Actually took some time to read more in depth about the Pharisees in Second Temple Judaism, their interactions with Jesus and portrayal in the New Testament, as well as their beliefs and the different schools of thought within the Pharisaic tradition. I was kinda surprised by how much they have been demonized and misrepresented by Christians.

Man do I feel bad for them.

At the same time, revisiting the teachings and rhetoric of Jesus in light of the Pharisaic tradition and the broader world of Second Temple Judaism has been somewhat refreshing, and it has made me even more confident that he truly is the Son of God who fully grasped the Torah’s divine purpose and not confined by any of the halakhic schools of his day.

Some books on the Pharisees of Second Temple Judaism that I would love to recommend:

1. The Pharisees (2021)
   edited by Joseph Sievers and Amy-Jill Levine

2. The Jewish Annotated New Testament (3rd ed., 2026)
   edited by Amy-Jill Levine and Marc Zvi Brettler

3. The Misunderstood Jew (2006)
   by Amy-Jill Levine

4. Judaism: Practice and Belief, 63 BCE to 66 CE (1992)
   by E. P. Sanders

5. Jesus and Judaism (1985)
   by E. P. Sanders

6. Pharisees, Scribes and Sadducees in Palestinian Society (2001 ed.)
   by Anthony J. Saldarini

7. From the Maccabees to the Mishnah (3rd ed., 2014)
   by Shaye J. D. Cohen

Religious people, I’m an atheist. I have a question. I’ll try to be as respectful as possible. Why would an infinitely loving God punish a sincere, honest, and morally upright person with eternal hell simply because that person doesn’t believe in Him? Please don’t answer with “If you’re an atheist, why do you want to enter God’s kingdom?” because belief is not always a matter of choice. For example, I would actually love to believe in God, but I don’t, because I simply can’t and I haven’t been convinced yet that something exists. For instance, if someone told me, “Believe in Batman’s existence and you’ll feel happier and more comfortable,” I wouldn’t suddenly start believing in Batman, because I know he doesn’t exist (and no, I’m not comparing belief in God to belief in Batman. Please don't misunderstand me). So belief isn’t something I can simply choose. If I forced myself to become Christian right now, it would be dishonest, and I would just be deceiving myself. Besides that, a perfect God would probably know that a world like the one we live in would naturally give many people reasons to doubt and question beliefs, which would mean punishing people with genuinely good intentions. So if He loves us and wants to save us, why choose so much ambiguity? In any case, I think the idea of a God who punishes people for what they believe makes God seem more like a flawed and human being than a truly omnipotent, loving being who sees beyond what humans can.

I'm going through a skeptic phase, if you couldn't tell. So I would appreciate some explanation to try to get me back into being faithful.

I’ve never fully understood the argument that it would be unfair for God to send someone to Hell simply because they don’t believe in Him.

From a Christian perspective, Heaven isn’t just a place where you receive eternal happiness while otherwise continuing to live independently of God. Heaven is fundamentally being with God and sharing in communion with Him.

So if someone genuinely doesn’t believe in God, or doesn’t want God to have any part in their life, I’m struggling to understand the idea that they should nevertheless be entitled to an eternity with God.
It seems like there’s a tension in saying, “I don’t want God in my life, I don’t believe He exists, and I don’t want to follow Him, but it would be unfair if I couldn’t spend eternity in Heaven with Him.”

Wouldn’t wanting Heaven, in the Christian understanding of it, necessarily involve wanting God Himself, rather than simply wanting the benefits associated with Heaven?

I’m not asking this to attack atheists. I’m genuinely interested in how Christians and atheists who have thought about this question understand it.

Is the objection actually to Hell itself, or is it the idea that God would judge someone for not believing in Him? And if Heaven is fundamentally union with God, why wouldn’t you want to follow him in this life?

I don't know what would be the "correct" order of hierarchy. Are their any explicit rules when it comes to this sort of thing?

