Politcally Correct Christ

This is exactly what the Christian authors of the New testament did to the Hebrew Bible. They mutilated the text to fit their own needs, look at how the author of Matthew has misinterpreted Isaiah 7:14 for example.Brian.

Robin is a Christian, you seem to be about the only one here doesn't know that.Apart from Delilah of course, but I think she is having her doubts too. Brian.

Evidently.It was a bit esoteric to be fair.Brian.

So why does it bother you so much if you aren't a Christian? Surely it is no big deal if it doesn't affect your life?I mean, I am an atheist and I couldnt care less how people choose to define their faith. However, I do get a chuckle at the Christians fighting amongst themselves about who is a Christian and who isn't, it just confirms that I made the correct decision to walk away from this joke of a religion. But, if you aren't a Christian, how do you know this is a PC version of Christianity isn't the true version?Brian.

But why do you allow it to irritate you when it has nothing to do with you? Do you go around looking at all faiths and examine their denominations to see which versions irritate you?For what it is worth, I don't think Christianity, at least the Christianity that I followed or the Christianity my interpretation of he NT suggests, is at all PC. Jesus was clearly racist, sexist, bigoted, murderer, sadist, imbicile of a creature, and if you choose to follow him then you have to accept Jesus warts and all. But, certain groups do need to reinterpret the scriptures in their attempt to make Christianity more attractive. In the developed world Christianity is dying on its arse, the only countries that there is any growth are third world countries and Alabama.But so what if people are turning it into a PC faith, who cares apart from someone involved? True version as in the version that Jesus tried to get across. There are many versions of Christianity that are in conflict with one another, take universalists for example, if they are correct people like Faith and IanO have been making tits of themselves for nothing. I don't consider Jar's version to be recognisable as Christianity as I knew it or as I interpret it. But, as people pointed out, who am I to say who is and isn't a Christian? I also do not consider that Faith, Ian, Buz, RR, Herepton and a great many more people at Evc who say they are Christians actually are. I think that Phat and Trixie are about the only people I recognise as Christians (there may be others I just cannot think of them right now).While I would say that Jar has a great deal of Christian values, there are just too many of his beliefs that I personally have difficulty in harmonising with the Bible. I think he ignores much of what the Bible says, but that's the problem when interpretation of scripture became popular, it allowed for anything to be called Christianity. Does this mean that Jar isn't a Christian? Who knows?Why would he say he was if he isn't, the same goes for all the other people I have mentioned? But, I would say that just because some people THINK they are a Christian it doesn't follow that they actually are.Brian.

But no versions are true.You just need to read the Bible to discover that Jesus was no messiah. But did he?Brian.

I don't study the history of Christianity.Sit at the back of the class, put your hand up when you are ready to pay attention and you may be allowed to join the rest of the class again. Brian.

Tell me Ian, do you work on a Saturday?Would you sell your child for a few shekels?Do you have some words from the Torah written on your doorpost?Have you written out a scroll with the Torah on it?Do you read the shema in the mornig and at night?Do you bear grudges?Give to charity?Love strangers?Celebrate Passover?Rest on Rosh Hashannah?Fast on Yom Kippur?Do you wish to keep the Canaanites as slaves forever?wish to put false prophets to death?Kill all witches?To save me time, do you observe all 613 commandments?Brian.

So, I will see you in Hell?

The thing about Lewis is that his apologetics are extremely childish, he doesn't really get into the real issues.There is a certain type of Christian who think that Lewis is the apologist supreme, but this is because their minds are also very childish so Lewis' work appeals to them. the trilemma that you mention is only one of a few poorly thought out arguments by Lewis. I started ot read The Chronicles of Narnia, and the analogies are so excrutiatingly obvious that I couldn't stop rolling my eyes. I know it was written for children but it's a pretty pathetic collection of stories.There are others in the same position, but not quite as eloquent as Lewis. Josh McDowelkl for example is an utter ballon, his apologetics are for ten year olds. Strobel is the same, he allegedly set out to disprove Christ and ended up becoming a believer! Well, given the level of critical scholarship he presents in his books it is no surprise he became a Christian, it's easy money.Brian.Brian.

But the thing with calling an intepretation fraudulent suggests that you have proof that they are fraudulent, which you don't.Do you honestly think if the church fathers took the bible as literally as Faith or Ian does that there would be such a thing as Christianty?There wouldn't be. The Bible has to be interpreted becaus eit is ludicrous to take it at face value. All you can do is go with the interpretation that you feel is the correct one and hope for the best.I think the sooner everyone realises that the Bible, the Qur'an, or any other religious hocus pocus collection of texts are just little stories, then the safer the world will be for us sane people.Brian.

Make up your mind Ian!Didn't you sayYou are instructed, by someone who says he is God, to do these things and he has made it crystal clear what will happen to anyone who does not do what these commandments demand of them. To hell they shall go.I'll keep you a nice warm seat.Brian.

You are forgetting one very important thing. I am already saved.When you are saved from the Myth of Christ the threats He makes are null and void.Brian.

Really nice of the guy.When I compare the Old Testament texts that refer to Yahweh's interactions with the world with those of other ANE texts, it appears that Yahweh is a bit, to be PC, slow, He doesn't appear to be playing with a full deck. Now if Jesus is giving us two commandements to follow that are impossible to folow then either He is as dense as Yahweh, or is a bit of a sadist.If the commandments are impossible to follow, and people know this, then it is pointless having them.Brian.

I'd say that old racist and bigot William Albright demands a lot of respect for his work. This is more a historical apologetic than a theological one.Havent read Simon Greenleaf.Brian.