merrymomof3

I do happen to be a Christian and was curious about this forum. I have already been educated a little bit by reading some of the posts on here. I hope I am welcome! Are there other Christians that belong to this forum?

Og

As i said in your intro post, I am christian. I do not believe in a literal interpretation of the bible in any way, however. I believe that the story of jesus is a wonderful myth with immense ability to speak to the human experience. I do not "disbelieve" the stories of virgin birth and of miracles or of the crucifixtion. I believe that they are beautiful symbols that act as a guide to the full human experience. I believe that the question of belief or disbelief misses the point.

I believe that reading it as though it was a newspaper report misses the point of the message. Read it as poetry and it's illuminating.

Jesus is attributed to have said: "The kingdom of heaven is spread out on the earth right now. It is only that men do not see it." (gospel of Thomas).

I believe that christ's unity with the divine is something attainable by all people. You will not find me criticizing the message of christ's teachings. It's one of compassion and self realization and I think it's beautiful.

As I said in the other thread, you are most welcome here. I've been confirmed and baptized and have done missionary work in northern mexico and have been a jr. high youth counselor and was a musician (guitar) and singer in a sunday morning contemporary worship service for 2 years.

I have a deep appreciation of christ's teachings and I don't have the typical blind faith which i see associate with people living in the bubble of western culture. I see the elementary ideas in christ's message across the world in mythologies far older and in mythologies far younger than christianity's. Christianity is, however, my culture, and my folk expression of these elementary ideas, so I consider myself a christian.

It's not your typical idea of a christian, but I definitely have the love of god in me

__________________
Vi veri veniversum vivus vici. (By the power of truth, I, while living, have conquered the universe)
The self is not a fixed entity but a dynamic process of relationships
You & I, no distinction. - Tat Tvam Asi
Become Who You Are

SithLord

OK I know you're a "moderator" and all so no disrespect but that's about the dumbest thing I've read today.

Either you believe in the ridiculous stories or you believe they are just guides. If you believe they are just guides then you DO disbelieve in them.

__________________
"Relax, I'm here to offend you" - SithLord

Og

Who said anything about "just." You're the one reducing them literal belief. I can believe that jesus experienced a spiritual rebirth just as the buddha did when he achieved enlightenment. I can believe that the jews wish to cast his achievements in light of their heritage so he spent 40 days and nights in the desert to mimic the 40 generations of hebrew wandering after the exodus.

Can I believe that he had a spiritual rebirth and that his life was divine? Yes. Does this mean I agree with the literal translation of biblical events? No.

Reducing it to a battle of belief or disbelief is stupid. It becomes something that only has value in a literal interpretation (Which solidifies it to the transcendent message) or it becomes a matter of total rejection (throwing the baby out with the bath water).

And rail on me all you want. I'm just moderator to help george out. I'm never gonna edit or mod down someone because they don't agree with me or criticize me. I'm a big boy with substantial weight behind my approach and am more than happy to take some criticism.

__________________
Vi veri veniversum vivus vici. (By the power of truth, I, while living, have conquered the universe)
The self is not a fixed entity but a dynamic process of relationships
You & I, no distinction. - Tat Tvam Asi
Become Who You Are

}SOC{Spector17

You can't be both; you are either Christian or don't believe in the Bible/Jesus/God. If you are a true Christian you must believe in the Bible.

There is no gospel of Thomas in the Bible...lol

We good then, you believe all he says. So therefore you also believe in God - John 10:30 - "I and the Father are one." And since god indirectly wrote the Bible, you belief all that is in it... right??

Doing works does not make you a Christian.

Og

It seems I've been mistaken all along momof3. It appears that I am not christian. Sorry for the confusion. This person who still holds to the delusion of free will as fact has labeled me such

__________________
Vi veri veniversum vivus vici. (By the power of truth, I, while living, have conquered the universe)
The self is not a fixed entity but a dynamic process of relationships
You & I, no distinction. - Tat Tvam Asi
Become Who You Are

mplltt

I believe that there is a problem with being blinded by faith. I think that this problem is that there are no reasonable explanations that would allow for us to just know the answer to everything but I also believe that there is a reasonable explaination that somethings are just false and they stay that way. I think that the willingness to find the answer to things would be given in the human belief that there was a God and that he is no more. The usefulness of this can be blamed on international politics and when a person is put under the auspices of a place that would allowably teach about God would then let it go and have the teaching race of men loose their comprehensive ability to answer. Answers can give rise to other questions and therefore things go on and on. What a nice concept. I am still awaiting further evidence to give proof to both questions and answers.

__________________
Thank you, I am impressed that you are forgiving enough to approach this line of reasoning.

Faith

אתה לא יכול להיות שניהם כ/כפי שספאכטור אמר. נוצרי חסיד של ישו הנוצרי. לא חסיד של עצמו ודרכים שלו. הקשב לזה...

Listen Now Aaron Shust

Faith

.. כופרים לעיתים קרובות מאתגרים את התאיסט להוכיח את הקיום של אלוהים רק בתוך המגביל של מדע. מדע שירת אנושיות טוב. דרך זה, גילינו חוקים טבעיים לאין ספור של היקום ושימוש שידע לעשות חיים שלנו יותר קל בכל תחום מהקיום שלנו. אבל להגביל הוכחות התאיסט למגביל של מה שהכופר דרישות נורא לא הוגנות. לנוצרי, יש ניסיונות שמדע והגיון לא יכולים להסביר. הב

jaej

So now you just write in Hebrew so we don't know what you say?

Well, I attend church with my parents (I dont really have a choice since I'm a minor and don't graduate until June anyway) so I know a lot about christianity and thought of myself as one for years. But lately I started reading stuff, not least of which was the content on this forum, and now I am at the very least highly skeptical about christianity. I suppose that would make me agnostic then, wouldn't it?

__________________
Μολὼν Λαβέ

Lasciate ogne speranza, voi ch'intrate