A Necessary Schism in Christianity

i agree because the religion needs to teach love thats the only rule in the universe.

I'm not a Christian, so this is merely the two cents from someone on the other side of the fence.

Christian. To me, "Of Christ". The church, I figure, has lost its way, corrupted by the trappings of power. The Roman Catholic Empire and the Church of England Schisms saw to that.

There needs to be a reformation if any hope is to be recovered. Go back to the original teachings and make them fit the current world. That's why we're here in the first place, isn't it? To adapt something to fit our world? Peace, tolerance, all the stuff that makes it the Good Book.

Cast away the downright intolerance that the hardliners cry out whenever they're opposed. Join the real world and further the cause of good, and light, in the world.

Or not. Your choice, ultimately. Even the Vatican is noticing lowering attendance in its churches. There's a book I'd definitely recommend: "Why Christianity Must Change- Or Die. by John Shelby Spong, a bishop(?) in America, who lived through a lot of controversial times.

i fully agree with this the fact of the matter is i think thst the christian church has become rather a monster they judge which theyre own religion tells them not to do they cant seem to accept others. as a former catholic i remember how this religion in my own opinion blinded me to reality i am not saying this to insult those who are following this path but these are my own opinions i had met nothing but intolorence and inacceptance when i followed the christians more so on deeper study of the religion i have learned things i did not know about the religion the caused me to qeustion it however to those who do follow it i am not judging if this is where your heart is the follow it but for myself it was not a fit i cannot see myself ever following this path again the only religious groups that accepted me without judgement have been the pagans and of course the jedi

Alternative groups know what it's like to be judged, so they don't do it as often.

As a Catholic and a Jedi, I have actually found that the two paths mesh very well. Jesus was all about love and forgiveness. Just because some Christians today have forgotten these principles and focused all of their attention on certain other verses of the Bible (namely from the Old Testament) does not necessarily mean that Christianity as a whole is wrong or immoral even in today's society. After all, the Jedi Creed was originally a prayer from a Catholic Saint and Jesus himself said...

“Judge not, that you be not judged. For with the judgment you pronounce you will be judged, and with the measure you use it will be measured to you. Why do you see the speck that is in your brother's eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye? Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when there is the log in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother's eye. - Matthew 7:1-5

I have met quite a few Christians who have read this verse and used it to try and curb their own judgement. Please try not to call an entire religion judgmental and wrong without first understanding that, for me at least, Jediism and Christianity have quite similar teachings.

Regarding Hell...I guess that depends on what you believe happens when you die. Will your consciousness disappear when you die or will it continue on? If it does continue on will you "go" somewhere else, will you be left with your own thoughts of how you lived your life, or will your consciousness be free to flow with the universe or after those you left behind? These are questions that everyone wonders and no one knows. Many people believe different things will happen upon our death. If our consciousness does continue on, is it not possible that those who have lived a life of pain, anger and fear will be left with nothing but a "Hell" of their own making?

Regarding Satan...perhaps the Devil is merely the devil within ourselves. All people are capable of good and evil. Even those people who don't think there is such a thing as "Good and Evil" still have their own personal morality that they live by. Even though something may seem good in one person's perspective it could very well be evil in another's. Perhaps both exist within each and every person. Even Joseph Campbell said that we all have our dragons to slay.

The politics bit is just Christianity being used where it should not be. Religion has no place in any government. For example, consider if the current government believed in Nordic or Greek Gods. Would you want them telling you what to believe or how to pray?

now i respect those that are true to there paths i do not hate anyone what i hate is forgetting ones ways as i said if catholisism or christianity is where your heart is then there is nothing wrong with that but please dont lose sight of your values for as good as ones intentions can be that good can be twisted to evil with the right incentive not to go all star wars nerd but in the films anakinskywalkers intentions were good but became twisted and he turned into lord vader this analogy is perfect in describing someone who loses there values

eastern orthodox christianity follows quite different views

yet I think it is just as important

because it is the second most subscribed form of christianity

Star Forge wrote: the Eastern Orthodox and Methodist Churches of today teach a similar doctrine, but not the the extent that they should..

no, the eastern orthodox church makes it very clear on what theosis means and they teach it extensively

suliskveteba wrote:

Star Forge wrote: the Eastern Orthodox and Methodist Churches of today teach a similar doctrine, but not the the extent that they should..

no, the eastern orthodox church makes it very clear on what theosis means and they teach it extensively

Wow, this is still going on after over a year

When I wrote this, I was a bit less educated and more radical than I am now, which explains the tone, but my overall convictions in this post still stand. Regarding Theosis: I've read up on Orthodoxy more over the past year, and yes, it's certainly at the fore of their doctrine, but I never maintained otherwise. What I meant to say is, I think that they should emphasize it more to non-Orthodox. Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying they should evangelize and all, as that's one thing I admire about Orthodoxy is that it has never handed me a tract. However, their doctrine of Theosis is NEEDED in this world, for all Christians, as well as possibly for those outside the faith. Also, I did not mean to say that Orthodoxy and Methodism have an identical teaching on the subject, HOWEVER, Wesley DID study Orthodoxy in great depth, and basically used the Theosis doctrine as the basis for the Methodist doctrine of Sanctification (which has since spread to a few other Protestant denominations).

Hope that clears things up.

Star Forge wrote:

suliskveteba wrote:

Star Forge wrote: the Eastern Orthodox and Methodist Churches of today teach a similar doctrine, but not the the extent that they should..

no, the eastern orthodox church makes it very clear on what theosis means and they teach it extensively

Wow, this is still going on after over a year

When I wrote this, I was a bit less educated and more radical than I am now, which explains the tone, but my overall convictions in this post still stand. Regarding Theosis: I've read up on Orthodoxy more over the past year, and yes, it's certainly at the fore of their doctrine, but I never maintained otherwise. What I meant to say is, I think that they should emphasize it more to non-Orthodox. Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying they should evangelize and all, as that's one thing I admire about Orthodoxy is that it has never handed me a tract. However, their doctrine of Theosis is NEEDED in this world, for all Christians, as well as possibly for those outside the faith. Also, I did not mean to say that Orthodoxy and Methodism have an identical teaching on the subject, HOWEVER, Wesley DID study Orthodoxy in great depth, and basically used the Theosis doctrine as the basis for the Methodist doctrine of Sanctification (which has since spread to a few other Protestant denominations).

Hope that clears things up.

it does, however your comment of "but not the extent that they should" is still wrong, it is widely expressed