Religion Ask a Christian

[mikey127]

I saw the thread on here ask a communist and I thought as a Christian I would put up a similar thread to answer question as I consider myself a fairly middle of the road Christian.

Before I start answering questions I just wanted to state a few things.

This thread is NOT for a debate between Christian and atheists for that please use another thread
I am here to answer more general questions rather than get into deep theological discussions
I will aim to reply in a timely manner but I work full time and have other commitments so I apologise if I don't reply straight away.
I will be respectful and polite towards people no matter what their views and beliefs are so I would appreciate the same in return.
Please keep it to a maximum of 3 questions per post and wait for those to be responded to before posting more.

Feel free to fire away with any questions.

 

[Monopoly_Man]

Do you feel your belief requires you to label yourself as a Christian even though I'm sure there are many aspects of the religion that you don't allign with/subscribe to?

Not trying to have a go at you or anything but my Dad is the same. Calls himself a Christian yet doesn't believe half the stuff they preach/teach. Could you not just have a personal relationship with your god without having to pigeonhole yourself?

On SM-G900I using BigFooty.com mobile app

 

[madmug]

Do you feel your belief requires you to label yourself as a Christian even though I'm sure there are many aspects of the religion that you don't allign with/subscribe to?

Not trying to have a go at you or anything but my Dad is the same. Calls himself a Christian yet doesn't believe half the stuff they preach/teach. Could you not just have a personal relationship with your god without having to pigeonhole yourself?

On SM-G900I using BigFooty.com mobile app

I often wonder how people can hold such a variety of metaphysical/religious beliefs & not wonder who is right & who is wrong.

I mean most of the bible stories are just childs bedtime stories, Jonah & the whale etc etc. Let alone the differences between religion themselves.

Many 'Christians' praise god when they have success, or are lucky with something. Do they also criticise him when they fail or have bad luck? If God has somehow blessed them with success, surely he also made them fail. Why?

How many hundreds of variations on religion & christianity are their? Why? Surely if their is one God, why hundreds of ways to follow him?

Why so many religious wars?

Why do religious people have such a need to control others?

Etc,etc,etc

 

[mikey127]

Do you feel your belief requires you to label yourself as a Christian even though I'm sure there are many aspects of the religion that you don't allign with/subscribe to?

Not trying to have a go at you or anything but my Dad is the same. Calls himself a Christian yet doesn't believe half the stuff they preach/teach. Could you not just have a personal relationship with your god without having to pigeonhole yourself?

On SM-G900I using BigFooty.com mobile app

That's a really good question.

Personally I don't like the word religion (I just labelled this as religion when starting this thread as because that is what most people identify it as) I am more about the relationship with God then all the rituals.

I think I definitely make sure I attend a Church where I agree with the teachings as there are so many different churches these days but admittedly there is always going to be something you disagree with in your church. For me I would like the music that our church sings to be changed slightly but its not something that is a dealbreaker and its something I can live with as you are never going to find the perfect church because churches have people and people aren't perfect.

In my opinion churches like Catholic churches and high Anglican churches seem to be more about rituals and I am definitely into the relationship more then the rituals/religion but as my identity is in Christ very happy to label myself a Christian.

Does that answer it for you?

 

[Better Loosen Up]

Why did God have to be such a campaigner when he invented wasps and mosquitos?

 

[Monopoly_Man]

I think I definitely make sure I attend a Church where I agree with the teachings as there are so many different churches these days but admittedly there is always going to be something you disagree with in your church. For me I would like the music that our church sings to be changed slightly but its not something that is a dealbreaker and its something I can live with as you are never going to find the perfect church because churches have people and people aren't perfect.

In my opinion churches like Catholic churches and high Anglican churches seem to be more about rituals and I am definitely into the relationship more then the rituals/religion but as my identity is in Christ very happy to label myself a Christian.

Does that answer it for you?

Yeah it does a bit, but also brings me to another question: Do you feel to connect with your God you need to go and be in an actual church?

I am not a Christian, but I do consider myself to have many beliefs of a spiritual nature. And for me, a relationship with any higher power or deeper belief is a personal thing.

I think it happens on an individual level and you need to find your peace within. You can do this by being in nature, listening to a beautiful piece of music, meditating etc etc.

I have never understood why so many people feel the need to go and worship in a church. Some of them are beautiful and powerful no doubt, but most imo are destitute and empty - and represent an institute with a very dark and dirty history.

God should be all around you and within you, you do not need to go to a specific building and follow a specific process to connect.

On SM-G900I using BigFooty.com mobile app

 

[cannot]

I saw the thread on here ask a communist and I thought as a Christian I would put up a similar thread to answer question as I consider myself a fairly middle of the road Christian.

Before I start answering questions I just wanted to state a few things.

This thread is NOT for a debate between Christian and atheists for that please use another thread
I am here to answer more general questions rather than get into deep theological discussions
I will aim to reply in a timely manner but I work full time and have other commitments so I apologise if I don't reply straight away.
I will be respectful and polite towards people no matter what their views and beliefs are so I would appreciate the same in return.

Feel free to fire away with any questions.

why did humans turn so bad (babel, the tower, )

only a generation or two after / flooded the earth? / noah ??

 

[cannot]

Why did God have to be such a campaigner when he invented wasps and mosquitos?

