The True Meaning of Christianity

pschoslice, I wholeheartedly respect and admire what you believe. I also like the thought of God (or the Self) dwelling in all of us and in everything. :)

pyshco slice wrote:

I hate the word Christianity, its so tainted, I rather not even use the term, all religions divide, Love unites, Love doesn't need a religion.

You may be confusing christianity with what I would call churchianity. What Jesus taught as true christianity, is very different from religion.

I think it's important not to confuse true christianity with religion.

Pyscoslice wrote:

Again, it seems you are confusing religion with the christianity that Jesus taught. Who is keeping you away from knowing your true self, christ or the churches?

We all certainly can offer our own opinions about what Christianity is; and your right, the reason why there are so many denominations is precisely because people follow their own opinions/interpretations, because people, unfortunately, prefer religion than what Jesus taught and lived.

Imagine if those who claimed to believe in Jesus actually just DID what the dude said, without making excuses for why we don't have too, or without watering it down, because it's ''too hard''.

Universallove wrote:
psychoslice, true, there are different denominations and traditions within Christianity. To me, that is a sign of having different interpretations and ways of thinking, and I think that's fine.

Well, it depends on WHY the different denominations have come about, and what exactly the traditions are. Most of the reasons for splits and traditions within the churches is because people have simply gotten away from the cornerstone, they have thrown out the teachings of Jesus, in favor of opinon and religion.

Pyschoslice wrote:
Yes that's fine but they all believe they and only they have the truth, I know, I was a christian for many years, you patronize each other, thinking your all Christians.

Well, I agree with pyschoslice here. He basically is summing up what I said with regards to denominations thinking they and they alone have the truth.

If a Christian is one who obeys Jesus, then we should all be one, but we are divided...why?

I do think it's worth pointing out that just being free from 'religion', does not mean you are free from the religon of your 'mind'. So many people react against religion, but they end up just as trapped in their limited understanding of truth as those whom they think they have broken free from.

What's great about Jesus and his teachings are that they offer objective ways to measure our spirituality. There is accountability to Him, and this helps us to see clearly where we are at in relation the truth.


One last thought, is that while I do believe in personal accountability to God, your conscience, your Self (whatever spin you want to put on it),I see from what Jesus taught, that he expects obedience to the things that he taught. Somehow obedience, accountability, discipline, etc, seems to get left out of discussion about Jesus and spirituality.

For example, people talk about love, and how love is the message of all religions and the message of Jesus. Sure, I agree. But HOW are we to express that love? We could leave it all for people to work out subjectively and emotionally, but Jesus didn't, he gave good solid rational objective teachings to help us in our quest for love. He said things like giving to those who ask, turning the other cheek, selling everything you own and giving it to the poor! Now there's love. He did it, the disciples did it, who's doing that today?

Again, there is much talk about letting go of attachment. Great, fantastic...how do we do it? Is it all just subjective, each person figure it out for themselves, or is there some wisdom, some teaching that could assist us in genuinely letting go of attachment, forsaking or renouncing everything? While most people want to have their cake and eat it too, Jesus formualted some rules to help us in measuring where we are at spiritually. He taught that man should not work for money. He taught us to forsake everything we own to even BE his follower, and he taught that we should give the money to the poor. He taught that we should not use titles, and that we should forsake our family, in order to follow the way, the truth and the life. So many hinderances to spiritual growth and perfection, but Jesus (in his wisdom) knew this, and gave us spot on teaching about how to deal with it.

Anyway, the main issue I see is that people really do need to get back to what Jesus actually taught and lived out. We need to ask ourselves why people don't want to actually DO the things he said, why we don't want to stop working for money, why we don't want to forsake all we own. We need to ask ourselves whether Jesus really did know more than us. We need to be able to rationally explain why we don't believe in actually following what he said, etc, etc. We need to ask ourselves if we are walking in the light of his teachings, or if we are trying to hide in the shadows.

UniversalLove,

I like the way you expressed your thoughts in the opening post. Jesus was teaching the heart of God in the love you speak of. As I see the meaning in his teachings it was about;

God is within all of us, God is available to all...

We are all loved the same by God, there is no separation by religious beliefs, rather Jew, Gentile, Christian or pagan...

We are to love each other as we love God, and the love of God brings change, not judgment...

Jesus was sharing with us the importance of God and each other, connecting with God and each other spreads this love.

Theology is not Jesus, theology is mans way of trying to understand how God is and relates to us and creation...it is theories, not facts.

Jesus didn't call his teachings Christianity, man did, and it is just a term designated to a group of people who follow Jesus (Christ) teachings, man made it into a religion.

I too become disheartened when people attach judgment to Christianity. There are some who have done things in the name of God that has muddied the waters. I am not a professing Christian as by the standard of some, but within Christianity are many teachings that can benefit. Lumping all Christians into one group is as bad as Christians lumping all non Christan believers in one group. This is just what Jesus was trying to teach against.

