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| Articles about Christians |
| Did The Early Christians Of The First Century Believe That The Return Of Christ Was Imminent? | | 2008-07-17 14:02:00 | | One of the objections you will run into when you start sharing the gospel of Jesus Christ with people goes something like this:"Well, the early Christians believed that Jesus would return in their lifetimes, and since He didn't, then Christianity must not be true".Now, those of us who know the Word of God know this is totally false.In fact, the Bible is VERY clear that Jesus would not return right away.Below is an article that contains a very good study of this topic. I would encourage you to visit the website posted below and read the full article:----(excerpt from the original article at http://www.aboundingjoy.com/Bible%20studies/imminency.htm )The Early Church Knew that the Lord’s Return was NOT ImminentThere is significant Biblical evidence that the early church had good reasons not to expect His imminent return. Of course, they had the same words of Jesus that we have! So anything He said that we might think refer to His imminent return could not have meant His imminent return | | By: Shattered Paradigm | | |
| | A Call To Christians | | 2008-07-11 05:42:10 | | Sister of Faustina: Painting The Story of Life
A Call To Christians Lyrics
1. A light within the world
Yes, witnesses are we,
To bear the light of Christ
For all the world to see
Refrain:
We come with you, O Christ
In answer to Your Call;
Through love we give All.
Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia!
2. Your love and light, O Lord,
You send [...] | | By: Moments That Inspire | | |
| | The Truth About The Pagan Origins & Pagan Practices Of Halloween - Child Sacrifice, Animal Abuse And Satan Worship - Christians Avoid This Abomination | | 2008-07-10 11:23:00 | | Nobody should celebrate the wicked pagan holiday of "Halloween".We hope most of you have researched the wicked origins of this holiday by now.Some of you think it is harmless, but the reality is that this is the most important day of the year for most Satanists and most people who are into the occult.We personally know a minister who delivered a woman out of the occult who was involved in the most wicked things imaginable each year on Halloween.Each year she would get pregnant after Halloween so that she could have a new baby before Halloween so her and her coven would have a baby to sacrifice on Halloween each year.This is not a joke.This is real.And it is happening in America every year.It is time to learn the shocking truth about Halloween:-An Ex-Satanist talks about Halloweenhttp://members.aol.com/RichClark7/rev/exsatan.htm-Halloween a celebration of deathhttp://www.christianlibrary.org/authors/Walter_Porter/Halloween.htm-A real testimony about what happens to children on Halloween | | By: Shattered Paradigm | | |
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| Algeria: Christians get suspended jail terms for proselytising | | 2008-07-03 05:26:00 | | Two Algerian nationals have been given a suspended six-months sentence for proselytising for Christianity. "We are disappointed by the verdict but not ashamed of our new faith," said Christian converts Rachid Seghir and Djallal Dahmani.The Algerian government has accused Protestants and Evangelicals of conducting an intense missionary campaign in their country trying to convert the population."The verdict is unfair, I do not understand why people are sentenced to jail for their beliefs," said the head of the Algerian Protestant churches, Mustafa Karim. More... | | By: THE NEW BABYLON TIMES | | |
| | The Debate Over The Apocrypha - Why Are There Extra Books In The "Catholic Bible" That Aren't In The Bible That Most Christians Read? | | 2008-07-02 13:45:00 | | The Apocrypha ("hidden", "doubtful") most commonly refers to a group of disputed books which are rejected by Protestants and most other Christian groups and accepted by the Roman Catholic organization.So why are these books in the "Catholic Bible" and not in other Bibles?The folks over at inplainsite.org have done a very good job of explaining the issues behind this debate. The article linked to below will answer such questions as:-Did the Jews consider the Apocrypha part of the Old Testament?-What did Jesus think of the Apocrypha?-Does the New Testament refer to the Apocrypha?-Did the early church fathers believe the Apocrypha was authoritative?-What kinds of problems do we find with the Apocrypha?For those who are curious about this topic I would encourage you to go read the article:http://www.inplainsite.org/html/apocrypha.html
| | By: Shattered Paradigm | | |
