Quote:
Originally posted by IROC
Jeff - with all due respect, how do you know that *your* interpretation of Christianity is correct? You speak often that non-Christians misunderstand Christianity, but how is your understanding any better than anyone else's?
There are lots of different sects and branches of Christianity and not all Christians see things your way. Christians themselves disagree with each other. Who is right?
Mike
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Although it wasn't aimed at me, can I put in my $0.02? As far as interpretation of Christianity (or any religion for that matter), it ultimately comes down to an internal decision. It can't be inflicted from outside a person. Being a Christian is a voluntary thing -- by definition. So I chose to be Christian with others who chose likewise. Sure, we often tend to cluster around certain "flavors" of Christianity which we resonate with us. Do I have hidden knowledge that for example Luther was right and the Pope was wrong??? No (That would be a form of Gnosticism). I have read and heard much of what Luther publicly wrote and taught, and also from the Catholic Church, the Jewish faith, JW's and others. To me, most of what Luther wrote and taught seems to align with what the Bible says (having read that too), and strikes me as some very wise teachings. (I've had other wise teachers from time to time also in Math, Science and other stuff). Ultimately, it is up to me to chose what seems to be the best way forward - we're all responsible for our own actions during our life. I go to church with others who seem to have come to similar conclusions and we try to help each other out, help each other learn more about our faith when a person choses to, and live our lives as we believe the Bible tells us so.
I have many friends and family who are Catholic, Jewish, Budhist, Athiests and Agnostic. Do I believe that it is up to me to correct their lives? Absolutely not. That's silly -- it's their lives, not mine. Jesus warned that it's not up to us to "remove the spec from our brother's eye when we have a beam in our own eye". I try to be the best friend/family member to them that I can. The same applies to new people that I meet. That's my role in life.
Does that mean that we never talk religion? Absolutely not. I often ask questions about others' interpretation and understanding of religion so that I can get to know them better. If they ask me, I respond truthfully and passionately with my beliefs and understanding. If we disagree, we have fun exploring the undiscovered ground between our beliefs. That's part of the fun of threads like this. At the end of the day, we're still all stuck on this planet until our time is up, so we might as well make the best of it.
That being said, I do get frustrated (I am only human) when people (especially non-Christians) erroniously insist on telling me the way that they believe Christian's operate. Being a Christian I can honestly disagree (and I will continue to do so) with them when they make sweeping generalizations and narrowminded stereotyping remarks about Christians. I try to do the same when people make similar remarks about Blacks, Irish, women or any other group.
If an Athiest, Hindu, Muslim, Agnostic or any other wishes to tell me about themselves or their group -- I'm all ears. I'd like to learn. But if they insist on preaching to me about my beliefs, and what I am, please forgive me for not believing them.