guess. But to me it's like saying "Whats wrong with heroin addict artists & musicians? They are very happy people and the drugs give them inspiration. Just because someone else is sustained by something else doesn’t nullify the benefits of Heroin addiction."

That's quite the logical leap there. To equate religious devotion with heroine addiction is to overlook the serious health risks associated with heroin addiction. Once again, thought that's a bit of a red herring, you are moving away from the question at hand and have offered no evidence that a religious life is by definition a wasted life. Have you changed you mind? Are you agreeing that a person can have a perfectly happy, healthy, and productive life as a Christian?

By the way how do you think I’ll find this out? If there is no after life then I just cease to exist. No regrets.

You wont...which is why all religions remain today. When you die, poof! Game over.

Like I said no regrets. Even if you're right, I choose a life that works for me. I work hard at being a good guy. I get the feeling that someone is on my side ready to help me through each day if I need it. I certainly have a church family that has shown up to help me. When I die poof! Your side doesn't seem to be very convincing. Why again should I anyone be an atheist? Too smart for all of this? Perhaps?

[CrazyAnglican]

Please tell me if I have got this straight:

God gives us free will, then imposes a huge number of seemingly nonsensical rules on us, just so when we choose to exercise the free will that he gave us and disobey these rules, he can jump out from behind a bush and yell "Ha ha!" and banish us to hell for all eternity.

Seems like a particularly sane and rational god you got there...

Well said!

Aw c'mon flashleg, I know that you recognize a strawman fallacy when you see it. It's classic, Leading question .... then a long construct at least part of which the opposition doesn't agree to......all to lead us to this which nobody believes.

This is why I don't like to argue existence and nature of God. Way too many fallacies on both sides.

btw How was France?

[raith]

I see your point. If someone wishes to believe in such superstitions and finds them a source of inspiration, good for them...I guess. But to me it's like saying "Whats wrong with heroin addict artists & musicians? They are very happy people and the drugs give them inspiration. Just because someone else is sustained by something else doesn’t nullify the benefits of Heroin addiction."

That's quite the logical leap there. To equate religious devotion with heroine addiction is to overlook the serious health risks associated with heroin addiction. Once again, thought that's a bit of a red herring, you are moving away from the question at hand and have offered no evidence that a religious life is by definition a wasted life. Have you changed you mind? Are you agreeing that a person can have a perfectly happy, healthy, and productive life as a Christian?

I think you may have overlooked the serious health risks associated with Chritianity. You've had Lions, crucifixion, other religions, other types of christians, more fervently religious christians, cannibals, heathens, natives, various kings/queens/emperors. All having some very serious negative health consequences for christians. Christianity is relatively risk free these days but then again in 2000 years heroin might be used in baby formula.

[CrazyAnglican]

I see your point. If someone wishes to believe in such superstitions and finds them a source of inspiration, good for them...I guess. But to me it's like saying "Whats wrong with heroin addict artists & musicians? They are very happy people and the drugs give them inspiration. Just because someone else is sustained by something else doesn’t nullify the benefits of Heroin addiction."

That's quite the logical leap there. To equate religious devotion with heroine addiction is to overlook the serious health risks associated with heroin addiction. Once again, thought that's a bit of a red herring, you are moving away from the question at hand and have offered no evidence that a religious life is by definition a wasted life. Have you changed you mind? Are you agreeing that a person can have a perfectly happy, healthy, and productive life as a Christian?

I think you may have overlooked the serious health risks associated with Chritianity. You've had Lions, crucifixion, other religions, other types of christians, more fervently religious christians, cannibals, heathens, natives, various kings/queens/emperors. All having some very serious negative health consequences for christians. Christianity is relatively risk free these days but then again in 2000 years heroin might be used in baby formula.

I think there is some faulty causation here. These are all risks associated with people disagreeing with you and persecuting you. They are possible anytime you take a stance for which others might persecute you. They might eqally be applied to atheism. I'm thankful they aren't, I 'd hate to be on a stake beside ya' for defending your right to believe what you want.

Like I said, It was a Red Herring. The main point is that it is entirely possible to live a happy, healthy, and productive life as a Christian. There is no evidence to intimate that it is a waste to pursue a Christian life.

