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From: pete@octopus.UUCP (Pete Holzmann)
Newsgroups: talk.religion.misc
Subject: Re: Re: one more time...
Message-ID: <222@octopus.UUCP>
Date: Wed, 10-Sep-86 04:04:30 EDT
Article-I.D.: octopus.222
Posted: Wed Sep 10 04:04:30 1986
Date-Received: Thu, 11-Sep-86 04:29:38 EDT
References: <1500@mtx5a.UUCP> <1133@cybvax0.UUCP>
Reply-To: pete@octopus.UUCP (Pete Holzmann)
Organization: Octopus Enterprises, Cupertino, CA
Lines: 49

In article <1133@cybvax0.UUCP> mrh@cybvax0.UUCP (Mike Huybensz) writes:
>In article <1500@mtx5a.UUCP> mat@mtx5a.UUCP (m.terribile) writes:
>> ... All of Christianity rests on a
>> single point: the Resurrection.  If Jesus did not rise from the dead after
>> a brutal crucifixion, there is no point whatsoever in Christianity....
>
>Very seldom will I speak in favor of Christianity, but the above is downright
>stupid.  While the resurrection might be a key point of christian theology,
>it has nothing to do with Christian morality (some of which even I value.)
>
>Ideas like turning the other cheek, etc. may not be original to Christianity,
>and are far too often overshadowed by obnoxious teachings.  But I consider
>the moral teaching to be the point of Christianity, and preoccupation with
>belief in Jesus and "the life to come" to be dross.  (That's because of my
>scientific materialist viewpoint, which doesn't believe in the latter two.)
>
>Even fundamentalists should recognize morality as one of the points of
>Christianity.

Sure, 'morality' is *a* point of Christianity. However, *your* opinion of
what is important about Christianity is far less important than *Christ's*
opinion! Take a look at what Christ (Jesus) had to say, and you'll find that
he was much more preoccupied with his death/resurrection/you-can-only-meet-
God-thru-Me/your-relationship-with-God-is-what-counts message than with
anything having to do with what we call 'morality'.

If you choose to reject Christ, or reject his message, that's your decision
to make. But to try to water down the bible until it looks like every other
religion out there is to do a grave injustice. There is only one unique
thing about the Bible/Christianity that makes it any different than other
religions: Jesus. No other religion has a central human figure ('prophet',
whatever you want to call it) who claimed to *be* God. Everything else
about Christianity, including the true value of Jesus' death and resurrection,
stems from that one thing: either Jesus was who he claimed to be, or he
wasn't. If he wasn't, then the Bible is just a pile of mostly-correct teachings
(wrong at least in the case of who Jesus was), and we can all follow any
'moral'/religious code we feel like without looking back. If Jesus was/is God,
then a lot of things automatically follow, and Christianity is something
to be reckoned with. (My intent here is not to discuss all that again, just
to say that Christianity isn't Christianity without Christ!).

Pete
(a random-reader of hot topics)

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