Feeling Torn

[HoneyBee]

Hey everybody,

So I went to meet with my local rabbi today. He helps to run a Reform Judaism congregation in my city and anyways, for the past few months, I have been seeing him to study with him about Judaism. It's only VERY recently that I even started to consider joining Christianity again. But now I'm feeling torn between two traditions that I very much seem to like.

Reform Judaism is great because it doesn't require me to compromise any of my beliefs. But then... the fact that it doesn't have Jesus involved in it makes it feel less warm and fuzzy.

And now I'm learning that Episcopal Christianity doesn't require me to compromise any of my beliefs either. Except... well, I'm still not sure where I stand on the whole Jesus thing yet. I'm trying to see if I can get myself to believe in the trinity, but I'm not sure about it yet... I understand how the trinity could work, don't get me wrong. I'm just not sure if I personally believe in it yet.

I've discussed my split feelings with the rabbi before and he told me not to rush myself. He said that this journey that I am on is a very personal one and that I need to take my time and maybe explore a little bit before resting on a final decision. And I think that he's right. My inner voice, also, has told me to just enjoy the experience of learning about other religions and to take my time and not rush things. Being bipolar makes this hard for me as it makes me impulsive and makes me want to jump on a religion's bandwagon as soon as it lands on my radar. But that's not always the wisest decision.

In the end, I guess what this all comes down to is: I need to slow down. Take some time to smell the flowers and read some good religious books. Eventually, one of these religions is bound to click with me and stay, but until then, I guess I just need to take my time.

...That doesn't make this process of not being sure where I belong hurt any less, though.

 

[Heart2Soul]

Eventually, one of these religions is bound to click with me and stay, but until then, I guess I just need to take my time.

May I humbly suggest that you stop looking for a religion and just seek Him? The Bible says Matthew 6:33"seek ye first the kingdom of God and His righteousness and all things shall be added unto you";
Also:Jeremiah 29:13 - And you will seek Me and find Me, when you search for Me with your heart."

I pray you find Him and that He will lead you and direct you to the right church.

 

[HoneyBee]

May I humbly suggest that you stop looking for a religion and just seek Him? The Bible says Matthew 6:33"seek ye first the kingdom of God and His righteousness and all things shall be added unto you";
Also:Jeremiah 29:13 - And you will seek Me and find Me, when you search for Me with your heart."

I pray you find Him and that He will lead you and direct you to the right church.

Thank you... maybe you are right. Maybe I just need to put this all in God's hands and stop trying to depend on myself to choose what is best for me.

 

[bling]

I would not start with the trinity since it seems to be beyond human comprehension. Read one of the Gospels like John and just pray and meditate on Christ and God.

 

[ToBeLoved]

And now I'm learning that Episcopal Christianity doesn't require me to compromise any of my beliefs either. Except... well, I'm still not sure where I stand on the whole Jesus thing yet. I'm trying to see if I can get myself to believe in the trinity, but I'm not sure about it yet... I understand how the trinity could work, don't get me wrong. I'm just not sure if I personally believe in it yet.

There is no such thing as Christianity without Jesus Christ.

Everything in Christianity is based upon Jesus and Jesus words are that you MUST believe in Him and He is the only way to salvation, so I would think long and hard about Jesus.

John 14:6
6 Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me.

Can I ask what questions you have about the Trinity?

 

[com7fy8]

I'm still not sure where I stand on the whole Jesus thing yet.

Christianity is about who Jesus really is, and how we need to trust in Him in order to be saved.

I'm trying to see if I can get myself to believe in the trinity, but I'm not sure about it yet...

And the Trinity is included in what Christianity is about.

But there are different versions of what Christianity really is. But God is able to bring you the right way. He knows how you are and what you are going through. And we all started nowhere, but then God blessed us.

So I went to meet with my local rabbi today. He helps to run a Reform Judaism congregation in my city and anyways, for the past few months, I have been seeing him to study with him about Judaism.

There also are different versions and ideas of what Judaism is supposed to be.

It's only VERY recently that I even started to consider joining Christianity again.

How each of us is, now, can effect how well we can understand and relate with God. Christianity includes trusting in God, Himself, through Jesus, and becoming more and more able to submit to God and how He corrects us so we please Him and discover how to love.

So, Christianity is more and more personal with God, Himself, sharing with us, and discovering His love meaning of His word. It is not only about what ideas and routines are correct, of a certain group, but how we can be with God in His love, and how this love is and effects us and our character and relating with people.

This is so better than what is possible with us.

 

[HoneyBee]

There is no such thing as Christianity without Jesus Christ.

Everything in Christianity is based upon Jesus and Jesus words are that you MUST believe in Him and He is the only way to salvation, so I would think long and hard about Jesus.

John 14:6
6 Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me.

Can I ask what questions you have about the Trinity?

I actually have no questions about the trinity. I understand how it would work. I'm just not sure that I believe in it yet, you know?

 

[ToBeLoved]

I actually have no questions about the trinity. I understand how it would work. I'm just not sure that I believe in it yet, you know?

Sure, I understand.