[raith]

I see your point. If someone wishes to believe in such superstitions and finds them a source of inspiration, good for them...I guess. But to me it's like saying "Whats wrong with heroin addict artists & musicians? They are very happy people and the drugs give them inspiration. Just because someone else is sustained by something else doesn’t nullify the benefits of Heroin addiction."

That's quite the logical leap there. To equate religious devotion with heroine addiction is to overlook the serious health risks associated with heroin addiction. Once again, thought that's a bit of a red herring, you are moving away from the question at hand and have offered no evidence that a religious life is by definition a wasted life. Have you changed you mind? Are you agreeing that a person can have a perfectly happy, healthy, and productive life as a Christian?

I think you may have overlooked the serious health risks associated with Chritianity. You've had Lions, crucifixion, other religions, other types of christians, more fervently religious christians, cannibals, heathens, natives, various kings/queens/emperors. All having some very serious negative health consequences for christians. Christianity is relatively risk free these days but then again in 2000 years heroin might be used in baby formula.

I think there is some faulty causation here. These are all risks associated with people disagreeing with you and persecuting you. They are possible anytime you take a stance for which others might persecute you. They might eqally be applied to atheism. I'm thankful they aren't, I 'd hate to be on a stake beside ya' for defending your right to believe what you want.

Like I said, It was a Red Herring. The main point is that it is entirely possible to live a happy, healthy, and productive life as a Christian. There is no evidence to intimate that it is a waste to pursue a Christian life.

I was just poking some light hearted fun. I dont really equate religious belief with heroin addiction and I have no argument against the point that it is entirely possible to live a happy, productive, and healthy (despite the risk of lions) life a a christian. I whole heartedly agree.
That being said I think your Red Herring could use a better look if only to better explain why believers and nonbelievers see things from such different view points.

To a Non-believer religious ferver can certainly exhibit alot if not all the signs of a drug addiction. You have a course of action that is clearly leading to negative consequences which the person continues despite having to bypass the inborn survival instinct or at the least the comfort instinct. (a different conversation topic - do humans have instincts?) Yet they continue. ie-suicide bombers, self-flagelation, ritual self mutilation, martydom in general, celibacy, vows of poverty, and so on.) You have people acting in ways very similar to addiction- speaking in tongues, having visions, hearing voices, and so on. Well you get the idea. And it can of course (like most points in any discussion dealing with people) be flipped around and applied to the other side.

[CrazyAnglican]

I can see your point and it would be an interesting discussion, with some merit. I spoke of it as a red herring only in that it was off the topic and could go on to overshadow the real point of contention between Backglass and I. Sorry, I tend to have a one track mind when it comes to writing argumentatively, occupational hazard.

[Norse]

I dont believe this....

I just wrote out what was probably a 2000 word passage....and this fucking gay forum, instead of submitting it directed me to the login page...and it lost all of what I wrote...

took me about an hour and a half

[b.k. barunt]

I see your point. If someone wishes to believe in such superstitions and finds them a source of inspiration, good for them...I guess. But to me it's like saying "Whats wrong with heroin addict artists & musicians? They are very happy people and the drugs give them inspiration. Just because someone else is sustained by something else doesn’t nullify the benefits of Heroin addiction."

That's quite the logical leap there. To equate religious devotion with heroine addiction is to overlook the serious health risks associated with heroin addiction. Once again, thought that's a bit of a red herring, you are moving away from the question at hand and have offered no evidence that a religious life is by definition a wasted life. Have you changed you mind? Are you agreeing that a person can have a perfectly happy, healthy, and productive life as a Christian?

I think you may have overlooked the serious health risks associated with Chritianity. You've had Lions, crucifixion, other religions, other types of christians, more fervently religious christians, cannibals, heathens, natives, various kings/queens/emperors. All having some very serious negative health consequences for christians. Christianity is relatively risk free these days but then again in 2000 years heroin might be used in baby formula.

The main point is that it is entirely possible to live a happy, healthy, and productive life as a Christian. There is no evidence to intimate that it is a waste to pursue a Christian life.

Then why would Paul say that "if there is no ressurrection, we are of all men most miserable"? Could it be that the life of sacrifice that those in the early church showed us is different from the modern, posperous, comfortable Christianity that is now preached?

