Religion

Pendrench

(1,388 posts)

64. A very interesting question/topic...I greatly appreciate the opportunity for discussion.

Sat May 4, 2019, 11:17 AM

May 2019

As someone who considers himself to be a lifelong, practicing Christian, this is just my personal take on this, but I think it's more important to believe in the "message" of Jesus, rather than whether or not Jesus existed or (if he did) that he was god.

Of course defining what the "message" of Jesus is/was is in itself a matter of debate. For me, however, the message is simple:

Do to others as you would have them do to you.

I believe that if there is a god, he/she/it is more concerned with how we treat each other, rather than if we believe in the divinity of Jesus, Zeus, Shiva, Yahweh, Vishnu, etc.

Anyway, just my thoughts - thank you for posting/sharing!

Wishing you well and peace

Tim

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Am I correct in my understanding of this? [View all] MineralMan May 2019 OP

Where did you get that idea? ADX May 2019 #1

I read the Gospels. They seem to state that very thing multiple times. MineralMan May 2019 #3

I say Yes, you are correct. Delmette2.0 May 2019 #8

Well, an awful lot of preachers have said that again and again. MineralMan May 2019 #16

If you want to believe in heaven, you have to believe hell. Delmette2.0 May 2019 #28

Yes customerserviceguy May 2019 #42

To perish is To Die (not everlasting life in hell) njhoneybadger May 2019 #40

it's a bit more complicated than that htuttle May 2019 #2

More complicated, eh? MineralMan May 2019 #6

You need to saved at the foot of the cross Soph0571 May 2019 #4

i have known some who believe it's the spirit of jesus you need to accept in your heart unblock May 2019 #5

Here is what it says in the Gospel of John, Chapter 3: MineralMan May 2019 #7

well if you're into literal interpretation of the bible, then sure. unblock May 2019 #11

Well, supposedly, those are the words of the Gospel, speaking MineralMan May 2019 #13

The vast majority of Christians don't zipplewrath May 2019 #20

This is not about ALL of the Bible. MineralMan May 2019 #23

No, I don't zipplewrath May 2019 #54

Ok so the promise of eternal life and the Voltaire2 May 2019 #60

None of it bears really thinking about. MineralMan May 2019 #63

I'm still curious what they are supposed Voltaire2 May 2019 #69

Nobody has answered that question. MineralMan May 2019 #70

With metaphor all things are possible Major Nikon May 2019 #72

If you're asking could it be metaphorical, sure. unblock May 2019 #73

That's a mnority viewpoint among Christians, though. MineralMan May 2019 #74

Yeah. It's hard to compete with the promise of eternal life unblock May 2019 #75

Plus, Christianity gives people an easy shortcut to that eternal life. MineralMan May 2019 #76

indeed. what are we jews thinking making people study for a year just to convert? unblock May 2019 #78

Fair enough, although it sounds more like atheism than christianity. Voltaire2 May 2019 #79

No it's not unblock May 2019 #80

besides UU which denominations don't believe in a literal eternal afterlife? Voltaire2 May 2019 #81

I'm not talking about official doctrine and dogma, just what people actually believe unblock May 2019 #82

So you agree that essentially all christian sects as a matter of doctrine believe in a literal Voltaire2 May 2019 #83

The doctrine tells a story unblock May 2019 #85

Condemned to what? SoFlaDem May 2019 #22

Well, you could ask why a deity wouldn't be egotistical. I mean, really. MineralMan May 2019 #24

cause egotistical beings suck... SoFlaDem May 2019 #27

Your Mark 16 example was not part of the original Gospel pandr32 May 2019 #31

Religion and scriptures are what they are, or MineralMan May 2019 #49

Your way is The Way, a term many ancient followers applied to their groups. It's good. Karadeniz May 2019 #47

Still swinging away eh don Fullduplexxx May 2019 #9

Who is Don? MineralMan May 2019 #14

Yeah. Who's Don? Iggo May 2019 #89

How are you to respond? IF you accept it, you respond by believing in Jesus or buying an 3Hotdogs May 2019 #10

Asbestos suits are scratchy and uncomfortable. MineralMan May 2019 #15

In that state of being (or non-being), I don't think you need to worry about cancer. 3Hotdogs May 2019 #45

Jesus didn't even believe in Christianity. LakeArenal May 2019 #12

Not exactly zipplewrath May 2019 #17

A lot of that is problematic because Jesus and the Disciples were all Jewish bigbrother05 May 2019 #18

Which Jesus do you believe in? jls4561 May 2019 #19

I don't believe in any Jesus at all. MineralMan May 2019 #25

I have a new question jls4561 May 2019 #21

The Gospels are those four books. MineralMan May 2019 #26

There is some good stuff in the Gospels jls4561 May 2019 #30

you can find jewelry in the sewers... nt uriel1972 May 2019 #50

If you don't believe in any version of Jesus at all, why is this relevant to you? TygrBright May 2019 #29

Why are faith and facts at odds? jls4561 May 2019 #33

They may not be. The point is, faith is belief in something that cannot be proved with facts. n/t TygrBright May 2019 #39

faith and facts Brainstormy May 2019 #77

It's more like faith and reason which are at odds Major Nikon May 2019 #84

That's what I was told... 2naSalit May 2019 #32

Told you would burn? jls4561 May 2019 #34

InHELL 2naSalit May 2019 #35

And do you still believe that? jls4561 May 2019 #36

I don't believe anything 2naSalit May 2019 #37

Jesus died for Nuggets May 2019 #38

You'd think it would work that way, wouldn't you? Mariana May 2019 #48

Recovering Evangelical here. gibraltar72 May 2019 #41

As was indicated on a recent episode of Supernatural LiberalArkie May 2019 #43

In my father's house there are many mansions... jls4561 May 2019 #44

There is an excellent book by Walter Bauer, orthodoxy and heresy in early christianity. Karadeniz May 2019 #46

You are well prepared. I couldn't do what you did rusty quoin May 2019 #51

Like so many I've been all over the map Thekaspervote May 2019 #52

You should just ignore it, because it's a stupid belief. vlyons May 2019 #53

ahem, if others ignored we could too.... nt uriel1972 May 2019 #55

well no vlyons May 2019 #56

buuuuut... uriel1972 May 2019 #57

I can't control what other people do and think. vlyons May 2019 #58

Nor can I. However, I can object to behaviors that MineralMan May 2019 #59

A religion is whatever the adherent says it is. marylandblue May 2019 #61

Actually, they're both wrong. MineralMan May 2019 #62

Because it makes them feel good to have old stories to believe. marylandblue May 2019 #65

Magic is a waste of time and effort. MineralMan May 2019 #67

Lot's of things are a waste of time and effort and make confusion. marylandblue May 2019 #68

Such things are to be avoided, I think. MineralMan May 2019 #71

Whatever gets someone through their day is fine with me, marylandblue May 2019 #86

A very interesting question/topic...I greatly appreciate the opportunity for discussion. Pendrench May 2019 #64

The Rule of Reciprocity is common to almost every culture and religion. MineralMan May 2019 #66

Hi MineralMan - thank you for your response to my post. Pendrench May 2019 #87

Jesus didn't exactly live up to that message himself. Mariana May 2019 #90

Hi Mariana - Thank you for your reply to my post. Pendrench May 2019 #91

Sure. Here are a few of them. Mariana May 2019 #92

Hi Mariana - Thank you very much! Pendrench May 2019 #93

It has been turned into that, yes. gtar100 May 2019 #88

"Turned into that"? Act_of_Reparation May 2019 #94

If you really are interested, here's an article that covers it. gtar100 May 2019 #95