What Is Your Christianity?

[Strutzy3]

I don't think there is a right or wrong answer,

You are saying that there is no absolute truth.... right? ( i said this next statement on pg 4 too)
If you say that statement - there is no absolute truth - you are contradicting yourself. Thus there has to be right and wrong.

I don't believe the same thing as you does not make me evil.

I'm sorry if people lead you to believe that you're evil because you are thinking for yourself and working it out.

I was raised 'Christian' and rejected it because I can't believe in a 'God' that rules by fear.

In this message board it has been said many times that God rules by fear... I can't see how he rules by fear... the only thing i can see that he rules by is love.
When one of my buddies lets me know that one road goes off a cliff and another takes me safely away - i consider that love. it's not that my friend is ruling me by fear and saying if you don't believe what i'm saying the punishment will be that i'll go off the cliff. the consequence would be that i go off the cliff - my friend didn't make the roadway - you're next likely question could be: are you saying that God didn't create everything? - then you christian have lied in the past no, God in his very nature, being perfect and holy can't sit on a poopstained seat (streaked with sin) so that's why he does us a loving favor by letting us know that yeah you really are not clean and allowing us a way to be clean by giving us the option to believe in his son and have our sins forgiven completely.

Last reply to your post:

I don't need a book to know right from wrong, I know such things in my heart

I know that same feeling that i know right and wrong in my heart. Where though, do you think that those feelings came from. From past generations? where did they get them from... and if we originated as monkeys - was it all just random? I think we got it from somewhere - there had to have been a... template if you will for what's right / wrong - if there is no template for right and wrong and it really was just random, those random implants in our hearts wouldn't be aboslute - going back to the idea that you can't violate the absolute truth phrase.

I know my chances getting you to see what i'm talking about aren't all that great by me trying to prove you wrong. I'm just trying to get you to open up your heart because be a closed heart it wouldn't matter what I decided to say to you.

(btw - i think i might be using analyogies too often - let me know)

[CocoColaNut824]

Faith can be as easy or complex as one makes it out to be. Most fears are instilled by one's own guilt or insecurities. Not by God. Many scholars try to interperet Christianity in so many complex ways. What it boils down to is pretty simple when it comes to Christianity. It is not ceremonious.. Even Jesus himself rebelled against
many of the traditional Jewish laws, customs and ceremonies. Though he did not "change" the important fundamentals of the religion, just put it back into perspective. Not saying that one shouldn't go to church, it is good to be among fellow Christians in a community... but it's more important to keep your own "church" within yourself. Faith shouldn't be "worked on" for profit.. and yes, I'm talking about some of the evangelists. Faith has nothing to do with being discriminate. We are all the same in God's eyes.

So with all the scholars, etc and their studying... it boils down to these simple rules... It is not at all confusing, scary or complex. You don't need to study and memorize each verse and quote from the bible especially if used to attack one another. I see that quite a bit. By the way, that tactic was used by many of the scribes and pharysees to attack Jesus. Christianity is not hyprocritic. One shouldn't claim
that one goes to church every Sunday, claim that one is a total Christian and then go home and beat up his wife and kids in a drunken rage. Christianity simply is to follow the commandments, though Jesus added one more... that is to love one another as you would love yourself. To forgive those that hurt you... In a way, psychologically speaking, to forgive IS better for yourself than to harbor hate whether you are a Christian or not. Hate will eat you alive if you let it. What Jesus meant by turning the other cheek... it symbolized when one is slapped back-hand... that is a degrading gesture, back then that is how slaves were punished, but when one offers the other side to be slapped fronthand... that elevates one to be on a higher respective level. Not saying we should all be mats to be walked on, beat up, etc. but to face the one who is trying to degrade us by showing them that we are somewhat on a higher level than they are. That's pretty much it... And it is not uncommon to doubt faith... many have done that. Where do you think the term "Doubting Thomas" came from?
God Bless,
Chrissy

[thewizeard]

Is God perfect?

Well think of this. Presuming God did create all, for the sake of this argument...

Right from the very beginning of 'His' creation, everything started going wrong. His most 'important' creature disobeys ' him'? He creates a 'Devil'.... Gives people free will; that's a good way to shift the blame...No, this can not be a creation of God, if it were it would equally be perfect. As we all can see and experience this world is far from perfect. More like a creation of the Devil.

Did then the Devil create this world?
Observe what goes on in this world. The raping of women and children. Wars, murder... do I have to go on?
This would be the only obvious creator, if you believe in God.

