Darth Avlectus Posted January 12, 2011 Share Posted January 12, 2011 I really need to learn to be direct with my Threads/posts hehe as people tend to go straight for my ill informed banter rather than the subject line if you catch my drift, the Evolution business was a direct quote from the TV Host, I neither fully understand the Christian teachings nor Science to Argue for either. I think my main reason for bringing this up is that I have a Hard time with some of the decisions/actions that are made/taken because of religion... Death, cultural separation, War, Intolerance (of course there are numerous Positives) Why spend Sunday in a Church, Praying to someone who you dont believe exists? There seems to be no valid reason for this thinking other than you need to feel a part of a community, or your a few Bricks short of a Maisonette. In general, I think people who continue to go to service might be trying to work the system, that don't believe. Now, if you're phrasing that in such a way that is to say faith has no place in society because it cannot be proven, I have to simply disagree. Just because some don't see any meaning in it doesn't mean they have to go crapping on other people. That gets you nowhere. In some ways, though, likewise the opposite is true for faithful: while actively professing beliefs is something the faithful should do, there comes a point at which you're just pushing it on others. When it's a case like my lesbian/bi cousin, same age as me, I can understand that she doesn't believe and even partially even why not. Still, I do wish she would choose to live a better life and simply do it. Unfortunately she will live the way she chooses, I'm just not going to continue to be part of it, and consequently she doesn't come around anymore either. EDIT: To clarify, she is an alcoholic and seems to think that family is a free taxicab or crashing pad when she gets kicked out of an apartment. I love her but this habitual freeloader stuff has put a strain on our relationship. Plus it is creepy how she still has not stopped cutting and burning herself./edit When it is a case where someone's beliefs are different, that's fine as well. I don't typically go there unless someone asks TBH. If they ask, though, they got themselves into it. If their beliefs are like liberties that compromise the way of life/liberty for others, then I make it my business. Are you referring to me? No I was referring to the big guy. Watching as those who are in "His system" claim to believe in him but really act more like it's some business and that the message of self improvement only applies to those who don't work in His system. For the record I am quite Happy at the Moment, I have recently started a New position at work with better salary, better work hours and opportunities, and have also reconnected with a lot of old school Friends and I'm having a Blast This Subject Just jumped out at me (My Mother is a Christian, but very uninterested in the details of Christianity, but very spiritual, I suppose the polar opposite of these People on the TV Show) Well I suppose then your mother is like many others. EDIT: Here we are talking about mothers again. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Qui-Gon Glenn Posted January 12, 2011 Share Posted January 12, 2011 Moms are everywhere lately... My buddy Greg and I need to fire up our cover band again, "Mom Seeger". AKA "Mom Zombie", "Elton Mom" and "Mom Jovi". If you haven't been to a "Mom Seeger" show, you don't really love Mom's like Greg and I do (This is a RL band, no jokes, done a couple shows.... It is not what you expect....) Just because some don't see any meaning in it doesn't mean they have to go crapping on other people. That gets you nowhere. In some ways, though, likewise the opposite is true for faithful: while actively professing beliefs is something the faithful should do, there comes a point at which you're just pushing it on others.Well said, QFT @urluckyday: no worries, sorry if I came off cross Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jonathan7 Posted January 12, 2011 Share Posted January 12, 2011 Compared to what, exactly? The Hebrews weren't known for pacifistic humanism either. Every time a violence-laden narrative from any scripture is interpreted through a modern-day lens, two conclusions are met: either it's "See! This proves that [religious adherents] are nothing but [moral ill]-ers!", or it's "No, no, no; you're looking at it in the wrong light! Real [religious tradition] is against that entirely!" Naturally, I'd wager that both of these explanations are equally deluded and idealistic in form. Did you actually read my sentence? >.> Peaceful religion? Depends on how you read their Holy Book, having read the whole Qur'an trust me when I say I could have a whole page of not at all peaceful quotes.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Darth Avlectus Posted January 13, 2011 Share Posted January 13, 2011 Moms are everywhere lately... My buddy Greg and I need to fire up our cover band again, "Mom Seeger". AKA "Mom Zombie", "Elton Mom" and "Mom Jovi". If you haven't been to a "Mom Seeger" show, you don't really love Mom's like Greg and I do (This is a RL band, no jokes, done a couple shows.... It is not what you expect....) While not a band with "mom" in it, I know of a band called AC/D-she which has/had a mom as a band member. I do believe the women were all Christians. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Salzella Posted January 14, 2011 Share Posted January 14, 2011 QFE Though I'd make the analogy "like attending alcoholics anonymous when you act like you're addicted to alcohol, but don't actually drink" 'Tis a fair cop. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mimartin Posted January 14, 2011 Share Posted January 14, 2011 Voted no because under the definition of Christian I subscribe to you must consider Christ to be the son of God to be a Christian, but to each his own. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Darth Avlectus Posted January 14, 2011 Share Posted January 14, 2011 Voted no because under the definition of Christian I subscribe to you must consider Christ to be the son of God to be a Christian, but to each his own. How dare you disagree with and infringe upon my right to be delusional!!!!11!!!!!1!