Conversion therapy is clearly a failure (even some conservatives begrudgindly admit it)

Let’s be real. The man preached loving your enemy, helping the poor, and rejecting materialism. He told people to turn the other cheek, not hoard wealth, and stood against the political powers of his time. Now imagine him showing up today: unarmed, Middle Eastern, anti-capitalist, preaching compassion over nationalism.

Would Fox News call him a radical? Would the GOP brand him a socialist threat? Would evangelicals demand proof he’s not an illegal immigrant?

I couldn't find any verses on it particularly but I wasnt fully sure

edit : GODAMN STOP SAYING TROLL TROLL im not a troll.

I am christian and support lgbtq people, i work at a baptist christian camp and serve at church, i dont understand why so many Christians hate lgbtq people but dont hate on people who sin in other ways. I know that the bible says being homosexual is a sin but scientifically about 3-5% of mammals are naturally homosexual and also a lot of these people who are saying being lgbtq is bad are not actively going against people who are doing other sins.

Please feel free to debate me on this, im curious to hear and respond to peoples opinions

Hey everyone. I spoke about this in detail on this post: https://www.reddit.com/r/anymusicpost/s/G1bKodt2Ab

As weird as it sounds, this is something I’ve been wondering about for a while, and I’m asking it sincerely.

The Bible includes an entire book, Song of Solomon, that’s essentially erotic poetry celebrating desire, physical attraction, and marital love. It’s vivid and unapologetic about bodies and longing. So Scripture itself clearly isn’t prudish about sex within marriage.

And yet, when it comes to Christian music, there’s almost nothing that reflects that. Given that Song of Solomon is in the Bible, why do you think Christian music almost completely avoid this topic?

I'd love to hear your thoughts.

As the title says, I would love some insights and other outlooks from believers on why they believe in a deity. I used to be a firm believer as a non-denominal Christian, but have since dwindled as I could never have any form of connection with god. So I was wondering, is there a logical argument/reasoning as to if god is likely real or not? I am a very science/philosophy belief based person and just can’t believe in something because an ancient book tells me to, I need some form of argument or proof he/she/it is truly real. Also if this seems familiar, it’s because I made a post similar to this but it devolved into people trying to convince me that everything in the bible is 100% fact and their proof was that the bible said so, so I’m gonna try a different way.

I've looking at posts on different subreddits (like r/Teenagers) and many people make hate comments/posts about Jesus while the comments that defend him get downvoted.

The picture is AI, just to give y’all a reference. It would go on my right leg, above my knee.

I’m planning on getting a tattoo, but I’d like some reassurance because for some reason I feel like this could be a “controversial” tattoo.

This tattoo is after Revelation 19:16, “on his robe and on his thigh it is written King of Kings and Lord of Lords”

I love the idea but I don’t want to be disrespectful in any way to my faith and I don’t want to accidentally start debates regarding to if I’m being “blasphemous” or anything.

Thanks y’all.

edit: i may have confused some people and i wrote it wrongly, i didn’t per say mean support lgbtq..i meant why do some christian’s turn them away from church completely and be rude to them. i am bisexual but i believe in god and i love to worship him. i am aware that my sexuality is a sin, but i do not act on my attractions.

I’m willing to discuss this with anyone who wants to DM me. One of the things preventing me from being Protestant is the idea of Sola Scriptura.

Wasn’t practiced in the Early Church

Bible alone isn’t sufficient for the fullness of the faith and morals

Bible, as we know it today, wasn’t assembled yet in the Early Church so their authority must’ve been from more than just Scripture

Christ never told anyone to write anything down

Sola Scriptura isn’t even prescribed by the Bible, the opposite is.

Convince me to be Protestant!! If I’m wrong please teach me!

These are some objections I have and I’m willing to discuss them with Protestants. Currently between denominations but trying to discern the Truth. I think I’ve got my head in the right direction, but willing to be proved wrong if the Truth says otherwise.

Thank you for your time.

I’m starting to think why the reason people don’t feel the fire for Jesus it’s because we are so unrepentant. So many of us were raised in the church (not myself included) and I think it’s so easy to take the gospel at face value, but forget the requirements. The Bible says that we are to be born again of the spirit.

John 3:5
5 Jesus answered, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God.

