Recently someone came up with an explanation as to why someone of the Islamic faith cannot possible be a good American. This is in response to that ignorance. The writer asks..

“Can a good Muslim be a good American?” In doing so, he sets himself up for a fall.

“Consider the following:”
And of the Christian Fundamentalist, consider the following as well.

“Theologically – no. Because his allegiance is to Allah, the moon god of Arabia.”

And of the Christian Fundamentalist…Theologically- NO Because his allegiance is to God, the Sun God of Egypt. This is why God is Most High (At Noon), Jesus can be seen as an archetype Son of the Sun God and the Gospels are the account of a one year trip of the Sun Jesus through the signs of the Zodiac, and I ain’t kiddn! The origin all gods in the human psyche is the SUN and all that it does for humans. This is why in the Old Testament it says in Malachi that the “sun will rise with healing in his wings,” which is statement about the messiah to come. In Revelation, Jesus is also called the “son of the morning star,” which of course is the SUN, or the Planet Venus depending. Long story. Don’t sweat Allah the moon god.

“Religiously – no. Because no other religion is accepted by his Allah except Islam (Quran, 2:256)”

And of the Christian Fundamentalist…Religiously- NO Because “there is no other name under heaven, (Jesus) by which a man can be saved. There is one true Christian Church and whoever believes on the name of the Lord..Jesus Christ, shall be saved, while others are condemned. Fundamentalist Christians do NOT accept any other religious beliefs as valid to theirs, so no difference here.

“Scripturally – no. Because his allegiance is to the five pillars of Islam and the Quran (Koran).”

And of the American Fundamentalist…Scripturally NO because his allegiance is to the Ten Pillars of
Christianity, which they tend to modify according to the need, and the Bible, which is neither always historically accurate nor inerrant, no matter what they say! There is nothing in America that says you have to be a Bible believing Christian to be a true American. It is freedom of religion here…all religions. If Fundamentalists have their way, we might all want to amend the Bill of Rights to say “freedom FROM religion.”

“Geographically – no. Because his allegiance is to Mecca, to which he turns in prayer five times a day.”

And of the American Fundamentalist…Geographically No because his mental allegiance is to Jerusalem, Israel and the Holy Land at least twice a week, about which they talk all the time as if they have ever been there, know the real history of, or think they would be welcome. Millions of Christian Americans have a soft spot for Rome too…

“Socially – no. Because his allegiance to Islam forbids him to make friends with Christians or Jews.”

And of the Christian Fundamentalist…Socially NO because his allegiance to Christianity forbids him to make friends with “the world” (love not the world, neither the things that are in the world, whoever loves the world, the love of the father is not in him.”) Paul cursed the Jews in the New Testament, and hoped they’d cut their private parts if they wanted to be circumcised. Martin Luther , a Christian, taught they should be killed like pigs. Lots of places in NT tell the church to have no relationships outside the church. including not being “unequally yoked with unbelievers.”

“Politically – no. Because he must submit to the mullah (spiritual leaders), who teach annihilation of Israel and Destruction of America, the great Satan.”

And of the Christian Fundamentalist…Politically No because he must submit to the ministry, ( “obey those that have the rule over you, {ministers}, for they watch out for your souls”). Many Fundamentalist Christians teach and hope for the annihilation of everyone outside of Israel. Christians often attribute anything against them as of the Great Satan Christian fundamentalists call Roman Catholicism, the Great Whore, so don’t sweat someone calling America or Washington the Great Satan.
Paul cursed anyone who did not believe his true gospel and called the people of Crete, liars. Jesus is said to have said the Pharisees were “of your Father the Devil.” Name calling envoking the name of Satan to define the enemy is a fundamentalist art form. It’s what you do when you are afraid of the unknown.

“Domestically – no. Because he is instructed to marry four women and beat and scourge his wife when she disobeys him (Quran 4:34).”

And of the Christian Fundamentalist…Domestically no because a fundamentalist Christian is instructed to marry only one which is his property, but cannot talk in church and can only ask her husband bible questions at home. A christian believes if you “beat (spank)a child with a rod, it won’t kill him.” Fundamentalist Christian women are to keep silence in the church, obey their husbands as unto the Lord, and call him “Lord” as did Sarah (all in NT). They are to give him sex as a part of her duty and submit. The Koran and the Bible sprang from the same culture, which few Fundamentalist Chrsitians realize or think about. In many respects the Taliban are to the Koran what the Fundamentalist Christians are to the Bible. PS…Lots of Fundamentalist Christian men abuse their wives with the word.

