• Welcome to Religious Forums, a friendly forum to discuss all religions in a friendly surrounding.

    Your voice is missing! You will need to register to get access to the following site features:
    • Reply to discussions and create your own threads.
    • Our modern chat room. No add-ons or extensions required, just login and start chatting!
    • Access to private conversations with other members.

    We hope to see you as a part of our community soon!

Who is Jesus Christ to you?

Dave Watchman

Active Member
He thought his purpose was to deliver the message of an impending kingdom of God.

Do you mean this:

“The time is fulfilled,” He said, “and the kingdom of God is at hand. Repent and believe in the gospel!” - Mark 1:15​

I would be more worried about what time was fulfilled.

Not that He meant: “The time is fulfilled,” like now is the time, or the time is now, but a fulfillment, or a completion of a specific measurement of time. A time like no other.

The best of times, the worst of times.

Until Messiah the Prince.

Peaceful Sabbath.
 

Yazata

Active Member
Who do you see Jesus as?

Like everyone, he was him. I never knew him (he lived 2000 years ago) so I can't say anything about who he was as a man. I think that many of the things said about him are kind of outlandish and very difficult for me to believe.

What are your thoughts about Him?

That he, or more accurately the tradition that has accreted around his memory, play a huge role in a religion that I don't personally believe or participate in. So Jesus doesn't play any role in my life.

What do you believe his purpose was?

Again, I never knew him, so it's hard to speak to his motivations. But I'd guess that he was a Jew of his time and place, if perhaps somewhat unorthodox. My guess (pure speculation) is that he saw himself as sort of a prophet, called to proclaim the coming Kingdom of God. My guess (again pure speculation) is that as a Jew of his time, he would probably be appalled by the religion that has grown up in his name. The idea that he should somehow be equated with God (I've never been able to get my mind around orthodox Christology), would likely have sounded like blasphemy to his ears.
 
Last edited:

sun rise

The world is on fire
Premium Member
What do you mean push humanity forward?
The answer is simple if it was only a matter of material terms: scientific development, economic prosperity and so forth.

In cultural and psychological terms it's still relatively simple to answer. As John Donne put it: Any man's death diminishes me, because I am involved in Mankind; And therefore never send to know for whom the bell tolls; it tolls for thee.

But the real meaning to my statement is deeper. I can't express it any better than was done in Meher Baba's Discourse on the Avatar:

Avataric periods are like the spring-tide of creation...
...
The Avatar awakens contemporary humanity to a realisation of its true spiritual nature, gives liberation to those who are ready, and quickens the life of the spirit in his time. For posterity is left the stimulating power of his divinely human example, the nobility of a life supremely lived, of a love unmixed with desire, of a power unused except for others, of a peace untroubled by ambition, of a knowledge undimmed by illusion. He has demonstrated the possibility of a divine life for all humanity, of a heavenly life on earth. ...

N. B. For those that are so inclined, Meher Baba outlined a number of ways of realizing God. One of which noted the perfect love St. Francis (of Assisi) had for Jesus. And that gives me a reference frame for Christians: is someone who calls himself a Christian following the path of love preached by Jesus? Are they seeking to become more loving or not?
 

Aupmanyav

Be your own guru
Krishna, in the first part of chapter 4 of the Bhagavad Gita tells Arjuna that he has passed the knowledge of karma and jnana yoga to gods and others before Arjuna and has returned to teach Arjuna.
Krishna was an avatara, God himself. As per Hindu majority, he came in form of Lord Buddha also. Gita is a Vaishnava scripture. I do not go along with non-advaitic verses of Gita. I accept Gita when it says that the wise consider a noble, learned brahmin, a cow, a she-elephant, Dogs and dog-eaters, see all those as same. ;)

"vidyā-vinaya-sampanne, brāhmaṇe gavi hastini;
śuni caiva śva-pāke ca, paṇḍitāḥ sama-darśinaḥ."
Bg. 5.18

 

Ashoka

श्री कृष्णा शरणं मम
This is pretty much how I think. I’m iffy about the manifestation of God thing. If anything I think he was at most anshavatara, partial avatar, expansion. Probably more like the saints and teachers Shankaracharya, Sri Ramakrishna, Swami Vivekananda, Paramhansa Yogananda, Ramana Maharishi, et. al., those before them and in their line of disciples.

