In This Day and Age...How?

Mostly by actions - not by mouth.

I grew up Christian and found most to be a hypocritical mouthy bunch.

I can count those I felt truly "walked in His footsteps - on one hand".

There was one woman who just radiated with love and joy. She would hold your hand and say "Bless you". She never mentioned God or Jesus - - she just said "Bless you". You never felt judged or wrong for not believing as she did. You just felt "Blessed".

Jesus should not be taught - - Jesus should be felt.

Originally posted by Communicationwillfreeus
reply to post by DelayedChristmas

 

The hard part of talking to anyone is sometimes you come across some people who can not accept anything beyond physical perceptions. They will feel like they are superior by ridiculing you and calling you a Jesus freak or offer you Jesus cookies. Those types are convinced of there own greatness and no one is going to change their outlook. These types will usually get jobs that have them work with lesser people to help them convince themselves of their own mental superiority. If the person is so spiritually void that they would openly mock someone over sharing a spiritual belief, then you can only share the word and leave them to their "cool" friends and cookie distribution.

Peace to all.

This might seem weird, and maybe it is, but when I listen to someone telling me that I will not be as happy, fulfilled and worthy as they are until I believe what they believe, and do what they do, I perceive that person to be "convinced of their own greatness". It's a bloated sense of self-worth, if you actually are interested in how it's perceived.

I'm not sure why you're perceiving non-believers to be convinced they're "mentally superior". I've never heard a non-believer self-identify this way. I've only heard this phrase used by believers, which speaks volumes to how they see themselves. Do you think you're mentally inferior to a non-believer? If so, you shouldn't feel like that. We all have valid contributions to make in this life - even those of us who require proof before falling to our knees.

As I clearly stated, leading by example should pique the curiosity and propel the conversations you wish to have. And remember that, just as you know when someone is staring down their nose at you, others too know when you're staring down your nose at them. Once you emulate the non-judgemental vector of kindness that Jesus Christ was, intead of the power still wielded by his wake today, this part will become much more natural. It won't be about pretending to genuinely care - you'll actually feel genuine concern for who and how someone is, and only consider changing them once they ask for your guidance.

reply to post by DelayedChristmas


"Let your light so shine that others may see your good works and glorify your father which is in heaven" ~ Jesus Christ

That's how we do it. Not by condemning people to hell, but by our own lives. We witness for Christ by the way WE live. Not by the way we tell others to live.

That's what I believe and that's what I try to do.

Originally posted by sHuRuLuNi

Originally posted by DelayedChristmas
reply to post by sHuRuLuNi

 

well luke 23:46 says
and when Jesus had cried with a loud voice, he said, Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit: and having said thus, he gave up the ghost."
Matthew 27: 50 says
Jesus, when he had cried again with a loud voice, yielded up the ghost."
Mark 15: 37 says
And Jesus cried with a loud voice, and gave up the ghost.

you gotta read the scriptures as a whole, and i know you were refering to Eloi, eloi, lama sabachthani." meaning my God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? refered to in Mark 15:34, Matthew 27:46, luke doesn't refer to it)

well Jesus said that in his moment of weakness while being crucified on the cross and bearing the pain of the world's sin, past, present, and future.

edit on 28-12-2011 by DelayedChristmas because: (no reason given)

No, I was not referring to the "Eli, Eli" episode, because for once I can never believe a Prophet of God (Jesus) would say that. NEVER.

I was literally referring to Jesus' last words.

Were these his last words:

When he had received the drink, Jesus said, "It is finished." With that, he bowed his head and gave up his spirit. - John, 19:30

or maybe these:

Jesus called out with a loud voice, "Father, into your hands I commit my spirit." When he had said this, he breathed his last. - Luke, 23:46

or, he said nothing, as in Mark and Matthew (apart from the Eli Eli episode which is totally absent in Luke and John)?

I mean, come on, this is a MOMENTOUS EVENT in the life of Jesus, witnessed by hundreds if not thousands of people - the CULMINATION of HIS WORK - as "prophesied" - and the four authors of the Gospels do not even know what were Jesus' last word??

They can't even agree on this one last important moment?

Really, how can you expect anyone to take anything from your books seriously?

You seem to set aside the reality of these being historical facts. Sure, you can debate the divinity of Jesus, you can debate the last words, but there is a general agreement that there is a historical truth at the root of the whole thing. That said, no matter how important something is a couple thousand years and multiple language translations are bound to cause a little bit of confusion. Then there is point of view. Everybody is biased and it shows in their reporting.

