Posted on 12/23/2009 11:05:31 PM PST by neverdem
Even without an answer, the fog is lifting from around your beliefs. You stated you do not call yourself a Christian. That answers many questions.
To find whether or not you accept the Nicene Creed.
Was that not obvious from the question "Do you accept the Nicene Creed?"
No, I asked about the Nicene Creed. Any implication you drew from that is your own.
I've simply asked you why you believe that a rule, created by men not G-d, supercedes G-d's Law and Jesus' teaching that He is the Way and believing in Him is Salvation.
Why would I answer your question after you refused mine?
My own.
...and what do you believe are the requirements to be called a "christian"?
Since you conceded that you do not call yourself a Christian, the question is moot.
Epitaph?
LOL
That’s even dumber than post 81, paragraph 2.
Mmmmm is probably the most polite answer I could give. I agree that men are imperfect. I’d also question the wisdom of any God that left his religion in their hands for that very reason.
Sometimes it's those who aren't bound by unquestioning loyalty that can see the clearest. I wouldn't be so quick to discount another's opinion. A closed mind can be a dangerous thing. Just look at your tagline.
Well I'm with you today for the first time in my life. I've had faith my entire life that good overcomes evil but my abusive, cheating, pathological liar, ex-husband finally convinced my confused adult daughter that I'm a liar and that I'm the bad one and she refused to let me see my dearly loved granddaughters for Christmas. If there is a God...why am I being punished and not him?
Yes...I know...bad things happen to good people...but I've had faith my entire life and the hits just keep on coming. I've tried to be strong...but this is just almost too much to bear. I love my grandchildren..
Don't tell me he will get his deserved justice when he meets the maker..... by then he will have lived his life basking in the joy that someone who is rewarded should get and he will have ruined my life. The man tried to strangle me to death and smother me with a pillow and he has not paid for it to this day because he lies soo much to everyone.
I have no idea why I was pinged...though I must say I completely disagree that a Christmas tree is ‘patent idolatry,’ it’s manifestly absurd, since I’ve never heard of anyone worshipping their tree, or giving it offerings, or anything of the kind as you suggest.
I am so sorry. :( Although I don’t prescribe to any particular religion, I do think that religion can be a very beautiful thing and much good has been done in its name. For that, I am a strong supporter of religious expression. I simply don’t recognize any of them as an authority.
I can see both sides. I believe that the Christmasteers have good intentions with their tradition but I wouldn't question the faith and discipline of those that choose not to take such liberties.
Agreed...IF it is a historical fact. The author is challenging that - and there’s nothing wrong with that, as long as he can justify his viewpoints. I don’t personally buy 100% of what he says, but I do know that although this idea that Christmas was originally a pagan festival is universally accepted now, I’ve never seen it critically examined. It is not hypocritical to challenge “facts” that you think are wrong...it only becomes hypocritical when you attempt to deny facts that you know, deep down, are actually right.
Traditions are not immutable. Things change. In fact, the most enduring myths, legends and meta narratives are constantly being adapted, to suit the needs of each generation. I believe that the roots of Christmas are quite simply a celebration of the birth of Jesus. However, I would not deny that other elements have become “tacked on” to the event, and some of those are decidedly pagan, or at least pre-Christian. All this holly and ivy stuff - in spite of the carol that is almost certainly based on pagan ceremonies of about the same time of year that have become tangled up in Christmas. Over time the “add-ons” have become more important than the actual event to most people.
Really I suppose Easter should be the premier Christian celebration, rather than Christmas. After all, its important Jesus Christ came, but its even more important that He died and rose again.
If you were to say you chose to believe that the various Christmas traditions were idolatory, rather than recognise that they were, I might have more sympathy for your sense of injustice over being belittled by being called un-american and an un-believer (although I personally don't think thats what the author of the article is saying at all).
All societies and cultures have traditions. It's built into our psyches. Tradition is important because it reinforces group identity and provides a link to the past. It's not a question of man's tradition overiding God's law, but of whether the tradition continues to complement God's purposes. In the case of Christmas I'm most worried by the rampant commercialism of the event.
Incidentally, what's with the G-d thing?
Well in this case, by using God as my authority and trusting in him with all my heart for over 20 years after this incident, the cheating abusive liar gets the prize and all the rewards go to him. It does not a thing for my grandchildren to learn his ways and my heart is breaking.
Personally, I wouldn’t consider it idolatry even if you did have religous symbols and angels on it - mine does. You’re still not worshipping the tree. I think of a tree like a blank canvas - something to decorate however you like that brings happiness and joy during a time of celebration regarding the birth of Christ. It’s Christ we worship, not the tree. If that makes me pagan, or some kind of heathen in the eyes of MEN, then fine, I think God knows my heart. This idea of idolatry is taken too far in my mind - in ancient times there used to be whole religions built around a made-up, and entirely temporal diety - think golden calf -that’s idolatry, not the use of a physical object to glorify God. I’m sure we can find some Christians who find EVERYTHING sinful or idolatrous including the use of the cross or any representations of Christ or earthly things...but personally I don’t think God intended us to be miserable or gave us great artistic, literary, engineering, and other skills to celebrate all aspects of life but the Creator of it.
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