Call yourself a christian or are you a christian?

[ad1989]

I recently accepted Jesus into my heart. I have been reading the bible, I have started to apply it to the way I live.

(Luke 9:23)Then he said to them all, ''if anyone desires to come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily, and follow me''

When is the last time you denied your flesh, your wants and put Jesus before yourself. How many christians just go to church on a sunday but the rest of the week have no relationship with God, they have no prayer life, just focusing on the material things of this world, doing what they want to do just for that moment of pleasure.

(2 Timothy 3:1-5) But know this, that in the last days perilous times will come. For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, unloving, unforgiving, slanderers withouth self control, brutal despisers of good, traitors, headstrong, haughty, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, having a form of godliness but denying its power..

Is this not how the world is living right now, even some christians are partaking in this lifystlye of sexual immorality, drug use, more concerned with how much money they have and how much more they want. Living homosexual lifstlyles. Some churches are preaching a watered down, liberal gospel so as to not offend people, this is not the gospel of Jesus Christ.

(Genesis 1:27-28) So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him, male and female he created them, then God blessed them, and God said to them, ''Be fruitful and multiply...''

This is why homosexuality is a sin, It is against the will of God, He created us male and female to procreate in marriage.

I am not hating on gay people, just showing how it is against the will of God. The devil is deceiving the world, distorting God's creation.

(1 corinthians 6:18) Flee sexual immorality. Every sin that a man does is outside the body, but he who commits sexual immorality sins against his own body.

This includes fornication, sex is to be between a man and his wife.

(1 corinthians 7:1-2) It is good for a man not to touch a women. Nevertheless because of sexual immorality, let each man have his own wife and let each woman have her own husband.

If you want to make it to heaven then you need to start living as a true follower of Jesus. Stop living the way the world says is ok to live. Start living how Jesus tells us to live.

(Matthew 7:13-14) Enter by the narrow gate, for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it. Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life and there are few who find it.

(john 14:6) Jesus said to him, ''I am the way, the truth and the life, no one comes to the father except through me.

(Hosea 4:6) My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge.

If you want to survive in these days, you need to arm yourself with that knowledge, which is the word of God, you need to be reading your bible and praying. Otherwise this world will deceive you.

(Ephesians 6:10) Finally my bretheren be strong in the Lord and in the power of his might. Put on the whole armour of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. Therefore take up the whole armour of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all to stand, stand therefore having girded your waist in truth, having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and having shod your feet with the preperation of the gospel of peace, above all taking the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one. And take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the spirit, which is the word of God. Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the spirit..

(Matthew 4:4) ''It is written, man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.

If you are a christian, and you believe that Jesus died on the cross for your sins, and rose again three days later, is seated at the right hand of the Father, then you need to ask jesus to forgive you of your sins and repent.

Repent means to turn away from your old sins and start walking with God.

(acts 3 :19) Repent therefore and be converted that your sins may be blotted out so that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord.

We all fall short of the glory of God, I ask Jesus to forgive me everyday for things i have done wrong, none of us are perfect. only Jesus.

If you want to except Jesus into your heart then just pray

Dear Lord, I know that I am a sinner, I ask you to forgive me for all my sins, I believe in my heart and confess with mouth that Jesus is the son of the living God, that he died on the cross for my sins and on the third day he rose again.

I invite you to come into my heart and life, I want to trust and follow you as my Lord and saviour.

In Jesus name Amen.

[rendelharris]

Reported. Bigot.

[Administrator]

Unacceptable and antiquated statements but maybe worth debating?

[Alan Medic]

Hosea 4:6) My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge.

I like this bit.

To answer your question, no and no.

[Alan Medic]

Administrator Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> Unacceptable but worth debating?

I'd love to if I had the time. Don't think it should be deleted.

[rendelharris]

Fair point Admin though not quite sure how much debate there is to be had on "Is it OK to hate on gays or not?" But maybe it is good to have a reminder of the fact that this stuff is out there and maybe a lot more common than we might think.

