Hey, insane people...quit hijacking my religion.

Kelly - posted on 03/09/2010

Tah you said that very well. That is kind of what I was trying to express in my earlier posts, and you said it better. My Aunt who is gay, I love her. I love having my kids around her. The church loves her. I don't necessarily agree or fully understand her lifestyle, but I love her all the same.

Why does who a person is have to be about who they have sex with? Realistically, no one should know if someone is gay or not. I never understood why some feel the need to make sure that everyone knows they are gay. To me, that can be just as offensive as someone
"bible thumping" about sins.

As far as the Bible goes, it is the word of God, and being that it was written thousands of years ago, and has been translated from its original Greek and Hebrew texts, yes Dana people can interpret the meaning of scriptures differently. Bible classes helped me immensely when I was young to understand the Bible and how it related to my life in the 20th century. There are some verses that are frequently taken out of context, like Exodus 21:24. (Eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot) and others that are more easily interpreted and understood like John 3:16. (For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life)

Dana, you are absolutely right, that being Christian is a choice. One of the best and worst things that God gave us is free will. What is hard and probably impossible for you to understand if you are not a Christian, is the fact that to us, the Bible is the only truth when it comes to how we should live our lives. What differs between Christians, is the interpretation of the text. Tah and I could read the same passage and come up with two different meanings. That doesn't make either one of us wrong or right necessarily.

Tah - posted on 03/09/2010

As i stated in the first post..I beleive that if the bible says it is a sin then that is what it is. including homosexuality. Now do i go around smacking gay people with bibles and committing hate crimes, absolutely not. I know gay people and I have never had a issue with working with, being in school with out to eat with them because i don't agree with that part of their lives. It is not the only thing that defines them. The bible says that many things are sins. Like adultery, Shoot I had 2 children before I even met my husband and we thought he had one(different story for a different post)....

The bible is convicting, when you read the bible it tells you should live your life and some people read it and when it doesn't line up with what they feel they should be able to do in their lives they write it off as being a lie, or not being literal. I myself am convicted by it because i know i don't do everything I should do. WHo hasn't seen someone or heard something on the new and said either out loud, or to yourself, i would never or they are gonna burn in hell or I hope they go to hell with gasoline underwear and wrapped in newspaper(even pedophiles or murderers). "judge not lest you be judged.

I can like and or love someone without agreeing with some aspects of their lives. I have several family members who decided to become muslim and guess what, I talk to them everyday on fb and when we get together at family gatherings I don't go to the bar-b-que with a your gonna burn in hell shirt on. i go and ask them to pass the greens and i tell them they are crazy for something they said(i'm mild compared to my family)..lol....I love them regardless.

I have never been to a church service that said for us to only love those who believe as we do...I have been to plenty that said love your neighbor and love and pray for your enemy and I do as hard as it is. I believe that if you don't stand for something then you can fall for anything and that is not just in religion.

In church, we learn that the bible is your shield, Now can i have views that I can explain without the bible sure, but if that is what you use to try and mirror your life than that is what you refer to....As I said, I try not to judge, although i am sure i am guilty of it, but the best i can do is to "press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling(basically keep trying to live the way i believe is right and receive my reward in the end.

Good Day! - posted on 03/08/2010

Dana, you are right. A lot of Christians do feel like only their way is right. That is why there are so many different denominations and factions of Christianity. The conclusion I have come to is this: We are all Christians as long as we believe the essential basics. Christ came to Earth as a baby. He died on the cross for my sins. He was resurrected and now lives in Heaven with the Father. Past that, it doesn't really matter.

Some people will fight to the death over the petty things though. I dated a guy with a Catholic background whose mother regularly prayed to the Saints. A very good friend of mine told me my boyfriend's mother was going to Hell because of this. EXCUSE ME??!! We do not get saved by our actions nor are we condemned to Hell because of them (Ephesians 2, right there in the Bible). Okay, I don't agree with praying to the Saints, but it is not my place to judge if the woman has a relationship with Christ or not because of it. She was a very lovely woman who worked in a homeless ministry. That won't get her to Heaven either, but that sure does speak louder to me about her faith than the preacher's son who said she was going to Hell.

