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What constitutes the act of "Making up one's own Christianity"?

Jonaitis

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I see what you mean, that's why one's own Christianity is so subjective.
 
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2PhiloVoid

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How so? It says what it says. If it was left at that there would be no need for the religion we have today.

....right. Your question says what it says but it doesn't hit at the locus of what I was stating and inquiring about in my previous questions.

IOW. Nothing that I've said has anything to do with there being a "need" for plural intepretations. I said no such thing, my friend.

No, my point is that where the theological ontology of the "Kingdom of God" is concerned, there hasn't been perfect concordance in definition among Christians for this concept, nor has there been a common recognition among them over 2,000 years resulting in the clear telos of "the Kingdom." We can see that the way Christians have often treated each other's beliefs historically, both socially and politically, belies the idea that we all easily arrive on the same conceptual page where the seeming concepts in the bible are to be understood and/or applied.

And so, sometimes our individual and group affirmations about ideas in the Christian faith end up being applied in real time as forms of badgering, whether verbally or (sadly enough) physically.

What is needed is some epistemic humility as we attempt to affirm our individual and group interpretations of both the bible and our faith.
 
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2PhiloVoid

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I see what you mean, that's why one's own Christianity is so subjective.

Yes. But be careful in saying that. The "Uber-Objective" Watchers are watching.
 
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timothyu

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What is needed is some epistemic humility as we attempt to affirm our individual and group interpretations of both the bible and our faith.
Possibly so but my point was why even interpret something that needs no interpretation.
 
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2PhiloVoid

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Possibly so but my point was why even interpret something that needs no interpretation.

I see. You and I have a different understanding about what "interpretation" is. I'm going with the definition(s) that come in accordance with the field of Hermeneutics and Communication Theory. I assume you have a different center of sources for yours.

But, that's what it is. The positive aspect here is that I do agree with you in that there are some concepts in the biblical writings that seem like they should be clear to all of us. It's just that while you and I may actually agree on how to define "the Kingdom," not everyone else will.
 
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timothyu

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It's just that while you and I may actually agree on how to define "the Kingdom," not everyone else will.
Well to my thinking even if you left that 'definition' out is is still clear from that that God is returning to make sure we no longer impose our will upon each other, His being the only one allowed. Interestingly enough that was Jesus' main message
 
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eleos1954

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Wouldn't the quality of this comparison be contingent upon how well we understand the Word as well as whether or not what we think is 'the Word' is the Word?

The point is .... scripture is the truth ... and we grow in our knowledge and understanding as we study it ... it is a blessing to study it.
 
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2PhiloVoid

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The point is .... scripture is the truth ... and we grow in our knowledge and understanding as we study it ... it is a blessing to study it.

You see the problem there, though, don't you?
 
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