Do You Correct Them?

[Meriweather]

Umm,.. the ONLY way to God is through Jesus Christ. If there were other ways then He wouldn't have died on the cross for us.

I disagree this extent: God drew the Hebrew nation to Himself through the Law. In loving the Law they came to love the Lawgiver. Still, many could not keep the Law and they were lost. Jesus said he came for the lost sheep--that the healthy had no need of a physician.

Jesus taught us a second approach: Love God, and by loving God, we will in turn come to love His Laws. Meanwhile, turning from law-breaking to obedience and total forgiveness for that period when we were guilty of breaking the Law.

I was one of the lost and my only way to God was through Jesus and I am forever grateful (not to mention, blessed).

 

[Road Runner]

I was one of the lost and my only way to God was through Jesus and I am forever grateful (not to mention, blessed).

That's what I said so why do you disagree?

 

[Meriweather]

That's what I said so why do you disagree?

I disagree that those faithful to Jewish belief (approach God through Law) must approach God through stated belief in Jesus Christ.

 

[Road Runner]

I disagree that those faithful to Jewish belief (approach God through Law) must approach God through stated belief in Jesus Christ.

Oh. That's not what I meant. I meant that if Jesus didn't die on the cross for our sins then nobody would be able to get to Heaven, I didn't really specify that you had to have Christian beliefs. I just don't go into detail too much because a lot of Christians disagree with me on that one since I'm unorthodox in that sense.

 

[Meriweather]

Oh. That's not what I meant. I meant that if Jesus didn't die on the cross for our sins then nobody would be able to get to Heaven, I didn't really specify that you had to have Christian beliefs. I just don't go into detail too much because a lot of Christians disagree with me on that one since I'm unorthodox in that sense.

I understand. I have my own unorthodox belief on that. When we take Jesus' own words and actions his huge fight was over whether he had the authority to proclaim, "Sins are forgiven." Authorities demanded he cease and desist with that statement and he gave his life because he would not stop. (And because he insisted his authority came from God; that he is One with God.)

 

[Road Runner]

I understand. I have my own unorthodox belief on that.

Yeah,.. I know it isn't exactly scripture related but Jesus didn't exactly write the Bible so I don't always take it one hundred percent authentic.

 

[Meriweather]

Yeah,.. I know it isn't exactly scripture related but Jesus didn't exactly write the Bible so I don't always take it one hundred percent authentic.

It is a matter of deciphering when, where, and why later emphasis occurred. For example, I agree that Temple offerings were required for forgiveness of sins. I agree Jesus sacrificed his life and that he became the perfect sacrifice of someone doing the will of God in his own life. He is our model. However, in his life, Jesus always spoke in the present tense: Sins are forgiven, not Sins will be forgiven once I give my life. For myself, the emphasis changed, but not the truths.

 

[SweetSue92]

I disagree that those faithful to Jewish belief (approach God through Law) must approach God through stated belief in Jesus Christ.

So you claim Christianity but do not believe Jesus the Christ is the only way to God?

Wow. Not even the Jewish prophets believed that, I hope you know.

 

[Meriweather]

Wow. Not even the Jewish prophets believed that, I hope you know.

Quote one.

 

[Coyote]

Umm,.. the ONLY way to God is through Jesus Christ. If there were other ways then He wouldn't have died on the cross for us.

That’s why I don’t identify as Christian

 

[Cecilie1200]

When a friend or family member sins, do you correct them or remain silent about it? I personally choose the latter because for one we're all sinners anyways, two,.. I don't want to be corrected all the time when I sin myself,.. and three,.. I chicken out. Besides one day I'm going to have to answer for my own sins. Nobody else's.

Depends on the family member and the sin. The fact that we're all sinners doesn't make it okay to let bad behavior stand unmarked. That being said, some of my family members are just going to be hostile to such a correction, and picking a fight doesn't help anyone. Likewise, nitpicking them to death over every little white lie is not going to produce positive results.

 

[Road Runner]

That’s why I don’t identify as Christian

Whether or not you believe in it what I said is true.

 

[Cecilie1200]

Hmmm. You might want to tell that to the religious people I've talked to over the years.
The ones that claim something isn't a sin, will have their peers sitting across from them argue that it is.
And vice versa.


Based on my personal research over the decades.

Why should we feel responsible for YOUR mistaken projection of flawed people's behavior onto Christianity itself? Based on my personal research of reading your post, you have some hostility toward people you know, and have just ASSumed that it's endemic to all Christians.

 

[Cecilie1200]

For someone on the "outside", it's hard to tell the difference.

There are a few people that have surprised me though. I would have never thought of them as religious, because they don't "do church" or use it to belittle, demean, and control others.

My Aunt was one of these people. Never would have even guessed she was religious. But one day I was over her house and her and another Aunt were talking about my grannys church and she said something about her being religious. I had to sit down and talk to her about it of course.

