Christian Jedi Journal

Senan wrote: I'm not in a place to say whether you can be "non-theistic Christian", but I agree with Alethea that there is wisdom in the teachings of Jesus that doesn't have to be attached to religion. I'm a fan of the Jefferson Bible for this reason. Thomas Jefferson removed the miracles of Jesus and instead focused on the lessons. It doesn't take away from being a theist Christian, and at the same time it makes the Bible approachable for people who aren't comfortable with the religious implications.

Never heard of the Jefferson Bible before, but I am a huge fan of the man so I will have to check that one out, thank you!

Can someone be a non-theistic Christian? Why or why not? I'm not giving my opinion, yet, on the chance of it causing any bias

At risk of upsetting Jedi and Christians everywhere (in other discussions here and elsewhere I'm often told I'm "not a real" christian because I couldn't give two hoots about the pope or a bunch of other stuff tied to various religions selling christianity)

I'd wager I'm fairly close to a non-theistic christian, I see God as anologous to the Force (and less like say, Odin , which is a closer approximation as I see it to what most people think of when they think of God), and Jesus (and other prophets, but let's not go there) as a student/teacher.

Was jesus the literal biological son of some nebulous Old One? Nah. Are his* teachings worthwhile? Yeah.

*Or, y'know, inferred lessons via notes taken by someone else...

It's like Socrates and Plato all over again.....

That has always been where my thoughts lay with the "Christ" figure. So I've never quite figured out where I fit in. I believe there was a Jewish Rabbi named Yeshua Bin Yosef. I believe that he upset the status quo and challenged those in power, and I believe they killed him for it. All the rest I think are myths and propaganda to sell a religion and keep people in line.

In honesty I don't know if there's a lot of proof for even the real person existing. I don't want to knock anyone's belief (I mean that's what faith is for right?) but in all likelihood, what we know as modern Christianity and modern depictions of Christ were created at an event known as the Council of Nicaea in the year 325, but the Byzantine Emperor Constantine to help unite the Byzantine Empire. A lot of Jewish and Roman folk tales and a bit of warped history went into it, some of the myths may have some basis in history but I personally find it highly unlikely that it even boils down to one person.

On the subject of whether or not one can be a non-theistic christian, I'm not sure. I imagine a lot of the theistic Christians would say no? Perhaps not the ones on this sight though. I mean people can definitely get a lot from the gospels without necessitating faith. I'm doing a similar thing here, I follow the jedi path but I don't believe in a literal force that binds and guides all life. But I feel what constitutes the canon of Christianity calls for the worship of Christ and absolution through him as a core aspect to the majority of beliefs (unlike the core jedi teachings, which don't necessitate a literal view of the force) ,and as such I guess my answer is no. You can get insight from the Gospels, but you cannot be a "Christian" if you don't believe in the divinity of christ and seek absolution through HIM.

A professor of world religion told me that a question i need to ask is "how and what did the original believers actually believe?"

According to him, the original christians believed in jesus's divinity. The reason the gospels were not written for so long after jesuss death was because his disciples really believed he was coming back in their life times. They believed he was son of man, performed miracles and rose from the dead.

There is imo merit to the case that if you do not believe in the literal version of jesus-as-divine complete with death and resurection and salvation that youre not, and cannot be called a christian. Basic tenent of "thingness" is that when you change a thing at a fundamental level then it is not the same thing anymore. I can see that argument.

On the other hand, ideas and beliefs happen within our imaginations and dont follwo the same rules. I honestly believe in the value and usefulness of christ as a symbol of personal transformation and redemption, of dignity in the face of suffering, of the willingness to speak truth no matter the consequences, of the ability to forgive and to love freely, and of the humility to acquiesce to the higher good. I honestly believe that jesus "works" and is "real" in the sense that these things are possible to all of us: potentials that we can all choose to pursue (taking up our crosses). But i dont believe in eternity of the soul or "magic" or the bible version of god. But to someone who DOES believe in those things, my deviation counts as total corruption of the true teachings.

Religions and religious ideas evolve, and if enough people believe in a new way, they kind of get the "right" to call themselves whatever they want. Todays jews (and most any other religion) dont believe in exactly the same way as the ancient israelites, thats just what happens as culture develops, but they stil get to call themselves jews and in "tribes of israel"

It seems reasonable enough to me to consider myself christian according to my own understanding of jesus, even though the traditional christians would not agree.

Who is right? I guess the quesion is less "who is right" and more "what will people believe in 100 years?" because its not really an issue of who is right or wrong, rather its whoever is left standing that wins, so to speak

Who is right? I guess the quesion is less "who is right" and more "what will people believe in 100 years?" because its not really an issue of who is right or wrong, rather its whoever is left standing that wins, so to speak

Pistols at dawn then?

pistols sounds kind of dangerous, how 'bout a good ole fashioned thumb war?
and dawn is freaking early, cant we kill each other more like brunchish or so?

pistols sounds kind of dangerous, how 'bout a good ole fashioned thumb war?

Ah, I'm seeing the plastic surgeon for my hand today....so if it's a thumb war, I'll have to postpone to allow a few weeks recovery.

Brunch could work though - Perhaps a weekend? I'm generally free between 8 and 11 on sundays...

Ah well, i dont do anything on sundays, its a religious thing you see...

Yes, I've heard of that - No labour or blood feuds on a Sunday.


I used to be the same, but my government recently reviewed Sunday as being a traditional day of rest and has decided it is no longer relevent to the modern working week....I'm all for eternal salvation, but not if it gets in the way of the economy....