Christian/nonChristian

I'm writing 5 reasons I should be a Christian, and 5 reasons I should not be:

Reasons to be Christian:

1. I have had paranormal experiences before in my opinion. This points to there being a bit more to life than just face value.

2. I find belief in a potential positive afterlife to be a pleasant thing to think about and strive toward.

3. In my pursuit of critical thinking and intellectual honesty, I've learned dismissing things without a valid 2 or 3 page reason, is really not striving my hardest at these traits. And I haven't formed quite a 2 or 3 page reason not to be a Christian.

4. If what we as humans see with our own two eyes is almost all there is to life, I am really quite unsatisfied.

5. If the stories about Jesus were true, he sounds pretty awesome.

Reasons not to be Christian:

1. There are a lot of apparent face-value contradictions among Bible verses, and to explain them away properly and rationally takes a master theologian.

2. Harsh, almost dogmatic views toward the LGBTQ+ community and even evolutionists in the Christian community.

3. Some Bible stories make little sense to me, like the talking donkey.

4. Many of the very most top modern day leaders of the faith do, from experience, really seem to be wolves in sheep's clothing.

5. The divide among even people of the Christian faith. Put a Seventh Day Adventist Christian and a Roman Catholic Christian together, and see if they really agree on much regarding faith. They'd be lucky not to get in an argument. With all this division, how do we know what semi-important beliefs and interpretations are correct of this faith?

Rival said:

Have you looked at other monotheistic faiths?

Click to expand...

Not well enough for my liking. I'm looking at a Wikipedia article I just pulled up, called "Monotheism" (I believe).

Have you looked into the non-realistic approach to the religion you are culturally familiar with?

https://www.iep.utm.edu/religion/#SH1b

The Non-Realism of Don Cupitt

AT-AT said:

1. I have had paranormal experiences before in my opinion. This points to there being a bit more to life than just face value.

Click to expand...

This is not necessarily a reason to be a Christian versus other faiths.

AT-AT said:

4. Many of the very most top modern day leaders of the faith do, from experience, really seem to be wolves in sheep's clothing.

Click to expand...

To me there's a vast difference between Christianity, a faith centered on the Christ, and "churchianity" focusing on institutions and often people who don't act properly.

sun rise said:

To me there's a vast difference between Christianity, a faith centered on the Christ, and "churchianity" focusing on institutions and often people who don't act properly.

Click to expand...

When you read the Bible just keep in mind that those books were written by different people at different times and the Books were not ordered in a linear way.

What you get out of the Bible is what you want to see. If you are looking for the goodness in us; you will find it. On the other hand, if the bad is what you seek, you will find it there as well.

All religious faiths have this two-sided coin.

In my view of things

-

AT-AT said:

I'm writing 5 reasons I should be a Christian, and 5 reasons I should not be:

Reasons to be Christian:

1. I have had paranormal experiences before in my opinion. This points to there being a bit more to life than just face value.

2. I find belief in a potential positive afterlife to be a pleasant thing to think about and strive toward.

3. In my pursuit of critical thinking and intellectual honesty, I've learned dismissing things without a valid 2 or 3 page reason, is really not striving my hardest at these traits. And I haven't formed quite a 2 or 3 page reason not to be a Christian.

4. If what we as humans see with our own two eyes is almost all there is to life, I am really quite unsatisfied.

5. If the stories about Jesus were true, he sounds pretty awesome.

Reasons not to be Christian:

1. There are a lot of apparent face-value contradictions among Bible verses, and to explain them away properly and rationally takes a master theologian.

2. Harsh, almost dogmatic views toward the LGBTQ+ community and even evolutionists in the Christian community.

3. Some Bible stories make little sense to me, like the talking donkey.

4. Many of the very most top modern day leaders of the faith do, from experience, really seem to be wolves in sheep's clothing.

5. The divide among even people of the Christian faith. Put a Seventh Day Adventist Christian and a Roman Catholic Christian together, and see if they really agree on much regarding faith. They'd be lucky not to get in an argument. With all this division, how do we know what semi-important beliefs and interpretations are correct of this faith?

Click to expand...

Denominations major in minors.

Proper doctrines for an individual should be found in the Bible, not in a denominations interpretation.

I once was an ordained Elder and Bible class teacher in the SDA denomination. Some questions arose within me about doctrine.

I decided to as well as I could abandon training to think from a certain perspective, and objectively read and re read the NT.

I did so many times one summer, I kept copious notes, I had questions I wrote down, and went right back to the Bible to answer them.

At the end of that summer I was no longer an SDA.

We are accountable for our beliefs and faith, personally accountable. Now I strive to be a primitive Christian, that is, a Christian whose belief structure is as close as possible to that of the Apostles and Apostolic Church.

No Christian should be hostile to a homosexual or transgender person. They are owed the same treatment as anyone else. Paul said he had no reason to judge those outside the Church, and neither do I.

My only problem that I am trying to correct is finding some transgenders so funny looking, that I laugh. I am trying to abandon that reaction.

homosexuals and transgender people inside the Church can be judged, and their behavior is unacceptable. Note I said behavior. I know a celibate homosexual who put his relationship to God above everything else, and he is fully accepted in the Church.

