A question to Christians

I kinda agree, and Christians gotta admit, for Jews, it must have been wierd to have Christians come along and change a bunch of supposedly 'sacred' rules, and completely altering central tenets of the faith. It's like God didn't get it right the first time? But then it's the same thing that the Mormon's or the Muslims did, they took the same religion and added more/or changed parts of it. Religions tend to get stricter to differentiate themselves, Christ seemed to redefine marriage for the Jews, and either he or Mohommad came along and nixed the booze for the Muslims and Mormons.

Makes it harder to believe it's all literally 'true'. Personally, I believe in the basic values religion teaches, I believe in a higher power, but I think people take all this stuff about 'my faith is the RIGHT one, heaven is REAL and it's all EXACTLY like it says in my holy book!' a little too seriously.

Personally, I like my faith best, I like the stories the best too. Hindu mythology is very similar to Greek mythology in many ways. Pretty entertaining stuff, and you learn a little something too!

That's what I like about religion, the general guidelines of conduct for leading a good life.

 

May I just ask a question to all Christians (in addition to this one)?

Why are you whatever denomination that you are? More to the point, what makes your denomination more right than all the others?

There are differences between them all (some may be no more different than just in name, others have a ton of differences from what hell is to differing morals, etc. There is only one God, so...), and they cannot all be right.

So what makes your denomination different from the rest and why is that the right way to interpret the Bible, or the right way to act, or just why is it right in general?

 

a real Christian would let the Bible speak for itself. I concede to the point that there are many different translations out there, so the integrity of the Bible text itself must be compared with the original Bible texts (i.e. the Septuagint, or the Masoretic texts, etc. etc.). That being said, the difference between most Bibles are simple linguistic styles (i.e. the King James Version uses "thou art" instead of the present English conjugation of "you are")


if someone says that it has to be interpreted a certain way, or if only a priest can interpret it, then that demonimation is not correct.

Jesus' lessons were for the simple people of his time; he rebuked the Jewish Religious leader at the time because they became arrogant.

The Pharisees built up the law and added lots of man made traditions in order to make themselves look extra holy and righteous. They also made it extra complicated so only they could interpret it.

However, the original law (and also Jesus teachings) was meant to be read and understood by everyone.

 

During almost fifteen centuries the legal establishment of Christianity has been upon trial. What has been its fruits? More or less, in all places, pride and indolence in the clergy; ignorance and servility in the laity, in both, superstition, bigotry, and persecution.

James Madison

 

I agree with that statement. So called "christians" involved themselves in a lot of non-christian activities, including the crusades, the spanish inquisitions, the enslavement and annilihation of the aztecs, the persecution and the burning of people who tried to read and distribute the Bible, the list goes on and on . . .

 

I agree with Beajedi. To many people place denomination, and religion, above God. It is He that matters, not some man made denomination or religion. Read the Bible, ask Christ to live within your heart and He'll take care of the rest.

 

Why are you whatever denomination that you are? More to the point, what makes your denomination more right than all the others?

That is something that only you yourself can answer.

How?

By looking at what they teach. Does it harmonize with what the Bible teaches?
This however requires studying the bible.

By looking at the organizaton as a whole.
By looking how the people act within that organization.

It becomes fairly obvious once one really looks at the fruitage the members and the organization are producing.

 

darthOB1 and others.

But I want to know why you have chosen what you have. How does what your denomination teaches harmonize with the Bible? Why doesn't the others denominations work?

I know that if I ever make that choice, the choice is my own, but I am asking why have you and others made the choices you have made.

 

Well,

Its painfully simple and not hard to see, for me anyway, but I realize that its not going to be the answer your looking for.

I have observed that my religion follows the above criteria, and others do not.

 

I think the translation should be "Does your denomination interpret the Bible the same way you do?"

 

I think the translation should be "Does your denomination interpret the Bible the same way you do?"



What kind of question is this?
What is your motivation for asking such a stupid question?

If my "denomination" is what or how I believe, how could I interpret it differently than my denomination?

 

That's the question to ask when selecting which denomination to call yourself.

 

That called chosing a religion to suit your needs isn't it?

Then why even bother?

Just rent a building and start your own!

Add another sect to confuse the masses as to which one is right!

Makes perfect sense.

 

I think the translation should be "Does your denomination interpret the Bible the same way you do?"

The question is rather "does this religion do what the bible says?"

And then as DarthOB1 says, its pretty easy to see through these "denominations."

 

That called chosing a religion to suit your needs isn't it?

Exactly.

Then why even bother?

It allows people to get backup on whichever morals they want to live by and be with people that won't yell at them for the ones they want to ignore.

Just rent a building and start your own!

I'd love to. But renting a building costs money. And I've got too much other stuff that I need to do right now.

Add another sect to confuse the masses as to which one is right!

Every one of them will tell you they're the "right" ones.

Makes perfect sense.

Of course. It's called marketing. Christianty is fantastic at it.

EDIT The question is rather "does this religion do what the bible says?"

"What the bible says" is open to interpretation. Which is why you choose a denomination that fits your interpretation.

