Church Burning Holy Korans

[travelingfool]

Where in the New Testament does it say that the Old Testament was no longer to be observed? 'cause there's some pretty abhorrent shit suggested therein.

Just about everywhere.

Im sorry, but I've been up for 28 hours straight, and I'm heading off to bed, so I don't have time right now to give you a basic lesson in Christian theology. If you are truly interested in learning the differences between the Old Covenant and the New Covenant, and between Jews and Christians, and between what parts of the Old Testament have been superceded by the New, then I can attempt to enumerate them via PM, because to explain to you what I have spent my life studying, in a forum, just isn't feasible.

However, if you are just mildly curious, but not really interested, my time would be better spent elsewhere.

Suffice it to say that Christianity is defined in the New Testament, and careful study will show you just which parts of the Old Testament have been superceded by the New. Listen, do you really want to hear me elaborate on why Christians are no longer under the Law of Moses, why we do not adhere to the clean and unclean food laws, why we do not keep the Jewish festivals, why we no longer sacrifice animals to God, why the priesthood was abolished, why we no longer observe the seventh day Sabbath, why we no longer stone women caught in adultery, why we do not take up arms in the name of God, why we believe in the Messiah who was prophesied in the Old Testament, ad nauseum?

You probably didnt realize it, but the question you asked is THE fundamental principle of Christianity. You are asking me to explain Christian theology, from beginning to end, and condense thousands of pages of intricate Theology down to a forum post.

Every one of the questions I listed are clearly answered in the New Testament, and that's just the tip of the iceberg. Volumes have been written on the subject, and it still hasn't been exhausted.

Many of the things in the Old Testament pointed to Christ, and are no longer practiced since He came.

I know you want to use the Old Testament violence to discredit Christianity, but it simply doesnt, because Christians are forbidden, in the New Testament, to resort to violence. I'm not sure how I can make this much clearer. The violence in the Old Testament has no bearing whatsoever on defining Christianity, because the New Testament is clear that we are forbidden to be violent.

So I stand by what I said. A Christian who follows the New Testament to the letter cannot ever resort to violence.

If you still don't understand what I'm saying, then I'm at a loss as to how I can explain it.

 

[RAND0M1ZER]

Wow, I expected that southern preacher to be a dumb redneck. But he really but he put the anchor in his place with intelligent responses to each question.

 

[mpw]

...I know you want to use the Old Testament violence to discredit Christianity...

No, you don't know, you believe.

I must admit you're one of the most coherent of the believers pushing Christianity I've come across, but I'm still not sold; the lack of evidence of God, of Jesus, and the for more reasonable and likely explanations for these fictions to have been created just don't add up to the fluke that or all the flavours of deity and religion this should be any more real than Keith.

That said I'm glad you seem okay with living your life in a peaceful manner, and if the only reason you do this is through a belief in your God, and what it'll get you access to after death, then I guess that's a good reason to have faith... just don't go pushing your beliefs on to any aspect of life that'll effect me.

 

[travelingfool]

No, you don't know, you believe.

Fair enough. My apologies.

I must admit you're one of the most coherent of the believers pushing Christianity I've come across,

Thanks...I think.

but I'm still not sold; the lack of evidence of God, of Jesus, and the for more reasonable and likely explanations for these fictions to have been created just don't add up to the fluke that or all the flavours of deity and religion this should be any more real than Keith.

For what it's worth, I offer a brief defense of the preservation of the Bible here, and of the resurrection of Christ here.

You mentioned evidence for Jesus. If by that you mean that you doubt the historicity of Jesus, that is that he was an actual historical figure (claims of diety and miracles aside), then you are in the vast minority, even among secular historians. Even most secular and athiest historians, as well as scholars from other religions, don't doubt that He existed, since there is simply too much extra-biblical evidence. What they doubt are either His claims, others' claims about Him, or both.

That said I'm glad you seem okay with living your life in a peaceful manner, and if the only reason you do this is through a belief in your God, and what it'll get you access to after death, then I guess that's a good reason to have faith... just don't go pushing your beliefs on to any aspect of life that'll effect me.

I certainly wasn't attempting to push my beliefs on you, nor am I pushing Christianity here, as you say. I'm merely defending what I consider to be misleading statements about Christianity. There's really nobody else jumping into these threads to do so, so I figured I'd give it a go.

 

[infil]

TF, i definitely appreciate your demeanor and hope I am taken as respectfully as you are being.

Personally, the church does nothing for me and as I said above, I feel the message was lost. I do believe that Jesus was a real person, yet I think certain facts of his life have been twisted and manipulated to make him bigger than he was.

Do i believe he was a prophet? Possibly. Depending on interpretation, we could be living through Revelations right now. Interpretation is key. Do I believe that the Romans would have crucified someone saying the roman gods were bullshit? Absolutely. Do I believe in the resurrection? No.

I think the notion of religion in its various splintered forms, comes from a deep seeded human fear of being alone, and that if people feel a connection to something greater than themselves its calming and can take away some of the sense of emptiness that some people can not fill in other ways.

I definitely respect what people believe in and would never attempt to say im right and your wrong. Not my place, nor the way i conduct myself.

I do think that despite what the new testament preaches, the church has a very....hypocritical position on many things. Sodomy is something that is frowned upon IIRC, however how many catholic priests have been accused, and in many cases saved from a conviction by a settlement out of court? Granted a handfull of misguided priests do not speak for an entire religion...however I dont imagine any of those priests had the kind of funds that were thrown around to keep them out of chains laying around.

When it comes down to it, IMO the church is a business, much like any other, with the Vatican being the corporate headquarters.