[raith]

I can see your point and it would be an interesting discussion, with some merit. I spoke of it as a red herring only in that it was off the topic and could go on to overshadow the real point of contention between Backglass and I. Sorry, I tend to have a one track mind when it comes to writing argumentatively, occupational hazard.

No worries, didnt mean to jump in and take you off topic.
A one track mind in an argument is often a good thing. It keeps people like me, who like to fog the debate with tangents and side steps, honest.

[CrazyAnglican]

I see your point. If someone wishes to believe in such superstitions and finds them a source of inspiration, good for them...I guess. But to me it's like saying "Whats wrong with heroin addict artists & musicians? They are very happy people and the drugs give them inspiration. Just because someone else is sustained by something else doesn’t nullify the benefits of Heroin addiction."

That's quite the logical leap there. To equate religious devotion with heroine addiction is to overlook the serious health risks associated with heroin addiction. Once again, thought that's a bit of a red herring, you are moving away from the question at hand and have offered no evidence that a religious life is by definition a wasted life. Have you changed you mind? Are you agreeing that a person can have a perfectly happy, healthy, and productive life as a Christian?

I think you may have overlooked the serious health risks associated with Chritianity. You've had Lions, crucifixion, other religions, other types of christians, more fervently religious christians, cannibals, heathens, natives, various kings/queens/emperors. All having some very serious negative health consequences for christians. Christianity is relatively risk free these days but then again in 2000 years heroin might be used in baby formula.

The main point is that it is entirely possible to live a happy, healthy, and productive life as a Christian. There is no evidence to intimate that it is a waste to pursue a Christian life.

Then why would Paul say that "if there is no ressurrection, we are of all men most miserable"? Could it be that the life of sacrifice that those in the early church showed us is different from the modern, posperous, comfortable Christianity that is now preached?

I'd say absolutely. I don't think I could hold my head up among one of those martyrs in the afterlife. I'd qualify it by saying the circumstances have changed around that faith, but the Gospel essentially hasn't. They endured more because they had to endure at that time.

Doh! Norse I know how that goes. As I tend to get long winded, I compose in Word and Copy and Paste it into the forum.

[b.k. barunt]

So i guess that's just one of the many scriptures that were only for the early church, and no longer apply to Christians.

[zarvinny]

I have some thoughts.


People, generally fervent god followers, have posted how GOD is both beyond human comprehension and all-powerful/all-everything pretty much.

However , they mention him being "wrathful" and "angry" and "jealous" and "happy" and all these emotions that for the most part, generally only humans possess. How do "GODS" have these emotions? Also, If the All-knowing GOD Gave us "Free-will" how is it "free" at all if he is all-knowing in the first place. Also, why is GOD a MALE? Some kind of bias, but whatever.

Also, religions drive people internally, but religion has no place in the "real" world, where the fact that dinosaurs are billions of years old is accepted by most everyone.

Uranium-lead is one of the oldest and most refined radiometric dating schemes, with a routine age range of about 1 million years to over 4.5 billion years, and with routine precisions in the 0.1- 1 percent range.

You'll find that nobody has dated rocks earlier that 4.4 billion years old, and that everything is consistent. Also, a lot of people expect to find species slowly changing overtime in a fossilized record like some divine power would have laid it out for us. Can anyone imagine HOW UNLIKELY it is for ANYTHING TO GET FOSSILIZED? When something dies, it doesn't get fossilized, it gets destroyed, for the most part. Even if it gets preserved, billions of years of climate erosion and catastrophe generally wipes out anything left, this is why there are much fewer example of the older fossils. HOWEVER! plant and animal life of ancient times still makes itself known everyday in the form of fossil fuel. Billions of gallons of liquid fuel was created and even more natural gas and coal. one should be thankful to the plants and animals that lived billions of years ago that made it happen.


Also, just in the past 50 years, bacteria strains have EVOLVED to become resistant to anti-biotics. Also, if everyone remembers in the 50's, when DDT was invented, it was sprayed all over South America to prevent malaria, however, the mosquitos that didn't have tendencies to land on the walls where it was sprayed survived and passed on offspring with similar traits and now, the mosquito level is back to its normal heights.

[CrazyAnglican]

So i guess that's just one of the many scriptures that were only for the early church, and no longer apply to Christians.

Okay, I'll bite, I have no earthly idea what you mean.

