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I believe in God and Jesus but I am not a "Christian" as man made religions put it. When will others see their Christianity is NOT WORKING? If you truly followed the direct path of Jesus, there would be no racism, classism, genocide, wars, etc. Satan doesn't exist in my world, and the powers that be all claim to be "Christian" so what is going wrong? Leave the Bible out of this for a minute. If we practiced the CORE message of Jesus, Buddha, etc. we will have PARADISE here on earth. The Bible doesnt make us eat me, drive cars and kill the environment off w/ our wants and needs. Hell is choice and it is here on earth since we want to blame everything and everyone else. You can have ANYTHING you desire with right mind and right thought. Seems like people want a religion that caters to them (personal salvation), forgives them for their indulgences and uses blame (Satan), and removes all involvement from our personal duty as humans (seperatism). Christianity has been labeled, tweaked and changes to fulfill human need since the beginning of time, while the true message of our potential has been hidden. After all, we wouldnt have economy, and society with EVERYONE knowing their full potential, so keep them confused and bickering. Your thoughts...and please do not quote scripture (which I am not against but I do not believe is the infalliable word).
IMO, a lot of Christianity is a country-club religion. It is a social club network. If you are divorced or poor, don't come to their church, because you will get the looks and comments. I stayed out of the social circles for that reason, rejection becomes hard to take, and focused on the religion, but the contradictions and materialism of Christianity got to me. I heard too many stories about how "God blessed me" when people bought big homes and such.
Teach07 said: "If you truly followed the direct path of Jesus, there would be no racism, classism, genocide, wars, etc. Satan doesn't exist in my world, and the powers that be all claim to be "Christian" so what is going wrong? Leave the Bible out of this for a minute. If we practiced the CORE message of Jesus, Buddha, etc. we will have PARADISE here on earth."
I believe the answer lies within your own statements. The operative word is "if". Sure, if people did lots of things differently we'd have a better world. Yes, there are those who claim to be Christian who themselves don't follow the Word as they ought to. This makes them hypocrities, IMHO. It's sad, but true that there are wolves in sheeps clothing within the Christian community. Their actions don't support their words. But you, yourself, don't believe the Bible, so why force others to follow it, if they too don't believe it?
Yes, it seems like common sense that if you're a Christian you should be living a life that produces good fruit. However, this isn't always the case, unfortunately. For as many that don't follow the Christian path properly, there are many that do. However, those that do are up against a lot of resistance. Because the Christian path isn't easy and people want easy, you'll have believers and non-believers both railing against the Christian way. This is very evident in today's world. Everyone wants tolerance, but won't tolerate following the true Christian path.
But again, it goes back to people themeselves. When they hear the Word, they don't like what they hear and therefore don't want to do as it instructs. It's a human condition that can only be overcome by total submission to our Lord and Savior, Jesus the Christ.
And twixcookie, I'm sorry your experience with a church was more of a social county club. That's definately not how it is to be. Yes, it's where like-minded believers can fellowship, but that shouldn't be the main focus. Yes, people can be blessed, but they are to also share their blessings with those who have less. My church isn't perfect, none is, however; we have outreach to divorced people, to single parents, to addicts, to the homeless, to the poor, etc. We turn no one away and we make everyone feel welcome as best we can. Again, unfortunately, there are churches that only revolve around "what's in it for me" type attitudes and only teach the fluffy side of things. This will only change when people want it to. I'd offer an invitation to you to attend my church, so you can see and experience what, IMHO, is God at work in people and the community.