“Intellectually – no. Because he cannot accept the American Constitution since it is based on Biblical principles and he believes the Bible to be corrupt.”

And of the Christian Fundamentalist…Intellectually no, because he can’t accept that the American Constitution was NOT predicated on founding fundamentalist, Old Covenant believing Fathers. I would not use the word “intellectual” with Christian fundamentalists either, as critical thinking or the examining of evidence that runs contrary to their established belief system is not encouraged. This was called the Dark Ages in the European past.

“Philosophically – no. Because Islam, Muhammad, and the Quran do not allow freedom of religion and expression. Democracy and Islam cannot co-exist.”

And of the Christian Fundamentalists…Philosophically no because Christianity, Jesus and the Bible do not allow freedom of religion if you take the Old and New Testaments as the only way to be or literally enforceable in our culture today. Fundamentalists look to the commands of “God” in the Old Testament, to kill unbelievers, just as much as they think Islamics do in reading the Koran. Fundamentalist would only tolerate Christian values, which can be atrocious at times, and morality, which can be appalling. True Democracy and Biblical Christianity cannot co exist either. Someone would insist on someone else losing their rights to free thought. “My Kingdom is not of this world, if my kingdom was of this world, then would my servants fight,” said Jesus in Matthew. No military solutions were encouraged by Jesus unless there was only one sword per 12 disciples allowed. Turn the other cheek, Love your enemies, don’t slay them. Christian Fundamentalism is a good example of the mess you get when you mix Old Testament politics with New Testament sentiments, thinking it takes both to make up a proper Christian text. It’s old wine in new wineskins.

“Every Muslim government is either dictatorial or autocratic.”

And of the Christian Fundamentalist…Every Christian Fundamentalist government is either dictatorial or autocratic too. This statement shows the ignorance of whoever made it up. The Christian Kings of Europe didn’t do to badly in the dictatorial or autocratic department, and might we mention the Popes?

“Spiritually – no. Because when we declare “one nation under God,” the Christian’s God is loving and kind, while Allah is NEVER referred to as heavenly father, nor is he ever called love in The Quran’s 99 excellent names.”

And of the Christian Fundamentalists…Spiritually no because the God and Jesus of the Book of Revelation drowns the world in blood, plagues, signs, trumpets, vials and slaughter. The Christian Jesus is loving but no one does what he really says as it really is too hard. The Christian God the father is absent mostly, but is angry, jealous, and is patterned after the war gods of paganism every bit as much. I suggest a good read of Karen Armstrongs. History of God. The Fundamentalist Christian God is ‘loving” only to the degree you obey and fall in line. If not, you are toast just as with any other “god” The Jesus of the Gospels is NOT the same being in the book of Revelation. The fundy Jesus comes back with a Rod of Iron to threaten and beat the poop out of those that don’t obey and love God #1 the father and God # 2 himself…we won’t get into God #3. Monotheism is basically divisive by nature, even if the one God is three, co-this and co-that.

“Therefore after much study and deliberation…. perhaps we should be very suspicious of ALL MUSLIMS in this country. They obviously cannot be both “good” Muslims and good Americans. Call it what you wish…. it’s still the truth.”

And of Christian Fundamentalists..Therefore after much study and deliberation..perhaps we should all be very suspicious of ALL, and I Mean ALLLLLLLL Christians in this country. They obviously can’t be both good Christians and Good Americans. Call it what you will, it’s still the truth.

Side note: Whoever actually came up with this ignorant and insane list of reasons why an Islamic cannot be a good American is deluded, ignorant, self absorbed, mistaken, misinformed and the reason we’ll end up with nothing but a sanitation problem to fix and where will we be then? Actually they are FunnyMentalists, which was nicely coined by someone recently.

“If you find yourself intellectually in agreement with the above statements, perhaps you will share this with your friends. The more who understand this, the better it will be for our country and our future.”

Actually if you find yourself in agreements with the above statements about why a Muslim cannot be a good American, you will have to also conclude that neither can a good Christian fundamentalist be one.

Author: Dennis Diehl
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
Excise Tax

Bloomberg, C.L. Jesus and the Gospels: An Introduction and Survey.

Nashville, Tennessee: Broadman & Holman Publishers, 1997.