Also, a lot of Christians are very legalistic. That means if the Bible says don't cut your hair, you better not cut your hair! What we have to realize as we read the Bible is that is was written in a different time and different culture. That doesn't mean we disregard it either. That is why prayer and study are so incredibly important.

About homosexuality...I will be the first to admit that this one confuses me. I do believe that a homosexual can have a relationship with Christ. But I also believe that the lifestyle does not line up with following Christ. I know I totally contradicted myself. Maybe look at it like I know murderers can be Christians though their actions don't line up with following Christ. Please don't think I'm comparing homosexuals to murders. I really don't know how to explain it. If I ever have an epiphany on this one I will let you know.

And about being judgmental: I know that non-Christians will not live as Christians. There is no reason for them to. So their actions that are often judged by Christians, shouldn't be judged. I wish we (Christians) would be more concerned with making our lives line up with Christ's and loving others despite everything. After all Christ was a perfect picture of love.

Chatty - posted on 03/08/2010

Thanks Alison! I just wish all ' Christians ' could understand that!??

Alison - posted on 03/08/2010

Above Sharon asked...." Every devout Christian that I know strongly opposes homosexuality. So how does this fall into the Christian tennants of not judging and be loving? Or....is it only to be loving towards your own kind? Just curious."



I would like an answer to that please someone?

there is a school of thought that if you dissagree with someone that you are judging them, and if you dissaprove of certain behaviour that you have no love for them. I sometimes dissagree and disapprove of things my own family does. It doesn't mean that I don't love them. True love is when you can love people without likeing what they do and without derriving any benefit from that love.

I really couldn’t care what other people do as long as it doesn’t affect me. I have no interest in being a political activist when it comes to the activities of others, but I will give my opinions when people ask for them.

Chatty - posted on 03/08/2010

What I mean by using the bible as a shield.....

In my experience ' Christians ' feel like just because they quote the bible it excuses them from critisism or question!......just like some people feel like ' acting gay ' is a choice I feel that ' being Christian ' is a choice and just because the bible says something doesn't make it the ONLY truth! From what I can tell after reading this thread especially, is that EVEN Christians vary on their interpretation of the bible! It's like Shakespear; not everything can be interpreted literally and unfortunately that leaves a lot of room for different opinions!

I don't judge ANYONE! I always try and remain as neutral as possible and I'm ALWAYS open to other peoples INTERPRETATIONS of something......I feel that we can all learn from each other! That bein said, A LOT of religious people I've encountered DON'T feel that there's ANY room for interpretation! It's their way or the highway! Excuse the cliche! LOL!

Does that make sense Kelly? I hope that helps......feel free to ask me specific questions so I can try and clarify more!

Sara - posted on 03/08/2010

I do think that a lot of people feel that it is not ok to question their religious belief systems from which they form all opinions and shout that they are being persecuted as Christians when they are questioned, but that's just something I've fun into a lot lately on COMs, not excessively in RL, though I have from time to time.

Kelly - posted on 03/08/2010

Sara, to an extent you may be right, that is how some feel. But I don't think all Christians necessarily feel that way, I don't. Because my husband's job causes us to move so much, I have been to churches all over. Some parishes are very small, and some are quite large. In my personal experience, the smaller parishes still follow closely the literal teachings of the Bible, and the "hard line" of the Catholic Church. My Aunt lives in Dallas, so her parish is quite large, and maybe that has something to do with being more accepting and understanding I don't know. Being true to who you are is not wrong. I don't think our priest necessarily has all the answers, and he is the first one to say so. Yes, wars have been fought and are still being fought "in the name of God." Believing or not believing in God shapes who people are as individuals so in that respect, there will never be a conflict that doesn't involve God in one aspect or another. As far as defending my beliefs, I feel that I do. Maybe I am misunderstanding you Dana? I don't think people use the Bible as a shield. Many people choose to live according to the teachings of the Bible in a more literal sense than others. That doesn't make it wrong for them to refer to the Bible when trying to explain their beliefs. Gotta run, but I will be back later :-)

