Perhaps because I was raised in the Episcopal Church, I don't understand why people feel compelled to read the Bible literally. Jesus spoke in parables, so obviously God is comfortable with the use of metaphor to get ideas across.

Let's also not forget that all the arrangement and interpretation of the Bible was done by people. When I consider that a bunch of (no doubt) bickering Church bureaucrats are the folks who decided which books to keep in and which to keep out, I feel like questioning certain aspects of the Bible isn't questioning the word of God, it's questioning the judgment of those religious leaders. I'm sure they prayed for divine guidance, but that's all any of us can do.

As for interpretation, different sects even count the 10 commandments differently. I always thought the 10 commandments were set in stone (literally!), but no.

The more you step back from the Bible and look at how it's been interpreted, the more you realize how much what you get from it has been filtered through other people, who don't have any greater divine authority than you do.

I would say that the essense of PROGRESSIVE Christianity (as found in most Episcopal and UCC churches) is love - and social justice and community and compassion, and reason. Christianity is the vehicle these modern churches use to achieve their humanist goals. Supernaturalism may or not be implied.

The Unitarians do all this without the specific vehicle of Jesus or other religious figures or beliefs - members believe in a supernatural God or not. The Ethical Culture society does it from a specifically humanistic approach - no Jesus or Gods at all.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:No where in the bible does it say Jesus died for our sin. I 100% believe Jesus walked the earth and was God or son of God. We killed him. We suck

What Bibke are you reading???

Sounds like Episcopal where they just pick the fun parts

Anonymous wrote:No where in the bible does it say Jesus died for our sin. I 100% believe Jesus walked the earth and was God or son of God. We killed him. We suck

What Bibke are you reading???

Anonymous wrote:the Bible is the inerrant word of God...
homosexually in a committed relationship is not a sin...
non-believers will not go to hell...

I've been a Christian my whole adult life and I struggle with these issues. If I don't believe in the first and third am I not really a Christian? If non-believer won't go to hell then why did we need Jesus to die and "save" us? If I don't believe this my life will crumble (home, work, family all are Christian). The fall-out will be huge and painful. Just venting... I don't have anyone safe in my life to say these things to.

I'm a Christian. I don't read the Bible literally, I don't believe being gay is a sin, and I don't believe in hell.

Most people in my church don't believe these things either, including my pastor.

UCC

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Episcopalians.

Indeed. Try an episcopalian church.

I agree. The Presiding Bishop of the Episcopal Church is an extraordinary, highly intelligent woman and she has some wonderful things to say about this. You might also read The Heart of Christianity by Marcus J. Borg for a lucid, compelling description of what he calls the "emerging paradigm" in Christianity. And read Anne Lamott.

The essence of Christianity is love, OP. That doesn't change whether you believe Jesus literally rose from the dead or if you believe the resurrection is a metaphor for hope and new life for all humankind.

You don't sound in the least like a mess. Check out the Episcopal Church.

Bishop Budde made it pretty clear that she didn't believe in the resurrection -- on holy Thursday, on her blog. http://www.edow.org/bishops_blog/2013/03/28/resurrection

I would just become atheist at that point

Anonymous wrote:No where in the bible does it say Jesus died for our sin. I 100% believe Jesus walked the earth and was God or son of God. We killed him. We suck

1Cor 15:1-4 The gospel is that Jesus Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that He was buried, and then He was resurrected on the third day.

Romans 4:25-5:2 He was delivered over to death for our sins and then was raised to life to put us right with God. By faith in this, then, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand.

Mark 10:45
"For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many."
Ga:1:4: Who gave himself for our sins, that he might deliver us from this present evil world, according to the will of God and our Father:

1Pe:2:24: Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed.

1Jo:4:10: Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins.

1Co:15:3: For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures;

Etc...etc..... ? † ? ?

Not just Episcopalians -- some Lutherans and Methodists also believe these things... But it depends on the individual congregations. I was raised Lutheran, and was taught to question what was told us from the pulpit. I guess I questioned it a bit too much, because I eventually became the very same sort of Christian you reference in your post--- and have ended up at a more liberal church now.

Anonymous wrote:No where in the bible does it say Jesus died for our sin. I 100% believe Jesus walked the earth and was God or son of God. We killed him. We suck

1 Peter 3:18 (NIV)
18 For Christ died for sins once for all, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God. He was put to death in the body but made alive by the Spirit,

Anonymous wrote:No where in the bible does it say Jesus died for our sin. I 100% believe Jesus walked the earth and was God or son of God. We killed him. We suck

Isaiah 53:
4 Surely he took up our pain
and bore our suffering,
yet we considered him punished by God,
stricken by him, and afflicted.
5 But he was pierced for our transgressions,
he was crushed for our iniquities;
the punishment that brought us peace was on him,
and by his wounds we are healed.
6 We all, like sheep, have gone astray,
each of us has turned to our own way;
and the Lord has laid on him
the iniquity of us all.

No where in the bible does it say Jesus died for our sin. I 100% believe Jesus walked the earth and was God or son of God. We killed him. We suck

The Bible isn't one book, but a bunch of books smushed together to make Christianity seem daunting and unapproachable. It's a trap, don't fall for it. Just go with the Jesus stuff.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Episcopalians.

Indeed. Try an episcopalian church.

I agree. The Presiding Bishop of the Episcopal Church is an extraordinary, highly intelligent woman and she has some wonderful things to say about this. You might also read The Heart of Christianity by Marcus J. Borg for a lucid, compelling description of what he calls the "emerging paradigm" in Christianity. And read Anne Lamott.

The essence of Christianity is love, OP. That doesn't change whether you believe Jesus literally rose from the dead or if you believe the resurrection is a metaphor for hope and new life for all humankind.

You don't sound in the least like a mess. Check out the Episcopal Church.