Misconceptions about Christianity

[Burninglight]

1. Christianity is based on blind faith. Christianity is not based on blind faith, but rather faith based on evidence. Blind faith is superstition. Christianity is overwhelmingly supported by reason, evidence, and scientific inquiry. http://www.faithfacts.org/search-for-tr ... christians.

2. We get to heaven based on how good we are here on earth. This is not true we are saved by grace through faith it is not of ourselves; it is the gift of God.

3. Once we become a Christian, being saved by God’s gift of grace, it does not matter what we do
This is not true. God is not mocked. Whatever a man sows, so shall he reap.

4. There are many ways to heaven, many paths to God. Because man is separated from God by his sin, the penalty for our sin had to be paid somehow for justice to be done. Jesus Christ paid the penalty for our sins. Thus Christ is thus the only name under heaven by which man may be saved (Acts 4:12). http://www.faithfacts.org/search-for-tr ... s-the-same.

5. It doesn’t matter what you believe as long as you are sincere. This is a nice idea, but does not hold up to logic. Christianity is so radically different from other belief systems that if Christianity is true, the others are false. One can be sincere and be sincerely wrong. Sincere belief in a cult, in a false religion, in atheism, or in the tooth fairy do not get one to heaven.
http://www.faithfacts.org/world-religio ... ristianity.

6. The New Testament was written long after the events took place and are thus subject to legends being inserted into the text. The New Testament was written entirely by eye witnesses to the life of Christ or by interviewers of eyewitnesses. Many of the books were written within 25 or so years of Christ’s death, and many scholars—both liberal and conservative—are moving toward the view that all of the books of the New Testament were written prior to the destruction of Jerusalem by the Romans in 70 AD. The one book for which some doubt remains is Revelation. But recent scholarship holds that even this book was written prior to 70 AD. This is the view that liberal scholar John A. T. Robinson presents in his book Redating the New Testament. This is also the view that conservative scholar Kenneth Gentry presents in his book Before Jerusalem Fell. So there was not enough time for the stories to have been developed into legend. Further, as professor of Medieval and Renaissance English, C. S. Lewis said, “Another point is that on that view you would have to regard the accounts of the Man [Jesus] as being legends. Now, as a literary historian, I am perfectly convinced that whatever else the Gospels are they are not legends. I have read a great deal of legend and I am quite clear that they are not the same sort of thing.� (quote from Lewis’ “God in the Dock.�)

7. The Bible has been changed or is otherwise not true to the original manuscripts. The original manuscripts—that is, the actual pieces of parchment or papyrus upon which St. Paul and others wrote the Bible—are no longer extant. But, especially as regards to the New Testament there has been an unbroken chain of manuscripts from the originals. There are thousands of ancient manuscripts extant, including ones from the first and second centuries. Scholars have been able to correlate the manuscripts to know that the Bible we have today is faithful to the originals. See http://www.faithfacts.org/search-for-truth/maps. A good book on this issue is The New Testament Documents: Are They Reliable? by F. F. Bruce. Regarding the Old Testament, the Dead Sea Scrolls, first discovered in 1947 were from the time of Christ and even to the 2nd century BC. These manuscripts predate the previously oldest known manuscripts by a thousand years. Comparisons of these texts with the others already in existence showed that they were essentially identical. This information confirms how carefully the texts were copied over the centuries and has given scholars tremendous confidence in the accuracy of the Old Testament we have today.

[Burninglight]

Okay, then its becoming more secular. IHMO, progressive Christianity is Satan's subtle deception; for instance, what was sin in Sodom and Gomorrah is still sin today. God doesn't change about stuff like that.

It's not the least bit secular. We worship God and follow the teachings of Jesus. We do not condone sin. But we have freed ourselves from belief in mythological creatures like Satan.

Do all Espiscopalins belief that Satan is a myth? I didn't know that.

Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today and forever. There is never a time when sin is no longer sin. I understand that there are men and women with homosexual tendencies through no fault of their own. I don't blame them for that and neither does God.