Love your neighbor as yourself...let God judge in the end and love each other till then...

[Riboflavin]

For me i think ive disliked christianity because the people who practice it are hypocrites. The truth is nobody can live up to the standards set forth in the bible, christians know that too. That doesnt stop them from preaching it though. Even worse is that many times christians behave worse than the people who dont practice religion.

Nobody likes being preached to, talked down to, looked down upon, treated like they are inferior, stupid, or lacking in understanding. Almost every christian ive talked to with a few exceptions has been the same story. "Im better than you because im a christian, and because you dont see things the same way i do you must be stupid/lacking/evil/wrong and i feel sorry for you, but hey if you buy in now ill give you all the affirmations you can want and ill even be your friend.. but sorry i cant accept you the way you are."

Still, i cant help feeling affection for old hats.

I'm not Christian myself as I like Buddhism a whole lot better (although I am not Buddhist either). Still I love many of the sayings attribuyed to Jesus, and I can certainly find no fault in UniveralLove. Christianity like anything else can be used well or poorly.

The reason I like Buddhism better is that Buddha taught it is our own actions and deeds that matter, and no one can save you but you, whereas most Christianity gives that power to a God above and separated from us, or Jesus, and claims that we cannot do it for ourselves.

[Riboflavin]

Teehee.. ignoring the fact that you feel its necessary to keep issue response pages for copying and pasting...

Taking what someone says and giving examples which bring it to different levels out of context with the spirit of the original statement is wrong. Allow me the sentiment of my negative experiences without trying to turn it around and make it out like there is something wrong with me.

Originally Posted by Mayflow

I'm not Christian myself as I like Buddhism a whole lot better (although I am not Buddhist either). Still I love many of the sayings attribuyed to Jesus, and I can certainly find no fault in UniveralLove. Christianity like anything else can be used well or poorly.

The reason I like Buddhism better is that Buddha taught it is our own actions and deeds that matter, and no one can save you but you, whereas most Christianity gives that power to a God above and separated from us, or Jesus, and claims that we cannot do it for ourselves.

I came across an article once that clarified some of the distinctions between Buddhism and Christianity...

"Buddha believed that all life is suffering and that to escape from rebirth we must understand our nature. If we extinguish hungers and detach ourselves from desires (namely, relationships), we will then offset all impure acts and thoughts. That is the Buddhist’s hope.

Jesus brought God’s offer for true forgiveness and eternal life while affirming each individual as uniquely created in God’s image. For Jesus, suffering is only symptomatic of the life unhinged from right relationship with God."

Originally Posted by Riboflavin

Teehee.. ignoring the fact that you feel its necessary to keep issue response pages for copying and pasting...

Taking what someone says and giving examples which bring it to different levels out of context with the spirit of the original statement is wrong. Allow me the sentiment of my negative experiences without trying to turn it around and make it out like there is something wrong with me.

Well then, I guess that none of that was helpful. Taking it into account in the spirit of what was said in your previous post.... well, I came away drawing a parallel between

Riboflavin--The truth is nobody can live up to the standards set forth in the bible, christians know that too. That doesnt stop them from preaching it though.

Romans 3:19-24

19Now we know that what things soever the law saith, it saith to them who are under the law: that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God.

20Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin.

21But now the righteousness of God without the law is manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets;

22Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is no difference:

23For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;

24Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus:

Best wishes

Originally Posted by TeeHee

I came across an article once that clarified some of the distinctions between Buddhism and Christianity...

"Buddha believed that all life is suffering and that to escape from rebirth we must understand our nature. If we extinguish hungers and detach ourselves from desires (namely, relationships), we will then offset all impure acts and thoughts. That is the Buddhist’s hope.

Jesus brought God’s offer for true forgiveness and eternal life while affirming each individual as uniquely created in God’s image. For Jesus, suffering is only symptomatic of the life unhinged from right relationship with God."

The 4 Noble truths:
1. Buddha said that the unenlightened life was about suffering
2. He said that craving for what cannot be is the cause of that
3. He Said that this can be overcome by understanding how things work
4. He offered the 8 fold path as a means to accomplish this

http://www.thebigview.com/buddhism/eightfoldpath.html

Originally Posted by Mayflow

The 4 Noble truths:
1. Buddha said that the unenlightened life was about suffering
2. He said that craving for what cannot be is the cause of that
3. He Said that this can be overcome by understanding how things work
4. He offered the 8 fold path as a means to accomplish this

http://www.thebigview.com/buddhism/eightfoldpath.html

My studies in Buddhism are over, but perhaps others might find it helpful. I had elders in my family that were Buddhist as that was the predominant teaching in my country. And so for I, having learned about their lives until becoming Christian.

Thanks for the information and link Mayflow.