| | Christians - You Need To Repent If You Support George W. Bush - Bush Is NOT A Conservative & Has Been Promoting An Anti-Christian Agenda! | | 2008-06-29 12:30:00 | | Christians - have you been supporting George W. Bush throughout his presidency?If so, you need to repent. Bush has been doing horrible things, and the world will blame us for his wicked acts!"Ye shall know them by their fruits" (Matt 7:16)So you are a Christian and you support Bush and the use of torture.....Let me ask you.....does this look "Christian" to you?:http://www.antiwar.com/news/?articleid=2444Still not convinced? Read the following and then tell me how we are doing the "right thing" by torturing people:http://www.whatreallyhappened.com/torture.htmlWell what about the war itself?Do you think that Jesus would use depleted uranium weapons which kill and cripple our own troops and turn babies into freaks of nature?I dare anyone to look at these pictures and then post on this thread about how "moral" this war is:http://www.jesus-is-savior.com/Evils%20in%20Government/depleted_uranium.htmThen go read this article and then explain to me how supporting this war and killing our own tr | | By: Shattered Paradigm | | |
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| When Did Christians First Believe In The Deity Of Christ? | | 2008-06-27 11:00:00 | | When did Christians first believe that Jesus was God?Films and books such as the Davinci Code would have us believe that the deity of Christ was not believed by the original Christians but was rather a later development.But as we can see from the New Testament Scriptures, Christians have ALWAYS believed that Jesus is God:"In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God."--John 1:1The film posted below clearly shows from the Scriptures that Jesus believed that He is God, and that the early Christians believed that He is God from the very beginning.This is a great YouTube clip to share with those who don't believe in the deity of Christ:
| | By: Shattered Paradigm | | |
| | | What Holidays Will Christians Celebrate After The Second Coming Of Yahshua The Messiah (Jesus Christ)? | | 2008-06-25 11:38:00 | | What do you think life will be like after the Second Coming of Jesus Christ?Did you know that the Bible says He will set up a kingdom and will rule for 1000 years from Jerusalem?Did you know that the Bible describes what life will be like then?Did you know that the Bible tells us some of the holidays that we will celebrate?Read the Scriptures for yourselves and see if we are wrong:Zechariah 14:3-4;12-19Then the LORD will go out and fight against those nations, as he fights in the day of battle. On that day his feet will stand on the Mount of Olives, east of Jerusalem, and the Mount of Olives will be split in two from east to west, forming a great valley, with half of the mountain moving north and half moving south.This is the plague with which the LORD will strike all the nations that fought against Jerusalem: Their flesh will rot while they are still standing on their feet, their eyes will rot in their sockets, and their tongues will rot in their mouths. On that day men will be strick | | By: Shattered Paradigm | | |
| | New Survey Finds That 57 Percent Of Evangelical Christians In America Believe That "Many Religions Can Lead To Eternal Life" | | 2008-06-23 14:04:00 | | A stunning new survey by the Pew Research Center's Forum on Religion & Public Life finds that 57 percent of evangelical Christians in America believe that "many religions can lead to eternal life".This shocking study reveals what many Christians have known for quite some time: apostasy among "evangelical Christians" is spreading, and it is spreading rapidly.Evangelical Christians are supposed to be those who follow the teachings of the Bible the closest. But this survey shows that even a majority of them do not even believe in the most fundamental precepts of the Christians faith.For example, John 14:6 says that following:John 14:6 --Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me."If there was another way for our sins to be forgiven, then why did Jesus need to die on the cross? If there were other ways, then Jesus could have come down to earth, pointed out a bunch of other ways to get to heaven, and then gone back upstairs wi | | By: Shattered Paradigm | | |
| | Islamic militants briefly abduct 16 Christians in northwest Pakistan | | 2008-06-22 04:48:00 | | The Jerusalem Post - Police say Islamic militants freed 16 Christians hours after kidnapping them in northwestern Pakistan.Police official Mohammed Khan says the minority Christians were kidnapped late Saturday as they prayed at a home in the northwestern city of Peshawar.He says the men were freed early Sunday after officers contacted the captors.Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani has told parliament he ordered a probe into the incident. | | By: THE NEW BABYLON TIMES | | |
| | The Persecution Of Christians In India By Hindu Extremists Intensifies | | 2008-06-18 11:07:00 | | Most American Christians have no idea what is happening in India.In many areas of India, Christians who try to preach the gospel are regularly attacked by Hindu extremists.The following is a recent example that was just emailed to me by Voice Of The Martyrs:On April 25, Pastor Mohan Babu and two other believers were severely beaten by 35 Hindu extremists for holding a Vacation Bible School (VBS) near Bangalore City, in Karnataka State. According to The Voice of the Martyrs contacts in India, the three-day VBS was organized by Ragigudda Baptist Church. VOM sources said, "Around 60 children from different backgrounds were attending the VBS. As they were worshiping, about 35 people belonging to a Hindu extremist group forcefully entered the hut chanting slogans and demolished the hut. The extremists mercilessly beat Mohan, Samuel and Krishna, alleging forceful conversion. The perpetrators chased the children without any courtesy and tore the Bibles. Mohan was severely injured on his lips | | By: Shattered Paradigm | | |