Just keep in mind that we are also triune beings with a body, spirit and soul if that helps.

God bless you on your journey

 

[2PhiloVoid]

Hey everybody,

So I went to meet with my local rabbi today. He helps to run a Reform Judaism congregation in my city and anyways, for the past few months, I have been seeing him to study with him about Judaism. It's only VERY recently that I even started to consider joining Christianity again. But now I'm feeling torn between two traditions that I very much seem to like.

Reform Judaism is great because it doesn't require me to compromise any of my beliefs. But then... the fact that it doesn't have Jesus involved in it makes it feel less warm and fuzzy.

And now I'm learning that Episcopal Christianity doesn't require me to compromise any of my beliefs either. Except... well, I'm still not sure where I stand on the whole Jesus thing yet. I'm trying to see if I can get myself to believe in the trinity, but I'm not sure about it yet... I understand how the trinity could work, don't get me wrong. I'm just not sure if I personally believe in it yet.

I've discussed my split feelings with the rabbi before and he told me not to rush myself. He said that this journey that I am on is a very personal one and that I need to take my time and maybe explore a little bit before resting on a final decision. And I think that he's right. My inner voice, also, has told me to just enjoy the experience of learning about other religions and to take my time and not rush things. Being bipolar makes this hard for me as it makes me impulsive and makes me want to jump on a religion's bandwagon as soon as it lands on my radar. But that's not always the wisest decision.

In the end, I guess what this all comes down to is: I need to slow down. Take some time to smell the flowers and read some good religious books. Eventually, one of these religions is bound to click with me and stay, but until then, I guess I just need to take my time.

...That doesn't make this process of not being sure where I belong hurt any less, though.

Hello Searching for God,

I'll keep this short because even though you're posting on a 'christian' forum, I can see that you're in the midst of contemplation and exploration of over your own options in faith.

As a Christian and a philosopher, I can understand the interest in Judaism since a good understanding of the identity and history of the people of Israel is an important one, even for Christians, and that's one reason I like to read Jewish scholars in addition to all those Christian ones that I usually rely on.

However, in looking at what you've said above, wouldn't the linchpin in this whole thing for you really come down to whether Jesus is the Messiah, and the Son of God, or that He is not? I just thought I'd toss that out there as something to think about.

Peace,
2PhiloVoid

 

[HoneyBee]

Well, now that I've had the chance to calm down, I feel a lot better and more confident about where I'm going. I'm viewing my faith journey as a river. I need to go with the flow of the river and right now I've hit a fork in the road. That's okay. I just need to explore a path (Christianity, in this case) and know that I can always swim back upstream if I need to. So yeah, no need to worry. Everything is going be alright.

 

[lee11]

hi

you dont need religious books, you only need the last will and testament book that was left to every believers as their inheritance, and thats the word of God.

if you dont make an effort to read and renew your mind, you may experience the result like the seed falling by the wayside.

 

[mitsudang]

The story of Christianity can be stated simply like this. It is the story of two men and their effect on mankind. the first man wrecked everything; the second man fixed it.

Legally, Jesus had to be a man and had to choose by his free will to fix it. A God-man couldn't legally fix it. The trinity is a concept man came up with later. Jesus didn't say he was God and the Hebrew people were not waiting for a God man. They were waiting for the Messiah who they expected to be a man.

 

[ToBeLoved]

The story of Christianity can be stated simply like this. It is the story of two men and their effect on mankind. the first man wrecked everything; the second man fixed it.

Legally, Jesus had to be a man and had to choose by his free will to fix it. A God-man couldn't legally fix it. The trinity is a concept man came up with later. Jesus didn't say he was God and the Hebrew people were not waiting for a God man. They were waiting for the Messiah who they expected to be a man.

Jesus is the God man.

Your view and understanding is very unbiblical.

Jesus was crucified for telling the Pharisees He was God.

 

[mitsudang]

Jesus is the God man.

Your view and understanding is very unbiblical.

Jesus was crucified for telling the Pharisees He was God.

Jesus never said her was God. There is no verse saying that. The Pharisees would not be upset with someone saying he was God. They would never take that seriously. He would have been laughed at and not paid attention to. But if someone claimed to be the son of God and the messiah, now that would have been something to go after.

 

[lee11]

Jesus never said her was God. There is no verse saying that. The Pharisees would not be upset with someone saying he was God. They would never take that seriously. He would have been laughed at and not paid attention to. But if someone claimed to be the son of God and the messiah, now that would have been something to go after.

Hi

How do you interpret

In the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God and the Word was God?

What do you believe this implies? John 1.1

Peace

 

[mitsudang]

“The Word” was conceived in the mind of God even before this present creation. But “the Word,” or this plan, was not fully revealed to human understanding until it “became flesh” as the living Word, Jesus Christ, God’s perfect and ultimate communication to mankind.

“And the Word was with [pros] God”

When pros occurs with an accusative case object, as it does in this phrase, one of its meanings is “with,” as most translations have. In order for the Word to be “with” God, each must be a distinct entity. Nothing can be “with” itself. Though there are many ways that the Word could have been “with” God, I believe that, in his Greek-English Lexicon, E. W. Bullinger gives a definition of pros that fits very well in the context of John 1:1 and our understanding of the intimate relationship that exists between the logos (Word) and God. “Implying intimate and closest inter-communion, together with distinct independence.”

