Different Christian perspectives

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A Cup Of Tea

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I want to give people a different taste of Christianity than what they might be used to. Where I'm from, there's the Church of Sweden and it isn't as literal as some other Churches, and they have had a greater influence on my view of Christianity than the Catholic Church or witch burnings during the middle ages.
Look at these smiling faces at 2007 Pride. The woman second to the right is the current bishop of Stockholm and openly lesbian.
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And there is no need to preach about the doom of our entire country, we are well aware of some peoples opinion.
 
DT Strain said:
You are fortunate to have access to those who are open minded and compassionate to all people. Thanks for sharing :)
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I am a follower of Jesus. I admire his moral code, his advocacy for the poor, and his healing of the sick. I admire his "Turn the Other Cheek" metaphor against violence. I admire his compassion for those downcast by society such as lepers, prostitutes, blind beggars, and the second class status of women.

I admire Jesus yet I am an Atheist. I don't admire him because some people deified him. I admired him as a great and wise man.

The proposition made by the starter of this thread is right. Many consider themselves Christians but are not followers of Jesus. Mormons say they are Christians and who are Southern Baptists to deny it.

Are Southern Baptists more Christians than Mormons, Catholics, Swedes and Quakers?

The Southern Baptist Convention was formed in the 18th Century to defend Black Enslavement. The SBC later defended Jim Crow Laws, legislative racial segregation, banning interracial marriage, called Catholicism the "Whore of Babylon," approved of lynching black suspects, enacted laws against blasphemy, enacted laws against homosexuals, and banned atheists from public office and voting.

I think most people who say they are Christians are Christians. I would argue that the SBC is Anti-Christian.

Amergin
 
Read the four gospels of the New Testament paying close attention to the teachings of Jesus. You know, the red print, is supposed to be quotes of Jesus.

Quote where Jesus praised the wealthy.
Quote where Jesus the poor are just lazy and won't work.
Quote where Jesus condemned homosexuals.
Quote Jesus condemning Prostitutes.
Jesus did try to help prostitutes and sinners.
Quote Jesus expressing hatred of unbelievers.
Quote Jesus condemning science.
Quote Jesus refusing to feed the poor.
Quote Jesus refusing to help the sick.

If Jesus came back as an American today, Republicans and Tea baggers would call him a Left Wing Extremist, or socialist, communist, or the cuss word "Liberal."
 
I was at a conference, and when I travel I like to visit a local church of my non denomination. So a friend of mine (who happened to be gay) asked if he could tag along. Prior to the service up on the screens were info/notices for the congregation. One said something to the tune of; 'A number of requests have been received about starting a GLBT group, we have scheduled a meeting on next wednesday, anyone interested please attend." He leaned over and said, "Well that is something that I've never seen in my mother's church".
 
Much of Christianity is focused on the history of Jesus and the teachings of Moses, when it should be the other way around.
 
And to add to the mix, one must also keep in mind that the teachings of Jesus are open to both historical uncertainty and interpretation.

The historical uncertainty can be countered through lots of research (see Ehrman to start with). The interpretation, well that becomes emmensely personal. I tend to believe interpretations that have a long tradition (back to the pre-Nicean period if possible) and not beleive the new interpretations of fundamentalism and evangelicalism (things like tribulationism and dominionationalism).

Pax et amore omnia vincunt!
 
radarmark said:
And to add to the mix, one must also keep in mind that the teachings of Jesus are open to both historical uncertainty and interpretation.

The historical uncertainty can be countered through lots of research (see Ehrman to start with). The interpretation, well that becomes emmensely personal. I tend to believe interpretations that have a long tradition (back to the pre-Nicean period if possible) and not beleive the new interpretations of fundamentalism and evangelicalism (things like tribulationism and dominionationalism).

Pax et amore omnia vincunt!
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You do know the center of jesus teaching was really about male and female union right? Thats why he tought mary mag so much.
 
donnan said:
You do know the center of jesus teaching was really about male and female union right? Thats why he tought mary mag so much.
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So you are serious. Riddles are for learning. If you have solved a riddle, talk about it with other people who have, too. If you tell the unlearned then the lesson is lost, the enrichment is lost. Its supposed to be cryptic and require effort. If the secret is that good, then why deny others the pleasure of learning it?
 
Dream said:
So you are serious. Riddles are for learning. If you have solved a riddle, talk about it with other people who have, too. If you tell the unlearned then the lesson is lost, the enrichment is lost. Its supposed to be cryptic and require effort. If the secret is that good, then why deny others the pleasure of learning it?
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Its not a riddle its pretty simple.
 
you make it seem like it's just about shagging... bah...

it's a ... trancendental union -- (wom)man +god.

Not... man/man, man/woman, man/sheep + enlightenment
 
SA, think you missed the gist of the thread. What is your perspective on Christianity? As a member of the Religious Society of Friends, mine is pretty complex but, like my denomination, I do not have any hard a fast rules (there are wiccan and atheist Quakers). Christianity is pretty much a self-identification. But I would point out that many, many Protestant groups have not really gotten the "(wo)man + god" (which I like) idea.

Panta Rhei! (Everything Flows!)
 
The universe (the physical and mental, but not the Divine) is made up of "Chunks" of experience in spacetime. These chunks or experiences or "entities" or "actual occasions" (to use WHitehead's terms) are change continuously transforming and flowing. The closest thing I can make an analogy to is Heraclitus' remark "you cannot step into the same river twice". Grok?

Panta Rhei! Everything Flows
 
radarmark said:
The universe (the physical and mental, but not the Divine) is made up of "Chunks" of experience in spacetime. These chunks or experiences or "entities" or "actual occasions" (to use WHitehead's terms) are change continuously transforming and flowing. The closest thing I can make an analogy to is Heraclitus' remark "you cannot step into the same river twice". Grok?


Panta Rhei! Everything Flows
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Excuse me I am made up of white and black light....so I wouldnt call me a whitehead.
 
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