Xianity declining worldwide

Discussion in 'Religion Archives' started by Medicine*Woman, Oct 30, 2003.

  1. heart Registered Senior Member

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    MW,

    At one time I was angry at christians because of the whole concept of hell and how some promoted it.
    Also, angry because I had felt brainwashed for believing it. I had gone through the "motions" of being (faking) a christian...then later- accepting it hook line and sinker. Well, maybe not 100% as there were many doubts I had. To make a long story short.. I realized that my anger couldn't be directed toward christians ... Bottom line is what message did my anger send..what good did it do, and was it really justified?

    To place blame on them for something other christians had done in the past isn't fair. They aren't the ones who actually committed the crimes, and I know some christians who would disagree with the unfair slayings. We can hate those tragedies that occurred, but carrying around anger and wanting revenge for something that was out of their control is only fuel to keep this anger alive.

    I see in your posts, that you want so badly for others to be free from what you feel is a harmful myth (which I agree is). You want to prevent them from having to spend a part of their life being duped. I think your heart is in the right place...but, don't lose sight of christians being individuals. Remember, you once stood where they stand.

    I still have a hard time when I experience talking to other christians who are "fire and brimstone" messengers. It goes all through me.. and yes, at times I want to lash out verbally because of it. It's almost all I can do to not lose my temper. Although I'm not without guilt of that, I have come a long way. It's easy to stereotype, but that can take away from the true picture of the individual. If I had continued to dismiss christians entirely, I'd of missed out on some good friendships.

    Please don't misunderstand my post and think that I'm bashing you, because I'm not. I'm just another person who has maybe experienced some of what you are going through. If I'm off the mark, then please accept my apologies.
     
    Last edited: Nov 5, 2003
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  3. Nehushta Registered Senior Member

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    It's spiritual laziness. Unfortunately, you'll always have a certain percentage of the population that is spiritually lazy. Christianity is comfortable for them. If they really wanted to know the Truth, they would have figured out by now how to go about searching for it. But as long as they continue to pray for the Truth in the name of their avatar, they'll only get the particular brand of "truth" that their avatar peddles. Deep down, they know this. The fact that they continue to pray in his name is proof that that's the only brand of "truth" they are interested in. They are like children, and your attempt to get them to try on a different, more mature brand of spirituality is like trying to convince a teenager to wear a different brand of shoes than what all of his peers are wearing. They won't even consider it until they've grown up a bit.
     
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  5. VitalOne Banned Banned

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    Yes, frigtening them would certainly prove that you're a kind, uncruel person. Saying xians need to be punished is just the same as xians saying you need to be punished. Why should they be responsible for what their forefathers did? If your grandfather killed someone, would you want me to kill you? Why should they be held responsible for the actions of someone else? Just because they were born into a certain family?

    You have to get over the FACT that it wasn't them who killed those 9 million people. Why should they suffer because of the actions of their great great relatives? Just because they were born into a Christian family? All you're doing is redirecting your anger because you know that there's NOTHING you can do about what happened in the past but redirect your anger against the modern day Christians. Two wrongs don't make a right, they make two wrongs.
     
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  7. Medicine*Woman Jesus: Mythstory--Not History! Valued Senior Member

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  8. okinrus Registered Senior Member

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    I will repeat the argument used as I remember it. Someone found some half-forged document that could be x-many years and said that a "fish" married someone. This same "fish" was supposed to stand for Jesus or say they say. Just a little flawed? Fish are only a sign for discipleship or christianity in general. The show goes on to say that the gnostic gospels show Jesus kissing Mary Magdalene somewhere. Do you want to know why? Because the gnostic leaders such as Marcus were known womenizers. Iraenaeus even said that they cast spells on the women and appointed women as priest. In order to appeal to women they would resort to this kind of stuft.
     
  9. heart Registered Senior Member

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    480
    I understand, and yes, it does get frustrating when you're trying to make a point and it seems that the other party passes it off like a bad leftover. On the other hand I'm sure it's frustrating for them as well. LOL

    I can think of an intelligent mod here who broke away from christianity- that being Cris. There are some preachers who have broke away.. all kinds of folks. All you can do MW is share your findings...discuss and learn from others as well as them learning from you. I know it can get frustrating at times, but don't let that get you down.