Sara - posted on 03/08/2010

Well, from my perspective, quite often it is just one religion that is being represented in the public eye. I don't think, for example, that organized prayer belongs in public schools because it operates under the assumption that everyone is Christian. I have no objection to people's faith having a huge role in their life or their communities, but it seems to, too often, to leave many people out when one faith is promoted above all others. And you say that we have a rich history of religion in this country, which is true, but it's a history of more than just Christian based religions, but that's all you ever see represented. That is my beef.



And what has left a bad taste in my mouth with a lot of Christians is their hypocrisy. Where I grew up people thought if they went to church one day a week that absolved them of all sin the other 6 days of the week, and they were d-bags. I can't respect that. And while I realize that not every religious person is like that, in MY experiences that is what I have encountered. They don't practice what they preach, for lack of a better term, so I personally chose not to participate in those religious communities and whether it's fair or not, it turns me off to the group as a whole.

Kelly - posted on 03/08/2010

Sharon, I disagree that every devout Christian opposes homosexuality. Unfortunately, your observations on the Mormon faith do ring somewhat true, I grew up in Utah and saw a lot of that "sticking together" among Mormons. I also had a friend in HS that was excommunicated because she was gay. I can only speak from my own perspective, and my experience is that most Christians are very accepting of others. My Aunt is gay, and is a devout Catholic. Those are just two of the many things that define who she is as a person. She has never been told she wasn't welcome at church, or that she was going to hell. I think that sometimes athiests and agnostics too are somewhat stuck in the past on how they view people of any faith. The "old school" ways of thinking don't necessarily apply today. Yes, there are some that will always feel certain ways about homosexuality, but on the flip side, some "non-believers" will never fully understand the importance of the gift from God that is snuffed out during an abortion. I don't want this turning into a pro or anti choice discussion, but I just feel that is a valid observation.

Hypocrites come from all walks of life, conservative, liberal, athiest, religious. My personal view is that there does tend to be a little too much of catering to the minority going on. Why do we have to pander to those who find God so offensive that we have to give up who we are? Over 75% of Americans still describe themselves as Christians. Our history is rich with religion. So what is the fuss about removing God from everyday life? If you can't stand to touch a dollar bill or a coin because it has "In God We Trust" on it, you have WAY more serious issues than being "attacked" by religious zealots. Can anyone honestly say that they are persecuted or attacked in their day to day life because of their non-belief in God or Christ? I don't wake up every day thinking that I will go out and find non-Christians to judge or spew hatred at, and I am pretty sure its safe to say the large majority of Christian citizens don't do that either. What leaves a bad taste in your mouth exactly? I am curious, other than news stories showing fanatics, or missionaries showing up at your door, what exactly is the bad experiences that so many of you seem to have with people of faith? (I am asking in all honesty, not trying to start an argument)

Sara - posted on 03/08/2010

From what I understand about what Christians believe about homosexuality is a case of hate the sin, love the sinner. I think the disconnect a lot of people feel with that philosophy is bound by your belief in the roots of homosexuality. Religious people mostly think it's a choice and it's a challenge presented to you by God. Being gay and having gay feelings isn't a sin, but chosing to act on them IS. So, you are sinning by chosing to act on your feelings. You just need to pray and have faith in God to overcome them...because, you know, homosexuality can be cured. I don't believe that because I don't believe homosexuality is a choice at all, and therefore I think that not acting on your feelings and being true to who you are is wrong.

