"Five Lies I Used to Believe About Being a Christian"

[Sunstone]

"Five Lies I Used to Believe About Being a Christian"

Do you think the author makes some good points? If so, which points are his best? If not, which points are his worse?

I'm especially interested in what you think about what the author calls the "fifth lie": That the Bible is mostly about Rules. Does his reasoning make sense to you? Why or why not?

 

[InChrist]

"Five Lies I Used to Believe About Being a Christian"

Do you think the author makes some good points? If so, which points are his best? If not, which points are his worse?

I'm especially interested in what you think about what the author calls the "fifth lie": That the Bible is mostly about Rules. Does his reasoning make sense to you? Why or why not?

I thought it was a good article and the author made some good points. I basically agree with all of them. I grew up a Catholic and we never read the Bible or paid any attention to it except when the priest read a short passage on Sunday. So when I came to believe the gospel and know Jesus Christ the Bible became so alive and real. Only later did I realize that for many who call themselves Christians and/or churches it is only a ritualistic rule book.

Although, I don't think the Bible is a rule book and no one needs to ( or can) earn God's love. I do believe His love and His word will transform a person's life.

 

[Sunstone]

I thought it was a good article and the author made some good points. I basically agree with all of them. I grew up a Catholic and we never read the Bible or paid any attention to it except when the priest read a short passage on Sunday. So when I came to believe the gospel and know Jesus Christ the Bible became so alive and real. Only later did I realize that for many who call themselves Christians and/or churches it is only a ritualistic rule book.

Although, I don't think the Bible is a rule book and no one needs to ( or can) earn God's love. I do believe His love and His word will transform a person's life.

Great post! Thanks! (I'm out of frubals, though. Bummer)

 

[InChrist]

Great post! Thanks! (I'm out of frubals, though. Bummer)

I'll frubal you instead then!

 

[Amechania]

i'm happy for him. Seems like he has found his path. Christianity is a gigantic religion and offers alot of things to alot of different people. There are Christians who need ritual, and rules, and repentance to make sense of their lives. There are Christians who need community, and affirmation, and self-satisfaction to make sense of theirs. In the end, it all has very little to do with Jesus, who would have you think of others first and yourself last.

 

[Jeremy Mason]

Here are my thoughts on the five points.

1. Your behavior affects God's love for you.

I don't think God's love for is affected by your behavior, but it is important to wisely conduct your behavior in order to send the correct message. Practise your preach comes to mind.

2. Church is a weekly event and just a building.

Yes. I've seen too many people fall into this category. I'm not judging my masters servant. I just would like to see more of a community of christians.

3. You should express your struggles and doubts.

Absolutely. I think most of the disconnect between believers and non-believers is this misconception of the human condition of christians. Paul realized this as well.

4. Church leadership is only for the super-spiritual.

The bible correctly says "We are to be ambassadors of Christ." Having said that, it is important to have well-informed people explaining the context.

5. Bible is mostly about rules.

I agree as well. If reading the bible doesn't pull some heartstrings, the music that God is making hasn't made it's way to your ears and more importantly, the thing in between.

 

[kashmir]

Yep, all five of them are completely false.
That is why we don't listen to man and read the Bible for ourselves.
Same with everything in this world, learn not parrot.
This is not exclusive to religious people either, not by a long shot.
Man itself tends to get lazy and let other people do the thinking for them.
I could give 87 trillion examples.

 

[arcanum]

Good article, and it makes me think of something I once heard, that Christianity hasn't failed it's just that it's never been tried, I think this applies to all modern interpretations of Christianity. None of them resemble the beliefs and practices of the 1st century believers, once it was embraced by Rome it was forever changed. It's become institutionalized and lost much of it's original vitality in the process.