Path: utzoo!utgpu!jarvis.csri.toronto.edu!mailrus!umich!samsung!brutus.cs.uiuc.edu!psuvax1!psuvm!ANDREW!PC1Y+ From: pc1y+@ANDREW.CMU.EDU (Peter Capell) Newsgroups: bit.listserv.christia Subject: Re: MLK and Christianity - KEG Message-ID: Date: 3 Feb 90 09:39:30 GMT References: Sender: Practical Christian Life Reply-To: Practical Christian Life Lines: 39 Approved: NETNEWS@PSUVM Gateway In-Reply-To: Keith, I have vowed not to post on Christia, because it seemed that some people don't want controversy to be introduced there. Therefore, I want to ask you directly: Why does it seem so antithetical to Christianity (among Christians), to at least examine the hypothesis that the expression, "Jesus Christ" may say something a little different from what meets the eye. My belief is that "Christ" was not a last name given to Jesus by God. Rather, it is more accurate to say that Jesus was "of the Christ," the sole, pure reflection of God on Earth. My point is, that while one cannot really go wrong by saying "I believe in Jesus Christ my personal savior." It does not express a knowledgeable point of view, and suffers from the short coming of exclusivity. My belief is that the Christ is the "one way," and indeed, anyone who may ever know God will enter Him through that door. And that the Christ includes Jesus of Nazareth, and far beyond. That is, inasmuch as God cannot be contrained by mortal flesh, neither is Christ. Therefore, irrespective of Jesus appearance in history, His special message to the people of that time and area, the Christ itself is omniscient, and may manifest in any period, through any suitable physical vessel -- and has done so. This is what I myself believe, and I believe it is far closer to the truth than the standard dogmatic adherance to the notion that Jesus of Nazareth is forever determining the fate of souls born both before and after His arrival. Jesus of Nazareth was to me the vessel. Jesus, the Christ was Jesus and the Christ as one. When he spoke the phrase, "None may come to the father but by me," the Christ was speaking through that body, at that time. It is not a point for argument with me. I expect to see many many souls in Heaven, not a select few, and I expect them to include Buddhists, Moslems, Jews, and Hindus, not to mention countless others, including professing to be Christians. My point is not to argue the point as to find out why no one seems willing to examine the possibility at least. At the very least, it is not a ridiculous hypothesis. Peter