why are self-defined Christians to disturbed by ideas such?

Question

as re-incarnation, infinite acceptance by God, spiritual guides, infinite potential and divinity of humanity, perfection of humanity etc.

I can understand your not accepting these ideas, but why do you react with so much vehnom. The more archeological evidence and sacred documents that is discovered, the more we see that this was the beliefs of the early Christian church.

Do you need your fear to keep you from acting on dark thoughts you harbor inside you?

This question is real and not posed to insult you. I want to understand what is inside your mind. Thanks

and please don't say 'the bible doesn't support these ideas' because it most certainly does.

Answer 1

These sorts are programmed as children that they will be tortured eternally if they dare think anything different that their religious instruction. When someone questions or facts dispute their 'beliefs', that old fear riles up and controls them. It's like a PTSD flashback effect. It's truly sad to do that to kids.

Answer 2

Stereotype alert! Stereotype alert!

I, for one, am not offended by any of those concepts. No venom. No fear. I disagree with "perfection of humanity." Hitler pretty much disproves that notion. Reincarnation is definitely debatable, though. I think you can make an argument for it, even using the Bible. Infinite potential? Spiritual guides? I think you need to define these better. Perhaps we have infinite potential, I wouldn't know, but we sure are not coming anywhere close to meeting it, so what difference does it make? All you have to do is look around the world to see that.

In any case, I think concepts such as these are worth discussion. That doesn't mean that I have to agree with them, but I don't see anything to get up in a roar about. My only offense with this is that you assume that all "self-defined" Christians feel the same. Stereotyping a group does not help bridge gaps or create understanding. Ah, but who can blame you? A lot of Christians come on here and do the same thing, don't they?

That said, you need to provide some evidence that these really are a part of the early Church. That is very debatable, even by secular historians. Without concrete evidence, how can you expect to convince even the more open-minded Christians, let alone the "full of venom" ones you are looking to convince?

p.s. When you say, "please don't say 'the bible doesn't support these ideas' because it most certainly does," that is all fine and dandy, but you need to back it up. Just saying that is poor arguing.

Answer 3

The early Christian church consisted largely of Pharasee's and Saducee's. What was the response of Christ to these groups?

The items you mentioned above have no bearing in God's Holy Word and as such need to be rejected as false doctrine. We don't need to be "disturbed" by these concepts, but rather know the Holy Word good enough that we can intelligently speak against them.

By the way, while many Christians reject these ideas they embrace others that have no biblical foundations like

- A rapturing out of the church at the end of time. The word rapture isn't even in the Bible.

- A sever year tribulation. To follow this teaching one needs to misuse the prophecies given in Daniel 9.

- An eternal hell where people burn forever and ever.

- We are free to worship God on any day we choose. The fouth of the tend commandments tell us to "remember the Sabbath day and keep IT holy". Seems to be the only commandment we are busy forgetting.

There are others... but that will do for now.

Cheers
Guy
http://inhisgracecards.com

Answer 4

well, I don't think that I personally am DISTURBED by ideas like these. i don't care actually. And all Christians have their doubts at some point in their life and throughout their life. i mean, what can you expect, we're human. that's our nature. God however wants us to ask questions, he's not offended by them at all. he wants us to wonder.

I don't really believe in re-incarnation.

But if i am thinking correctly, infinite acceptance by God IS what we have, we DO have a Spiritual guide (the Holy Spirit working with us), and we will one day be perfect for eternity in Heaven.

I would express my opinion about infinite potential and divinity of humanity, perfection of humanity etc. but i am not COMPLETELY sure on what you mean.

Hope i gave you some insight.

Oh, and I just want you all to keep an open mind about how all christians are not venom shooters. i think alot of us have handled this question very well with the exception of like 3-4 people.

Sam*

Answer 5

Good question and not I am not offended.
First, we who are really Christians should be disturbed by ideas or anything that doens't line up with the word of God

1 Timothy 1 talks about the warnings against false teachers of the law.

1 Timothy 4 says "The spirit clearly says that in later times some will abandon the faith and follow deceiving spirits and things taught by demons. Such teachings come through hypocritical liars whose consciences have been seared as with a hot iron.

