How many of you are actually Christians?

[BlueHeart]

Hi,
i dont understand when you say "Anybody can be like Christ. You needn't to have ever heard of him or his teachings or know who he is".How can you be like christ if you havent heard of his teachings.Jesus knew right from wrong.In Matthew 4:1-11 jesus was able to avoid the temptations from the devil because he knew right from wrong.There are some answers that humans arent able to answer but the bible contains the answers.Gods written word helps us to learn right from wrong to.jesus said"your word is truth".(john 17:17)

[hazelflame]

John 14:6 says:
6 Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father, except through me.”

After Jesus died on the cross, He resurrected on the 3rd day and not long after that he went to Heaven. ( Matthew chapters 27 and 28, Mark Ch. 15 and 16, Luke 23 and 24, John Ch. 19-21 )

[switchback]

good job guys

[MannyAnalogue]

I'm not trying to put down anyone's faith. Here is the general idea I was trying to get at>

In different sections of the Bible it's made clear that the Gentiles(non-Jews) were basically second class citizens, Judaism was the religion of "the chosen people of God" they were the ones who were worshiping the same God that Christians now worship(not Christ but God, please don't call me out on the technicalities of the relationship of Christ to "God" or the God Christ called "Father") .

Anyways it seemed that many Jews were basically not associated with Gentiles and maybe didn't even like dealing with them. "Heathens" maybe they were called. Christ did what? He treated them with love and respect he listened to what they had to say and offered his help. Did he stop the woman at the well and say yeah you can get me a cup of water, but first bow down and worship me? no, he just showed a little respect and love.

By living righteous and being an example he became loved. He didn't shout his doctrine or threaten with damnation everyone who passed him in the street, but he spoke to those who wanted to hear it.

I'm not going to pretend that I have some kind of far-reaching wisdom, but common sense can be more difficult to grasp sometimes than anything. Just please give what I said some thought before sneering and casting it off as the ranting of a "non-believer".

I hope we can come to some peace and understanding here soon.

- Manny

[MizzLSD]

I agree 100% with Manny

Jesus the man has taught us to respect each and every person.

I know the ethics of which we should live by, I know not to steal, not to murder. I know that in my eyes everyone is equal, everyone is human. Nobody should be treated as a 2nd class citizen because no body is a 2nd class citizen. And I didn't learn this in Church.

But it's not only Christianity which has taught us that. Look also at Buddism or Taoism. Hinduism aswell, being one of the oldest religion also teaches us the same things and in the same format as Christianity.

I am not keen with the idea of bowing down and worshipping one man, because then he is above the rest of us which goes against his teachings.

I really hate the idea that one religion is supreme. What do you think causes so many wars? The way people live and brought up is then questioned by another religion, so they try and convert them. How would you feel if a Buddist came up to you and was talking about his religion? Insulted, scared, threatened? What would you do?

If you attacked, you would justify your actions "This is what God wants me to do".



I am rambling now....

[smitty1962a]

I am a Christian, and I think that everyone has a right to choose what they believe.

[hazelflame]

Your only a true Christian if you believe in CHRIST.

Just like your only a Buddhist if you believe in Budda.

and if you dont believe in EVERYTHING of what CHRIST said then your not a christian. Otherwise you'd be calling him a liar.

and I dont care if you have your own religon, thats fine with me because like you said everyone has a given "right" to choose.

Its when people say their a "Christian" and then dont believe in what he says!

It is not LOGICAL!!

John 14:6 says:
6 Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father, except through me.”

[Glorybound]

A few of you guys are completely misunderstanding what I am trying to say. I'm not saying you should not believe Jesus. That is not what I'm saying at all. Are you aware of the fact that God did not write the bible with a pen? He spoke through man. And the different authors could only write what they could conceive. not to mention it has been altered and manipulated over time by the Vatican and so forth. If anybody wants to challenge me, I invite it.

[hazelflame]

Stop CONTRADICTING yourself,
that doesnt make you look intelligent.

If you believe that the Bible was altered in any fashion. FINE! Good for you, go ahead & believe that...that is your prerogative!!

But dont tell me that I need to PICK & CHOOSE WHICH VERSES out of the Bible are CORRECT & which ones are FALSE.

You either believe in ALL of the BIBLE or NONE at ALL!!

You choose, OKAY?

[MannyAnalogue]

Hazel

Are you talking to me, or was it somebody else?

I think it can go even further than picking and choosing verses. In my life I've seen many different kinds of Christians divided, kicking and screaming about their own interpretation of the same verse.

When it comes down to it, Bible verses can be interpreted in tons of different ways. I was once in a church that swore up and down that it was sinful for a woman to wear pants . . . yeah for real. The verse about a man is supposed to be manly and the woman is supposed to be womanly or have the appearance of a woman(sorry, not sure how it goes exaclty). Or the arguments on the Trinity - Apostolic, Trinitarian, Assemblies of God I've heard them all slight each other over slightly different interpretations of the same verses.

Again though this isn't just Christianity, but most religions. That's why there are so many sects in any faith.

Anyways, I feel that I've spoken with respect and calm so if you were talking to me, I'd like to ask why you haven't returned the favor.

Thanks.

- Manny