[magneticgoop]

To a Non-believer religious ferver can certainly exhibit alot if not all the signs of a drug addiction. You have a course of action that is clearly leading to negative consequences which the person continues despite having to bypass the inborn survival instinct or at the least the comfort instinct. (a different conversation topic - do humans have instincts?) Yet they continue. ie-suicide bombers, self-flagelation, ritual self mutilation, martydom in general, celibacy, vows of poverty, and so on.) You have people acting in ways very similar to addiction- speaking in tongues, having visions, hearing voices, and so on. Well you get the idea.

well with drugs you put something in you to have these outcomes, wouldn't that suggest that something was put in you perhaps God?

[magneticgoop]

I have some thoughts.


People, generally fervent god followers, have posted how GOD is both beyond human comprehension and all-powerful/all-everything pretty much.

However , they mention him being "wrathful" and "angry" and "jealous" and "happy" and all these emotions that for the most part, generally only humans possess. How do "GODS" have these emotions? Also, If the All-knowing GOD Gave us "Free-will" how is it "free" at all if he is all-knowing in the first place. Also, why is GOD a MALE? Some kind of bias, but whatever.

Also, religions drive people internally, but religion has no place in the "real" world, where the fact that dinosaurs are billions of years old is accepted by most everyone.

Uranium-lead is one of the oldest and most refined radiometric dating schemes, with a routine age range of about 1 million years to over 4.5 billion years, and with routine precisions in the 0.1- 1 percent range.

You'll find that nobody has dated rocks earlier that 4.4 billion years old, and that everything is consistent. Also, a lot of people expect to find species slowly changing overtime in a fossilized record like some divine power would have laid it out for us. Can anyone imagine HOW UNLIKELY it is for ANYTHING TO GET FOSSILIZED? When something dies, it doesn't get fossilized, it gets destroyed, for the most part. Even if it gets preserved, billions of years of climate erosion and catastrophe generally wipes out anything left, this is why there are much fewer example of the older fossils. HOWEVER! plant and animal life of ancient times still makes itself known everyday in the form of fossil fuel. Billions of gallons of liquid fuel was created and even more natural gas and coal. one should be thankful to the plants and animals that lived billions of years ago that made it happen.


Also, just in the past 50 years, bacteria strains have EVOLVED to become resistant to anti-biotics. Also, if everyone remembers in the 50's, when DDT was invented, it was sprayed all over South America to prevent malaria, however, the mosquitos that didn't have tendencies to land on the walls where it was sprayed survived and passed on offspring with similar traits and now, the mosquito level is back to its normal heights.

why cant God have emotions? Why does God have to be female? how do scientists know that dinosaurs are 65 million years old were they there? why cant God make the fossil fuels? if there is so much fossil fuels shouldn't there be millions of fossils per square mile because if the earth is that old wouldn't it have plenty of time to create fossils? Who says evolution doesn't exist? who says natural selection doesn't exist?

[Jehan]

I have some thoughts.


People, generally fervent god followers, have posted how GOD is both beyond human comprehension and all-powerful/all-everything pretty much.

However , they mention him being "wrathful" and "angry" and "jealous" and "happy" and all these emotions that for the most part, generally only humans possess. How do "GODS" have these emotions? Also, If the All-knowing GOD Gave us "Free-will" how is it "free" at all if he is all-knowing in the first place. Also, why is GOD a MALE? Some kind of bias, but whatever.

Also, religions drive people internally, but religion has no place in the "real" world, where the fact that dinosaurs are billions of years old is accepted by most everyone.

Uranium-lead is one of the oldest and most refined radiometric dating schemes, with a routine age range of about 1 million years to over 4.5 billion years, and with routine precisions in the 0.1- 1 percent range.

You'll find that nobody has dated rocks earlier that 4.4 billion years old, and that everything is consistent. Also, a lot of people expect to find species slowly changing overtime in a fossilized record like some divine power would have laid it out for us. Can anyone imagine HOW UNLIKELY it is for ANYTHING TO GET FOSSILIZED? When something dies, it doesn't get fossilized, it gets destroyed, for the most part. Even if it gets preserved, billions of years of climate erosion and catastrophe generally wipes out anything left, this is why there are much fewer example of the older fossils. HOWEVER! plant and animal life of ancient times still makes itself known everyday in the form of fossil fuel. Billions of gallons of liquid fuel was created and even more natural gas and coal. one should be thankful to the plants and animals that lived billions of years ago that made it happen.