2 Peter 2 says
But there were also false prophets among the people, just as there will be false theachers among you. They will secretly introduce destructive heresies, even denying the sovereigh Lord who bought them-bringing swift destruction on themselves. Many will follow their shamful ways and will bring the way of truth into disrepute. In their greed these teachers will ecploit you with stories they have made up. Their condemnation has long been hanging over them and their destruction has not been sleeping

But a Christian should not react against anyone with vehnom.
We should react with love and truth or ignore such evil.

There are evil forces in the world and we are humans, not perfect. We react in the flesh because we are born in sin and Satan will use anyone or anything to descredit God.

Yes, we all should fear that we are not deceived by such evil and the only way to do that is to keep our eyes on Jesus.
We are to separate ourselves from anything that is not from God. Because we may fall prey to dececption.

People who come to Christ becomes like a child and they have to learn (how to walk) so to speak. This comes with time so the people you are referring to may just be so passionate about what they beleive, they feel they have to defend it. But God doesn't need us to defend Him.
He alone will have justice against those who are evil.

Answer 6

I do believe that God is infinitely accepting of me and others. I don't believe in re-incarnation - but I have no venom for those who do. All that other stuff, no venom for it either. I don't harbor dark thoughts about any of this though - so that was a bit insulting and unfair. All Christians do not react to all questions with venom. I see many on here who do - still - not all on here do. On this type of forum, you're going to hear from everyone. Regardless of your faith/beliefs - everyone will not be at the same place in their faith at the same time - so you will see answers that vary in degrees of understanding and tolerance.

Answer 7

the evidence you site points to believers outside the true faith that was promulgated by peter and the apostles. The bible speaks of councils that were formed because of scandalous beliefs such as these that might send believers down the wrong road. many writings were in circulation claiming divine revelation. the beautiful thing is that the Church preserved many of these writngs.

Many christians dont like it when people such as yourself falsley claim such findings as factual when in actuallity it is some scholars agreeing on a theory. But really can words of condemnation really hurt you anyway. Jesus was spit on and condemned to a horrible death, your "facts" really cant shake our faith that much.

perhaps the hostility some christians display might be a reflection of the hostility in the many naysayers theories.

Answer 8

The early Christian church was started by Jesus that sent the Holy Spirit upon His apostles. Jesus never taught anyone about re-incarnation in the NT. And neither did God in the OT. The early church has never taught this belief. Do I need my 'fear' to keep me from acting on dark thoughts that I harbor inside me? What the hell???? I have no fear in me because I have Christ in my heart. I have no hard thoughts harboring inside of me because I have Christ in me. I believe that the Holy Bible is God's word and there is no indication of reincarnation in it. God even tells us NOT to follow magic and witchcraft and false teachings.

Answer 9

Once again I am finding that people are classing all Christians as thinking and being the same. This is simply not true, and it is actually insulting.
I am an individual with my own thoughts about my faith in God. I do not react with vehemence to these ideas, although I may not agree with them, much as some people don't agree with my beliefs and I have seen many people in here react with vehemence towards my belief in God. I do not see how my personal faith in God is a threat to anyone.

Answer 10

I don't know about responding with "so much vehnom," but I can tell you why I don't like those ideas. To me, they create a false, misleading impression of God. If our way is the truth (and only truth), then those ideas are leading others away from the truth and to a terrible eternity.

And I'd like to see your evidence - because the evidence I've seen is that this was NOT the early belief of the church. This was the belief of a sect that did NOT follow Christ's teachings. They are refuted clearly in scripture and are not in alignment with any part of our Bible.

Its like saying, "I'm Muslim, but I'm going to start accepting Jesus as Allah's son and as Allah himself." That would no longer be Islam. This early cult (though quite large) was creating its own religion with Christianity as a sort of root.

Don't accept everything you hear. Investigate it yourself.