How come atheists/SJWs always persist with the lie that Christianity was spread through violence?

[InChrist]

Sure it isn't.

If you want something that's unbiblical, it's this "it's not a religion; it's a relationship with God" nonsense that's emerged in the last 20 years or so.

It is not nonsense. The relational aspect is what God designed and what religion obscures.

 

[Cooky]

The Great Commission, plus the attitude expressed in Matthew 5:29-30 (quoted a few posts ago).

No, those aren't working for me. Not at all... I'm seeing it all as learned behavior from Islam.

 

[Subduction Zone]

If a person is born again they don't become unborn and become an atheist or whatever. Someone who has spiritually died and risen to new life in Christ never leaves Christ. It is impossible. One may sin or fall away for a time, but a truly born again individual is a new creation.

Simon Peter answered him, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life. John 6:68

That is unbiblical nonsense. Besides that you are making the foolish mistake of assuming that your belief is correct. "Once saved always saved" tend to be the most ignorant of Christians. They get themselves mired in cognitive dissonance very early since if they understood Christianity they would realize how amazingly wrong that they were and they can't afford that.

 

[Subduction Zone]

It is not nonsense. The relational aspect is what God designed and what religion obscures.

Of course its nonsense. Some Christians do not like the word "religion" so they try to redefine their beliefs. It only fools those Christians and no one else.

 

[InChrist]

Sure it isn't.

If you want something that's unbiblical, it's this "it's not a religion; it's a relationship with God" nonsense that's emerged in the last 20 years or so.

Nor did it emerge in the last 20 years. All Christians throughout history who have been born again and faithfully given their lives to Christ are in relationship with Him.

 

[Cooky]

Afterall, it was Islam that started the battles first, not Peter, Paul and the Apostles.

It's learned behavior.

 

[Audie]

Yeah, well I don't know. From my research there has clearly been racism from both sides. Probably better not to get off topic here, though.

So you dont care to commit to the recognition that
lo and many a christian does exactly what the OP
how-come is about, with Darwin the antichrist?

It is not OT, at all.

How come (all) Christians persist with the
LIE that Dsrwinism justifies eugenics, nazis,
etc? (Huh???)

It is the same freakin' thing.

My howcome, and the OP howcome are
left- right match, peas in a pod.

Both are nonsense for the same reasons.

OT? I was hoping you would get the idea
without my spelling it out.

There is one big difference though.

ToE is about data (facts) and matching theory.

What is or is not Christian is a total free for all,
Lo here and lo there, with no referee.

 

[9-10ths_Penguin]

No, those aren't working for me. Not at all... I'm seeing it all as learned behavior from Islam.

Please tell us how a pattern of behaviour that dates back at least to the Battle of the Milvian Bridge in 312 CE was “learned” from a religion that was founded ~300 years later.

 

[InChrist]

Of course its nonsense. Some Christians do not like the word "religion" so they try to redefine their beliefs. It only fools those Christians and no one else.

It is the relational aspect of real Christianity which distinguishes it from religion. Always has always will. All religions are about performance and earning points or appeasing some god. Biblical Christianity is about a living relationship with the Personal Creator God.

 

[9-10ths_Penguin]

Nor did it emerge in the last 20 years. All Christians throughout history who have been born again and faithfully given their lives to Christ are in relationship with Him.

If you say so. But the fad of calling this “not religion” is a very recent thing.

 

[Subduction Zone]

Nor did it emerge in the last 20 years. All Christians throughout history who have been born again and faithfully given their lives to Christ are in relationship with Him.

Nope, "born again" is a relatively recent fad. It first appeared in the U.S. in the late '60's (too much LSD probably) and caught on even more so when Carter ran as a "born again Christian".

 

[Subduction Zone]

It is the relational aspect of real Christianity which distinguishes it from religion. Always has always will. All religions are about performance and earning points or appeasing some god. Biblical Christianity is about a living relationship with the Personal Creator God.

Pure drivel You can see the flaws in other religions and are blind to the flaws in your own.

 

[InChrist]

If you say so. But the fad of calling this “not religion” is a very recent thing.

I think there have always been believers who knew and expressed their faith in a living relationship with Christ, yet, it is true that on a larger scale organized Christianity did and has become religiously detached from the relationship reality. But God continues to move and wake people up.

 

[InChrist]

Nope, "born again" is a relatively recent fad. It first appeared in the U.S. in the late '60's (too much LSD probably) and caught on even more so when Carter ran as a "born again Christian".

Jesus spoke about being born again well before the 60's.


