Religion Christians of the forum - what do you think is the true essence of being a Christian?

[riverman]

I fail to see the connection.

you subscribe to a religious practice that follows a higher being, yet mention that my opinion about why I don't is coming from a superiority identification...I posted some humorous replies to homer ......yet it seems like to you, I was laughing in church.....hopefully that clarifies it. People take their convictions seriously but some of us don't take those beliefs seriously....there's room for both schools of thought. I think you are probably a really good Christian and respect you for it....respect for not being a Christian often does not come back.

 

[PtldPlatypus]

you subscribe to a religious practice that follows a higher being, yet mention that my opinion about why I don't is coming from a superiority identification...I posted some humorous replies to homer ......yet it seems like to you, I was laughing in church.....hopefully that clarifies it. People take their convictions seriously but some of us don't take those beliefs seriously....there's room for both schools of thought. I think you are probably a really good Christian and respect you for it....respect for not being a Christian often does not come back.

Ahh, I see--your statement was based off a false assumption of not appreciating your humor. No, that wasn't it at all; I was amused by all that. If you looked at the entirety of my post, I specified precisely what I was referring to. I'll re-quote it.

"I just choose to take responsibility upon myself for trying to be a good human and lead by example....I also think Christianity provides a great alternative for folks who cannot figure it out without a guide"

I read that as you saying that you figured out how to be a good person all by yourself, whereas Christians need a rulebook, a dogmatic institution, and fear of an afterlife in order to be good. Ergo, you're better because you're good without an outside influence. Considering that's the quote MarAzul was replying to, I'm pretty sure that's what we was getting at as well.

 

[riverman]

Ergo, you're better because you're good without an outside influence

I have influences and my life will be a work in progress until the end of it....how that translates to superiority is kind of lost on me. I'm influenced by the words of Jesus, Gandhi, Lao Tsu, Martin Luther King, many many great teachers....but I see them as just human teachers, not saints or angels or devils...that's a choice. My parents were staunch atheists....as a young man I rebelled against that and embraced Christianity....left it for other spiritual practices and eventually, eased into my own traffic signals of right and wrong....I think we're born with those tools and they don't require following what I consider a mythological being...I call God something quite different....I call it life....as to afterlife....I have serious doubts but reincarnation fascinates me.

 

[riverman]

I also think Christianity provides a great alternative for folks who cannot figure it out without a guide"

actually Jesus talked about that a lot....lost souls finding salvation in the Lord....but I'm not implying that's a bad thing...I apologize if my opinions offend any Christian forum members...and to rasta if I've entered the thread as a non Christian...I realize the question in the OP was not asked of me

 

[MarAzul]

I apologize if my opinions offend any Christian

I didn't need an apology, but I accept the recognition, your post made me cringe in considering the Christians. And as you see, I don't think I was the only one.
Actually most of us living in the western culture have adopted what ever morality code we have from the Christians, whether we admit it or not. We do not learn it on our own as if we are a complete system within ourselves. That we do have a common morality code makes it possible for us to have a coherent society and make agreement with each other. We can thank the Christians with their written guide, for this contribution, even if you reject everything else.

 

[riverman]

even if you reject everything else.

this is projection on your part.....I clearly stated that I valued good teaching...good is always good no matter where you find it. I'm not a Christian but I don't reject goodness from any group of people...rejection is what many religions do to non believers...

 

[MarAzul]

.rejection is what many religions do to non believers

Fair enough river. I am not able to be a Christian either, but I have never found a teaching of Jesus in support of rejection. But then I haven't found rejection in any writing by the Buddhist monks
or Hindu scripture. I do know scripture of another religion full of teaching rejection, but that is for another day.

 

[riverman]

Jesus in support of rejection

Christianity has forms of rejection...from eternal life...or criteria for eternal damnation...Jesus rejected money lenders in the temple and paganism...false idols..the Buddhists not so much although the Taoists were the least judgmental in my view...Lao Tsu is my guy...he didn't even want anyone to write his stuff down...basically wanted to walk into the woods and be left alone....with the tao which probably would come closest to defining my view of a higher state of existence.