Anyone non-religious here? Please be nice!

[EweSheep]

Quote:
You asked me a question back on post 1430.. Sorry I missed it.

Can I accept all?

Lets define accept:
ac·cept (k-spt)
v. ac·cept·ed, ac·cept·ing, ac·cepts1.
a. To answer affirmatively: accept an invitation.
b. To agree to take (a duty or responsibility).
2. To receive (something offered), especially with gladness or approval: accepted a glass of water; accepted their contract.
3. To admit to a group, organization, or place: accepted me as a new member of the club.
a. To regard as proper, usual, or right: Such customs are widely accepted.
b. To regard as true; believe in: Scientists have accepted the new theory.
c. To understand as having a specific meaning.
5. To endure resignedly or patiently: accept one's fate.
6. To be able to hold (something applied or inserted): This wood will not accept oil paints.
7. To receive officially: accept the committee's report.
8. To consent to pay, as by a signed agreement.
9. Medicine To receive (a transplanted organ or tissue) without immunological rejection..
To receive something, especially with favor. Often used with of.

With the dictionaries definition of accept the honest answer is NO I can not accept all. Tolerate yes, have sympathy for yes. But by no means can I accept beliefs that make the believer some how superior or better than the non believer. That includes those that think all that do not believe in a specific definition of Jesus or for that matter any other deity will go to hell. (Which I personally do not believe in anyway...)

Good luck with your beliefs..I hope they work out for you...

ON

2X No harm done, Melissa! You are doing just fine!

 

[deb1]

Melissa, very early on in the history of the thread, atheist have been made welcome. I don't think that the OP was bothered by their presence. I think most of us have enjoyed talking to the variety of people who have participated in this thread.

this is a good thread for those of us who don't believe that there is a set way to think about God, the after life or our faith-or lack of faith.

 

[Melissa034]

Quote:
I dont think anyone should be bothered by anyone. Life is good because of difference of opinion. If we all thought alike in everyway, I would be quite bored. I would not want to threaten someone with hell because they dont think like I think. Nor would I want to be told to come up with a back up plan because someone doesnt believe what I believe.

 

[redhen]

Time for redhen to take a break....

 

[Rusty Hills Farm]

Phew! The last few pages of this thread really have my head a-spinnin'!

Melissa wrote:

No I do not consider myself a Christian. Your second question depends on how you define a religious/non-religious person. yes I believe in heaven and hell, and yes i do believe you have to accept Jesus. The term "Christian" is thrown around by lots of people who dont necessarily act Christ like.

BUT when I look up a definition of the word "Christian" online, this is what I find:

adj.

1. Professing belief in Jesus as Christ or following the religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus.
2. Relating to or derived from Jesus or Jesus's teachings.
3. Manifesting the qualities or spirit of Jesus; Christlike.
4. Relating to or characteristic of Christianity or its adherents.
5. Showing a loving concern for others; humane.

n.

1. One who professes belief in Jesus as Christ or follows the religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus.
2. One who lives according to the teachings of Jesus.

Now, based on THIS, I find Melissa's statement contradictory to put it mildly. How does one state "yes i do believe you have to accept Jesus" and at the same time say, "No I do not consider myself a Christian"?

Deb1, if you do understand this, my hat is off to you. I guess this is why I am a solitary practitioner: I don't understand the contortions of others on this subject and haven't the patience to try to. I just blissfully follow my own path. It is so much easier on the blood pressure!

Rusty

edited to add: Redhen, can I join you? It looks good!​

 

[Melissa034]

Quote:
BUT when I look up a definition of the word "Christian" online, this is what I find:

adj.

1. Professing belief in Jesus as Christ or following the religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus.
2. Relating to or derived from Jesus or Jesus's teachings.
3. Manifesting the qualities or spirit of Jesus; Christlike.
4. Relating to or characteristic of Christianity or its adherents.
5. Showing a loving concern for others; humane.

n.

1. One who professes belief in Jesus as Christ or follows the religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus.
2. One who lives according to the teachings of Jesus.

Now, based on THIS, I find Melissa's statement contradictory to put it mildly. How does one state "yes i do believe you have to accept Jesus" and at the same time say, "No I do not consider myself a Christian"?

Deb1, if you do understand this, my hat is off to you. I guess this is why I am a solitary practitioner: I don't understand the contortions of others on this subject and haven't the patience to try to. I just blissfully follow my own path. It is so much easier on the blood pressure!

Rusty

edited to add: Redhen, can I join you? It looks good!​

Sorry but I dont consider myself a christian because that term is used very loosly. lots of people call themselves christians but dont live according to the teachings of Jesus

 

[redhen]

Quote:
BUT when I look up a definition of the word "Christian" online, this is what I find:

adj.

1. Professing belief in Jesus as Christ or following the religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus.
2. Relating to or derived from Jesus or Jesus's teachings.
3. Manifesting the qualities or spirit of Jesus; Christlike.
4. Relating to or characteristic of Christianity or its adherents.
5. Showing a loving concern for others; humane.

n.

1. One who professes belief in Jesus as Christ or follows the religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus.
2. One who lives according to the teachings of Jesus.

Now, based on THIS, I find Melissa's statement contradictory to put it mildly. How does one state "yes i do believe you have to accept Jesus" and at the same time say, "No I do not consider myself a Christian"?

Deb1, if you do understand this, my hat is off to you. I guess this is why I am a solitary practitioner: I don't understand the contortions of others on this subject and haven't the patience to try to. I just blissfully follow my own path. It is so much easier on the blood pressure!

Rusty

edited to add: Redhen, can I join you? It looks good!​

SURE Rusty! The more the merrier!

 

[Melissa034]

lots of people say aint aint a word, but its in the dictionary. Its what a person chooses to accept for themselves. not what a person wants to label someone.

 

[deb1]

Quote:
But how do you know that the majority of Christians don't follow the teachings of Christ? What are they doing that is not in line with how someone following Christ should act?

Redhen and Rusty better not keep all the alcohol to themselves. I think that I need a drink myself.

Just for the heck of providing interesting information. The bible says that Christians were first called Christian in Antioch. Acts:26 And when he had found him, he brought him unto Antioch. And it came to pass, that a whole year they assembled themselves with the church, and taught much people. And the disciples were called Christians first in Antioch

I can't help it, I read way too much and I am chuck full of strange information.

 

[Tomhusker]

I lamented in my earlier post about the contradictions between science and religion. While they helped form my beliefs, my earlier studies of the bible brought out contradictions of itself that had me questioning the ideals of unquestioned faith. Sometimes it is not so much contradictions as it maybe they weren't all at the team meeting when they covered a certain subject. A couple of them, for your consideration:

Re: Wisdom
PRO 4:7 Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore get wisdom: and with all thy getting get understanding.

ECC 1:18 For in much wisdom is much grief: and he that increaseth knowledge increaseth sorrow.

1CO 1:19: "For it is written, I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and will bring to nothing the understanding of the prudent."

Re:Who is the father of Joseph?

MAT 1:16 And Jacob begat Joseph the husband of Mary, of whom was born Jesus, who is called Christ.

LUK 3:23 And Jesus himself began to be about thirty years of age, being (as was supposed) the son of Joseph, which was the son of Heli.