[JoeLeg]

Leave it up, if only as a reminder that those who profess to understand the deeper meanings of Christ really only use it as a justification for their own fears and hatreds.

John 13:34, Mathew 7:1. Those two passages alone show up the inherent hypocrisy in the OP.

But there?s no arguing with religious zealotry. Organised religion is at the heart of so much that has gone wrong in this world. I remember the words of my uncle, a retired Presbyterian minister whose faith was formed in the furnace of El Alamein, who said after officiating at my fathers funeral that he had no time for ?organised religion?, much preferring ?disorganised religion?, where people talk between themselves and develop their faith as they see/feel best. Faith, he maintained, is an individual thing.

The OP can do one, frankly.

[Administrator]

I think he's saying that he's not going to be gay because he thinks its a sin, but then he says he is a sinner and is asking forgiveness. Confusing.

Anyway I'll leave it at that, if others find it offensive please report it.

[PeckhamRose]

My favourite clip from a man who does divide people, but his heart is in the right place.

[Lemming]

Tenner says the OP's down the Royal Vauxhall Tavern with their top off within three years.

[uncleglen]

I had a visit from the JWs this week- saying much the same thing....unfortunately we all need to be reminded at every opportunity that there are State funded schools out there that perpetuate this tripe...yes- YOU as a taxpayer are paying for this very tripe to be taught to children- and believe me they grow up to 'hate on gay people' and they spout much the same thing as the above from the OP.... AND there are people who CHOOSE to send their tiny children to be further brainwashed and indoctrinated at these establishments....

[fishbiscuits]

I don't really get Christians or Christianity. I mean, if you believe the whole bible word for word, and use it as some sort of definitive moral code, then you must be incredibly naive, and you almost certainly have some rather bigoted views.

If, on the other hand, you pick and choose the bits you like, and just treat it's assorted anecdotes as some sort of loose guideline... then what's the point? You've apparently already decided that your own morality takes precedence.

[PeckhamRose]

Indeed, and don't get us started on what Leviticus says you mustn't do. He must have had a horrid childhood, that guy. Also, the BBC not allowing atheists to voice their thoughts on Thought For The Day, Bishops' automatic right to sit in House of Lords, yada yada. ad1989 I have NEVER called myself a Christian. I am not a Christian, or religious, and I am sorry you have been brainwashed. Coz that's what it is. A mind virus....

[KidKruger]

God doesn?t exist.

You can believe in what you want but posting medieval clap trap isn?t the basis for debate surely.

[JoeLeg]

fishbiscuits Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> I don't really get Christians or Christianity. I

> mean, if you believe the whole bible word for

> word, and use it as some sort of definitive moral

> code, then you must be incredibly naive, and you

> almost certainly have some rather bigoted views.

>

> If, on the other hand, you pick and choose the

> bits you like, and just treat it's assorted

> anecdotes as some sort of loose guideline... then

> what's the point? You've apparently already

> decided that your own morality takes precedence.

I think one of the main problems with the Bible is the division between Old and New Testament teachings. The Old Testament seems far more logical when viewed in terms of a survival guide for life on a harsh and unforgiving land filled with people who didn?t really understand human nature. The New Testament seems to be centredred mostly on the idea that people had strayed from the message of love and faith and needed to be abit nicer to each other.

Christianity, like all religions, has schismed many times over the years - American evangelicals see the CofE as near-heretics for their modern stance, and as for Catholics...don?t get me started. People are still arguing over whether it?s ?Thou Shalt Not Kill? or ?Thou Shalt Not Murder? (again, parts of the USA are strangely keen that it be the latter!).

In light of all this I think the Bible, like any religious text, can never be more than what the individual interprets it to be. Just one of many reasons why theocratic regimes are f?ing bad...

[Alan Medic]

KidKruger Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> God doesn?t exist.

> You can believe in what you want but posting

> medieval clap trap isn?t the basis for debate

> surely.

How do you define God? Just curious.

