I haven't posted in over a year, thought about it but didn't really want to, but THIS topic has incited my fingers to type.
Over the past year I have been changing, evolving, and maturing and becoming less and less afraid to air my opinions and views (with a bit of Vulcanic/Borgic logic, might I add for all my fellow trekkie friends). So read up and followup when you're done.
Purexample
Ok, let me just put it out there:
I love Jesus (the) Christ. I enjoy GOING to the building where my pastor teaches and ministers. I absolutely ADORE reading the Bible (the complete Bible, not just the KJV). What I do NOT like, however, is the church, or rather, the "body of Christ," as it now stands. Erego, I do not want to be called a "Christian" rather "A follower of Christ," and YES there is a difference (especially with the negative connotation on the word "Christian").
Organized religion, aka "Tradition", as my friend F.N. says, is ridiculous. As the Bible states in Mark 7:13 "And so you cancel the word of God in order to hand down your own tradition. And this is only one example among many others."" (NIV) We, for far too long, have completely canceled out the Acts of Christ and God's word by our traditionalist mindsets and actions. It has become so that we cannot seem to function without our Sunday service. What, WHAT would happen if we *gasp!* only held services in the middle of the week or met solely as the early church did in smaller groups and not in mega churches (not that these are necessarily a bad thing). Or better yet what would happen if we, say, visited a local temple and placed ourselves in another person's shoes for just a day, A DAY!, and actually learned about them. How much more would we grow and learn to love others the way Christ did. He met people where they were, or in the middle, but today we want people to meet us where we are, and bow to our God without us actually even understanding the heart of the God who created us all.
In the book They like Jesus but not the Church by Dan Kimball explains it best as he talks about peoples views of religion, primarily Christianity.
I feel that organized religion has been more of a curse than a blessing for many who are a part of one. As a group we have bastardized it and made it into something that has condemned and oppressed millions of people who would be quite happy and committed to God and the Christ of the Bible without having certain stupidities placed on their collective shoulders...
It is very difficult for me to subscribe to a set of beliefs that put others cultures, beliefs, and values down for the sake of lifting my own up. That was not Jesus' way and it certainly will not be mine.
I believe the word of God, the entire word of God, not just 66 books.
I DO NOT believe that we know the truth, not even a small percentage of it.
Here are a few beliefs that have been presented to me and/or by me, I make no apologies for them:
Satan (Lucifer), just like Jesus, is a creation of God and since Angel's have no free will then his actions in heaven were preordained by God (our creator)
Fallen Angel's came to Earth and taught early man the majority of the skills we now have (ie-fire, building, farming,....iPhone? :))
There are many religions that predate Judaism (and of course Christianity) that are closer to the truth than what we (think) know.
If fallen angel's (androgynous beings) mated with human women (and quite probably men, just not procreated with them?) what were the nephalim? Male, Female,...Both? So is it quite possible that many (i don't believe all simply because of other gay men and women accounts about their experiences) homosexuality and transgendered people are born that way (contrary to the Church's teaching).
"Different" religions (Islam, Judaism, even Ancient Greek, Norse, and Roman Polytheism) are probably different takes on the same exact thing.
So, please, if you want others to respect you, respect them first.
THESE are some of my beliefs, please please please please respond and let me know where your mind is at.
Resources:
http://www.thelostbooks.com/
http://www.gotquestions.org/
http://www.nwcreation.net/nephilim.html
Next topic: Discipleship and Relationship: "And we want to be missionaries?!"
