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From: elwell@osu-dbs.UUCP (Clayton)
Newsgroups: net.religion
Subject: Arghh.
Message-ID: <716@osu-dbs.UUCP>
Date: Mon, 22-Oct-84 09:51:26 EDT
Article-I.D.: osu-dbs.716
Posted: Mon Oct 22 09:51:26 1984
Date-Received: Tue, 23-Oct-84 01:33:50 EDT
Organization: Ohio State U., CIS Dept., Columbus
Lines: 56

I have recently decided to start reading net.religion again.  I now
think this may have been a mistake on my part.  One of the first
articles I saw was Ken Nichols' reply to Laurie Sefton.  When I get
home from work I will don my fireproof armor and enter the fray.  For
now, just a few comments:

> If they are searching for God, they will be rewarded in finding Christ
> (the only way to heaven).

This is an admirably broad-minded statement about salvation.  The
problem is that I'm not sure that how I read the sentence is how you
meant it.  From your comments, I assume that your criteria for
"receiving Christ" is effectively "you have received Christ if you
believe the same things I do about Him and God".  This is, of course,
simplistic, but it is the impresison I get.

I would be interested in your definition of "receiving Christ".  Do you
believe that the Christ described in the New Testament is the One True
Way?  Is it possible that who Christ is depends on who you are?  I have
a deep Christian faith,  but I doubt it is the same as yours.  Is it
possible that God does not give himself to the world only through one
experience and the document of that experience called the Christian
Bible?  It is not the name that matters, or the description of the
experience.  ANYONE WHO CHOOSES to follow the path of goodness and
spiritual growth is sanctified by that choice and the actions implied
by that choice, whether they name it "receiving Christ", "knowing the
Buddha", or simply "doing what is right".  Christians DO NOT have a
monopoly on salvation and redemption.  The name "receiving Christ" is a
way of describing through metaphor an action or choice that cannot be
described in words.  A literal interpretation of descriptions of the
experience (as you seem to be doing) can, especially when it is forced
upon others under the guise of a "moral obligation", causes more harm
than good.

> Jesus was who He said He was, God's son. ... Jesus Christ is deity.

Read your Bible again.  Jesus never, NEVER, referred to himself as God,
or even as the Messiah.  The phrase "Son of Man", which he did use, was
a phrase in common usage at the time meaning simply "righteous man" or
"pilgrim".  Jesus did not ask his people to worship him, but God the
Father, the Jewish YHWH.  He had problems with Jewish dogma and
society, but he never claimed to be the Messiah, who as I understand
(and will check this evening) was to a MILITARY or POLITICAL leader.

> ... want Him to control your life in return ...

Any fool can have his life controlled from outside.  With man created
in the image of God, complete with free will,  I have problems with
this statement...

I must get back to work.  More to follow.  Arghh.


Clayton Elwell
...!cbosgd!osu-dbs!elwell
Elwell@Ohio-State (CSnet)