Hello, I know where you are coming from. I have the same problem. But, I talked to a Catholic chaplin and I told him, I didn't believe in the trinity. He said that that wasn't essential for salvation.. I was surprized. So, I have been visiting the Catholic church, (not thinking of being a member). They talk about Jesus and God being separate. But they call Jesus, GOD. Like, God the father, God the son, and the holy spirit, is the way they say it, over here. It doesn't offend me too much, because Jesus is a god..
What is the % of Born-Agains Christians that tell you "Trinity" or else die
by booker-t 20 Replies latest jw friends
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barry
So called born agains are well known for beleiving if a christian doesnt speak in toungs and receive the holy spirit he isnt saved.
Of course all christians receive the holy spirit the moment they beleive and speaking in tounges is a gift of the holy spirit .
Isnt the beleif that a person has to beleive in certain things a gnostic beleif? I think ist up to the holy spirit to lead us into truth
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William Penwell
Born-Again Christians or JW's = Same S**t, different pile.... Will
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LittleToe
As usual I have to pipe up and ask; when you use the term "born-again" are you refering to the experience of those who call themselves Christians, or are you refering to a certain breed of closed-minded fundamentalist bigot?
It seems that all too often the later is used, but this is not international in scope. Try to remember that for us poor Brits, will ya?
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MegaDude
Simple answer: steer clear of the fundies.
If only I could. LOL. As soon as I can afford to buy my personal island in the Carribean I'll have a fundy-free life.
Become quite sensitized to controlling "fundies" after leaving the JWs I began to notice this zealot streak in all groups: religious, political, in the workplace, in recreational groups. It's not just a personality trait of religion. It's a product of the general human condition. People are zealous about stupid beliefs because it is in their own perceived interest, desire and emotional needs to be that way. The only way to avoid this is to go find a mountain top somewhere with a private little cave. Even the people who hate fundies can be so dogmatic as to be unreasonable.
I do find there is a small percentage of people in my non-denominational church where fundyism instead of love is the controlling operator in their makeup. But these same people would be fanatical in something else if religion were no part of their lives. Fanatical Democrats and Republicans bother me more.
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lovelylil
Little toe,
I agree with you. We should not lump all who call themselves "born again" into the same group.
I for one use that term to apply to myself, although no one is truly "born again" until it is time to go into the heavenly relm. Being born again refers to taking on your new nature. That is why Christ said, you must be "born again" to enter the Kingdom of Heaven.
Spirit begotten is a better term I think. All Christians should be spirit-begotten if they are truly Sons of God. This refers to the indwelling of the Holy Spirit which is evidence that you have been "adopted" into God's family as children of God.
Either way, you have fanatics in every denomination. Part of showing spiritual maturity is being balanced in your beliefs. Unfortunately many are still babes in Christ and have not matured to take in more solid food. These are usually the more hard - core, my way or the highway ones who judge everyone as unworthy, except themselves that is.
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DanTheMan
It seems that all too often the later is used, but this is not international in scope. Try to remember that for us poor Brits, will ya?
LT, I am confident that if you were to attend a service at one of the evangelical mega-churches around where I live, you'd end up walking out before it was over. Take that as a compliment ;)
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XBEHERE
To be honest the ones I have met, either in the ministry or work, etc harp more on the actual diety of Jesus instead of the trinity. They consider that point of primary importance, at least the ones I have spoken to. Not one of them has ever said I was going to hell though just that I was wrong.
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GentlyFeral
blondie suggests:
Maybe you should try the Jewish faith. I'm pretty sure they don't teach the Trinity.
The Unitarians don't either
Seriously though, maybe you should try a more mainstream religion. I know that most of the Christian religions teach the trinity (which I've never believed), but I think the main stream ones aren't as insistent as what they used to be about believing everything 100%.
That's pretty much the case. You might also try the UCC, a liberal denomination* laughingly known as "Unitarians Considering Christ." Last time I went to a UCC church, the preacher declared that we each have the right to answer Jesus' question "Who do you say that I am?" in our own way. That was someting I needed to hear.
If it's emotional power that you want in a church service, you might try attending a historically black church; some of them are relatively liberal about doctrinal orthodoxy or micromanaging people's belief. Glide Memorial Cathedral in San Francisco is the most famous example I know of. They also have a strong interest in assisting people to live sane, functional lives in this world.
*"We seek a balance between freedom of conscience and accountability to the apostolic faith. The UCC therefore receives the historic creeds and confessions of our ancestors as testimonies, but not tests of the faith." -- Testimonies, not tests of the faith
GentlyFeral
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hamsterbait
last week I began to meet with no more than two others, to share unleavened bread and wine.We prayed, read the verses of the last supper, shared the tiny repast, then sang ( I chose -Ps 23) and went our way.
We did not discuss dogmas doctrines or philosophies.
To me being part of the body is just faith in Jesus. Read the bible in private, draw your own conclusions in your heart. Never say that somebody who disagrees with you on a point of scripture or viewpoint is less a part of the whole than you.
Keep it simple. It means the most.
HB