Are you a Fan or a Follower of Jesus?

[Madhuri]

Bill Maher made a great point and accused most Christians of being the biggest fans of Jesus and not his followers. Something which he takes to the nTH degree but, is, IMHO, not entirely without merit.

You can listen to the whole spiel here:

You’re Not Christ’s Followers, Just Fans | Dancing on Saturday

At one point he says he is not a Christian, just like most Christians.

Yep, something I have observed as well.

 

[blackout]

A person does not have any idea how an apple tastes without tasting it, so as long as you don't have Jesus Christ in your life that person will have a similar understanding as what you have just given us.

Jesus Christ is real, I have become an active Christian after being a passive Christian for probably 30 years, He is now a lot more real than ever before, He hears my prayers and signs and wonders is actually following me according to His Word, Mark 16:17.

It is very exciting and truly no myth.........it is not about me, but all about my God, I am obedient and all the glory goes to Him.

Christianity is not about becoming Christ, but rather to strive to be as Christ(holy) following His teachings, for Christ is God and there is only one God, it is also about ministering to their fellow man, to help those who are in need and share the joy of Salvation to others, explaining to them that it is free for anyone that is interested no matter about their past.

This is some of my views and understanding of being a follower of Jesus Christ ......if you are a follower you should also be a fan of Jesus Christ, for I am both.

You take much for granted.
(about what I have and haven't experienced,
and also regarding the 'universally objective' nature
of your own experiences)

First off I hardly know ANYONE who has any similar understandings
of what I have offered here. (and certainly not in "real life")

Signs and Wonders are not christian exclusive.
I know. I've seen/observed/experienced Signs and Wonders
in differing paradigms, under different terms and vocabularies,
from completely differing perspectives.
(including that of Christian, who loved Jesus deeply as friend and "master teacher".)
If you've only experienced such as "Christian",
than you will be inclined to think,
ahhh... this is a christian thing!
But no. It's really not. And I tell you this from personal experience.

Anyway, you have described up above what YOUR Christianity is about.
And that is fine.
But it's yours.
These are YOUR views and understandings.
Not 'the' "true ones".

 

[sky dancer]

But why buddhism and not christianity/Jesus?






I am sorry for feeding him. Or not.

I was baptized a Christian and raised in the Catholic Church. It wasn't good for me as a child. I was raised in a Catholic foster home where the parents went to mass everyday and beat me every day. The nuns in my school were similarly violent. When I was old enough, I sought and found solace in Buddhism. There is nothing attractive to me about Christianity. When my father committed suicide, the Catholic Churches response was to ex-communicate him and condemn him to eternal hell.

My grandmother was in a Magdalene Laundry in Ireland. Research that. She was forced to put my mother up for adoption.

In Buddhism, impermanence is emphasized. Even hell is impermanent. In Buddhism, the First Noble Truth, is that life is suffering. We suffer because we cling to things that are passing. This teaching opens my heart. Christianity and Jesus on the cross do not.

 

[Magic Man]

When I watched that the other night, my favorite part was "Gandhi was so ****ing Christian, he was Hindu". I did like the distinction between fan and follower, too, and I agree with the fact that he harps on it a little too much.

 

[Eagle]

I was baptized a Christian and raised in the Catholic Church. It wasn't good for me as a child. I was raised in a Catholic foster home where the parents went to mass everyday and beat me every day. The nuns in my school were similarly violent. When I was old enough, I sought and found solace in Buddhism. There is nothing attractive to me about Christianity. My grandmother was in a Magdalene Laundry in Ireland. Research that.

Hi,

You might find it interesting to listen to a nun's testimony, Sister Charlot. Look it up on youtube.

 

[sky dancer]

Why? Who is Sister Charlot? Why would I be interested? Just because she went back to Christianity after being abused in it, you think I should?

Why is it Christians think their path is the only one?

I'm so fortunate to have found Buddhism.

 

[Eagle]

You take much for granted.
(about what I have and haven't experienced,
and also regarding the 'universally objective' nature
of your own experiences)

First off I hardly know ANYONE who has any similar understandings
of what I have offered here. (and certainly not in "real life")

So where do you get these ideas from?

Signs and Wonders are not christian exclusive.

Yes I know and I did not claim that either.

I know. I've seen/observed/experienced Signs and Wonders
in differing paradigms, under different terms and vocabularies,
from completely differing perspectives.

Sure, I have no quarrel with that.

(including that of Christian, who loved Jesus deeply as friend and "master teacher".)

Did He love Jesus Christ as His Lord and Savior, the only way to the Kingdom of God?

