Best way to get to know Jesus

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'd find the Christianity-haters more tolerable if they were out doing charitable works for the less fortunate instead of trashing religion online.

Where are people trashing Christianity? Providing historical/cultural context, though it may make you uncomfortable, doesn't make someone a hater. If you have reconciling to deal with, then do so - but don't make that the burden of someone else who provides information and questions relevant to discussions.

Using the phrase "the Jesus myth" is trashing Christianity. I would never trash Judaism by saying the "Abraham myth" or Islam by saying "the Mohammed myth". I can have my own beliefs without calling those of others myths.

No, it's not trashing Christianity. It's no different than saying Greek Mythology, or Ancient Egyptian Mythology, or Mayan Mythology. And yes, the same goes for Islam, Judaism, Buddhism, etc. It's all mythology, and to be honesty, they all plagiarize each other (or the newer ones plagiarize the older ones). It's not a Christian thing - it's a storytelling thing.

Myth is not a bad word -- it describes a kind of story -- including about Jesus, Abraham, Zeus, Neptune, etc.

[Anonymous]

Immerse yourself with the destitute and less fortunate and learn compassion and their stories. It will help with empathy and real connection to others who really need a lot of help. Your devotion to those on the fringes of society will bring you closer to Jesus.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What is the significance of all the other thousands of people who died on the cross? The other thousand of humans that suffered through crucifixion? How do you know none of them offered their lives to save someone else? Jesus' death just isn't that remarkable - all those thousands of other crucified people had stories too - Jesus just took all the fame and glory.

Well, possibly. Except that 1) people there knew as soon as Jesus was crucified that something unusual was going on. There was a massive earthquake (Matthew 27: 51- 53) that literally raised other people buried there from the dead. (This earthquake at this time is confirmed historically, BTW.) So it was hardly a routine execution.

And of course 2) He came back from the dead 3 days later, another unusual circumstance.

Show me the historical confirmation of the earthquake. Supposedly the temple was torn apart --no evidence of that. And if others rose form the dead, then Jesus isn't so special, is he?

I can hardly believe that someone who knows how to operate a computer would believe this stuff. These are stories and that's all.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:There's a difference between Jesus and Churchianity. My suggestion would be to skip the Bible and study the life of Jesus.

" I like your Christ, I do not like your Christians. Your Christians are so unlike your Christ."
~Mahatma Gandhi

It'a little hard to study the life of Jesus outside the bible -- that's where the Jesus stories are written - the rest is embellishment.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'd find the Christianity-haters more tolerable if they were out doing charitable works for the less fortunate instead of trashing religion online.

who's to say they aren't also doing charitable works -- and how about you -- how do we know you do anything but defend Jesus all day long on the internet. Hard to believe the son of god would need such defense. If he's so great and it's so important that people believe in him, you'd think persuasion wouldn't be needed.

[Anonymous]

OP, if you are still sifting through all the comments, consider reading True Gospel Revealed Anew by Jesus online from Foundation Church of the New Birth. It's located at www.divinelove.org.
They can mail you the hard copies if you'd rather have a hard copy.
Good luck in your search

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'd find the Christianity-haters more tolerable if they were out doing charitable works for the less fortunate instead of trashing religion online.

who's to say they aren't also doing charitable works -- and how about you -- how do we know you do anything but defend Jesus all day long on the internet. Hard to believe the son of god would need such defense. If he's so great and it's so important that people believe in him, you'd think persuasion wouldn't be needed.

It's called "free will."

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The best way is to be His Body. If you are caring for those less fortunate, you quickly come to know Him.

more detail, please.

Volunteer at a soup kitchen, hospice, or prison.

can only Christians do those things?

Of course not! He was a Jew which is a religion with a great tradition of charity & good deeds. And helping others is hardly limited to Christianity. It is, however, an excellent way to immerse oneself in the "new commandment" to love one another. It is my experience that when one is struggling with faith and he or she sets aside study of the gospels and engages in ministry to others, faith comes naturally.

The commandment to love one another is not 'new' and did not start with Jesus. As has been stated previously in this thread, Jesus was a Jew in a Jewish religious milieu. Do you think he invented the notion of loving one another?

"Love your enemy" is new. Jesus is saying, you are not God's chosen/ummah. Instead, God loves everybody equally, and you should too.

