"Ask a Christian!"

[Stevil]

Once again, I can't speak for all Christian churches/denominations. I am sure there are a diverse number of churches that have very sound theology according the scriptures, as well as many who claim to be Christian and yet deliberately follow nothing in Christian doctrine. All I can say is some follow scriptures more closely than others. But I am a big fan of nondenomination as Jesus did not acknowledge denomination among disciples.

For the record I am interested in your thoughts, not so much the various churches. I am trying to establish your stance with regards to following scripture and how you became Baptist or non denominational.
Would a non denominational church focus on teaching what is common amongst the various denominations and avoid the differences?
I would gues that the various non denominationals are not aligned with each other, hence your church is unique, with a unique interpretation.
Would you say that you go along with your church or that you follow your own interpretation of the book?

[Will]

Welcome to the forum, Cforcerunner. Thanks for volunteering for what could be difficult questions.

Do you understand and accept Darwinian evolution, the processes of natural selection and random mutation, and do you accept that this is the explanation of how life on earth arrived at its current state following abiogenesis?

I ask this because, while some Christians to not, many Christians wholeheartedly accept the scientific theory of evolution. I find this fascinating because of the implication. If you believe that humans can be traced back through thousands, perhaps hundreds of thousands of species going all the way back to single-celled organisms living billions of years ago, where does that leave the story of Adam and Eve? In the book of Genesis, Adam and Eve live in the Garden of Eden and introduce sin into the world by eating from the Tree of Knowledge. If humans evolved from lower primates, which evolved from a type of marsupial, which evolved inevitably from single-celled organisms, the Garden of Eden incident never occurred and humans thus are not responsible for bringing sin into the world. This undermines a fundamental part of the Christian belief system, that humans are somehow born wrong and can only be fixed through the sacrifice of their demigod. If humans did not sin and break their covenant with the god of the Bible, the sacrifice of that god's son/self is rendered meaningless.

[Cforcerunner]

Once again, I can't speak for all Christian churches/denominations. I am sure there are a diverse number of churches that have very sound theology according the scriptures, as well as many who claim to be Christian and yet deliberately follow nothing in Christian doctrine. All I can say is some follow scriptures more closely than others. But I am a big fan of nondenomination as Jesus did not acknowledge denomination among disciples.

For the record I am interested in your thoughts, not so much the various churches. I am trying to establish your stance with regards to following scripture and how you became Baptist or non denominational.
Would a non denominational church focus on teaching what is common amongst the various denominations and avoid the differences?

According to Jesus and early church teaching, meaningless and speculative quarreling was highly condemnable, and over the many centuries, has lead us to the many various forms of Christianity that has become a far cry from it's roots.

I believe Jesus was very intentional in what he chose to teach, and most other speculations are of no other point then to cause division. And overindulging in theological theorizing just takes away too much time away from much more fundamental ideals of Christianity, such as the Great Commission.

So to answer your question more bluntly... Absolutely! I don't believe many debates among Christians pertain the precepts Jesus would find relevant to mankind.

I would guess that the various non denominationals are not aligned with each other, hence your church is unique, with a unique interpretation.
Would you say that you go along with your church or that you follow your own interpretation of the book?

Yes, I really enjoy how my church interprets the bible, and gives options. For example, he didn't condemn a literal nor symbolic interpretation of the story of Jonah, but puts aside such speculation and ties the story in how Jesus used it and why he taught it in his sermons. This is the exact attitude I believe a Christian should have when interpreting stories of the Old Testament.

So to more specifically answer your question, yes, I highly agree with not only with a good portion of my church's beliefs, but overall attitude and sense of spiritual awareness that is actually relevant to a Christian in today's world. And yes, I may hold my own personal opinion on certain matters as the church holds their own, but I believe we both are heading in the same direction as far as our "spiritual mission" goes.

[Cforcerunner]

Welcome to the forum, Cforcerunner. Thanks for volunteering for what could be difficult questions.

Why thank you sir, it is my pleasure!
And please, call me Chris!  

Do you understand and accept Darwinian evolution, the processes of natural selection and random mutation, and do you accept that this is the explanation of how life on earth arrived at its current state following abiogenesis?

I am familiar with many of the tenants of Darwinian evolution, but am certainly no expert on the matter. As far as my stance goes, I would consider myself agnostic on the matter, or simply "it may of happened, it may not of". I believe Alvin Plantiga made some sort of argument in favor of Christian evolution, I will try to take the time to read his essay and perhaps other views on the matter when I have time.

