Path: utzoo!utgpu!jarvis.csri.toronto.edu!mailrus!umich!samsung!brutus.cs.uiuc.edu!psuvax1!psuvm!UNC!UJCCPC
From: UJCCPC@UNC
Newsgroups: bit.listserv.christia
Subject: Re:      Re: MLK and Christianity - KEG
Message-ID: <CHRISTIA%90020503025201@FINHUTC>
Date: 4 Feb 90 21:47:00 GMT
Sender: Practical Christian Life <CHRISTIA@FINHUTC>
Reply-To: Practical Christian Life <CHRISTIA@FINHUTC>
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> 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