Religion II

[Actor]

Originally Posted by boxcar

We know that Christianity spread very rapidly after Christ's resurrection.

More rapidly than Mormonism? More rapidly than Scientology? What is the average rate at which a religion spreads? Do you have data? Of course you do not. I've asked before and you have produced nothing.

[Actor]

Originally Posted by boxcar

My question is a very reasonable one. I want to know why the Jewish religious establishment failed to kill the movement in its tracks, which they could have done by producing the body of Christ.

I say...the fact that they didn't is because they were not able to. And they weren't able because Jesus truly did rise from his tomb, as the scriptures tell us.

They were not able to because the whole story is fiction, ergo, there was no body to produce.

[boxcar]

Originally Posted by Actor

More rapidly than Mormonism? More rapidly than Scientology? What is the average rate at which a religion spreads? Do you have data? Of course you do not. I've asked before and you have produced nothing.

I did a series about the rapid spread of the gospel from the scriptures. You can take it or leave it -- whatever your "free will" chooses.

And to this day, neither Mormonism or Scientology can't hold a candle to the number of the Evangelical Christians in the world. And this doesn't include various orthodox churches, Catholicism, etc.

[Actor]

Originally Posted by thaskalos

What did they call themselves back then?

Who knows. Zoroastrians perhaps.

[boxcar]

Originally Posted by Actor

Who knows. Zoroastrians perhaps.

They called themselves The Way. Only when the Gospel reached Antioch did believers first call themselves Christians (Act 11:26).

[Greyfox]

Originally Posted by boxcar

They called themselves The Way. Only when the Gospel reached Antioch did believers first call themselves Christians (Act 11:26).

I think Actor's reference to Zoroastrians was about what he, an Atheist, is calling Pre-Christian Christians.
What you are calling The Way would refer to the first real Christians.

[Ocala Mike]

Originally Posted by Actor

They were not able to because the whole story is fiction, ergo, there was no body to produce.

So, fake news is at least nearly 2,000 years old. Damn media!

[Actor]

Originally Posted by boxcar

I did a series about the rapid spread of the gospel from the scriptures.

Do the scriptures present data?

Originally Posted by boxcar

And to this day, neither Mormonism or Scientology can't hold a candle to the number of the Evangelical Christians in the world.

Your claim was not about absolute numbers but about the rate of growth/decline, i.e., about the speedometer, not the odometer.

How fast did Islam spread? What about Buddhism?

The fastest growing religion today is Islam. Christianity is in decline. Atheism is growing.

[Actor]

Originally Posted by boxcar

They called themselves The Way.

In 500 B.C.E.?

[boxcar]

Originally Posted by Actor

Do the scriptures present data?

Your claim was not about absolute numbers but about the rate of growth/decline, i.e., about the speedometer, not the odometer.

How fast did Islam spread? What about Buddhism?

The fastest growing religion today is Islam. Christianity is in decline. Atheism is growing.

Christianity predates Islam, too. Buddhism? I'm not sure.

[boxcar]

Originally Posted by Actor

They were not able to because the whole story is fiction, ergo, there was no body to produce.

The "whole story", then, must include the crucifixion, right? No tomb, no death, no body.

[Show Me the Wire]

Originally Posted by Actor

Who knows. Zoroastrians perhaps.

If you don't know, the name used by your alleged 500 B.C. group of practicing "christians" how can you claim such a group existed? If you believe Zoroastrians is a form of Christianity, it demonstrates you have no idea of what traditional Christianity actually teaches.

The belief that supernatural spirits, both good and evil is common in many religious belief systems. The existence of common beliefs among diverse religious beliefs is not evidence that in 500 B.C. a group of people practiced Christianity prior to Christ.

[Show Me the Wire]

Originally Posted by Actor

....Christianity is in decline. Atheism is growing.

Is that a good thing? What are the fruits of atheism? Historically, its fruits are the deaths and persecutions, etc.

There have been twenty-eight countries in world history that can be confirmed to have been ruled by regimes with avowed atheists at the helm…of whom more than half have engaged in democidal acts of the sort committed by Stalin and Mao Zedong… The total body count for the ninety years between 1917 and 2007 is approximately 148 million dead at the bloody hands of fifty-two atheists.” Ex-atheist Theodore Beale

Thanks for proudly proclaiming your affinity for suppression of human rights. I asked you once before, in this thread, why do you believe communist propaganda if you are not a communist? You never did answer, except with a deflection explaining that communist want to spread their message.

Maybe this time you you can tell us why you support suppression of the masses through spreading communist propaganda, atheism, if you are not a communist?

[thaskalos]

Is there a religion that doesn't have blood on its hands as a result of killing those who have opposed its doctrine?

[Show Me the Wire]

Originally Posted by thaskalos

Is there a religion that doesn't have blood on its hands as a result of killing those who have opposed its doctrine?

Does the above justify the killing and suppression of humanity by current communist regimes? Are the religions you are referring currently killing people?

Are you asking if other groups past historical actions justify supporting a current ideology that kills and suppresses? What are the motivations behind this blood on their hands?

Are Christians currently killing people? Muslims are still suppressing and killing, but no where near the numbers of atheistic regimes.

I ask is it a good thing to support, an ideology which historically and currently practices killing and suppressing of its own population and outside populations?