Ok as someone in the Bible bashing south, one thing that everyone seems to go on about down here, is we are in the END TIMES. Look at all the bad things happening in the world etc etc.
Question 1. Do you think we are in the END OF TIMES.
Me I don't. Alot worse has happened in the world, be it the world wars or whatever.
Question 2. Why do ummmm how to term this "new age christain types", tend to always look at the bleaker end of the good book.
Question 3. Why do Folks tend to look at the New testment for redemption, but when they want to argue say the death penalty, they revert to the old testment?
I find this somewhat confusing, after all the message from Jesus was very much one of forgiveness etc. The old testment was the hell fire and brimstone stuff. So how do you suddenly preach from both books. They both have different means etc.
Where's the god old C of E when you want an answer like this lol
Great questions. I wonder a lot about this stuff and there's much disagreement about it all. People have been saying it's the endtimes for ages but nobody really knows when that will be.
As far as the bleaker part, I assume you mean the book of Revelation. Although it sounds bleak, it is only in a worldly sense but if it means Christ returns and all the faithful go to heaven, then it's not so bleak.
I'm right with you on the third question. For me, the OT is more of an example of how not to live. It's full of examples of how sinful man really is and that is why Christ came. The OT shows how man keeps rejecting God, worshipping idols....generally doing bad stuff and that men will always do bad stuff so the sacrifices they give will never keep up with the sins. It is also full of prophesy that which is fulfilled in the NT.
You're right, in my opinion there is way too much citing of OT law and harsh critisism. Christians should be more loving and tolerant, not judgemental and angry like many seem to be. People tend to pick the laws they want to pick to support thier views but these same people don't follow the law forbidding them to wear clothing woven from more than one kind of fabric.
Question 1. Do you think we are in the END OF TIMES.
No.
Question 2. Why do ummmm how to term this "new age christain types", tend to always look at the bleaker end of the good book.
Like airport readers they want to know the ending without reading the whole book and wasting their time if it doesn't turn out the way they want it to.
Question 3. Why do Folks tend to look at the New testment for redemption, but when they want to argue say the death penalty, they revert to the old testment?
See answer number 2, they haven't read the whole book, they're working from cliff notes.
lol
How many times in history has some *elightened soul* preached to the human race that the end of the world is near .. thousands , how many times have they been wrong thousands .. )
by the law of averages they COULD be right one day .. but it wont be by some devine hand it will proberly by means own foolishness or a visit from space aliens ...Those two scenerious are MORE likely than if be by the hand of some fictitious *almighty one * in the skys .
Question 3. Why do Folks tend to look at the New testment for redemption, but when they want to argue say the death penalty, they revert to the old testment?
I find this somewhat confusing, after all the message from Jesus was very much one of forgiveness etc. The old testment was the hell fire and brimstone stuff. So how do you suddenly preach from both books. They both have different means etc.
Where's the god old C of E when you want an answer like this lol
There was a whole shitload of posts about 2 weeks ago about this very matter ,what christians think of the old /new testament and wether they follow it or not , the concensus was unclear some follow it and believe it to be important some dont .. meanwhile us heathrens just go on and enjoy life with all the good things it has to offer . :)
End of the week? Yes.
End of times? No.
What gets me is people who don't care about the environment or foreign policy or anything else for that matter because they have some notion that the rapture is going to happen soon. Therefore "it doesn't matter about doing anything about global warming or the middle east peace process or anything because its all going to end anyway"
What gets me is people who don't care about the environment or foreign policy or anything else for that matter because they have some notion that the rapture is going to happen soon. Therefore "it doesn't matter about doing anything about global warming or the middle east peace process or anything because its all going to end anyway"
Or there idea of being a "good person" is to go to church every sunday, a entirely selfish notion that would effect only there own misarable soul ( if such a thing exists ) and do nothing at all to relieve any of the worlds troubles
What gets me is people who don't care about the environment or foreign policy or anything else for that matter because they have some notion that the rapture is going to happen soon. Therefore "it doesn't matter about doing anything about global warming or the middle east peace process or anything because its all going to end anyway"
This is one of my central complaints with religion and the worship of other worldly beings generally.
Its a good way to escape responsibility.
When I was student I shared a house with a bunch of people, amongst whom was a woman who would periodically help herself to other's foods. She would always leave a post-it note saying something like 'the devil made me do it' or 'everything is the will of god'.
She was being ironic (although the joke wore thin) - the Christian Conservatives don't do irony so I presume there faith is really an excuse for their inability to take responsibility for their actions.
Or there idea of being a "good person" is to go to church every sunday, a entirely selfish notion that would effect only there own misarable soul ( if such a thing exists ) and do nothing at all to relieve any of the worlds troubles
Or preach to you and then take actions that are not Christian at all. In other words, Talk the Talk but not Walk the Walk.
8) But comparing the old and new testment. When Mary M was going to be stoned, Jesus said. Let he who is without sin cast the first stone. At which point everyone drops their stones and walks off.
Now if you take that same situation in the old testment, they would have dropped rocks and stones on her lol.
Shows me the New testment is the move on from the OT. But people will justify the death penalty (say) based on the OT. Which means they have not moved on.
You only have to look at stuff that happened here in the 50's and 60's with all the race stuff going on. You could always find someone saying it was ok to linch someone or that they are evil, based on what?? the OT.
Seems to be really 2 sets of what I would term Christians. Those that follow the OT which tends to be more based on Jewish law. And those that follow Jesus and the ways of the NT. Based on what I have seen down here, most folks tend to follow the OT. Therefore how can they really believe in the NT?
There is a group of people who call themselves 'Christians' but then only follow certain parts of the bible and ignore others.
What is a "new age Christian"?
Oxymoron, surely?
Interesting.
I mention the manifestations of the Holy Spirit on the American Expat forum and get shot down in pagan flame. I come over here and there is a decent discussion on Christianity. Somehow I expected the opposite? I mean the big guy's name is on their currency, in their pledge of allegiance, etc...
I believe if the End Of Times is to happen in my lifetime, it will happen in the Dubya administration ;o) I wonder of CNN will cover Mr Bush drowning in the lake of fire...
What's been said so far is pretty much on the mark. The Old Testament is exactly that. Old. It is an old covenant that does not apply to us and there are plenty of verses in both the old and the new testament that state that. The New Testament is where we should go for answers on Christianity, using the OT as a reference of things that are unclear or to research historical events that were mentioned in the NT.
I am not sure what you would pigeon-hole as a "new age Christian". I attend a home fellowship in the Muskegon area. The whole West Michigan area is full of Christians of various denominations, and we are looked at as the weird ones as we don't go to a public building every Sunday morning. I do enjoy being able to discuss The Word with believers rather than just listen to a pastor or priest and to have to go to him specifically with questions. It also does my faith a lot of good to hear testimonials of how God has worked in people's lives in the past week.
Come the Rapture, can I have y'all's stuff?
End times my bum. The same mass psychosis happened coming up to 1000 AD, this is the same thing. It's that whole Left Behind theology which is about as genuinely Christian as I am.
/End Times? If it means the end of Jerry Falwell and Pat Robertston, how can I bring on the eschaton?