Many teachings of the Bible are misunderstood by people who cannot see that God is love.
The concept of an eye for an eye and a life for a life was always used by desert sheikhs to de-escalate family feuds. You can't win by slaughtering your opponents, you will just wind up with a higher blood debt to pay. On the other hand, every one of your casualties cancels out one of theirs. Better to sit down and talk as soon as blood is shed.
Eternal punishment is also misunderstood. Eventually, all will repent and be saved. God has all the time in the world for you to come around and quit punishing yourself.
[–] 16984054? ago
Smoking a pack of cigarettes every day: probably a sin.
Smoking (burning/sacrifice) sacred tobacco to celebrate the creation of a new life, and to wish the child well even to the sacrifice of your own health: probably a good deed.
Sin is less about what you do than why and how you do it.
Petty children think Parents are hypocrites. I'm an adult, I can make a wrong decision and get drunk any night of the week. Or I check with my wife, and I go out with a buddy and get hammered. Why? Cause we'll both take care of the others responsibilities so that we can responsibly be very irresponsible.
Life is a test.
A test to see if God can trust you with the power to do great evil.
Why would he give you eternal life in his Kingdom otherwise?
Would you give an ungrateful evil little shit kid eternal life?
[–] [deleted] 1 point 0 points 1 point (+1|-1) ago
[–] 17075893? ago
I don't think you got my point.
Thou shalt not commit murder. It doesn't mean killing is wrong. Intent and circumstances matter, sometimes more than the act.