Divinity of Jesus

[AmbiguousGuy]

I remain surprised by the assertion that "there are many who claim the title 'Christian,' yet deny the Divinity of Jesus". May I ask where you've encountered this attitude?

I'm not convinced that it's at all well represented here at RF.

I've heard that Jehovah Witnesses deny the divinity of Jesus. Of course, I've also heard 'Christians' deny that JWs are 'Christians', so....

 

[Jayhawker Soule]

I've heard that Jehovah Witnesses deny the divinity of Jesus.

I suspect that this much depends on how one defines divinity. Would the Archangel Michael be considered divine?

 

[AmbiguousGuy]

I suspect that this much depends on how one defines divinity. Would the Archangel Michael be considered divine?

You're already way beyond my expertise. I'm pretty sure that JWs themselves would agree that they see Jesus as non-divine, but you'd do better to ask them directly.

 

[Philda Tressie]

Who said you did?

I remain surprised by the assertion that "there are many who claim the title 'Christian,' yet deny the Divinity of Jesus". May I ask where you've encountered this attitude?

I'm not convinced that it's at all well represented here at RF.

From my interactions with people who say they are Christian in my own country as well as abroad. Albeit that none could answer or at least give logical answers to the questions in my OP. There are also Christians who deny that he was crucified - not that this relevant to this thread.

 

[Jayhawker Soule]

From my interactions with people who say they are Christian in my own country as well as abroad. Albeit that none could answer or at least give logical answers to the questions in my OP. There are also Christians who deny that he was crucified - not that this relevant to this thread.

Do they deny the crucifixian or the resurrection?

 

[Philda Tressie]

Do they deny the crucifixian or the resurrection?

They deny both.

 

[Desert Snake]

This brings up the question of why they're under the "Christian" umbrella, they don't even call themselves Christians

 

[Intojoy]

I can't really think of why the idea of "Cultural Christian" would be a negative thing, especially as it wouldn't necessarily have to imply religion.

my .02$ anyway

I don't mean to be confrontational but wasn't Adolf Hitler a cultural Christian? And weren't the Russian Pogroms and the Spanish Inquisition supported by the illiterate populous of "cultural Christians?" To me it has proven itself to be very dangerous from a historical perspective. From a theological standpoint, a closed fisted denial of Christ is better than believing half truths because it is far more deceptive to think you are in the Messiah when in reality you don't know Him.

 

[Intojoy]

Can anyone please clarify this:
There are many who claim the title ''Christian,'' yet deny the Divinity of Jesus. If Christian means disciple of Jesus Christ, and him, by inference, being a mere mortal with inherent traits such as fallability, why and how do you incorporate him in your faith? Should you not focus on God (the Father) only?

I address my prayers to God the Father in the name of Yeshua (Jesus).
By doing this, my requests to the Father are petitioned on the basis of Christ's righteousness and not my own. How can I believe in the perfect righteousness of Jesus if He was not God the son since only God can claim righteousness?

 

[Windwalker]

I don't mean to be confrontational but wasn't Adolf Hitler a cultural Christian? And weren't the Russian Pogroms and the Spanish Inquisition supported by the illiterate populous of "cultural Christians?" To me it has proven itself to be very dangerous from a historical perspective.

Oh, I'm not so sure you can call cultural Christianity dangerous. All that cultural Christianity is is what the majority of those who are part of any religion are. It's all partaking in the external forms. It's something they go perform the rituals, then go around with a label on their clothes as their cultural identity.

If you wish to talk about real dangerous, lets talk about Theocracies. Say, the Taliban?

From a theological standpoint, a closed fisted denial of Christ is better than believing half truths because it is far more deceptive to think you are in the Messiah when in reality you don't know Him.

I would say that a closed-fisted proclamation of Christ is intensely more detrimental to the "believer", than someone who holds their views with an open hand and mind and heart. To me, if someone really experiences God, it's pretty hard to be a dogmatist, or be "deceived".

 

[Desert Snake]

From a theological standpoint, a closed fisted denial of Christ is better than believing half truths because it is far more deceptive to think you are in the Messiah when in reality you don't know Him.

Huh? You're not making sense. Why would you assume that cultural Christians would be any less moral than believing Christians??

BTW your 'historical examples' are really bad.

 

[Intojoy]

Got it.

 

[Intojoy]

Case closed.

 

[Muffled]

Being a follower or a disciple or an emulator of a teacher does not require them to be infallible. What the student would do would be to follow the examples of that Divine in the teacher, such as in any guru. The purpose is to realize that divinity in themselves, the way their master has in himself. He is a guide for them to find it in themselves.

Traditional Christianity is what takes Jesus and separates him from humanity by telling its membership that only Jesus could realize that, not any of them, and that Jesus has to do it for them as they are otherwise irreconcilably lost. I far prefer what Jesus says in the Gospel of Thomas verse 70,

Jesus said, "That which you have will save you if you bring it forth from yourselves. That which you do not have within you will kill you if you do not have it within you."
​

I never said that. Therefore the gospel of Thomas is spurious.

 

[James Humphreys]

Can anyone please clarify this:
There are many who claim the title ''Christian,'' yet deny the Divinity of Jesus. If Christian means disciple of Jesus Christ, and him, by inference, being a mere mortal with inherent traits such as fallability, why and how do you incorporate him in your faith? Should you not focus on God (the Father) only?

I believe Jesus is a man, but unique in that he was born without original sin. I don't see him as being God himself, but as he realized God's original hope for Adam and Eve, that they come to fully reflect his image, he himself reflects the divinity of God. Becoming God's first true son, he is essential for salvation in that he opens the doorway for all people to do likewise.

 

[Windwalker]

I never said that. Therefore the gospel of Thomas is spurious.

This response makes no sense. I wasn't quoting you in this response. And Thomas is not "spurious" as you call it.

 

[Philda Tressie]

Thanks to all for your views. As for the questions in my OP... I am still baffled!
Shalom!

 

[Desert Snake]

Are you baffled when atheists practice Judaism?

 

[Ingledsva]

I find that surprising. Just how prevalent do people believe this to be? Also, what would be the tenets of such 'Christianity' beyond endorsing the golden rule?

Actually it isn't surprising at all. The idea of Jesus being just a human teacher and the messiah, has been there from the start.

Practicing Judaism - you know the Moshiach is supposed to be a chosen human. A lot of Early Christians knew this as well. We know it was a subject of contention as the Nicene Councils tell us about it. Unfortunately the new jesus as part of God-in-three religion won out.

 

[Muffled]

I believe Jesus is a man, but unique in that he was born without original sin. I don't see him as being God himself, but as he realized God's original hope for Adam and Eve, that they come to fully reflect his image, he himself reflects the divinity of God. Becoming God's first true son, he is essential for salvation in that he opens the doorway for all people to do likewise.

"Only God is good" are the words of Jesus. I believe if you are calling Jesus good then you are calling Him God.