Also, just in the past 50 years, bacteria strains have EVOLVED to become resistant to anti-biotics. Also, if everyone remembers in the 50's, when DDT was invented, it was sprayed all over South America to prevent malaria, however, the mosquitos that didn't have tendencies to land on the walls where it was sprayed survived and passed on offspring with similar traits and now, the mosquito level is back to its normal heights.

I'll admit that i have little understanding of biology, the rocks dating to be very old seems to be in concordance with the first verse of the bible, since the earth already existed then,
Greek actually has a word for God that goes with he/she, but it gets lost because of the limitations of English, its a pro-noun for someone who is neither male or female, so i guess we consider God as male because of our limitations,
the argument of pre-destination is so philosophically difficult that it might take some time for me to make a coherent argument, but i would think it comes down to,God may know what we are going to do, but because He isn't forcing us to do things it still really comes down to our choice.
And the emotions question, well the bible says we are made in the image and likeness of God, so i guess my view of God is that we are a pale shadow of Him, a very pale shadow, but what we feel as emotions are from God, and you would have to agree they are pretty powerful sometimes, i would like to know why you have a problem with God having emotions though.

So i guess that's just one of the many scriptures that were only for the early church, and no longer apply to Christians.

there are many churches which are persecuted today, in countries such as Indonesia and such, but persecution can come in many forms, i think though that Jesus says that His burden is light, though i dont know what you are talking about cos i dont live in america, do people preach that Christianity is easy?

[raith]

To a Non-believer religious ferver can certainly exhibit alot if not all the signs of a drug addiction. You have a course of action that is clearly leading to negative consequences which the person continues despite having to bypass the inborn survival instinct or at the least the comfort instinct. (a different conversation topic - do humans have instincts?) Yet they continue. ie-suicide bombers, self-flagelation, ritual self mutilation, martydom in general, celibacy, vows of poverty, and so on.) You have people acting in ways very similar to addiction- speaking in tongues, having visions, hearing voices, and so on. Well you get the idea.

well with drugs you put something in you to have these outcomes, wouldn't that suggest that something was put in you perhaps God?

No it wouldn't

but to make the analogy more apt to your statment- lets take mental illness. Someone who hears the voice of the advanced alien beings speaking to him with their highly advanced communication feed directly to his mind and telling him that he can fly if he speaks the secret code words to activate the antigravity device that the highly advanced alien implanted in him. Once he gets the device working he will be able to fly off and join the aliens in their null time ship where he will never age and be provided for through eternity while traveling throught the universe. Before he goes though, he would like to spread the word about the aliens and teach other how to activate their antigrav implants. When you hear him do start looking up expecting to see the aliens? or do say to yourself "poor fellow" as you call the men in white coats or just walk by.

Was something put into him to get this outcome? God? or the Aliens?
My point was not to argue the validity of religion or god. but to illustrate why someone who does not share your belief can very understandably see your beliefs and actions as something totally different that you see them.

[2dimes]

Or lets use the analogy of a person that has never seen a telephone.

You tell them you were just talking to your mom in the other room. They ask why you don't invite her into the room you're in. You then try to explain how she's not in the same city as you are but the person that doesn't know what a phone is doesn't believe you.

[Anarchy Ninja]

If I was in such an exalted postion I would not prevent people from reaching enlightenment simply because they didn't believe in me or believed in something else.

That's very generous of you I'm sure, but not very just. God is Just, remember? If he sets forth rules on how to live, and they are so simple that a 4 year old child can do it then it's not really His fault if people refuse, is it? And because he is just, the people that obey him, and do what he asks are rewarded, and those who thumb their nose at his very fundamental request he is obliged to punish. To NOT punish those who ignored him would be merciful, but infinityly unjust to those who had obeyed.

But how is it even a reasonable law?! I'm sure this question was hinted at in the rest of my post.

[Neutrino]

why cant God have emotions?

Because he is supposed to be perfect. If you are perfect then you cannot have such flawed emotions as anger or hate.

Why does God have to be female?

