Path: utzoo!utgpu!jarvis.csri.toronto.edu!mailrus!umich!samsung!brutus.cs.uiuc.edu!psuvax1!psuvm!!RULES." From: PDBROYLES@OWUCOMCN (The Golden Rule: He who has all the Gold makes the rules.) Newsgroups: bit.listserv.christia Subject: An opinion I respect Message-ID: Date: 9 Feb 90 05:56:00 GMT Sender: Practical Christian Life Reply-To: Practical Christian Life Lines: 73 Approved: NETNEWS@PSUVM Gateway Original_To: CHRISTIA > Correct me if I'm reading you wrong. Basically you are rejecting the relig >ion that believes Christ was human? Basically, yes. Christ was the God nature within Jesus as I have grown understand it. >That he is an ideal. A symbol? Something >like perhaps Santa Claus. You know what I mean. Like we all feel Santa Claus >is an acceptable idea because he gives gifts in love to those who are good; you >perhaps feel Christianity is along the line that if we all just love each other >alot we are Christian and saved. ummmmmmmm. This is a tricky little point, because Love is the key element, but according to the modern interpretation of Christianity, I would have to say no. If you changed it to say that a Christian showed perfect love or tried to then I would have to agree, as it is the modern interpretation says that you have to accept JC as your personal savior to be a Christian. I says that you have to put full faith in Him, and His sacrafice---Love comes second under this understanding. Under this understanding, only "Christians" have a monopoly on Love because people like Gandhi don't know Christ and therefore cannot show true love... >Do you think that the story of Christ is a Parable? No, I do believe that he did exist, but I have trouble excepting every word the Bible says he said as Law. Actually, a more accurate way of putting it would be to say that I have trouble accepting the modern translation/interpretation of what he said as Law. >And that all religions are valid if they are based on love. No to this point to, but it is not far off. "God is Love," Christianity is based on Love. Buddhism is not based on Love per se but the end result is that the Buddhist comes out displaying love more so than many Christians. I have trouble with this statement because religions are not inherently good or evil, its what they are used for and what they do that brings doubts to my mind. Christianity has a lot to offer, but it's practitioners have corrupted much of the truth found therein. >Not everyon >e who claims to be Christian is {as full of love and)[I accidently >deleted the original words] rightous as they should be. I agree, if they were then Christianity would have conquored the world by now, but as it is... >I am sorry you >have seen the dark side of people and judged Christ for it. I don't judge Christ for it. I no longer accept the religion built around his name, but let me stress this point, it is the religion that I reject not Christ himself. I feel that the religion has strayed from the intended purpose of Christ. >Christ is the same >as he has always been. It is us who have grown away from him and more sinful. I agree one hundred percent. >If asked, many people will] tell you they are Christian. I probably would say the same reluctantly so to, but with MAJOR reservations. >Please talk to me again. Bernice, YOU in particular do not have to ask me to talk to you again. Your messages towards me, epitimize what I respect in Christianity. You disagree with me, but you respect my opinions. If there were more Christians out there like you... > Bernice paul