There are many religions in the world, with many millions of followers, most of whom follow their religion purely because of the region they were born in.
Therefore religion is an accident of birth.
I was baptised a Christian, yet I now follow my own path with Pagan / Spiritualist ideals. My life revolves around the love of God and my fellow Humans, kindness and truth. I respect Christ as a guide sent down to teach important lessons to mankind, as I also respect the prophet Mohammed for the same reasons.
Yet many born again Christians wish me to burn in hell. How charitable and loving is that?
I find these Christians extraordinarily arrogant in simply dismissing a good part of the world's population as wrong and due to burn, when I find the Christian attitude the most aggressive and least tolerant of all the religions.
Please explain how you comply with God's wishes and Christ's teachings by doling out this vile rhetoric?
Please explain in your OWN words how you are right?
2006-09-01 15:55:50 · 47 answers · asked by Anonymous in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
My understanding of Christian teaching is Love All, Forgive All, Show Mercy, Judge No-One. I can back up this in Scripture.
Jesus said that to love was the whole law. Paul said if someone did all that God wanted them to do, even if they never heard of Jesus, that would be accounted as righteousness for them. James said you can't just love with your words. If a person needs something, you have to help if you can.
So, the message is love.
Love God above everything. He is your creator and provider.
Love other people just as much as you love yourself. Do not be selfish, or greedy. Do not treat other people with less respect than you feel you deserve.
Love your enemy. Don't take revenge, or get even. That just prolongs the problem. Be the first to offer the hand of reconciliation. If someone hates you, do something good for them.
Anything wrong with that? Do you think you can do that? Every day of your life, without fail? No? Niether can I. Neither can anyone that I know. That is the reason for Jesus, who took the punishment for our mistakes. That is the reason for The Holy Spirit who changes us and makes this way of life more and more possible each day.
2006-09-01 21:32:03 · answer #1 · answered by waycyber 6 · 0⤊ 2⤋
fact from fiction, truth from diction. I would say I have Christ, but shed the denominational terms. Those were mostly man-created. The reason I am right, AND the only reason I am right is I have faith I am right. I can not prove I am right anymore than anyone else can. It is faith. That is why religion is called "a faith". If I assembled 300 people together and convinced then that a book end was a god, and that if they worshiped it, and made sacrifices, their lives would be better. And they would live forever. I would have made a religion. And it would have followers. And they would ALL believe that the book end was more than what is it is. With the same context, and ideal you have, how can anyone say those martyrdom attackers were not right? They believe they are right to the point they gladly gave their lives to rid the world of who they see as sinners. Do they really get to live i paradise? Do they really get 21 virgins? Do they get to kill people who are heretics and infidels because it says so by their religious interpretation? They think so. And no one can really prove them wrong. Anyone with glass crosses, or whatever, should never assume anything just work out their own salvation, and leave the judging for the Day of Judgment.
2006-09-01 21:27:29 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 1⤋
Hey man I agree with you about some Christians being arrogant but those are the ones that talk before they think. I believe in the bible with all my heart. I have had too many things happen in my life to prove this. I just got back from a mission trip in Gulfport Mississippi. We worked on this elderly woman's house. This house was probably a good 700 square foot home (yes that is very small) you would think Katrina would have destroyed this little house. This woman had no way of leaving her house. She had to stay in her house. She prayed many times that God could keep her safe. During the strong winds and floods of that storm it knocked down trees and boulders surrounding her house; these trees kept the wind off her home and made it so her house was not destroyed. I don’t care what you say that proves that god is all powerful. That story is completely true and there is no way that just happened out of good luck.
And another quick question if you believe in God they you believe in the Bible so therefore if you believe in the Bible you should believe that he is the only true god. I would love hear from anybody’s comments or questions on this cause I want to be challenged of my faith cause I will not give up till I find an answer.
2006-09-01 16:42:44 · answer #3 · answered by jeremy s 1 · 1⤊ 1⤋
I totally agree with you. I was brought up as a catholic, and although the religion in itself teaches good morals, I have to sadly admit that a lot of those morals get lost over judging others. I too have alienated myself from any religious associations. As I believe that every religious belief has some strong points and some weak points. I believe in God with all my heart and I believe that Jesus, Buddha and Mohammed were important figures in the history of religion. Great man. And unfortunately some morons had to come along and butcher the basic and pure essence of their teachings. God does not judge nor hate anyone. Start respecting others a bit more and never forget, that our souls all come from the same place. Give up this extreme views, it's too stressful. Concentrate on yourself and practice meditation whatever produces wellbeing to yourself and be tolerant to the belief of others.