I ask this because, while some Christians to not, many Christians wholeheartedly accept the scientific theory of evolution. I find this fascinating because of the implication. If you believe that humans can be traced back through thousands, perhaps hundreds of thousands of species going all the way back to single-celled organisms living billions of years ago, where does that leave the story of Adam and Eve? In the book of Genesis, Adam and Eve live in the Garden of Eden and introduce sin into the world by eating from the Tree of Knowledge. If humans evolved from lower primates, which evolved from a type of marsupial, which evolved inevitably from single-celled organisms, the Garden of Eden incident never occurred and humans thus are not responsible for bringing sin into the world. This undermines a fundamental part of the Christian belief system, that humans are somehow born wrong and can only be fixed through the sacrifice of their demigod. If humans did not sin and break their covenant with the god of the Bible, the sacrifice of that god's son/self is rendered meaningless.

I'll address my stance on the origin of life. Did life spontaneously appear out of outrageously absurd chance, or did God supernaturally poof life into existence? Or just maybe, did God use outrageously absurd chance to create life? I simply don't know. But believe we were created by God in one fashion or the other, and don't see a need for speculating how.

And now to address your concern about the Fall of Man. According to Judeo-Christian belief, the story of Genesis is NOT an eye witness historical account of how life and man came into existence, but was entirely based on a prophetic vision Moses had. I believe it's important to understand what the nature of the story is, and that it offers us a descriptive metaphysical narrative of how human nature is introduced to immorality and disobedience to God's sovereign will.

[Tank]

Why aren't you a Muslim?

The same reason I am not mormon. I believe joseph smith/muhammad claim to be subsequent prophets following Jesus' revelation, as they highly condoned the person of Jesus. I found Islam to be confusing in this sense. They revere muhammad as the last and greatest prophet, yet Jesus is still found during the end of days? They created mandatory rituals when Jesus said days of the law were already fulfilled?

If someone here could represent an islamic belief system to me in a persuasive manner, I am all ears. My research of Muhummad simply did not compel me as the revelation of the divine as Jesus did.

An interesting reply, thank you.
Hypothetically if you were not allowed to discuss your religion here would you remain an active member?

[Medusa]

Which version of the bible do you find to be the real version?

[Gawen]

It is obvious that you believe in an afterlife where you will sing praises unto the Almighty for ever and ever, amen.
My question is...what did you do before you were born?

Well?

[Hidelight]

Do you believe animals have an afterlife or is that just reserved for humans?


Do believe the rapture is just around the corner? Like in 50 years


I know you are not the judge but athiests who commit no crimes love their brothers and basically are good people will be bannished to hell if they do not accept what you believe.


Sorry for three but this is something I hate to bring up at work...they say all this stuff and I have to bite my tongue...lately I am feeling smoothered...thanks so much for taking the time for clear answers....But do you know how it is as hard for us to accept this as it is for you to believ anyone does not?

Ok. That was four sorry!

[Tank]

Welcome to the forum, Cforcerunner. Thanks for volunteering for what could be difficult questions.

Why thank you sir, it is my pleasure!
And please, call me Chris!  

Do you understand and accept Darwinian evolution, the processes of natural selection and random mutation, and do you accept that this is the explanation of how life on earth arrived at its current state following abiogenesis?

I am familiar with many of the tenants of Darwinian evolution, but am certainly no expert on the matter. As far as my stance goes, I would consider myself agnostic on the matter, or simply "it may of happened, it may not of". I believe Alvin Plantiga made some sort of argument in favor of Christian evolution, I will try to take the time to read his essay and perhaps other views on the matter when I have time.

I ask this because, while some Christians to not, many Christians wholeheartedly accept the scientific theory of evolution. I find this fascinating because of the implication. If you believe that humans can be traced back through thousands, perhaps hundreds of thousands of species going all the way back to single-celled organisms living billions of years ago, where does that leave the story of Adam and Eve? In the book of Genesis, Adam and Eve live in the Garden of Eden and introduce sin into the world by eating from the Tree of Knowledge. If humans evolved from lower primates, which evolved from a type of marsupial, which evolved inevitably from single-celled organisms, the Garden of Eden incident never occurred and humans thus are not responsible for bringing sin into the world. This undermines a fundamental part of the Christian belief system, that humans are somehow born wrong and can only be fixed through the sacrifice of their demigod. If humans did not sin and break their covenant with the god of the Bible, the sacrifice of that god's son/self is rendered meaningless.