| | US House Approves $10 Million in Aid for Iraq's Christians | | 2008-05-18 06:34:00 | | This is a tremendous victory for the advocacy efforts of the newly formed Chaldean Assyrian Syriac Council of America (CASCA). Representative Anna Eshoo, co-chair of the House Caucus said: "I'm pleased that the amendment contains $10 million for vulnerable Iraqi minorities. The needs of the Assyrians could not be greater…These families desperately need security, housing, jobs, schools and the chance to live in a sustainable community where they can openly practice their faith."Representative Joe Knollenberg, Caucus Member and Member of the House Appropriations Committee said: "I am proud to have helped deliver this needed assistance to our friends in Iraq. Together with the Iraqi-American community, we're making an important difference in the lives of Iraqi minorities who need our help." More... | | By: THE NEW BABYLON TIMES | | |
| | The Amish beliefs that are not shared by Christians-sex roles: | | 2008-04-20 06:31:39 | | http://amishwiki.org/tiki-read_article.php?articleId=173 The Amish Religion is not an officially recognized religion though there are millions of followers all over the world. The Amish have some beliefs that are shared by Christians though there are certain beliefs that are not shared by Christians. The Amish’s important beliefs that are not shared by Christians are salvation, rituals, the Outside World, Non Militaristic, Local Control, Customs and sex roles.
Amish belief has a secondary place for women. Their family life has a patriarchal structure. They say that the roles of women are considered equally important to those of men. Nevertheless, women are very unequal in terms of authority. The unmarried Amish women remain under the control of their fathers. Wives are submissive to their husbands. The important Amish rule is that only males are eligible to become Church officials.
An Amish girl is grown up without knowledge about sexuality or pregnancy. They have less freedom in s | | By: Amish Furniture Reviews | | |
| | The Amish beliefs that are not shared by the Christians- salvation | | 2008-04-20 06:28:36 | | http://amishwiki.org/tiki-read_article.php?articleId=172 The Amish Religion is not an officially recognized religion though there are millions of followers all over the world. Amish have certain beliefs that are shared by the Christians though there are some beliefs that are not shared by Christians as well. One of the important Amish beliefs that are not shared by the Christians is Salvation.
Salvation is very important to Amish. They consider it as a gift from God. Evangelical Christians view the salvation experience as an intense emotional event. They think that it happens suddenly when the convert repents of his sins and accepts Jesus as Lord and Savior.
The Amish have a different concept of salvation. They look upon salvation as being experienced in everyday living. According to Amish, salvation is not a sudden happening in life. Salvation is realized as one’s life is transformed day by day into the image of Christ.
Evangelicals and other conservative Protestants believe that | | By: Amish Furniture Reviews | | |
| | Buddhist Christians - A New Spin | | 2008-03-31 21:47:54 | | Spiritual Path Can Take Unexpected Turns:Although critics get hung up on labels, Buddhist Christians meditate on the benefits they discover.By JEFF STRICKLER, Star Tribune Joey McLeister, Star TribuneMary Jo Meadow is an expert on Buddhist Christians — people who apply Buddhist meditation techniques to Christian prayer.Mary Jo Meadow avoids using what she calls the "B word." It's not the "B word" you might expect, but the retired religious studies professor says that many people consider it just as profane, in its own way.The word is Buddhist. Meadow is considered one the world's foremost experts on Buddhist Christians, although some people try a slightly different spin by calling themselves Christian Buddhists."It doesn't really matter which word comes first," Meadow said. "Once people hear the 'B word,' that's all they react to. As a result, a lot of people [who practice it] keep it secret, including a man who told me, 'If my fundamentalist father-in-law found about this, I'd be d | | By: Spiritual Village | | |
