Where is Christanity Headed?

juantoo3 said:
Kindest Regareds, all!

Might I say, I am impressed with the level of conversation! There are some fine quotes here over the last day from everybody. :) :) :)



Touche! Ouch! I can't help but wonder if I deserve that? :D
Click to expand...
Nope. It was me and Mr. Blue Bird...it's actual, everything is satisfactual. Zippedi doo dah...:D

v/r

Q
 
Quahom1 said:
I am a person who has accepted Jesus. I really don't worry what I am called. I really don't worry where others think I am going. I know what I must do, and I know how I should act. I know it does not matter if I fail in these goals, but I must try to continuously succeed. I know I answer to one and only one Savior.

Only because I chose to accept that Savior...

This is what I teach my children...and this is where Christianity is heading...because I'm not alone. It's a simple truth behind all the complexities of this faith.

Pretty basic don't you think?

v/r

Q
Click to expand...

Nicely put, Q.
lunamoth
 
Quahom1 said:
I am a person who has accepted Jesus. I really don't worry what I am called. I really don't worry where others think I am going. I know what I must do, and I know how I should act. I know it does not matter if I fail in these goals, but I must try to continuously succeed. I know I answer to one and only one Savior.

Only because I chose to accept that Savior...

This is what I teach my children...and this is where Christianity is heading...because I'm not alone. It's a simple truth behind all the complexities of this faith.

Pretty basic don't you think?

v/r

Q
Click to expand...
I love it... and I agree.

I also dont care what I am called.. I have confidence through Christ that Im saved.. My only concern is that I do what I was called to do and that is to spread the gospel.. and raise my children to be lovers of the truth.
 
Thanks for that, Q (others have quoted, so I won't). That is how I feel. For me, all the theological debate is interesting intellectually, but my take on truth is very simple spiritually. It is the fulfillment of two different drives I have- scholarly study (both in religion and in the sciences) fulfills my intellectual drive, whereas experience of God fulfills my spiritual drive. That's why I'm really interested in careful study of texts and whatnot from an intellectual standpoint, but at the end of the day I just don't think it matters spiritually.

I have an uncle who is severely handicapped mentally and physically, and he loves God and Jesus. He can't understand or debate on the Trinity, he could care less about the virgin birth, and he can't even read the Bible, let alone study why certain books were included and others are not. But it doesn't matter. It is his love of God and Jesus that will bring him into the Kingdom. I believe it is so for all of us. From this sincere love comes a change in us as God works in and through us.

And, Conscience, as I have responded to you before (not sure if you overlook it or just can't believe it)... yes, I have taken Jesus as my Savior. Yes, I pray to God to forgive my sins, and have no doubt that he does, as I also forgive others (as Jesus commanded). And yes, what Jesus means to me as Savior is quite different from what he means to you from what I've gathered.

I know it may be difficult to understand, but I do not need a label, so I do not call myself a Christian. In my experience, many other Christians refuse to acknowledge me as one because I do not share their doctrine, but only their Savior. Furthermore, it furthers people's understanding of my beliefs little to call myself Christian, because people have a stereotype in their heads of what Christianity is and I don't fit that stereotype very well. So, I avoid labels. If asked, I say that I am a Christ-follower on a mystical spiritual path. My beliefs and practices are closest to a cross between liberal Quaker and modern druid (which, by the way, doesn't help a lot as most people do not know what liberal Quakerism or modern druidry is).
 
path_of_one said:
I have an uncle who is severely handicapped mentally and physically, and he loves God and Jesus. He can't understand or debate on the Trinity, he could care less about the virgin birth, and he can't even read the Bible, let alone study why certain books were included and others are not. But it doesn't matter. It is his love of God and Jesus that will bring him into the Kingdom. I believe it is so for all of us. From this sincere love comes a change in us as God works in and through us...
Click to expand...
Perhaps dear Path, your Uncle is better off then all of us (in the big picture). No baggage to carry...;)

vv/r

Q
 
"And, Conscience, as I have responded to you before (not sure if you overlook it or just can't believe it)... yes, I have taken Jesus as my Savior. Yes, I pray to God to forgive my sins, and have no doubt that he does, as I also forgive others (as Jesus commanded). And yes, what Jesus means to me as Savior is quite different from what he means to you from what I've gathered."

Sorry Path of One, I didnt see when you said that before. I guess I assumed wrong because I think that I saw you say something about all religions lead to the same God. Was that you?
 
I don't believe any religion leads to God. I believe people sincerely seeking for God will find Him, because He is right there for everybody, just waiting for them to turn towards Him. I believe that God is infinite and we are finite, so we express our experience of God in ways that fit with our cultural, linguistic, and historical context. But God is God, however you describe Him.
 
Quahom1 said:
Perhaps dear Path, your Uncle is better off then all of us (in the big picture). No baggage to carry...;)
Click to expand...
Yes. "The kingdom of heaven belongs to little children such as these." His faith has always been an inspiration to me.
 
it is the ones who walked by faith who are the ones who got it to us for today. i believe those who walk by faith in the scriptures and in the power of His might are indeed better off than those who spend there entire lives trying to prove & disprove it.
 
I don't believe any religion leads to God.

Me either. In fact, I believe no religion lead to God.

I believe people sincerely seeking for God will find Him, because He is right there for everybody, just waiting for them to turn towards Him.

I agree! And, as the bible says, for those persons that sincerly seek, God will show them his Son, the one that offers Salvation. God's work is full proof, his laws written on our hearts are there to show us that, by his (God's) standards, we're not good people. If we see that we guilty of sin, and truely seek God, we will find Jesus.

I believe that God is infinite and we are finite, so we express our experience of God in ways that fit with our cultural, linguistic, and historical context. But God is God, however you describe Him.

Definitly!

