Christianity is a crapshoot

[roger1440]

Do you really think that if heaven exists communication CAN'T come from it?

I don't know how to answer that. It's like asking me, "If the roadrunner and the coyote were real, do you think the coyote will ever catch the roadrunner?"

 

[roger1440]

Which would include hanging on to beliefs to put your trust in. "I don't know" is the beginning of Wisdom. "Lose your life for my sake", would entail letting go of trying to find answers in beliefs.

If a person already has a belief they had already found the answer or created one.

 

[roger1440]

Yes, I do believe many Near Death Experience survivors and others have seen things and heaven is non-denominational (i.e. no 'one' right religion). But they do report the importance of love and brotherly love as I previously mentioned.

Not one "near death experience" has ever been proven in the history of mankind, not one.

 

[buddhist]

As I said before the timeless teachings (love, brotherly love) are what is important and the rest are less important details they can argue about that are not going to change reality.

He certainly did not live in the day of mass media. But the image and heart of Jesus that comes through from the Gospels is a real thing (whatever details were gotten right/wrong in the Gospel stories).

I agree that nothing is unique or exclusive to Christianity but that does not mean making yourself a follower of Jesus is still not a good thing. It doesn't have to be Jesus but He is one good option for those raised in the Christian culture.

I think we can agree that it is the teachings - which we can experience for ourselves - that is of primary importance.

 

[roger1440]

He is one good option for those raised in the Christian culture.

It is the majority that defines what a Christian culture is and what a Christian is. I for one do not believe some hot Jewish chick got knocked up by God 2000 years ago.

 

[buddhist]

It is the majority that defines what a Christian culture is and what a Christian is.

How do you reconcile this perspective with what Jesus allegedly stated in Matthew 7:14?

 

[roger1440]

How do you reconcile this perspective with what Jesus allegedly stated in Matthew 7:14?

You can't take much with you. Pack light.

 

[George-ananda]

Not one "near death experience" has ever been proven in the history of mankind, not one.

PROOF of just about anything is impossible. We differ then on both 'near death experiences' and 'Christianity being a crapshoot'.

 

[savagewind]

I don't know how to answer that. It's like asking me, "If the roadrunner and the coyote were real, do you think the coyote will ever catch the roadrunner?"

If there is no heaven there is no God and there is no Jesus Christ. How are you calling yourself a Christian?

 

[George-ananda]

It is the majority that defines what a Christian culture is and what a Christian is. I for one do not believe some hot Jewish chick got knocked up by God 2000 years ago.

Doesn't mean you can't still be a follower of Jesus as an inspiring figure of brotherly love and righteousness. I don't think it hinges on belief in the Immaculate Conception (which I think is possible).

By the way, why do you call yourself a Christian? Do you have much good to say about Christianity that you would want to identify with it? I'd enjoy hearing something positive from you.

 

[Windwalker]

If a person already has a belief they had already found the answer or created one.

Then are they willing to lose it for the sake of God?

 

[paarsurrey]

Orthodox Christianity teaches one must accept Jesus to be saved. Few Christians can explain what exactly one “saved” from. Rather than to discuss what “saved” means, what does it mean to accept Jesus or to believe in Jesus? Jesus died about 2000 years ago. He is not here to speak for himself. The only available means a person in the 21st century has to hear about Jesus is by the testimony of others. This testimony is transmitted either by word of mouth, a minister or pastor, books, radio, internet, etc. None of these sources had contact with Jesus. Using the Bible as the primary source opens more questions. There is no agreement among the churches on the interpretation on Christian scripture. If there were there wouldn’t be so many churches. Then the problem of authenticity of the Bible comes up. The New Testament is a collection of 27 books. The early church fathers chose what books are in and what books are out. How can we trust their decision? Who were these men? Then the problem of authorship of these 27 books comes up. Many of the authors of these books are anonymous. Scholars are not in agreement on who wrote them. Then there is the problem of the authenticity of the subject matter itself. We can’t ask the authors because they are long dead and we don’t know who they are anyway. Added to the mix are other books that didn’t make the cut. How can anyone know the Gospel of Thomas is is not authentic? Not only is Christianity diverse but there are many other religions across the planet. It would seem Christianity is a crapshoot, a gamble.

Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad 1835-1908, the Promised Messiah and Mahdi, the Imam of the age and the Founder of the Ahmadiyya Movement in Islam, was perfectly true when he prophesied about this scenaio:

"Harken, all ye people. This is a prophecy of Him Who had created heaven and earth. He will spread this Community of His in all countries and will make it supreme over all, through reason and arguments. The days are coming, indeed they are near, when this will be the only religion which will be held in honor. God will bestow extraordinary blessings on this religion and Movement. He will frustrate everyone who seeks to destroy it. This supremacy will last till the Judgement Day.
Remember, that no one will descend from heaven. All our opponents who are alive today will die and no one will see Jesus son of Mary descending from heaven. Then their next generation will pass away and no one of them will see this spectacle. Then the generation next after that will pass away without seeing the son of Mary descending from heaven. Then God will make them anxious that though the time of the supremacy of the cross had passed away and the world had undergone great changes, yet the son of Mary had not descended from heaven. Then the wise people will suddenly discard this belief. The third century after today will not yet have come to a close when those who hold this belief, whether Muslims or Christians, will lose all hope and will give up this belief in disgust. There will then be only one religion that will prevail in the world and only one leader. I have come only to sow the seed, which has been sown by my hand. Now it will sprout and grow and flourish and no one can arrest its growth."
(Tazkaratush Shahadatain, p. 64-65)
https://www.alislam.org/library/links/00000087.html
Regards

 

[Thief]

No one in the 21 century knows what Jesus taught. People are taught by books, not Jesus. I have never met anyone who has been to heaven, have you?

the parables had to be translated....
but I think I got the message.

 

[Thief]

Change.

into what?

I don't believe God and heaven is looking for our...humanity

 

[Deidre]

lol true. Considering that Pascal was a Christian, that's what the wager was based on.

According to “Pascal's Wager” it would be in our best interest to bet that God exists rather than God does not exist. If God does exist then the wagerer would gain eternal bliss. On the other hand, if God did not exist and the wagerer had bet that God did exist the wagerer had lost nothing. But there is a flaw in his argument. Suppose a person had bet on the wrong God. Suppose God isn’t Christian at all. Suppose God is Jewish, Muslim, or Hindu?

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pascal's_Wager

http://whistlinginthewind.org/2012/05/06/the-flaws-of-pascals-wager/

 

[savagewind]

into what?

I don't believe God and heaven is looking for our...humanity

To change a person's point of view.

 

[Thief]

To change a person point of view.

ok...yeah....
but having seen that other perspective.....
are you then expected to lean upon it?.....become that other person?

mirrors then don't mean much....do they?

the reflection is of something 'else'

 

[savagewind]

ok...yeah....
but having seen that other perspective.....
are you then expected to lean upon it?.....become that other person?

mirrors then don't mean much....do they?

the reflection is of something 'else'

What other perspective? There are not only two for each person. I think that there are many and should always be evolving.
The problem with doctrine (religion) is believing in religion's dogma halts evolution.

 

[Thief]

What other perspective? There are not only two for each person. I think that there are many and should always be evolving.
The problem with doctrine (religion) is believing in religion's dogma halts evolution.

ok...and I'm not much believing in dogma....

you could say....I have evolved

but there are only two perspectives for one person.....
the person you are....
and the person you desire to be

 

[savagewind]

ok...and I'm not much believing in dogma....

you could say....I have evolved

but there are only two perspectives for one person.....
the person you are....
and the person you desire to be

I can not see the person I desire to be. I have given myself to the Lord. The Lord shall decide it.