 

Which is why you have all the different sects that are wrong!

There is only one right!

 

There is only one right!

Yeah. And yours is wrong.

 

Yeah,

Well my Dad's bigger than your Dad!

 

As Christians, we believe we have the truth. What good is the truth if it is not used for the benefit of others?


Burn it. I would urge you to never unleash that tiger upon the people. If the world is so bad with Jesus Christ, what would it be like without him?

Benjamin Franklin, replying to Tom Paine's manuscript of The Age of Reason

 

no matter who you are , somebody somewhere wants YOU to change what you do, and what you believe. It's a real pain and we all have to deal with it.

Can I get an amen?

The difference between non-religious and religious people-out-to-convert-you is that religious people often are more consumed by the desire to convert and are often admired and commended for their efforts.

 

I give up on Protestantism. Catholicism was never even an option for me, along with most of the "cults".

I just follow God. I surround myself with fellow believers, and play music for a church where all my friends are. Apart from that I read my Bible and pray on my own, away from the dictates of others.

 

CitizenKane: As Christians, we believe we have the truth. What good is the truth if it is not used for the benefit of others?

Do you mean to say that the word of your God is meaningless to you if you cannot proselytize? The "good", as you say, should be in how you use this truth to better yourself.

If you were to truly do as Jesus Christ taught, then what you do becomes your teaching, rather than what you say. My best example of Ironic proselytization: An elder from the church of LDS stood on my apartment doorstep and--in the midst of preaching to me the love found in Jesus--noted the constant birdsong in the tree outside my apartment. He said (and I quote directly), "How can you stand the racket? I'd have taken a rifle to them a long time ago."

KK EDIT: Just fixing the markup. It's color, not link.

 

Do you mean to say that the word of your God is meaningless to you if you cannot proselytize? The "good", as you say, should be in how you use this truth to better yourself.

You misinterpret me. In one of my posts in the Chruch and State thread (which I note you never replied to), I brought the example of the person who had found what he was convinced was the cure for cancer. How can that person call himself a compassionate human being if he does not give his findings to other? He can't. This is the part of Christianity that, when explained to people like you and Crix, gets completely ignored and thrown out. Now, I realize you probably don't believe in absolute truth, but the principle remains the same. You can't say it's different in the realm of religion because "not everyone agrees with your religion"; you are therefore saying that it doesn't matter what an indidivudal believs will help his neighbor. Consequently, you have become, by your own definition, the most intolerant person, because you diminsh that person's chosen beliefs.

If you were to truly do as Jesus Christ taught, then what you do becomes your teaching, rather than what you say. My best example of Ironic proselytization: An elder from the church of LDS stood on my apartment doorstep and--in the midst of preaching to me the love found in Jesus--noted the constant birdsong in the tree outside my apartment. He said (and I quote directly), "How can you stand the racket? I'd have taken a rifle to them a long time ago."

The problem is, you don't agree with what I do. I could everything the Bible says to do, and you still wouldn't be convinced. Why? Because it's not me you have a problem with, it's what I believe.

 

Sorry, KK, I realize I can never be as perfect as you, your most holy Modship.

CitizenKane: You misinterpret me.

I think it more likely thsat you misrepresent yourself, for my question related to your statement vertbatum. That's neither here nor there, however.

In one of my posts in the Chruch and State thread (which I note you never replied to), I brought the example of the person who had found what he was convinced was the cure for cancer.

I apologize; I don't recall ever reading that one. Chances are that I skimmed over it. I'll be more than honored to answer you now, though.

How can that person call himself a compassionate human being if he does not give his findings to other? He can't. This is the part of Christianity that, when explained to people like you and Crix, gets completely ignored and thrown out.

This applies only if you compare Religion (and the act of "Biblical Salvation") to Life-saving cancer treatment. The similarities are too few and far between, however. Most notable of differences is that one is [hypothetically in this case] provable by the improvement in physical health, while the other depends strongly on a concept of what may or may not be after the death of the human physical being.

What is true to you is clearly not true to me. Now, were I to continually approach you with my truth, what would you tell me?

Thankfully, I have the capacity to understand that my truth is not everyone elses's truth, nor should it be.

Now, I realize you probably don't believe in absolute truth, but the principle remains the same. You can't say it's different in the realm of religion because "not everyone agrees with your religion"; you are therefore saying that it doesn't matter what an indidivudal believs will help his neighbor.

It is only with extreme pompicity that one presumes his truth is the only truth, and that any who disagree are wrong.

Consequently, you have become, by your own definition, the most intolerant person, because you diminsh that person's chosen beliefs.

I do recall you saying this before, and I'm still confused as to how you come by this.

Is it because I do not care to be offended by those who claim I'm going to [their] Hell for not believing in their god?

I see here that you have not the slightest grasp of my beliefs, nor my philosophies. I believe everyone has the human right to believe or worship as they see fit. I do not approve, however, of those who seek to insult or demean my philosophies and my beliefs so as to elevate their own and "bring me to see their truth over mine."

So, you skirted around my question, but I assume you are saying that your truth is meaningless if youcannot spread it to others?