What Jesus taught was corrupted once Paul got his usurping hands on it. I have absolutely no use for Paul and his false modesty and false humility, all for the purpose of his own self-aggrandizement. Everything disliked, despised, detested about Christianity and the evils committed in its name and in Jesus’s name is his doing. Jesus was IMO a cool dude, none of what’s happened is his doing.

That's how I look at it. I love Jesus, just not his fanclub :p
 

Brickjectivity

Turned to Stone. Now I stretch daily.
Staff member
Premium Member
What are your thoughts about Him?
I'm not Jewish, and my understanding of him is tenuous. He's representative of all martyrs. He's all of them, everyone who has lived right and died for the sake of people they don't know. He is an answer to the question "Are people merely animals, or is there more to us?" He's also a source of many enigmas. Many things are hard to explain about him.

What do you believe his purpose was?
His name sounding something like "Yehowshua" translates to The LORD is Salvation (or something like that). Matthew 1:21 says it is because he will save his people from errant ways. This, in turn, means the renewal which the Jews of the time envision as a complete return to the LORD. In other words he is the key to their return to the LORD and subsequent return to the umbrella of blessings spoken on Mt. Gerazim (Deuteronomy 11:29) Copious blessings will follow in his wake, and the entire globe will be blessed through Abraham.

Jesus is named after Joshua, Moses assistant. He is a second Joshua if you will. Joshua's name, in turn was not originally Joshua. It was changed by Moses from Hoshea to Joshua (Numbers 13:16), so the name is considered significant by Matthew, since Joshua is the leader who will take Israel into the promised land. Hoshea is not, but Joshua is. Therefore the name Joshua is chosen for the one who will resurrect Israel, a resurrection described by several prophets such as Ezekiel. In this way the dead will live again, and the second Joshua will lead Israel into its final rest. That I think is the general idea though it is stylized and described in other ways.

Its unclear to me whether early Christians pursue an afterlife other than the fame of Christ in his church. They may consider eternal life not to be individual, instead to be communal.

Please be reminded this is interfaith discussion and not a debate thread.
I am keeping that in mind. I'm not correcting anyone nor making challenges, just replying to the question "What do you think?"
 

idea

Question Everything
Who do you see Jesus as?

What are your thoughts about Him?

What do you believe his purpose was?

Please be reminded this is interfaith discussion and not a debate thread.

To imagine who we would like God to be if They were to live among us, a humble birth, a pacifist, would need to embrace diversity, have equal amount of male/female young/old friends. If I were to write the story, they would have traveled more, lived with people from Africa, to India, China, the artic. They would have lived to a ripe-old-age too, perhaps no death but rather time enough for individual attention to each person on earth. They would live a balanced life, an example of physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual health.
 

idea

Question Everything
I'm not Jewish, and my understanding of him is tenuous. He's representative of all martyrs. He's all of them, everyone who has lived right and died for the sake of people they don't know. He is an answer to the question "Are people merely animals, or is there more to us?" He's also a source of many enigmas. Many things are hard to explain about him.

"died for the sake of people they don't know"? I thought the point was know as you are known, every hair on your head etc.?

For me, to imagine the best-case scenario of who God in the flesh would be, they would have to both know everything about you, and still love you.\

As for martyr, to me that is a victim mentality, give up and die. Much more impressive to me are those who serve others through their life. It is easier to die for others than to live for others.
 

