Charles Barkley Calls Conservatives "fake Christians"

[boshy]

now that right there......was a dang good post Boshy.

yes, yes, and sorta yes.

this is why I dont understand the process of borrowing a "bit" of Christianity in conjunction iwht other faiths, because Christianity's (stemming from the person of Jesus) entire platform is built on this:

"you cant do it on your own - you neeed ME, and ONLY me (Jesus) to get there. I'm the door....open up please".

and thats why people hate it.

which, I get. i get that.

the exclusivity of the faith causes division.

personally, I think all truth causes division - but this one seems to be a favorite hateful delicacy.

I think that the idea that "you can only come to the father if you come by me" is not he decides to let you in but he will be by the entrance when you get there. I do believe that persons of other faiths can enter but they have not had the sacrifice of the lamb of god to atone for their sins therefore they must gst in the old fashioned way, before christ ever existed, by their good works.

[boshy]

As for republicans specifically, I cannot imagine who such a strict pacifist philosophy of "turning the other cheek" would allow for the Iraq war, or any war, in general. I am not speaking against war one way or another, but if you are a Christian aren't your hands tied on the matter?

I find it hard to believe that a majority of Christians would turn the cheek when struck. Christianity doesn't even seems to prevent "Cathy and the girls" from cutting people off on the highway en route to the Country Kitchen Breakfast Buffet after church. Let alone surrendering the closer parking space to another even when the lot is nearly full.

If you were in a relationship and your significant other told you that they loved you, yet did absolutely nothing out of the way to show it, neither did they make you feel that love nor be even considerate to you.... wouldn't you doubt that love? Yet if you express your doubts to them about that love and they return with "the love I feel is deep and personal, don't judge the way I love you!" Would you still have doubts about that? Would you be satisfied?

The reason why I claim that most Christians are fake Chrisitians is that Christ has set the standard so high for human behavior and this standard is so incompatible with the American lifestyle that few could even be considred in making an honest attempt. It is a tenant of faith that people are sinners and could never be quite like Christ, but ought they to at least try to sometime? If not to succeed then at least to fail as little as possible.

Christ didn't set any standards. Everyone gets in. The bible was written by people. There were many books, that of mary, and timothey, and judas and more that were not selected by the eary catholic church by the men who made the decsions during constantines time (i think around 380 A.D.). Also when jesus said to turn the other cheek it wasn't to be timid, it was to insult the romans who lived to fight and see violence not fighting back, turning the cheek, was a real bummer because then they got no entertainment. The ancient romans were nothing but a bunch of muderers, thugs and gangsters like the nazies. They liked to beat people up and intimidate them and they didn't expect to live long. That is why caesar said "seize the day" no one expected to have any future. They had completely no scruples and murdered rivals and faimly members and who ever got in their way.

[Steven]

I think that the idea that "you can only come to the father if you come by me" is not he decides to let you in but he will be by the entrance when you get there. I do believe that persons of other faiths can enter but they have not had the sacrifice of the lamb of god to atone for their sins therefore they must gst in the old fashioned way, before christ ever existed, by their good works.

I understand this idea Boshy but we seem to be ommitting soemthign in terms of sacrifice:

all sin needed to be "covered" before the pre4sence of God by both the High Priest and epsecially (!!) a blood/animal sacrifice - startign in the Garden with Adam and Eve and the animal that was slain to cover their sin and nakedness with its hide - the first true bloddletting of this sort.

Christ represented that final slain lamb of perfection.

so all Im saying at this point is that good works (at lest in the case of Israelites) did not factor in - a form of penance - facotered in.

[Steven]

Christ didn't set any standards. Everyone gets in. The bible was written by people. There were many books, that of mary, and timothey, and judas and more that were not selected by the eary catholic church by the men who made the decsions during constantines time (i think around 380 A.D.). Also when jesus said to turn the other cheek it wasn't to be timid, it was to insult the romans who lived to fight and see violence not fighting back, turning the cheek, was a real bummer because then they got no entertainment. The ancient romans were nothing but a bunch of muderers, thugs and gangsters like the nazies. They liked to beat people up and intimidate them and they didn't expect to live long. That is why caesar said "seize the day" no one expected to have any future. They had completely no scruples and murdered rivals and faimly members and who ever got in their way.

\

interesting insight - I will have to give that some thought, makes good sense to me.

as for the other gnostic writings and writings by other men....yes they have always existed, as did pre christian writings. The basic premise fo traditional beleivers is that the muse that allowed for certain writings and the cannonization process itself was provided by YHWH. Thats what I beleive at least.

[jadnifer]

actually babe I was addressing Mike's (Torn Asunders) suggestion.....

Oh okay.