Are you a Christian and do you believe the Bible is the word of God?

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fancicoffee13 said:
For the Word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of thoughts and intents of the heart. Hebrews 4:12.
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Thanks for responding, but I am not quite sure what to make of it.

I assume you are pointing to something in the Bible that says God is real and powerful. Problem is I am not sure the Bible is anything other than an interesting historical document written by men... nothing more.
 
fancicoffee13 said:
I would love for them to come to the church I go to. They have a right to chose Jesus as their Savior just as I do.
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Many have been church goers for years. They love God as much as anyone else.

On the other hand, many have also been ejected for faithfully loving someone of the same gender while serial adulterers have been tolerated and continue to be office bearers and elders. And let's not even mention the countless children who have been sexually abused within church organisations by professing Christians.

Jesus had a way of speaking out fearlessly in condemnation of hypocrisy of religious practices of his time. It remains the log in the eye of the church when it preaches loud and long against the sins of others.
 
1955 said:
TAOISM: Crap happens.
HINDUISM: This crap happened before.
CONFUCIANISM: Confucius say: crap happens.
BUDDHISM: It is only an illusion of crap happening.
ZEN: What is the sound of crap happening?
ISLAM: If Crap happens, it is the will of Allah.
JEHOVAH'S WITNESSES: Knock, knock: "Crap happens."
ATHEISM: There is no such thing as crap.
AGNOSTICISM: Maybe crap happens, and maybe it doesn't.
PROTESTANTISM: Crap won't happen if I work harder.
CATHOLICISM: If crap happens, I deserve it.
JUDAISM: Why does crap always happen to me?
TELEVANGELISM: Send money or crap will happen to you.

Not sure where I came across this, but it always give me a laugh.
Lately I believe religion has been the biggest blight on man kind ever.
I do believe in a higher power but I'm not evolved enough to know what it is.
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I have a T-Shirt with that on it. Love it!
 
Shero said:
Actually, I was hoping for a more personal answer, not what the church does once a year as a body. But if that if your answer, then I will not press the point.
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I was trying to avoid verbosity. Below is a statement from the President of the Uniting Church in Australia (3rd biggest denomination after Roman Catholics and Anglicans)

Religious Discrimination Bill must protect all


The Uniting Church in Australia is concerned that the revised Religious Discrimination Bill 2021 introduced to Parliament this week does not achieve the balance needed to protect the rights of all people. The third and final draft of the bill was introduced to Parliament by Prime Minister Scott Morrison on Thursday morning.

The national Assembly of the Uniting Church notes and welcomes improvements made to the proposed laws but, like many other civil society groups, remains concerned by significant elements.

“The Uniting Church is committed to the right of every person to a robust freedom of religion,” said Rev Sharon Hollis, President of the Uniting Church in Australia. “However, we maintain any permission given to individuals or religious organisations that allows them to discriminate on the basis of religious belief must be carefully balanced against the rights of people to be free from discrimination and live with dignity.”

“It is our view that the Religious Discrimination Bill does not achieve that balance.”

“The Uniting Church is concerned for vulnerable people and groups who are most likely to be adversely impacted by the legislation should it be passed into law in its current form. We particularly fear that members of the LGBTIQ+ community, those of minority faiths, women, and people living with disability may be subject to additional discrimination under this legislation.”

Such discrimination could take many forms including in public statements and employment.

“We encourage the government to continue to consult and listen to the concerns of groups expressing their genuine fears about the proposed legislation.”

“In the Uniting Church we believe that all people are created in the image of God and are loved and valued by God. The ministry of Jesus emphasised welcoming all, especially people who were vulnerable and marginalised.

"Our approach to religious freedom is that such freedoms are never to be self-serving, but rather ought to be directed toward the Church’s continuing commitment to seeking human flourishing and wholeness within a healthy, diverse society,” said Rev Hollis. “Any legislative provisions for religious freedom should be driven by an overriding focus on enabling and maintaining a society which encourages mutual respect and is free from discrimination that demeans and diminishes people’s dignity.”

UnitingCare Australia National Director Claerwen Little said, “As a provider of community services across Australia, including hospitals and aged care services, the Uniting Church is concerned certain provisions within this Bill could undermine our ability to ensure safe and inclusive workplaces and may act as a barrier to vulnerable people accessing essential services or seeking employment.”

“Uniting Church community service providers do not discriminate in the employment of staff or access to services. We do not seek additional powers in this regard and will not use them even if the Parliament passes the Bill,” Ms Little said.

The consistent position of the Uniting Church has been, and continues to be, that legislative provisions for religious freedom would best be made through the mechanism of a comprehensive Human Rights Act, within which the competing claims and values inherent in this discussion may be grounded in a holistic approach to human rights.