Look at us agreeing again. This is so cool!
 
:D I do have to add, though, that I do not think the purpose of the Law being written on our hearts is to make us recognize we are not good people. We have really different views about how God interacts with people from what I've surmised. You believe God is separated from us by sin (until one becomes born-again), whereas I do not believe that. So why do I think the Law is written on our hearts?

I think it is there for us to be called to love God and love others (the essence of the Law, a la Jesus). Of course if we aren't completely egoistic we do recognize that we are imperfect, but that doesn't mean we can't be righteous. The Bible pointed out quite a few righteous people in the OT, and Joseph was called a "good" and "righteous" man (Lk 23:50). I think we have both the capacity for good and for evil, and the Law is there to cause us to want to turn toward God. The Law teaches us love, as well as humility.
 
Conscience said:
I believe its headed for a more "loving" and more "tolerant" version of the truth. With this new version of Christanity, many religions will be considered equal, and just another road to the same God. But, is the new version of Christanity correct, or just the fulfillment of what will occure in the endtimes? The following is an short report that I got from prophecyfulfilled.com Enjoy:

http://www.fulfilledprophecy.com/benedict_the_enforcer.html

Benedict the Enforcer

What Ratzinger believes about salvation:

MAXINE MCKEW: Would Pope Benedict take the view that non-believers are damned?

CARDINAL GEORGE PELL: No, certainly not, certainly not. Salvation is open to all good people. Our God is a god of love and infinite mercy. The only person who might be damned are those who resolutely refuse to turn to towards the light, towards love, who lock them up obstinately in hate. My prayer and my hope is that very, very few will be damned Read it here.

What the Bible teaches:

If we receive the testimony of men, the testimony of God is greater; for the testimony of God is this, that He has testified concerning His Son. The one who believes in the Son of God has the testimony in himself; the one who does not believe God has made Him a liar, because he has not believed in the testimony that God has given concerning His Son. And the testimony is this, that God has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son. He who has the Son has the life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have the life ( 1 John 5: 9-12 New American Standard Bible).
Click to expand...
And four years later....
 
while there will always be those who look towards jesus as their lord god and saviour, i believe christianity in general is heading towards apostasy and universalism.
 
According to the recent PEW reports, it seems to be headed toward a broad schism between fundamentalists and universalists. What's interesting to me is that neither position is very old, traditional, or conservative, though universalism is, as I understand the history of the church, an older position. The conservative/traditional churches in mainline Protestantism, such as the Lutherans and Anglicans, are losing members to both sides, and struggling with internal debates that mirror the broader two-camp whole.

I find it sad, but only natural given human tendencies toward exclusivity and the use of religion in politics.

I'd prefer that we return to the more traditional position of careful scriptural study, including historical and linguistic contextual study, and determination to bind together in an effort to learn from each other rather than insulating ourselves. But it is a pipe dream because, quite frankly, Americans are not very interested in serious scholarly study of almost anything. We are a nation of sound-bite consumers who want some other person to interpret things for us and give us the 30-second briefing.

Eh, aside from all that, you can see diversity and debate within Christianity from the beginning, with various sides calling each other heretics. So, I guess although the modern variation on this is relatively new, the underlying process is traditional and in that we've retained some flavor of what Christianity has always encompassed, however unflattering it may be.

My hope is that while Christianity as a religion and a political tool has a long history of problems, Christ's teachings are still as sound as they ever were, and people still come into relationship with Christ and are individually transformed.
 
These days when we have the technology, time and ability to look at the history...history of the stories/books, history of the decisions to put the books together, histories of the scribal additions and modifications as well as the intentional mistranslations we have a wonderful opportunity at our feet.

And there are those that are out there doing the scholarly work...but they have agendas. The ones that just want to look and decipher and let the cards fall where they may are called liberal heretics, biblical critique is opposed by apologetics.

We can't allow anyone to come to a conclusion or posit a thesis that is contrary to our tradition as we have such a lack mentality that our tradition could die on the vine. ie while we cry let Chrysler or AIG go bankrupt if that is what it takes...we want our religion to get a bailout despite the fact that they've been cooking the books for a thousand years.

I agree Poo, that there is an amazing amount of content in Jesus words. I agree with the fundies that Christ is lord and saviour, that I am saved by the teachings. We just have a difference as to how that occurs.
 
Quahom1 said:
Those of us with half a brain don't exclude anyone. See we don't make the decisions about who Peter opens the gates to and who he doesn't. Because...that is arrogant, and ignorant of what the Bible says.

All, Christianity ever said, was if one follows Jesus (accepts Him as savior, in truth), then one bypasses final judgement (read that as book of life or death). Quite a simple statement actually. Still going to be judged on the fruits of your labor as a saved "Christian", but it has nothing to do with hell, damnation, forever away from God...

Yeeshhh, it's a simple declaration and promise.
Click to expand...



Well said, Q.

Um, Christianity is headed exactly where the Bible said it was headed. There are seven churches described in chapters 2 & 3 of Revelation, and they are there for a reason. We are and will remain divided, and for exactly the reason that Q just pointed out: because there are those among us who just can't keep it simple.
 
We need to put aside the differences and create the KISS church (Keep It Simple Stupid). :)

I'm curious, Marsh- what are the 7 churches? Because there are a lot more than 7 so far as I can tell... Seems like every chance people get, they schism and create a new denomination. :eek:
 
Has anyone mentioned the Tower of Babel? The tower has been built many times.
 
ciberpy said:
Has anyone mentioned the Tower of Babel? The tower has been built many times.
Click to expand...

Yeah, but the Tower of Babel was built by those who were united. By ourselves, that is the realm of Christianity, I see nothing in the horizon to suggest that we are going to get together and just get along.

We can even build it on an interfaith forum.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top