Christian Club

[Alrowan]

well seeing as we have the conservatives, the lefties etc, thought why not have a place for the christian community to get together at the org and discuss things.

Criteria: you must beleive that christ has died for your sins, and we are forgiven, leading to eternal life with God when this life comes to an end.

Aim: to discuss life as a christian, share whats happening in the world, discussing things from a christian veiwpoint and getting to know each other, and also to help each other through any struggles or hardships

Just a request to moderators, please delete any anti-christian BS, its not welcome, we arent here to impose this that or whatever, we are here cus we have a common interest, and if people want to flame they can take that someplace else

(scrapping the members list for now)

[Gawain of Orkeny]

What is the criteria for joining this club? Do you have to believe that Christ is the savoir of mankind or is believing in his teachings and acting like a christain good enough?

[scooter_the_shooter]

what is the criteria, I try to follow the bible but I am not always very succesful

[Alrowan]

criteria is that you believe that christ has come as the saviour of mankind, that we might have eternal life

the rest (acting christian etc usually comes with that, but like all of us we struggle)

[Gawain of Orkeny]

Oh well then I guess I dont qualify.

[Ser Clegane]

Just a request to moderators, please delete any anti-christian BS, its not welcome

Trolling and/or baiting will be treated appropriately - no matter whether it comes from a Christian or from a non-Christian.

There will be no posting restrictions for non-members though, but I expect everybody to respect the intentions of this club/thread

[Don Corleone]

Well, Alrowan, I DO believe that Christ is the savior of the world, and I DO believe He saved me, personally. But I don't know if I buy that you cannot call yourself a Christian if you don't believe that. I know that's what the evangelist branch of Christianity believes, but all things being equal, I think it'd be more important to include people in a discussion about Jesus then excluding them. If people are curious, but haven't been saved, why turn them away?

What are your views on salvation? Do you take a 'faith alone' perspective, like the Baptists? That even John Wayne Gacey, who claimed to accept Christ while in prison, was saved? I don't. It must be that Catholic upbringing (I'm Methodist now) but I just cannot accept that a God who is infinite justice would reward a sadistic SOB like that. I believe Christ earned you your salvation, but if you're not careful, you can un-earn it. I lean more towards the teachings of St. Peter over St. Paul (and even St. Paul has some writings where he admonishes us that continuing to live as the slaves of sin after accepting Christ leads to the final end of a slave of sin). Thoughts?

[Husar]

What are your views on salvation? Do you take a 'faith alone' perspective, like the Baptists? That even John Wayne Gacey, who claimed to accept Christ while in prison, was saved? I don't. It must be that Catholic upbringing (I'm Methodist now) but I just cannot accept that a God who is infinite justice would reward a sadistic SOB like that. I believe Christ earned you your salvation, but if you're not careful, you can un-earn it.

What about one of the guys who were crucified next to Jesus? If he should be punished for his "big" sin, shouldn´t everybody be punished for every "little" sin? If you just sin one time in your life but don´t accept Jesus as your saviour, you won´t get to heaven, but if you kill people in masses and come to god in the end, you can be saved. But that does not mean you can fool god by sinning all your life and then coming back in the end to get to heaven, it depends on honesty. God also loves sinners, but he can´t save them because that would not be just, he even loves this guy you are talking of(dunno what he did, but it doesn´t really matter).

I´d even go as far as saying that if someone is afraid of being killed(yes, I admit I am more or less), he´s got a problem, look at Paul, he said several times that he would like to die to get into heaven, he was eagerly awaiting it, but he left the decision to god(suicide is not an option).

[Roark]

My $0.02 is that Jesus gave only one commandment which is comparable in importance to those found in Mosaic law: Love one another.

I feel that people who actively strive to love those around them on a day-to-day basis, are the most demonstrative of the Christian ethos.

Maybe it's heretical or baseless or something, but I feel that a just God would look kindly upon someone who lived in this way but had not been exposed to the Gospels, or who was mentally unable to incorporate modern christian dogma. Like Gawain, some people's minds just totally rebel against the idea of Jesus being Divine. I don't blame them in many cases.

What if your only exposure to the Gospel was through some crazy sandwichboard-wearing street preacher, and you dismissed his message (as most people would)? Does that count as "rejecting the Word of God"?