Blomberg, professor of New Testament at Denver Seminary in Colorado is also the author of Interpreting the Parables and The Historical Reliability and several articles in renowned journals (for instance “The Seventy-four Scholars: Who Does the Jesus Seminar Really Speak For? In Christian Research Journal. In the text under review, he discusses the historical reliability of the gospels punctuating it with the theology of Jesus. An assessment of the five parts of the book shows that anyone desirous of seriously studying the Gospels and their central figure, Jesus of Nazareth, must become acquainted with the history of the time and work of scholars engaged in New Testament research.

In Part One, Blomberg discusses the historical background for studying the Gospels. He realistically begins with an overview of the intertestamental period (the last quarter of the fifth century B.C., to the first century A.D.) highlighting the contributions of Josephus’ Jewish Antiquities and Jewish War, and other writings such as the Apocrypha and Pseudepigrapha. Blomberg’s forceful argument is that key developments such as the Jews under Persian rule (CA. 424-331 B.C.), Alexander the Great and the Hellenistic Period (331-167 B.C.), Greek rule under Alexander (331-323 B.C.), Egyptian rule under the Ptolemies (323-198 B.C.), Syrian rule under the Seleucids (198-167 B.C.), the Maccabean revolt and the Hasmonean dynasty (167063 B.C.), the Roman period (63 B.C. through the New Testament era), must be studied to correctly interpret the situation of the Jews in the time of Jesus. In the religious realm, the Jews were exposed to beliefs like Hellenistic religion, traditional mythology, philosophies like Stoicism, Epicureanism, Cynicism and Neo-Pythagoreanism, mystery religions, Gnosticism and Emperor worship. The overview of the socio-economic background helps us read the Gospels better.

The second part is a relevant study of several critical or analytical tools used by scholars to aid in their understanding of how the Gospels appeared in their present form. These include lower or textual criticism and higher criticism, which is further divided into two broad disciplines: historical criticism and literary criticism. His discussion of structuralism, post structuralism, narrative, source, form, redaction and canon criticisms is impressive. When critically analyzed, one can conclude after the survey that there is a legitimate place for historical, theological and literary study of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John. One may overlook dimensions of the texts and misinterpret them if they are not studied together.

The Canonical Gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke and John) are introduced in the third chapter. Among issues discussed in each book are structure, theology and other distinctive themes, circumstances or purpose of writing and dating. A careful study of the first three Gospels or Synoptics (Matthew, Mark and Luke) reveals a fundamental difference with John. Jesus’ baptism, Transfiguration, parables, Lord’s Supper, to name a few, are central to the Synoptics that are absent in John. Furthermore, there are also some prominent theological differences. Although the background and significance of the logos have been continuously debated, only John refers to Jesus as ‘the Word’ (Greek, logos). Blomberg’s study of the gospels is impressive. In his discussion of the Sermon on the Mount for instance, he observes that there are about thirty six approaches of interpreting its fundamental message and clearly summarizes eight including the traditional Catholic, Lutheran, Anabaptist, old liberal and postmilliennial, interim ethic, existentialist, classic dispensationalist and kingdom theology. His assessment is that although each carries an element of truth, the last seemed to have captured the right approach much fully.

Blomberg surveys the life of Christ in part four paying close attention to His birth, childhood, early and later ministries, additional teachings of Jesus in Matthew, Luke and John, passion, crucifixion and resurrection. He clearly presents the trend of emphasizing on the sayings of Jesus by the Jesus Seminar, which is creditably critiqued. A credit to Blomberg therefore is his conscious desire to keep history and theology in balance.

He successfully attempts a historical and theological synthesis as he discusses the historical trustworthiness of the gospels and the theology of Jesus in part five. He reasonably discusses textual criticism, authorship and date, intention and genre, criteria of authenticity and specific external evidence. The contributions of archaeology, non-Christian workers, post-New Testament Christian writers and the testimony of the rest of the New Testament cannot be underestimated. A careful study of Blomberg’s ultimate chapter on the theology of the Jesus is necessary in understanding His actions, use and response to various Christological titles, most notably Son of Man, Son of God, Lord and Messiah. Other major strengths include his leading questions that help focus one’s reading. These questions for review help the reader to think through the contemporary relevance of the New Testament writings. The numerous illustrations are user friendly. The theological perspective is evangelical but other positions are frequently noted and suggestions for further reading include literature from different persuasions. Section headings make it easy to follow the structure of the text.