I believe in God and Jesus but I am not a "Christian" as man made religions put it. When will others see their Christianity is NOT WORKING? If you truly followed the direct path of Jesus, there would be no racism, classism, genocide, wars, etc. Satan doesn't exist in my world, and the powers that be all claim to be "Christian" so what is going wrong? Leave the Bible out of this for a minute. If we practiced the CORE message of Jesus, Buddha, etc. we will have PARADISE here on earth. The Bible doesnt make us eat me, drive cars and kill the environment off w/ our wants and needs. Hell is choice and it is here on earth since we want to blame everything and everyone else. You can have ANYTHING you desire with right mind and right thought. Seems like people want a religion that caters to them (personal salvation), forgives them for their indulgences and uses blame (Satan), and removes all involvement from our personal duty as humans (seperatism). Christianity has been labeled, tweaked and changes to fulfill human need since the beginning of time, while the true message of our potential has been hidden. After all, we wouldnt have economy, and society with EVERYONE knowing their full potential, so keep them confused and bickering. Your thoughts...and please do not quote scripture (which I am not against but I do not believe is the infalliable word).
you can remove the word christian from the title but you still are a christian. If you don't believe in christianity ask yourself why and start doing research about christianity. You will find the real truth.
I am not a Christian. I dont need others to tell me what I am. As far as I am concerned, Christianity and any other man made title doesnt exist in my world. I do not believe the Bible to be the 100% truth, but I respect it's verses just as I do the Quran, the Torah and teachings of Buddha. I do not follow man made doctrine, but rather natural laws. I practice, love, generosity, kindness....what is essentially at the source of the teaching of ALL of our great teachers. My point was bigger than just Christianity- regardless of which path you choose to take, the message is the same across all religions in basic human virtues- I merely used Christianity as an example. I have extensively studies all religions in college and all of my life (I grew up in a household that was Catholic, Southern Baptist and Jehovah's Witness as there were many different faiths and ethnicites in my family). I am not a Christianity basher or someone who bashes religion. I practice and preach what works and what is going to CHANGE you as a person. I just made thread because it seems as if Christianity is not working- people are selective in what they choose to follow but still want their own salvation. What I practice does not subject me to any of that and it has no title that man places on it. What I practice can be done in ANY religion. Belief in Christ does not automatically make one a Christian.
Hi teach07, good questions! However, I, too, had those very same questions myself until a year ago. Yes, I still doubt my faith sometimes, but it's a process that is not won over night (you may have heard on the news, even Mother Teresa doubted her faith). Even Paul, Jesus' most beloved disciple, was doubting his own faith (even as Jesus was performing miracles in front of his very eyes!) until the last day. It wasn't until Jesus rose from the dead that he truly believed the word of God. Now, as a Christian, I often wonder why these guys get to see real physical evidence while good folks like you and I have to build our faith by nothing more than a book and prayer. However....We believe in many things that we can’t see. (Optical Illusions) Ask a skeptic if he has ever seen the wind. Has he seen history? Has he ever seen his brain? We see the effects of the wind, but the wind is invisible. We have records of history, but it is by "faith" that we believe certain historical events happened. Television waves are invisible, but an antenna and a receiver can detect their presence. So, why can't we believe in a supreme human being that created this universe?
The unregenerate man likewise has a "receiver." However, the receiver (his spirit) is dead because of sin (Ephesians 2:1). Without sounding like a bible thumper, I ask you to try and be plugged into the life of God; then he will come alive and be aware of the invisible spiritual realm.
Okay, I hope someone gives me some green rep points because I need some!
I believe in God and Jesus but I am not a "Christian" as man made religions put it. When will others see their Christianity is NOT WORKING? If you truly followed the direct path of Jesus, there would be no racism, classism, genocide, wars, etc. Satan doesn't exist in my world, and the powers that be all claim to be "Christian" so what is going wrong? Leave the Bible out of this for a minute. If we practiced the CORE message of Jesus, Buddha, etc. we will have PARADISE here on earth. The Bible doesnt make us eat me, drive cars and kill the environment off w/ our wants and needs. Hell is choice and it is here on earth since we want to blame everything and everyone else. You can have ANYTHING you desire with right mind and right thought. Seems like people want a religion that caters to them (personal salvation), forgives them for their indulgences and uses blame (Satan), and removes all involvement from our personal duty as humans (seperatism). Christianity has been labeled, tweaked and changes to fulfill human need since the beginning of time, while the true message of our potential has been hidden. After all, we wouldnt have economy, and society with EVERYONE knowing their full potential, so keep them confused and bickering. Your thoughts...and please do not quote scripture (which I am not against but I do not believe is the infalliable word).