If you've only experienced such as "Christian",
than you will be inclined to think,
ahhh... this is a christian thing!
But no. It's really not. And I tell you this from personal experience.

Signs and wonders follow those who believe, it is not who we are, we know that similar things are done in the occult, although I am not sure if resurrecting the dead is part of their signs and wonders.

Anyway, you have described up above what YOUR Christianity is about.
And that is fine.
But it's yours.
These are YOUR views and understandings.
Not 'the' "true ones".

How would you know if it is not the true ones? I guess that must be your opinion, if you can prove different I would like to see it....

 

[sky dancer]

Always, Christians trying to convert others to Christianity. IMO there are many valid paths of spiritual practice, and many of them do not include a belief in God or Jesus. I have no problem with someone taking up the path of Christianity. I just want to co-exist, in peace, as a Buddhist, and be left free to do so.

 

[9-10ths_Penguin]

Is there anything you know about jesus that would make you not a fan? Just curious.

Much of Jesus' teachings require an actual God to exist and be as he describes for them to be moral:

- don't stand up to injustice yourself; trust that God will ensure justice is done.
- don't worry about your needs; God will provide.

And some of Jesus' words and actions in the Bible are just nuts: cursing the fig tree?

I've always been struck by the disconnect between most of Jesus' teachings and the behavior of most Christians. Most Christians, in fact, disparage the attitudes and hehaviors Jesus advocated -- all that peace and love; holding hands and and singing Kum By Ya -- what a wuss! And Christians in the military -- what could be more incompatible?

Jesus advocated Hippie values. He wanted us to be hippies.

"I like your Christ. I do not like your Christians." -- Gandhi.

But the New Testament describes soldiers being converted and not giving up their profession.

He sounds like he had some good ideas if you ask me.

And some bat-poop crazy ones as well.

Surley, youre kidding me.
the crusaders and the crusades are an established historical period and an established historical events in the history of Europe and the Middle east.
and I am sorry. but as an archaeologist it is my duty to tell you that the Biblical stories MUST be taken with a grain of salt. especially the kind you brought up.
and as a human being, it is my duty to tell you, that it is tiring and shameful that instead of looking at your own history and the history of your own religion, you shifted the load on the camel's back, the Jews.

I think you're moving the goalposts. The mythology has meaning on its own, whether or not it's supported as historically factual by the archaeology.

 

[Eagle]

Why? Who is Sister Charlot? Why would I be interested? Just because she went back to Christianity after being abused in it, you think I should?

Why is it Christians think their path is the only one?

I'm so fortunate to have found Buddhism.

What you have experienced might not have been of Christ, including your baptism......

If you have true peace in your heart without any doubt, then I am happy for you, but at the end of the day only you know the truth if you are permanently happy........

 

[sky dancer]

What you have experienced might not have been of Christ, including your baptism......

If you have true peace in your heart without any doubt, then I am happy for you, but at the end of the day only you know the truth if you are permanently happy........

I have no doubt that Christianity is NOT my spiritual path. Thank you for being happy for me. At the end of the day, all of us reflect on what nourished us. For me, it is Buddhist practice. It would be nice to find a Christian that can live with the fact that others find Buddhism or Hinduism or Islam or Judaism just as valid as Christians find Jesus.

I call those Christians, friends.

 

[Sultan Of Swing]

I have no doubt that Christianity is NOT my spiritual path. Thank you for being happy for me. At the end of the day, all of us reflect on what nourished us. For me, it is Buddhist practice. It would be nice to find a Christian that can live with the fact that others find Buddhism or Hinduism or Islam or Judaism just as valid as Christians find Jesus.

I call those Christians, friends.

Yay I'm your friend!

 

[sky dancer]

Yay, I have a friend here!

 

[blackout]

A person does not have any idea how an apple tastes without tasting it, so as long as you don't have Jesus Christ in your life that person will have a similar understanding as what you have just given us.

You insinuated that I had not tasted your christian apple?

So I corrected you. That was all.

Jesus Christ is real, I have become an active Christian after being a passive Christian for probably 30 years, He is now a lot more real than ever before, He hears my prayers and signs and wonders is actually following me according to His Word, Mark

It is interesting to note that when YOU put more in,
Jesus became more real to you than (ever) before.

It is very exciting and truly no myth.........it is not about me, but all about my God, I am obedient and all the glory goes to Him.

It is very exciting to you....
and truly no myth... to you.
Your (no) myth is all about your god,
to which you are obedient.


I would put forth that there is quite a bit of "you" in the mix there.
(ie. it IS also, about you.)

