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Author
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Topic: What is Christianity?
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ringo
Member (Idle past 433 days) Posts: 20940 From: frozen wasteland Joined: 03-23-2005
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Message 68 of 451 (758513)
05-27-2015 3:39 PM
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Reply to: Message 58 by Phat
05-26-2015 8:07 PM
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Re: Kudos to all
Phat writes: Does a person have to know God in order to love God?
That depends on what you mean by "knowing" God. Do you have to know that His name is Jehovah? Do you have to know that He has a son named Jesus? Is it possible to "know" Shakespeare five hundred years after he died? By his works ye shall know him.
| This message is a reply to: | | | Message 58 by Phat, posted 05-26-2015 8:07 PM | | Phat has replied |
| Replies to this message: | | | Message 229 by Phat, posted 06-28-2015 8:11 AM | | ringo has replied |
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ringo
Member (Idle past 433 days) Posts: 20940 From: frozen wasteland Joined: 03-23-2005
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Message 77 of 451 (760093)
06-17-2015 3:29 PM
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Reply to: Message 75 by Phat
06-17-2015 2:51 PM
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Re: What We Do & Who We Are
Phat writes: Is not the real evidence within ones own soul and heart and not based on historical, archeological, or psychological facts?
No.
| This message is a reply to: | | | Message 75 by Phat, posted 06-17-2015 2:51 PM | | Phat has seen this message but not replied |
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ringo
Member (Idle past 433 days) Posts: 20940 From: frozen wasteland Joined: 03-23-2005
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Message 90 of 451 (760342)
06-20-2015 1:15 PM
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Reply to: Message 79 by Rocky.C
06-19-2015 10:25 AM
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Re: As I see Christianity
Rocky.C. writes: ... I find it amusing that an individual who is less than a century old has the audacity to tell us what happened billions of years ago? Also, it is not possible for someone (or anyone) to explain what it means to be a Christian when they do not understand who and what God is, or His purpose in creating Man.
I find it amusing that you (seem to) claim that you understand who and what God is, and His purpose in creating Man.
| This message is a reply to: | | | Message 79 by Rocky.C, posted 06-19-2015 10:25 AM | | Rocky.C has replied |
| Replies to this message: | | | Message 93 by Rocky.C, posted 06-20-2015 4:40 PM | | ringo has replied |
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ringo
Member (Idle past 433 days) Posts: 20940 From: frozen wasteland Joined: 03-23-2005
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Message 97 of 451 (760404)
06-21-2015 2:14 PM
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Reply to: Message 93 by Rocky.C
06-20-2015 4:40 PM
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Re: As I see Christianity
Rocky.C. writes: Anyone who possess the ability to read should be capable of understanding who God is and His purpose in creating man.
Are you aware that Muslims can read? Why do different religions and even different denominations have such different "understanding" of God?
| This message is a reply to: | | | Message 93 by Rocky.C, posted 06-20-2015 4:40 PM | | Rocky.C has not replied |
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ringo
Member (Idle past 433 days) Posts: 20940 From: frozen wasteland Joined: 03-23-2005
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Message 108 of 451 (760467)
06-22-2015 12:11 PM
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Reply to: Message 104 by Phat
06-22-2015 11:24 AM
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Re: So yet another definition tossed out for consideration
Phat writes: Strictly speaking, (even for a literalist) the teachings of christ are limited to the Gospels.
I seem to recall iano saying that the best place to learn "the gospel" is in Romans.
| This message is a reply to: | | | Message 104 by Phat, posted 06-22-2015 11:24 AM | | Phat has replied |
| Replies to this message: | | | Message 271 by Phat, posted 08-06-2015 8:21 PM | | ringo has replied | | | Message 275 by ICANT, posted 08-18-2015 11:45 AM | | ringo has seen this message but not replied |
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ringo
Member (Idle past 433 days) Posts: 20940 From: frozen wasteland Joined: 03-23-2005
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Message 184 of 451 (760764)
06-25-2015 12:29 PM
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Reply to: Message 173 by NoNukes
06-25-2015 4:15 AM
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Re: who is a doctor or a Lion or an Elk?
