Quote:
Originally Posted by romansh  - You consider yourself Christian - Yes
- There might or might not be a deity (probably not) - no, you are it
- The Bible contains metaphors for we how should live/understand our lives - Sort of. Metaphors about the nature of being a human being and transcendence
- Traditional interpretions of the Bible by today's Christian religions (literal or partially literal) are incorrect - Literal interpretations, yes.
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I consider myself to be a TRUE Christian in exploring the teachings of Christ. I look at the teachings in terms of their historical context in the 500+ years preceding the life of Christ and I look at them in terms of the ethnic inflection of the myths of man that are represented in the Christ story. I look at it in terms of the Buddhist story (of which it is a direct translation into western symbols) and with the aid of the coptic texts from nag hamadi such as the gospel according to thomas which is diametrically opposed to the gospel of paul (the philosophical contents of the canonical gospels).
I do not do this as some wacko fringe person. I do it with the aid of historians from accredited universities who have peer reviewed papers and books on the topic.
Understanding Christ's message is easy when you look at it in terms of humanity and not myopically from the perspective of the catholic church and the middle east and the hebrew culture.
I really don't care if 80% of america calls itself christian and think that fundamentalism and literalism is the only way to be a true christian. This mass of ignorant people do can not touch the rock hard evidence that is plain for all to explore. Most are just afraid.
I am a true Christian.