After the Bill is voted on in the House of Representatives, the bill will go to a Senate inquiry over summer. It will not be decided in Parliament until early next year, depending on election timing and when the Parliament resumes.

The Assembly will make a full response to any inquiry and share this with our members. We encourage members to familiarise themselves with the new Bill and express any concerns they have to us on email and to their local MPs.

Media contact: Rebecca Beisler, 0450790218

Download the media statement https://uniting.church/religious-discri ... ll-people/
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Yesterday the Government's legislation that would have allowed religious schools to expel transgender children was voted down when four members of the government crossed the floor to vote with the opposition and members of the cross bench.
 
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fancicoffee13 said:
I know that I am a Christrian and I spend time listening to His Word being preached every morning. I pray because it is important to pray to Him and yes, the Bible REALLY IS the Word of God. I am sorry to hear this bad news. But, I have read the Bible through from cover to cover and the Word is living and very powerful. And believing in Jesus as your personal Savior is a very important decision in your life. He is the only way, the only truth and the only Savior. Without Him, you are lost and you don't want to put your trust in anything else. He brings His Holy Spirit to live in you and guide you in life when you verbally accept Him as your Savior. Please, keep your hope and relationship with Jesus.
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I don't know who Jesus is anymore. He is an idea in my mind but I can't worship that idea any longer. Many of my Christian friens have tried to bring me back to Jesus. I think , they think, that i have fallen from his grace, because I sinned too much now and have lost my way. After 30 years they still love me and probably still pray for me, so they are the one's who are hoping that I get right with God. I am afraid I am a lost cause. I am wondering if I fit in anywhere now.
 
Gardenlover said:
"how do you reconcile what the Bible teaches and the way you believe and behave?"

That my friend is where the rubber meets the road.

“Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven. Many will say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?’ And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!’ Matthew 7:21-23

Sadly, many of us lie to ourselves and think we're better than we are - yet it's absurd to think this dimenishes God in any way.
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The Kingdon of Heaven has no meaning to me anymore. Neither does hell, except the suffering in our present life. But, if the Bible is the true Word of God, my ate is eternity in Hell. Fortunately I no longer believe the Bible is the Word of God, and I have no idea what eternity is or if this one life is it and then nothing. ( which sounds fine to me )
 
Shero said:
All of these religions around the world believe their Holy Book is the Word and nothing wrong with that!

Baha'iThe Seven Valleys and The Four Valleys
BuddhismTipitaka
ChristianityChristian Bible
HinduismThe Vedas and The Upanishads
IslamThe Quran and The Hadiths
JainismThe Agamas
JudaismThe Tanakh and The Talmud
ShintoismKojiki
SikhismGuru Granth Sahib
TaoismDao De Jing
WiccaThe Book of Shadows
ZoroastrianismThe Avesta
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Probably all of those religions teach that love and devotion to god is their basic belief, and yet all of them hate others and are even willing to kill others. I don't get it!
 
Lara said:
I wasn't going to enter this discussion because it can be a bit labor intensive...and then BAM! You got me☺️

The Bible teaches that whether we are Christian or non-Christian we are all sinners with choices between good and evil. The difference though is that Christians are not sinning the same sin over and over forever...thus not truly Christians. Instead they are asking forgiveness and repenting and growing more sinless over time...but do fall prey on occasion to temptation. But only God knows their hearts and only God can judge who is sincere and who isn't because we're all sinners. He gives us a hint though as to how to spot those who are insincere and those who are sincere Christians...

God says He will forgive our sin many times if we are sincerely growing as true followers of His Word. But when He sees no desire to please Him, no repentance, no growth toward being Christ-like (aka sinless) then He said, using a parable as an example, that some will say "Lord Lord, and I will know them not". In other words...they talk the talk but they don't walk the walk..nor care to change. And God will not view them as a true believer and follower. He says we are not to be the judge but we will know them by their fruits.
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I use to teach this to non- believers emphasizing God's love and mercy. Jesus took all our sins away when he spilled his blood on the cross. God is Love...if we feel far from God, guess who moved."
After I went my own way, I began to smoke tobacco , and drink moderately/heavy, go to bars, have sex with whoever I wanted to, and never read the Bible or go to church. In the recent past my health has diminished a lot and I have been pondering if I have gone so far away from Jesus that I can't find my way back. I really don't think I can, so I have accepted my death and have no idea what happens after.
 
fancicoffee13 said:
That particular verse isn't based on works of the flesh-good or bad. Jesus paid for all, not just some, but all sin. Yes, we repent and ask for forgiveness. Being a believer is a condition of the heart and mind. God is our heavenly Father, and Jesus is our Savior and He is always there for us. He knew each of us before the creation of the earth. He knew all about our little lives even before He created us.
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Somehow that resonates within me and is comforting to believe that. Maybe we all are messed up, and God created us that way so we would find our way back to Him?
 