A weakness could be that Blomberg fails to discuss in length the contribution of Paul’s understanding of Christ’s redemptive death, which he cited. The above notwithstanding, Blomberg aptly notes that although key themes in Paul’s theology may superficially seem to be different from Jesus’ own thought, they also suggest stronger lines of continuity.

I strongly recommend this relevant book to theological students, lay-persons who desire to deepen their biblical roots, and pastors and scholars searching for a current summary of the state of a wide swath of scholarship in the Gospels.

AUTHOR SIGNATURE
Oliver L.T. Harding, who obtained his GCE O & A Levels from the Sierra Leone Grammar School and the Albert Academy respectively, is currently Senior & Acting Librarian of Fourah Bay College, University of Sierra Leone. He is a part time lecturer at the Institute of Library, Information & Communication Studies (INSLICS), Fourah Bay College and the Extension Programme at the Evangelical College of Theology (T.E.C.T) at Hall Street, Brookfields; Vice President of the Sierra Leone Association of Archivists, Librarians & Information Scientists (SLAALIS); a member of the American Theological Library Association (ATLA) and an associate of the Chartered Institute of Library & Information Professionals (CILIP). His certificates, secular and sacred, include: a certificate and diploma from the Freetown Bible Training Centre; an upper second class B.A. Hons. Degree in Modern History (F.B.C.); a post-graduate diploma from the Institute of Library Studies (INSLIBS, F.B.C) a masters degree from the Institute of Library, Information & Communication Studies (INSLICS, F.B.C.) and a masters degree in Biblical Studies from West Africa Theological Seminary, affiliate of the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, where he won the prize for academic excellence as the Best Graduating Student in 2005. Oliver, a writer, musician and theologian, is married (to Francess) with two children (Olivia & Francis).
Email: oltharding@yahoo.com
Mobile: 232-2233-460-330

Author: Oliver Harding
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
Import duty tariff

Some styles may come and go, but faith is always in fashion. Crosses, crucifixes, saint medals, and more, these are the jewelry pieces that we will cherish forever. But the hottest new styles in Christian jewelry are the ancient symbols of faith, which predate even the cross.

These symbols, such as the Ichthys, anchor, and dove, are the oldest symbols used in Christian jewelry. Each has a very special and very specific meaning. Because of these special qualities the ancient symbols of faith are making a huge resurgence in Christian jewelry and fashion.

The symbolism of ancient Christian jewelry:

The cross did not become openly used in Christian jewelry until around the 3rd century A.D., when the emperor Constantine made Christianity the official religion of Rome. Since then the cross has become the most significant of Christian symbols, and has been widely used in art and Christian jewelry.

Christian jewelry played a large part in the protection and promotion of early Christianity. Since early Christians were often persecuted for their faith, it was not safe to openly display the cross. Early Christians instead wore other forms of Christian jewelry, such as:

The Ichthys: The Ichthys consists of two intersecting arcs resembling the profile of a fish, and in modern Christian jewelry usually has the name “Jesus” written in the center. The Ichthys is symbolic of Christ as “the fisher of men”. The clean, simple lines of the Ichthys form an elegantly understated piece of Christian jewelry, for the person who revels in the richness of simplicity.

The anchor: The anchor obviously has special significance to mariners, and is in fact commonly known as the mariners cross. But it was originally used not only by the seagoing, but also by Christians from all walks of life. The anchor is used in Christian jewelry as a symbol of Jesus as the anchor of Christian life, as well as hope based in the faith in Christ. The anchor is the perfect piece of Christian jewelry for those who spend a lot of time at sea, as well as those who need steadfastness in their lives.

The dove: The dove is symbolic of the Holy Spirit. The story goes that when Jesus was baptized by John the Baptist the Holy Spirit descended upon Jesus in the form of the dove. The dove is also a universal symbol of peace and purity. The dove is the perfect baptismal gift.

The Lamb of God: The Lamb of God, or Angus Dei, is the oldest depiction of Jesus. Jesus was named the Angus Dei when John the Baptist, upon seeing him, proclaimed, “Behold the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world”. In Christian jewelry he Lamb has become the symbol of innocence and triumph over sin.

These are just a few of the ancient symbols found in Christian jewelry. With so many different symbols with so many different stories it is easy to find the perfect piece to celebrate the individual, while still celebrating faith.