NoNukes writes: One of my aunts likes to ask, "If being a real Christian became illegal, could you even get yourself arrested". Her impression was that we ought to be able to recognize at least some aspect of Jesus teachings in your life.
If being a real Christian became illegal, the authorities would go to the Christian churches to arrest Christians. It seems unlikely that they would go after anybody who turned the other cheek or helped the poor.
| This message is a reply to: | | | Message 173 by NoNukes, posted 06-25-2015 4:15 AM | | NoNukes has replied |
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ringo
Member (Idle past 433 days) Posts: 20940 From: frozen wasteland Joined: 03-23-2005
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Message 188 of 451 (760778)
06-25-2015 1:19 PM
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Reply to: Message 187 by Phat
06-25-2015 1:08 PM
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Re: who is a doctor or a Lion or an Elk?
Phat writes: IF the authorities actually had the ability to spot a real Christian they may ignore the churches...
How could they do that?
Phat writes: They may well go after the atheist who turned the other cheek or helped the poor.
No matter how rabidly "evil" an authoritarian government was, its interest would still be in having the citizenry "get along". It's ridiculous to suggest that they would want to stop anybody form being Christ-like.
| This message is a reply to: | | | Message 187 by Phat, posted 06-25-2015 1:08 PM | | Phat has not replied |
| Replies to this message: | | | Message 193 by Jon, posted 06-25-2015 4:42 PM | | ringo has replied |
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ringo
Member (Idle past 433 days) Posts: 20940 From: frozen wasteland Joined: 03-23-2005
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Message 217 of 451 (760887)
06-26-2015 11:44 AM
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Reply to: Message 191 by NoNukes
06-25-2015 4:18 PM
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Re: who is a doctor or a Lion or an Elk?
NoNukes writes: But the point of my aunt's rather impractical hypothetical is that simply identifying Church attendees is not the correct way to define true Christians. So either you missed my point or I didn't tell the story correctly.
No, I got your point. I was just pointing out that your aunt, bless her soul, was wrong.
NoNukes writes: Ridiculous or not, the arrest of people for being Christ-like is exactly the point of the story.
And the point of the story is wrong. No government would arrest people for showing some aspect of Jesus' teaching in their lives. They'd arrest people who are members of a Christian organization.
| This message is a reply to: | | | Message 191 by NoNukes, posted 06-25-2015 4:18 PM | | NoNukes has replied |
| Replies to this message: | | | Message 260 by NoNukes, posted 08-03-2015 4:27 PM | | ringo has replied |
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ringo
Member (Idle past 433 days) Posts: 20940 From: frozen wasteland Joined: 03-23-2005
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Message 218 of 451 (760888)
06-26-2015 11:49 AM
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Reply to: Message 193 by Jon
06-25-2015 4:42 PM
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Re: who is a doctor or a Lion or an Elk?
Jon writes: Because sometimes when the people are too busy scuffling amongst themselves they can be trusted not to notice the large dick raping them in the bank.
That's a nice conspiracy theory but I don't think it matches reality. Do you have any examples of authoritarian governments that encourage people to "scuffle amongst themselves"?
| This message is a reply to: | | | Message 193 by Jon, posted 06-25-2015 4:42 PM | | Jon has not replied |
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ringo
Member (Idle past 433 days) Posts: 20940 From: frozen wasteland Joined: 03-23-2005
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Message 233 of 451 (761119)
06-28-2015 2:20 PM
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Reply to: Message 229 by Phat
06-28-2015 8:11 AM
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Re: Kudos to all
Phat writes: In my opinion, it is important to believe that Jesus is alive--today--in Spirit and Body. Where is His body, one may ask...We are the Body of Christ and He is the Head of this Body.
Then it's important that we are alive today. He can be alive "in Spirit" without actually existing. Tom Joad could be said to be alive "in Spirit".
Phat writes: Jesus is alive and Shakespeare is dead, though his writings are basically preserved forever as a legacy and "creation" of Shakespeares.
How is Jesus more alive than Shakespeare?
Phat writes: ringo writes: By his works ye shall know him.
Know whom? Jesus or the particular member of His Body?