Warrigal said:
I was trying to avoid verbosity. Below is a statement from the President of the Uniting Church in Australia (3rd biggest denomination after Roman Catholics and Anglicans)


Yesterday the Government's legislation that would have allowed religious schools to expel transgender children was voted down when four members of the government crossed the floor to vote with the opposition and members of the cross bench.Thnk
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Thank you for your reply. much appreciated.
 
Lara said:
God doesn't remove the ability to sin because he wants us to make that choice between good and evil...between God or Worldly desires. Otherwise, what's the point...we would just be puppets or robots. That wasn't His plan. His plan is to have a loving relationship with us just as a child with an earthly father. God is our heavenly father and we are his children who should respect and obey His words.
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It is the parable of the prodigal son. I understand this, but my home is no longer there where it use to be, and there is no forwarding address. I can't find "home" anywhere.
 
Paco Dennis said:
Probably all of those religions teach that love and devotion to god is their basic belief, and yet all of them hate others and are even willing to kill others. I don't get it!
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Way of the world? I do not believe we need religion to be good people.
As a matter of fact, I think in many instances, religion is a huge obstacle to a person being good.
 
Shero said:
Who is God?

I would also most respectfully like to ask this question of the devout Christians on this thread. There is a battle now going on in the Australian senate with regard to transgender and gay people.

Would any of you worshippers have a problem with trangender and gay people coming to your church? Would you invite them to your homes?

As I say,I ask this respectfully.
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The minister in the OP video says that homosexuality is an abomination to God?
 
I can't accept the Bible as being the only book on earth that IS Gods words. So unless He rearranges me somehow I will die outside the beliefs that are in the Bible. My heart has hardened and there is no way back. I appreciate all the information about this from the members here. I am non-judgemental about what a person believes, and I guess I have my own beliefs somewhere, i just can't locate them.
 
I am not one that wishes to publicly spread terse statements that will injure traditional beliefs of others, especially on an informal public web board. I will engage in narrow facets of Christian religious discussion but not in a thread like this that is posed so broadly that the result has little value as responses in this thread have shown. Challenge me for an opinion on any part of The Bible including Genesis so many base their disbelief on. I heard enough over the first couple minutes to understand where the OP's 8 minute video was headed I had no interest in listening to, so exited it there.

There has been a total investment in Christian churches over centuries, particularly Protestant, in total belief in the Bible, both Old and New Testament. Much dogma has been expanded from writings of saints and church leaders that has little to vague direct Bible basis. The actual Jewish religious sects of the OT obviously didn't share a belief in inerrancy because they regularly changed parts and added much that Jesus himself commented on. And the wide range of Christian denomination interpretations on many specifics demands sober reappraisal.

When the 16th century Reformation occurred it was catalyzed by at the same time, the first printing of the Bible that removed its secret writings from those few in the Catholic church that tightly controlled its interpretation. While the Catholic church in the 20th century eventually distanced itself from rigid inerrancy of the Bible, other denominations have doggedly refused to do so because their house of cards would crumble. And indeed, given this modern era age of science, technology, and WWW allowing everyone globally to now read what many scholars have been actually relating for centuries in the dark, that is coming to pass.

Although many like those in the OP's video may think by rejecting inerrancy, one has hopelessly lost their faith, I am one that believes that need not be the case. Ironically what can bring to those facing that dilemma back into strong faith is science itself that I personally have been building up argumentation for to help others. Many of the reasons former Christians and atheists reject Christianity is not about God or what I view as an Ultimate Intelligent Entity, UIE, race but rather interpreted church dogma. There is still much in the Bible to guide humans to possible eternal life and indeed some was given to human prophets and others including Jesus to spread to we Earth monkeys.
 
Paco Dennis said:
The minister in the OP video says that homosexuality is an abomination to God?
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I know! Several of my close friends have been gay/lesbian/etc. I have been very attracted to males at times and wondered if that was a weird temptation. The rules in the Old Testament get really weird, and nobody except fanatics keep those laws. So when do the commandments stop...or it was Moses's civil law based on being unclen! Like a women who mensturates can't do certain things , but they slaughter goats and blood is all over their village on doors. What is clean about that? There seems to be a lot of juggling of Scripture to come up with any conclusions on many issues.
 
It is a mistake to believe unconditionally in what you are told. This applies to the Bible as much as anything else. Those who take the trouble to think for themselves will realise that the Bible is basically a history book.'God' is being held responsible for all that happens.
One of the things I wonder about as regards Jesus is the fact that his sermons were recorded by someone. This means that his followers were educated people, able to read and write, not the simple peasants we are taught.
 
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