Um Dave, Jesus IS the True God. You cannot reject A and believe A at the same time.
I am commenting on the irony of Steven's trajectory, not expressing my own belief.
Of course, I believe Jesus is True God. Sorry for being confusing.
Is this where Vatican II has brought the RCC? When a pretty faithful RC can see no real big deal about a guy leaving Christ, and actually defend the person's decision.
I did no such thing and Vatican II has nothing to do with it. Steven has his eyes open, as far as he can tell. No amount of me arguing with him is going to change his mind. He knows how I feel and has known from day one.
That's why I thought the irony might get to him, if he could understand it. But since no one seems to have gotten what I was trying to say, I must admit I failed to make my point.
There were actually two points. First, as I said already, that a journey that began with rejecting a Church in favor of private understanding based upon a Book and a Person has led in order to the rejection of both Book and Person.
One shudders to think of what can survive the next round of applying the same lens to his newfound faith. Will he discover that the Babylonians also have flood myths, and some date these to be older than the Hebrew accounts? Using the same methods used to deconstruct Christianity, he can deconstruct Judaism.
I hope he chooses to simply accept something on faith before he is left with nothing.
The second point has to do with the use of pagan spirituality to prepare people for accepting the True God. In Steven's estimation Jesus is false. And yet his relationship with "Jesus" led to a closer relationship with God.
How and why this could happen is an interesting subject. And since so much of the Messianic lore is bulit around similarities between Christianity and pagan beliefs, one should pause to examine it. Does a pagan god being virgin born mean that the pagans were pre-disposed (by God, even) to accept the Truth of the Virgin Born Jesus or that the Christians stole the story and incorporated it into their myths?
This is what happens when you say that the Jewish people are in a saving Covenant and have no need of Jesus.
We don't say that. But this post is long enough already. One Cardinal running his mouth does not a doctrine make.
SD
A very valid point. One which excapes some. But we all have our blind spots.
Dave I don't agree with much you say but I've been thinking about this one and its exactly what Steven and malakhi have done IMO and I'm wondering if they were to undertake with the same zeal and methods that they have in decoustructing Christianity and apply that to Judisiam what would happen to their faith or beliefs?
What do you guys have to say?
BigMack