Chatty - posted on 03/08/2010

Above Sharon asked...." Every devout Christian that I know strongly opposes homosexuality. So how does this fall into the Christian tennants of not judging and be loving? Or....is it only to be loving towards your own kind? Just curious."



I would like an answer to that please someone?



Sara: I totally agree with you! It's ur choice people to believe in God; you can't use the bible as a shield! Like everyone else you need to defend ur beliefs!

Sara - posted on 03/08/2010

Well, many wars are fought in the name of "God"...the Christian Church, the Catholic Church, etc have a pretty bloody history. I was just saying that is part of the reason I have a hard time embracing any organized religion.

Christa - posted on 03/08/2010

A true Christian should not be afraid of criticism. In fact, as a Christian one should regularly (daily) examine their conscience and find their faults and try to become a better person. A Christian person should be a humble person. Someone not afraid to admit that they are not perfect and have failures. But are trying to change that part of their life to become a better person. Religion is like politics.....we all have our spin on what we believe. We don't all have to agree with eachother....we just have to respect eachother. I don't have to defend my choices. If my choices are my belief then people should respect them for me and my family (children included). Just like we choose where our family lives, what they eat, how they dress, what movies they watch, who they are friends with.......we can also choose what religion to raise our children under. I don't judge people for how they raise THEIR children....and I certainly hope that other parents would give me that same respect. I don't always agree with some parents decisions...but as the parents...they have the right to make their own decisions for their own family. My beliefs surely do not embrace violence or death....not sure what religion does that; so I can't comment or debate on that issue.

Sara - posted on 03/08/2010

Many "Christians" I have encountered leave a bad taste in my mouth, personally. They use their religion as a crutch to validate their bigoted belief system and then say they're being persecuted when someone questions their stance on things. If God is your reasoning for feeling a certain way, that doesn't exclude you from criticism. It is your choice to believe those things and to believe in God, so be prepared to defend your choice. Personally, I think that Jesus was just a man, who was never meant to be worshipped. It's also hard for me to embrace a system of beliefs that have been used as the reasoning for so many deaths and so much violence.

Sapphire - posted on 03/08/2010

OK, then to throw this out there: Every devout Christian that I know strongly opposes homosexuality. So how does this fall into the Christian tennants of not judging and be loving? Or....is it only to be loving towards your own kind? Just curious. I see this in my area among the Mormons-they only associate with other Mormons and rarely step out of that comfort-zone safety box. So how do we teach our kids to be all accepting if they don't even get the tiniest bit of exposure to think outside of the box for themselves? It's frustrating as a teacher to see these kids not exposed to everything else out therei n the world.

Christa - posted on 03/07/2010

Sara worded it perfectly......a Christian is a follower of Christ! Christians aren't perfect...no one is. But IMO...a Christian is someone who is on a journey....trying to live more like Christ. Someone who when you talk to them and listen to them...you desire to be like them.

Christians are supposed to be forgiving.....7 x 70 times
Christians are not supposed to judge.....those that live in glass houses should not throw stones.
Christians are supposed to be loving....love your neighbor as yourself.
Christians are to be faithful....not understanding history but having faith for the future.
Christians are to be of service.....if your brother or sister is in need; offer your food, your home, your clothing, etc.

These are not easy characteristics but I don't believe the journey is to be easy...just rewarding.

Lea - posted on 03/07/2010

My understanding is that believing in Jesus' divinity and sacrifice was the definition of a Christian.

Susanne - posted on 03/07/2010

If every christian lived by the bible and christian values then christians would be wonderful people but honestly most i know are full of crap. Even the local vicar was a lying cheating idiot.

Chatty - posted on 03/07/2010

Thanks Joy! I'm officially a fan!

JL - posted on 03/07/2010

Here is the link to the facebook page for COEXIST if anyone is interested.

http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=22...