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tommycat Posted January 14, 2011 Share Posted January 14, 2011 I'd say that to be an actual Christian you would have to believe in God, because the Christian doctrine repeatedly states that you must believe in Him as the Son of God. By definition if you don't believe in God you are not a Christian. HOWEVER you can follow the teachings of Christ(minus the whole "Whosoever believeth in me" part) and share values with Jesus, but then you could just be Buddhist and not realize it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tysyacha Posted January 15, 2011 Share Posted January 15, 2011 My sister would say that in order to be a true Christian, you would a) have to believe that God exists; b) that Jesus Christ is His Son, and c) that Jesus is your Savior/He died to pay the penalty for all of your sins. However, in my view, it all depends on how you define the word "Christian". It seems to be true, though, at least in American culture, that if you call yourself a Christian, you believe more along my sister's line of thinking than mine (meaning that someone who follows the non-theistic teachings of Jesus can call themselves Christian). Who is right? I don't honestly know. Question: Is it better to believe so staunchly and fervently in something that (in your mind) you are 100% certain you're right, OR is it better to allow for the possibility that you might be wrong, and admit it? By "better", I mean "better for humanity", whatever that means. Mumble-mumble-mumble! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doomie Posted January 29, 2011 Share Posted January 29, 2011 Interesting topic. I am one of the few here to have voted yes, so let me explain my reasoning here. To be a Christian means to follow the teachings of Christ. Some of you say that it is also necessary to believe he is the son of God, but that is a bit difficult if you don't believe in God. And I don't think that's necessary at all. I think the most important part of Jesus's teachings wasn't "believe in God," it was "be a good person," and you can do that without believing in God. And if I remember correctly, in some of the early, non-canon gospels, Jesus was, in fact, not considered to be the son of God, but I don't have a source on that. There have been various schisms within Christianity, and there are many different variations of it based on different interpretations of the Bible. Many supernatural events are often taken to be allegorical, for example, the creation of Earth. Taking God as an allegory for an ideal is just one step further. I do not consider myself a Christian, by the way. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Qui-Gon Glenn Posted January 29, 2011 Share Posted January 29, 2011 Interesting topic. I am one of the few here to have voted yes, so let me explain my reasoning here. To be a Christian means to follow the teachings of Christ. Some of you say that it is also necessary to believe he is the son of God, but that is a bit difficult if you don't believe in God. And I don't think that's necessary at all. I think the most important part of Jesus's teachings wasn't "believe in God," it was "be a good person," and you can do that without believing in God. And if I remember correctly, in some of the early, non-canon gospels, Jesus was, in fact, not considered to be the son of God, but I don't have a source on that. There have been various schisms within Christianity, and there are many different variations of it based on different interpretations of the Bible. Many supernatural events are often taken to be allegorical, for example, the creation of Earth. Taking God as an allegory for an ideal is just one step further. I do not consider myself a Christian, by the way. I voted yes for much the same way, and was steamrolled by the Christian waves to quick to quote verse rather than think critically or study history. A Christian is a follower of Christ, regardless how a Church defines it... really, quite regardless of how the Bible defines it, as Christ came well before that book and had nothing to do with writing it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Miltiades Posted January 29, 2011 Share Posted January 29, 2011 A Christian is a follower of Christ, regardless how a Church defines it... really, quite regardless of how the Bible defines it, as Christ came well before that book and had nothing to do with writing it. The main source for Christ and his teachings are written down in the Bible. If you're going to separate the two and disregard the Bible, then what's left? What can possibly be said about Christ and his teachings that has independently from the Bible been mentioned in other sources? In my opinion (with a limited knowledge on the matter, I admit), the teachings of Jesus cannot be separated from the Bible. Straying from the specific rules of Christianity doesn't make you more Christian than, let's say, a Buddhist. For example, the Golden Rule (basically "do to others what you would want them to do to you") could by some be seen as the essence of Christ's teachings. However, the Golden Rule can be applied to a dozen or more religions. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Primogen Posted March 21, 2011 Share Posted March 21, 2011 If you don't believe that Jesus Christ was the Son of the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, you're not a Christian, because Christianity is not some nebulous belief system. It's an organized religion - admittedly, one with more sects than *Dirty Joke*, but still an organized religion. So if you follow the teachings of Christ except for all the ones that involve God, him being God, and so on, what are you? I don't know, really. I've heard of Christian Agnosticism, but I don't think that fits. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JesusIsGonnaOwnSatan Posted March 22, 2011 Share Posted March 22, 2011 I voted no, for simply this reason: To be Christian is to follow/trust in/believe the teachings of Christ. Christ taught that He is God. To believe that teaching, you must agree that [a] God exists. Therefore, one cannot be a Christian, and not believe in God. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rabish Bini Posted April 25, 2011 Share Posted April 25, 2011 I voted no, for simply this reason: To be Christian is to follow/trust in/believe the teachings of Christ. Christ taught that He is God. To believe that teaching, you must agree that [a] God exists. Therefore, one cannot be a Christian, and not believe in God. I was gonna post this, but then I realised he already did Therefore, my answer is, this Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Canaan Sadow Posted April 25, 2011 Share Posted April 25, 2011 I voted Yoda... but the truth is, I say no. It's not possible, for reasons already stated... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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