2006-09-01 16:07:00 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 0⤋
all i want to say, is that i do not follow a strict religious path- i do not know who or what god is, but i do believe in TOLERANCE.
because one person does or doesn't agree with something does not make it right or wrong.
i feel that people should be free to worship however they wish as long as it is not hurting anybody else.
it's ridiculous to think that in 2006, we as a global community are still fighting the same fights as thousands of years ago.
i believe in leading a good, honest life, raising my family with ethics and morals, i believe that this should be enough for anyone!!
i may sound ignorant, but i don't actually care about that, as far as I'm concerned there is more to living that religion!!
note for vic (below)
blimey mate calm down.
2006-09-01 16:16:45 · answer #5 · answered by Levi 2 · 3⤊ 0⤋
OK, you are evidently angry with us. I agree, we get the application of our faith very wrong, very often. If we don't admit that, then we are not being honest. I make thousands of mistakes every day.
If you want to know why Christianity is different, it is worth looking at David Pawson's work on The Uniqueness of Christ. He made claims that no other religious leader could dare to make.
Similarly, if you follow the evidence trail about Jesus, there are only three possible conclusions, one - He was insane, two - He was a liar, three- He was the Son of God. Consider maybe later, which if these it is possible to match with his lifestyle, his teaching and his behaviour.
I have been a Christian for over 30 years and do not regret it for a moment. It is not me who condemns others, in fact Christians who do are committing a sin, it is not our place, Jesus said as much. If other Christians have condemned you for your beliefs, then I am very sorry, they were wrong.
However, no religion ever accepts that the others maybe right, it is in the very nature of a belief system to eliminate all other possibilities. Islam does not accept Jesus as the Son of God, in fact it is blasphemy to a Moslem. All faiths are exclusive to themselves in some way, and in that way they would appear to be arrogant to those who do not accept those beliefs.
I very much hope that you speak to the Christians who have condemned you and suggest they remove the plank from their own eye first.
Be blessed and happy in whatever way you find God.
2006-09-01 16:05:44 · answer #6 · answered by Pete 3 · 3⤊ 2⤋
Think of it this way. Is it arrogant to insist that the sky is blue even if no one else can see it as long as that is the truth. We are not arrogant, we just believe what we believe, we are not exclusive, everyone is welcome. Is it arrogant to believe that there is only one correct answer. If I said 2+2 is 4 and you wanted it to be 3 would you think I was arrogant? We don't wish for anyone to burn in hell, that is why we are so vocal about what we believe, because we want everyone to know the truth and be saved from hell.
2006-09-01 16:04:28 · answer #7 · answered by I love sushi 4 · 2⤊ 3⤋
each Christians opinion on whats right differs from the next, there are i have no idea how many different sects of Christianity there are in the world and within each sect the beliefs and self righteousness varies. you cant generalize Christianity by saying every christian feels they are right and you are wrong. plus last time i checked 99% of all religions say they are the right religion how can to totally different religions coexist peacefully?? They cant.(in many cases, NOT always, but usally) As to saying many Christians dismiss you to hell that is like addressing racism. We both know that hating someone for skin color is just ******* retarted but hardcore racists will give some kinda BS reasons for y they r right and trying to pump the kinda ppl you are talking about for valid warrants is like trying to get a racist to convince you they are right.
2006-09-01 16:05:56 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 1⤋
You have obviously been tossed some bad "christians", I am a christian, I follow Jesus' example on how to live and that includes loving all ppl, but I live by the Bibles teachings, if I didn't then I would be a hypocrite. I wish NO person to go to Hell, that is why I try to spread God's word. If I didn't believe the very words of God that tell me in the Bible that Jesus is the only way to Heaven then I would have to dismiss every part of it. It is a whole, every word, every phrase must be aplied to my life so that I can live my faith with integrity, so that I can never be called a hypocrite. If I am condemned for staying strong in my beliefs and falling God's teachings and Jesus example then I rejoice in that and so be it, I really don't care anymore, my life does not revolve around ppls opinions, I know God loves me, I just wish everyone else knew how deeply He loves them too.
2006-09-01 16:11:14 · answer #9 · answered by malsvb6 3 · 2⤊ 3⤋
HEY HEY HEY HEY HEY there is no need for rudeness to one specific religion. You are being unfair to Christians, and I wish for you to answer and ask questions in a specific manner- not in one that's rude. Christians do NOT beleive they are always right, Buddah is right too, but CHristians beleive that is no yet the story of God. Much is to be discovered about Religion and no one knows until they've pssed away, and yet no one can relive the dead to tell us. THere are books on what people beleive to be the one and only Religion but they can be wrong, no one says CHristians are right, no one says Buddah's are right, no one says Munks are right! No one knows, so no need to be so cocky and Mr-Know-It-All, ok? Have respect.
2006-09-01 18:38:41 · answer #10 · answered by x_Super_Social_Superstar_x 3 · 0⤊ 1⤋