Brickjectivity

Turned to Stone. Now I stretch daily.
Staff member
Premium Member
"died for the sake of people they don't know"? I thought the point was know as you are known, every hair on your head etc.?

For me, to imagine the best-case scenario of who God in the flesh would be, they would have to both know everything about you, and still love you.\

As for martyr, to me that is a victim mentality, give up and die. Much more impressive to me are those who serve others through their life. It is easier to die for others than to live for others.
Hi,
I appreciate that you think differently, but I should inform you that contradicting other people in a non debate area is against forum rules. The best thing to do is state what you think not where you disagree with other people. I'm not permitted to argue with you in this section.
 

Sand Dancer

Crazy Cat Lady
Who do you see Jesus as?

What are your thoughts about Him?

What do you believe his purpose was?

Please be reminded this is interfaith discussion and not a debate thread.

He used to be my savior, but now I see him as a religious teacher, along with Buddha. His purpose was to soften up Judaism to make people more important than dogma, and to show people how to focus on the spirit of the law as opposed to the letter of the law.
 

firedragon

Veteran Member
Who do you see Jesus as?

What are your thoughts about Him?

What do you believe his purpose was?

Please be reminded this is interfaith discussion and not a debate thread.

Historically, a naturalistic approach would note that he was a man who lived 2000 years ago, was called messiah, and had a brother called James as Josephus reports.

Theologically, from an Islamic point of view he was a prophet or messenger, how ever you wish to address him. Rasoolullah. Messenger of God.

Jesus was a Messenger who was given scripture
 And We gave Moses the Book, and after him We sent the messengers. And We
gave Jesus, son of Mary, the clear proofs, and We supported him with the Holy
Spirit. Is it that every time a messenger comes to you with what your souls do
not desire, you become arrogant? A group of them you deny, and a group of
them you kill! – Quran 2:87

You must believe in Jesus and he is exalted as any prophet, including Muhammed
 Say: “We believe in God and in what was sent down to us and what was sent
down to Abraham, and Ishmael, and Isaac, and Jacob, and the Patriarchs, and
what was given to Moses and Jesus, and what was given to the prophets from
their Lord; we do not make a distinction between any of them and to Him we
submit.” – Quran 2:136
He was given the
Injeel (Gospel)

 Such messengers, we have preferred some over others; some of them talked to
God, and He raised some of them in rank, and we gave Jesus, son of Mary, the
clear proofs and we supported him with the Holy Spirit. And had God wished,
the people after them would not have fought after the proofs had come to them,
but they disputed, some of them believed and some of them rejected. If God had
wished they would not have fought, but God does what He pleases. – Quran
2:253

Jesus is the Messiah or the Christ
 And the angels said: “O Mary, God gives you glad tidings of a word from Him.
His name is the Messiah (Christ), Jesus, son of Mary. Honorable in this world
and in the Hereafter, and from among those who are made close.” – Quran 3:45
Jesus performed miracles with Gods permission

 God said: “O Jesus, son of Mary, recall My blessings upon you and your
mother, that I supported you with the Holy Spirit; you spoke to the people in
 

Trailblazer

Veteran Member
LSD?

Lysergic acid diethylamide?

Known colloquially as acid?.
Yes, that was what I was referring to... I did not take LSD, but I wrote it when I meant to write LDS. My typing skills are not always that great. :(
I did used to take LSD though, in my deep dark past. ;)
 

MatthewA

Active Member
Historically, a naturalistic approach would note that he was a man who lived 2000 years ago, was called messiah, and had a brother called James as Josephus reports.

Theologically, from an Islamic point of view he was a prophet or messenger, how ever you wish to address him. Rasoolullah. Messenger of God.

