Can I be Christian and Not Believe the Bible?

[ananda]

You mean stray individuals who have their own theories on what they would like Christianity to be?

No, I meant those who believe that they are the "few" as described in Mt 7:14 (as opposed to the "many" of the larger groups).

 

[Avid]

Because I have always loved Jesus.

If you do not believe what is written about Him in God's word, what is it you think you know that makes you love him?

 

[lucaspa]

Scientists have not disproved the Great Flood. They probably have disproved what some people imagined it to have been, but many of us and plenty of good theologians had already set the record straight...if they'd been listening.

Albion, I'm not sure what you are saying. The term "Great Flood" refers to a world-wide flood. If not, what do you think it refers to? And what do you mean by "set the record straight"?

By 1831 scientists -- nearly all of whom were Christians and most of whom were ministers -- had indeed disproved a world-wide flood. That is what the first quote in my signature refers to.

 

[Colter]

If you do not believe what is written about Him in God's word, what is it you think you know that makes you love him?

It's like the newspaper, one can get a general sense of the news without buying into the bias of the reporting.

 

[Albion]

Read the story's in the scripture, they are clear. The flood was a Hebrew device to trace their blood lines to Adam. In Babylon the Hebrews completely rewrote their history, they converted secular into miraculous. There are no secular history books of the Jews before Babylon.

So you don't believe in any flood at all. I thought you were simply disagreeing with the details. Well, that's your problem, then.

 

[bhsmte]

So you don't believe in any flood at all. I thought you were simply disagreeing with the details. Well, that's your problem, then.

How do you think the bible describes the flood?

 

[Avid]

Because I have always loved Jesus.

Jesus indicated that many will seek to enter the only place where they will find what they say they seek, but will not be able. Do you love that?

Matthew 7
13 Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat:
14 Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it. ​

If you are not one who finds what Jesus said few will find, though they seek it, Jesus will be your Judge. Do you love that?

 

[Albion]

Albion, I'm not sure what you are saying. The term "Great Flood" refers to a world-wide flood.

It refers to the greatest flood that those people had every seen or heard of or imagined. It probably covered a significant part of today's Middle East. None of that is beyond credibility, especially in a land that even today is well-known for its floods.

 

[katerinah1947]

Because I have always loved Jesus.

Hi,
Your faith setting is atheist.
What do you mean by you love Jesus?
LOVE (My best recollection of the way God actually loves.),
...Mary., .... .

 

[Givemeareason]

That sounds good, but I was more concerned with how you verify, that this third perspective you discuss, is actually finding true reality?

Because in the 3rd person I am objective and can compare different possible realities and choose between them.

 

[bhsmte]

It refers to the greatest flood that those people had every seen or heard of or imagined. It probably covered a significant part of today's Middle East. None of that is beyond credibility, especially in a land that even today is well-known for its floods.

Evidence?

And, how does the bible describe the extent of the flood?

 

[bhsmte]

Because in the 3rd person I am objective and can compare different possible realities and choose between them.

This is circular and not sure if you are aware.

How do you objectively verify that something is a reality, outside of your own mind?

 

[Albion]

No, I meant those who believe that they are the "few" as described in Mt 7:14 (as opposed to the "many" of the larger groups).

Who did you have in mind?

 

[Givemeareason]

Jesus indicated that many will seek to enter the only place where they will find what they say they seek, but will not be able. Do you love that?

Matthew 7
13 Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat:
14 Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it. ​

If you are not one who finds what Jesus said few will find, though they seek it, Jesus will be your Judge. Do you love that?

Because I love Jesus he is within me and becomes the moral standard by which
I judge myself and the world. So yes I am already being judged by Jesus. And neither myself nor the world can live up to those standards. Do you now see why I must love Jesus. He is with me and a part of me. To not love Jesus, I could not love myself.

 

[katerinah1947]

Because in the 3rd person I am objective and can compare different possible realities and choose between them.

Hi,
Oh! That is what you mean by third person. Yes, most of us when working are working in the third person as you call that. Once that part of being human was called working in the Adult mode. The other two modes were parental and child mode. The parent takes care of things. The child has fun. It is what was called the adult mode, that displaced feelings to work.
You are in working mode, which is objective.
You have said in your mind. So all of this takes place in your mind? When if ever, have you tried yet, to do all of this from your heart? And yes, I do mean from your heart, exactly the way you are doing things in your mind. I mean staying objective but using your heart, rather than your mind, while doing that.
LOVE,
...Mary., .... .

 

[Albion]

Because I have always loved Jesus.

Loving Jesus doesn't, in itself, make anyone a Christian. I'd say to refer to yourself as an admirer of Jesus and let it go at that. Plenty of Hindus and Atheists say the same thing about him.

 

[Givemeareason]

Hi,
Your faith setting is atheist.
What do you mean by you love Jesus?
LOVE (My best recollection of the way God actually loves.),
...Mary., .... .

I am athiest because God has not been revealed to me.

 

[bhsmte]

I am athiest because God has not been revealed to me.

Yea, I think you said that already.

 

[ananda]

Who did you have in mind?

Nobody in particular ... just speaking in generalities.

 

[lucaspa]

I often exist in the 3rd perspective within my mind. From there I exercise judgement on myself and all that is. Since I am not myself, I think I see things more objectively. I arrive at what I believe to be true about myself and reality. Then I experience life from there. This may sound arrogant which I am but I cannot deny that perspective.

You just stated a faith! And you told us before you have no faith.

Seriously, you have faith that this perspective within your mind gives you an accurate picture of yourself and reality.

Most of us check our private perspective with the perspective of others. If you have a person whose private perspective tells him that he is Napoleon Bonaparte, when everyone else's perspective tells us Napoleon has been dead for nearly 200 years, then we say that the person is insane.

Judaism and Christianity are historical religions, as well as personal ones. By "historical", I mean the religions are based upon God's intervention in human history. For Jews, the essential intervention is the Exodus. For Christians, the essential intervention is the birth, life, death, and resurrection of Jesus. As Paul said, if Jesus was not resurrected, then our faith is in vain.

The "historical" means that we have faith that the accounts of those who witnessed that intervention, then told others (who wrote it down) is essentially accurate. We have faith that the gospels do relate actual events in Jesus' life, most particularly, the tomb was really empty.

The personal part of the religions is that each of us can (and hopefully does) have a personal, ongoing communication and relationship with God. For you, that might mean that "the 3rd perspective within my mind" is God talking to you.

Some people have written down what they have learned from their personal relationship. In particular, Christians rely upon what the non-gospel writers wrote about their personal relationship with God. We have faith that those letters do contain accurate messages from God. After all, those letters -- combined with the gospels and their reason -- led the early Church Fathers to conclude Trinity.