Why does god have to be male?
It's just this male-centred society of ours that automatically displays any higher figure as male.

how do scientists know that dinosaurs are 65 million years old were they there?

No, but, as stated previously, they have a pretty accurate system for measuring the age of the rocks that the fossils were found in.

If god wants us to think the universe is 13 billion years old, who are we to prove him wrong?

why cant God make the fossil fuels?

Why would god make fossil fuels?

Why would god use a system that, to all accurate systems of measurement, took millions of years?

if there is so much fossil fuels shouldn't there be millions of fossils per square mile because if the earth is that old wouldn't it have plenty of time to create fossils?

http://www3.iptv.org/exploremore/energy ... fossil.cfm

Yes, there has been plenty of time to create fossils, but there has also been plenty to destroy them.
The animal forming the fossil has to fall in or near a river-bed so they can be covered in mid which then hardens. This eliminates the vast, vast majority of all animals to die. Then the fossil has to survive uncounted years of weathering and natural disasters. This will destroy most of those that actually were buried in the right conditions.

Who says evolution doesn't exist? who says natural selection doesn't exist?

The Pope, for one...

[Soggydoughnuts]

Ok I dont have much to say, however I do have something...

I was born into a christian home and even though I do not have any experience with anything other than christianity. I have however seen many lives change in such amazing ways and I believe that everyone should at least look into it. I dont want people to start thinking that chirstianity is like trying to force people into religion.

I believe it is your choice if you want to believe in something I promise you that christianity is a good choice and it is one of the most amazing things that have ever happened to me is when I accepted the lord.

Im not forcing anything upon anyone. Im not saying that there are other things that could possibly be true also or you can believe more easy. So choose what you like but at least look into it.

-Donuts

[Skittles!]

Series of questions I have for you Christians, that may or may not test your faith, and one of them I've already asked before, and only CA has answered, and that was via PM.

1. Why do you believe it's a 'gift' that God has given us, and not a bribe? Sure, in the Bible, it may say that it's a gift, but the Bible has been translated time and time again that it may not be correct. What if it was a bribe? It'll just be like "Hey, follow me, and I'll give you eternal life". Why would God give us a 'gift' anyway?

2. You have a family, and you have God. What would you choose? A family you love, would protect no matter what, and you know they exist. Then you have God, who says, via the Bible, that if you follow him, you will live for eternity in Heaven with Him, with no pain, with streets made of gold, and the like. If you choose God, then don't you think that's greedy and selfish, even if the Bible says it's bad to be greedy and selfish and you should be humble. Greedy and selfish to choose eternal life, which may not even exist, over a family that you love and nurture for your whole mortal life.

3. (I've previously asked Caleb this, but I want other views by other Christians). Why did only 3 men go to Heaven? Moses, Ezelkiel (SP), and Abraham (if I remember correctly). All from the Old Testament, all under Yahweh.
Let's see why those three would of been the only ones to go to Heaven.
Moses - He freed the Israelites from the Egyptians, and led the to the land of Milk and Honey. (Which, even after freeing them, they didn't even get to ) He imposed the will of Yahweh to kill livestock, people, and to plague Egypt. Why, when it was just to save the Israelites? Sure, they were the followers of Yahweh, but they also pillaged, killed and drove other cultures into the ground, just so Yahweh was the only 'god'.
Abraham - He was the forefather of the line of which Jesus was born. He almost killed his Son in the name of Yahweh, and it was all to test his faith in the god. He did everything his god told him to.
Ezelkiel (SP) - He didn't send rain to some country or other, because they worshipped different gods other than Yahweh. Why would that get him into Heaven? It's inhumane, and not even logical that someone can command the weather like that.
Why would these three get into Heaven whilst the diciples of Jesus of Nazareth didn't get into Heaven? They started the New Testament, they started many Churches of Christianity. And why wasn't Paul? He even went to Rome to preach Christianity. Why wasn't anyone from the New Testament allowed into Heaven, when God was meant to be loving and different from the way He was before when he was called Yahweh.