The question is, if we were created by God, how the hell did we slip down here.

[CocoColaNut824]

Satan was once an angel that rebelled against God to gain power and was sent down.
As for all the evil that is in the world today... that is where "free will" comes in. That was always God's way for us... we are not forced.
God is not responsible for what actions we take... we are. But along with all that evil there is also quite a lot of good.

[thewizeard]

No, that does not wash. God being all seeing all knowing could not possibly have made such a mistake. It would make Him allmost human.

[CocoColaNut824]

But it's not God's mistake.... it's OURS... God does not predict our fate. Or is in control of our fate so it can't be God's "mistake". Robin Williams once put it in a way you may understand in one of his stand up comedian shows.. He put it in a
pretending, funny way as if he was God... "I gave you a beautiful world... and you ?&#@<&#39;ed it all up&#33;" We and only we are responsible for our own actions.

[thewizeard]

Originally posted by CocoColaNut824@1 October 2003 - 09:27
But it&#39;s not God&#39;s mistake.... it&#39;s OURS... God does not predict our fate. Or is in control of our fate so it can&#39;t be God&#39;s "mistake". Robin Williams once put it in a way you may understand in one of his stand up comedian shows.. He put it in a
pretending, funny way as if he was God... "I gave you a beautiful world... and you ?&#@<&#39;ed it all up&#33;" We and only we are responsible for our own actions.

If I create something, then I am responsible for it. God would/should have &#39;seen&#39; what his creation was going to do right from the very beginning. Letting it happen and knowing that it would happen, would make Him responsible.Therefore God could not possibly be the Creator. As I said earlier giving people &#39;free-wil&#39; is only shifting the responsibility from the Creator to mankind.

This is the reason why I believe that this creation has got nothing to do with God whatsoever. In fact it would be an insult to God to suggest that he created something so imperfect....

But there you go, billions of people, all with their own beliefs&#33;

[CocoColaNut824]

My goodness, you didn&#39;t have to scroll down...
But anyway... you are entitled to having your own "free will". And no, we are not
perfect. But maybe it&#39;s OUR job to try to become more perfect before we go to another, much better place. Unless we don&#39;t choose to. We are not puppets, and God doesn&#39;t hold the strings. We are not God&#39;s "toys".

Well anyway, like I said, you&#39;re entitled to having your own "free will". You have that choice, it&#39;s yours to do with it what you will. I&#39;m not here to try to convince
you... you need to only convince yourself what destiny is best for you. Good, bad or denial. That choice is yours and yours alone. And only you can make that choice. Choose wisely.
Good luck
Chrissy

[thewizeard]

Originally posted by CocoColaNut824@1 October 2003 - 10:28
That choice is yours and yours alone. And only you can make that choice. Choose wisely.
Good luck
Chrissy

Thanks Chrissy, I believe I have already made a wise choice; I choose to rely on another human attribute... common sense.

I wish you also good luck,
Nigel.

[human_pet]

Originally posted by nigel123+1 October 2003 - 08:47--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td>QUOTE (nigel123 &#064; 1 October 2003 - 08:47)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'> <!--QuoteBegin-CocoColaNut824@1 October 2003 - 09:27
But it&#39;s not God&#39;s mistake.... it&#39;s OURS... God does not predict our fate. Or is in control of our fate so it can&#39;t be God&#39;s "mistake". Robin Williams once put it in a way you may understand in one of his stand up comedian shows.. He put it in a
pretending, funny way as if he was God... "I gave you a beautiful world... and you ?&#@<&#39;ed it all up&#33;" &nbsp; We and only we are responsible for our own actions.

If I create something, then I am responsible for it. God would/should have &#39;seen&#39; what his creation was going to do right from the very beginning. Letting it happen and knowing that it would happen, would make Him responsible.Therefore God could not possibly be the Creator. As I said earlier giving people &#39;free-wil&#39; is only shifting the responsibility from the Creator to mankind.

This is the reason why I believe that this creation has got nothing to do with God whatsoever. In fact it would be an insult to God to suggest that he created something so imperfect....

But there you go, billions of people, all with their own beliefs&#33; [/b][/quote]
I would have gladly reply to your post (accordingly to my religion&#39;s view of God) but since this topic is about Christianity,I&#39;ll give the christians to debate you on your claims...

Oh yeah nearly forgot about this...

Salam/Peace and may God give us all guidance to His Path