The Cross:

When the Emperor Constantine converted all of Rome to Christianity the cross became far more widely used in Christian jewelry. Soon many different variants of the cross would emerge. These ancient forms of the cross have withstood the test of time, and are still as popular today as they were fifteen hundred years ago. Some examples of ancient cross forms in Christian jewelry are:

The Latin cross: The Latin cross is the most commonly used form of the cross. The Latin cross is a cross with a long vertical bar intersected slightly above center by a shorter horizontal bar. The Latin cross with the body of Christ, better known as a crucifix, is used by the Catholic and Orthodox churches as a representation of Christ’s sacrifice, while the Latin cross left blank is used by the Protestants as a representation of Christ’s resurrection. The Latin cross is perfect for the quiet, devout person, as it showcases the strength of simplicity.

The Greek cross: The Greek cross, a cross with equilateral arms, is the most ancient form of the Christian cross. It is used most often by the Greek Orthodox Church, and represents the union of the divine and the human worlds. The Greek cross is a stunning piece of Christian jewelry, for those of the Eastern Church, as well as those who wish to be slightly different in their jewelry.

The St. Anthony cross: The St. Anthony cross, or Tau cross, is a cross in the shape of the letter T. Some believe that this is the actual shape of the crosses the Romans used for crucifixions. The St. Anthony cross is a perfect piece of Christian jewelry for those who seek discipline in their lives.

The Celtic cross: One of the most popular pieces of Christian jewelry, the Celtic cross is a cross with a circle around the cross bar. The circle is believed to originally have represented the sun, or possibly the moon, both of which were worshiped by the Irish prior to their conversion to Christianity. Nowadays the circle has come to represent to many the endless love of God as shown through Christ’s sacrifice. The Celtic cross is a one of the most visually stunning pieces of Christian jewelry, and you don’t have to be Irish to wear one.

The cross is definitely the most popular form of Christian jewelry, and with so many styles to choose from, it is easy to find one that is perfectly suited to the individual. Here is a good page to see a wide selection of Christian jewelry.

Where is the best place to purchase Christian jewelry:

To get an idea of the different styles and prices that are available in Christian jewelry it is more convenient to view them online before shopping around at local jewelry stores.

Retail jewelers will sometimes carry a small selection of Christian jewelry, but you are more apt to find a greater selection online. Just type “Christian jewelry” into an Internet search engine like Google or Yahoo and you will find several reliable websites that specialize in Christian jewelry.

The cost of Christian jewelry is dependant upon many variables. In solid 14K yellow or white gold, crosses and other ancient symbols should cost about $50 to $300 depending on size.

The true heart of Christianity:

The true heart of Christianity lives within us all. With Christian jewelry we are able to elegantly express the faith of our hearts. The ancient symbols and crosses of Christianity are the perfect way for us all to show our faith in an elegant and personal fashion. Perhaps this is why the ancient symbols of faith are the hottest new styles.

Casey Buell is an expert in the field of religious jewelry, and a contributor to the award winning religious jewelry website located at http://religiousjewelryshop.com.

Author: Casey Buell
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
Import duty tariff

THE RESPONDEES TO THE FIRST 3 INTERNET QUESTIONS COME FROM 3 CHRISTIAN WEBSITES.

1st Internet Question: WHAT DO YOU THINK IS THE PURPOSE OF THE TEN COMMANDMENTS?

THE RESPONDEES ARE REALLY DIVIDED OVER WHETHER THE PURPOSE OF THE TEN COMMANDMENTS IS TO BE A GUIDE ON HOW WE SHOULD LIVE SO THAT WE WILL HAVE SOME LAW AND ORDER WITHIN OUR SOCIETY, OR THAT IT POINTS TO THE FACT THAT WE CAN’T OBEY THIS PERFECT LAW SO THAT WE WOULD NEED SOME OUTSIDE HELP AND FOR CHRISTIANS THIS OUTSIDE HELP COMES IN THE PERSON OF JESUS CHRIST. WHAT DO YOU THINK?

1) Corbin adds: Duet 11-14 might tend to contradict the latter answer when it states that the law is easy to follow, but I feel one has to realize that our understanding of God’s morality has increased over time, and the understanding that the Israelis had of the commandments during the time of Duet. differs from our understanding today. Duet at the time looked at the outward meaning of the commandments, whereas today our understanding is much more internal.

