Most trinitarians accept that God is three persons, father, son, and holy ghost.
But what can make sure that God consists of three persons? What if he simply hasn't revealed a fourth person to us yet? How do we know that there are exactly three and not two or just one with three "masks"?
Dear Make Poverty History Supporter,
These are hard words to write. Every minute of every day, a mother dies in childbirth or pregnancy. 24,000 children under 5 years old die every day.
These are staggering figures, made all the more tragic because these women and children are dying needlessly. Simple, low-cost, tried and true interventions could prevent most of these deaths. We know that, because we take them for granted in our world. It explains why 1 mother in 7,300 dies in childbirth in the industrialized country, while 1 mother in 22 forfeits her life in Africa.
Over on the Unreasonable Faith blog there is a short and provocative article about Christians, what they have in common, and whether or not it's possible (or desirable) to define Christianity. 'VorJack,' the author of the post, starts off with John Spong,talking about Christian doctrine. Spong says he is willing to let go any belief he finds "unacceptable," to the point of being empty-handed. Using the metaphor of a card game, VorJack asks whether Spong is "still playing the same game" as other Christians. "And if you're no longer playing the same game, why are you still at the table?"
On the flip side, VorJack poses a couple more interesting questions, i.e.: Who has the right to define Christianity, even if they could? Is there any single biblical passage, creedal statement, or traditional belief that all Christians agree on? "To sever yourself from 2,000 years of Christian thought takes brass," he says, "and I respect that. But to do so and still say you're engaged with the tradition seems almost delusional."
What do you think? Is it possible perhaps to define Christianity negatively? (for example: There is no form of Christianity that holds Mohammed as its central figure and prophet) Also, does saying you are a Christian make it so? The Klu Klux Klan comes to mind as an example of dubiously-labeled Christians.
As I stand at the Crossroad in my life with the choice to go the Christian path or to continue on my path to Enlightenment, I stand confused, pondering, because I want, with all my heart, to bring Jesus back into my life. But I have questions, one in which is, what is the point of Genesis 22:1-18? Being a father myself to one child not unlike Abraham, I have to state that if God advised me of the same as he did with Abraham I would blatantly say NO!!! Then I guess after taking cover I would try and have a conversation with God asking him why? Do you not see my loyalty to you?
Phil starts in. “A lot of Christians,” he says, leaning on the side of the dumpster, “think that hope is in church, or in ritual, or in prayer or pious behavior. But most of ‘em believe that ultimately, hope is in heaven. They are just waiting for their tickets out of this madhouse so they can take it easy in the sweet bye and bye.” He pauses, and I shiver, nodding dumbly.
TORONTO - Are you there God? Are you listening? I have some things to discuss. Mostly why's. Why me?
Remember when I was six and there was that huge box of pornographic slides in the basement? I also know there was a bible in the basement with my name inscribed in it. Is that why you showed me these things? It had my full name in it. All five names given me. Has the pain and suffering you have shown me been with purpose?
So, last week our interim minister did a sermon on the relationship between Unitarian Universalism and Christianity. I thought that it might be of interest to some of those who were in on the thread about the relationship between UU'ism and Progressive Christianity. It's now been posted to our website, so here's a link. Enjoy and if you want to discuss it, use this thread.
I've been thinking about something recently. Does Christianity make people conservative? Sometimes it seems like christian and conservative are so intertwined that they mean the same thing. Is it an unnatural relationship? If it's not christianity that does it; where do conservatives come from? Is it different churches that are at fault? Old people vs young? Lots of people from my generation want nothing to do with christianity because the association is so strong.
A short time ago, you were annoyed because you thought I was calling you a nazi. I wasn't. But I have begun to realize my thinking has been taking me somewhere even worse.
Hitler has been universally condemned not just as cruel - but as a madman, a monster, someone so wildly different from the normal human that he has fostered a growth industry of psychiatric studies. The Germans, too, have fallen under the same cloud, a perverse people who can only be seen as a gross perversion of normal humanity. I am beginning to realize something much worse.
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