Take for example the Arab Spring. There is a historical reality there. There are events that are purely factual as to what happened, when it happened, *exactly* how it happened, and what was said by various people at every step. That isn't the big picture of the Arab Spring though. And neither is the exact reconcilliation of every point of view, translation, and tradition of the moments of Christ's life.

I understand fully that you are saying that intellectually you reject Christ, because you are intellectual. While that is an increasingly common argument in today's world as it has been put forth so far I don't find it to hold water. If you apply intellectualism as a reason to not believe in Christ, then in the pursuit of argument posited on such a premise, you are rather bound to due dillengence application of said intellect in terms of recognizing such common and schematically minor details like varied translations when all point to the same main idea.

Not really trying to be difficult, just a little tired of the "I'm too smart to believe in God" way of thinking. Smarter folk than either you or I have believed. And smarter folk than either you or I have not. There is no predetermined relationship between faith and IQ.

Originally posted by skepticconwatcher
reply to post by DelayedChristmas

 

"Let your light so shine that others may see your good works and glorify your father which is in heaven" ~ Jesus Christ

That's how we do it. Not by condemning people to hell, but by our own lives. We witness for Christ by the way WE live. Not by the way we tell others to live.

That's what I believe and that's what I try to do.

And so do I.

As an Atheist - - living as an example of mankind.

Originally posted by Annee
Mostly by actions - not by mouth.

I grew up Christian and found most to be a hypocritical mouthy bunch.

I can count those I felt truly "walked in His footsteps - on one hand".

There was one woman who just radiated with love and joy. She would hold your hand and say "Bless you". She never mentioned God or Jesus - - she just said "Bless you". You never felt judged or wrong for not believing as she did. You just felt "Blessed".

Jesus should not be taught - - Jesus should be felt.

I am sorry my friend, but the ways of Jesus must be taught.

His road is not an easy one to travel.

While you have been exposed to his teachings, look how easy you come forward to judge, just because others are judgmental. Look how easy you say you felt love from those who showed love, but cannot "feel" to love those who do not. What reward have you gained? You eliminated that many more from your family.

Could you love those who hate you by your own feelings?

If not, then yes, Jesus's teachings must be taught.

Again...

With Love,

Your Brother

Originally posted by IAMIAM

Originally posted by Annee
Mostly by actions - not by mouth.

I grew up Christian and found most to be a hypocritical mouthy bunch.

I can count those I felt truly "walked in His footsteps - on one hand".

There was one woman who just radiated with love and joy. She would hold your hand and say "Bless you". She never mentioned God or Jesus - - she just said "Bless you". You never felt judged or wrong for not believing as she did. You just felt "Blessed".

Jesus should not be taught - - Jesus should be felt.

I am sorry my friend, but the ways of Jesus must be taught.

Common sense doesn't need a name attached to it.

I do not need any outside force to know how to be a good person.

Behavior is learned by behavior - - not words.

Originally posted by Annee
I do not need any outside force to know how to be a good person.

Behavior is learned by behavior - - not words.

How do you know you are a good person? You are of course, but how do you know?

Behavior is just behavior. Good behavior is learned by words.

"That hurts me please don't do it."

"That feels good."

"I love that"

"I hate that"

Unless of course you live in your own island.

Then no words matter to you.

With Love,

Your Brother

Originally posted by IAMIAM

Originally posted by Annee
I do not need any outside force to know how to be a good person.

Behavior is learned by behavior - - not words.

Behavior is just behavior. Good behavior is learned by words.

Behavior and kindness do not require words.

Originally posted by Annee

Originally posted by IAMIAM

Originally posted by Annee
I do not need any outside force to know how to be a good person.

Behavior is learned by behavior - - not words.

Behavior is just behavior. Good behavior is learned by words.

Behavior and kindness do not require words.

Then why are you still talking?

With Love,

Your Brother

Originally posted by skepticconwatcher
reply to post by DelayedChristmas

 

"Let your light so shine that others may see your good works and glorify your father which is in heaven" ~ Jesus Christ

That's how we do it. Not by condemning people to hell, but by our own lives.......]

Not all of you. Some of you stare into that light so long that you become blind.

"God saieth this, and then sayith that.....and some other stuff and......uh....hell fire and brimstone"

DUDE, I'm just riding the buss to work, would you PLEASE lay off!

Lead by example. Real Christians do not go around hating on every non-Christian; we're not supposed to pass judgment on others. All we can do is be the best person we can be and treat everyone well. Eventually, they'll see the goodness in us and be led to God. WE don't convert, we lead others to God because it is GOD who converts. One of my favorite quotes goes along the lines of, "We will take care of what we can, and God will take care of the rest."