 

[mikey127]

I often wonder how people can hold such a variety of metaphysical/religious beliefs & not wonder who is right & who is wrong.

I mean most of the bible stories are just childs bedtime stories, Jonah & the whale etc etc. Let alone the differences between religion themselves.

Many 'Christians' praise god when they have success, or are lucky with something. Do they also criticise him when they fail or have bad luck? If God has somehow blessed them with success, surely he also made them fail. Why?

How many hundreds of variations on religion & christianity are their? Why? Surely if their is one God, why hundreds of ways to follow him?

Why so many religious wars?

Why do religious people have such a need to control others?

Thanks for your questions Madmug

Etc,etc,etc

There are many different faiths around the world and different faiths beliefs different things, some believe there are multiple Gods. Speaking for Christanity It all changed because of the reformation 500 years ago which occurred because Martin Luthor believed the Catholic church had move away from the Bible, he didn't want to start a new church just wanted them to follow the Bible. In short the pope refused to listen and expelled him so he had no option but to start another church. most Christian churches are very similar but some people like a very traditional church some like something more contemporary etc.

On wars when Christians are involved in starting conflict they are not obeying Christ they are actually disobeying him and by their behaviour show that they haven't a clue what Christianity is about. I believe war is strated by man not by God.

I don't think Christians feel the need to control others, I certainly don't. I do however defend my right in a democratic society to have an opinion and I believe Christians are just as entitled as anyone else to express an opinion.

 

[mikey127]

Yeah it does a bit, but also brings me to another question: Do you feel to connect with your God you need to go and be in an actual church?

I am not a Christian, but I do consider myself to have many beliefs of a spiritual nature. And for me, a relationship with any higher power or deeper belief is a personal thing.

I think it happens on an individual level and you need to find your peace within. You can do this by being in nature, listening to a beautiful piece of music, meditating etc etc.

I have never understood why so many people feel the need to go and worship in a church. Some of them are beautiful and powerful no doubt, but most imo are destitute and empty - and represent an institute with a very dark and dirty history.

God should be all around you and within you, you do not need to go to a specific building and follow a specific process to connect.

On SM-G900I using BigFooty.com mobile app

You won't get any argument from me about many churches having a dirty and dark history. The sooner we come to terms with that the better as far as I am concerned. Personally I apologise to anyone who has been hurt by churches and those involved with them.

No by no means do I HAVE to go to Church, I chose to go to Church because I want to learn more and I love the fellowship. I attend a church in Bendigo and very few of us actually are Bendigo born and bred so we are each others family and it provides for a great social network. I feel I am stronger in my relationship with God when I am attending Church.

 

[little graham]

With news of the terrorist attack on the Australian christian lobby headquarters in canberra over night, do you feel safe in our community and who do you think carried out the bombing, feminists anti abortion or gay marriage groups?

 

[cannot]

did god really need to kill all of jobs family and sheep?

 

[mikey127]

why did humans turn so bad (babel, the tower, )

only a generation or two after / flooded the earth? / noah ??

Noah was saved from the calamity but not saved from sin

 

[mikey127]

With news of the terrorist attack on the Australian christian lobby headquarters in canberra over night, do you feel safe in our community and who do you think carried out the bombing, feminists anti abortion or gay marriage groups?

Great question. Do I feel safe? at this point yet but I definitely feel parts of the community are becoming more hostile towards Christanity.

I don't know who did it but whilst I am disappointed that this has happened in Australia I definitely pray that they will be ok. I don't know who is responsible.

 

[cannot]

Noah was saved from the calamity but not saved from sin

but why did it take such a short amount of time (2/3 generations?) for everything to do batshit

was nimrod his grandson?

 

[mikey127]

did god really need to kill all of jobs family and sheep?

no he didn't NEED to.

 

[mikey127]

but why did it take such a short amount of time (2/3 generations?) for everything to do batshit

was nimrod his grandson?

because of sin.

 

[cannot]

no he didn't NEED to.

why did he kill all the Egyptian babies?

 

[mikey127]

why did he kill all the Egyptian babies?

Are you talking about in Exodus?

 

[cannot]

Are you talking about in Exodus?

yes sir

 

[cannot]

*thinking music*

 

[mikey127]

*thinking music*

Sorry mate just been busy at work and haven't had a chance to reply.

I don't claim to be a theological expert and to be honest this is one of the books of the Bible I have studied as much as I would have liked to so I am probably not the best person to ask on this. What I will say is that since coming to faith I see life as a temporary assignment and our eternity is in heaven. Children do inherit the kingdom of God.

 

[cannot]

Sorry mate just been busy at work and haven't had a chance to reply.

I don't claim to be a theological expert and to be honest this is one of the books of the Bible I have studied as much as I would have liked to so I am probably not the best person to ask on this. What I will say is that since coming to faith I see life as a temporary assignment and our eternity is in heaven. Children do inherit the kingdom of God.

yeah its a strange one that part of the book

 

[mikey127]

yeah its a strange one that part of the book

I agree with you that strange things happen in the Bible. I don't think strange things happening mean the book is right or wrong.

 

[cannot]

I agree with you that strange things happen in the Bible. I don't think strange things happening mean the book is right or wrong.

yeah priests and they like generally say "who are you to judge god?"

which is fair enough i guess but sending the death angel to kill babies is pretty hardcore

no he didn't NEED to.

touche he didn't need to but it too seems a bit extreme