Jesus replied, “Very truly I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God unless they are born again.” John 3:3
You should not be surprised at my saying, ‘You must be born again. John 3:7

 

[Cooky]

Please tell us how a pattern of behaviour that dates back at least to the Battle of the Milvian Bridge in 312 CE was “learned” from a religion that was founded ~300 years later.

Not sure the intention of the battle was to 'spread' Christianity though... I do recognize that Constantine converted during that timeframe however -but the "purpose" is what the topic is.

 

[Subduction Zone]

Jesus spoke about being born again well before the 60's.


Jesus replied, “Very truly I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God unless they are born again.” John 3:3
You should not be surprised at my saying, ‘You must be born again. John 3:7

He spoke about all sorts of things. You are merely cherry picking the Bible and reinterpreting. That is all.

 

[Subduction Zone]

Jesus rose again and is alive. He is present and in relationship with believers. No other religion has a living Savior or personal relationship aspect with the Creator of heaven and earth.

Very doubtful. You are making a claim that is not supported by evidence.

 

[lewisnotmiller]

Books which shake up a stale, complacent discipline, even if full of errors, can be great.

With this one, it's not really "upset the boffins with a bold new thesis that shocks them out of their slumber", but "uncritically regurgitates the same old myths that ruled from the Enlightenment until 50-100 years ago when greater access to evidence made such views untenable". It is regressive, rather than progressive.



Depends what you like really, general or more niche, and if you like entertaining books and/or scholarly ones.

Persian Fire (Greece) and Rubicon (Rome) by Tom Holland are fun and good general books (although classical antiquity rather than late antiquity). SPQR by Mary Beard another wide ranging book on Rome.

Pagans and Christians by Robin Lane Fox is more closely related to Nixey's book subject matter, although is not a similar book.

The Silk Roads by Peter Frankopan covers the time period, although isn't really focused on it specifically and extends until much later. It moves the longer term narrative out of it's traditional Eurocentric framing though and is another good read.

These are all pretty general texts, niche ones would depend more on your preferences.



There were a couple of them, younger and elder. 1st C Roman statesmen who wrote fair bit of stuff that was preserved.

Young Pliny famous for mentioning Christians in a letter when he was governor somewhere in Anatolia.

@SomeRandom

Robin Lane Fox has a few good ones on the Classical era.

Add In the Shadow of the Sword, by Tom Holland, which focuses more on the end of the Classic world, and the rise of Islam.

I also have some stuff by John Julius Norwich which focuses on Byzantium.
A Short History of Byzantium is the most accessible of these.

I use A History of Christianity, by Diarmaid MacCulloch, as a good long view history.

 

[InChrist]

He spoke about all sorts of things. You are merely cherry picking the Bible and reinterpreting. That is all.

No, it is the whole point of the Bible, of God creating humans, and Jesus coming to earth...

Christianity is not about signing up for a religion. Christianity is about being born into the family of God (John 3:3). It is a relationship. Just as an adopted child has no power to create an adoption, we have no power to join the family of God by our own efforts. We can only accept His invitation to know Him as Father through adoption (Ephesians 1:5; Romans 8:15). When we join His family through faith in the death and resurrection of Jesus, the Holy Spirit comes to live inside our hearts (1 Corinthians 6:19; Luke 11:13; 2 Corinthians 1:21–22). He then empowers us to live like children of the King. He does not ask us to try to attain holiness by our own strength, as religion does. He asks that our old self be crucified with Him so that His power can live through us (Galatians 2:20; Romans 6:6). God wants us to know Him, to draw near to Him, to pray to Him, and love Him above everything. That is not religion; that is a relationship.Is Christianity a religion or a relationship?

 

[Subduction Zone]

No, it is the whole point of the Bible, of God creating humans, and Jesus coming to earth...

Christianity is not about signing up for a religion. Christianity is about being born into the family of God (John 3:3). It is a relationship. Just as an adopted child has no power to create an adoption, we have no power to join the family of God by our own efforts. We can only accept His invitation to know Him as Father through adoption (Ephesians 1:5; Romans 8:15). When we join His family through faith in the death and resurrection of Jesus, the Holy Spirit comes to live inside our hearts (1 Corinthians 6:19; Luke 11:13; 2 Corinthians 1:21–22). He then empowers us to live like children of the King. He does not ask us to try to attain holiness by our own strength, as religion does. He asks that our old self be crucified with Him so that His power can live through us (Galatians 2:20; Romans 6:6). God wants us to know Him, to draw near to Him, to pray to Him, and love Him above everything. That is not religion; that is a relationship.Is Christianity a religion or a relationship?

Yes, but you are cherry picking the "born again"line, which has quite a few different interpretations depending upon one's sect.

and like it or not your belief is a religion. You wish it was more than that.