What is it to be Christian ?

[Bullitt]

The sword he speaks of is that of a divide. The division of people that follow him, and those that do not. In the end there are only two sides, two camps, just as when a sword cuts it is a clean dividing cut with a clear picture of both halves.

[Urbane Guerrilla]

Originally Posted by Buddug

Give me ONE example of Jesus fighting and drawing blood .

Chucking the traders from the temple doesn't count .

It does too, bloody or not, and I shall not accept arbitrary bullshit from you or anyone. The scene is hardly imaginable without at least one skinned knee. NOT the action of a pacifist. Understandable as the action of one driven by a necessity.

Bullitt, I'd say it's a mistake to insist that this is solely metaphor. I think that does violence to history -- a vandalizing of the Big Picture, as it were (metaphorically illustrating history, yes).

[Bullitt]

Originally Posted by Urbane Guerrilla

It does too, bloody or not, and I shall not accept arbitrary bullshit from you or anyone. The scene is hardly imaginable without at least one skinned knee. NOT the action of a pacifist. Understandable as the action of one driven by a necessity.

Bullitt, I'd say it's a mistake to insist that this is solely metaphor. I think that does violence to history -- a vandalizing of the Big Picture, as it were (metaphorically illustrating history, yes).

I didn't mean to paint it as soley a metaphor, but I think that part was the majority of his message there. That the people of this world will be greatly divided because of this one man's life and actions. We are each responsible to make our own choice of which side of the divide we are to be on.

Originally Posted by Happy Monkey

Interesting that the only time he went past words was to separate religion and commerce...

Part of the reason that I hate "Christian" music.. rap and rock and whatever. In the end it is people making more than a living off their supposed worship of God. It is disgusting to me.

[Aliantha]

Judas followed him, but did not, all at the same time. Where is the clear divide there?

[Happy Monkey]

Interesting that the only time he went past words was to separate religion and commerce...

Urbane Guerilla , you know how to make me smile . I bet there was more than one skinned knee when Jesus told his overly-serious disciples to let the children come to him .

Hey, if you are anti-abortion and anti-death penalty you are truly pro-life, no sweat.
The reference in Romans was specifically referring to the OT and it is still an abomination and not a sin. Yes, an abomination is separate from sin... I learned that in seminary prep in college, it is pretty basic stuff. I am not a hack. Do you think eating shrimp is a sin? Being in the same house with your wife during her time of the month? Boy, we sure have a lot of stoning to do!
I was not lecturing you or anyone else... I don't know you... who the hell are you? I was addressing common conceptions and nothing else.
If you are so tired of it, leave it alone.

[mrnoodle]

smoothmoniker will pwn you on this. He is better than me at explaining the faith, and from what I can tell, he is much better at walking the walk as well. If he wants to weigh in, and you actually listen to him, you might lurn somethin.

no pressure, sm.

[Undertoad]

Skeptics annotated bible says in 1 Corinthians 6 says 6:9-10 means

Paul lists ten groups of people who will never enter heaven. These include thieves, along with the "effeminate" and "abusers of themselves with mankind."

6:9-10:

6:9 Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind,

6:10 Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God.

Nor effeminate? Not only are the homosexuals banned from heaven, but the metrosexuals as well! Pretty harsh.

In that case, nice goin Nood, with your manly approach you are certain to make it.

[mrnoodle]

Originally Posted by Undertoad

Skeptics annotated bible says in 1 Corinthians 6 says 6:9-10 means

6:9-10:

Nor effeminate? Not only are the homosexuals banned from heaven, but the metrosexuals as well! Pretty harsh.

In that case, nice goin Nood, with your manly approach you are certain to make it.

You cherry pick out the homosexual reference, but that list included more. "Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God?" is important, yes. But so is this passage from Romans (which quotes Psalms), written by the same author (I think).

What shall we conclude then? Are we any better? Not at all! We have already made the charge that Jews and Gentiles alike are all under sin. 10As it is written:
"There is no one righteous, not even one;
11there is no one who understands,
no one who seeks God.
12All have turned away,
they have together become worthless;
there is no one who does good,
not even one."

So, although single verses throughout the Bible make convenient strawmen for people to attack faith, it's important to get the whole picture.

edit: also, Galatians 3:10-12

10All who rely on observing the law are under a curse, for it is written: "Cursed is everyone who does not continue to do everything written in the Book of the Law." 11Clearly no one is justified before God by the law, because, "The righteous will live by faith." 12The law is not based on faith; on the contrary, "The man who does these things will live by them."

Edit 2:

Thanks for your vote of confidence, btw. But my sins are pretty obvious to anyone, as are everyone else's, and "being manly" isn't going to erase them. It's not the point.

I'm not entirely sure that anything is macho enough to erase the fact that there is a mrnoodle/Ann Coulter fetish pic on the internet.

[Spexxvet]

Originally Posted by mrnoodle

...I'm not entirely sure that anything is macho enough to erase the fact that there is a mrnoodle/Ann Coulter fetish pic on the internet.

And you said she liked it.

Oh... it "mean" that in their "translation" does it?

The NIV, that tract, says a lot too.

[mrnoodle]

She didn't try to stop me.

[Aliantha]

Personally, I don't think anyone's going to heaven.

[Spexxvet]

I smell a new tag line - The Cellar - This ain't the way to Heaven