Why I believe in Christ

[mmarco]

The founders of traditional Christianity didn't understand that genuine love is always unconditional. They created a god more like an arrogant human king, a god who will forgive repentant serial killers who worship him but torture non-believers in Hell for eternity even if they never harmed a soul.
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What you said about non-believers going to Hell even if they have never harmed a soul is contrary to the teachings of the Catholic Church, which admits the possibily of salvation also for unbelievers who truly seek God. You must however understand that eternal life exists only in communion with God, and you cannot be in communion with God if you do not trust Him and you do not believe in His infinite goodness.

 

[ChristineM]

The fundamental reason why I believe in Jesus Christ, is that I find that the christian concept of God and of divine love is the highest possible concept. I find that the idea itself that God loves us so much that He chose to assume the human nature and accepted to suffer crucifission in order to save us, expresses such a high concept of God and of divine love that it can comes only from God. I believe that Chirst suffered His Passion to help us to have faith in Him and trust Him, to make us understand that God loves us infinitely, that God is good and mercifull and that God is near to us so that we may open our heart to Him, be in communion with Him and be saved.

I most certainly don't agree with your religious views but i can offer you welcome to RF.

Sit back, relax and enjoy the cake

 

[mmarco]

Saved how, and when? Are there specific practices that you do that helps you move beyond the ego, and pride, and desires? Do you have a mediation practice, or does salvation happen behind the scenes without our participation or direct awareness of change? In other words, what is the tangible evidence one can look at themselves and believe they are in fact saved from their egos?

God has created man with a free will and God respect our free will. So He does not save us against our will, but He needs our cooperation; hence salvation does not happen behind the scene, but we must try to observe Christ's commandments, love God and our neighbour so that God will sanctified us and prepare uus for the eternal life in heaven.

This all sounds about right, but again, is this transformation participatory, or is it just something that happens by saying "I agree to it", without us doing anything more than that? What is the evidence of this change, and how does it happen in practical terms?

No, it is not absolutely something that happens by saying "I agree to it"; as I said , we must cooperate with God and try to eliminate every kind of evil and sin from ourselves.

 

[mmarco]

I think it is correct to trust in God. I think it is incorrect to not doubt our ideas about God. To do that, is to worship a projection of our own egos upon the face of God. Do you see any room for doubt in your beliefs?

There is certainly room for doubt about myself and my ideas, but there is no room for doubt about God, because God is the Truth, the source of all true love and true good. This is what I firmly believe.

 

[Vinayaka]

Yes, there are two questions implied, one directed to those who believe in Christ, which is "why do you believe in Christ?" and one directed to those who believe in other religions, which is "Why do you not believe in Chirst?"

Is it either/or? Or is there the option of no opinion? For many folks on this planet, Christ is just irrelevant.

 

[joe1776]

Where are you getting this from? The New Testament says no such thing about otherwise decent people going to hell for being another religion.

Common knowledge and logical deduction: In traditional Christianity, is not Salvation only possible via accepting Christ as Savior?

 

[loverofhumanity]

The fundamental reason why I believe in Jesus Christ, is that I find that the christian concept of God and of divine love is the highest possible concept. I find that the idea itself that God loves us so much that He chose to assume the human nature and accepted to suffer crucifission in order to save us, expresses such a high concept of God and of divine love that it can comes only from God. I believe that Chirst suffered His Passion to help us to have faith in Him and trust Him, to make us understand that God loves us infinitely, that God is good and mercifull and that God is near to us so that we may open our heart to Him, be in communion with Him and be saved.

Beautiful post. I couldn’t have said it better myself.

 

[joe1776]

What you said about non-believers going to Hell even if they have never harmed a soul is contrary to the teachings of the Catholic Church, which admits the possibily of salvation also for unbelievers who truly seek God. You must however understand that eternal life exists only in communion with God, and you cannot be in communion with God if you do not trust Him and you do not believe in His infinite goodness.

I was raised as a Catholic. I'm familiar with its teachings. Prior to the Second Vatican Council in the1960s, we were told that Protestants were going to Hell.

 

[Saint Frankenstein]

Common knowledge and logical deduction: In traditional Christianity, is not Salvation only possible via accepting Christ as Savior?

That's the normative way offered but God saves whom He wishes, and He wills the salvation of all so paths to salvation may be somewhat different for others. I think if a person's heart is open to God and they're trying their best with the knowledge they have, and treat people as well as they can, God will take those things into account. God comes to reach us on our level when we need it and knows we're not perfect.

 

[mmarco]

I was raised as a Catholic. I'm familiar with its teachings. Prior to the Second Vatican Council in the1960s, we were told that Protestants were going to Hell.

You are right, but now the Catholic Church teaches that also believers of other religions and agnostic can be saved. Our understanding of the infinite Mercy of God is still in progress.

 

[joe1776]

That's the normative way offered but God saves whom He wishes, and He wills the salvation of all so paths to salvation may be somewhat different for others. I think if a person's heart is open to God and they're trying their best with the knowledge they have, and treat people as well as they can, God will take those things into account. God comes to reach us on our level when we need it and knows we're not perfect.

Maybe you're right. However, your position doesn't represent traditional Christianity.