Paul mentions in Romans something to the effect of "those who are outside of the law shall not be judged by it". I take this to mean that God doesn't condemn people purely because of their "ignorance" (meaning lack of knowledge, and not as a slur).

I understand the importance of evangelism in the modern church, but I think that people who simply live lives that are self-sacrificing, and for the benefit of others, are the most "Christian" among us.

If the afterlife isn't some colossal group conscious self-duping (and I don't believe it is), then these are the kind of people who I would expect to be there. After all, they are truly obeying Christ's one commandment.

[ICantSpellDawg]

My $0.02 is that Jesus gave only one commandment which is comparable in importance to those found in Mosaic law: Love one another.

I feel that people who actively strive to love those around them on a day-to-day basis, are the most demonstrative of the Christian ethos.

Maybe it's heretical or baseless or something, but I feel that a just God would look kindly upon someone who lived in this way but had not been exposed to the Gospels, or who was mentally unable to incorporate modern christian dogma. Like Gawain, some people's minds just totally rebel against the idea of Jesus being Divine. I don't blame them in many cases.

What if your only exposure to the Gospel was through some crazy sandwichboard-wearing street preacher, and you dismissed his message (as most people would)? Does that count as "rejecting the Word of God"?

Paul mentions in Romans something to the effect of "those who are outside of the law shall not be judged by it". I take this to mean that God doesn't condemn people purely because of their "ignorance" (meaning lack of knowledge, and not as a slur).

I understand the importance of evangelism in the modern church, but I think that people who simply live lives that are self-sacrificing, and for the benefit of others, are the most "Christian" among us.

If the afterlife isn't some colossal group conscious self-duping (and I don't believe it is), then these are the kind of people who I would expect to be there. After all, they are truly obeying Christ's one commandment.

i dont believe that it was the "one" commandment
i think that it was a supplement to the previous ten that he adamantly espoused

the "golden" rule was just the one that helped to promote the original 10 so that people didn't get lost in the letter of the law and could better understand the method to the madness

one line is not capable of moral direction in any way

"do unto others..." is very vague and strange
it really depends on "what you would have them do unto you"

[scooter_the_shooter]

Well i guess I will join but not all my views are very christian,(example I want the death penalty for burglars rapist muderers etc)

[Gawain of Orkeny]

Well i guess I will join but not all my views are very christian,(example I want the death penalty for burglars rapist muderers etc)

You dont think that the death penalty for burglary is a bit extreme?

, I think it'd be more important to include people in a discussion about Jesus then excluding them. If people are curious, but haven't been saved, why turn them away?

Here Here. I believe in Christs teachings but Im not convinced he was God . What does that make me?

[scooter_the_shooter]

Well think about it. I know a few people whose house was robbed they don't even feel safe in there own homes they feel violated and that will be with them for the rest of their lives. Maybe death is extreme, But I do know that we aren't near as harsh as we should be on burglars.

[Alrowan]

Here Here. I believe in Christs teachings but Im not convinced he was God . What does that make me?

ok here is a quick convincing, if you beleive in christs teachings, when he admits being the son of god, if you accept his teachings as truth, then you will have to accept this.. well thats the short of it, what it comes down to is faith, heck we all need more faith, pray maybe for understanding and insight, might help out in understanding this and accepting it as well


edit:
ack re-read, you had trouble accepting he WAS god, yeah thats a tough one, but same advice goes as what i posted, i guess pray/talk to others for understanding/knowledge

[Gawain of Orkeny]

ok here is a quick convincing, if you beleive in christs teachings, when he admits being the son of god, if you accept his teachings as truth, then you will have to accept this.

How so? I also believe I am the son of god? But I am no god.

[Don Corleone]

ok here is a quick convincing, if you beleive in christs teachings, when he admits being the son of god, if you accept his teachings as truth, then you will have to accept this.. well thats the short of it, what it comes down to is faith, heck we all need more faith, pray maybe for understanding and insight, might help out in understanding this and accepting it as well


edit:
ack re-read, you had trouble accepting he WAS god, yeah thats a tough one, but same advice goes as what i posted, i guess pray/talk to others for understanding/knowledge

He said "I am the Way, the Truth and the Life. He who believes in Me will never die". He also said "Nobody can get to the father but through me". While both of those statements make it clear that He is declaring Himself to be part of the Trinity (well, actually, the Trinity is a human construct, God simply IS) but nowhere in that did He say "You must believe that I am the son of God". He just says that He is.

