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

Anonymous wrote:

NP. So, you're unabashedly trashing all religions. You seem uncomfortable with the fact that others think/believe differently. So instead of a value-neutral "belief/non-belief" framework you go with the "I'm right and it's all myth" framework. So mature.

There is nothing mature about believing in fairy tales. I am sorry.

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.

NP. So, you're unabashedly trashing all religions. You seem uncomfortable with the fact that others think/believe differently. So instead of a value-neutral "belief/non-belief" framework you go with the "I'm right and it's all myth" framework. So mature.

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.

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.

Anonymous wrote:Try Whole Foods in Friendship Heights, I think he works the produce section.

that's not Jesus, it's Paco.

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.

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.

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

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.

That wasn't Jesus - that was Osiris. The Jesus myth isn't very original or "unusual" in the slightest.

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.

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.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

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?

Who else defined love as laying down your life for your friend?

I don't think I would agree that Christianity teaches us that love means to commit suicide for others.

Laying down your life to save a friend isn't suicide. God also sacrificed his only son so that men could be saved . You could imagine he would be offended by Those who minimize or refuse to accept the gift.

Being God, couldn't he have found a way to save us without bloodshed -- his now son, no less?

As for being offended by gifts, it happens all the time. For instance, if someone gave me a dead cat because they thought I'd like it, I would be offended and would not keep the gift, no matter how sincere the giver's intention. I might even be shocked enough to say "Why on earth would you give me this as a gift? I didn't ask for it; and don't want it and frankly, I think it's weird."

Anonymous wrote:

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?

Who else defined love as laying down your life for your friend?

I don't think I would agree that Christianity teaches us that love means to commit suicide for others.

Laying down your life to save a friend isn't suicide. God also sacrificed his only son so that men could be saved . You could imagine he would be offended by Those who minimize or refuse to accept the gift.

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?

John 13:34-35
"A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another, even as I have loved you, that you also love one another. 35"By this all men will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another."