Well...you are certainly right to be concerned: there are a whole LOT of problems. But, what really was the core message of Jesus? Why do you feel that there would be a paradise if all Christians practiced their faith 100%? Jesus DIDN'T promise a paradise on earth...until AFTER He returns. To the contrary: He said He didn't come to bring peace, but rather a sword. He said there would be wars and rumors of wars. He said even families would be torn apart with strife: mother against daughter, and father against son. History has proven Him to be 100% correct. Seems to me the problem is not that Christianity is "not working", but rather it is the man-made church doctrines that are not working....the churches are rife to overflowing with rules, practices, and beliefs that are NOT found in any Bible....God did not give us those, we did. Then we take those practices and try to apply them to solve real-life problems. Not surprisingly they don't work well and they don't fix anything...but they certainly give everyone something to argue about. Yes, Christianity has many problems...but in the end all will be well...
Teach, No one should be a christian as man made religion has put it..If you would remember that God gave man the will to choose right from wrong..And sadly many of the choices from that day on were wrong choices..I prefer the term believer for myself, because of the poor choices in christianity that have lead to so much division and pain in the church as described in the bible. IMO,the bible is not perfect either, but the message is still perfectly clear..God is the creator, Jesus is the Son whom was sacrificed for our sins, the Holy Spirit is within us, to comfort, teach and guide. Love is the greatest commandment. Rewards are eternal life or eternal cut off from God in death..When I go to the bible to read from it, I always pray that God will take all the manmade religions and doctrines from my mind and let me understand what he wants me to understand. It works for me and I am finally at peace with myself and with god and other peoples beliefs, and christian doctrine
I am not a Christian. I dont need others to tell me what I am. As far as I am concerned, Christianity and any other man made title doesnt exist in my world. I do not believe the Bible to be the 100% truth, but I respect it's verses just as I do the Quran, the Torah and teachings of Buddha. I do not follow man made doctrine, but rather natural laws. I practice, love, generosity, kindness....what is essentially at the source of the teaching of ALL of our great teachers. My point was bigger than just Christianity- regardless of which path you choose to take, the message is the same across all religions in basic human virtues- I merely used Christianity as an example. I have extensively studies all religions in college and all of my life (I grew up in a household that was Catholic, Southern Baptist and Jehovah's Witness as there were many different faiths and ethnicites in my family). I am not a Christianity basher or someone who bashes religion. I practice and preach what works and what is going to CHANGE you as a person. I just made thread because it seems as if Christianity is not working- people are selective in what they choose to follow but still want their own salvation. What I practice does not subject me to any of that and it has no title that man places on it. What I practice can be done in ANY religion. Belief in Christ does not automatically make one a Christian.
isn't natural laws man made? Ra the sun god for example. If you follow the teaching of a religion and have a similar belief system as that religion. So it is wrong to label you as believe in that religion.
Teach, No one should be a christian as man made religion has put it..If you would remember that God gave man the will to choose right from wrong..And sadly many of the choices from that day on were wrong choices..I prefer the term believer for myself, because of the poor choices in christianity that have lead to so much division and pain in the church as described in the bible. IMO,the bible is not perfect either, but the message is still perfectly clear..God is the creator, Jesus is the Son whom was sacrificed for our sins, the Holy Spirit is within us, to comfort, teach and guide. Love is the greatest commandment. Rewards are eternal life or eternal cut off from God in death..When I go to the bible to read from it, I always pray that God will take all the manmade religions and doctrines from my mind and let me understand what he wants me to understand. It works for me and I am finally at peace with myself and with god and other peoples beliefs, and christian doctrine
Christianity does not work because if you are to believe in a g-d that is supposed to be true, holy and pure than the bible is flawed.
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