I'll address my stance on the origin of life. Did life spontaneously appear out of outrageously absurd chance, or did God supernaturally poof life into existence? Or just maybe, did God use outrageously absurd chance to create life? I simply don't know. But believe we were created by God in one fashion or the other, and don't see a need for speculating how.

And now to address your concern about the Fall of Man. According to Judeo-Christian belief, the story of Genesis is NOT an eye witness historical account of how life and man came into existence, but was entirely based on a prophetic vision Moses had. I believe it's important to understand what the nature of the story is, and that it offers us a descriptive metaphysical narrative of how human nature is introduced to immorality and disobedience to God's sovereign will.

Is it rasonable to assume an 'I' got missed out in the highlighted sentence, as in 'But I believe...'?

[Cforcerunner]

Why aren't you a Muslim?

The same reason I am not mormon. I believe joseph smith/muhammad claim to be subsequent prophets following Jesus' revelation, as they highly condoned the person of Jesus. I found Islam to be confusing in this sense. They revere muhammad as the last and greatest prophet, yet Jesus is still found during the end of days? They created mandatory rituals when Jesus said days of the law were already fulfilled?

If someone here could represent an islamic belief system to me in a persuasive manner, I am all ears. My research of Muhummad simply did not compel me as the revelation of the divine as Jesus did.

An interesting reply, thank you.
Hypothetically if you were not allowed to discuss your religion here would you remain an active member?

I don't believe there would be much of a point to be member on any forum of discussion where your opinion wouldn't matter, so probably not.

Is it rasonable to assume an 'I' got missed out in the highlighted sentence, as in 'But I believe...'?

Indeed, there really should of been a comma after "I simply don't know, but believe....", which would of worked as well.

[Tank]

Why aren't you a Muslim?

The same reason I am not mormon. I believe joseph smith/muhammad claim to be subsequent prophets following Jesus' revelation, as they highly condoned the person of Jesus. I found Islam to be confusing in this sense. They revere muhammad as the last and greatest prophet, yet Jesus is still found during the end of days? They created mandatory rituals when Jesus said days of the law were already fulfilled?

If someone here could represent an islamic belief system to me in a persuasive manner, I am all ears. My research of Muhummad simply did not compel me as the revelation of the divine as Jesus did.

An interesting reply, thank you.
Hypothetically if you were not allowed to discuss your religion here would you remain an active member?

I don't believe there would be much of a point to be member on any forum of discussion where your opinion wouldn't matter, so probably not.

Not sure I phrased myself very well there, but I think your response covers the point.

[Cforcerunner]

Which version of the bible do you find to be the real version?

By version, do you mean translation? Can you clarify the question. By "real" do you mean authoritative?

[Cforcerunner]

It is obvious that you believe in an afterlife where you will sing praises unto the Almighty for ever and ever, amen.
My question is...what did you do before you were born?

Well?

I suppose I was an embryo wiggling around and about! 

But no, I don't know how an afterlife precludes to the existence of some sort of pre-life. I believe the after life in it's strictest sense, infers a continued state of sapience apart from the material body. 

[Cforcerunner]

Do you believe animals have an afterlife or is that just reserved for humans?

No, I don't believe so. It would be neat, but I don't see how the Christian worldview would support that position.

Do believe the rapture is just around the corner? Like in 50 years

If the Son was not told the day, I surely have no idea. That being said, Jesus  did endorse the idea of being of "sober mind" in preparation for that coming day.  

I know you are not the judge but athiests who commit no crimes love their brothers and basically are good people will be bannished to hell if they do not accept what you believe.

Yes, I thankfully don't bear that responsibility. And from what I can gather from scripture, we will be judged according to the knowledge we are granted and how we have chosen to respond to it. It is also in Christian theme to be deeply humbled in moral pride and become completely reliant on the grace of God.

Sorry for three but this is something I hate to bring up at work...they say all this stuff and I have to bite my tongue...lately I am feeling smoothered...thanks so much for taking the time for clear answers....But do you know how it is as hard for us to accept this as it is for you to believe anyone does not?

Ok. That was four sorry!

I am not too sure what exactly your asking here, lol. But from what I gather, I will tell you that I completely understand the view of religious being overly saturated in hocus pocus and the supernatural being based off of some sort of fairy tale. But such presumptions really distracts from the deeper metaphysical implications which surround many of the stories found in the religious scripture.

[xSilverPhinx]

First of all I'd like to say that it's cool that you're willing to be questioned about your beliefs here. That's rare

My question would be: to you, what does it mean to say that the bible is divinely inspired? That god talked directly to the people that wrote it? Or that those people were philosophizing about existence and the meaning of existence and came up with those answers? Or something else?