| | An American Warning - A message to ALL Christians. | | 2008-03-30 20:13:00 | | Three years ago, I released a paper called “Islam on the Rise”. It covered how the increase in Islam would soon pass that of the Christians. I had about two hundred replies saying that just couldn’t be true and how I was crazy and a conspiracy theorist. My response? I laughed. Now I’ve said numerous times that the threat of radical Islam is far beyond real, I can’t even begin to lay out the map to show you. Let me explain.Keeping in mind that the goal of Islam to create a world wide unified Muslim community, you should know that the goals are currently being realized.Look at almost any Christian nation aside from the United States… the transformation is slow but steady. In England – 2008 is expected to have “Muhammad” be the number one name for newborn babies. This follows suit with Lebanon in the early 70’s which was once a very Christian nation… slowly taken over by the Muslim faith and now currently controlled. Which isn’t a bad thing if you are a male and cu | | By: An American Warning | | |
| | Besieged Iraqi Christians Need A Safe Haven | | 2008-03-14 14:59:00 | | AINA -- The best thing the church worldwide can do for Iraq's beleaguered Christians is support a push for a secure province for the community. A province in the north of the country -- the original homeland of Assyrians is a rural area near Mosul known as the Nineveh plain -- would provide the protection needed to persuade those many Christians who have left Iraq to return home, said Ken Joseph.Joseph, an ethnic Assyrian, commented after the body of an archbishop was found in Mosul on Thursday, less than two weeks after gunmen abducted him at his church and killed three men with him. Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki blamed al-Qaeda and said his government was committed to protecting Christians.Paulos Faraj Rahho, the Chaldean Catholic archbishop of Mosul, is the most senior Iraqi Christian to have been killed in what many believe is a concerted effort by Islamic extremists to drive Christians, a mere three percent of the population, from the country.Iraqi Christians are being targeted b | | By: THE NEW BABYLON TIMES | | |
| | Iraqi Christians cling to last, waning refuges | | 2008-03-06 13:54:00 | | The bullets lay on the desk amid Bibles and rosaries. They're for two pistols owned by Father Ayman Danna."The only solution left for our people is to bear arms. We either live or die. We must be strong," says the Syriac Catholic priest at the Church of Saint George in Bartella, a northern Iraqi town in a swath of fertile land called the Nineveh Plain that now has the largest concentration of a dwindling Christian community. More... | | By: THE NEW BABYLON TIMES | | |
| | | Jesus protects deciples and genuine christians | | 2008-02-15 05:49:32 | | in Jesus Name I pray.
Please make court righteous.
May the biblical powers and justice come to all courts.
may all devils suffer and pay their dues with hell and burning.
Please bless RST and me.
thanks
- dmtaoivnneuu from North_west_usa | | By: Prayers Online | | |
| | More Persecuting Christians | | 2008-01-04 12:50:49 | | There is an interesting set of videos on YouTube. They seem to center around the following.
YouTube is not quite censoring but certainly limiting atheist content? Well, that is the question.
There is quite a string of videos related to the topic. I took a look at YouTube Censors Atheists: Here’s the Proof, Youtube: Promoting Bullshit [...] | | By: Hell's Handmaiden | | |
| | Syria’s Assassination Goal: Target March 14th Christians To Divide & Conquer | | 2007-12-31 23:00:20 | | Phillip Smyth is the the CT Blog's Assistant Newslinks Editor and a contributor to the Aramaic Democratic Organization. He spent 2 months this summer in Lebanon talking with and interviewing anti-Hezbollah NGOs in addition to Hezbollah supporters. He wrote the following about the direction of recent assassinations in Lebanon. In the effort by the Syrian backed opposition’s hope to block any anti-Syrian candidate to the office of Lebanese president, Lebanon is expected to undergo a number of...(read more) | | By: An American Warning | | |
| | Single Christians | | 2007-12-06 15:41:18 | | Do we even need to date? These days, Christian singles aren’t waiting for the initiative anymore, they are the ones who take it. Of course, the times have provided them with the useful tools to make such this endeavor easier. It is important that the one you end up sharing your whole life with espouse [...] | | By: rock my world!! | | |
| | Emailing Egypt: No christians please | | 2007-12-02 06:26:00 | | Hanan Turk is a half hairsalon/half restaurant that is just for girls, where no men are allowed to enter and no music will be played. Their promotional e-mail lists a number of perks to those who want to frequent the place:Advantges of Sabaya Café (The Hijaby girl's equivalent to paradise is the Sabaya):-You have the freedom of taking your veil/neqab off.-Meeting muslim girls who are willing to get closer to Allah.-Getting the opportuinity of being inspired by real stories by the same girls you meet.-You can have parties.-Learn how to shun sin… since You won't be exposed to songs or movies JUST CARTOONS AND RELIGIOUS SHOWS.-Enjoy the feeling that you'r making everything which is not allowed outdoors and Allah won't be mad at you :DP.S. Attending Sabaya will be very useful from both the life and religiousprespective, since you will be helping in changing the wrong perceptions about both Neqabis/Hegabis that were already inheritiedages ago.First: please don't invite Christian gir | | By: THE NEW BABYLON TIMES | | |
