by gumby 245 Replies latest watchtower beliefs
LT
A Christian is someone who has a loving relationship with Christ. Period.That affects how they act, sure, but let's not get it the other way around.
The Christian belief system is one of "grace" and "mercy", not good works..
"You're all individuals"
"Yes, we're all individuals"(Life of Brian - Monty Python)
How can you have a loving relationship when it's one way...you pray and possibly worship him..and he?
I guess this is getting off Gumby's subject line.
Little Toe:your reply is picture perfect.JC said there were only two commandments and both benevolent.
I have been around,,,,, i memorized over 2,000 passages verbatim from the Bible.
Soooo,what is the conviction of my heart regarding God?
I am completely confused and have NO fear.I hope that I do stand before God some day so I can denounce 'him'' for the derelict that he is.
I am pure in heart all on my own without any infused spirit from God.[Matt. 5:8]
Christians ? - harmless
Fundamentalists / p eople who say they're christians - dodgy
End of the world / we're the only christians - dangerous
Should people be allowed to come to your door and speak empty threats if your family doesn't comply with their 'belief' ? I doubt that it is right.
That's getting more sensible but even then, what are these labels? Do people really walk around with a label that says, for example, fundamentalist? I doubt it. And even then, who defines what the label represents? Here in Oz a fundamentalist may be quite different to what the USA understands about the label. Remember that the label is not the preserve of any one group or community or even country. I'm very uncomfortable with labels; I find them very general in expression and perhaps a substitute for clear definition.
Me? I know I'm a christian and I'm comfortable with that; LT's decription is right on the money, so I'll repeat it:
A Christian is someone who has a loving relationship with Christ. Period.
That affects how they act, sure, but let's not get it the other way around.
The Christian belief system is one of "grace" and "mercy", not good works.
If I could detract by way of illustration to explain why I find the original question facile:
Here in Australia people are often described by their racial origin. One that is quite common but full of error is "Asian". After all, what is an Asian? It could be a person from Russia (white skinned), it could be a person from China (well you don't need me to add a description!), it could be a Mongolian, it could be a Vietnamese, a Japanese, an Indian etc etc. The point is they're all very different so the label is grossly inadequate and therefore inaccurate.It amuses me that even with large Vietnamese and Chinese communities in Sydney, that people from other parts of the community claim they can't tell the difference!! What does that tell? Simply they haven't gone to the trouble to find out for themselves. Of course there's a very marked difference between the appearance of a person from China compared with one from Viet Nam. But only someone who has spent time with them could speak authoritatively.
So it is with all this talk about labels to describe christians. the important thing is what the individual personally believes, not what label other uninformed persons apply to them.
Ozzie
Gumsilly, I was NEVER a hard line, shove it down their throat Witness, and I have become a very happy Pantheist who lives and lets live. One of the reasons I enjoy this board so much is that it allows all to express their views in a non-aggressive way (or it should, ideally) without making one group or view wrong or right.
Ter
One of the reasons I enjoy this board so much is that it allows all to express their views in a non-aggressive way (or it should, ideally) without making one group or view wrong or right.
Absolutely! This should be remembered always!
Young Seekers Ask: Will my family ancestors kick up if I place fish & chips and IrnBru on the altar?
LMAO@Ross! You nut! I love your goofy, yet provocative intellect, Ross!
Ter
I'm gonna be a little provocative, I guess.
I wouldn't say that Christianity, as it is known from the NT onwards (in Catholic, Protestant and Orthodox forms alike), is harmless, inasmuch as death ("the Cross") is at the very centre of it, as the entrance door to resurrection or eternity. In a sense it calls for the destruction of natural life, self and desire for the sake of something else (new life, new man).
I don't mean it is not useful, or even necessary to some, at a certain stage in their life. But as a "drug" in the sense of Greek pharmakon (both medicine and poison), it is also potentially harmful. Were it harmless it would not cure nor help anybody.
I vaguely remember Kierkegaard writing (I think in his Journal) that Christianity, taught to someone at too young an age, could destroy him/her. I think there's some truth in that.
Shotgun:
How can you have a loving relationship when it's one way...you pray and possibly worship him..and he?
That was my experience as a JW.
It's not, now.
A relationship is "a relationship", which clearly has to be two-way.
But to be frank, no matter what I might say to attempt to prove that, no-one disinclined is gonna believe a word I have to say on the subject. Thus I smile enigmatically and keep silent on the subject.
http://www.jehovahs-witness.com/6/58523/1.ashx
Danny:
I hope that I do stand before God some day so I can denounce 'him'' for the derelict that he is.
I only fear that I shall never have the opportunity. I don't think that the JW god exists.
APaduan:
Ozzie has addressed the labels thing better than I, so I'll pass that by, if I may.
I would like to address the issue of door-to-door evangelists, though.
I have met several (some individuals feel a desire to do this) who simply ask if folks need prayer, either personal or general. If folks then want to talk about personal issues, Christ, Doctrine, or religion, then they make themselves available (note that I don't categorise these things as synonymous).
LT, "unorthodox Christian" class.
"Always look on the bright side of life..."
Sunnygal you twisted nut
a very happy Pantheist
What the hell is wrong with wearing pants