WHAT IS A CHRISTIAN

To answer the question, one has to begin with what one can actually see, and that is man himself. Now, within man (in the generic sense which includes women) one can see a selfish core that seems to be inherited. Christians call this original sin (Gen. 3, Rom.5:12, Rom 6:23, IJohn I:8, Rom 3:23, and IJohn 5:17). And man has to be cognizant of this fact and the fact that he needs help in following God’s perfect law – The Ten Commandments – (IJohn I:9-10, Ex. 20:I-17, and Duet. 5:6-21). A more spiritual way in looking at this is that assuming God to be perfect (Math 5:48 and Psalm I8:30), “How can a perfect being ever mix with an imperfect being to help the latter become obedient to the Perfect being’s law?”.

The only way that this relationship could be brought back together again, that is where perfection could be united with imperfection, is that the better state has to take the lead, since it is the stronger suit that is needed in initiating such a unification (ICor. 13:10, and John 4:19)

Christians believe that God did this in the person of Jesus Christ (John 3:16). They believe that Jesus came down to earth, mingled with humanity for awhile, sacrificed Himself for it on the cross, and returned to His original state (Perfection as part of the Trinity or God in relationship) through the resurrection (Romans 5:15) In other words, Jesus Christ, who is also God (John I:1-2, I4 and I7 and John 12:44-45) divested Himself of everything on the cross, which included all His power, all His possessions including all His clothes, and His life because of our separation from God or Perfection, and then was raised up (Math 28, Mark 16, Luke 24, John 20&21, ICor. 15). To put it another way, He became pure imperfection for us on the cross before becoming Perfection once again (Romans 4:25).

Another way in looking at this is that those who are dependent upon and confess or admit this separation with this outside source, and believe in these activities of Jesus Christ (Christians) are now wrapped up in a state of Perfection, just like a Christmas package, to seal in our own imperfection (Romans 10:9 and 5:9-10). Not that we become perfect, but when God looks at His believers, all that He can see is the impenetrable outside wrapping, Jesus Christ, which in effect, is really like God looking into a mirror at Himself.

And we, as believers, though remaining imperfect ourselves, but perfect inside Christ, grow, love more, and respond in more beneficent ways as our whole being is more and more immersed by this wrapping expanding and seeping into our hearts.

In other words, our actions are determined by how much of His presence we have of Him within ourselves, and from this, love expands and there is a greater presence of the Kingdom of God here on earth.

And the best way of bringing this presence of Him about here on earth is by praising Him individually, or better yet, in a group which is called the Church.

2nd Internet Question: WHAT IS A CHRISTIAN? AND THE RESPONSES TO CORBIN’S DEFINITION OF A CHRISTIAN WRITTEN ABOVE.

1) Hugh says: I think a Christian is more like a tootsie roll pop. The red coating completely covers the gooey black stuff.

2) Jim says: A Christian is someone who puts their own wishes aside and follows Christ despite the world view. He who picks up the cross and walks alongside Jesus gains much more than world knowledge.

3) Robert says: A Christian is someone who imitates Christ. And a Perfect Being really has no choice but to accept an imperfect being.

4) Noel says: Love and forgiveness must be unconditional whether you’re perfect or imperfect. Personally, I believe a perfect Being can accept an imperfect being and much more. Would not a perfect Being be able to love perfectly and unconditionally? After all, that’s what love is all about, accepting imperfections.

3rd Internet Question: ARE THERE UNCONSCIOUS CHRISTIANS?

1) Thomas says: In my opinion, no. A person may be as close to a saint as you can be on earth, but if they don’t believe in Jesus as a savior, then I don’t think they can be considered a Christian. There are many religions in the world that have moral standards of right and wrong, and helping others in need, just as Christianity does, but this doesn’t make them Christian.

2) John says: Some non-Christians act more Christ-like than many Christians.

3) Michael says: Within Christianity there is an inclusive tradition which has been clearly expressed by the Jesuit Karl Rahner who used the phrase “anonymous Christians”. Without compromising what we believe to be true or being apologetic about our faith, it is an act of humility, a recognition of our own limitations and God’s greatness, to look beyond the confines of our own family. Although we believe in the unique self-revelation of God in Christ, our understanding of place and time cannot circumscribe God’s universal salvation. For this reason, non-Christian religious traditions must be valid, capable of mediating the saving grace of God, people of faith are within the embrace of God’s grace. and receiving this grace, which we know in Christ, they become “anonymous Christians”.

