Why are Christians drawn to the dark things in the Bible and turn down a good thing?

Question

Jesus said God sent him to preach the gospel (Luke 4:43) and the Prodigal Son story he preached is all good and delightful with regard to our future... since that son did all the bad things we all do, but he just turned around and went home to be welcomed by his heavenly Father.

The son did not have to come crawling back, and he was not forced to have the burden that someone else had to suffer for the sins he committed.

So why do Christians focus on the suffering, when Jesus himself was teaching that God is simply a loving and forgiving Father?

The Prodigal Son story is a good thing for everyone. Why turn it down? Why not let people know the forgiving side of the Father, rather than the Pauline threatening side of blood for sin?

(the context for this question is on my biography)

Answer 1

I am a Christian-

1.  but I did not turn the Prodigal Son Story down.

2.  I have let the the people know of the forgiving side of the Father

3. and I know the consequence of sin

Answer 2

do jesus and paul sound like they are even on the same page?

no

paul seems to have started his own private religion

Answer 3

Darwin is the answer you seek

Answer 4

Jesus never sinned.

Answer 5

I don't believe that all Christians are "drawn to the dark side".  

I could well ask a question: Why do all anti-christian types only look at the bad Christians to try to judge the entire group?

Mother Theresa and Father Damien are just two examples of good Christians.  

I could point out Ghingis Khan, Pol Pot, Mao, Stalin and Lenin as evil scum and make a stupid statement as "why are all non-Christians evil".    That statement would be every bit as correct as yours.

BTW:  I am Norse Heathen, not Christian.

Answer 6

One word:  "fear."  It's the foundation of Christianity, and until they realize that, they will continue to focus on the dark and ignore the light.  

Very sad.

Answer 7

Hey Aussie the 2nd, you are truly a sad, sad soul.  I don't think any of you Xtians here have a college education. Just listen to yourselves. You guys all talk nonsense.  You might as well debate Pokemon characters and talk about which character has what magic powers

Answer 8

" and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.

for every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved. " -- john 3:19b-20

many "christians" aren't

Answer 9

People need a reason to seek God. I believe you need to show the consequences first of not turning to God, then show His love.  If there are no consequences, then why should one turn.  

Answer 10

Lakely, God's mercy is through the blood of Jesus Christ.

Jesus taught that this mercy was through this atonement.

God is merciful as you say and has provided this mercy by shedding his innocent blood for you.

God is always righteous and we should not forget this..

God is righteous and emrciful and he provides his mercy through his righteousness.

Jesus is in agreement with the prophets of God read the words of Moses the story of Adam and the two trees in the garden.

Sin equals death and man has sinned and mercy is through the tree of life.

Paul teaches the gospel of Jesus Christ who was in agreement with all of the prophets of  God.

Do you think that the books of Paul are not the word of God?

2 Peter 3:15-16

15 Bear in mind that our Lord's patience means salvation, just as our dear brother Paul also wrote you with the wisdom that God gave him. 16 He writes the same way in all his letters, speaking in them of these matters. His letters contain some things that are hard to understand, which ignorant and unstable people distort, as they do the other Scriptures, to their own destruction.

Are you ignorant and unstable?

Are you a better judge of thse who know Christ than Peter?

How about Acts?

Acts 13: 1 Now there were in the church that was at Antioch certain prophets and teachers; as Barnabas, and Simeon that was called Niger, and Lucius of Cyrene, and Manaen, which had been brought up with Herod the tetrarch, and Saul.

Does Acts refer to Paul as a prophet of God?

You do realize that Acts are atrributed to the writer of Luke.

Should we do away with the teachings of Peter and the writings of Acts and Luke and all of the wrtings of Paul and follow you?

What of the words of Christ himself?

John 6:51 I am the living bread which came down from heaven: if any man eat of this bread, he shall live for ever: and the bread that I will give is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world.

Edit Lakely,  e-mail or message me anytime if I'm misunderstanding your points.

I have attempted to e-mail you but have not received a response.

Answer 11

You missed the punchline of the story friend...this was a parable that Jesus used to represent those of us who choose to turn away from God & then in an act of desperation , when we are at our lowest , turn back to him , confess our sin as the son did to his father in the parable , seek forgiveness & promise not to do it again..

God is a loving God who does forgive but only when we come back to him & seek his forgiveness...we do this recognizing that Jesus 's death on the cross &  his resurrection paid the ultimate price for our sin ...done in advance for all mankind , thereby giving us a pathway to forgiveness !

Answer 12

Jesus taught that we would suffer and have trouble.  Paul explained it further.  Yes, God, in Christ forgives our sin. He often removes the consequence of our sin, but not always. He is determined that we should become like Christ. And unless we are tried and tested we cannot know what we believe, nor can we truly see our need to surrender to His will.

"These things have I spoken unto you, that in me ye may have peace. In the world ye have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world."John 16:33

Answer 13

The prodigal Son went away from God & sinned, Jesus never left God & neither did Jesus sin.