Christainanity Discussion

[Tiki Stanley]

If you have any questions regarding Christian faith, I will provide an answer to the best of my understanding and knowledge. This thread is not about converting those who choose not to believe, but instead provide a better understanding into the Christian faith. I will be respectful to you and in return I expect everyone to show the same respect to whomever should decide to post. With any luck, we will all walk away with something more than what we started with. Enjoy.

Stan

[Coffee]

How do the Christian faithful, and the Christian faith itself reconcile the difference in lifestyle choices/examples set by the son of god/Jesus, i.e his simple life style of poverty and humility and his clearly demonstrated tollerance and compasion for classes of people that "mainstream" society found reprehensible, repulsive or unworthy of compassion, including sinners (let he who has no sin cast the first stone), Lepers, prostitutes (Mary Magdalene), foreigners (The good Samaritan), ...with the intollerance taught to christians currently in the name of Jesus, and the extravagant, luxurious almost pampered lifestyles of many, not all, Christian leaders.


Oh, and, why did Jesus love apostle John more than the others? I always wondered about that.

[Clytie]

i think its nice that you want to answer questions and such...im curious as to why you posted this ...thats my question

[Coffee]

oh...and...I suppose it would be helpful to know if you are an "expert" on Christianity or if your answers are a layman's understanding of his faith. Did you attend a bible college? Do you have credentials, or an enthusiastic amateur? It would be helpful to know that to guage how much salt to add to our reading of your answers.

Thanks, in advance.

[madasacutsnake]

Yeah. Tell us more on Luther's views about the transmogrification of communion. Please.

[Tiki Stanley]

Let me first apologize for misspelling Christianity in the title of this thread. My studies keep me up really late and as you will find, I will mispell important words from time to time. You should hear me try to talk after 24 hours of no sleep. It isn't very pretty.

Originally Posted by Coffee

How do the Christian faithful, and the Christian faith itself reconcile the difference in lifestyle choices/examples set by the son of god/Jesus, i.e his simple life style of poverty and humility and his clearly demonstrated tollerance and compasion for classes of people that "mainstream" society found reprehensible, repulsive or unworthy of compassion, including sinners (let he who has no sin cast the first stone), Lepers, prostitutes (Mary Magdalene), foreigners (The good Samaritan), ...with the intollerance taught to christians currently in the name of Jesus, and the extravagant, luxurious almost pampered lifestyles of many, not all, Christian leaders.


Oh, and, why did Jesus love apostle John more than the others? I always wondered about that.

It's a real shame that people misuse the Bible for their own benefit, whether it's on purpose or because of a lack of understanding. We are all children of God. I can not speak for every Christian, because even I don't agree with many of their opinions and how they like to interpret the Bible. I can only speak on behalf of myself. It is wrong to discriminate between gender, age, race, belief, sexual preference. I pesonally welcome differences. I may not agree with what people do, but I refuse to hate them for it. Different isn't wrong, it makes each one of us that more interesting.

I do not approve of those leaders of the church who take advantage of others good will by misusing the money collected for anything other than living expenses. Anything extra should be used to help others. They're priorities are wrong and they don't appear to be fully understanding the Bible, and because of that, shouldn't be teaching it.

With my studies, I have yet to find where it states that Jesus says specifically that He loves John more than anyone else. It is assumed because Jesus confided in Peter, James and John the most (Matt 17:1-9) and John himself referred to himself as such in his own gospel (John 13:23-25; 19:26; 27; 20:2-8; 21:7; 20). John is only human and we all would like to be our Father's favorite. I think he may have viewed himself as such, so that's what he wrote. It can not be determined that he was so.

Stan

[Tiki Stanley]

Originally Posted by Clytie

i think its nice that you want to answer questions and such...im curious as to why you posted this ...thats my question

I enjoy discussing the topic and thought I could clear up a few misunderstandings about Christians in general. I would do the same for anything that I was interested in.

Originally Posted by Coffee

oh...and...I suppose it would be helpful to know if you are an "expert" on Christianity or if your answers are a layman's understanding of his faith. Did you attend a bible college? Do you have credentials, or an enthusiastic amateur? It would be helpful to know that to guage how much salt to add to our reading of your answers.

Thanks, in advance.

I don't see how it really matters, but yes, I am a student of Christianity. As far as an "expert" goes, who can really honestly say that they are? I am always learning, searching for answers and that's is how I go about everything. Once you close your mind to the world around you, you limit your knowledge of it and therefor can't really grow as a person. You should take everything with a grain of salt no matter who they say they are. Make your own decisions. I'm just here to express what I learned thus far.