Logically, nothing can be both “identical to” and “with” anything else. Actually, the phrase “…the word was with God…” is contrary to Trinitarian doctrine. Trinitarians teach that the “word” in this verse is the pre-existent Christ. Yet they teach that Christ is God. Christ cannot be “with” God and be God at the same time. In order to support Trinitarian doctrine, the verse would have to say, “the word was with the Father.” Of course, Trinitarians assert that “God” means “Father” here, but why would God author the very first verse of the gospel in such a way that, when read in a plain and straight forward manner, contradicts the Trinity, if in fact He were trying to present the Trinity as a truth?

 

[ToBeLoved]

Jesus never said her was God. There is no verse saying that. The Pharisees would not be upset with someone saying he was God. They would never take that seriously. He would have been laughed at and not paid attention to. But if someone claimed to be the son of God and the messiah, now that would have been something to go after.

Your logic seems to be off there.

I think Jesus covered it when He said Me and the Father are one.

 

[ToBeLoved]

“The Word” was conceived in the mind of God even before this present creation. But “the Word,” or this plan, was not fully revealed to human understanding until it “became flesh” as the living Word, Jesus Christ, God’s perfect and ultimate communication to mankind.

“And the Word was with [pros] God”

When pros occurs with an accusative case object, as it does in this phrase, one of its meanings is “with,” as most translations have. In order for the Word to be “with” God, each must be a distinct entity. Nothing can be “with” itself. Though there are many ways that the Word could have been “with” God, I believe that, in his Greek-English Lexicon, E. W. Bullinger gives a definition of pros that fits very well in the context of John 1:1 and our understanding of the intimate relationship that exists between the logos (Word) and God. “Implying intimate and closest inter-communion, together with distinct independence.”

Logically, nothing can be both “identical to” and “with” anything else. Actually, the phrase “…the word was with God…” is contrary to Trinitarian doctrine. Trinitarians teach that the “word” in this verse is the pre-existent Christ. Yet they teach that Christ is God. Christ cannot be “with” God and be God at the same time. In order to support Trinitarian doctrine, the verse would have to say, “the word was with the Father.” Of course, Trinitarians assert that “God” means “Father” here, but why would God author the very first verse of the gospel in such a way that, when read in a plain and straight forward manner, contradicts the Trinity, if in fact He were trying to present the Trinity as a truth?

I don’t think you have proven your case.

Logically trying to explain God is futile to human beings.

Explain how we have a body, soul and spirit using your logic?

 

[lee11]

“The Word” was conceived in the mind of God even before this present creation. But “the Word,” or this plan, was not fully revealed to human understanding until it “became flesh” as the living Word, Jesus Christ, God’s perfect and ultimate communication to mankind.

“And the Word was with [pros] God”

When pros occurs with an accusative case object, as it does in this phrase, one of its meanings is “with,” as most translations have. In order for the Word to be “with” God, each must be a distinct entity. Nothing can be “with” itself. Though there are many ways that the Word could have been “with” God, I believe that, in his Greek-English Lexicon, E. W. Bullinger gives a definition of pros that fits very well in the context of John 1:1 and our understanding of the intimate relationship that exists between the logos (Word) and God. “Implying intimate and closest inter-communion, together with distinct independence.”

Logically, nothing can be both “identical to” and “with” anything else. Actually, the phrase “…the word was with God…” is contrary to Trinitarian doctrine. Trinitarians teach that the “word” in this verse is the pre-existent Christ. Yet they teach that Christ is God. Christ cannot be “with” God and be God at the same time. In order to support Trinitarian doctrine, the verse would have to say, “the word was with the Father.” Of course, Trinitarians assert that “God” means “Father” here, but why would God author the very first verse of the gospel in such a way that, when read in a plain and straight forward manner, contradicts the Trinity, if in fact He were trying to present the Trinity as a truth?

Hi

thank you for sharing your POV.

I notice it says in your member box.

Non denominational.

May i ask is your belief about Jesus not being God.

Is that your own conclusion or did you learn that from another doctrine?

thx

Peace

 

[mitsudang]

I don’t think you have proven your case.

Logically trying to explain God is futile to human beings.

Explain how we have a body, soul and spirit using your logic?

Your logic seems to be off there.

I think Jesus covered it when He said Me and the Father are one.

You are privately interpreting John 10:30. That verse does not mean they are the very same. it means they are one in purpose. The context clearly shows they are on in purpose in caring for the sheep. They have the same care and love, i.e. purpose. In Greek the word "one" is hen, neuter. If it were one and the same God would have used heis, masculine.

Take a look at John 17:11.

John 17:11 And I am no more in the world, and these are in the world, and I come to thee. Holy Father, keep them in thy name which thou hast given me, that they may be one, even as we are.

Obviously, the disciples were not going to be added to the godhead. They were to be one in purpose.