Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!cs.utexas.edu!asuvax!ncar!mephisto!rutgers!aramis.rutgers.edu!athos.rutgers.edu!christian From: bgsuvax!kutz@cis.ohio-state.edu (Kenneth J. Kutz) Newsgroups: soc.religion.christian Subject: Re: Christians abetting Satan? (Was: gulf crisis, spiritual help...) Message-ID: Date: 20 Sep 90 08:17:07 GMT Sender: hedrick@athos.rutgers.edu Organization: Bowling Green State University B.G., Oh. Lines: 64 Approved: christian@aramis.rutgers.edu In article , daveh@tekcrl.labs.tek.com (David Hatcher) writes: > When non-Christians do this very same thing though, they > are called "Enemies of Christ" or that they are underminding > Christianity. This thread has been a wonderful example of such > tactics. Why create separation in this way? Isn't there a place where > Christians can hold to their beliefs and still allow others to > hold to theirs. You create a false dichotomy here. I do not know of (nor have I ever heard of) any Christian who actually does not ALLOW others to hold their own views (i.e. become a Christian or else). > There are many issues that Christian's hold that I do not agree > with. But I do not oppose any of those beliefs that Christians > hold dear to their hearts. Most Christian's hold dear to their hearts the words of the Bible. In the Bible, Jesus says "No one comes to the Father but by me." So either your statement above (1) indicates you do not oppose Christ's claim to salvation only through him or (2) it is false. If (1) is true, then why this call for ecumenism? (Clearly "salvation is found in no one else" is "separatist" by your definition.) I'm afraid by your statements in this posting, you DO oppose beliefs that Christian's hold dear to the hearts. All of Christ's words, along with the words of the disciples (Read Acts 4:12) are dear to Christian hearts. > Personally, I have found that freeing myself from that sort of > tension has allowed me to relate to other people much closer to > the way I feel that Christ did. I also feel that that sort of freedom > is part of what is being taught in the Sermon on the Mount. Many people with a theology that includes syncretism (all paths lead to God) also enjoy grabbing Jesus along for the ride. What sort of tension do Jesus words (from the Sermon you identify) bring in Matt 7:13-27. Jesus identifies: (1) TWO roads going SEPARATE ways (2) FALSE prophets vs. TRUE prophets (3) Those who do the Will of the Father vs. those who don't (those who will enter the kingdom vs. those who won't) (4) The wise man (who heeds his words) vs. the foolish who don't It is my estimation, according to what Jesus taught on the Sermon on the Mount, that you do not heed his words, for if you did you would be telling the world, at His command that "No one comes to the Father, but by Him". Of course you could teach me that the Christ is just an "office" and there have been many "Christs" etc, but by doing so you have just opposed my beliefs which I hold dear to my heart. This in turn, would bring a "wall" between you and me which you would have built. No matter which way you look at it, Christianity is not ecumenical. Either salvation is only through Jesus the Christ or it is not. Any calls to accept other's belief systems in the name of "harmony" and "peace" is nothing more than a disguised call to reject the words of Jesus Christ. This, only by the grace of God, I can not do. -- Kenneth J. Kutz Internet kutz@andy.bgsu.edu Systems Programmer BITNET KUTZ@ANDY University Computer Services UUCP ...!osu-cis!bgsuvax!kutz Bowling Green State Univ. US Mail 238 Math Science, BG OH 43403