(moved) Why I challenge some versions of Christianity

[FreeinChrist]

MOD HAT

This thread has had a clean up and is being moved to Exploring Christianity. It does not fit the Community Hangout forum.

 

[aiki]

In the end I did the 'saved' bit when I was eleven. Although I never had any experience that Jesus/the deity were out there somewhere, I was quite sincere in my belief for a while. However, by the time I was a teenager the doubts began to grow until they were too overwhelming to ignore, and I lost my faith by the time I was 19 and married. As I have mentioned on other threads the behaviour of many of the people claiming to be 'born again' and destined for heaven, left a lot to be desired and then some.

I have read the Bible from cover to cover many times since then and have never found anything in that book to change my mind.

The reason why I post on forums like this to state that whilst I have absolutely no problem whatsoever with moderate live and let live Christians, like our own three daughters who don't shove their beliefs down the throats of others, I have a big problem with those who make threats if people don't convert! This is abusive when aimed at children and the vulnerable and should be illegal.

God is the One who makes threats if we don't receive His gift of salvation. It is salvation He offers to us; salvation from His judgement and punishment of our wickedness. Do you think you should be able to disobey God's command with impunity? Why should you, whose life depends entirely upon God at every moment, be able to live your life with your back to Him without consequence?

In a free and democratic society a husband and wife get to raise their children as they see fit. Why should you have the right to say what they can and can't teach their own children? I know many Christian parents who would find your atheism just as destructive and vicious as you believe Christian doctrine to be. Should they, then, be able to interfere with how you raise your children? I suspect you would protest vehemently against such an idea!

Selah.

 

[Albion]

I realise some people think I am a troll, but that is not my intention.

I understand where you're coming from, and it's no secret that not everyone who hears about Jesus will believe in him. What I'm not so certain about is what would cause you to come to a Christian Discussion group in order to say it more than once.

 

[613jono]

I myself have left Christianity long ago.... its interpretations, theologies and creeds. Began a personal search for truth-through study of the historical, cultural contexts of texts and interpretations. and I must say, although still on the journey- many things I used to hold as indisputable, are.

With that said, I am a believer in the one you call Jesus-just view his words through a different lens.

 

[ToBeLoved]

I realise some people think I am a troll, but that is not my intention.

Here is my story.

I was born to parents who attended a Pentecostal church where Sunday after Sunday the 'you must be 'saved' or burn in hell' version of Christianity was preached! My paternal grandmother had beaten religion into her six kids, and from the age of two, that nasty, sadistic woman had taken great pleasure in describing the tortures of hell to me. I had awful nightmares throughout my childhood. As there no evidence at all to support such a nasty dogma, telling a child such a thing is abuse pure and simple!

In the end I did the 'saved' bit when I was eleven. Although I never had any experience that Jesus/the deity were out there somewhere, I was quite sincere in my belief for a while. However, by the time I was a teenager the doubts began to grow until they were too overwhelming to ignore, and I lost my faith by the time I was 19 and married. As I have mentioned on other threads the behaviour of many of the people claiming to be 'born again' and destined for heaven, left a lot to be desired and then some.

I have read the Bible from cover to cover many times since then and have never found anything in that book to change my mind.

The reason why I post on forums like this to state that whilst I have absolutely no problem whatsoever with moderate live and let live Christians, like our own three daughters who don't shove their beliefs down the throats of others, I have a big problem with those who make threats if people don't convert! This is abusive when aimed at children and the vulnerable and should be illegal.

I know what you mean about people who are abusive Christians. I have a few in my own family and it is terrible.

The main thing that you should understand is the gospel. The gospel is that Adam brought sin into the world, which separates God from human kind.

Jesus dying for sin as the perfect sacrifice, with no sin allows us to be reconciled back to God through Jesus because now that Jesus conquered sin, He can forgive the sins of man kind.

If you need your sins forgiven, then Jesus is the only way to get that. He is the only one who lived a perfect life and took the sin of the world upon Himself and in doing that He has reconciled us back to God, which Adam had before He sinned. Before Adam sinned, He walked and talked with God.

Is that the Jesus that you asked for salvation? If no, you need to realize why you need Jesus and what He can do for you. He is the only one who can take away sin. The Father gave this to Him.

 

[yeshuaslavejeff]

As I have mentioned on other threads the behaviour of many of the people claiming to be 'born again' and destined for heaven, left a lot to be desired and then some.

There-in lies the difference - "claiming to be".

Jesus gave His True Disciples the strictest warnings about that. (the frauds , the fakes).

But the frauds, the fakes greatly outnumber the true and faithful.

It is only by sheer grace anyone ever is truthfully saved, 'born again'/ begotten of the Father in heaven.

The rest , the pretenders, get extra severe punishment from God Himself, whether total death or whatever, God's Choice.

Even if and when they truthfully repent, if ever, they suffer greatly for what they did as pretenders - nothing passes God's Notice.

 

[Sketcher]

There is a man in my small group who grew up in a small, legalistic Pentecostal sect, what you shared reminded me of his story. His whole family came out of it at once after they'd had enough. Coming to terms with Evangelical Christianity was a real challenge for him, that was a multi-year process. Yes, we believe that Jesus is the only way to Heaven and that Hell is the alternative, but we don't beat people over the head with it. Yes, we believe that people should be modest, including women, but that doesn't mean that women have to wear ankle-length dresses and no makeup. We believe in showing love and respect to all people, that Jesus provides rest and his yoke is easy, his burden light (Matthew 11:28-30).

 

[Archie the Preacher]

So now two wrongs make a right? Since your grandmother warned you about the dangers of rejecting God, and you were scared, it's okay for you to ignore God?

Did anyone teach you about wearing a seat belt in a car? About not taking medicines without reading the label? About eating too much sugar instead of nutritional food? About not grabbing an electric fence? About not touching loose power lines? About not playing in traffic? Were you never warned about the consequences of any number of actions in the world that will kill you or harm you seriously?

Are all authority figures now to be avoided? Since God will punish you if you ignore Him, does that lead you to fear - in a negative sense - all police officers or elected public officials? Do you think of all legislators making laws to frustrate your self-realization?

You can keep grasping at excuses to ignore God if you want. Just don't get the silly notion if you pretend it isn't there it doesn't matter.