Stan

[Tiki Stanley]

Originally Posted by madasacutsnake

Yeah. Tell us more on Luther's views about the transmogrification of communion. Please.

I personally believe in Calvin's view.

Stan

[madasacutsnake]

Originally Posted by Tiki Stanley

I don't see how it really matters
Stan

It's like me saying "I've read a book about thallium, ask me anything about it".

[Aphrodite]

I have had the opportunity to visit numerous church services of many different religions. I enjoy the sense of community that organized religion affords it's members.
My University had a Theology Department and this afforded me the opportunity to have very open minded discussions with some of the professors. I also had an Episcopalian minister for a step father for a period of time.
It is interesting to delve into the many facets of religion without the pressure to convert being involved.
Christianity has evolved over time into what we have today.
Has it not been somewhat bastardized by the influence of each generation's trials and each generation's current events? What do you think mighty Tiki?

[Hyakujo's Fox]

Originally Posted by madasacutsnake

transmogrification

heh.

[priceyfatprude]

Why should everyone hate my brother for what he does behind closed doors? Somehow, Jesus told them to?

[craig johnston]

^^^^^
it's just because he's your bro pfp.
they're prolly jealous or something.


ok, i got a question: what about dinosaurs? why aren't they in
the bible? clytie said something about leviathan but i thought
that was a whale. even if it was a dino, it's pretty scant mention
for a whole array of huge lizard creatures who were, according
to the bible, co-existing with humans for quite a while.

ps i like this thread, and think you're very brave. there are lots
of things i've always wanted to ask a christian and i look forward
to hearing your answers. i do have one tip though, and that is,
please try not to sound so self righteous and smug. it's a common
problem with those chosen by our lord that they naturally think
they're better than all us heathens. but it does grate somewhat.
ok, just a thought.

[Clytie]

i do think that its kinda interesting that you just come here and say you can answer all of our questions...you came at the right time. theres lots of questions here.

According to the Bible: Dinosaurs existed around 6,000 years ago. The Bible tells us that God created different kinds of land animals on day six of creation week (Gen. 1:24–25). As dinosaurs were land animals, this must have included the dinosaur kinds.

this is what i found out from my research about why Dinos arent mentioned in the Bible....I know what yer thinking.. "if people saw dinosaurs, you would think ancient historical writings, such as the Bible, should mention them" But something to consider as well the King James Version was first translated in 1611. Some people think that because the word ‘dinosaur’ is not found in this, or other translations--- the Bible does not mention dinosaurs.

But it was not until 1841 that the word ‘dinosaur’ was invented. Sir Richard Owen, a famous British anatomist and first superintendent of the British museum on viewing the bones of Iguanodon and Megalosaurus, realized these represented a unique group of reptiles that had not yet been classified. He coined the term ‘dinosaur’ from Greek words meaning ‘terrible lizard.’ So... one would not expect to find the word ‘dinosaur’ in the King James Bible—the word did not exist when the translation was done.

2 examples of dinosaurs in the Bible... BEHEMOTH and LEVIATHAN:
Behold now behemoth, which I made with you; he eats grass like an ox. See now, his strength is in his loins, and his force is in the muscles of his belly. He moves his tail like a cedar: the sinews of his thighs are knit together. His bones are like tubes of bronze; his limbs are like bars of iron. He is the chief of the ways of God: his maker brings near his sword.’ (Job 40:15–19)

Canst thou draw out leviathan with an hook? his teeth are terrible round about. His scales are his pride, shut up together as with a close seal. One is so near to another, that no air can come between them. They are joined one to another, they stick together, that they cannot be sundered. Out of his mouth go burning lamps, and sparks of fire leap out. Out of his nostrils goeth smoke, as out of a seething pot or caldron. His breath kindleth coals, and a flame goeth out of his mouth. The flakes of his flesh are joined together: they are firm in themselves; they cannot be moved. His heart is as firm as a stone; yea, as hard as a piece of the nether millstone. The sword of him that layeth at him cannot hold: the spear, the dart, nor the habergeon. He esteemeth iron as straw, and brass as rotten wood. The arrow cannot make him flee: slingstones are turned with him into stubble. Darts are counted as stubble: he laugheth at the shaking of a spear. Upon earth there is not his like, who is made without fear. (from Job 41)

[Hyakujo's Fox]

God said:

Out of his mouth go burning lamps, and sparks of fire leap out. Out of his nostrils goeth smoke, as out of a seething pot or caldron. His breath kindleth coals, and a flame goeth out of his mouth.

I think God got a leettle carried away there.