shakeybrainsurgeon:
Many modern Christians quote the "Bible" when, in fact, Christ rejects much of the Old Testament. The Torah does set out specific laws for earthly behavior which are followed by orthodox Jews but not by Christians. Christianity does not provide much guidance for living an earthly life, unlike islam, Judaism and Hinduism which dictate all aspects of social and personal behavior. Christ says nothing about secular authority other than we should pay taxes (render unto Caesar). This is why Chrisitanity came to dominate western civilization: it has a chameleon-like ability to insinuate itself into many secular cultures since it makes few secular demands on its practioners.
Where did you get the idea that either Jesus or the other New Testament writers reject any of the Old testament? In the synoptic gospels alone Jesus makes many references to the Old Testament. here is a link to one article that lists some of them.
http://biblicalstudies.org.uk/article_jesusot_jenkins.html
the average Catholic goes to church a dozen times a year at best, gets baptized, married and buried in the church, that's about it. Compare that to the rigorous life style demands of Judaism, the dietary constraints, the restrictions on marriage and so on.
I'm not sure what the "average Catholic" has to do with anything. I was raised in the catholic chirch and spent 8 years attending religioue education classes. In all that time, I don't think I held a Bible in my hands even once and I was certainly never encouraged to read the Bible. Many years after no contact with the church, I decided to study the Bible.
As to the role of the Catholic Church, it's true that Protestants diverge in aspects of papal authority, transubstantiation, icon worship and so on. But remember, the new testament, the blueprint for modern Christianity, is a construct of the Catholic Church. In the first two centuries AD, there were hundreds of "gospels" and the church winnowed them down to four. If you wnat to really separate from the catholic dogma, stick to a non-traditional gospel, like that of Thomas, or of Judas. If the catholic church didn't keep alive the story of Christ, who did?
"other gospels" were a problem from day one. If the Catholic church fabricated the gospels or any of the New Testament they should have writen it to better fit Catholic theology. They might have avoided the reformation and it was reading the Bible that lead me to decide that I could not be a Catholic anymore.
I have, of course, spent sometime reading some of the other gospels as well as why they were rejected.
Who kept the story of Christ alive? Mathew, Peter, Luke, James, John, Paul and so on...those who went out and taught and founded churches.
Bertrand Russell laments current Christian theology as 'ferocious": an allegedly benevolent God creates souls out of nothing, makes them weak, lets them dance like marionettes for seventy years on an earth full of temptations, then, if those souls fail to follow his rules, he condemns them to eternal torment...as George Carlin points out: if you sin, you will be put into a world of fire and flesh eating worms forever by a God WHO LOVES YOU. Nonsense.
I doubt I'll be taking any religious instruction from an athiest/agnostic philosopher or a comedian with a foul mouth. LOL
1 Cor 1:18 For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. 19 For it is written: "I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, And bring to nothing the understanding of the prudent."
1Cor 1:22 For Jews request a sign and Greeks seek after wisdom; 23 but we preach Christ crucified, to the Jews a stmbling block and to the Greeks foolishness, 24 but to those who are called both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God.
I agree --- the God I believe in must have an infinity capacity for forgiveness, which means no one can be punished forever no matter what they do.
The God of the Bible does one better. He became man to see to the payment for your sins personally.
The gospels, I feel, give an inadequate picture of Christ. Viewed dispassionately, the Christ of the four gospels is a) humorless (and humor is our most human quality) and b) cryptic (if he has only three years to give us the blueprint for a just life, why speak in parables that require complex interpretation). Chrisitan stores sell images of a laughing Christ surrounded by children, but no where in the new testament does Christ laugh. I don't trust people who never laugh or joke.
The gospels never mention Him doing a lot of things that I would assume he must have done. They certainly never say that he didn't laugh. The gospel writer apparently didn't see where it suited their purpose to document laughing episodes.
however, I absolutely think that there was something of a sense of humor in some of Jesus anwers, especially some answers given to authorities.
He didn't always speak in parables and notice that He himself explains some of the parables.
I don't know what to say about Chrisyian stores other than, I don't generally go in them.
He is also a socialist, which is ironic given that Christians tend to be conservative capitalists. He has no use for money, in fact he considers wealth an impediment to salvation. Nevertheless, all Chrisitan denominations are now preoccupied with cash flow... odd.
To say that all Christian denominations are preoccupied with cash flow might be a little hard to back up. But...my choice in a church is a non-denominational church that sticks to the Bible. That isn't easy to find in these days of promis keeper, seeker sensative and purpose driven life/church stuff. So, yes, there is a big move to soften the gospel and apply "modern" customer driven methods to grow churches and a big move to sell books and cd's. Just because the subject is God is not cause to let down your guard and turn idiot. As always, follow the money and take a look at what's going on.
One of the first things they do is avoid discussing Hell (people don't like Hell). Of course, In doing so, they deminish or completely neglect the significance of the cross. They put the emphysis on what you do and how you feel. They tell you other things that you might like to hear like do this, that and the other over 40 days and your career and bank account will grow and you'll be happier...your works are going to make you HAPPY! Of course that isn't at all what the Bible promises but telling people that they are likely to be persecuted for following Christ is no way to grow a church.