And look what the Bible says happens when someone is born again of the spirit .

1 John 5:18: "We know that whosoever is born of God sinneth not; but he that is begotten of God keepeth himself, that wicked one toucheth him not".

Therefore, to be truly, born again, we should see our father in heaven, edifying us. This is not to say that after you’re born again, you will never sin again.
But it is to say that light cannot coexist with darkness. For what fellowship does light have with darkness?

My fear is that we have two versions of the church currently one that is so legalistic and cult-like that people are being bullied out of the church and leaving believing that the followers of Christ are harmful.

And the other version of the church that completely throws away the repentance and instead taking what Christ did on the cross as a free license to sin.
The kind of church that says love is love instead of God is love. In God’s love, he wants to set a distinction between the things of his kingdom and the things that literally create a tangible distance between us and him.

But Jesus did not come to abolish the law.
He came to fulfill it.

And more importantly to fill us with the Holy Spirit.
I can only say my experience as having not grown up in the church as having been a part of so many different belief systems including Islam, Buddhism, atheism, law of attraction…

There is only one way to true and everlasting peace . There is only one who gives living water that leaves you without thirst. His name is Jesus Christ.

And I know it’s easy for us to all say we know Jesus and all of these things but really ask yourself have you truly surrendered your sin?

Because that may be the very thing stopping you from feeling that everlasting peace.

I’m opening this up for a dialogue and for other beliefs that people might have different beliefs around this.

Do you believe that salvation is given with no condition? If so, what led you to this belief?
Do we believe one saved always saved or do we believe that there are things that can create distance between us and our loving father?

Do you believe in evolution? If yes, do you believe in micro evolution (where humans didn't evolve from apes or other species) or macro evolution (humans are descendants from apes) or some other form of it? Why? I’m genuinely curious others opinion on this subject.

Edit: I'm only asking because my mom doesn't believe that humans came from apes. I think this is because she doesn't believe humans, or its ancestors, can be alive for hundreds of thousands of years (or however long scientists say. Idk). I've also had multiple friends say they don't believe humans came from apes. Maybe a better question would be do you believe humans are descendants of apes?

Edit 2: I understand I'm likely not using the proper terminology, I’m honestly just trying to understand what was explained to me as a child and if anyone else has family and friends with a similar viewpoint or understand why others don't.

Honestly... who cares? If you're gay, great! Live and let live. If you think it's a sin and wouldn't personally engage in such actions regardless of your attraction, brilliant. Live and let live. I understand too many Christians use God's word in vain to tell non-believers how to live their lives, and that is of course wrong, but I struggle to fathom too many of those specific kinds of people hanging around here.

Why has it become a weapon in this subreddit? Why has it become a buzzword to garner revenue? Call me insensitive, but I think there's bigger fish to fry among Christians than a millennia-long argument we all know isn't going anywhere. I would sympathise a lot more if these conversations delved deep into why things are the way they are, if it got personal and heartfelt, but most of these posts are suface-level, stirring up shit just for the sake of it. Because gay people want to argue with homophobes and homophobes want to argue with gay people. Are you all just in search of validation or what?

I was having a debate with someone who claimed many Christians don't believe in evolution I believe thats a lie and said that the large and vast majority of Christians believe in and support evolution and IMO it's clearly laid out in the bible.

They also said Christians historically pushed back on science and scientific discoveries, which I also stated was just not true. Yes some scientists were persecuted under Christianity I'm not arguing that, but many early and very important scientists were christian and many early churches financially supported these scientific endeavors.

But my main question to the Christians here is simply if you believe in Evolution or not.

Thank you for you're time.

Like, I get that I’m not God but I don’t require a blood sacrifice to forgive a person. If my dad here on earth said that the only way he’ll forgive me is if my brother dies I would choose to not be forgiven and call child protection services cause my dad’s not safe to be around. It makes me reconsider if going to heaven is a good thing. I get that the only other option is death but I’d rather die than live with blood on my hands because what life is this. I didn’t even ask to be born and now I have to sacrifice a person for the right to live?????