As a matter of fact, He said the two most important things in life didn't even concern Him: "Love the Lord God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind. And love your neighbor as you love yourself". Nowhere did He say "and make certain you shun people who claim I wasn't divine". In fact, He even said "Those who speak against the Son of Man will be forgiven, but those who speak against the Holy Spirit cannot be forgiven". That makes perfect sense, as the Holy Spirit is, for lack of a better definiton, the physical and spiritual embodiment of God's love. To blaspheme against the Holy Spirit, you would have to teach that God doesn't love His children, and that would be pretty unforgivable in my book.

[Sjakihata]

I believe in Christs teachings but Im not convinced he was God . What does that make me?

Muslim!

[ICantSpellDawg]

Here Here. I believe in Christs teachings but Im not convinced he was God . What does that make me?

probably less christian than a muslim
even many of them say that he was a prophet

[Don Corleone]

Being a Christian is a very personal thing. Christ himself never actually used that exact term, though He did talk about His followers at several points. I think we all fall short of that mark, though He said we would, and it was the trying that was important.

In any case, I don't think any person can tell another they are or are not a Christian. To steal a line from the Matrix, it's like being in love. Actually, it is being in love, but a different sort of love (love of God & love of fellow man verus love of a woman). But only you and Jesus know what sort of relationship the two of you have, and I think it's dangerous for anyone to go telling another somebody else they're not a real Christian. Something about millstones....

[Gawain of Orkeny]

Don your posts keep getting better and better. I will put money on it right now that you would or should be made a senior member in the near future. To think og it having a Godfather as one of our most respected members. What will become of us?

[Byzantine Prince]

But only you and Jesus know what sort of relationship the two of you have

well as far as people posting, anyone is free to join in

Can I join? It'll be like the old days.

[Alrowan]

Can I join? It'll be like the old days.

is christ your saviour

i said anyone can join in the conversations, bu please be open minded and accept that the group here does have a common belief

[Goofball]

Being a Christian is a very personal thing. Christ himself never actually used that exact term, though He did talk about His followers at several points. I think we all fall short of that mark, though He said we would, and it was the trying that was important.

In any case, I don't think any person can tell another they are or are not a Christian. To steal a line from the Matrix, it's like being in love. Actually, it is being in love, but a different sort of love (love of God & love of fellow man verus love of a woman). But only you and Jesus know what sort of relationship the two of you have, and I think it's dangerous for anyone to go telling another somebody else they're not a real Christian. Something about millstones....

Somebody gimme hallelujah!

I have to tell you Don, I admire that point of view.

If all Christians shared such an unjudgmental, tolerant attitude (and don't get me wrong, I know plenty of other Christians who do), not only would we heretics/agnostics/atheists/whatever-you-want-to-call-us's have very few things to criticize you about, but you'd probably even convince a good many of us to join the flock.

[Al Khalifah]

A good club, but then again Christianity itself is a good club to be a part of.

I do not regularly attend Church and although I am baptised and confirmed by the Church of England, I do not consider myself to belong to any particular denomination of Chrstianity. I'd rather just consider myself a Christian.

My belief in the Bible stands that it is as an extended metaphor. The stories are all most likely based on truth, although the actually events themselves may have been simplified or mystified to increase their likelyhood of being remembered. I believe that Jesus was a real person and that he was a spiritual teacher, who was crucified for his radical beliefs by the Romans and was not protected because his views did not conform to the Jewish expectation for their messiah. Again, as a student of history, I know he was not born in 0 A.D but probably half a century later - this fact does not shake my belief in the message. The message is good and true.

My non-denominational Christian belief also extends to Jews and Muslims, we are brothers and have the same message, just told in a different way.

[Kagemusha]

I dont think i qualify in this club.And i think highly about Christian values like mercy.But i dont believe in single religion over any other.I think that Jahwe, Allah,Christ and Buddha are really the same God.Who is one and sametime all.

[Alrowan]

well as far as people posting, anyone is free to join in, also Don Corleone the fact that you accept christ as your saviour is the essense of christianity, therefore elliglble enoguh to be a member of the "club" so to speak

and ceasar, as for you, thats fine that you believe that, it might not be in line with christs teachings, but perhaps you are still learning forgivness, heck it is hard