Belief
"belief(bi-leef)n. 1. the feeling that something is real and true, trust, confidence. 2. something accepted as true, what one believes. 3. religion, something taught as part of this.
save (sayv)v. (saved, saving) 1. to rescue, to keep from danger or harm or capture. 2. to free from the power of sin or its spiritual consequences.
Last night I attended a Baptist Church Christmas concert called The Living Christmas Tree. The music was beautiful, some of the singers had fantastic voices and the set was unusual to say the least, a "Christmas Tree" that reached the ceiling of the church and held the choir. Altogether an entertaining evening. One expected the theme to be christmas and it was, until the end. At that point it became a sermon on the need to "accept Jesus as your personal saviour". And at that point they lost me.
After the concert, the minister gave a short sermon. To my astonishment, I found out that I NEED to be saved. Of course, my silent comment was "from what?". What am I in danger from, what is going to harm or capture me? Or what sin has power over me? The preacher passed judgement on all there, and found us wanting, sinful. And yet, did not his Jesus teach, "Judge not least ye be judged?"
What gives anyone the right to say that anyone other than themselves is sinful? What arrogance to think that christianity is the only way to truth and that your brand of christianity better than all others? I had carefully watched the singers and actors throughout the night. I saw their faces shining with a glow that bespoke more than just joy at the singing and music and I wondered how anyone could believe like they obviously do.
Do they not know that the story of Jesus is just the latest reworking of even more ancient myths? That he wasn't even considered a god until 500 years after his death? I watched the women and wondered how they can have belief in a religion that teaches that women are less then men as all organized religions do. That women brought sin into the world and therefore all "mankind" needs to be saved.
I wonder would they believe if Jesus had been born a girl?" I whisper.
Are you listening?
posted by Alisa @ 6:42 PM
5 comments
5 Comments:
Rom 3:22-26
22 This righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference, 23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, 24 and are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus. 25 God presented him as a sacrifice of atonement, through faith in his blood. He did this to demonstrate his justice, because in his forbearance he had left the sins committed beforehand unpunished— 26 he did it to demonstrate his justice at the present time, so as to be just and the one who justifies those who have faith in Jesus.
NIV
WE can say that others have sinned because the Scriptures say so, the verse you quote (Judge not least you be judged) is the most mis-quoted verse in the the Bible. What Jesus was saying is that when we judgments of others we need tomake sure that our life is right in that area, as we will be judged more harshly.
Why would it suprise you if you go to a church to see a Christmas program that they would talk about salvation. The Whole reason Christ was born was to bring salvation into the World.
First, I would like to thank you for taking the time to read and post a comment. It is much appreciated.
I have attended many christmas concerts in my 47 years of life and never once, in any of the denominations I have been to, has "salvation" been preached. These concerts are usually a time to remember the beauty of the moment, not the time to talk about the "sinful" congregation.
I attended the concert for the music, not the message. I understand that a church would have a Christian message, that's a given. I am not Christian but can still appreciate the beauty of the music and the story of Christ's birth. I did not expect to be called a sinner, that's not the way to get positive attention from me.
I believe a far better message would be to teach Jesus's love rather than humankind's sin. I don't believe that people are inherently sinful. I believe that we are human and that therefore we make mistakes in life, but also that we are here to learn and we learn by those very mistakes. They are not "sins" they are the means by which we learn and grow.
Again, thank you for taking the time to post.
When you quote the Bible you imply that you believe what it says, The bible Says that we are all sinners, By the way the Bible does not blame Eve forthe first Sin. It blames Adam, Through Adam Sin Was brought into the world. Through Christ the World was saved from sin. Without sin there is no need for Christ and therefore no Christmas. The Whole Bible is the Story of how man Fell from God, and how God Loved His Creation so much that he sent His Son to die to save us.
John 3:16-18
16 "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. 17 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. 18 Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because he has not believed in the name of God's one and only Son.
If man had not sinned then Christ would not have come. Therefore the whole message of Christmas is Salvation.
I comend You on your knowledge of the bible, however it seems to me that you are using a book that can only be acurately described as historical fiction to make an excuse for poor taste. Most of the organized christan religions spend to much time on mans shortcommings, It's analogous to insulting a small child and expecting him to do better because of it. Oh and beliefe in hesus is a poor penance to pay for crimes commited against humanity, or so it seems to me, but im a left leaning agnostic which is also a cop oout I guess.
Well the only reason I quoted the Bible is because she did to make her point. I do believe that the Bible is true, but it amazes me that people who don't believe the Bible is true always try to use the one or two quotes they know to tell Christians how they are wrong. If you do not believe in the truth of the Bible you should not ise it to try to back up your truth.
As far as your aurgument about telling people of their short comings, if you broke a rule and did not know it wouldn't you want some one to let you know you had done somthing wrong before you have to pay the consequence. It would be a very unjust God that would pronounce Judgement on us with out letting us know that we hade sinned. So He tells us we have fallen short, then shows us the way out. Jesus. and again if we had not fallen short there would not be a need for Jesus. therefore, no need for Christmas.
Example, If your Child Runs into Traffic, is it insulting him, or Protecting him to tell him he should not run in traffic for his own safety, and if he continues to run in traffic, then you might have to punish him for his own protection. You would not say you don't want to hurt his ego, or insult him you would do what it takes to protect him.
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