Religious Question: Am I a Christian.

Okay I was raised in a mostly Catholic family, but we were never really too religious and rarely if ever went to church.

I personally believe in God, Jesus Christ, and an afterlife, pretty much as the Catholic Church tells it.

I dont go to church to often, I feel I already have my beliefs and that I dont need to go to church for them to tell me what I already believe, well that and the fact that I like to sleep in and also I work on Sundays.

Also while I believe in Christ I dont follow his teachings, I definately dont think of myself as a pacifistic, "turn the other cheek" kind of guy.

I know I have sinned often and I know that I will sin more in the future. I feel that some sins are worse than others, I've mostly done the lesser sins but I feel at some point in the future I may do some of the bigger sins.

I think at some point in the future either something will change me or I will choose to change and then repent my sins and then hopefully be a good christian from then on.

That being said I dont really feel like devoting my life to Christ just yet.

So what does that make me to believe in him but not follow him?

Here is the link, they deal with all sorts of nonexistant topics there.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topics&forum=111

and we all will most likely do so in the future - this doesn't mean we don't believe in and recognize Jesus.

There are varying degrees of devoting one's life to Christ - from nuns to those who repent on their deathbed.

Just curious.. how old are you? Do you think you're just having young adult fun to be bothered right now? If so, you sound like a very normal person :-)

My mother told me that it was a "sin" to not pray before going to sleep and that it was a "sin" to not put money in the collection plate and that it was a "sin" to stay home from Sunday school.

Whatever it was she wanted me to comply with, she called my non-compliant behavior a "sin" and made me feel that my very soul was in peril and that "if-I-should-die-before-I-wake" that I would find myself in a burning lake of fire.

How cruel was that? It was just psychological torment and from all appearances, I'm guessing that the varying definitions of "sin" (and what actually qualifies as being a sin) is used for the same kind of crowd-control.

"Do as I say or perish." (And quit questioning me... that's a SIN!)

-- Allen

Sin is doing something you know you're not supposed to do--or not doing something you should, but that varies from person to person. I mean, there are guidelines, basics about not hurting yourself or others, but making the rules to control folks--now THAT'S a sin!

you believe in Jesus Christ, thats what counts. Only He will convict you and its up to you which path to take, the good or the bad one in certain situations. It's all a matter of growing. If that's how you feel right now then you are just a babe in Christ. It takes time to grow. I always knew growing up that I believed in Christ but it wasn't until I was 21 that I stepped inside a church!! When you're ready to grow, you'll know it in your heart. God knows that. Hope that helps a little bit.

Which is more important?

...what you believe?

...or what you call your belief?

and we believe you're going to hell.

-The Grand Dookus of Oscartania

Now if WE have our one trash cans is the airfare included ?

It is only the victimizers, the money changers, the intolerant, the self righteous and the other hypocrites that should fear God's wrath. When I believe at all, I believe this.

"As you do unto the least of my (unwilling) brethren, so you do unto me." "Be hot or cold or I will vomit you out of my mouth." And there was that whole temple thing, not to mention the many examples of his life.

Jesus was alright and generally the early (gnostic) texts paint a picture that is anything but "Old Testament", which many of the early Christian sects completely discarded. Even the gospels, standardized and propagated under the Roman Empire and the Emperor Constantine before his deathbed conversion, paint a generally pleasant picture --- the rest is garbage. (My humble opinion.)

Be at peace, if you don't victimize and don't posture you will be alright.

The "Meeting Room" might be a better place for this, it moves a lot slower.

Best.

and see if you go with it:

Do you believe that God became fully human in the person of Jesus, was crucified, died, and raised from the dead in order to redeem creation?

If so, you're a Christian. If not, then you aren't.

And then from there you can start debating things like how good of a Christian you are, and how your belief will inform your ethics. :-)

But if you believe that, then you're Christian.

" SHOW ME THE MONEY "

" The Color Of Money "

<<Do you believe that God became fully human in the person of Jesus, was crucified, died, and raised from the dead in order to redeem creation?

If so, you're a Christian.>>

Paul says, "Show me your faith by your words and I will show you by my actions."

One can believe all those things, but never accept it for himself.

A homeless person can believe that there is a warm bed, a hot shower and a hot meal for him at the shelter. But he still must get up out of the alley and go there. Otherwise, he cannot take advantage of the benefits of the shelter.