Oh, I see. It's the gay thing. Are you aware that Jesus never spoke a single word against homosexuality? You seem to understand that homosexuality is an inborn trait that cannot be overcome. So how can simply being yourself be a sin? If God does not condemn these people, neither should you.

You don't see anything I said. I didn't say Jesus said anything against them, nor did I say I condemn them. Read more carefully please.

The Bible states that God's grace is sufficient for us, and that God will not allow us to be tempted above what we are able to bear, but will with the temptation make a way of escape so that we might be able to bear it - not scum to it. There is no hole we can fall into that is deeper than His love. We can't stop the birds from flying over our heads, but with God's grace, we can certainly keep them from laying a nest on it.

I don't disagree with anything you are saying here. But surely you know that sexual orientation is not a temptation or a choice.

You don't disagree? Oh, then I must be wrong. Our temptation and orientation are not choices but our actions are always a choice!

I respect your power to choose, and I believe most people will agree with your progressive view and interpretation of Scripture or excuse you, because in justifying or excusing your view, they are justifying what they feel comfortable with, but I always ask myself will God excuse me. IMO, many people want Jesus & God on their terms. But God wants us to come to Him on His terms, and that doesn't change. What I say here has nothing to do with Pharisaism.

I'm not interested in approaching God on my own terms. I'm interested in the truth. Jesus despised rigid dogmatism no matter what label you put on it.

I am interested in truth and meeting God on His terms. Dogmatism?
Do you mean like when Jesus turned the tables upside down in the temple and whipped people out of the temple. Define dogmatic and what verse do you have to back up that Jesus wasn't resolved about certain things in religion!

Jesus made most people feel uncomfortable with their way of life! Present you bodies a living sacrafice holy and acceptable unto God which is your spiritual worship and reasonable service! Make no provision for the flesh!

I'm perfectly comfortable with my life. You do realize that I am heterosexual, right? I didn't become an Episcopalian because of my sexual orientation, but I do agree with their loving acceptance of gays and gay couples. It's what Jesus would do.

I happy for you. I am glad to hear that. I don't disagree with the church loving and accepting gays. But I don't condone them acting out or teaching their life style to me or mine

[Ankhhape]

]Did it ever occur to you that god is also a mythical creature?

I don't think God is a "creature" at all. By the way, I tried on atheism some decades ago and walked around in it for a while. It didn't fit. Aren't you the "Magick" guy?

You're entitled to believe whatever you wish. I am not an atheist, I find it to have the same faith based principles as theism, and I don't know what you mean by "Magick guy?" . . . most Belief Systems have Magickal aspects to them, most people are Magickal, or at least have the potential to be.

[Burninglight]

Did it ever occur to you that god is also a mythical creature?

Did it occur to you that God is the only real entity in the universe, and we along with all creation are just a part of His created imagination? If He stops thinking about it, we will all vanish?
lol

[Ankhhape]

Did it ever occur to you that god is also a mythical creature?

Did it occur to you that God is the only real entity in the universe, and we along with all creation are just a part of His created imagination? If He stops thinking about it, we will all vanish?
lol

Actually I have, and many other scenarios, but I like to keep my agnostic stance in that "I" don't know for sure about any of this.

[Burninglight]

Did it ever occur to you that god is also a mythical creature?

Did it occur to you that God is the only real entity in the universe, and we along with all creation are just a part of His created imagination? If He stops thinking about it, we will all vanish?
lol

Actually I have, and many other scenarios, but I like to keep my agnostic stance in that "I" don't know for sure about any of this.

Well. it's better saying you don't known than to say there's no God at all!

[Autodidact]

Did it ever occur to you that god is also a mythical creature?

Did it occur to you that God is the only real entity in the universe, and we along with all creation are just a part of His created imagination? If He stops thinking about it, we will all vanish?
lol [/quote]

It occurred to me. Then I came down from the acid.

[Burninglight]

Did it ever occur to you that god is also a mythical creature?

