The nature of Christianity

barabbas`  13:43:58
christian is defined by the Nicean/Apostolic creed. If you hold the creed as core to your beliefs, you are a Christian.
Fen  13:45:20
Easier definition.  Jesus said to His first disciples, "Follow Me."  He offers us the same invitation today.  Those who responded to His call and follow Him with a sincere, enduring faith are Christians.  Those who don't, well, not so much.
!niv John 3:16-18
BibleBot  13:45:25
John3:16 "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.
John3:17 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.
John3:18 Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because he has not believed in the name of God's one and only Son. (NIV)
Fen  13:47:15
maxxiii, read my statement in its entirety.  " ... with a sincere, enduring faith ... "
Fen  13:49:08
maxxiii, if you choose to add a bunch of legalistic rules to the simplicity of follow Christ, so be it.  I choose not to place such a burden on myself or others.
+ innit  13:49:44
barabbas`: That is the primary definition, I'd probably agree, but not the only one.
I am a Christian, but I do not accept the Nicene Creed, for example.
Neither do Mormons or Jehovah Witnesses.
Fen  13:50:53
maxxiii, again, read my statement in its entirety.  I didn't say "follow Christ only."  I said, " ... with a sincere, enduring faith ... "
barabbas`  13:51:24
innit The Nicene/Apostolic creed is CORE to Christianity. If you don't accept all the tenets of the creed, than you are a Christian in name only. Kinda like sitting in your garage claiming to be a car.
Mormons and JW's aren't Christian
+ innit  13:51:49
That's a reasonable description of how Christianity is, but that is not how I think Christianity should be.
I am an atheist, but a Christian.
(I'm also other things, too.)
barabbas`  13:52:13
Doesn't matter what anyone thinks it should be. It is what God guided the early church to make it.
+ innit  13:52:23
I would disagree with that.
It was just the decisions of some people.
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 ⓘ Profound gives voice to Erfquake
tzip  13:52:55
Oh They Are Too, barabbas`. >:/
lol!  maxxiii, care to clarify that?
+ innit  13:53:15
I don't think the theology in Christianity is important.
I think much/most of the theology in Christianity is false.
+ Erfquake  13:53:28
innit, thought crimes matter
tzip  13:53:43
Oh, it was innit.   SO, innit, would you like to reconcile Christian with atheist?
+ innit  13:54:03
I think the essence of Jesus' teachings were about attaining various mental states, like Buddhism.
+ Erfquake  13:54:10
You believe that Jesus existed but not any gods
+ innit  13:54:20
tzip, all religions are part of the atheistic experience.
Emotion and our psychology predate religions by tens of thousands of years and more.
The religions are newcomers on the block that each espouse some particular exploration of our minds, based off their lineage.
+ Erfquake  13:55:20
FSM?
tzip  13:55:25
ummm.. ok.
+ innit  13:55:30
Each religion has interesting and valuable insight into those mental processes, which is not to say they're all equal.
tzip: I am giving the current scientific model of religion.
The earth is old, mammals are old, humans are old (compared to religion).
+ Erfquake  13:56:03
Any evidence of this current scientific model?
+ innit  13:56:14
The religions are very new explorations of the above.
Which part?
+ Erfquake  13:56:27
<innit> tzip: I am giving the current scientific model of religion.
No evidence of this
+ innit  13:56:32
Yes.
Do you dispute the old is earth?
Do you dispute mammals are old?
+ Erfquake  13:56:49
without support for your statements, you're just pontificating.
+ innit  13:57:01
Do you dispute humans have been around for 200k years?
You tell me which part you dispute.
+ Erfquake  13:57:09
there isn't a "scientific model" of religion.
+ innit  13:57:37
You will tell me which part you dispute, yes?
Current research indicates emotions have been around for tens of millions of years or more.
The current religions are about 4000 years old or less.
The scientific universe is an atheistic universe.
Therefore, all the theology of religion is not true.
All of the religious experience is just humans interacting with each other.
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+ innit  13:58:53
Tell me which part you dispute.
 ⓘ Profound gives voice to doomed
Fen  13:59:02
The universe is only 6,000 years old.  The geneology in Genesis proves this.
* Fen falls over laughing.
+ Erfquake  13:59:10
exactly
tzip  13:59:20
yer such a twerp, Fen.
+ doomed  13:59:34
Hi.
tzip  14:00:01
Hi doomed  :)
+ innit  14:00:02
Let's see if I have this straight:
+ Erfquake  14:00:12
"Current Scentific model of religion"
lulz
*  14:00:26
Ignoring Erfquake
+ innit  14:00:31
I ended my conversation with you, Erfquake.
Your mental state is not congruent with meaningful discussion.