And if you want to split semantic hairs over a possible difference between "believe" and "accept" then have it. I prefer to use the word believe; you can use accept, but in essence they mean the same thing.

And as I said in the post, this belief doesn't determine how good (or I should have said, more precisely, how active or energetic or faithful) a Christian one is. Yes, hopefully one's belief will lead to action and service to the world. BUt the action is not an essential requirement for grace, unless you are a works-based Christian, in which, we will disagree.

Christian.

I simply believe that good works always accompany true faith.

Regards,

CHRISTIAN, n. One who believes that the New Testament is a divinely
inspired book admirably suited to the spiritual needs of his neighbor.
One who follows the teachings of Christ in so far as they are not
inconsistent with a life of sin.

I dreamed I stood upon a hill, and, lo!
The godly multitudes walked to and fro
Beneath, in Sabbath garments fitly clad,
With pious mien, appropriately sad,
While all the church bells made a solemn din --
A fire-alarm to those who lived in sin.
Then saw I gazing thoughtfully below,
With tranquil face, upon that holy show
A tall, spare figure in a robe of white,
Whose eyes diffused a melancholy light.
"God keep you, strange," I exclaimed. "You are
No doubt (your habit shows it) from afar;
And yet I entertain the hope that you,
Like these good people, are a Christian too."
He raised his eyes and with a look so stern
It made me with a thousand blushes burn
Replied -- his manner with disdain was spiced:
"What! I a Christian? No, indeed! I'm Christ."
G.J.


That's Ambrose Bierce's definition, in "The Devil's Dictionary".

My personal experience is that in order to be accepted as a Christian into a Christian community, most of the time you in fact have to accept and act according to a tacit, pre-Christian, belief system which is attired with Christianity. In fact, the underlying paganism tends to be uncompromisingly and passionately defended while the actual Christianity is treated as discardable (and then retrievable) at one's convenience. (That's their deal with abortion and gays, really.)

Your p.o.v. is basically that of simple theism. Which is to say, product of what you have observed rather than product of extraordinary personal experience. As long as you are willing to put Jesus Christ in with God and The Holy Spirit as the acknowledged deities of your scheme and don't bother them with what you think you believe, most churches and churchgoers will treat you as very acceptable.

I don't know how you mean you believe in Jesus, but of course you can believe in him and not follow his teachings, it's not good but ofcourse it's possible.

It doesn't make you anything at all to be honest. I don't see anything hyocritical about it. Makes you a guy who wants to follow him but you're not ready

Sometimes I have a hard time to follow him aswell, but I do my best to go to church on Sundays, I dont drink (ok I have done it once or twice but no more) or do any drugs, I'm really nice to everyone.. the pacifist thing is hard..

ohwell that's my 2c.. as I said it doesn't make you into anything really.

As long as I can go to church or not go to church, as i see fit, I do not care what people are.Were the rights given us, God giving or is it the nature of man to have these rights.?

As a recovering Catholic, I totally recognize this feeling. Like I used to, you seem to feel guilty that you don't necessarily agree with everything you've heard, but you are ashamed that you don't.

I went through all of this, and it seems like everything you're saying here is coming on as a result of the bombardment of guilt from your younger days, clashing with the life you've seen as you've grown up.

First of all, I suggest you come to terms with the guilt you feel about not feeling like a "good-enough" Catholic. Search for your own personal truth, unencumbered by guilt. Find out what you yourself believe, not what anyone, anywhere, ever has told you to believe. You may find you believe in the Catholic chruch. You may find you don't. But once you unstrap that guilt, the search will be much more fruitful.

At least that's my experience.

Wouldn't it be great, if no one ever got offended
Wouldn't it be great to say what's really on your mind
I have always said "all the rules are made for bending"
And if I let my hair down, would that be such a crime?

CHORUS:
I wanna be consequence free
I wanna be where nothing needs to matter
I wanna be consequence free
just sing NA NA NA NA NA NE NA NA NA

I could really use, to lose my Catholic conscience
Cuz I'm getting sick of feeling guilty all the time
I won't abuse it, Yeah I've got the best intentions
For a little bit of anarchy but not the hurting kind

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American Materialism.....

Even such respected figures as St. Paul and St. Augustine complained that their actual actions got in the way of their good intentions.