Dana - posted on 03/07/2010

Wow, I've always seen the COEXIST bumper stickers but I never knew it was a movement. I remember the first time Matt and I saw it we went on and on how cool the idea of it was. I'll have to look into it.

Sapphire - posted on 03/07/2010

I love the COEXIST logo!

JL - posted on 03/07/2010

I do not personally consider myself a "religious" person because I don't agree with the ideal of organized religion, but I do consider myself a person of faith and spiritualitiy and I believe in the basic ideals asserted by the COEXIST Movement. I am sure many of you have seen the COEXIST logos with the letters as symbols representing systems of thought....the cresent and star for Islam, the pentagram for Wicca, the relatively formula for science, the star of David for Judaism, the Karma wheel dotting the i for Buddhism, the Tao symbol for Taoism, and the cross for Christianity.



here is the image of the logo....http://blogimg.com/docisin/coexist.jpg



Anyways, I believe in the principles and the purpose of COEXIST...that being that all the systems of thought have common denominators...similiar basic principles...moral standards perse and we can all live together peacefully. The purpose of the movement is for all of us to talk to one another learn from eachtother and understand our different systems of thought, to respect one another despite our differences in what we believe and work together to create a world of peace. We can all live as one if we can see past the differences and focus on the similarities.



Religion, our various systems of thought and are personal beliefs are one of the main things across the world that tend to divide us and it is one the touchiest subjects to talk about...because people are so impassioned by their faith and their personal ideals, but too often those impassioned differences lead to anger and hatred.



The reality is that beliefs around the world conflict at many times sometimes with horrific results and the only way to combat that is to live out of love and to agree to disagree. Live and let live. Whatever floats your boat.

Chatty - posted on 03/07/2010

Funny story: When I was 15 years old a bunch of friends and myself were in a churchyard directly behind my parents house.......all of a sudden one of the girls ( Samantha Cook ) pulled out a pack of cigarettes that she stole from her older brother apparently! She lit one of the cigarettes and passed it around.......most of us, including myself, took a puff from the smoke! Minutes later as we're all exchanging feelings about what just happened, Sam informed us ( the ones that weren't ' Christian ' ) that we all needed to comform to Christianity in order to ask GOD for forgiveness for our sin! LOL! After I told her " I'm not converting to anything! " she proceeded to tell me that if I didn't I was going to HELL! WOW! Guess I don't have much to look forward to?

On another occasion, I had this girl ( maybe 16 years old ) who my parents hired to work at their blueberry farm one summer tell me that if I didn't convert to Christianity I would ' BURN ON A CROSS ON D- DAY! '........pardon my language but, WTF is D-DAY and should I actually be worried? LOL!

I'm not here to bash anyone's religion! I just wanted to share a couple stories that MAYBE helped shape my belief system! I don't mean any offense to anyone; obviously these girls were extremists and possible mis-guided youths tryin to find their way??

Sarah - posted on 03/07/2010

I'm not really sure where i fall, agnostic or atheist. I completely do NOT believe in the Bible, i don't believe in the Christian God. However, i do like to think there's some sort of Higher Power.

I guess my encounters with Christians have worked to put me off slightly. I went to a C of E church when i was little, i enjoyed it to start with, but then i saw that many of them weren't practising what they preached. I began to question what i was being told, and a lot of it just didn't ring true to me.

Speaking to some Christians on COM's has altered my perceptions a little. I've realised that not all Christians are crazy! lol! I'm glad i've been able to have discussions with Christians that haven't ended in my eternal damnation!

I guess it's the same as everything, there are "good" Christians and "bad" Christians. There are some who are laid back in their approach, and some who are more extreme.
I think it's pretty amazing really to have THAT much faith in something that you can't really be sure of.

I think whatever your religion, you should just be tolerant of others and their beliefs, i don't believe that God (if there is one!) would want people spewing hatred and intolerance in his name. (if any of that makes sense!)
:)

Johnny - posted on 03/06/2010

Beautifully put Kelly.