Macro evolutionists have a belief, I have a belief. They are not the same. That´s perfectly fine, disagreement is no reason for hostility.

There is one type of person I can become hostile with, quickly, a new atheist, following the lead of Dawkins, Hitchens, et. al.

These folk are arrogantly hostile to Christianity, disrespectful, angry, many want to actively destroy Christianity, and they lie to do so. You will find them in this forum. I despise their words, their methods, and if these speak to the kind of people they are, them.

AT-AT said:

I'm writing 5 reasons I should be a Christian, and 5 reasons I should not be:

Reasons to be Christian:

1. I have had paranormal experiences before in my opinion. This points to there being a bit more to life than just face value.

2. I find belief in a potential positive afterlife to be a pleasant thing to think about and strive toward.

3. In my pursuit of critical thinking and intellectual honesty, I've learned dismissing things without a valid 2 or 3 page reason, is really not striving my hardest at these traits. And I haven't formed quite a 2 or 3 page reason not to be a Christian.

4. If what we as humans see with our own two eyes is almost all there is to life, I am really quite unsatisfied.

5. If the stories about Jesus were true, he sounds pretty awesome.

Reasons not to be Christian:

1. There are a lot of apparent face-value contradictions among Bible verses, and to explain them away properly and rationally takes a master theologian.

2. Harsh, almost dogmatic views toward the LGBTQ+ community and even evolutionists in the Christian community.

3. Some Bible stories make little sense to me, like the talking donkey.

4. Many of the very most top modern day leaders of the faith do, from experience, really seem to be wolves in sheep's clothing.

5. The divide among even people of the Christian faith. Put a Seventh Day Adventist Christian and a Roman Catholic Christian together, and see if they really agree on much regarding faith. They'd be lucky not to get in an argument. With all this division, how do we know what semi-important beliefs and interpretations are correct of this faith?

Click to expand...

Hi AT-AT interesting post.

Much of your objections are explained in the bible. Even the foretelling of Jesus that in the last days there will be many false teachings and false teachers who will try and lead others away from God's Word. Many will also fall away from the truth of God's Word to follow the doctrine of devils. We cannot find God by seeking God through man but we are promised in God's Word that if you seek God through His Word wilth a prayerful spirit asking God to be your guide and teacher, His promise is that he will guide you and teach you what his truth is and it is in the Word of God (the bible) that you will find him who is calling you. This is the New Covenant promise in all those who believe and follow God's Word *Hebrews 8:10-12. Turn away from seeking God's truth through man and seek God through his Word. You may want to start with these promises which are from God just for you *John 14:26; John 16:13; John 7:17; John 8:31-36; 1 John 2:27. If you seek God' through man you may be lead away from God. This is the warning given to all through the scriptures.

May God bless you on your journey, I see him calling you.

shmogie said:

There is one type of person I can become hostile with, quickly, a new atheist, following the lead of Dawkins, Hitchens, et. al.

These folk are arrogantly hostile to Christianity, disrespectful, angry, many want to actively destroy Christianity, and they lie to do so. You will find them in this forum. I despise their words, their methods, and if these speak to the kind of people they are, them.

Click to expand...

I fully support your right to believe what you want. I also fully support the right for myself and others to mock, disrespect, and make fun of your beliefs, along with other beliefs we find ridiculous. Learn to deal with criticism.

BTW, you might want to research Dawkins. He has had many good things to say about Christianity.

Hubert Farnsworth said:

I fully support your right to believe what you want. I also fully support the right for myself and others to mock, disrespect, and make fun of your beliefs, along with other beliefs we find ridiculous. Learn to deal with criticism.

BTW, you might want to research Dawkins. He has had many good things to say about Christianity.

Click to expand...

That isn´t criticism. It is pure hatefulness. Especially when you break into a purely theological discussion with your idiocy.

I have rarely, if ever mocked, disrespected,or make fun of atheists, but that doesn´t mean they aren´t ripe for that treatment.

That is guttersnipe behavior, and I and the Christians here refuse to go back to the first grade and indulge in it.

There are atheists here who have some class and don´t crawl around at your level, you should learn from them, but, of course, you won´t.

shmogie said:

That isn´t criticism. It is pure hatefulness. Especially when you break into a purely theological discussion with your idiocy.

I have rarely, if ever mocked, disrespected,or make fun of atheists, but that doesn´t mean they aren´t ripe for that treatment.

That is guttersnipe behavior, and I and the Christians here refuse to go back to the first grade and indulge in it.

There are atheists here who have some class and don´t crawl around at your level, you should learn from them, but, of course, you won´t.

Click to expand...

I don't mock Christians, I mock your beliefs. I also mock Muslims' beliefs and the beliefs of nearly everyone I disagree with, and not just on the Internet, but in person as well. It's all in good fun. Some people take themselves too seriously.

Hubert Farnsworth said:

I also fully support the right for myself and others to mock, disrespect, and make fun of your beliefs, along with other beliefs we find ridiculous.

Click to expand...

Speaking only as an observant regular member, uh ... no. They have a couple of rules about that here they take very seriously.

You’re welcome.

Hubert Farnsworth said:

and not just on the Internet, but in person as well.

Click to expand...

Somehow I doubt this