Jesus was a Messenger who was given scripture
 And We gave Moses the Book, and after him We sent the messengers. And We
gave Jesus, son of Mary, the clear proofs, and We supported him with the Holy
Spirit. Is it that every time a messenger comes to you with what your souls do
not desire, you become arrogant? A group of them you deny, and a group of
them you kill! – Quran 2:87

You must believe in Jesus and he is exalted as any prophet, including Muhammed
 Say: “We believe in God and in what was sent down to us and what was sent
down to Abraham, and Ishmael, and Isaac, and Jacob, and the Patriarchs, and
what was given to Moses and Jesus, and what was given to the prophets from
their Lord; we do not make a distinction between any of them and to Him we
submit.” – Quran 2:136
He was given the
Injeel (Gospel)

 Such messengers, we have preferred some over others; some of them talked to
God, and He raised some of them in rank, and we gave Jesus, son of Mary, the
clear proofs and we supported him with the Holy Spirit. And had God wished,
the people after them would not have fought after the proofs had come to them,
but they disputed, some of them believed and some of them rejected. If God had
wished they would not have fought, but God does what He pleases. – Quran
2:253

Jesus is the Messiah or the Christ
 And the angels said: “O Mary, God gives you glad tidings of a word from Him.
His name is the Messiah (Christ), Jesus, son of Mary. Honorable in this world
and in the Hereafter, and from among those who are made close.” – Quran 3:45
Jesus performed miracles with Gods permission

 God said: “O Jesus, son of Mary, recall My blessings upon you and your
mother, that I supported you with the Holy Spirit; you spoke to the people in

okay
 

URAVIP2ME

Veteran Member
Who do you see Jesus as?
What are your thoughts about Him?
What do you believe his purpose was?....................
I see Jesus just as Jesus saw himself by his truthful answer as found at John 10:36 that he is God's Son
My thoughts are that God sent pre-human Jesus to Earth for us, a ransom for us - Matthew 20:28
Because Jesus' purpose was to declare his God's name (John 17:6; John 17:26) and to proclaim God's Kingdom government to mankind - Luke 4:43; Daniel 2:44; Matthew 24:14; Acts 1:8
 

Katzpur

Not your average Mormon
Who do you see Jesus as?

What are your thoughts about Him?

What do you believe his purpose was?

Please be reminded this is interfaith discussion and not a debate thread.
I see Jesus as my elder brother, as the Only Begotten Son of the Father. I see Him as the individual given the responsibility to reunite God's family for eternity. I see Him as our Savior, but that puts a more of a mainstream, traditional spin on His role than I see as a non-traditional Christian. I see Him more as a Healer, as the one who is able to mend the wounds I incur during my life as I try to become the kind of person He was -- loving, forgiving, caring, compassionate.
 

9-10ths_Penguin

1/10 Subway Stalinist
Premium Member
They say He is either a liar, insane or the Lord.
"They" is C.S. Lewis, and the phrase was "lunatic, liar or Lord."

And the point he was making was right: it doesn't make sense to say that Jesus was an ordinary man and a great moral teacher. If the Jesus presented in the Bible were just an ordinary man, quite a bit of what he supposedly said would be either immoral, false or both.

But if people have been taught that the records about Him are not true then..............
Right: and I think Matt Dillahunty's the one who said that Lewis's trilemma left out an important "L": "legend."

As I pointed out earlier, I don't think we have any reliable way to say what Jesus was really like. IOW, I see the Bible as unreliable.
 

9-10ths_Penguin

1/10 Subway Stalinist
Premium Member
And there would not be any reason to condemn Jesus for what He did if the stories are true.
Thanks would be more appropriate.
If the Gospel were true, Jesus would still be erratic and flawed.

A line on a podcast I listen to captured it perfectly, IMO: without missing a beat, one of the hosts answered the question "what would Jesus do?" with "hate figs?"
 

Psalm23

Well-Known Member
I see Jesus as my Savior and my hope. I see Jesus as Lord and God, creator of all.

I love the Lord Jesus and desire to see him in person and be embraced in his arms.

I see Jesus as come to pay for the sins of the world to all who believe on his name.
 
Top