4) Alice says. One cannot be an unconscious Christian seeing as how a person either believes or doesn’t. But if you mean can a person be Christ-like without being a Christian, then the answer is yes, of course. We are born with a consciousness of right and wrong which may be our soul or a bit of God in us. So, regardless of the religious belief or lack thereof, a person may still be good, loving, and giving. That in essence is Christian though the belief in Jesus as Savior may not be present.

5) Sarah says: Christianity isn’t the only Path to require decent, moral, loving behavior from its followers.

6) Jim says: Let me say first that I think that the the world religions share the same eternal truths. Each of the Founders of the world religions were channels for the same light…same light, different lamps. When we recognize the God-like qualities in a person, we see that light reflected in his spirit which is manifested and released throuhout his or her life.

7) Sam says: There is a book called “One River, Many Wells” written by Mathew Fox. In brief it states that there is god and many wells (belief systems, religions, etc.) that all go to the same source. There is one underground river, but there are many wells connected to that river: e.i. a Jewish well, a Hindu well, an Islem well, a Buddhist well, etc. In other words, there are many wells but one river. To go down a well is to practice tradition, but we would make a grave mistake if we confused the well itself with the flowing waters of the underground river. If you look at your hands, your thumbs, and fingers, they are all individual and independent, but when you look at the whole hand they all come from the same source. Fox quotes from a lot of sources, but the basis of most religions is the same, love, acceptance, finding meaning, and the joy of creation. What I am trying to say is that when maybe people act in a Christ-like way, they are in contact with God, doing the actions according to the universal understanding of what is right and just.

4th Internet Question: WHAT IS THE JEWISH BELIEF AS COMPARED WITH THE CHRISTIAN BELIEF?

From a Jewish website I’ve determined that the Jewish belief is as follows: A Messiah will come at the end of time and will never die, this will be when all the Jews will receive redemption and be united, everybody will recognize this person as the true Messiah, all the dead will be raised up, the 3rd Temple will be built, sacrifices will return, all will be saved, no more sickness and death, and we will all live on this earth in peace forever. Jesus was just an ordinary Jew and not the Messiah becaus he died and his followers killed Jews. Being imperfect had nothing to do with Salvation. God could accept us as we are as long as we ask Him for His forgiveness for our transgressions, and to do this, we don’t need an intercessor.

5th Internet Question: WHAT IS THE MUSLIM BELIEF AS COMPARED WITH THE CHRISTIAN BELIEF?

From a Muslim website I’ve determined that the Muslim belief is as follows: The Black Muslims are not true Muslims because according to the Muslims, Mohammad is supposed to be the last and
greatest prophet that ever lived, but in the Black Muslim religion they recognize a later prophet. The Muslims believe that Jesus was only one of the many prophets that existed before Mohammad. Muslim’s emphasize the oneness of God as the foundation of their religion, and surround this with a number of regulations, such as worshipping Him at appointed times (5 times) a day, giving generously to charity once a year, fasting for 30 days during the month appointed by Him and sometimes many rigid restrictions for women. Muslims also believe that a person’s sin is only between God and that person and that person has to confess that sin before God and ask for forgiveness and promise not to do it again. Muslims do not believe in inherited sin. They only believe in individual sins. There is no Intercessor here. Muslims believe all Muslims will be saved, but some would have to be purified more thouroughly in a purgatory after they die, especially the suicide bombers. Suicide is against the Muslim religion, but if the suicide is for the purpose of defending one’s homeland, this would be different. All
non-Muslims would never be saved, if they heard the Muslim message and rejected it. This is especially true for the Christians,since the Muslims believe Christians worship more than one God.

6th Internet Question: WHAT IS THE HINDU BELIEF AS COMPARED WITH THE CHRISTIAN BELIEF?

From a Hindu website I’ve determined that the Hindu belief is as follows: A Hindu believes that we all have an immortal soul, and that originally we were all perfect, just as God is, and that in some way we lost our purity and became, in effect sinners. Now we should all strive to get this back through meditation and yoga, but this is going to take a long time. In fact, most likely, it will take many lifetimes. This is where reincarnation comes in. We have to improve ourselves a little each lifetime. In other words, when we die our immortal soul enters another body to improve a little bit more, until we reach a point where we can become like God again. Of course, we can always backslide, but eventually we all will find salvation in our own perfection. Now this belief would hold true for Hindus and non-Hindus alike because this belief does not depend on what another person believes.

