Ask me any question about Christianity

[RedDragon94]

FYI: I am not an inerrantist (someone who believes the Bible does not contain errors), but I do believe the Bible points us to God. Therefore it is authoritative. I will try to answer you biblically for the sake of some of my other fellow believers and provide you with examples as to how what the Bible says is relevant to what you're asking. I hope all of us learn something new about each other and grow as individuals.

 

[savagewind]

FYI: I am not an inerrantist (someone who believes the Bible does not contain errors), but I do believe the Bible points us to God. Therefore it is authoritative. I will try to answer you biblically for the sake of some of my other fellow believers and provide you with examples as to how what the Bible says is relevant to what you're asking. I hope all of us learn something new about each other and grow as individuals.

Thank you! I imagine Matthew 28:19 says, I am going, therefore, YOU disciple in all nations.

I also believe that the Bible is not inerrant. Might it have been when written? I think so. I do not know so. But I think it can not point us to God being misunderstood.

Why do Bibles say to make disciples? I think that taken literally it means, Make people obey me, because a disciple is someone who obeys Christ imho.

 

[Demonslayer]

Why did God approve of human slavery?

 

[Quintessence]

What role do you see ritual playing in your religious practice?

 

[savagewind]

How does this make sense to you?

Jesus' last command is for his disciples to make more disciples. So every time a new disciple is made then that one is to make disciples.
So the Kingdom of God looks like this: Make disciples to make disciples to make disciples to make disciples to make disciples and on and on and on but the word make isn't even in the original manuscript. Why is it OK that it is now present?

 

[Unveiled Artist]

FYI: I am not an inerrantist (someone who believes the Bible does not contain errors), but I do believe the Bible points us to God. Therefore it is authoritative. I will try to answer you biblically for the sake of some of my other fellow believers and provide you with examples as to how what the Bible says is relevant to what you're asking. I hope all of us learn something new about each other and grow as individuals.

Why use death to bring life?

Many religions such as Buddhism value life. The Buddha went among the poor, found his enlightenment (his reason for living not dying; and prevent others from dying, for example) and helped others by giving his service, his teachings, and his a way for people to understand the nature of life by letting them help themselves.

Biblical christian achieves this through the death of christ. Everything is through "the death of" something say an animal, death/sacrificing ones health by food fasting, and the saints and christ their lives.

While I know how he died and the reasons the bible gives for how he did, the bible doesnt talk about how blood from both animal and human can literally wash away sins.

Does the bible talk about the nature of blood?

How can the sacrifice of ones life bring life?

We look down on those who commit suicide but look up to those who killed themselves for their faith.

How are the two different not by their reasons but by both taking their own lives in itselves?

 

[George-ananda]

FYI: I am not an inerrantist (someone who believes the Bible does not contain errors), but I do believe the Bible points us to God. Therefore it is authoritative. I will try to answer you biblically for the sake of some of my other fellow believers and provide you with examples as to how what the Bible says is relevant to what you're asking. I hope all of us learn something new about each other and grow as individuals.

What are your thoughts on life after death?

 

[RedDragon94]

Why did God approve of human slavery?

I assume you're referencing the Old Testament Scriptures such as Exodus 21:20-21?

 

[RedDragon94]

Thank you! I imagine Matthew 28:19 says, I am going, therefore, YOU disciple in all nations.

I also believe that the Bible is not inerrant. Might it have been when written? I think so. I do not know so. But I think it can not point us to God being misunderstood.

Why do Bibles say to make disciples? I think that taken literally it means, Make people obey me, because a disciple is someone who obeys Christ imho.

You're one of the JWs on this site aren't you?

 

[savagewind]

You're one of the JWs on this site aren't you?

Good! No! But you can see that I was taught by them. It pleases me that you discern a similarity. They believe in making people disciples of the Watchtower. I think that is a terrible sin. But they believe the Bible is without serious error, I think. I do not agree with them.

 

[RedDragon94]

What role do you see ritual playing in your religious practice?

I think ritual can only do so much. We experience God indirectly through ritualistic symbols such as the wine being the blood of Jesus and the bread being his body. There are some who say that those things are transformed into the actual body and blood of Christ by a cleric. The reason why I think ritual can only do so much is because meaning is different for every person, therefore some may take communion in an unworthy manner and anger God. The only way to know God personally is through your own experience in life. When we encounter God it's obvious to the person he is revealing himself to. We cannot come expecting God to be in a certain place or time but he reveals himself to us throughout our lives.

