[open]What is Christianity to you?

[Protinus]

Kpfp: bless you in your search!! I really appreciate how frank you are and how you are honest with your troubles and conventional ways, via Christianity, and getting closer to our Lord.

I would only encourage you to provide discourse here as we can all gain from your struggles and triumphs. I think there are features to understand our lord that are elusive via "men" but that are UNIQUE to you in your quest!!

Please know that our Lord is in YOUR heart and that you need only reveal yourself to HIM and to engage him. Bless you!!

 

[ZuZu]

thanks Protinus...

 

[kogseeker]

just a question that came in my mind for discussion sake only.

reason is because it's a never ending thought in my mind that Christianity has to be beyond some sin management budget plan(i'm not meaning to be sarcastic there by any means ).

so what are your thoughts?

Like a number of posters in this thread, I see Christianity as being different from following Jesus. I have a love/hate relationship with Christianity. It seems to be the institutionalized religion built up around who Jesus is and what he has historically meant to the church. Christianity, at least in its most modern and vocal connotation, is focused on what must be believed in order to get God to take you out of the going-to-hell line and to put you into the going-to-heaven line. Seen in this way, Christianity is a very complex theological system that consists of getting all your beliefs right.

And yet Christianity also sometimes comes very close to what Jesus called "the kingdom of God" or "the kingdom of heaven" where the focus is on learning to follow Jesus here on earth for the good of the world. Sometimes Christianity actually gets down to loving God and loving others as Jesus said we should. At these times, Christianity is at its best.

So I see it as an all-encompassing label for those who are drawn to Jesus Christ. At its best, Christianity is Christlike. At its worst, it can become anti-Christ. Much depends on the heart of the Christian, doesn't it?

 

[FLANDIDLYANDERS]

Too tru, Kog, too tru.

 

[RichardE]

I can only answer my own personal Christianity, I am pretty liberal myself as I do not go to any church and have some pretty out spoken views.

First a foremost Christianity is just a religion to me, yes it is a group of believers in Christ but for me I just say I’m Christian to simplify things, If I was to explain every single view it would take months. I am part of
Christianity but I do feel a lot of the time, I’m the kind of person some don’t want in the congregation as I represent things in which they feel to be sin full.

So yes I am Christian but to put it quick and simple, here are my differences.

The old testament is not true to me in many forms, only the new testament is my salvation.

Christ is my saviour and everyone’s, even if your not Christian, we all die, so when you face the lord, he will not get angry or shout, he will take you in his arms and first most probably fill you with love and warmth, ill most probably cry when I see the lord, as he makes me very happy.

Then he will sit you down and teach you his rules and his law, with Jesus and the holy spirit. He will keep giving you chances to except his law and his blessings, if you keep refusing he will come back and try again, everyone gets in to heaven, I believe in hell as a prison (not literal prison) in which people stay in before they go to heaven, once they have become pure in gods vision. The prison or cage is very comfortable and has all the knowledge you would ever need which pleases the lord and teaches you of his will, but that’s about it, heaven is so much better than the cage I cant put it in a x number.

The lord is present to everyone and is always with you and if your willing, you can allow him to reach out to you and show you, all his marvellous wonders!

I do not believe in the damning of people, its very wrong and personally, very un Christian, this has happened very rarely in front of me or too me, very little people do it but its wrong, seeing as I don’t believe in the lake of fire, it kind of destroys the argument.

The lord still hates sin and evil in the world, but it will just mean you have to do more studying and learning before you get into heaven, so it is a punishment as such, but even the purest of Christians will have to go through it, as all of us have problems and some bad things, whoever we are, no ones perfect.
But yea that’s about it, that’s my Christianity.

God is love and if that’s what he is, that’s all he can be so there is only love and he should not be feared and seen as a teacher.

Love god and feel safe with him, do not fear him.
And as a loving message to all brothers and sisters.

If you think about him and pray true enough, he will come to you like he did to me in my dreams, and he will come forth and show you all his wonders and his incredible awe and you will love him and your fellow man like I do.

Richard +lots of hugs+
Hahaha
Good day to you all

 

[Protinus]

Bless you Richard, I really enjoyed your writing and it's effect on me. Please stay a while. Our Lord needs you.

 

[RichardE]

Why thank you very much, your kind comments are very much apprichiated.

I simple have a single hope, wish, a dream even. Or a strong prayre which needs much physical work on humans part.

That christians can be a body united in one spirit, form and meaning. To love the lord and very importantly, love each other and celibrate the incredible similarities, and enjoy the differances.

I just love this world so much, we really do live on great lands. Yes we have our problems and bad things in this world but why should we divide ourselfs when we have so many great similarties, espeshally when all true christians have one main goal, to be with our lord, more love, more understanding and much more listening is needed, and I will pursue this goal to join people together as long as I can.

Thank you, Richard

God bless to everyone who reads this, no matter who you are!

 

[Mling]

A club, like the Elks or the Boy Scouts. Completely human, and generally no more or less holy than any other club. Like pretty much any other human group in existance, you will find some within Christianity who follow Christ, and some who do not.

