Devout Christianity! Living the Myth!

[stahrwe]

In the early church there was a brief time when it functioned essentially as a commune economically, but soon there were cheaters and the system petered out. That is not to say that a strong urge to charity was not taught and highly valued in the church then as it is now. But every economic system devised by man has proven Adam Smith right when he said, "Economics is the dismal science."

There remains one economic system which has not been tried. It is a system which will provide enough for everyone and it will be fair and just. I don't know what that system will be, but it will work.

And all this has to do with exactly what concerning the OP? I would suspect nothing but I will wait for your reply.

If by OP you mean the topic under discussion, much since the discussion is 'how Christians live based on their faith.

[sade201030]

Hi guys! I'm just a newcomer here. let me just share my thoughts about it. I don't feel threaten about Christianity as a living Myth.. If it works on my world view i'm contended with it, if it doesn't i have other options or systems to enrich my world view.

[Azrael]

Welcome. Its not so much the feeling that we are being threatened. Its what I call "Religi-pidty". All discussions on religion are nothing more than speculation based on myth. Society excepts the three major religions Christianity, Islam and Judaism as fact because its been force fed to the masses since their very inception. None of the "Major Three" have anything but ancient books to back up their claims. Strictly following any of these is impossible.

[sade201030]

My own world-view or the "true myth" right now is Buddhism. it works for me especially the notion "God" doesn't bother me that much. For me The concept " anatta " or nothingness---the nearest english translation---provides me the fulcrum of my existence in this world. I was born in a christian environment--Catholic--but my Mom converted to Born again, while my dad was a non-practising Methodist, and my sister became a Born again christian thru my Mom. Its funny, my sister thinks that i've lost salvation and i chose to burn in hell. Before it offended me but thru the years going deeper on my practice i gradually understood them, with compassion and understanding. I just give out this smile and nod every time she'll invite me to church. And i don't get intimidated with the fire and brimstone sermon anymore. I think if one tries to understand your self eventually you'll find peace even around people who sees you differently and there's some christians that have open minds. besides they're my family and i love them so much. i think what is important is the fruit of your actions, it will speak for itself.

[Azrael]

Well I cannot say I have anything against Buddhism since its not as self centered and righteous as some other religions.

[Penelope]

I think you might number Buddhism among the world's major religions.


1. Christianity: 2.1 billion
2. Islam: 1.5 billion
3. Secular/Nonreligious/Agnostic/Atheist: 1.1 billion
4. Hinduism: 900 million
5. Chinese traditional religion: 394 million
6. Buddhism: 376 million

Buddhism is very different to the top two Jewish based religions, of which I believe many are just nominal Christians or Muslims. ie Born into that family or society which traditionally accepts one teaching or the other. So registered at birth as such, but may never practise.

Buddhism is different in that the God part of it is not a personality - so it can be seen as atheist - as God is understood as more of a 'life force' than a being. The teachings are practical, in that they teach us 'how to be' rather than 'what to believe'.

The Statues of Buddha which are prevalent, particularly in Indo China, are not meant to be worshipped as idols. But are acknowledged with a bow, just to remind people, when going about their daily lives, of the spirituality of their existence. Flowers and gifts are placed before the Buddha statues as a way of expressing ones desire for unity, or wholeness. The power of the human mind is acknowledged and it is taught that we become what we desire to become. Hence the teachings of the need have right thinking and right desires.

It gives some of us a peaceful feeling - to acknowledge thus. I don't think there are any cases where a Buddhist is shot for not acknowledging thuswise. In fact, I think a Buddhist would probably admire the person who could achieve true peace without such artifacts.

Well, this is how I have come to understand the teachings of Buddhism - I will be pleased to be corrected by a more enlightened one.

[sade201030]

absolutely correct! Buddhism per se is non-theistic religion. I don't call it religion, its a way of life. science and buddhism can existence hand in hand. thats why i chose to be one. buddha even said to question his teachings before agreeing to them.

[farmgirlshelley]

is it myth? Lee Strobel went out to prove it and ended up a firm believer....
Lee was educated at the University of Missouri (Bachelor of Journalism degree, 1974) and Yale Law School (Master of Studies in Law degree, 1979). He was a professional journalist for 14 years at The Chicago Tribune and other newspapers, winning Illinois’ top honors for investigative reporting (which he shared with a team he led) and public service journalism from United Press International.

After a nearly two-year investigation of the evidence for Jesus....
http://www.leestrobel.com/LS_bio.htm

something to chew on...
:chef:

[Robert Tulip]

The Gospels are primarily fiction, designed to reinforce belief. Strobel has no basis for his claims that the Gospels are historically reliable and that miracles are possible. This sort of apologetics is just wishful thinking, in broad conflict with scientific evidence and reason.

