It is not over yet!

 

Since all of this was referring to Joseph, I failed to mention that Mary was a descendant of David. My mistake.

 

I thought that was true, and was looking it up, but had to leave the computer for a few minutes

 

I stepped out to eat and remembered it.

Obviously that gives Christ the right to the throne.

 

I was waiting to see if someone mentioned that.(Mary) You either believe or you don't. No sense arguing, you won't find Jesus arguing. Besides in the end "Every knee will bow and tongue confess that Jesus is Lord". It is personal, but by not choosing, you still did. It is a yes or no, no in between. So be kind to those who don't yet believe. When they have a question, they will remember to ask. Merry Chistmas everyone!

 

At least that would be more honest, since Jesus' sacrifice saved us from the sin that resulted when Satan's lie tricked Eve into an act of disobedience.

 

I have to agree, I see it all the time, people who are discouraged by the arrogant, haughty methods some Christians use.

Many years ago I went to Apologetic web sites thinking I could learn some thing, but all I found was abusive speech that only lead to developing my own feelings of anger, so eventually I left, and I don't plan on returning.

Case in point, we all know there was no attempt to call 'Christ a liar,' here.

 

Originally posted by J: "If was truly born of God, then his claim to be the Davidic messiah was a lie.

So which was he lying about?"



Greencrew: In my years I have seen many times atheists/agnostics go to apologetic/Christian sites and attempt to stir up people. Obviously we only have your side of your story, so I'll say this: People that attempt to inflame usually get what they want, inflammation. If that makes you not want to return to an apologetic site, then you achieved the end result you were looking for. As they say, the truth is out there.

 

I understand what these guys are saying about religion in general. It kept me away for many years, and there is a point where your become tired of people asking you to come to Church, or what church do you go to. They would always be shocked when I gave them my answer. Like I was a demon myself.
I knew I was a good person, and I felt no need to go to Church. After all, the people I saw there didn't seem to be there for the right reasons. At least it appeared that way to me.

Many of them put on their fine cloths and jewelery, and went and sat on the Church pew and looked down their nose at people that were less fortunate than them. It took me many years to understand, that these were not the people that Church was all about. It was my mid 30s, when I married my second wife, that I started to see what true Christians were. My Father In law has a Doctorate in Theology, and he looks like one of the people that I referred to. But guess what? He has problems in his family too. But what I learned from him, is that it is not the problems you have, it is how you handle them that makes you what you are.

It took several years, and he never forced religion on me. But through my wife's actions, and the way Her family is , I learned what Christianity is truly about. I do also agree that some Christians come off, the way people here on this site see them, because that is the way I saw it for the most of my life.

One of the most difficult things is to show people how Faith can change you from the inside out. People become numb and immune to the way God's word is presented. I understand completely. I may also spend the rest of my life trying to figure out how to let people see the difference, without alienating them. Who knows I may figure it out someday. But I don't condemn anyone for their thoughts or actions. Because I was the same at one time.

I still don't go to Church very frequently, but I now also know, that you can carry God with you, because he is part of you. Not something that you worship. But something that is contained with in you. I also realize that the people that go to Church every chance they get, go there because that is the way they feel about God, not to condemn the rest, in most instances.

There are also the ones that go because that was the way they were raised by their parents. But either way, if one stands in judgment of me, it is not me that is in the wrong.

 

Even before I got involved in Christianity I lived by a rule that I learned from my brother: "Just because someone else is an a** h**e does not mean I have to be one." If you think it is tough getting inflamed when people attempt to inflame you, try not getting inflamed. That is what takes toughness. That is the toughness Jesus showed and taught to his disciples. Maybe we don't know when Jesus was born, but he did take time to tell us why he was born in John 18:37. What is more important, that we preach, or that we remember why we preach, that we remember his birth, or that we remember why he was born?

 

Well said Tumba. A true Christian does not look down on others nor go to Church just to show off. A true Christian also does not judge others and call them out as blasphemers.

 

I'll let the Lord judge who "a true Christian" is and isn't. And someone who calls Christ a liar is a blasphemer, as laid out in the New Testament.

Contending for the faith includes saying and doing things that people that aren't familiar with the Bible think are 'offensive' or 'mean'. I'm sure there are many people on here who are better Christians than I am. We can all learn from each other. I will defend my Lord and Savior with all of my might. If that is offensive to some, so be it. It shouldn't be.

 

being descended on his Mother's side does not make him a King by birthright

sorry, but that is a stretch and sounds like Vatican revisionist history

 

what's the confusion?

Mary was impregnated from God or the blood of David. Not both.

So which is it? Is he the blood heir of David or the son of God?

Can't be both

 

Exactly.

I have a belief system. Part of that is not to take any religious text literally. They are there to provide guidance.

IMO, when people start taking all of it literally they start to miss the true lessons.

I find it interesting that the books selected for inclusion in the Bible (courtesy of the council of Nicea) take the road of telling a story and trying to be literal whereas those rejected for inclusion (including many of the Gnostic gospels, Dead Sea Scrolls, Nag Hammadi texts blah blah blah) take the road of spiritual teaching.

Could it be the early church fathers didn't actually want us to find true spiritual teaching all on our own?