shuffleboardfan wrote:Hey guys I think this might be the deepest thread I've ever read on here. Thought I'd throw in my 2 cents.
I am a Christian. Here's what that means to me.
I am a sinner. I fail all the time. I'm selfish. I'm arrogant. I'm rude. I don't love others. There are things about me I hope no one ever finds out. More often than not my life looks nothing like Jesus.
You might say I'm a hypocrite because of that. But that description is at the heart of every "real" Christ follower. I am all too familiar with how much I suck (and not just at the crag) and realize that on my own that there is nothing redeeming in me.
But what I read in the Bible is that Christ sees all of that and still loves me*. He offers me forgiveness and a new start. I can't get that anywhere else, and because of that I want to try and live like him. It's also one of the many reasons I believe that he is God, but not the only one.
Now to all you folks of other beliefs. Expect Christians to suck. The true ones will tell you that they suck and ask for your forgiveness for their short comings. The ones that are "Christian" in name only will do stupid unloving things and tell you that they're better than you. The actual Christ followers will tell you they're very sinful...eventhough we try not to be, and the false ones will be full of sin and try and pretend that they're not! I'm sorry for the ways that both impact you. Please forgive those of us who are actually trying to follow Christ, and please don't lump us with those of us who are only pretending to.
Not sure how that fits but I think it needed to be said.
*I don't know what your picture of God or ultimate reality looks like but that's about as perfect as I can envision him.
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"While Jesus was having dinner at Matthew’s house, many tax collectors and sinners came and ate with him and his disciples. When the Pharisees saw this, they asked his disciples, “Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?” On hearing this, Jesus said, “It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. But go and learn what this means: ‘I desire mercy, not sacrifice.’ For I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners.” -Matthew 9:10-13
"You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly. Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous person, though for a good person someone might possibly dare to die. But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us." -Romans 5:6-8
"Here is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners—of whom I am the worst. But for that very reason I was shown mercy so that in me, the worst of sinners, Christ Jesus might display his immense patience as an example for those who would believe in him and receive eternal life." 1 Timothy 1:15-16
+1
If you give a man a match, he'll be warm for a minute. If you set him on fire, he'll be warm for the rest of his life!
Regardless of what I personally believe and as crazy as this may sound, this world needs religion. It indeed does give comfort to people in need, order, rule, morality, etc, etc. Lots of people need that, lots of people are wounded and feel bad about themselves and religion has a formula that makes you feel better. Religion is really just a language, way to express our experience of the world around us, a way to relate to each other. And at those rare times that religion is healthy and helps people, I am glad it's there. Humanity needs to feel there is something more, it needs the language of religion, humanity is not mature enough to exist without it.
cliftongifford wrote:. religion has manipulated entire societies for centuries. there will never be peace in this world until religion is abolished...
Interesting thought. I don't think you will end war by abolishing religion. The root of war is greed and power. Religion is just another tool used as an excuse to wage war.
"Everyone should have a plan for the zombie apocolipse" Courtney
cliftongifford wrote:. religion has manipulated entire societies for centuries. there will never be peace in this world until religion is abolished...
Interesting thought. I don't think you will end war by abolishing religion. The root of war is greed and power. Religion is just another tool used as an excuse to wage war.
+1....it is just as easy to find all of those evil things started without religion as the root...
The thIng I find ironic is how we, meaning the masses, can look back at history and find It almost comical that people once believed there was a sun god named Ra, or Zeus was hurling down lightning bolts. Then they wake up on Sunday morning and head to church to prey to the "real god". I wonder how antiquated and humorous the current prevailing views on God and religion will look in a thousand years. People believe because it is prudent to do so. Kind of like the guy and his chest pains... It is prudent to go to the doctor because if you guessed the wrong way you are just out a few bucks. While unlikely, the other alternative is much worse... So now that I think about it, I am kind of like that guy only gambling on my afterlife, lol
climb2core wrote:The thIng I find ironic is how we, meaning the masses, can look back at history and find It almost comical that people once believed there was a sun god named Ra, or Zeus was hurling down lightning bolts. Then they wake up on Sunday morning and head to church to prey to the "real god". I wonder how antiquated and humorous the current prevailing views on God and religion will look in a thousand years. People believe because it is prudent to do so. Kind of like the guy and his chest pains... It is prudent to go to the doctor because if you guessed the wrong way you are just out a few bucks. While unlikely, the other alternative is much worse... So now that I think about it, I am kind of like that guy only gambling on my afterlife, lol
I vote for Ra. They make great Sushi in Phoenix after some great climbing. and the sun is a great personal power source too. lol
Sunday morning is a great time to wake up and watch 'Sunday Morning' on CBS too.
So what war in recent history has been caused by religion, exclusive of Islam? I don't recall any wars being waged by Christians. Maybe catholics, specifically by the pope, against Christians. The only religion that I see that has ever caused a war is Islam.
If you give a man a match, he'll be warm for a minute. If you set him on fire, he'll be warm for the rest of his life!
Clevis Hitch wrote:So what war in recent history has been caused by religion, exclusive of Islam? I don't recall any wars being waged by Christians. Maybe catholics, specifically by the pope, against Christians. The only religion that I see that has ever caused a war is Islam.
Clevis Hitch wrote:so where is the war? you're saying Christianity causes war...where?
No, not saying that at all. However I did find it interesting that the majority of religious wars were between Muslims and _____________. Seems that they do have a propensity to for violence on religious grounds.