 

[Unveiled Artist]

You're one of the JWs on this site aren't you?

I wont answer for him, but in my opinion, you way off on that assumption.

Just had to say that cause it made me chuckle a little.

 

[savagewind]

I wont answer for him, but in my opinion, you way off on that assumption.

Just had to say that cause it made me chuckle a little.

Thank you! We are sisters. I am woman. See me roar? LOL

 

[RedDragon94]

Good! No! But you can see that I was taught by them. It pleases me that you discern a similarity. They believe in making people disciples of the Watchtower. I think that is a terrible sin. But they believe the Bible is without serious error, I think. I do not agree with them.

Sorry if I hit a nerve... I just had a feeling. I believe that God is superior to the Bible because the Spirit is the one that inspired it. Only God is perfect. So, the Scriptures are a testimony of God's past activity and when we have an experience with God like the people in the Bible did only then can we say that what is written is the word of God.

 

[RedDragon94]

How does this make sense to you?

Jesus' last command is for his disciples to make more disciples. So every time a new disciple is made then that one is to make disciples.
So the Kingdom of God looks like this: Make disciples to make disciples to make disciples to make disciples to make disciples and on and on and on but the word make isn't even in the original manuscript. Why is it OK that it is now present?

I think that the Holy Spirit is what leads a person to faith, not necessarily the Bible.

 

[savagewind]

Sorry if I hit a nerve... I just had a feeling. I believe that God is superior to the Bible because the Spirit is the one that inspired it. Only God is perfect. So, the Scriptures are a testimony of God's past activity and when we have an experience with God like the people in the Bible did only then can we say that what is written is the word of God.

I love that!

 

[savagewind]

I think that the Holy Spirit is what leads a person to faith, not necessarily the Bible.

Yes, I agree!

 

[Quintessence]

I think ritual can only do so much. We experience God indirectly through ritualistic symbols such as the wine being the blood of Jesus and the bread being his body. There are some who say that those things are transformed into the actual body and blood of Christ by a cleric. The reason why I think ritual can only do so much is because meaning is different for every person, therefore some may take communion in an unworthy manner and anger God. The only way to know God personally is through your own experience in life. When we encounter God it's obvious to the person he is revealing himself to. We cannot come expecting God to be in a certain place or time but he reveals himself to us throughout our lives.

Hmm. That gets at components of what I was curious about and is one good example. Perhaps I should back up a bit here and frame things this way:

• How you define "ritual?" To put things another way, how is ritual understood within the context of your religious practice?
• What are examples of things your religion considers to be "rituals?"
• From your perspective, what function do these rituals serve?

Basically I'm aiming to get at the practices of the religion, as rituals are components of all religions in one way or another, even where it isn't consciously emphasized or acknowledged. While I didn't recognize it at the time, today I recognize there was a lot of ritual in the Catholicism I was exposed to as a kid. Religious services as a whole have a ritualistic framework - a specific set order in which things are done per tradition - for example.

 

[RedDragon94]

While I know how he died and the reasons the bible gives for how he did, the bible doesnt talk about how blood from both animal and human can literally wash away sins.

The sacrifices of the Old Testament point to the sacrifice of Jesus as the ultimate sacrifice for sin. However, without the resurrection there would be no victory.

Does the bible talk about the nature of blood?

Genesis 9:4 is the only one I know of.

How can the sacrifice of ones life bring life?

Humanity's sacrifices can't bring life, this is why God gave himself. And it's also why Jesus was resurrected, to give everyone who believes in him victory. It's not that death begets life, resurrection begets life.

We look down on those who commit suicide but look up to those who killed themselves for their faith.

How are the two different not by their reasons but by both taking their own life in themselves?

The aim of Christian martyrs throughout the centuries has been to live forever with God and build his kingdom. The martyrs actually laid their lives down for Christ's kingdom instead of the opposite of taking their lives into their own hands.

 

[RedDragon94]

What are your thoughts on life after death?

I believe that God gives us this life to take responsibility for our past sins and accept the sacrifice of Jesus in order to be forgiven from those sins. One must come to grips with the fact that they are lost without Jesus and repent, that is, come to Jesus. Whoever does not see their sin for what it is lives in self deception, which God will judge. But whoever sees their sin for what it is and trusts in Jesus will be with God in the end, in heaven. So, Jesus is God's "yes" to the world.

*edit* Hope this makes sense. *edit*