Are you truly Christian?

[3nigma]

I realized a long time ago that James2mart and brainbone were both saying the same thing, I just didn't want to explicitly point it out, just subtley, to see where it would go, hehe =D.

 

Yoda, did you read my posts on that other thread about piracy?

 

-3nigma

[yoda75]

A Christian is somebody that follows the teachings of Christ and indirectly God, correct? So we have millions of people on this earth divided into groups that all think they are following the teachings of Christ/God yet they all have their differences. They all base their morals on the "infallible word of God", the Bible. Some groups try to follow their version of the Bible literally, while other groups interpret things more symbolically. Which group of people is TRULY following the teachngs of Christ/God? We can never know. The bible comes in so many different versions that have been translated many times into many different languages. If I was a believer then I would not want to wager my soul on somebody else's interpretation of God's Word and I certainly wouldn't chastise or murder anybody else for not living by my interpretation of the book. There are too many possibilities for error.

 

The bottom line is, until God or Jesus does a world tour in an effort to enlighten us all in a modern language that we can understand, we will never truly know what He wants from us. Consequently makin it impossible to be a "True Christian".

[ProMacUser]

I'm orthodox christian, while my father is muslim. And he doesn't make me be muslim, he says that it's my choice.

[gwprod12]

Since no one knows God's will, I am going to make the claim that it there is at least a 50/50 chance that anyone proclaiming themselves to be a Christian is in fact living against God's plan.

[3nigma]

A Christian is somebody that follows the teachings of Christ and indirectly God, correct? So we have millions of people on this earth divided into groups that all think they are following the teachings of Christ/God yet they all have their differences. They all base their morals on the "infallible word of God", the Bible. Some groups try to follow their version of the Bible literally, while other groups interpret things more symbolically. Which group of people is TRULY following the teachngs of Christ/God? We can never know. The bible comes in so many different versions that have been translated many times into many different languages. If I was a believer then I would not want to wager my soul on somebody else's interpretation of God's Word and I certainly wouldn't chastise or murder anybody else for not living by my interpretation of the book. There are too many possibilities for error.

 

The bottom line is, until God or Jesus does a world tour in an effort to enlighten us all in a modern language that we can understand, we will never truly know what He wants from us. Consequently makin it impossible to be a "True Christian".

You would think that the more time that goes by, and the farther we get from 0 BC/AD, the less accurate the translations would be. Ironically, it is the opposite. Archaeologists uncover only more and more documents in original languages, and scholars only get better and better at translations, and become more and more accurate.

 

The 1611 King James Bible is less accurate than today's translations, and they were 400 years closer to the authentic times than we are. It's not really a matter of translation anymore, but interpretation.

 

It's a scary proposition to gamble, at least have a peek at it

 

Since no one knows God's will, I am going to make the claim that it there is at least a 50/50 chance that anyone proclaiming themselves to be a Christian is in fact living against God's plan.

You are more right than you may realize, but not in the way that you think. Most "Christians" are in fact trying to change their lifestyle, and live "by the Book." However, in an eschatological sense, most American Christians are going in the 100% opposite direction of "God's plan."

[gwprod12]

I've already stated a million times (at least) that I've never met a Christian who followed Jesus' teachings. That being said, I still think there's at least a 50/50 chance that Jesus' teachings are against God's plan.

 

If I ever find a Christian who behaves like Jesus, I'll make sure to reevaluate my opinion on Christians.

[brainbone]

Then why are we arguing?

 

I'm not arguing. I'm just asking questions.

 

I agree, but I think a person knows if they're going to heaven or not. I don't think their peers can know. I think that its something ultimately personal. But yes, in essence you are right.

 

I know this doesn't make sense, but I like to think that I know where I'm going when I die. But obviously, I'm not God, so I can't know for sure.

 

On the other hand, I believe in the Bible and since I believe the Bible, I believe that God keeps good on his promises, which gives me assurance.

 

But if you don't know what God's will is (we've established that no one but God can know), then you admit the Bible may not be an accurate interpretation of God's will -- because if it was, we would know what God's will is, and again, we've established that no one but God can know. If you are able to admit that the Bible may have inaccuracies, then how do you know what God has promised? How do you know that when you put your faith in the Bible, you are indeed putting your faith with God?

[Nickhamm]

The word 'Christian" has all sorts of connotations (good and bad) in todays world. I better term would be 'Christ Follower.' I am not saying anymore or anything less.

[mifki]

I'm a anti-semetic Jew. (its a new sect)

[linuxfan66]

By Jew was not referring the Jewish race, but anyone who follow Judaism.

[mifki]

Jews arent a race btw. Otherwise Christians are a race, so would satanists, they are a religious group. Not a race.

