Easter Questions

[ksst]

Well, Master said I got my interpretations of the doctrine all wrong.

Jesus died on the cross to appease God, because humans were sinful - is that true?

No, Jesus died so we could be freed from our sins.
Our sins were so great that only a blood sacrifice would work, not a spanking or a "naughty people, stop that" lecture.
Even if you are sinful, you can repent and still go to heaven. That is because of Jesus. Without him, you could have repented all day long and still go to hell.
Why try not to sin then? Because Jesus asked us to.

So there you go, one more interpretation.

Just have to add that neither of us believe this stuff. And no, it doesn't have to make sense, it's religion for God's sake.

[Thorne]

No, Jesus died so we could be freed from our sins.

And what if we don't HAVE any sins? Oh, that's right! We are BORN with sin, because a "just" God cursed all of Adam's descendants for Adam's sin! So Jesus (who IS God) had to be sacrificed TO God to save us from a sin which was inflicted upon us BY God?

no, it doesn't have to make sense, it's religion for God's sake.

It's religion, all right. Therefore it DOESN'T make sense! By definition.

[thir]

Well, Master said I got my interpretations of the doctrine all wrong.

Ok - let's have it :-)

No, Jesus died so we could be freed from our sins.
Our sins were so great that only a blood sacrifice would work, not a spanking or a "naughty people, stop that" lecture.
Even if you are sinful, you can repent and still go to heaven. That is because of Jesus. Without him, you could have repented all day long and still go to hell.
Why try not to sin then? Because Jesus asked us to.

So there you go, one more interpretation.

.. I tried to get my head round the difference between appeasing god's anger because of our sins, which we should go to hell for. And being freed of them, meaning we do not have to if we repent. Doesn't that still mean that Jesus's sacrifice made god forgive us, and we would not have been otherwise?

Then..what did this sacrifice do, if not appease anger???

Just have to add that neither of us believe this stuff. And no, it doesn't have to make sense, it's religion for God's sake.

True, but I am trying to get my head round that religion. I do appreciate your trying to help - I just do not quite understand. This is difficult stuff.

[ksst]

Why tempt people? God is obviously a sadist.