 

[RichardE]

Yep, I know a lot of people who are very christ like and are athiests lol.

 

[Multi-Elis]

My answer:

It seems to be the institutionalized religion built up around who Jesus is and what he has historically meant to the church.

 

[artybloke]

The issue, maybe, is responsibility for actions.

this is it for me too. Not your actions or their actions, but mine. I really don't give a toss what kind of church you go to, what your sexuality is, what your opinion is about this or that bit of the Bible or doctrine.

The question for me is, do I follow Christ, do I seek Christ in all I do or in all the people I meet? Too much of the church is out looking for the devil in people, so they can feel superior to them. I'm not as good as I'd like to be at looking for Christ in people (so far I haven't found him in George Bush for instance... but I'm sure he's there, tiny and almost snuffed out...)

There's a lot about Christianity I like... candles, incense, cathedrals, icons... some hymns, the poems of John Donne... but there's a lot I don't like. Its general Pharasaism, its imperialist view of God. Its attempt to own the Spirit and to keep the Spirit confined into doctrines and creeds or ways of worship or "lifestyles."

I think I'd like to burn every single copy of Hillsongs too, but that's a purely personal prejudice...

 

[Im_A]

this is it for me too. Not your actions or their actions, but mine. I really don't give a toss what kind of church you go to, what your sexuality is, what your opinion is about this or that bit of the Bible or doctrine.

The question for me is, do I follow Christ, do I seek Christ in all I do or in all the people I meet? Too much of the church is out looking for the devil in people, so they can feel superior to them. I'm not as good as I'd like to be at looking for Christ in people (so far I haven't found him in George Bush for instance... but I'm sure he's there, tiny and almost snuffed out...)

There's a lot about Christianity I like... candles, incense, cathedrals, icons... some hymns, the poems of John Donne... but there's a lot I don't like. Its general Pharasaism, its imperialist view of God. Its attempt to own the Spirit and to keep the Spirit confined into doctrines and creeds or ways of worship or "lifestyles."

I think I'd like to burn every single copy of Hillsongs too, but that's a purely personal prejudice...

 

[Protinus]

this is it for me too. Not your actions or their actions, but mine. I really don't give a toss what kind of church you go to, what your sexuality is, what your opinion is about this or that bit of the Bible or doctrine.

The question for me is, do I follow Christ, do I seek Christ in all I do or in all the people I meet? Too much of the church is out looking for the devil in people, so they can feel superior to them. I'm not as good as I'd like to be at looking for Christ in people (so far I haven't found him in George Bush for instance... but I'm sure he's there, tiny and almost snuffed out...)

There's a lot about Christianity I like... candles, incense, cathedrals, icons... some hymns, the poems of John Donne... but there's a lot I don't like. Its general Pharasaism, its imperialist view of God. Its attempt to own the Spirit and to keep the Spirit confined into doctrines and creeds or ways of worship or "lifestyles."

I think I'd like to burn every single copy of Hillsongs too, but that's a purely personal prejudice...

OUCH!!!! good stuff!! What are hillsongs?

And go easy on GWB, he's out in two years and a lame duck!!

 

[FLANDIDLYANDERS]

Nice one ArtyGeez... personal prejudice is at least enforcable eh?

Finding Jesus i the world is like making lov to a beautiful woman. Now you go make the sale, I'm tired.

 

[David Brider]

I guess for me, Christianity is about following Christ, walking with Him, learning from Him, listening for (ideally to) His voice.

One thing I stumbled upon a couple of years back, which I don't think anyone had really mentioned to me before, was that all followers of Christ are called upon to live holy lives. That, right now, is my deepest desire as far as Christianity is concerned - to live a holy life.

And to be salt and light, holding out the word of truth.

David.

 

[FLANDIDLYANDERS]

Holiness is in the eye of the beholder?

Maybe not.

Unlock holiness, dont strive, is my tip - for what its worth!

 

[RichardE]

I advise a good life and not strive for holyness aswell, it causes a lot of hypocracy and problems in people. Actually people who think they are near to holyness I have found are some of the worst people out in the world, I will always be inperfect, and proud of it, for the fact I am human.

There is no doubt that you cant be perfect as you cant follow every law or command of the bible, as some of it is hypocrytical anyway, its best you just love your fellow man, love your wife and children, love your friends and love god.

And do the best you can.

 

[marli]

Christianity... in many ways was a large part of how I defined my identity. Now that I'm not sure I can still be considered "Christian," I'm not entirely sure who I am, either.

As of now, I believe that Christianity is the religion of Christ -- it is not a religion about Christ. It is about examining one's heart, and being righteous there, rather than only righteous in one's actions. It is about taking Judaism and the Jewish halacha to an entirely higher, purer, spiritual level. It is about extending God's promise to Abraham to the nations. Perhaps it is about the life and sacrifice of a perfectly righteous man, to be the lamb to atone for men's sins forever.