You can know anybody by his works. Jesus said so.
| This message is a reply to: | | | Message 229 by Phat, posted 06-28-2015 8:11 AM | | Phat has seen this message but not replied |
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ringo
Member (Idle past 433 days) Posts: 20940 From: frozen wasteland Joined: 03-23-2005
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Message 235 of 451 (761130)
06-28-2015 3:03 PM
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Reply to: Message 234 by Rocky.C
06-28-2015 2:55 PM
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Re: The Creeds as definitive of a Christian
Rocky.C. writes: The Holy Spirit is not a personage.
I think it quite clearly is, both in the sense of a character in the story and in the sense of a person of importance. Not a "person" literally, but a personage definitely.
| This message is a reply to: | | | Message 234 by Rocky.C, posted 06-28-2015 2:55 PM | | Rocky.C has not replied |
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ringo
Member (Idle past 433 days) Posts: 20940 From: frozen wasteland Joined: 03-23-2005
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Message 257 of 451 (761528)
07-02-2015 1:04 PM
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Reply to: Message 256 by Phat
07-01-2015 6:19 AM
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Re: God is NOT a product of my imagination
Phat writes: God is NOT a product of my imagination
I agree. God is a product of somebody else's imagination. You just borrowed the hook, line and sinker.
| This message is a reply to: | | | Message 256 by Phat, posted 07-01-2015 6:19 AM | | Phat has replied |
| Replies to this message: | | | Message 258 by Phat, posted 07-02-2015 1:18 PM | | ringo has replied |
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ringo
Member (Idle past 433 days) Posts: 20940 From: frozen wasteland Joined: 03-23-2005
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Message 259 of 451 (761532)
07-02-2015 1:26 PM
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Reply to: Message 258 by Phat
07-02-2015 1:18 PM
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Re: God is NOT a product of my imagination
Phat writes: I never understood why you rejected the concept.
As I suggested, the concept was originated by "somebody else". I don't think the tendency to believe in gods is inherent in humans. Somebody makes up a god and convinces others to believe in it.
| This message is a reply to: | | | Message 258 by Phat, posted 07-02-2015 1:18 PM | | Phat has replied |
| Replies to this message: | | | Message 262 by Phat, posted 08-05-2015 2:47 AM | | ringo has replied |
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ringo
Member (Idle past 433 days) Posts: 20940 From: frozen wasteland Joined: 03-23-2005
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Message 261 of 451 (765691)
08-04-2015 12:11 PM
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Reply to: Message 260 by NoNukes
08-03-2015 4:27 PM
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Re: who is a doctor or a Lion or an Elk?
NoNukes writes: What you are describing is not the point of the story, so it is you and not the story that is wrong.
You said in Message 191:
quote:
But the point of my aunt's rather impractical hypothetical is that simply identifying Church attendees is not the correct way to define true Christians.
But it's the ONLY way. You can't identify everybody who gives a dollar to a panhandler as a Christian.
NoNukes writes: Your position is exactly the same as rebutting the point of an Aesop's fable by insisting that tortoises and hares cannot actually talk and that they would never actually race each other.
No. My position is that you can't identify a hare by the patterns on its shell.
| This message is a reply to: | | | Message 260 by NoNukes, posted 08-03-2015 4:27 PM | | NoNukes has replied |
| Replies to this message: | | | Message 264 by NoNukes, posted 08-05-2015 3:48 AM | | ringo has replied |
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ringo
Member (Idle past 433 days) Posts: 20940 From: frozen wasteland Joined: 03-23-2005
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Message 265 of 451 (765751)
08-05-2015 3:08 PM
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Reply to: Message 262 by Phat
08-05-2015 2:47 AM
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Re: God is NOT a product of my imagination
Phat writes: IIRC, nobody convinced me to believe. It was that one day I was changed.
If you hadn't known about the mythos, would you have thought of it by yourself? Do you think it's just coincidence that you happen to live in a Christian culture and you happen to believe in the Christian God? I'd be impressed if God was communing with you and telling you his prophet was Mohammed.
| This message is a reply to: | | | Message 262 by Phat, posted 08-05-2015 2:47 AM | | Phat has replied |
| Replies to this message: | | | Message 269 by Phat, posted 08-06-2015 4:49 PM | | ringo has replied |
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