| | Pope: atheists burn in hell, modern Christians you too! | | 2007-11-30 09:30:00 | | Pope Benedict strongly criticized modern-day atheism in a major document released Friday, saying it had led to some of the "greatest forms of cruelty and violations of justice" ever known. In his second encyclical, Benedict also critically questioned modern Christianity, saying its focus on individual salvation had ignored Jesus' message that true Christian hope involves salvation for all. | | By: Wasted Rant | | |
| | stop the discrimination against the Egyptian Christians, the Copts | a reminder from Prophet Muhammad's charter of privileges to Christians | | 2007-11-14 10:16:32 | | Few days back i received an email from the Arab Writers Group Syndicate calling attention to the discrimination and violation of human rights by the Egyptian officials against the native Egyptian Christian community, also known as the Copts. Its totally unacceptable and also against the ethics of Islam. It must be noted that this problem is from corrupted political system, degradation of moral ethics and human value which we find so often in our troubled time.. Egyptian Christians: Strangers in their Native Land!The Copts, Egypt’s indigenous, pre-Arab, pre-Islamic Christians, are a native ethno-religious group of Egypt. Egyptian Christians trace their ancestry to the indigenous Pharaonic-era population of Egypt, converted to Christianity by St. Mark, one of Christ’s earliest disciples. Today Copts number approximately seven to twelve million people and constitute between 10% and 15% of the Egyptian population, making them the largest indigenous Christian community in both Africa a | | By: Inspirations and Creative Thoughts | | |
| | Some Christians Embrace Scientology | | 2007-10-31 15:34:58 | | This article highlights a growing trend of Christian ministers turning to Scientology to create some kind of hybrid religion.
Brian and I are fortunate that we were able to pick up the giant book of Scientology and a bunch of books written by L. Ron Hubbard at the university book sale when he was working on [...] | | By: Pigonastick! | | |
| | | Stupid Christians | | 2007-10-02 08:10:06 | | This article is based on an article by Amina Olander Lap. It explains the common errors of what might be referred to as "American atheism" and
proposes a foundation for sound criticism. The text addresses the common atheist attitude towards the Christian beliefs, but the discussion applies to any religion or belief system.Buzzword CriticismThe atheism that is found in the US is the kind of atheism that can be expected in a country where religion is widespread and deeply ingrained in the population's minds. It's the kind of atheism that considers the religious people stupid, and nonetheless takes the debates onto the religious turf where the believers have the edge. "Celebrity atheist" Richard Dawkins represents this kind of atheism.The critical view on Christianity is one thing that virtually all atheists can agree on, but the criticism is not always well targeted.Part of the reason that the criticism often misses the point is that many atheists copy the slogans of famous atheists and the rhetoric of old philosophers, and this can easily place the criticism out of context. People often misunderstand the original meaning behind the powerful statements.
Another problem with anti-Christian slogans is a confusion between personal opinions and what can be accepted as valid arguments based on factual evidence, valid methods, and logic.It requires no background study or field knowledge to consider Christians stupid, but if you want to propose a generally valid criticism of specific Christian teachings or historical actions, then you must keep your facts straight and your arguments tight. Otherwise you'll soon find yourself being wrong on several accounts, rendering you the ignorant person, which probably isn't what you had in mind.
Modern Christianity without God and Bible
It is Christianity itself that gave birth to the critical view of religion, and it is Christianity that mostly eliminated the concept of a highly present and tangible God by means of philosophy and theology. God was once seen as the architect of plagues and master of miracles but is now mostly viewed as a somewhat nebulous entity with an influence that escapes definition. The Christian God has become a remote God that can no longer be seen and heard.But in so doing, Christianity has also created a refuge for superstition which Christianity today shares with all kinds of religions and spirituality. The distinction between knowledge and faith has not only banned religion from science, it has also sealed the borders of religion from science, and its mythical inhabitants can neither be proven or destroyed by scientific evidence or philosophical arguments. The Christian God may have been weakened, but has found a safe haven in a metaphysical realm beyond the reach of science, logic, arguments, and philosophy.
