Is Christianity the easiest religion?

[Muffled]

No, but it would depend on which kind of Christian you are. Traditional Orthodoxy and Catholicism have fast days, the whole season of Lent, no meat Fridays etc.

Monasticism is also a challenge if one wants to take that route, but regular Christianity as followed by many pre-Reformation may seem daunting to us.

I believe that would be Christianism not Christianity.

 

[Muffled]

Is Christianity the easiest religion?

But was (Jesus) Yeshua- the Israelite Messiah ever a " Christian" and or he could ever be as such, one gets to know, please? Right?
Wasn't Yeshua an Israelite and was sent to the Israelites as a Messiah, it transpires, please? Right?
"Christianity" was invented by the Hellenist Paul via a fake vision that blinded Paul, one understands, isn't it a disrespect to Yeshua, therefore, to say that Yeshua was a " Christian" meaning a follower of the Hellenist-Paul, reason says, please?
Same way it would be futile for one to become a "Paulian-Christian", one imagines, even if it is the easiest, please, right?

Regards

I believe technically Jesus was not a Christian in the sense we use the term. In the sense of believing He is the Messiah then He is one.

I believe that was part of His mission.

I believe that is false.

I believe that is wrong.

 

[Twilight Hue]

Jesus was never a Christian. He was a Jew.

I think most Jews might disagree.

 

[9-10ths_Penguin]

I believe that would be Christianism not Christianity.

Is "Christianism" anything other than "the term Muffled invented to describe Christian groups he doesn't like"?

 

[9-10ths_Penguin]

"Christianity is easier to follow than Islam or Judaism"

To what extent is this true?

I mean the Jews have over 600 commandments and the Moslems have to ritually pray five times a day and fast during Ramadan

There are also no dietary rules and no need for men to be circumcised

I am not asking if it is easy:

I am asking if it is the easiest religion to follow, out of those with whom it is usually lumped together with

I'd be interested to hear from people who are knowledgeable about religions such as Hinduism and Buddhism - do you think Christianity is easier than those religions?

Something just twigged in my brain reading the thread, specifically about dietary rules.

I once heard a theory that a big factor in the historic spread of Christianity vs. Islam by proselytizing is the difference in the two religions' dietary rules: it's much easirr to follow Christian dietary rules (such as they are; some denominations don't have any at all) in a non-Christian country than it is for a Muslim to follow Islamic dietary rules in a non-Muslim country.

This difference has meant that, historically, proselytizing was easier for Christian missionaries than it was for Muslim missionaries... and the greater worldwide spread of Christianity reflects this advantage.

 

[IndigoChild5559]

I think most Jews might disagree.

Nope. There are some Jews who do not think that Jesus ever existed, but most of us do believe in a historical Jesus, who was a Jew, who observed second temple Judaism. The religion of Christianity simply didn't exist yet. You must be new to this.

 

[Sand Dancer]

We're not talking fringe groups.
Faith over works is the over-arching tenet of the Christian faith = sola gracia, sola fide

Jesus Christ died on a cross for a reason, it wasn't superfluous or an act of bravado - he abrogated the Law of Moses, that which held all men accountable and condemned.

The faith over works view is not original though. I think both are important, but what really shows people someone's heart is how they behave toward humans, animals, the earth, etc. You can't have one without the other.

 

[DNB]

The Catholic Church and Eastern Orthodoxy are hardly "fringe groups." Indeed, the majority of Christians in the world are Catholic.

And you are incorrect in thinking that Sola Fide is an over-arching tenet of the Christian faith. Sola Fide is an over-arching tenet ONLY FOR PROTESTANTS, which are in the minority in the Christian world.

okay, we got off track - you made a non related statement - since all denominations cannot be correct, I was clearly referring to what I held to be Christian orthodoxy.
So, no, it doesn't matter which group that you ask, for Christianity is not syncretistic, or an amalgamation of multiple views on the critical tenets of its theology.
Therefore, for the sake of my initial post, Christianity is not a religion where salvation is based on works. And, the denominations that claim otherwise, are mistaken.
I don't compromise my views for the sake of being inclusive.

 

[shunyadragon]

"Christianity is easier to follow than Islam or Judaism"

To what extent is this true?

I mean the Jews have over 600 commandments and the Moslems have to ritually pray five times a day and fast during Ramadan

There are also no dietary rules and no need for men to be circumcised

I am not asking if it is easy:

I am asking if it is the easiest religion to follow, out of those with whom it is usually lumped together with

I'd be interested to hear from people who are knowledgeable about religions such as Hinduism and Buddhism - do you think Christianity is easier than those religions?

Most religions are easy if all you have to do is blindly follow ancient tribal mythology without question as taught for generations. The reality of our world beyond their narrow paradigm can be pragmatically dismissed to justify one and only one personal agenda,

 

[shunyadragon]

And the easiest does not have to be truthful also, please, right?

Regards

True, thus remains a problem of Judaism, Christianity and Islam

 

[DNB]

Nope. Reformed Protestant Christians follow the Solas. It's hardly over-arching.

Sorry, I don't consider those that hold to faith + works to be part of the Church.

 

[DNB]

The faith over works view is not original though. I think both are important, but what really shows people someone's heart is how they behave toward humans, animals, the earth, etc. You can't have one without the other.

