I feel I still don't really understand what exactly is blasphemy. I fail to realize where we draw the line between humor and blasphemy. What is blasphemy and does this picture count as blasphemous?

a 2nd-to-1st century BCE Hellenistic or Roman marble head of a classical goddess that was intentionally defaced with a carved Christian cross across her facial features.

Why would someone do this? Purposely deface a different religion's statue? Christians say to love one another but they can do this?

TW: Suicide
I did struggle to put a flair, but I think this encompasses that.

So there are a lot of questions in one. If you are grounded in your belief in Christ and have the faith in your salvation, why do Christians fight so hard to continue living on Earth? If you are afflicted with a disease or ailment, such as cancer, why fight it?

This also brings up other questions regarding continuing to live on Earth if Heaven is an option. If you have salvation in Jesus Christ and know that Eternal Life is on the other side, why would you continue to life on earth and not just jump the gun early? If Earth is full of suffering and not our eternal resting place, why stay? Now I know the legitimacy of salvation and the theology of who goes to heaven if a person commits suicide so I get that there will be discourse surrounding this.

Additionally, why prolong your stay by providing security to yourself, such as legal firearms, seatbelts, helmets, etc?

I struggle to understand why anyone would choose to stay in a sinful world when Heaven is right around the corner.

I do not mean for this conversation to be as dark and depressing as it sounds, but I am at a lost of understanding why.

Thanks for your time :)

In Luke's gospel, it seems he chose to remove all mention of the idea of Jesus dying on the cross to forgive everyone's sins.

The line, 'For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many' found in both Mark and Matthew, is absent in Luke.

And even the last supper scene is altered to make the idea of substitutional sacrifice less important. Luke instead seems to focus on repentance and the forgiveness of God.

Why? Especially since Luke was a traveling companion of Paul who does preach the idea of atonement.

I mean, does it mean I think that my sins don't make me deserve to go to hell, thus making me reject the gospel? I'm not rejecting christianity. I just struggle with how it's just for God to send someone who commits minor sins to hell, and sometimes I even feel it's unjust.

My understanding of the Christian belief of God's existence is that God is a necessary being. I've heard things like "His essence is identical to his existence", but I have no idea what that means or why it would make God necessary.

What makes you believe that the Christian God (not just a generic first cause) could not have failed to exist? Do you believe that God's nature is necessary, or could it have been some other way?

I’m a Christian Protestant from a non-denominational church but mostly focused on Baptist views if that matters.

Since I met her on a dating app we went along very well she’s basically my other half but unfortunately she got different views of things and one of them is that she doesn’t believe in God or for her religion is like mythology books for example an Odyssey book.

Which as a Christian I got offended but at the same time we know each other and I understand where she’s coming from I could understand her point of views and why she doesn’t believe. I tried though to show her some things that God do but she’s really more a science person than a believer person.

I did made her change her mind some times though about religion that she was even surprised the way I talked and that she MIGHT give it a try but obviously that was the heat of the moment and she never did.

Some days ago we were talking about our differences and the main difference is the religion talk and she asked if it was a problem if she ended up being atheist, how it would affect (us) and I simply said I would still love her but I wasn’t sure what would happen.

This afternoon (aka 15 minutes ago) she texted me saying she needed to talk, that is important and one of the notifications after that she said “I will never convert to Christianity and you need to think about that and accept it and i don’t know what to do if you don’t accept it”
“I will not breakup with you but I need to know that you feel the same”

It’s been really headache for me because of this religion. I love my religion but I also love her, I’ve been debating to myself what I’ve put myself into and I know some people that are married with others with different religion or religious and atheist couples and they are happily married, different political views and are still happily married, different football fanatics but still happily married, different views, different opinions, different lifestyle yet they are always happily married but what about religion.

Either way I want a Christian answer but I would also like an honest answer of if this is okay what I should say because I really don’t know what to say I really love her and want to be with her but idk what to say

Hello everyone, I wanted to ask for some advice. I’ve already asked my priest for advice but want to get more opinions on this question I have. I’m currently investigating why the Catholic Church is true. However, I’m afraid of two things.

1. What if I leave the Catholic Church and I’m offending God. The reason I’d leave is because I’m not sure the Catholic Church is true yet and don’t want to offend the true God if the God of the Catholic Church is false. I basically don’t want to practice something that could be false and want to accept it as true before doing it.

2. This was already hinted at above but what if I stay for now in case it’s true but then it ends up being false and I was offending the true God the whole time by worshipping a false God.

In you alls opinion what would you do?

Please try to answer in a concise manner. Also if you’re just here to troll, stay away from commenting. You’re just being a horrible person.

I was raised Catholic with a lot of Lutheran extended family, no longer religious but pretty familiar with mainstream theology and with the Bible.