Once a reference for the framework of society, religion has become one of many contributors to each individual's view of life and ethics, and its relevance is a question of personal choice. The contributions from religion are usually found as segments that require little or no involvement from the individual. The idea of "all or nothing" doesn't suit modern man; if something "feels right," then it is used. Bible study and church attendance is replaced with the daily horoscope, numerology, and magical beliefs in the power of healing and homeopathy, but no one feels any less Christian about that. This is the kind of Christianity that is found in my country.
Atheists are used to the common Christian mistake of portraying atheists as immoral, destructive, and subversive, and have often heard Christians contend that atheism would lead to the horrors of communism or Nazism, referring to their atheistic stances. (It is known that Hitler originally considered himself a Christian and later became critical of Christianity as he began to believe in a "higher being," but this certainly does not make him an atheist!) Yet it is the very same mistake atheists make when they renounce Christianity, believing or claiming that all of Christianity is like that of fundamentalist minorities, or that it is, or should be, like the Christianity of ages long past. Such an approach is ideological or religious, and makes sense only to the "initiates" of the sub-culture that defines this proprietary view.Silly Superstition
Many claims of divine cause have been either refuted or become
irrelevant by the natural sciences of physics, chemistry, and biology.
In addition, since Christians are fully aware why other gods do not
exist, one would think them capable of applying the same rules to their
own belief.Hence,
a Christian must be stupid to believe in the superstitious
nonsense of entities that do not exist, some atheists argue. The
entire religion is patently absurd in its reliance on metaphysics and
miracles. Indeed, if anyone else made similarly outrageous claims, one
would probably be stupid, or at least immensely gullible, to believe in
them.It is tempting to rely on the natural sciences to show better explanations than divine intervention, but since
Christians themselves have debated what their god is and isn't for
centuries and evidently become none the wiser in terms of belief, it will not help to thus further refine the image of their god.
The key is that the existence of the Christian god, the
credibility of the miracles, and the veracity of the myths are entirely
moot points as arguments against Christianity. Christians would
disagree strongly on this issue, of course, but considering the nature
of their other claims, one would hardly be wise to take their word for
that.
One should instead take the word of the fields of science that
study religions and religious people: sociology and psychology. These
sciences teach us that Christianity, like any religion, encompasses a
variety of feelings, morals, ethics, social structures, and paradigms.
It is a frame of reference that helps organize one's perception of the
world. The god is merely the "team mascot" of this frame of reference
that is attributed great importance but in reality has very little to
say, even if a team can be rather hysteric about its mascot.It
means that a person can be highly intelligent, as indeed some
Christians are, and yet believe in mythical creatures and divine
miracles, because this belief is the "executive summary" of the way
they perceive the world. The belief in the divinity does not make any
difference to his Weltanschauung; the belief is just an expression of his communication and systematization of his perception of the
world.For example, the concept of a Last Judgment should be recognized as an abstraction that summarizes some set of moral values and the belief that morals are intrinsic to the universe and cannot be escaped. A Christian may honestly believe that the abstraction exists, but since it is not the abstraction itself but rather the concept of moral it encompasses that is important, it makes no difference to this Christian if any number of predicted judgment days have passed unnoticed. The same Christian will be setting aside money for his children's college in spite of the impending doom that he believes in. It seems hypocritical, but it isn't: it is just his "language," and it is his morals that guide him through the day, not the anticipation of the Last Judgment.Often the person can easily acknowledge inconsistencies between
his belief and physical evidence, and yet believe in both, because
religion encompasses an orthogonal set of issues to him which
are in fact not contradicted by any physical evidence. A baseball team will abandon neither the mascot nor their game if you inform them that their team mascot is just a dressed-up actor, and the religious person will not leave his god behind either, because challenging the mascot has nothing to do with the game.It follows that the many failed returns of Christ,
the questions of whether God cares, or other such matters, are also
irrelevant, except to a few fundamentalists.Finally, both atheists and Christians agree that a miracle and supernatural events or beings are defined as impossible events and beings. The Christian can be fully knowledgeable in any field of science, and may happily embrace any natural explanation. To this Christian, miracles are miracles because they are not covered or governed by science and the laws of nature.
Biblical Errors
It is another common criticism of Christianity that the religion cannot be taken seriously because errors and contradictions in their Bible abound. If Christians insist on their faith in the light of glaring errors, then either it must be a result of ignorance or downright stupidity, the argument goes. But like before, stupidity is not the issue.
