In the United States Christianity is the main religion but, if you think about it, it's because where we live and what we were taught. If we lived in another part of the world say , India, we would all be Hindu. They feel just as strongly about their religion as do Christians. The answers I have received haven't been that helpful cause some of you just quote bible verses. I believe that the only time I was ever Truly free was when I was born. After that I had no choices. I didn't even choose my own name, I was told what to believe, what religion I should follow, because, I was told, that's the way it is! I have watched the national geographic specials on Jesus and the bible and have heard from religious scholars who probably know more about religion and the bible than most of you and there are questions yet to be answered even by them.
I'm not trying to disprove anyone or anything and especially any religion. I just sometimes think that we follow certain things blindly cause that's what we were taught and because someone said that's the way it is. Whenever I have asked such questions people chew my head off like it was a personal attack on their belief. If you are strong in your belief and can tell me why without getting angry and make suggestions to me as to where I might find the answer to my questions then great. If you get mad and rant on by quoting bible verses then maybe it's you who are questioning your own beliefs and trying to convince yourself by trying to force your opinion on me.
Look, I have followed blindly my whole life because I was told that this is the way things are and this is the god I am supposed to worship and this is what I am supposed to believe. Nobody ever told me why and when I asked I got, cause god said so. So now that I'm an adult of reason, because god said so or because the bible says so doesn't cut it for me. Sorry, there has to be more to it. There are just too many holes in this story. We all know when Jesus in the bible was born but then he isn't mentioned again until he is thirty. Why don't we know anything of his childhood? It's just things like that. So, I am just seeking here people, asking questions, not trying to disprove. Just trying to understand and because the bible says or cause God says is the same thing I was told when I was a kid. It's almost like when you have a child and they say why do I have to go to bed so early and you say cause I said so. Would you accept that kind of answer today?Another religious question?
It's tough to talk about Jesus in Islamic countries. Virtually every Muslim who has come to follow Christ has done so, first, because of the love of Christ expressed through a supernatural intervention. Now, no religion has more intricate doctrine of angels and visions that Islam, and I think it's extraordinary that God uses that sensitivity to the supernatural world in which he speaks in visions and dreams and reveals himself.
One of India's greatest converts was Sikh, Sundar Singh, who came to know Christ through an appearance of Christ in his room in a dream one night. It had a tremendous impact on his life and he became a Christian. So there are ways that God can reveal himself that go far beyond our understanding.
Now, if God is able to give the word of Christ in various settings in ways we can't even understand, if he's not far from us wherever we are, if he is able to speak through general revelation of creation and through our conscience, then we have to accept the fact that we are without excuse. Every human being will know enough truth so that if they respond to that known truth, God will reveal more to them.
When you go to the book bookstore and look in the biography section, you don't see the same kind of writing that you see in the gospels. When somebody writes a biography these days, they thoroughly delve into the person's life. But look at Mark, he doesn't even talk about the birth of Jesus or really anything through Jesus' early adult years. Instead he focuses on the three-year period and spends half his gospel on events leading up to and culminating in Jesus' last week.
There are two reasons: One is literary and the other is theological. The literary reason is that basically, this is how people wrote biographies in the ancient world. They did not have the sense, as we do today, that it was important to give equal proportion to all periods of an individual's life or that it was necessary to tell the story in strictly chronological order or even to quote people verbatim, as long as the essence of what they said was persevered. Ancient Greek and Hebrew didn't even have a symbol for quotation marks. The only purpose for which they thought history was worth recording was because there were some lessons to be learned from the characters described. Therefore the biographer wanted to dwell at length on those portions of the person's life that were exemplary, that were illustrative, that could help other people, that gave meaning to a period of history.
And what's the theological reason? It flows out of the point I just made. Christians believe that as wonderful as Jesus' life and teachings and miracles were, they were meaningless if it were not historically factual that Christ died and was raised from the dead and that this provided atonement, or forgiveness, of the sins of humanity. So Mark in particular, as the writer of probably the earliest gospels, devotes roughly half his narrative to the events leading up to and including one week's period of time and culminating in Christ's death and resurrection. Given the significance of the Crucifixion, this makes perfect sense in ancient literature.
In your biography do you want to be remebered for your childhood or your accomplishment as an adult. Which is more importantAnother religious question?
actually... Kur an never changed... And It agrees that Jesus lived and was chosenAnother religious question?
I understand what you say and think and it's up to you to sort out your thoughts and make up your own mind as to what you believe, what you accept and what you reject. No one says that you have to believe anything in the bible or any other book of religion, if you can't make up your mind, don't worry about it, basically religion is preparing us for whatever there is after death and whatever there is, we will all go to the same place whatever or wherever it is. I'm sure that if there is a god he/it will non discriminate against you, me or anyone else.
As for me being a parent I do accept that answer. It IS because I said so. I am in charge and as far as I am concerned it is a dictatorship (for now) in my household. Don't aggravate the dictator. Ya know.....hehehe......
Chromeboy whats your question? Maybe it's the way you are wording it. It would be wrong for you to attack others because they believe but you don't. However, YA is full of very defensive people who are not open for dialogue and discussion. They think they should tell you how to believe and if you don't you are wrong. It's not just the religious ones that do this. It's the anti religious and everything in between. You are looking to learn and understand? I think you should search. I think you should question and I think you need to talk to God about that. Word your questions and speech to Him right for the best possible answers. Maybe you don't believe in religion but you believe in God.
You cannot listen to everyone and especially the internet. It is full of such BS. I really think the best thing to do is cut everyone off and get into a communication with God not us. You need to ask questions fine but I really think the best bet is to get off the internet and begin meditating. Is God in a box? If I lived in a box and someone came and shinned light in my box I might believe they are God or at least mightier than me.....don't listen to them.....you can shine light in a box too.....
No comments:
Post a Comment