I am an agnostic, and I believe that it is vital that we all hold true to our own hearts. Mine tells me that I am currently unable to know any truths about existence and it lacks faith that there is indeed a higher power or that there definitely is not a higher power. I'm sure it would surprise many of you, but being an agnostic even gets you frequently attacked by atheists who feel that you are simply unwilling to fully commit. I have enormous respect for those that follow the beliefs in their own hearts, and live according to their own values. I have little patience when they decide that those beliefs and values must be mine as well. I admit that I have no tolerance for proselytizers and probably would have done something drastic to your Jehovah's Witness guest. (Your self-restraint is admirable).

People of religious faith may feel I am missing out, and they are entirely entitled to feel that way. Sometimes I wonder if I missed a message letting me in on the secret to faith. But most of the time, I think that they are just deluding themselves that they have the answers and I think I'm entitled to feel that way as well. I do not want to convince anyone to stop believing, it is not my interest to "spread the word of agnosticism".

I have friends and have worked with people who are Christians of deep faith, and live that on a daily basis. Not one of them has ever tried to convert me to their belief system nor judged my lack of faith (at least not to me-although we all do judge in our heads). I actually used to work for a church in a mission as a welfare advocate. I learned a great deal about what it means to, in my opinion, be a true Christian. One of my co-workers there washed the feet of the homeless every day because she believed that Jesus had called her to minister in that way. It may sound nuts, but it is one of the most incredibly practical, helpful, and kind acts that I have ever seen in my life (many homeless have terrible foot problems due to their lack of access to hygiene, clean socks, and a dry environment). Even as a non-believer, it is acts like that which make me hope that the bible is true. It may sound funny, but if people really want to spread the word of God, actions will speak a thousand times louder than words. Especially those spoken in judgment.

Kelly - posted on 03/06/2010

This post is quite relevent for me today. Long story not so short, a man came to our door this morning, and since we were expecting some contractors we mistakenly invited him in. Only too late did we discover he was Jehovah's Witness and spent the next 30 min preaching to my husband and I. After we told him we were happy practicing Catholics, I thought he would leave, but he only said, let me tell you where "other religions" get it all wrong........ not a good way to start a conversation in my humble opinion, and I proceeded to frankly block him out. Had I been a lesser Christian, (or not already had my morning coffee) I might have been a little rude, and I am surprised my husband showed such docile behavior as well. We let him go on, took his little watchtower mag, and finally he went on his way when the real contractors showed up. What made me nervous is he asked my hubby which vehicle was his, and I am not sure if he is planning to come back when he is at work, or if that was to make sure to catch him for the "follow up"..... The fact that he started the conversation with what was wrong in all religions other than his completely turned me off, and I just really despise people that do that.

I think most organized religions in one way or another have the same basic foundations of morals, values, and "suggestions" for living a good and decent life. What makes a "Christian" is the belief that Jesus as the son of God walked the earth and died for our sins. (In a nut shell). It is not our place as humans, let alone Christians to pass judgement or de-value another person. I personally believe that people that do not have a relationship with God are missing out. I am not going to prosthelytize however. Just as I was not willing to listen to the Jehovah guy this morning, I am not going to change any minds that are closed to the idea of God by trying to tell them where they are wrong or lost. If people ever want to inquire, I am more than happy to talk about my beliefs, their roots, and my relationship with Christ. We all to one extent or another live in glass houses, and people in general shouldn't be so eager to attack or throw stones at those who think or believe differently. It should go without saying though that I will be throwing a hell of a lot more than stones if someone ever tries to hurt me or my family, in the name of God or otherwise........

Chatty - posted on 03/06/2010

Thanks Sara! I feel so blessed to have her in my life! She's amazing! We were just out for dinner with her tonight and I was telling her all about some of our conversations on here......we had a really good chat!

Sapphire - posted on 03/06/2010

Love the title of this thread and especially appreciate how many of you refrain from preaching your faith down non-Christian's throats.

