My Easter gig pays...

[MaryAnn]

As a non-Christian, it's not rejecting the Christian faith, just having a different belief.

Thank you for that. It amazes me the assumptions people make if you mention you are not their particular religion. My concept of "God" is considerably more abstract than the concepts found in organized religion. What is funny is I get the completely opposite reaction from my family, who are all hard core Materialists and who think I'm mentally ill because I hold a concept of something behind it all.

MA

[Lew]

...and dog Easter bonnet parade...

' interesting...I've never stumbled across that particular sect of Christianity.

OK, probably technically NOT a part of what Easter is supposed to be about for Christians. Here's a link to some photos.

http://www.citycelebrations.org/easter/schedule.shtml

The pet Easter Bonnet contest is always one of the highlights of the events, if a little strange.

[Joe Baker]

As a non-Christian, it's not rejecting the Christian faith, just having a different belief.

Thank you for that. It amazes me the assumptions people make if you mention you are not their particular religion. My concept of "God" is considerably more abstract than the concepts found in organized religion. What is funny is I get the completely opposite reaction from my family, who are all hard core Materialists and who think I'm mentally ill because I hold a concept of something behind it all.

MA

MA, please don't take that word as the back of my hand. It's just meant to be factual. I, for example, have rejected Hinduism, Buddhism, and a whole bunch of other -isms. We all have to decide what we believe, and reject the rest. As far as my response to someone rejecting Christianity, it just comes down to the fact that, if Christians are right, those who reject Christ face an eternity that will be very bad. Not wanting that to happen to anyone, it makes me sad when someone rejects Christ.

I agree with Bloke that finite minds cannot comprehend an infinite God, but we have enough of Christ portrayed in the Bible that we can make the decision to either "accept" or "reject" that He was God's son, come to take away the sins of mankind. It is part and parcel of the faith that "accepting" Christ is necessary for salvation, and those who "reject" him will not receive salvation.

There are probably people of other faiths that feel exactly the same about me rejecting their faith, and I take that, if anything, as a kind thought -- because it means they care what becomes of me. Of course I think I'm right and they're wrong, or I'd make the same choice they have (and vice versa). So MA (and Lew as well) please understand that it is only love for others that brings that response from me. It is certainly not an assumption that you don't have any belief in any god. Just that you have not believed in Christ as Messiah.
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Joe Baker, who cares about ALL you crazy tuba players!

[MaryAnn]

We all have to decide what we believe, and reject the rest.
.. we can make the decision to either "accept" or "reject"

Joe, I am well aware that you are a caring person.
However, why do you limit people to a black OR white "accept" OR "reject?"

In this infinite realm of creation, I do believe there are other stances.

MA, who does not believe that "God" created everyone only to send most of them to Hell for not following the rules. My "God" is the Essence that Is Love. Love cannot harm.

[Chuck(G)]

MA, who does not believe that "God" created everyone only to send most of them to Hell for not following the rules. My "God" is the Essence that Is Love. Love cannot harm.

After encountering otherwise-sane educated people who believe in crystal power, alien abductions and psychic surgery, magic underwear and the like, I don't think I could believe in any religion that made salvation conditional on what one believed.

[Tubaryan12]

I don't think I could believe in any religion that made salvation conditional on what one believed.

Or for that matter, what one eats, clothes they wear, what days of the week they work, what music they listen too, etc. etc. etc.

and well said MA

[Joe Baker]

I apologize if I offended any of you all. I don't see the wiggle room between "accept" and "reject" in this case, but I learned some time ago that I don't know everything. In any case, my remarks were meant in nothing but kindness, and I'm sorry if anyone took offense.
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Joe Baker, who thinks maybe we differ about the definition of "reject", but who SURELY doesn't want to argue semantics!

[Joe Baker]

bloke "who thinks that much of Christianity puts a bit too much emphasis on 'deals' "

Mmmm, perhaps some place too much emphasis there, but we shouldn't lose sight of the fact that Christ DID offer a choice -- one that could well be viewed as Him offering us a "deal". I would argue that there's a difference between accepting a "deal" offered by God (and I understand not everyone believes that's the case; I'm speaking of the beliefs of most people who would call themselves Christians) and offering God your own deal.

But I happen to think that "accepting Christ" just to get to heaven isn't really accepting Him. It includes believing who He is and why He came, but also accepting His teachings about how we should live and relate to Him and to our fellow man (and woman, MA ). After all, on at least one occasion Jesus spoke specifically of those who gave food or drink, or visited the sick, or fed the poor, receiving eternal life, but those who do not do these things being condemned. Is that a deal? Yeah, in a way it sounds like one to me.

It seems to me that our definition of terms, again, is at the heart of our disagreement.
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Joe Baker, who appreciates Sean's patience with this thread and promises not to try to turn the site into Jesus-net.

[MaryAnn]

The last Christian church I attended was a Swedenborgian one.

The phrase that was emphasized in that church was "He loves even the least of them." I think that should be the essence of any religion. I very much like Bloke's pet analogy, and will remember it and use it as an example in the future. I love all animals, even the ones who behave badly.

MA