7th Internet Question: WHAT IS THE BUDDHIST BELIEF AS COMPARED TO THE CHRISTIAN BELIEF?

From a Buddhist website I’ve determined that the Buddhist belief is as follows: The Buddhists feel that their belief is not a religion, but a philosophy, or a way of life. Buddhists believe that God is really an unknowable so why concern yourself about Him. A Buddhist believes that the only time that is important is the present, the here and now, and the future is something that one shouldn’t worry about. Just concern yourself with the present and try to improve yourself at that point of time through meditation and yoga. Take one step at a time and death is only one of those steps. So only concentrate on the step you’re taking at the time. The goal of all this is to eventually reach perfection all on your own. It’s really a focus on your way of life in the present with no concern for your life in the future.

8th Internet Question: WHY DO SOME PEOPLE REJECT A BELIEF IN GOD OR CHRISTIANITY ACCORDING TO SOME RESPONSES FROM SEVERAL CHRISTIAN WEBSITES?

From Sarah
1) What is the use of a God who never appears, or does anything supernatural where people can all see and benefit.
2) What use is a God who watches the sparrows fall and never catches them.
3) Why believe in a supernatural being when sooner or later science will explain everything.
4) How can there be a God when people are suffering, and dying, and evil people are able to do horrible things – shouldn’t a God do something to stop it.
5) People can live good, decent, honest lives without being attached to a religion.
6) You meet an awful lot of so-called “Christians” who are cruel, intolerant, and fear-ridden. Who would want to join them?
7) The three in one idea makes no sense.
Wine into blood and bread into flesh sounds like cannibalism.
9) There are so many religions in the world – how can you be sure Christianity is the one.
10) There are so many versions of Christianity – surely if it was real they’d all agree.

From others
1) “Believe in what I believe or you’re going to hell” theory.
2) Blind faith is a turnoff.
3) I have never seen any of the extraordinary events that occurred in the Bible.
4) Biblical contradictions. (seemingly)
5) They never met a Christian or they have met one.

9th Internet Question: WHAT ABOUT DEVELOPING A WORLD RELIGION? SOME RESPONSES FROM 2 CHRISTIAN WEBSITES

1) Albert says: My personal view is that it would cause even more problems. Can you imagine the difficulties of trying to persuade the different faiths that a World Faith would be an advantage to all concerned. Can’t see it happening myself.

2) Corbin says: This would be very difficult to do, especially when two of the religions (Christianity snd Islam) preach exclusivity. But the Bahai Religion is trying to do just that.

3) John Says: Yes, when all mankind has knowledge of who Jesus is, and the followers of Jesus live up to the calling of Jesus, there will be a one World Religion.

10th Internet Question: HOW WOULD LIFE ON OTHER PLANETS AFFECT YOUR FAITH?

In summation, from 2 Christian websites, it seems that all feel it wouldn’t affect one’s faith if it tended to be liberal, whereas if it tended to be more conservative it could. For example, if life were discovered on other planets, would this mean 1) that we should send spaceships on interplanetary missions to convert the aliens, 2) even if we did this, would they have souls, or even be aware of a Supernatural Being, 3) if they would be, would they be fallen creatures like us, or might they have been able to pass their own version of the Adam and Eve test and remained perfect, 4) if not, how would God deal with their Salvation, 5) would they have their own “Jesus/Savior” in the form of their own species, 6) or maybe Jesus covers them too in that maybe an earth-based spirituality would cover them as well and 7) is their spiritual mentality higher or lower than ours, and how would this affect on how we or God would deal with them.

AN AUTOBIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH

I was born in New York City in 1931, grew up on Long Island, graduated from Roanoke College in Virginia with a BA in Political Science, and from New York Theological Seminary with a Masters Degree in Religious Education. I became a committed Christian in 1958, and after a number of years became a committed Ecumenical Christian. I worked as an accountant in various companies for about 25 years in New York City, then moved down to Argentina and worked for about 21 years as a Business English Conversationalist Teacher with some of the top managers. My greatest life-changing experience occurred in the early 70′s when I became very active for about 3 years in a social nudist (both sexes) camp. I also became a Stephen Minister (trained counselor) while down here in Argentina. I have been married twice (the last to an Argentine), widowed once, have no children, but one cat. If you want to contact me, you can do so via (corbinwr@yahoo.com).

Author: Corbin Wright
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
Import duty tariff