Struggling with my Christian belief

Hapgran, my first response is that actually, Hell has its positives! The book of Revelation was written without chapters and if you read through from "chapter" 20:12 to "chapter" 21:4 you will see there is a connection between the wicked, death and sheol being thrown into the lake of fire, and the New Heaven and Earth where there is no more death and God will personally wipe away our tears with His hand. He can't do it till then. If there was no judgement and no hell, this awful world-order with all its pain and suffering and injustice would go on forever!
My second response is: why have you decided your friends and family are all going to hell? Pray for them! That's probably what you are there for.

Vampirequeen, I read it as you putting down nurturing women, and you seemed to be describing modern day women of the middle east , if I didn't understand what you were trying to say I am sorry, just how it seemed to me

Anniebach, I'm confused what you found offensive about this post about Mary.

^I can't get my head around the insipid version of Mary we're always given.

She was unmarried and pregnant in a society which condemned such women to death yet she managed to survive. Then after travelling whilst heavily pregnant she gave birth in a stable, had to escape to and live as a refugee in Egypt, bring up a child who, according to the Gospel of Thomas (one of those not in the Bible), showed off his miraculous abilities in a most irritating and at times dangerous ways and was incredibly arrogant and finally watch him be tortured to death on the cross.

Any women who could survive all that could never have been the insipid 'perfect' woman that men want us to believe.^

Please explain to me which part of this insults or disrespects Mary.

What intrigues me about all this is the number of believers who have "problems" of one sort or another with their faith; or aspects of it; or characters within the plot of their texts etc.

If it is so problematical, then why engage with it? - why not just expend that energy and time in spreading happiness, helping a neighbour etc.?

Just seems quite extraordinary to me.

Ha, ha, ha ha, ha.......

I have never, ever felt superior , no idea what it's like to experience it.

Just pick and choose the bit that make you feel superior then. That's an easy faith to follow. But is it the Christian faith?

I have always had problems with Paul, always thought he had a dislike or fear of women

"Not everyone who says to me Lord, Lord will enter the kingdom of heaven but only he who does the will of my Father in heaven."
"Love is patient, love is kind. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. If I have faith that can move mountains and have not love, I have nothing."
??????????

I couldn't care less how they travelled, it is you who insisted on no mention of a donkey and supported by Riverwalk who is equally concerned

Thought you were the one who was getting uptight about donkeys and trains. Makes no difference to me.

Do enlighten me Jayanne, how would they have travelled at that time ? Yes I do know they could walk, is it that important to the fact they travelled?

Oh yes, didn't mean the bible as a whole. Just Annie's reference to Mary's form of transport!

There's a strange story in Numbers 22 about Balaam and the ass, or she-donkey . And Abraham went to sacrifice Isaac on a similar animal. It depend how you translate the hebrew words aton and chamor.

No ass either. Do you ever read it?

Mum was 98 when she died. She was a RC. She kept her sense of humour to the end. Once I asked her if she thought she would go to heaven. She jokingly said " I don't mind where I go ...heaven or hell....I've got friends in both places."

So right Jsyanne, I stand corrected, should have said ass

No donkey in the Bible.

The god in the Old Testament was a really nasty god saying unbelievably awful things to keep you controlled. Then Jesus came along and all of a sudden he was a loving god, but still all about control.
I would love to believe in an hereafter but think the dust to dust and ashes to ashes bit is true and all we do when we die is replenish the earth.
There are lots of beliefs in the bible I think are good and probably the most important is love thy neighbour as thyself.

And I may have made a mistake and Mary travelling whilst pregnant may have been by train. And you are so right, it is was right not to respond to your post regarding this, I replied to Vampirequeen.

"Not seen one person of faith mock the atheists." Anniebach?
Well there's you for a start.
You even have a go at other Christians. Sadly it doesn't encourage anyone to incline to the Christian faith.

Riverwalk, I assure you I was in no haste,

Annie you didn't respond to my post of yesterday, as is your right, but I'm wondering if you did go back and re-read Vampire's post about Mary.

If you did you would see that she (also a Christian) did not mock Mary, but in your haste to be offended you misinterpreted what she wrote.

You also put words in her mouth - she never mentioned a donkey but you've twice said she did.

Vampire can speak for herself but I think you owe her an apology.

Christians too hsve struggles Janeanne

Wonder what Jesus thinks of your last little spiteful comment?