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You waste your breath..there is no common ground..He can not even agree on the diety of Christ.

Did it ever occur to you that the people of 20AD were substantially different than the people of today? Many theologians have deliberated and continue to deliberate on this very thing. People back then were primitive by today's standards and were unquestionably barbaric--every civilization, every nation. They also had a very limited ability to comprehend higher level concepts because man had yet to reach that point where education and information flourished. That does not mean that I think Christ's message is irrelevant but there is no getting around the fact that much of his Christ's teachings were directed to his audience during that time. Christ could have easily said things that his followers could never hope to comprehend. Yet if he did that, his message would not have readily spread as it did. The point being that it human nature not to believe things you can’t understand. With that in mind I choose to focus on the more positive aspects of Christ’s teachings and discount the sinner stuff that gets you bible thumpers going full tilt. That's my opinion and like you I am comfortable with it.

>B> People back then were primitive by today's standards and were unquestionably barbaric--every civilization, every nation. They also had a very limited ability to comprehend higher level concepts because man had yet to reach that point where education and information flourished. That does not mean that I think Christ's message is irrelevant but there is no getting around the fact that much of his Christ's teachings were directed to his audience during that time. Christ could have easily said things that his followers could never hope to comprehend. Yet if he did that, his message would not have readily spread as it did.

You mean like "Take and eat this is my body which is given up for you?"( a primitive concept you seem to have no problem with)

Pick and choose..some day Jesus will pick and choose.

In the meantime you choose what you want to believe

They also had a very limited ability to comprehend higher level concepts because man had yet to reach that point where education and information flourished. That does not mean that I think Christ's message is irrelevant but there is no getting around the fact that much of his Christ's teachings were directed to his audience during that time. Christ could have easily said things that his followers could never hope to comprehend.

Your assumption is that just because a Jew in Christ's time couldn't understand the fundamentals of silicon device physics that he is somehow handicapped to understand the simplicity of Christ's message. A better assumption would be that no one, not even today, understands spiritual things without the power of God. Of course, the Bible plainly says this, but I'd hazzard a guess that you reject this idea.

Yet if he did that, his message would not have readily spread as it did. The point being that it human nature not to believe things you can’t understand.

The message of Christ spread so fast because the early NT saints showed that Christ was more to be desired than life by making the ground wet with their blood. They filled up in their flesh what is lacking in the afflictions of Christ. And because it pleased God to change hearts and open people's eyes to understand the difficult messages in the Bible.

So, tell me, how does a jolly fat elf reflect the Christmas message?