It is evident that the Bible includes its share of issues that are contradicted by today's science, issues that clash with modern moral, and passages that contradict each other. But, it requires a number of presumptions that one must be aware of to use this fact as reason to reject Christianity as a valid religion.One must presume that Christians really believe that the Bible is of such holy character that it cannot be riddled with errors or omissions. If this were true, the argument would be valid. However, it is only a diminutive minority of Christians that deny the presence of errors in the Bible. Also, many of the biblical problems emphasized by American atheists are moral and ethical issues with the Old Testament laws, which according to Christian teachings were rendered obsolete by the inception of Christianity and thus do not apply to Christianity.
So, when atheists hold Christians accountable for biblical errors, not only do the atheists choose a theological approach that they share only with Christian fundamentalists, they also demonstrate lacking knowledge of the actual Christian use of the Bible.
A better approach to the Bible question is, again, to apply sociology. By recognizing Christianity as a religion, we can categorize it and analyze it using the tools for analyzing any other religion. We know that religion, and hence Christianity, needs no scientific proofs or elaborate philosophical arguments to fulfill its role as Weltanschauung for religious people. We know that, on the contrary, religion exists without these things. We know that religion deals with concepts that cannot be proven or rejected within the scientific framework. We know that it makes no sense to counter religious people with arguments that don't apply to religion.
The Bible is a very old Historical document, and it is not meaningful to discuss such a document by modern scientific and ethical standards. If nonetheless a biblical discussion is desired, then it is relevant to consider the fact that although Christians have used the same scripture for more than a millennium, the text has been interpreted widely different and used for highly different reasons throughout the ages. This means that as a critic, one can reject the statement that the Bible has a univocal message, and one can reject the statement that today's use is any more valid than those of the past.Christians may also be challenged on the fact that they appropriate some sections of the Bible and leave others out according to personal taste; for example, the Bible's condonation of slavery is ignored today. This selective use of passages from the scriptures shows that the Christians themselves decide what is right and wrong rather than relying on their God's supposed authority on those matters: it is evidence that Christianity is only what Christians make of it. Like the wooden idols of long ago, it is the work of human hands.
The Murky Waters of Morals
Another common idiom states that knowledge is better than faith, and that religion therefore should be replaced with science.
It is certainly important to insist on knowledge within the cores of science, but the situation becomes complicated when one debates morals or discusses issues such as scientific ethics. Science can tell us much about our world, but it cannot explain how to live in it or what to think of it. Even if atheists attempt to find support in science, atheism is just as man-made as any other philosophy, religion, and ideology. Science and ideology cover distinct and mostly non-overlapping fields, and the atheist that claims that moral is derived from scientific data proves himself or herself unable to recognize which fields are covered by science and which fields are covered by ideology.
It is also worth noting that the atheists that are the most aggressive proponents of scientific superiority over the stupid spiritualists are often people that react ideologically rather than scholarly. One often finds atheists that on one hand consider themselves superior to those that believe in the Bible, but on the other side have a faith in science that is equally characterized by blind faith in authority, cultural background, and habit. They may be more right than the religious people, but their understanding and insight is not necessarily any greater. These atheists were just plain lucky to have more enlightened teachers.
A proper approach to moral questions must be the denial of objective truths that are independent of human beings, and one must deny religious statements as authoritative, that is, as statements that one should necessarily conform to. This does not imply that religious people are disqualified in social debates or as masters of their own lives, unless one wishes to (and is able to!) deny them their right of personal choice and personal opinion.
Modern CriticismThe above discards much of the present criticism of Christianity as obsolete, as it refers to a form of Christianity that does not exist. Today's Christianity is such a rubbery and vague concept that it is difficult to construct a modern and fitting criticism of the religion itself.That does not mean that criticism per se has become obsolete. It only means that criticism must adapt as Christianity changes. Our most important task is not to denounce Christianity for what it was, or what it is among a few fundamentalists, but to remind people of what Christianity is not.It is not relevant to discuss the veracity of the myths, the authenticity of the gospels, or the existence of God. Christianity must instead be challenged on its effect on society. If
you were discussing Santa Claus, you would know it has no impact to conclude that Santa Claus cannot visit each home in the
world within hours, and that the only issue worth debating and studying is
what the myth of Santa Claus means to, says about, or impacts our culture. This is also the case for the Christian beliefs.
