hey hey! JonBoy and I agree on something. my God, it's a miracle!

 

I'm a Christian and I have the same issues. That's why I'm not a part of the churches that have done that, nor do I make excuses for them. Good post!

 

So do you believe in God now?

 

I'm at work so I don't have time to read through all of the flaming, just read the first and last couple of posts, so maybe I'm not being fair, but I'll read up when I can later tonight. Christianity isn't something that could be understood and appreciated unless you are one - it is really as simple as that. You can't accurately analyze it if you aren't a Christian. If you want to be in a position to fairly criticize and mock Christianity, then be one. Not saying you can't be.

Secondly, to summarize in a nutshell what a Christian is - anyone who acknowledges of their sin, believes Christ was the only perfect sacrifice and God's only provision from sin's consequence, and accepts Christ as Lord and Savior - that's what a Christian is. Someone who goes to church every Sunday or tries to do good deeds to win salvation isn't a Christian. Anyone who tries to win salvation by their own deeds, strength, and power doesn't understand the crux of Christianity at all. Christianity is about grace, not about indulgences or works. Yes, the good works should naturally follow, if you are a Christian, but not because you have a burden to do it to make God happy.

Thirdly, Christianity isn't about a set of rules, dos and don'ts that you struggle to uphold - it is having a relationship with Christ, and the lifestyle which reflects that. It isn't a religion (well actually it is), but more of a lifestyle and a relationship. The dos and don'ts will be reflected in that lifestyle and relationship.

Contrary to popular opinion, Christianity isn't about a distant God, whom it's believers admire from afar. Just the opposite, Christ is involved in the life of true believers. It isn't 99% man, 1% God like all assume, rather more like 99% God, 1% man. This isn't to say you're some automaton or robot at all. You still have free will and it supports the claim that not all who call on Christ is a Christian. For example, a serial killer can't cash in on the grace and continue on killing people claiming he's a Christian. That would be cheap grace. So, that debunks the claim and criticism that Christians can just do "whatever the hell they want and still go to Heaven." You're a Christian, the moment you genuinely accept Christ. The Holy Spirit from then on indwells and your life begins a process of transformation. The change is different with every person, no you won't see some Star Trek transporter effect and see a complete 180 - but there will definitely be a noticeable pattern. Unfortunately, there are many hypocrites that make that hard to believe, but you will see this change in many Christians in the world and throughout the ages. The person changes because like I said it is 99% God and 1% man - a person all by himself can't simply change just by saying some nice words and calling on the Lord, think about that.

Also, people say the majority of this country is Christian - I highly doubt that. The lifestyles and attitudes of people I see and meet everyday don't reflect a Christian's life. Yes, they claim they are. Heck, some people claim the status of "Christian" is by birthright, so that doesn't say much.

Some alleged Christians might flame me as their idea of what Christianity is might differ from mine. However, there are some of them who choose to believe in only certain parts of the Bible, they pick and choose what their ears are itching to hear. If you claim to be one, you have to believe it in entirety, not only what you think or feel is right. Also, many people fall into the trap of picking out quotes from the Bible and use it out of context to attack Christians. Think - "eye for an eye" or "thou shall not judge", etc.

Most of the stuff I wrote just now, most will think it's a crock of garbage and yes that is expected (read first paragraph). And this also falls in line with the Bible's claim that most will reject it and hate it with a passion. So, the comments said in this thread isn't surprising in the least.

Yes, before I was a Christian I felt like the majority, it started solely based on faith. Now, it is still based on faith, but from what I've experienced in my life and what Christ has done in my life since then, it only solidifies my faith in Christ. People get excited about many things in life when they think they found the truth or something special. But like with many things, it is only a temporal feeling and it fades. Not with this, imo only a God could impart such faith in anyone in the midst of hatred and opposition and effect changes in a person from the inside out. If Christianity really was a crutch for me, I wouldn't want a relationship with Christ (it would be a burden if you see it that way) and it wouldn't be a lifestyle thing - I'd only be a "fair-weather" Christian, calling on God only when I'm in the dumps.

 

Really?

Where are:
The big ass signs that read I DON'T BELIEVE IN JESUS
The T-Shirts that says JESUS DID NOT SAVE ME
The TV channels that proclaim JESUS NEVER LIVED
The raio shows that play WE DONT LIKE JESUS music
The idiots knocking on doors to tell people I DONT BELIEVE IN JESUS

The U.S. is waaay to Jesus centric. Zombies.

 

You have a one track mind, I'm starting to think.

How about the belief that every woman should be half naked in public? How about the right to have ridiculously offensive billboards? What about the language and violence we're forced to confront on different media? What about the acceptance of adultery and fornication? Same sex marriages? Abortion? Those are all things that offront me. That's right - they're YOUR (or some unbelievers') beliefs.

What you listed are unbeliefs, not beliefs. Those that make up their beliefs by naming their unbeliefs are pretty sad.

 

This thread cracks me up.

It's such a double standard it's pathetic.

 

I dont really care about to whole religious debate. I believe in some sort of god that set everything into motion - if you choose a religion, thats fine and dandy.

However, I would probably ask god what they are going to do to fix the BCS.

 

Err no, the things you listed have nothing to do with being anti religion. Don't project your own religions moral beliefs on to all religions or all people of a certain religion.

Again, you don't see anti religion billboards, tv ads, radio shows, music or door to door knocking. You do see religious nutjobs doing all of the above.

 

I said that they flaunt their beliefs and everything I mentioned is a part of people's beliefs outside of Christianity. They don't say "Don't believe Christianity" in so many words - they just support an opposite viewpoint/belief (belief = religion, for all intents and purposes in this argument). Being obvious isn't required to spread beliefs...

Just because they don't mention Jesus Christ doesn't mean they're not spreading beliefs. They don't believe in Jesus - they believe in public nudity/drugs/violence/abortion/same sex marriages. Since those are things they stand for, that's what they portray. Why would they mention Jesus at all in their "flaunting"?

I never mentioned that they were anti-religious - you mentioned that. My argument wasn't detailing their anti-religious beliefs but rather their forcing of their belief (in the aforementioned things) on our day-to-day lives.

I stand by my point.