New Here!
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Hey Everyone,
My brief explanation about how and why I am here
I was born and raised in a non-denominational Christian home. My father was the minister of the church I attended and we were very devout. I realized from a young age that my convictions were based solely on my parents' convictions and had very little to do with what I believed. As I continued to grow, I had to leave the Christian faith, as Jesus blatantly claims in the Bible, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me" (John 146). I could not believe that Jesus was the only way to be with God, as I knew plenty of Jews and Muslims who deeply believed what they believed and could not be faulted for not being born into the "correct" religion. I couldn't believe that a loving God would allow people who were living to please him (to the best of their abilities) to be condemned to hell for not accepting Jesus as their saviour.
I am currently unsure if religion is for me at all, but I thought a forum such as this one that allows freedom to discuss faith-based topics would help me find the truth either way. I have so many questions and look forward to reading posts by you all to help enlighten me.
I am so grateful for this opportunity.
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Peace,
Many of the issues with the gospel is because of how we interpret the text. I suppose Jesus means through his example, but likely not exclusively him and in the ways of those before him, people will come to Heaven, though a distortion of the meaning has occurred somewhere along the way. It could be that he uttered "obey me and serve my Master and your Master and you will be saved" and not as traditionally thought that he was a mediator. He even says "My words are not my own but of the One who sent me". He had no authority he meant, he just served his Master and he was very humble too.
The phrase that he is a savior and died to save mankind is an invention by our "friend" Paul. It is false, but he likely vanished to expose disbelievers and hypocrites.
And the use of 'son' in the narration is likely a word for something else and a misconception. It is likely the GOOD servant and his Master which the term has to indicate. Son in the original language has to be a word for someone closely bonded with God but not someone begotten by The Master. "My beloved servant that I am well pleased in" could be the true phrase as he is baptized in the Jordan river according to the narrative written by his followers as their testament to what they had experienced (or heard).
He was a servant supported by many "miracles", or signs, and which made him the victim of much conjecture after his demise. That he was very pure and a spiritual powerhouse could not have helped either to stop the corruption. God had had "sons" before that too.
It is no better than how "Muslims" threat Muhammad nowadays anyway.
You had no reason to leave the true "Christianity", ie those who follow what he taught of the decree and the elaboration/news on it, but I understand your confusion. "Christian values" are among the finest out there and they beat the "hadith of Muhammad" and go along the guidelines of the truthful decree issued by God and not manmade conjecture. Jesus was out there to issue "news" as he gave some light to the old Musa (Moses) teachings and showed that they should not be interpreted so literally but be used as guidelines and that one should interpret them using their heart and logic rather than sterile laws. One good example is about adultery where he says that adultery is committed in your mind even when you merely look upon another woman with desire and not only when you act upon your feelings. Such elaborations Jesus came with and showed how hypocritical the "religious" elite was. But his words were not his own but of the One who sent him. And the crowd could not stand his open-minded ways so they arrested him and executed him, or so they thought, and no believers intervened as he was executed although it seems as if Jesus wanted it that way so they would spread the message. Sadly his followers seems to have become isolated rather than spreading the message and kept it to themselves although their experiences were written down and the corruption escalated and Jesus became a son of God and part of a trinity despite the clear decree that was sent to Moses and taught by Jesus while he was alive.
Believe in The Master and ignore all those pathetic religions. Do not be weak in faith.
And welcome to the forum!
God bless you
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Do not be weak in faith.
Excellent words! http//3.bp.blogspot.com/--h4eLCX9klE/UZHjEBYfY2I/AAAAAAAADoo/W5bcUQjtXls/s1600/thumb-up-facebook-emoticon-like-symbol.png
Too many good quotes for favored in this forum. )
I can't prevent myself from favoring them, and I don't mind anyway.
Peace.
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I could not believe that Jesus was the only way to be with God
I agree... this makes no sense. Even if we would accept it, nobody can say it makes sense, because it doesn't.
I also wonder what it means that the only way to God is through Jesus. What does "through me" mean anyway. Who says it has to mean "believe that I am God"? Assumptions , assumptions assumptions.
I also wonder about whether Jesus is considered God or just God's only son. They say God loved the world so much that he sacrificed his only son for it. Well, what does THAT mean? Sacrifice? Jesus was put to torture and died(raise to heaven). What sort of sacrifice is that? Tons of people have gone through that kind of torture, and worse things. And what sacrifice is it when you don't lose something? Jesus just went back to God. Is that a sacrifice? And how can God lose anything anyway? So God tortured a part of himself because he loved the world (or part of it at least, since most of it will go to hell)? Christians believe (as per the books at least) that Jesus created the universe. So Jesus is God who created all? So who and what was sacrificed, and why?
The trinitarian Christianity makes no more sense that Kali Mata and Ganesha.
hypno