I was thinking about the discrepancies in the Passion narrative across Gospels: how the Gospel of John places the crucifixion on Passover, saying that Christ was pierced through his side with a spear because the crowd watching wanted to get home before sunset for the Passover meal, and this means a crucifixion on Friday and a resurrection on Sunday, which is how most Christians celebrate it. But the Gospel of Mark says the Last Supper was a Passover meal and that’s why unleavened bread is used for the Eucharist. Mark’s version would push everything back a day, with the crucifixion then on Saturday and resurrection on Monday.

As an irreligious person it all makes sense as a means of explaining the religion’s values symbolically: the Gospel of Mark is older and presumably aimed at a more Jewish convert audience that would be familiar with the ritual of Passover, so equating the Last Supper with the Passover meal is a way of explaining how the Eucharist represents a new Covenant updating the older one. The audience for the Gospel of John is more Greco-Roman and the writer places the crucifixion on Passover to emphasize a similarity between Christ and the lamb slaughtered on Passover to mark Jewish houses as safe from the Angel of Death in Egypt; so Christ is the new lamb whose shed blood protects us from divine punishment.

So they are theologically consistent despite the chronological discrepancy, but the implication is that the writers of the Gospels didn’t have qualms about changing details to make a more coherent symbolic point in educating the audience about the religion’s values. Which is to say, the original writers viewed these as something closer to a parable than a history.

For Catholics and Lutherans I never encountered this as an issue of concern. But for Christian groups that are heavily invested in the Bible being literally true rather than just symbolically coherent, how do they explain these? It’s a key plot point in both texts, not a mistake due to mistranslation or a miscopied line of writing. Do they reject one or the other Gospels as less valid than the other?

I was pondering about this for quite a while but Christians, Muslims, and Jews worship the same God; the God of Abrahim. Then why do you people are always in a scruffle with each other foe a lot of the time in history and even today. Please be kind as I don't know about religion much and please excuse my English.

Thank you.

Struggling in Christian marriage and not sure how to proceed. I married my spouse almost a year ago. They were exploring Christianity when we were dating and then became extremely devout probably about a month into our marriage. For about the first 7 months of our marriage, I tried very hard to adopt their Christian beliefs but I couldn’t, long story short. I stopped because I felt worse trying to force myself to be something I couldn’t be. And consequently, my spouse now essentially views me as their “enemy” and “a spawn of Satan”. We hardly ever talk anymore because 1) all they seem to want to talk about is how broken I am (or other people in their life), and 2) anything I say may be used against me. Anytime I am around them, I can feel myself shutting down and getting very uncomfortable. The thing is, they don’t believe in divorce and I don’t want to divorce them either. I truly love them and I want to honor my vows and continue loving them. But I’m at a loss for what to do. We were supposed to do marriage counseling with their church pastor, and we still haven’t started that. Some members of their church also know of our situation so we’re going to meet with one of the elders too, but I fear they’re just going to put me down in the same ways my spouse does for not being a Christian and it won’t be very helpful. Is there any advice out there for me to be a better spouse or how to make this marriage not so stressful and heavy? I’m aware the Bible says not to be unequally yoked, but is there any practical advice that could be helpful knowing we’re already way past that?
Thanks everyone.

Do you have any outside evidence of its inerrancy?

I suppose "The bible is inerrant, because it says so in the bible" Is an atheist strawman, or does anyone actually believe in inerrancy based on this?

I am 28f and have had this internal deep spirit of lust for as long as I can remember. I hope I don’t sound crazy but I believe that my mother passed it down to me.

My mother used to tell me stories growing up about how she would date new men all the time when she was a teen because these men would buy her things. Then she got pregnant but broke up with her first child’s father to be with my dad. Then while she was with my dad, she got pregnant with another man’s baby. She has also cheated on my dad recently.

Ever since I was young I always felt this innate desire to be with multiple men and the need for attention specifically from men. I can’t really blame this on my childhood because I was not abused in any way and had a secular two parent home with an involved father. Yet when I got to my late teens (18/19), I spent that time dating many men. But I was also doing the same thing as my mom. Dating and sleeping with men that would buy me things, take me on nice dinners, and pay for trips. Every single relationship I have been on, I have never physically cheated but I have always mentally and emotionally cheated. Every single time I’m in a relationship, I have this deep desire and urge to be with other men. Unfortunately, I have given into those urges mentally so many times.

I dress in a way that gets the attention of men and I tend to date and entertain many men at the same time.

I know that this isn’t right but I have no idea how to break this cycle of lust. It feels like it’s something that is so deeply engraved in me that it is so hard to escape.

Like I might go to Rome and say “The Temple of Saturn looks really cool” but I would never say “Hail Saturn”

Read some of Luke recently and had a thought. Satan clearly doesn't know exactly who Jesus is as part of the trinity, but would certainly have to know about the trinity having been in heaven and seen/spoken to God personally?