It'll be nice if you answer them, and if it stregthens your faith, then I'll respect you even more.

those questions seem to suggest you know very little about the bible which you are questioning, there's nothing wrong with that, only to say that if you wish to ask faith challenging questions your going to have to do a bit of study. Many people in the Old Testiment will be in heaven, so i'm very confused about the third question, like so many people that i can name that its ridiculous, um for number two, the NT is full of stuff about loving everyone even your enemies, and about serving others, one of the ten things God decided was most important for living a blessed life was to honour ones parents, so once again the question is confusing me, and for number one, if heaven is a "bribe" then its a pretty dang good one, but i think i am once again confused, bribe suggests its a gift intended to entice us to do something which it is not out duty to do, so against what, would we be getting bribed to subvert?

I apologise that because I went to a Seventh Day Adventist school for 6 years that it doesn't seem like I know very much about the Bible . Do you seriously think that I would even ask thoughs questions went I didn't know much about the Bible? Sure, I didn't pay that much attention in the later years, but I did at least learn what I was taught.
It may just be that the SDA's believe in that, and other types of Christianity doesn't, but I dono.

For the bold part. I'd like you to name them. Please do. I was taught that there were only 3 people other than Jesus and God and his angels that currently reside in Heaven. How they even got that I have no idea, but that's what I was taught. I'm only basing things off what I have been taught for 6 years. Also, Caleb seemed to of abled to answer that question, so why can't you? Don't say "We follow different Churches", because that's just a lame excuse. You follow God, and you believe the Bible is the Holy Word of God, so you should of known it even if you are in different Churches.

Italics- You seem to get confused a lot. What's confusing you? I'm sure I did it properly. The way you 'answered' it was pretty low. Let's give you an example. Let's say you're the only Christian in your family, and the others had their different religions. You didn't know that you could save them by praying to God, and so you were worried about it. Would you still follow God even if your family may not of been saved? Or would you love your family, who you know exists, and just leave God behind?

[Neutrino]

Perhaps not specifically, but Paul mentions that nature stands as a witness to God. By way of anecdote. There was a little girl in India, almost 200 years ago, who at a very young age rejected Hinduism. She said to herself that if God is God, then He wouldn't be like Siva, or Brahaman, or any other of these gods, And he would have to be the creator. So she started praying to her unknown creator to show himself to her. Several weeks later, a woman named Amy Charmichal showed up in her village and shared the gospel. The little Girl came to Christ. Jeremiah says "If you seek me, you will find me, IF you seek for me with all your heart" I think that promise is true for all people in all times. God will answer (sometimes supernaturally) those that seek after him.

Why didn't the Americas get it's own set of prophets then? The Jews got a whole ton of them, even some random girl in India managed to get a Missionary and yet the entirety of the Americas got no-one?

Even a single person, seeking a better religion than the normal human-sacrifice ones of Central America, gifted with the ability to make god nuke anyone he didn't like the look of could have easily spread Christianity through the Americas. Yet this didn't happen. Why?

It seems clear from studying the OT, and Jesus response to common attitudes in the gospels that the Israelites screwed up in almost every way. They were supposed to be a blessing to the rest of the world, an example of loving fellowship with the one true God, but their constant sin forced God to punish them, through invading armies. When they repented, He would demonstrate His faithfulness by driving out the enemies. Israels lack of faithfulness, however, would not have precluded God from reaching other people groups across the globe. He could have very easily provided those areas with opportunities to believe, we simply don't know.

You are saying across the entire world, absolutly no-one, with the notable exception of the Jews, was prepared to look for a better religion and then follow the trail of miracles to eternal salvation?

Please tell me if I have got this straight:
God gives us free will, then imposes a huge number of seemingly nonsensical rules on us, just so when we choose to exercise the free will that he gave us and disobey these rules, he can jump out from behind a bush and yell "Ha ha!" and banish us to hell for all eternity.
Seems like a particularly sane and rational god you got there...

You don't. God gave us free will, and asked that we believe in His existence and in His love for us, and respond accordingly. If we refuse to acknowledge the things he has done for us, than his infinite justice forces Him to punish us, because we rejected the substitute for said punishment.

If he wanted us to obey him, then why not make humanity a race of mindless drones?
He gave us free will and gave us rules. If he wanted us to follow those rules, why bother with the free will at all?

Do you believe that you should be punished, especially with a punishment as severe as this one, for simply not doing something that someone asked you? The whole point of asking is that the act is purely voluntary on your part, so how can you be punished for failing to do it?

P.S. Would you say, or does it say anywhere in the Bible, whether or not god is Infinite?

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