[KidKruger]

Alan I mean in the sense I was taught, an awake entity which created everything and has power over all, who?s gates we must pass to enter ?his? realm - or be confined to ?hell? !

Forgive me if that?s not what?s actually being repeated in churches up and down.

[Sue]

There are a number of things I find odd about Christianity, but the main ones are that the Bible is selective in what someone in the past has chosen to include in it, has been translated (or mistranslated) from language to language over the years, and much of it appears to be based on hearsay or mishearing in the first place.

The blessed are the cheesemakers thing.

I once lodged briefly with some fervent Christians. They genuinely believed that people brought up in a place where they had no opportunity of hearing about Christianity were going to hell.

They also couldn't reconcile "Thou shalt not kill" with the fact that one of them had fought in the war (if memory serves).

My ex used to ask Jehovah's Witnesses in for a cup of tea and ask them questions they couldn't answer. They never came again (not the same ones, anyway :)) )

[malumbu]

Not sure if I skimmed this too fast but has anyone pointed out the dangers of the Christian Right - we can argue how much of this led to the rise of Islamic extremism. Buddhists (whether that be a religion or not) and Hinduism also has its issues.

First step for me is to rid ourselves of religious/faith schools - we were so ignorant going to our CoE (wasn't branded as such). Are most state schools secular or do you still have to have religious assemblies?

Secular republic for me, first step is getting rid of that dreadful National Anthem.

I think you will find my posting does not criticise those with a faith.

[rendelharris]

malumbu Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> First step for me is to rid ourselves of

> religious/faith schools - we were so ignorant

> going to our CoE (wasn't branded as such). Are

> most state schools secular or do you still have to

> have religious assemblies?

For state schools which are not designated as being of any particular faith, there is a requirement for "acts of worship of a broadly Christian character" - which I can tell you from experience are pretty much worthless and boring for pupils and staff alike.

[malumbu]

Watching the BBC programme where they take kids back to different decades to see how schooling was. !980s now, just started with a religious assembly. During my school days English and Maths were not compulsory whilst RE was. My school got round this with a weekly religious assembly. We were so naive that we didn't understand why the kids we met at Youth Club which Irish surnames had to be sent ten miles down the road to "Sacred Heart", not even thinking our school was religious.

[Nigello]

You won't get rid of state schools that are RC or C of E, etc. as long as they get better results for the kids (parents, I mean). I think they should be got rid of but plenty of them are better than average so the pretending and the hypocrisy will continue because (some) people like you (not me, because I am not a parent) want at least the promise of academic excellence.

[siousxiesue]

PeckhamRose Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> Indeed, and don't get us started on what

> Leviticus says you mustn't do. He must have had a

> horrid childhood, that guy. Also, the BBC not

> allowing atheists to voice their thoughts on

> Thought For The Day, Bishops' automatic right to

> sit in House of Lords, yada yada. ad1989 I have

> NEVER called myself a Christian. I am not a

> Christian, or religious, and I am sorry you have

> been brainwashed. Coz that's what it is. A mind

> virus....

Hilariously, many fervent misguided souls have tattoos quoting the chapter in Liviticus condenming homosexuality, without quoting the next chapter, which forbids tattoos!!

[Alan Medic]

KidKruger Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> Alan I mean in the sense I was taught, an awake

> entity which created everything and has power over

> all, who?s gates we must pass to enter ?his? realm

> - or be confined to ?hell? !

> Forgive me if that?s not what?s actually being

> repeated in churches up and down.

KK, you forgot to mention the beard! I ask only because I wondered what people think god is. Your description is probably pretty normal and in that sense, I'd agree with you, he doesn't exist.

I would however, though not call it god, suggest that there is a higher consciousness than what humans normally tap into.

[fishbiscuits]

The concept of worshiping any sort of deity is something of a contradiction in my eyes. Does your "god" have power to intervene in this world, help people, fix things?

If he does, then why does he stand by when unspeakably horrific things happen to innocent people?

If he doesn't, then why are you wasting your effort on him? He can't help you.