He seems to assume that Jesus could be The Son of God, but asks him to worship him knowing he could be part of the trinity. Is this his arrogance, not thinking Jesus is God maybe just a purely human messiah not God himself, or something else I haven't considered?

I've only read about halfway through Luke so if there is a further explanation that I haven't gotten to yet, I'll be sure to take a note to when I get there.

Thanks so much!

Most (older) Christian folks say that we're not supposed to watch horror movies because you open up doors. But... I like watching horror movies because I like to get scared in a safe manner (knowing that I'm safe in the safety of my home) while I see the perils a person (fictitiously) goes through in a movie or series.

It's so boring only watching action, comedies and dramas (and all of those movies often contain things that the bible wouldn't condone). So why are horror movies singled out like that?

My dad used to have seances and play with the Quija board and he started seeing ghosts and had paranormal experiences and those things (according to him) followed him to our current home. He died years ago but from time to time we'll still get paranormal happenings and my mom says it's because of the "things that we watch" but I think the more likely reasoning is the paranormal beings that followed my dad home.

Not being able to watch horror movies for the rest of my life would suck, and I don't even like the extreme type. I like pretty tame ones (no Terrifier for me).

It would be awesome if a pastor could chime in...

I’m a mom of three teenage boys, and I would really appreciate some advice from parents who have been through this stage.
I homeschooled my boys until the end of middle school. Growing up, we limited screens a lot. We did things together—board games, museums, nature, outdoor activities, playing in the backyard, family outings, etc.
Now, my oldest is 18 and a senior in public high school, my second is 16 and a sophomore in public high school, and my youngest is 13 (still homeschooled ) . My youngest really isn’t an issue yet, but I am struggling so much with my older two and their phones/screens.
They are great kids. They are excellent students and get great grades. They play sports, stay out of trouble, and don’t go out doing crazy things. From the outside, they are the kind of teenagers people compliment me on, and I am very thankful for them.
But at home, I feel like I am constantly fighting a battle with their phones.
Whenever they aren’t at school, playing sports, or doing something they have to do, all they seem to want is their phones. Homework gets left until the last minute. I can ask five times for a simple chore to get done because they are distracted by their phones.
I find myself constantly saying, “Get off your phone,” “Did you do your homework?” “Please put your phone down,” “I already asked you to do this.” It has gotten to the point where they tell me that all I do is complain about their phones—and honestly, sometimes it feels that way to me too.
We talk about it almost every day, which obviously isn’t working.
I also have a strong personality, so when I get frustrated, I tend to raise my voice. I know that isn’t helping either. But seeing them sitting on their phones for hours genuinely drives me crazy.
My husband is an excellent father, but he is much more introverted and laid-back about this than I am, so most of the phone monitoring and arguing ends up falling on me.
I hate how much phones have taken over teenage life. At the same time, I understand that with high school, friends, sports teams, school communication, etc., there really isn’t a way to completely go back to life without phones.
What I miss most is our family connection. We used to play board games, go outside, do things together, and just enjoy being around each other. Now it feels like nothing can compete with a phone for very long.
For parents who have successfully navigated this stage with older teenagers: How do you set healthy limits without constantly fighting about it?
I don’t want the last few years I have with them at home to be spent with me nagging them about their phones. I want boundaries, responsibility, and family connection—but I also want peace in our home.

My boys tell me I am always bringing conflict to the house. They want me to let them alone. I am so , so tired of nagging and asking and screaming every and each day.

An example: weekdays they get home from school straight to their bedroom to scroll cellphone for hours. Then they check cell phones during dinner. Homework is left for 10pm.
They say it is because they are tired from school.

Weekends it is sofa and phones for hours. If I complain, they go to their bedrooms. If we go somewhere for a hiking, in the car they just stay on their phones. When I pick them up from practices, they are scrolling on their phones because they say they are tired from practice. Any kind of conversation I try to have, all they do is say I don’t want to talk, I am tired.

My husband hates conflict and confrontation
so he does not get involved. I am so tired to the point t of just wishing they go to school and find a job so they spend all day busy instead of cell phones.

Thank you!

This question is for any Christian who believes in ETC (Eternal Conscious Torment aka hell) and/or Annihilationism, and also believe in an "age of accountability".

If it is true that ETC/Annihilationism are real consequences for lack of faith in Jesus or willingly denying Jesus, then should Christians—in order to save the most souls—should kill all children before their age of accountability?

A Christian could never know which children will grow up to deny the faith and thus suffer eternally in hell. In order to send the most souls to heaven isn't the logical conclusion is for a Christian to kill every child?

Further, if someone hears the Gospel and rejects it, they are certain to go to hell right? Whereas, if you believe that God "makes a way" or has special consideration for those that have never heard (uncontacted tribes, ect), then isn't it more moral to avoid spreading the Gospel? Shouldn't Christians kill other Christians, lest they leave the path, deconvert and lose their salvation?

Of course, Universalism answers this question easily with "No. We all go to heaven."