We must prevent Christians from claiming that Christianity and Western culture are synonymous. Christianity has played an important role in our History, but Christianity is neither the only nor an undebatedly positive or constructive contributor to our culture. Christianity itself has been influenced and changed many times since its conception as a Jewish sect. Greek philosophy, Roman schools, humanism, science, philosophy, and art have made significant contributions that have shaped both culture and Christianity itself, more often in spite of Christianity than because of it.We must also remind Christians that although they may preach peace and love, the belief has not prevented Christian nations from declaring wars or performing massacres, not even to victims that were Christians, too. History has ample evidence that Christianity is no guarantee that individuals or states behave sensibly or humanely, and that a meek and humble Christian is a rare sight. Atheists have no need to declare a war on God. The Christians themselves defanged their God long ago. But more than ever, we need watchdogs to keep a watchful eye on Christianity to prevent it from appropriating undeserved credit, and that requires a level of criticism that is founded on skill and knowledge rather than personal feelings. | | By: What's This? | | |
| | | Pakistani Christians Must Convert Or Die | | 2007-05-17 21:34:00 | | כ"ט באייר תשס"זIn a previous entry yesterday, it was noted that Pakistani Christians were given an ultimatum earlier this month to either convert to Islam by May 17th or face violent attacks. Eye On The World picked up the story yesterday from a Christian Today article of the same day.Today, Yid With A Lid and Foxnews have picked up the story. From Foxnews:Taliban Tells Pakistani Christians: Convert or DieThursday, May 17, 2007ISLAMABAD, Pakistan — Christians in a Pakistani town beset by pro-Taliban militants sought government protection Wednesday, the eve of a deadline for them to convert to Islam or face violence.About 500 Pakistani Christians in Charsadda, a town in the North West Frontier Province bordering Afghanistan, received letters earlier this month telling them to close their churches and convert by Thursday or be the target of "bomb explosions."Several Christians, a tiny minority in the predominantly Muslim country, have fled town and others are living in fear, | | By: Walking On Fire | | |
| | Christians Given 10 Days To Convert In Pakistan | | 2007-05-17 05:34:00 | | כ"ט באייר תשס"זChristians Have 10 Days To Convert To Islam In PakistanTuesday, May 15, 2007, 10:31 (BST)Christians in Charsadda, a town in North-West Frontier Province in Pakistan, have been warned that if they do not convert to Islam by 17 May they will face “dire consequences and bomb explosions”.Read entire article at link above.Hat-tip to Eye On The WorldTechnorati tags: terrorism Pakistan persecution of Christians religious intolerance | | By: Walking On Fire | | |
| | Philippines: Abu Sayyaf beheads seven christians | | 2007-04-24 16:01:00 | | (ADNKI).- The al-Qaeda-linked Muslim Abu Sayyaf rebels have decapitated seven hostages and sent their heads to the army in Jolo, in the southern Philippines archipelago of Sulu. The victims, all Christians, were working on a government road construction project in the city of Parang, when they were abducted Tuesday by rebels led by commander Albader Parad. The Philiippine army said on Friday it will intensify its efforts to wipe out Abu Sayyaf. Two were reportedly teenagers, aged 16 and 17, who were working to pay for their college education and help their impoverished parents in nearby Zamboanga City. Militants had asked a ransom of 5 million pesos, approximately 105,000 dollars for them. Military sources say the beheadings are Aby Sayyaf's response to the army's offensive against the rebel group which started last August. Over 70 alleged terrorists, including Abu Sayyaf chieftain Khadaffi Janjalani who died in a firefight in September 2006, have been killed in the offensive.More | | By: THE NEW BABYLON TIMES | | |
| | Raided House Church Christians Fight Against Police Abuses - Authorities Clamp Down House Churches in Four Other Provinces | | 0000-00-00 00:00:00 | | Raided House Church Christians Fight Against Police Abuses - Authorities Clamp Down House Churches in Four Other Provinces
Read the update to this post dated May 11th, 2007
MIDLAND, Texas, May 9 /Christian Newswire/ -- China Aid Association has learned that house church members Cui Chengnan and Liu Riguo in Kunshan, Jiangsu Province have filed an application for administrative reconsideration and demand that the Kunshan Municipal People's Government rule that the compulsory administrative measure taken by the respondent (Kunshan Municipal Public Security Bureau) is illegal and return all the items and the donated money confiscated during its raid on the house church.
The house was raided by 20-some policemen from Kunshan Municipal Public Security Bureau on April 29, 2007. The policemen declared their meeting "an illegal assembly" and confiscated their notebook computer, projector, DVD player, stereo, microphone, Bibles and other materials and items. They also took | | By: Mom and Miss A's Homeschool Experience | | |
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