[Swad]

more importantly who the hell has the right to decide what is a "true Christian"

Probably Jesus.

[killbot1000]

Probably Jesus.

 

 

Jesus is dead....and we don't really know what he was really like in real life...so...I don't think even HE can decide. (or to be more accurate, our perception of him)

[Soündless]

born christian, converted myself at age 7 to atheism because i didnt believe it could work that way. would that make me a heretic? i like that word, but i call myself athiest.

[mifki]

Everybody, gather wood and petrol. Were gonna burn soundless the heretic

[linuxfan66]

Your too extreme Kiko

[Alessandro17]

born christian, converted myself at age 7 to atheism because i didnt believe it could work that way.

 

Wow, you started very early. I took that route in my late teens.

 

But later in life I started a long journey to find more about the matter.

 

Now I have been aware for many years that most people who become atheists do so because the Christian God sounds too much like a fairy tale.

[killbot1000]

Wow, you started very early. I took that route in my late teens.

 

But later in life I started a long journey to find more about the matter.

 

Now I have been aware for many years that most people who become atheists do so because the Christian God sounds too much like a fairy tale.

 

 

Well, I became an atheist after I thought of the world outside of myself.

 

The way I see it, what if I looked at myself from the perspective of a person looking at a cat or a dog. Do cats and dogs have souls? Do they have an afterlife? My guess is no, I am also guessing this is the case for humans, it makes the most logical sense, given that if you cut away somebody's brain, that person ceases to exist, meaning that what we are IS our brain, so it only makes logical sense that who we are is physical, meaning that when we die...we're dead.

 

We are all energy, this is fact. At the very best, we are all part of one big mechanism (the universe). So when we die, we don't really die, our energy just gets distributed differently for a different purpose in the great machine (also...maybe the great machine doesn't have a purpose, who knows?)

 

At the worst, when you die, you're just dead, I try not to worry about it too much because its irrelevant, the only thing I can say FOR SURE is that this is the only life I have, so I plan to live it as such, without regrets and living life to the fullest I can and to not waste time.

 

The main problem I have with the concept of god is the idea of a PERSONAL god, that sounds like the biggest crock of {censored} I have ever heard.

 

Maybe I am just spouting off useless information, but I think I have some good things to say heheh

[3nigma]

At the worst, when you die, you're just dead, I try not to worry about it too much because its irrelevant, the only thing I can say FOR SURE is that this is the only life I have, so I plan to live it as such, without regrets and living life to the fullest I can and to not waste time.

That's okay to believe. However, nobody can say "FOR SURE" that this is indeed the only life we have, nor can anybody say "FOR SURE" that this is NOT the only life we have. Even if it is the only life you'll have, it's worth dedicating some very deliberate time to the topic, and doing some investigation.

 

It's good to be agnostic, and not close off all doors. To close all doors is to be presumptuous enough to claim that you already know all the answers. You learn a lot more in life as you go through it than just what you think you know in your early twenties.

 

Nobody sensible claims to have all the answers (key word: sensible), neither should we. Keep the doors open, you have a lot of life left to live and experience.

 

-3nigma

[brainbone]

To close all doors is to be presumptuous enough to claim that you already know all the answers.

 

Atheists don't actually completely close the door -- it's only in the absence of any real evidence that they don't bother to dwell on the impractical, improbable and unprovable. Atheism is not a belief in no god, it is simply the absence of belief in god. These are not the same thing, and the subtle difference between them is the difference between an open or closed mind. It's just that there is currently not enough (any) evidence to convince the logical mind of the atheist to abandon logic and reason in favor of blatant disregard of reality and probability.

 

You don't believe in the flying spaghetti monster? Have you not been touched by it's noodly appendage? Well, then you are closed minded.

[gwprod12]

Atheists don't actually completely close the door -- it's only in the absence of any real evidence that they don't bother to dwell on the impractical, improbable and unprovable. Atheism is not a belief in no god, it is simply the absence of belief in god. These are not the same thing, and the subtle difference between them is the difference between an open or closed mind. It's just that there is currently not enough (any) evidence to convince the logical mind of the atheist to abandon logic and reason in favor of blatant disregard of reality and probability.

 

You don't believe in the flying spaghetti monster? Have you not been touched by it's noodly appendage? Well, then you are closed minded.

 

Yet, there can never be direct evidence of something that hides itself from observation, so there can never be evidence to support a God, thus waiting for evidence that is impossible to acquire is the same as being closed-minded ;-p

 

If a being appeared tomorrow, manifesting magnificent powers that astounded the eye, it would still not be evidence that that being was God. What could God do to evidence itself that cannot be explained by logic? If God made the earth rotate backwards, would it be evidence of God's power to defy reality? Or merely that our view of reality was incomplete? God requires belief in that which defies logic and the forces of the universe. But nothing can defy logic or the forces of the universe, merely expand our understanding of them.

