Do you Consider yourself "Christian" and what does this imply? (page 3)

blondie

Actually, Jesus summed it up (and not the first time a person had), that the secret to a successful life is to love your neighbor as yourself. Quite a challenge to determine the boundaries on that to stay a healthy person. It can be different for each person and change as time goes by for each individual.

Of course, Jesus talked about the future and prophecy, so if you don't believe those, can you truly be walking the way Jesus walked. Jesus believed in a personal God, after all he said he had been in heaven with God. Can a person pick and choose from what Jesus taught and modeled for us and still be a Christian?

Almost every good saying of Jesus can be found in other cultures either before he was on earth, or from communities isolated from Christian contact. Just common sense. Just as Paul said, people doing what the Law said without any knowledge of it.

Blondie

Mulan

Almost every good saying of Jesus can be found in other cultures either before he was on earth, or from communities isolated from Christian contact. Just common sense. Just as Paul said, people doing what the Law said without any knowledge of it.
Blondie

Good point, What she said.

greendawn

True the principles that Jesus preached were already known and expressed by other religious leaders and philosophers before him. The unique Christian point is that knowing and believing those things is not enough. It's the sacrifice of Jesus that truly saves and liberates and not any amount of knowledge.

sweetface2233

I will believe in Jesus as soon as I can find his existance in any history books OTHER than the Bible, which I don't believe is divinely inspired. Until then, he is just as fiction to me as the ancient Egyptian, Greek, Persian, etc. gods. A story to tell your children by the camp fire.

If anyone knows of any texts written by a scholar who was alive in and around the Mediterranean approximately 6,000 years ago that describes Jesus' existance and teachings, please direct me to them.

<--------- Check it out, my 20th post!

mouthy

Yes I became a Christian in 1989----I felt I was born again, after 25 years serving the WT, I went (still believing the WT was the only way to go) to Pennsylvania "Witnesses Now For Jesus"Convention, there was about 300 EX Jws there, & showed me by scripture, that Christ died for my sins, PERIOD!!!! I could do NOTHING!!! to gain life , all I had to do was ask JESUS CHRIST to come into my life & be my saviour , which I did! My life took a real turn about, I am not in any religion, dont go to any Church,( only to speak about why folks should be aware of the WT teachings)
I only know that since I did that I have a peace beyond understanding. I am still concerned about my kids, ( still in the WT ,one daughter, & a grandchild<,)
But I accept the fact that we are ALL born to think,we are are allowed to do out own thing.I do NOT have the power to change folks. Only myself.

Yes I know I say often I would like to "kick the bucket"But I NOW believe that "no tears, no pain, is what GOD promised & when I do go, I will have the promise. ....I just talk to my friend Jesus ......Sorry for the long post but I am mouthy.......

proplog2

Can a person pick and choose from what Jesus taught and modeled for us and still be a Christian?

Jesus picked and chose from the scriptures. He challenged the accepted ideas of his day. He claimed he was teaching something better. Or at least he saw himself in a position to challenge aspects of the sacred.

Jesus was an exile.

So why is it wrong to believe that there are more things to be discovered in the area of morality and the "nature" of whatever the word "God" stands for.

He said if "you aren't against him you are for him". This is the least dogmatic way of making that argument.

How can you be against someone who was willing to give up his own life for his fellow man. And he didn't die for his fellow man with a sword in his hand killing people as the Jews did before him and the Moslems have done today.

The greatest testimony in behalf of Jesus is that after 2000 years his followers are still carrying swords.

Apparently his work is unfinished. That's why I (although a skeptical atheist) am PRACTICALLY a "second adventist". Whatever and whoever was behind Jesus is probably going to finish the job.

Brother Apostate

Read the New Testament- You'll find the answers there.

Being a Christian means walking in Christs' footsteps, doing our best to be like him in all things, just as a young boy wants to emulate his Dad's qualities. But while our Dads had both positive and negative qualities, Christ's example is flawless, good, positive, perfect.

Pray to God in Faith for His Holy Spirit to fill you, to guide you in your understandind of His Word, to fill you with the fruits of the Holy Spirit.

Do this daily, and you will have your answer.

BA

nvrgnbk

Welcome back, Brother Apostate!

drew sagan

Lots of great posts people.

One poster said:

to be a Christian one would need to believe in the bible.

I personally believe that to be 'Christian' is to believe in God who is revealed on the cross of Christ. I tend to side with Karl Barth's position that basing Christianity upon an 'infallible Bible' is to give the faith a foundation other that Christ.

I also believe that when one becomes a Christian they take upon themselves a 'leap to faith'. As Kierkegaard put it "to have faith is to have doubt" (not a direct quote, but close enough).

I forgot to add, yes, I do consider myself Christian.

Terry

I consider myself a recovering God-a-holic.

I kid you not!

I got hooked on God as a child.

I started out talking to him and seeking comfort and altered consciousness just to relax and feel secure.

I became drunk on God when I entered my teens.

I was regularly partaking of God everyday starting first thing in the morning when I woke up just to start the day off right.

I was so drunk on God that I ended up in Federal Prison for two years. When I got out I became a regular pioneer.

I finally hit bottom about 7 or 8 years later.

I lost all my friends, family and marriage. I was toast.

I had one long hangover.

I still feel the thirst, the longing, the cravings....but, I take it one day at a time.

At night, in mid reverie, in the still quiet of the darkness I can hear the whispers of his voice calling to me........and then I realize it is just me....talking to myself.

That is how I first knew. I was praying and just simply had the epiphany I was only talking to myself.

So, I'm a recovering God-a-holic. On the wagon. One day at a time.....

Do you Consider yourself "Christian" and what does this imply?

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