1. Love your enemy is not new. “If you see your enemy’s ass sagging under its burden, you shall not pass by. You shall surely release it with him. (Ex. 23: 5)”

2. How do you get "You are not God's Chosen People" out of "Love Your Enemy"? How do you get the notion that God did not love everyone equally in the Hebrew Scriptures simply because he had a special destiny for the Hebrew People?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'd find the Christianity-haters more tolerable if they were out doing charitable works for the less fortunate instead of trashing religion online.

who's to say they aren't also doing charitable works -- and how about you -- how do we know you do anything but defend Jesus all day long on the internet. Hard to believe the son of god would need such defense. If he's so great and it's so important that people believe in him, you'd think persuasion wouldn't be needed.

It's called "free will."

the need for people to be persuaded that Jesus is God is called free will? Some people in the world and through the ages never have had the chance to hear about Jesus, thus denied the opportunity to exert the free will to decide whether or not to believe in him. What happens to those people after death.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:There's a difference between Jesus and Churchianity. My suggestion would be to skip the Bible and study the life of Jesus.

" I like your Christ, I do not like your Christians. Your Christians are so unlike your Christ."
~Mahatma Gandhi

It'a little hard to study the life of Jesus outside the bible -- that's where the Jesus stories are written - the rest is embellishment.

Meh, just be a good person, help others, don't be judgmental, don't steal, kill, or cheat, treat everyone (of all races, religions, etc) with respect like a brother.

That's the "Jesus way" in a nutshell.

Don't get caught up in creed, religious mud-slinging, and superficial rules. There is no "you must this or you must not that" and being the regulator of others. Jesus didn't have a denomination and make up arbitrary rules.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What is the significance of all the other thousands of people who died on the cross? The other thousand of humans that suffered through crucifixion? How do you know none of them offered their lives to save someone else? Jesus' death just isn't that remarkable - all those thousands of other crucified people had stories too - Jesus just took all the fame and glory.

Well, possibly. Except that 1) people there knew as soon as Jesus was crucified that something unusual was going on. There was a massive earthquake (Matthew 27: 51- 53) that literally raised other people buried there from the dead. (This earthquake at this time is confirmed historically, BTW.) So it was hardly a routine execution.

And of course 2) He came back from the dead 3 days later, another unusual circumstance.

Show me the historical confirmation of the earthquake. Supposedly the temple was torn apart --no evidence of that. And if others rose form the dead, then Jesus isn't so special, is he?

I can hardly believe that someone who knows how to operate a computer would believe this stuff. These are stories and that's all.

Not the temple itself. The veil in the sanctuary. If you are going to question evidence, at least get your points straight.

[Anonymous]

Dying?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What is the significance of all the other thousands of people who died on the cross? The other thousand of humans that suffered through crucifixion? How do you know none of them offered their lives to save someone else? Jesus' death just isn't that remarkable - all those thousands of other crucified people had stories too - Jesus just took all the fame and glory.

Well, possibly. Except that 1) people there knew as soon as Jesus was crucified that something unusual was going on. There was a massive earthquake (Matthew 27: 51- 53) that literally raised other people buried there from the dead. (This earthquake at this time is confirmed historically, BTW.) So it was hardly a routine execution.

And of course 2) He came back from the dead 3 days later, another unusual circumstance.

Show me the historical confirmation of the earthquake. Supposedly the temple was torn apart --no evidence of that. And if others rose form the dead, then Jesus isn't so special, is he?

I can hardly believe that someone who knows how to operate a computer would believe this stuff. These are stories and that's all.

Not the temple itself. The veil in the sanctuary. If you are going to question evidence, at least get your points straight.

OK, where's the evidence for that?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What is the significance of all the other thousands of people who died on the cross? The other thousand of humans that suffered through crucifixion? How do you know none of them offered their lives to save someone else? Jesus' death just isn't that remarkable - all those thousands of other crucified people had stories too - Jesus just took all the fame and glory.

Well, possibly. Except that 1) people there knew as soon as Jesus was crucified that something unusual was going on. There was a massive earthquake (Matthew 27: 51- 53) that literally raised other people buried there from the dead. (This earthquake at this time is confirmed historically, BTW.) So it was hardly a routine execution.

And of course 2) He came back from the dead 3 days later, another unusual circumstance.

Show me the historical confirmation of the earthquake. Supposedly the temple was torn apart --no evidence of that. And if others rose form the dead, then Jesus isn't so special, is he?

I can hardly believe that someone who knows how to operate a computer would believe this stuff. These are stories and that's all.

Not the temple itself. The veil in the sanctuary. If you are going to question evidence, at least get your points straight.

OK, where's the evidence for that?

Tell you what. Why don't you find the *untorn* sanctuary veil, and prove the Gospels (written by people who talked to actual witnesses) wrong.

[Anonymous]

How about just calling him for dinner?