This is some of my views and understanding of being a follower of Jesus Christ ......if you are a follower you should also be a fan of Jesus Christ, for I am both.

Usually people who emulate (especially a "larger than life") someone,
can also be considered their fans.

 

[blackout]

What you have experienced might not have been of Christ, including your baptism......

This is such a typical 'True Christian' response.

Casting all kinds of doubt over OTHER PEOPLE'S experience/s of Christ,
whils't raising up YOUR OWN as Total Truth without/beyond doubt.

eh.

If you have true peace in your heart without any doubt, then I am happy for you, but at the end of the day only you know the truth if you are permanently happy........

At the end of the day, I had to leave christianity,
to find true inner peace.
And I have found it, inside, in the depths of my Own Self,
though my outer life still includes a raging tempist.
(the one I married while still- and because I was- a christian)

Eternity is present in every NOW moment.
Permanence is an illusion.

As I have experienced them.

You are, of course, free to experience them, in your own way.

 

[Eagle]

You insinuated that I had not tasted your christian apple?

So I corrected you. That was all.




It is interesting to note that when YOU put more in,
Jesus became more real to you than (ever) before.




It is very exciting to you....
and truly no myth... to you.
Your (no) myth is all about your god,
to which you are obedient.


I would put forth that there is quite a bit of "you" in the mix there.
(ie. it IS also, about you.)




Usually people who emulate (especially a "larger than life") someone,
can also be considered their fans.

There are much about me, you are correct, it is because I have a relationship with Jesus, not every person has the same relationship with Him, so I can only testify about my life, not that it is better or worse than others, it is just my experiences.

If you have tasted my apple, you would not have moved away from Him, because then you will be lying to yourself, I cannot tell others that Jesus Christ is not real, because I know it is not true. :shout

Peace!

 

[Eagle]

This is such a typical 'True Christian' response.

Casting all kinds of doubt over OTHER PEOPLE'S experience/s of Christ,
whils't raising up YOUR OWN as Total Truth without/beyond doubt.

eh.

At the end of the day, I had to leave christianity,
to find true inner peace.
And I have found it, inside, in the depths of my Own Self,
though my outer life still includes a raging tempist.
(the one I married while still- and because I was- a christian)

Eternity is present in every NOW moment.
Permanence is an illusion.

As I have experienced them.

You are, of course, free to experience them, in your own way.

I guess I am a typical true Christian.........a new creature in Christ....

May your life be a bundle of joy!

 

[blackout]

How would you know if it is not the true ones? I guess that must be your opinion, if you can prove different I would like to see it....

You said this...

It is very exciting and truly no myth.........

And I was responding.

The "Prove it's true" ball, is in Your court, not mine.
You're the one who made the claim.

 

[ChristineES]

Always, Christians trying to convert others to Christianity. IMO there are many valid paths of spiritual practice, and many of them do not include a belief in God or Jesus. I have no problem with someone taking up the path of Christianity. I just want to co-exist, in peace, as a Buddhist, and be left free to do so.

Always???? Is that how you really see every single Christian? Why is it wrong to stereotype everyone else but OK to stereotype all Christians? Not all Christians support crusades and didn't back when they happened and so on. I have mentioned all this before again and again and still all the generalizing of us. Someone said that The Crusades are against Jesus' teachings, and they are. Jesus taught to leave people alone if they reject His word. OK, rant done.

 

[blackout]

I guess I am a typical true Christian.........a new creature in Christ....

May your life be a bundle of joy!

I was once a typical "true Christian" too.

It's funny how my greatest epiphany and joy,
as a christian too true even for any (organized/building) church,
is what led me right out of christianity itself.

My 'true baptism' was in my inground swimming pool.
And WHY was it my "true" one?
Because it is the one that TRULY CHANGED Me.
I dove in head first after many years,
then swam the entire length of the pool way down at the bottom.
There was no one there to "officiate".
Just Me and gOd.
It was a thing of ACTUAL(Ized) courage, and ACTUAL depth.
Symbolic Actualization.
It was in the midst of a Heightened Reality experience/
paradigm shift that lasted many months.
My life became a total Wonderland,
in every way.
You can't live between assemblage points forever though.
At some point your feet need to touch the ground again,
and you need to grasp the feeling of "measured" time... passing.
Though there's nothing like floating.

Oh, and as a 'True Christian', I called Jesus "Y'shua" also.
Spelled just like that. Also, Yahushua.

I don't know why I bother with all this. really.

It has nothing to do with the OP anyway.
Carry on.