I'm familiar with the Book of James, and understand the symbiosis between the two principles.

 

[shunyadragon]

Sorry, I don't consider those that hold to faith + works to be part of the Church.

This reflects the problem of ancient tribal religions that many conflicting and diverse beliefs that most often believe there way is the only way, and neglect the reality that we are fallible humans, and we are not capable of such absolute beliefs.

It is indeed easier to blindly and stanchly hold that only one belief in one of the many conflicting and diverse variations of Judaism, Christianity and Islam if you reject the natural diversity of fallible humans, and the result is often violence and conflict over the millennia.

 

[shunyadragon]

Only a Few hundred/thousand Elect in Christianity, Islam and Judaism take their Religion Seriously. The 4.1 Billion Christians, Muslims and Judaizers are on the Easy Left-Hand Path that ensures No Transformation. These Easy Path Followers are content with Life in the Flesh.


Elohim/God has given the Few Most Totally Committed/Devoted in Christianity, Islam and Judaism Dominion/Rule over the Easy Path Followers.

I believe by experience that it is more tan a few hundred thousand, but nonetheless the lule warm pragmatic majority of Judaism, Christianity, and Islam do still blindly follow their religion and raise their children to do so.

Following blindly is easier then facing the serious question of the reality of our existence. The desire of a sense of community and belonging of tribalism tule the world.

 

[Rival]

I think most Jews might disagree.

They don't, really. Such would be so historically inaccurate as to be lunacy. They just don't agree with his teachings but he was certainly part of the Jewish paradigm.

 

[shunyadragon]

They don't, really. Such would be so historically inaccurate as to be lunacy. They just don't agree with his teachings but he was certainly part of the Jewish paradigm.

Some Jews became Christians at the time of the ministry of Jesus Christ, and some hhave become Christian since, but a distinct minority.

 

[Exaltist Ethan]

This question doesn't really make any sense when you think about it. First, you need to define a Christian. Since the only universally accepted definition of a Christian is someone who believes in Christ, it would appear that it is really easy to be a Christian. However, there are so many lairs to this - reading the Bible, attending church services, praying and other activities could make it make it significantly more difficult to be a Christian. Since all religions allow its believers to practice their religion the way they want, and if they don't it makes them a cult, it is up to each individual to decide how actively religious they want to be.

However, with that being said, it could be viewed extremely difficult to be a Christian. Why? Because if you studied it and came to the conclusion that it wasn't true, then you cannot be a Christian, from the universally accepted definition of it. The beliefs that come in form of creeds are the reason why people actively participate in their religions. With the advent of creedless religions such as Unitarian Universalism that have developed in the 20th century, it could be perceived that those religions are easier to follow because there is a lack of self-denial during events. However, all creedless religions have some sort of glue of beliefs that hold the religion together. For the UUs it's political progressivism.

Ultimately, the easiest religion to be is the one you already believe in, no matter how devoted you get in that religion. It's harder to participate in a religion casually if you partaking in self-denial than it is if you are frivolously religious but truly believe the overall message of the religion. Therefore, this question is too subjective to answer. I myself have decided to stop attending Mennonite services due to the self-denial during service and Sunday worship. It was too difficult for me to practice the religion due to that. I'm going to attend Unity services soon and I'll let RF know how that ends up. I'll probably post an update on my thread Brain Droppings about it.

 

[DNB]

This reflects the problem of ancient tribal religions that many conflicting and diverse beliefs that most often believe there way is the only way, and neglect the reality that we are fallible humans, and we are not capable of such absolute beliefs.

It is indeed easier to blindly and stanchly hold that only one belief in one of the many conflicting and diverse variations of Judaism, Christianity and Islam if you reject the natural diversity of fallible humans, and the result is often violence and conflict over the millennia.

Two opposing views cannot both be true.
I've taken a distinct position on what I believe to be absolute and veritable truth - I'm not sitting on the fence, or in a trepid manner refusing to make a decision.

Therefore, why am I accused of being divisive or inciting factions?

 

[IndigoChild5559]

Two opposing views cannot both be true.
I've taken a distinct position on what I believe to be absolute and veritable truth - I'm not sitting on the fence, or in a trepid manner refusing to make a decision.

Therefore, why am I accused of being divisive or inciting factions?

A balanced view is to simply look at both the similarities and differences between religions. I find both approaches to be valuable. I want to back you up on your point that sure religions contain truth statements that are mutually exclusive. As logic dictates, something cannot be both x and not x at the same time.

 

[IndigoChild5559]

Some Jews became Christians at the time of the ministry of Jesus Christ, and some hhave become Christian since, but a distinct minority.

Technically speaking, Christianity didn't exist during the life of Jesus, so no, no Jews were Christians during that time. Immediately following Jesus' death, it went through an early period where it was not yet a separate religion, but was a sect of Judaism -- the disciples continued being observant Jews while also believing that Jesus was the messiah. Paul basically undid that, bringing Christianity to non-Jews and forming gentile churches. For a while, the Nazarenes under James in Jerusalem competed with the Pauline churches. However, history is clear that the Pauline version triumphed, largely due to the Romans destroying the temple, and later sending the Jews into diaspora.