Good Day! - posted on 03/06/2010

Dana, I think I would like your MIL too! From what you say, it seems like she truly lives out the Bible, instead of pushing it on other people. That is how it should be.

Chatty - posted on 03/06/2010

Patricia: you need to meet my mother-in-law then.....she ' religiously ' goes to church! LOL! Every Sunday morning at 11am, unless she's working of course ( times are tough ) she'll be at church and she is the most non-judgemental, loving, caring and compassionate woman I've ever met! I admire her! I've had many conversations with her about some pretty touchy subjects....ie. abortion etc. and although we DEFINITELY don't agree we still care for and love one and other! WOW! It probably sounds like I'm preaching? My point is, I don't agree with organized religion but my mother-in-law is one of........' those that go to church EVERY Sunday ' BUT I can assure you she IS NOT ' one of the biggest hypocrits of all time '. She would never preach or judge and I think you would like her!? LOL!

Chatty - posted on 03/06/2010

YAY! I fit in there somewher Mary! LOL! It's soo nice to see us all getting along for once! So far anyhow....??

Mary - posted on 03/06/2010

Sara, that was a lovely post!



I have to say, I am Catholic, although a bit of a loose/lapsed one at that. Trust me, no one in the Catholic Church would be in any rush to hold me up as an example to others!

I suppose in some ways it's more a part of my ethnic/cultural identity than being truly "religious" in the church-going-sacrament-keeping ideals of my parents. But, I do believe in the basic tenets of Christianity, and have found my faith to be a source of comfort in times of need and duress.



I will never fall into the bible-thumping and preaching of many so-called Christians, and find the judgemental/damnation tendencies of many to be abhorrent. This is not what I was taught religion, or God, was all about. Like Tah, I believe that God is about love and forgiveness. I believe Christianity, as Jesus intended it, is about being the best person you can be, seeking forgiveness when you fail (and we all will at times), and "loving each other as I have loved you".



Unlike many, I do not believe that Christianity is the only "true" religion. I believe that there is one God, who goes by many different names and faces. I believe that all religions, if followed in their true, altruistic sense, are just slightly different paths that lead to the same place in the end. Really doesn't matter to me if you are Christian, Muslim, Hindu, Buddhist or agnostic, as long as you are a decent human with a kind and open heart.

Good Day! - posted on 03/06/2010

Dana, Thanks!

Alison, you are so right!

Alison - posted on 03/06/2010

A plea to other Christians...please don't get offended. Please let your responses reflect 1 Corinthians 13.

Chatty - posted on 03/06/2010

I wish all ' Christians ' could be like you guys! LOL! My mother-in-law is the most god-fearing Christian I know and I love and respect her dearly! She would NEVER judge me or any beliefs I have! This world needs to hear from more Christians like you!

Tah and Sara! You may have already read my thread but if not scroll up and have a look! I just wanted to say that I find you REFRESHING!

Tah - posted on 03/06/2010

I am a christian...I believe that God created the earth in 6 days and rested on the 7th, i believe that he sent his son to die for our sins and I also believe that all have sinned and come short of his glory..that includes me. I fall short everyday. I also beleive that to be saved you just have to ask Him to come into your heart. Some people may take things in the bible literally , but when when you read it you have to know how things where implied those days. so it takes more than reading, it takes actual study, like a midterm...you have your text and any supporting books or notes given in class so you can fully understand what your learning.

I believe that anything stated in the bible as a sin is a sin. period. Now, i try not judge, i think everybody probably has, with the we all have sinned part applying. I try not down anybody because who am I..I don't know what your relationship with God is. Somethings on here i don't even touch because i think it may come off judgmentally and i don't want to offend. Yes the bible says that we should go and preach his word in every corner of the world, but have i been to africa on a missionary journey no.