Did it occur to you that God is the only real entity in the universe, and we along with all creation are just a part of His created imagination? If He stops thinking about it, we will all vanish?
lol

It occurred to me. Then I came down from the acid.

Would you consider yourself to have had a good trip? I remember having a really bad acid trip. Would you like to hear about it?

[A Troubled Man]

Did it ever occur to you that god is also a mythical creature?

Did it occur to you that God is the only real entity in the universe, and we along with all creation are just a part of His created imagination? If He stops thinking about it, we will all vanish?
lol

Actually I have, and many other scenarios, but I like to keep my agnostic stance in that "I" don't know for sure about any of this.

Well. it's better saying you don't known than to say there's no God at all!

Is there any reason why you wouldn't accept your own advice? Isn't it better for you to honestly state you don't know if there's a God, but you have blind faith there is a God despite the fact there isn't anything in nature showing us that gods exist?

[Ankhhape]

Did it ever occur to you that god is also a mythical creature?

Did it occur to you that God is the only real entity in the universe, and we along with all creation are just a part of His created imagination? If He stops thinking about it, we will all vanish?
lol

Actually I have, and many other scenarios, but I like to keep my agnostic stance in that "I" don't know for sure about any of this.

Well. it's better saying you don't known than to say there's no God at all!

Is there any reason why you wouldn't accept your own advice? Isn't it better for you to honestly state you don't know if there's a God, but you have blind faith there is a God despite the fact there isn't anything in nature showing us that gods exist?

For me that is THE essence behind agnosticism, it is the reality that One does not know for certain yet it allows for personal Belief . . . e.g. I don't Believe there to be an Abrahamic type of god, but I wouldn't know for certain.

[Burninglight]

Did it ever occur to you that god is also a mythical creature?

Did it occur to you that God is the only real entity in the universe, and we along with all creation are just a part of His created imagination? If He stops thinking about it, we will all vanish?
lol

Actually I have, and many other scenarios, but I like to keep my agnostic stance in that "I" don't know for sure about any of this.

Well. it's better saying you don't known than to say there's no God at all!

Is there any reason why you wouldn't accept your own advice? Isn't it better for you to honestly state you don't know if there's a God, but you have blind faith there is a God despite the fact there isn't anything in nature showing us that gods exist?

For me that is THE essence behind agnosticism, it is the reality that One does not know for certain yet it allows for personal Belief . . . e.g. I don't Believe there to be an Abrahamic type of god, but I wouldn't know for certain.

Since you didn't answer my question I share a part of my testimony with you. As follows: Many years back, I met with my friends in New York after they had done some acid. They we having a wonderful experience. I ask if they had anymore acid, but they said they did it all, but there might be a little on the wrapper I tasted it and waited while they were telling of the trails and experience they were seeing. I saw nothing. The next day, I bought some on my own (puple haze) and took half the amount. Not realizing it takes about 40 minutes to an hour to hit you, I impatiently took the other half because I felt nothing. Then the first half started to kick in.

I was feeling a little down that day. Acid is like an amplifier if you feel bad it amplifies it and if happy the same thus it determines a good or bad trip. Some people lose their minds. The first half hit me hard and I was having a bad isolated lonely freaked out trip. No one could tell looking at me but my legs turned to rubber it seemed and cars and buses split in half and my mind felt it was going to snap and I wasn’t peaking yet from the first half I took.

It got so bad that I ran into a church and cried out to God knowing that no one could help me. As I did I felt better and walk out of that church straight as if I had taken nothing. Now this started my relationship with God and Jesus. It didn’t stop me from doing acid, but I pondered the experience in my heart of hearts.

Now, I know that it is not possible to blow an acid head; a pot head yes. The only way to come down from acid is by going to a hospital to be pumped full of concentrated vitamin C shots. I came down as an answer to prayer. I have learned that God can meet you anywhere even if you were stoned out of your bird or straight as an arrow. He is real I could swear to that with my life! But, there are a lot of deceivers out there competing for your soul. I trust Jesus with mine.