She said "God is in my heart, not in million dollar building. And a bunch of gossiping hens aren't going to tell me what I will and will not believe in".
I loved her even more for that!!!

So yeah. I've been thrown for a loop a couple of times. But on the whole, 99.99% of the religious people I've met and talked to in my life, and have seen on TV, are absolute flagrant hypocrites. I have no use for them or anything they have to say.

I have nothing against religion itself, as an ideal. It's the fan clubs I've got problems with.
LOL

Maybe you should stop spending so much time looking to people and then making sweeping generalizations based on them. "LOL"

 

[Coyote]

Some years ago I began questioning the value of tolerance, mainly because I took it too far. Everyone needs boundaries, that line drawn in the sand. I came across a quote from Chesterton, Tolerance is the virtue of the man without convictions. It set me back on my heels and I read any number of feel good quotes about tolerance to try and regain my former equilibrium about being tolerant. Didn't stop reading soon enough.

Dorothy L. Sayers: In the world it is called Tolerance, but in hell it is called Despair...the sin that believes in nothing, cares for nothing, seeks to know nothing, interferes with nothing, enjoys nothing, hates nothing, finds purpose in nothing, lives for nothing, and remains alive because there is nothing for which it will die.

Is it that a number of faiths are intolerant, or is it more true that a number of faiths have strong convictions?

As in everything, there is a balance, but having over-balanced on the side of tolerance, I am now of the mind that it may well be better to develop strong convictions.

I can see your point…but yet, at what point do convictions become harmful?

I have strong convictions, but they don’t involve causing active hurt or damage to anyone.

 

[Coyote]

I will take a stand on this. I am against switching genders (Transgenders). The reason? I am truly puzzled by the idea that one feels like the opposite sex but was born into the wrong type of body. The old song, "I Feel Like a Natural Woman...." Can anyone tell me what a woman even feels like? Or a man, for that matter. Perhaps I need to talk to Kaitlyn Jenner.

I never felt like anything other than myself growing up, going through puberty, getting married, giving birth, breastfeeding, etc. When I was in my teens, we were all trying to find ourselves. (As if we were lost to begin with.) Today, are people going through that "find myself" block of time, thinking that they might "find" themselves over in the other pasture?

Where tolerance comes in is if youngsters want to play this game, shrug, let them play--but with no pharmaceuticals. They are on a journey of discovery. Leave them alone. I remember at one point in my life thinking I wanted to remain a child--childhood was great. The worst thing I could have done to myself (or my parents could have done to me) is find some pharmaceutical that would have kept me child. Adulthood is even better, something my child self couldn't have comprehended at that point in time.

I agree and disagree, but well said. I appreciate your posts because they are thoughtful and thought provoking.

There are people who, for whatever reason, are hardwired to be a certain gender that doesn’t match their body. Their lives are hard, they are scorned and rejected at every turn…how hard is it to open the door the door and invite them in, welcoming them as a fellow human being?

When it comes to children it’s a lot more difficult, but I agree with you, let them play and figure it out (without pharmaceuticals) but I worry too many parents are either using to affirm a particular gender identification for their child or…to punish their child.

 

[Meriweather]

I can see your point…but yet, at what point do convictions become harmful?

I have strong convictions, but they don’t involve causing active hurt or damage to anyone.

I am thinking we have to be alert to the damage either can cause: There is a point where tolerance can become harmful; there is the point you mention where convictions can become harmful. Balancing the two is needed, or what I picture as the lion lying down with the lamb. When things are out of balance in either direction, the lion eats the lamb. We don't want that.

 

[Meriweather]

There are people who, for whatever reason, are hardwired to be a certain gender that doesn’t match their body. Their lives are hard, they are scorned and rejected at every turn…how hard is it to open the door the door and invite them in, welcoming them as a fellow human being?

It is not hard at all to welcome them, and I am against a hundred percent against scorn. Stories abound of those who went through all the operations and what they thought they would get out of it, simply didn't arrive. It was a matter of learning to accept themselves as they are, no change necessary. People need to be aware of these stories--that there is no one size fits all. I know for a fact there is no harm at all in people knowing where I stand because they also know I will accept them whatever they decide to do (unless a child is involved). But then, they know that, too.

Around the middle school where I work there are several young teens trying this out. I truly think most will grow out of it as they make their way through puberty. However, there are one or two I have great compassion for because they don't come across as trying something out--but rather working to live with and accept what is. However, it is my wish more would forego any physical alterations and see there are benefits of simply being who they were born and working with that. Physical change seems a superficial fix that leads nowhere in many cases. That is why I would never recommend it; on the other hand if someone reaches adulthood and feels s/he must have it, that I accept.

 

[Blues Man]

I have met intolerance in all kinds, including atheists. It seem the more you believe there's is only one way the less tolerant you are of other ways. I prefer a live and let live, do no harm philosophy.

I am firmly in the "Thou shalt mind their own business" camp