    I've heard that before, but hadn't done any research on it. You never know, it might be in our lifetime that we learn this is true, some people would be freaked out to say the least. Although, it might be hard to trace as they haven't been able to verify that Jesus existed.

    I'm not sure what you are saying here. Do you mean that those who are evil aren't reincarnated?

    There are the obvious contradictions in the bible in terms of numbers etc... For some reason christians will excuse those, being that they can't dispute them, but they will hold fast to the bible being inerrant.
    It's funny how we can all see things differently.

    Hang in there MW. Don't let frustration mess with you. At the end of the day you know what efforts you have put forth, and if you are content with that in your heart that's all that matters.
     
  10. Medicine*Woman Jesus: Mythstory--Not History! Valued Senior Member

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  11. Circe Registered Senior Member

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    MW, there is absolutely no proof that Jesus survived the crucifixion and escaped to France.

    Who says so? And If the paintings point to the EXACT location why is it so difficult to find the body?

    Yes, but the skull isn't necessarily a symbol of a hidden tomb

    So? Brothers Van Eyck painted an angel with his (or her, since the figure looks feminine) index finger pointing up on their Ghent Altarpiece. And da Vinci himself used the same gesture when drawing Mary and her cousin Elizabeth with their two sons. This time it's Elizabeth that's raising the finger.
     
  12. okinrus Registered Senior Member

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    Most christians don't hold the bible to be inerrant but to be theologically infalliable or the original texts before scribal mistakes inerrant. For example, someone can believe that the stories of Tobit and Jonah never happened yet believe that they; being a part of Jewish folklore, teaching valid doctrin, and having an interesting storyline, are therefore inspired.

    Where your heart is who knows but your mind is somewhere in outerspace.
     
  13. Quantum Quack Life's a tease... Valued Senior Member

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    To me the bible is like a huge cryptic crossword puzzle.

    Over a miilion questions that are by nature cryptic with multiple answers to every one of them and not one answer either true or false.

    The only question that seems to be valid to me is whether I want to try and solve the puzzle. ( a puzzle that can't be solved)
     
  14. Medicine*Woman Jesus: Mythstory--Not History! Valued Senior Member

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  15. okinrus Registered Senior Member

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    I think the true reason why M*W hates Paul so much is that he instructed us to refrain from vain and foolish genealogies.

    And what area is this? The story turns, a skull but whose? The Catholic Church displays the blood of Jesus if you believe the Eucharist miracles.
     
  16. heart Registered Senior Member

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    Wow, most? Maybe where you are from, but to be 100% truthful with you, you're the first christian I've known to say this.
     
  17. okinrus Registered Senior Member

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    I think your misinterpreting what christians mean by inerrant because it depends on what you consider "error". I don't consider gramatical errors, spelling errors or minor copying errors as erronious teachings insofar as the writing isn't a grammar book.
     
  18. heart Registered Senior Member

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    MW,

    This is very interesting to say the least. Do you recommend a source that I could read about this? Thank you for all the info.
     
  19. Medicine*Woman Jesus: Mythstory--Not History! Valued Senior Member

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  20. heart Registered Senior Member

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    Wow! Thank you for all the sources. Plenty to keep me busy. I'll definitely check into these soon. Perhaps we can discuss it after I've read up on this.
     
  21. P. M. Thorne Registered Senior Member

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    JAMES R. asked: "WHAT CHRISTIANS"

    This is what I would like to know!

    Church attendance has declined in some places, true enough, but this is not necessarily indicative of Christianity as a whole . . . no more than church membership was ever.

    Members listed on the books of religious organizations tells nothing except the number of people who have joined churches.

    Any reasonable person would know this; therefore, how can anyone be convinced that Christianity is dying any more than believers could ever convince these same doubters that Christianity was living? You did not believe that either!

    Those who have never accepted that all those with church membership were truly Christians, would necessarily be at a loss to know the true status of the health of Christianity now?

    We cannot know one thing without having known the other.

    PMT
     
  22. Nehushta Registered Senior Member

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    Thank you for the information - I've added this book to my amazon wish list, along with several others that were recommended. It sounds fascinating!

    Please Register or Log in to view the hidden image!

     
  23. Medicine*Woman Jesus: Mythstory--Not History! Valued Senior Member

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