Is Christ's ideology *so* amazing?

[Seawolf]

You can choose to ignore what the bible says and fashion it to your understanding, that's your right. I'd just rather be honest. I know what it says and I don't believe it. I'm not afraid of the bible, I have no connection to Christianity. There is no hidden fear that I might be wrong and I will have to bow before Jesus the King in the afterlife.

I don't have to rebel against Evangelical Christianity and choose a 'Christ Consciousness' interpretation. From an outsiders perspective, I can see how New Age in our modern society is mostly a reaction to Evangelical Christianity. Since I have no attachments to it, I don't have to react and pretend I know more than those twisted Evangelicals lol.

[Seawolf]

Originally Posted by Baile

What's this "accepting life" stuff? There's nothing to accept. You have your own opinion about all this, that's all.

LOL I think I touched a nerve. If you really want to know what the bible says, talk to a real bible scholar, preferably a 'secular' one. Or, if you are a very fair and honest person, read it for yourself without preconceived ideas. That's not so easy for most people though.

[Baile]

Originally Posted by Seawolf

You can choose to ignore what the bible says and fashion it to your understanding, that's your right.

You mean "choose to ignore what I say the bible says..." Just keeping things real and honest. And once you acknowledge that reality, then this converstion can continue.

[Baile]

Originally Posted by Seawolf

LOL I think I touched a nerve.

Seawolf, the "lol" passive-aggressive stuff doesn't work with me. I'm a grown adult and have dealt with Christians and conversations of this sort for 30+ years. I know all the tricks man. Just keep it real please.

[Baile]

Originally Posted by Seawolf

Since I have no attachments to it

You have an attachment to insisting the Bible is meant to be intrepreted one way only. You have an attachment to your cynical views about new age gurus. You have an attachment to your Christ Consciousness views, which are still not entirely clear at this point. We all have attachments. And I'd even suggest it's rather Freudian to have to loudly insist you don't have attachments to some particular thing.

[Seawolf]

You can interpret the bible many ways. But if you want the interpretation that the authors were trying to convey, that is, what they wanted you to understand when they wrote it, then you should talk to an actual scholar.

I don't see anything wrong with picking parts of the bible to build up your own belief system.

But some people can't be honest and admit that's what they're doing. Instead they seem to think the bible conforms to their way of thinking, and tell others that's what the bible is about. Someone who's actually studied the bible extensively would tell you differently. But of course, scholarship and academics is looked down upon in these circles, so I can understand the viewpoint here.

[Seawolf]

Originally Posted by Baile

Seawolf, the "lol" passive-aggressive stuff doesn't work with me. I'm a grown adult and have dealt with Christians and conversations of this sort for 30+ years. I know all the tricks man. Just keep it real please.

I was actually laughing because it's funny. Just like people see the bible one way because of their resentments against Christianity, similarly they disregard part of what I've said and cling to other parts, and interpret me as an Evangelical. It's happened before with this argument and I find it amusing. It's to me funny how we cling so desperately to our religious roots and when someone stirs it up we get offended. Sorry but it is. I've laughed at Christians in the same way, it's really no different. Maybe I shouldn't laugh at people for being attached to society's beliefs, but I do. I laugh at myself when I do it so don't see much wrong with it.

I've been called an Evangelical by New Agers and demon possessed by Christians. How can I not laugh at that?

[Baile]

Originally Posted by Seawolf

Maybe I shouldn't laugh at people for being attached to society's beliefs, but I do.

You know Seawolf, I appreciate your honest answer. But it strikes me how you continue to ignore that which I've pointed out several times now. You are attached to certain beliefs about all this, it's apparent in each post. You've attached yourself to the idea that the Bible can only be interpreted one way, and that "new-agers" are wrong to try and interpret it differently. You're completely attached to that belief which you, for whatever reason, created for yourself in your own mind.

But you see, it's not just a thought-creation of yours, it's not even accurate. Occult spiritualists, long before the new-agers ever showed up, have been saying what I'm saying. The Rosicrucian movement for example views the Bible as an occult textbook. Likewise the Golden Dawn society, the Theosophical society, etc. I'm talking about millions of spiritualists, and an esoteric history that stretches back to the Middle Ages... at the very least.

[Simon_Templar]

the bible doesnt tell us when jesus had to use the john ... its not about what he said but instead his death-and-resurrection which apparently was reason to believe in what had been abstract about him

[Seawolf]

Originally Posted by Baile

You know Seawolf, I appreciate your honest answer. But it strikes me how you continue to ignore that which I've pointed out several times now. You are attached to certain beliefs about all this, it's apparent in each post. You've attached yourself to the idea that the Bible can only be interpreted one way, and that "new-agers" are wrong to try and interpret it differently. You're completely attached to that belief which you, for whatever reason, created for yourself in your own mind.

But you see, it's not just a thought-creation of yours, it's not even accurate. Occult spiritualists, long before the new-agers ever showed up, have been saying what I'm saying. The Rosicrucian movement for example views the Bible as an occult textbook. Likewise the Golden Dawn society, the Theosophical society, etc. I'm talking about millions of spiritualists, and an esoteric history that stretches back to the Middle Ages... at the very least.

Again, I know there are many interpretation of the bible.

I'm talking about academics, not about interpretations. Science is not about opinions but what can be known from the information available. Yes, the bible is about spirituality, which is open to interpretation. I'm talking about actual scholarship of the bible, not spirituality. Spiritually you can believe anything, but academically you are limited to things like logic.

I know what scholars say about the bible, and I have my own interpretation which is different. I don't confuse the two though. I know I don't believe what the authors of the bible believed, I believe something they would probably be offended at. I know what they meant to say, and I simply don't believe it.

A Christian may decide on an interpretation and erroneously assume that it is what the authors intended without actually studying it. The difference is I do not assume my interpretation is the author's intended message. I don't want to lie to myself to feel good about what I believe and feel like I have The Truth. There are things I believe about spirituality that make no sense, and it doesn't bother me. I could care less if my spiritual beliefs are fact or fiction. To me spiritual beliefs are completely subjective.