Here is a good review by Jeff Lowder of Lee Strobel The Case for Christ: A Journalist's Personal Investigation of the Evidence for Jesus.

See also this incisive critique from Earl Doherty.

Earl Doherty: Although my first book The Jesus Puzzle: Did Christianity Begin With a Mythical Christ? attracted its share of negative reaction, with the publication of Challenging the Verdict I seem to have struck a nerve. Reviews on Amazon.com are currently running neck and neck between those who give it nothing but praise and 5-star ratings (occasionally 4), and those who have nothing but evil to speak of it and give it the minimum 1-star rating. Positive reviews often attack the negative evaluations, and vice-versa. You either love it or hate it.

Why is Challenging the Verdict provoking this kind of polarization and confrontation? For almost two decades, orthodox Christianity has perceived itself as under an unprecedented attack, much of it focused on the progressive work of the Jesus Seminar. The Seminar’s deliberations and radical conclusions have not only provoked a hostile reaction on the part of conservative scholars like Luke Timothy Johnson and N. T. Wright, they have reached the public eye and mind like no previous rethinking of Gospel traditions. The lay community, both Christian and non-believer, have developed an interest in the issues of this scholarly ‘civil war’ and with the advent of the Internet they have become intimate observers and participants in the ongoing debate on the reliability of traditional beliefs about Jesus.

In the face of a growing focus on the rational and scientific evaluation of the record, it was only a matter of time before someone in the conservative field attempted a ‘rational’ defense of Christian doctrine and orthodox interpretation of the New Testament aimed at the general believing public, to assuage its fears about a structural collapse of the edifice of the faith. Lee Strobel, in 1998, stepped into that breach and produced The Case for Christ. This was probably the best the conservative side could do in presenting a credible, reasoned case for continuing to believe in the complete reliability of the Gospel accounts and their picture of Jesus. Strobel’s book on Amazon has amassed hundreds of reviews praising his book and the testimony of his witnesses, the latter a mix of scholarly arguments and faith declarations on the part of all. The day, for so many, seemed to be saved, if only to judge by the current widespread championing of the book by clergy, conservative apologists and everyday people who have urged it upon friends, family, and the general non-believer as the last word in justification for the Christian faith in a modern rational world.

For someone to present a challenge to that book, and to have it declared as “devastating” Strobel’s case (as was happening on the Internet even before Challenging the Verdict was published as a book), was a threat not even The Jesus Puzzle had constituted. Arguing that Jesus never existed could be dismissed as a crackpot idea, not to be taken notice of. But a book that sets out mainly to demonstrate the deficiencies, fallacies, and the selective and misleading use of evidence found in The Case for Christ, undermining Strobel’s much-vaunted rescue operation, cannot be ignored, it seems. Negative reviews on Amazon of Challenging the Verdict have reached a new high (or low) in blind animosity and vituperation. Personal attacks on the author have been felt necessary in order to discredit the critique. What is notably missing, however, are specific criticisms that discredit the content and arguments of this cross-examination.

[stahrwe]

is it myth? Lee Strobel went out to prove it and ended up a firm believer....
Lee was educated at the University of Missouri (Bachelor of Journalism degree, 1974) and Yale Law School (Master of Studies in Law degree, 1979). He was a professional journalist for 14 years at The Chicago Tribune and other newspapers, winning Illinois’ top honors for investigative reporting (which he shared with a team he led) and public service journalism from United Press International.

After a nearly two-year investigation of the evidence for Jesus....
http://www.leestrobel.com/LS_bio.htm

something to chew on...
:chef:

There is a significant list of former atheists who have turned to Chrisitianity:

John Newton,
G. K. Chesterton,
Lew Wallace,
Anthony Flew
&


to name just a few.

Atheists will counter that there are as many Christians who have rejected Christianity and become Atheists. That is true to a point but suffers a few weaknesses. First, there are orders of magnitude more Christians in the world than atheists* so an atheists turning to Christianity is a more significant event proportionally than a Christian rejecting their faith. Second, the life stories of the people who have rejected their faith typically include a dramatic event which hurt them and precipitated the change, while the atheists who have become Christians usually converted based on an investigation of the Bible.


*a recent post showed the relative population distribution of religions with Atheists being about a quarter of the total. While the numbers may be accurate, the implication is flawed because a large number of the atheists are assumed to be atheists due to where they live, not a choice they have made.

Recently there has been a move among certain atheists to discount Christianity by downgrading it to just another myth. This is an easy out for them since they don't have to respond to Christian teachings or effects.