I can only say what he has done for me and what he continues to do and trust me i gotta long way to go so i can't judge the distance on anybody elses christian walk. Or their walk in life. I have always known what i should do, have i always done it...of course not. when i come someone who needs encouragement or a word from God do i give it, sure, Do i tell them to pray about it and have faith, I sure do, because I believe it.

I beleive he is a God of forgiveness if you ask for it and i believe that prayer changes things.

Good Day! - posted on 03/06/2010

A Christian is a "Christ-follower".

Anyone can show love and have love, so that's not it. It is not a non-judgmental person, as many self claimed non-Christians are far less judgmental than some Christians (sad to say, as Jesus himself did not cast stones). It is not knowing the Old and New Testaments front and back. Satan quoted scripture when trying to tempt Jesus, and Satan is certainly not a Christian.

So, a Christian is a person who chooses, by his or her own free will, to follow Jesus. Are we perfect? FAR FROM IT!!! But we do have the forgiveness that Jesus offered when He died on the cross.

About the Old and New Testaments (since it was brought up) the Old Testament has great relevance to the New Testament. The prophecies all point to a Messiah, who Christians believe is Jesus. The stories of Moses and Abraham and King David and the others all parallel or foreshadow (don't know if that's the correct word to use here) the sacrifice Jesus made.

A plea to other Christians...please don't get offended. Please let your responses reflect 1 Corinthians 13.

I'm sure I'll have more to say as this debate takes off.

Chatty - posted on 03/06/2010

P.S. Dana: Love the title, " Hey, insane people.....quit hijacking my religion! " There are a lot of nut jobs out there and unfortunately for you ' normal ' Christians they sometimes give organized religion a bad name!

Chatty - posted on 03/06/2010

So, what's the question? LOL! I'm not part of any organized religion and I don't claim to know what * makes * a Christian or what * being * Christian means! Put all religion aside, aren't we all human beings first and foremost? Everyone is entitled to their opinion and the right to express themselves but that doesn't give ANYONE, religious or not the right to FORCE their beliefs on anyone! I respect everyone's opinions even if I don't agree with them!

I was baptised into the Catholic faith but have not practiced any religion EVER, even though both my parents used to! I do believe in ' A GOD '......not ur god, or his god, or a Christian or Catholic god......just something greater than me! I consider myself to be spiritual not religious!

That's all I got!

Alison - posted on 03/06/2010

I tend to think of myself as a theologically conservative Christian rather than a socially conservative one.



Being theologically conservative means that we follow the basic principles laid down in the early church in the NT regardless of the society around us. We also believe that salvation is by faith and grace and not by doing stuff to earn it. We also take a whole bible approach and believe that all the old testament has at least a figurative application to the believer today. Where the OT teachings were intended to be a guide for living and where they have not been abolished or fulfilled by the NT, we believe that they still deserve at least some literal application to the believer.



I don’t really like the socially conservative approach to Christianity and I don’t like the Republican party. I am conservative when it comes to my faith and how I live, but I’m also liberal when it comes to how other people live.



I really couldn’t care what other people do as long as it doesn’t affect me. I have no interest in being a political activist when it comes to the activities of others, but I will give my opinions when people ask for them. I’m actually more liberal than most people in society when it comes to certain issues such as immigration and the environment. I also believe in free healthcare, I just don’t like the way the US is gong about implementing it.



I tend to think of myself as a fundamentalist minus the mental, but I’ll admit there are some who claim fundamentalism minus the fun.

Isobel - posted on 03/06/2010

I think that if I were you Dana, I would be severely ticked off that these people also seem to insinuate that if you do not agree with them you are not a TRUE Christian. There are several branches of Christianity, and the insinuation that you are the only person (or group) that is right...and therefore has the right to stand in judgment of everybody else is abhorrent to me.



I think it also bothers me the most that these people always START their statements with "I am Christian"... so what? I'm a blond...what's your point? Your opinion is your opinion, own it.