beating bible-ers

Post by **kato** » Tue Jul 12, 2005 2:44 pm

meetVA wrote:How do you know that you have the right universal standard, Kato? I guess that is faith, right? How do you know you are the right sort of Christian, not all Christians believe the same things? Not attacking, just a sincere question.

Well, part of me wants to say, yes, it is faith, and I won't really know for certain until I die. At the same time, I think that God takes a personal interest in individuals and this plays out in the lives of people who earnestly seek this out. Over time, I have been given enough to feel my faith is justified. This is a great simplification, and I don't feel I've done justice to your question.

As for the right sort of Christian, I will tell you now I am not! No one will ever look at my life and say I was a great example. But I feel very strongly that it is important to not give up on trying to treat people fairly, even kindly, and to remain thankful for what I have, even if I have not been so good at this in the past or even the present.

As for what I believe, I like to define a Christian as simply a follower of Christ, and as such, I use the Bible as my handbook. I try to live up to all that is taught there and I have no use for anything additional, it is hard enough as it is.
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Post by **meetVA** » Tue Jul 12, 2005 2:45 pm

No JB, don't leave the discussion. You are one of my favorite Christians.

Thanks Kato for chiming in. We'll have to talk more in person as it would probably get quite lengthy otherwise.

Post by **mgad** » Tue Jul 12, 2005 2:46 pm

getting

Post by **mgad** » Tue Jul 12, 2005 2:48 pm

Post by **Paul3eb** » Tue Jul 12, 2005 2:49 pm

mgad wrote:This is not true. It's a false assumption by you Paul3eb. Catholics believe that other christians who hold to the Apostle's Creed are Christians and members of the Body of Christ but they believe that their peripheral beliefs keep them from experiencing the fullness of communion and knowledge which is available to Christians who hold to Catholic Teaching and Doctrine.

maybe it is but i'm pretty sure people have been ousted from the church for more trivial reasons. the problem is personal bias and conflict of interest. take, for example, this late political election and their refusal to give kerry communion.

Post by **mgad** » Tue Jul 12, 2005 2:49 pm

Post by **kato** » Tue Jul 12, 2005 2:50 pm

Paul3eb wrote:led to a lot of hurt and pain of others.

Are you saying this is bad? In the paragraph you wrote, every point emphasizes non-judgment, but this phrase carries an implicit condemnation. By what standard do you make this condemnation?
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Post by **Meadows** » Tue Jul 12, 2005 2:50 pm

JB wrote:meadows, you can not be correct because you have a limited view point. The best people YOU'VE met on this planet have never stepped foot into a church. You are limited to your own experience and the number of people you've met. So, your conversion to gentile-ocity is based on the possible failure of your own experience. If you would only see it my way and rely upon my experience of meeting good people who HAVE darkened the door (notice cool phrasing) of the house of the loruhd, things would be better!!

note: if you think this post is really about meadows...]

I don't think I know what the hell you said in that last comment, but I am not limited in the people I've met. I have close friendships with people all across the country and the world. I started going to church on my own accord (not my parents) and stayed there for quite some time (and tried different sects). Plus, at some point I stopped looking at the Bible as a "Life's Answer" book and actually studied the history surrounding it ... totally changed my mind.

I'm not saying I haven't met genuinely nice Christians, but I found for the most part, people who are good to the core and not on the superficial level (which I feel many christians are because they are taught to be God's disciple ... and struggle with that) aren't concerning themselves so much with baptism and preaching the gospel.

Post by **pigsteak** » Tue Jul 12, 2005 2:51 pm

meadows...are you saying tangas and lingerie are not "christian"?...

don't you drink your milk from a christian cow and buy gas at a christian pump?

Post by **Paul3eb** » Tue Jul 12, 2005 2:52 pm

i don't mean it as a condemnation but rather as an example of how their intent and their action were in disjunct. what was meant to create "good" by them created "bad" by their own definitions.. now, the opposite can also be true.