 

Anything that exposes itself to scrutiny can be explained. Anything that doesnt expose itself to scrutiny can never be proven. Only believed in.

 

Amen.

[killbot1000]

That's okay to believe. However, nobody can say "FOR SURE" that this is indeed the only life we have, nor can anybody say "FOR SURE" that this is NOT the only life we have. Even if it is the only life you'll have, it's worth dedicating some very deliberate time to the topic, and doing some investigation.

 

It's good to be agnostic, and not close off all doors. To close all doors is to be presumptuous enough to claim that you already know all the answers. You learn a lot more in life as you go through it than just what you think you know in your early twenties.

 

Nobody sensible claims to have all the answers (key word: sensible), neither should we. Keep the doors open, you have a lot of life left to live and experience.

 

-3nigma

 

I actually meant to say something more along the lines of "For Certain" I think you misinterpreted my words.

[OryHara]

Yes, I am a Christian. Now the real question and new thread to start is, "how can you be a Christian and not be a Republican?" ;-).

 

I'm a christian, but not Republican per se. More of a constitutionist. I am a patriot, not a loyalist. I don't believe in any of the immoral, and satanic things our government does. I believe the people should run the government, not the government run the people.

 

The government, in the US controls the media, there is no doubt about that. There are 4 fortune 500 companies that control what is said on TV, and the NeoNazi right wing-nuts would much rather fly off the hook about janet jackson's {censored} than this war which is the death of millions of people. I live in a small town full of Neo-con Nazis. You can only imagine how idiotic they must be. They smile, grin, and say god bless, but will stab you in the back, or kill you when they get a chance. If you openly oppose them, then they will carry on their 2 minutes hate about how god ordained this murderer we have in office, and how evil is good, and murder is good, torture is good, and how anything that objects to the PARTY, and it's master Bush should be considered bad. I call these people BUSH WORSHIPERS. Or cultists.

 

There is a difference between government, and country. If someone doesn't know the difference, they should take their loyalist ass back to china where they came from.

[brainbone]

I'm a christian, but not Republican per se. More of a constitutionist.

 

You do realize that the original architects of the US constitution were, for the most part, Deists, not Christians, right?

 

I call these people BUSH WORSHIPERS. Or cultists.

 

The sad truth is that belief in a supernatural God predisposes one to being brainwashed by such political nonsense. Some "with faith" are able to keep their wits about them, but a great many fall into the trap. What's the ratio of Atheist "bushies" to God fearing "bushies"?

[OryHara]

You do realize that the original architects of the US constitution were, for the most part, Deists, not Christians, right?

The sad truth is that belief in a supernatural God predisposes one to being brainwashed by such political nonsense. Some "with faith" are able to keep their wits about them, but a great many fall into the trap. What's the ratio of Atheist "bushies" to God fearing "bushies"?

 

You do realize that the original architects of the US constitution were, for the most part, FREE MASONS, or as I call them "shattered reality" Bail worshipers. I know this because my mother is a descendant of James Madison.

 

However. the prinicipalities remain the one in the same. Freedom from government oppression, and no taxation without representation. Freedom of speech and press. Also, the right to BEAR ARMS. Wether you like it or NOT. Neo-Cons Right Wingers hate freedom of speech, press, and believe in a dictatorship, and are loyal to the party. Leftist Liberals believe that we should NOT have the right to protect ourselves against our government, and forign invaders (like mexico). Leftist Liberals believe in no god, and that the rich should be allowed to run rampant, and oppress the poor (Microsoft), and that there should be no government intervention. So both of you BELIEVE in the government, and government should do this, and that for you since, you don't seem to be able to manage to do it for yourselves, and stop interfering in the business of others.

 

The constitution however is just the opposite of the left, AND the right "wing nuts". You can turn on your wings all you want, but your still SCREWED.

 

The sad truth is that belief in a false god predisposes one to being brainwashed by political 'wing nut' nonsense. Some "Without faith" are unable to comprehend beyond logic, sadly enough. While the rest from the "party" are just that. In psychology, it is referred to as the the MOB MENTALITY.

 

Too bad that the left, however objective on 'subject matters', are the same as the right, in they both play the 'political game' that the government wants them to play. And they are both played well enough, on both sides of their fence. However, there should be no fence, and both sides should leave well enough the other alone, and allow the people to run the government instead of lobbying the government to run the people.

 

Eurasia Vs. Oceana