 

[Saint Frankenstein]

Maybe you're right. However, your position doesn't represent traditional Christianity.

I didn't say anything different than what a Catholic or Orthodox Christian would say. Fundie Evangelicals dont represent traditional Christian thought, by which that means the faith as handed down from the Apostles through the Church Fathers and down through the bishops and patriarchs.

 

[Unveiled Artist]

Yes, there are two questions implied, one directed to those who believe in Christ, which is "why do you believe in Christ?" and one directed to those who believe in other religions, which is "Why do you not believe in Chirst?"

I don't. I never knew him personally to judge whether I would. I've only had one impression of him through communion and the sacraments and scripture, but found they had no personal attraction to base my life on.

I'm always curious beyond the quoting of scripture of how rather than why people believe and worship a person. It makes me wonder how they know what he says and does when not quoted from scripture verbatim.

I'm glad you found your faith. In interested in how you came upon Christ and not another god/s?

Where you raised christian? In a Christian environment?

I wasn't raised christian so no beliefs in any gods existence however defined. Wasn't influenced by Christians, so....

 

[metis]

Prior to the Second Vatican Council in the1960s, we were told that Protestants were going to Hell.

I heard much the same against Catholics in the fundamentalist Protestant church I grew up in. The CC never did say Protestants were going to hell, but they did believe that one's faith could be jeopardized outside of "the scarlet thread that binds" {Origen].

As now a Catholic, I would not have converted under the auspices of the pre-Vatican II Church because the Church was way too much into itself.

 

[mmarco]

I'm glad you found your faith. In interested in how you came upon Christ and not another god/s?

Where you raised christian? In a Christian environment?

I wasn't raised christian so no beliefs in any gods existence however defined. Wasn't influenced by Christians, so....

My parents were non-praticant catholics; this means that they let me attend catechism and receive the sacraments, but they did not give me personally a religious education.
However, since a was a child I felt the need to pray the Lord, and when I grew up, I begin to read the Bible, because I wanted to learn more about Jesus and His teachings. Faith is indeed a path, it grows if you let it grow and it becomes more and more an intrinsic part of yourself.
Prayer is a fundamental part of my faith, because when I am in prayer I feel more strongly the presence of Lord near to me.

 

[metis]

My parents were non-praticant catholics; this means that they let me attend catechism and receive the sacraments, but they did not give me personally a religious education.
However, since a was a child I felt the need to pray the Lord, and when I grew up, I begin to read the Bible, because I wanted to learn more about Jesus and His teachings. Faith is indeed a path, it grows if you let it grow and it becomes more and more an intrinsic part of yourself.
Prayer is a fundamental part of my faith, because when I am in prayer I feel more strongly the presence of Lord near to me.

Well said and, btw, welcome here to RF as we need some other "mackerel snappers" here for support.

 

[Spirit of Light]

Yes, there are two questions implied, one directed to those who believe in Christ, which is "why do you believe in Christ?" and one directed to those who believe in other religions, which is "Why do you not believe in Chirst?"

It is fully possible to believe that Jesus is Gods son and not following Christianity I believe the Christian teaching is a valid teaching for those who follow it's teaching. But I believe that all religion lead to salvation or enlightenment if the practitioner practice in a correct way according to the teaching they chose to cultivate

 

[Aupmanyav]

No, it is not absolutely something that happens by saying "I agree to it"; as I said , we must cooperate with God and try to eliminate every kind of evil and sin from ourselves.

What if someone remove evil and sin from his/her life but does not bow to your God? What is your God interested in? Is it necessary that one should sing hosannas or that such a person will be OK with your God?

Beautiful post. I couldn’t have said it better myself.

How can you say that it is a beautiful post? It is against Bahai view. Do you accept that Jesus was God or son of God? Do you believe that Christians and you are born in sin? Do you believe that Jesus' crucifixion removes sin from mankind? Why are you trying to be a covenant breaker? I see confused ideas in your statement.

I was raised as a Catholic. I'm familiar with its teachings. Prior to the Second Vatican Council in the1960s, we were told that Protestants were going to Hell.

God must have contacted the Pope.

I think if a person's heart is open to God and they're trying their best with the knowledge they have, and treat people as well as they can, God will take those things into account. God comes to reach us on our level when we need it and knows we're not perfect.

Saint, this is your view (you said 'I think'). Has God said so?

 

[mmarco]

It is fully possible to believe that Jesus is Gods son and not following Christianity I believe the Christian teaching is a valid teaching for those who follow it's teaching. But I believe that all religion lead to salvation or enlightenment if the practitioner practice in a correct way according to the teaching they chose to cultivate

I strongly disagree; an islamic terrorist kills hundreds or thousands of people following the teachings of his fundamentalist religion and you think that he is saved because he has practised what he chose to cultivate?
I do not think that good and evil are relative concepts.

 

[mmarco]

What if someone remove evil and sin from his/her life but does not bow to your God? What is your God interested in? Is it necessary that one should sing hosannas or that such a person will be OK with your God?

If that person doesn't bow to God because he has not yet understood that He is the true God, but such person desires in his heart to meet the true God, he will certainly be saved and he will recognize the true God when he will meet Him after his death.