Still a Christian - ask me questions/tell me about yourselves

[JackRussell]

Josephus...Nuff said.

Fraud.

[The Grand Nudger]

And that is what matters most. His Love and Sacrifice. Not whether a Roman centurion visited Jesus in person or by proxy.

You could probably whittle that down to just his sacrifice and still be meaningfully christian.  God needn't be the creator - or even be, there needn't be any divine or natural teleology to evolutionary biology, and it might not be an issue of love...but if the death of one man can provide atonement for another...you're still getting the only completely non-negotiable article of faith in christian dogma.

For demonstration..imagine that all of the rest is true..but that vicarious redemption isn't. Is it still christian?

[Whateverist]

And that is what matters most. His Love and Sacrifice. Not whether a Roman centurion visited Jesus in person or by proxy.

You could probably whittle that down to just his sacrifice and still be meaningfully christian.  God needn't be the creator - or even be, there needn't be any divine or natural teleology to evolutionary biology, and it might not be an issue of love...but if the death of one man can provide atonement for another...you're still getting the only completely non-negotiable article of faith in christian dogma.

For demonstration..imagine that all of the rest is true..but that vicarious redemption isn't.  Is it still christian?

How about a bible-free xtianity?  I can see some real advantages.

[JackRussell]

What sacrifice, a bad weekend then eternal bliss.

Better than a weekend with good luck at a casino resort.

[Catholic_Lady]

To the OP:

As one of the few Christian members of AF I would like to share with you my journey from being a Christian-In-Name-Only to a staunch atheist only to find myself earnestly turning back to faith in Jesus Christ with a renewed understanding of the Truth and Life only He can offer. You can find...My Story Here

It is right and proper to question your faith. Paradoxically, I think that the deeper your faith the more profoundly you question the doctrines. Doubt is not a sign of a lack of faith but rather an indication of your commitment to it.

To address one of your points directly. It does not matter if the Genesis creation story is literally true or whether evolution happened. I am a Christian. I accept evolution in general albeit with allowance for some implicit teleology. All that matters is that we recognize God alone as the Creator and Ground of Being regardless of the how. As far as I am concerned the story begins not at Gen 1:1 but rather at John 1:1.

As for the reliability of the Gospels, I am not an expert or scholar on such matters, although I can read a little bit of Hebrew, and like to follow developments in biblical archaeology.. There is quite a bit of debate, as you can see. If you read the Gospels according to the standards and conventions of classical literature of the time (such as Plutarch's Lives) most of the so-called contradictions becomes insignificant. The writers of the Gospels, like other writers of the time were less interested in factual accuracy than revealing the character and import of Jesus and His ministry. And that is what matters most. His Love and Sacrifice. Not whether a Roman centurion visited Jesus in person or by proxy.

I've always been curious to know your conversion story, chad. Looking forward to reading this. ❤

[The Grand Nudger]

@Whateverist
I don't see why not.  A person doesn't have to maintain that magic book is something it's not to be a christian.

Historically, a great many christians never had access to a bible and couldn't have read it if they did. Paul, to hear the story told, had never read the NT. He had a vision and in that moment became a christian.

Ultimately christianity is not (and has never been) the belief that the bible is true...and I, for one, see no reason to saddle ones earnestly held beliefs with a duplicitous and meandering rationalization over a book of fairy tales.

[Gawdzilla Sama]

What sacrifice, a bad weekend then eternal bliss.

Better than a weekend with good luck at a casino resort.

Not even a weekend. In the ground Friday night, out before dawn on Sunday. He could catch all the NFL games.

[Neo-Scholastic]

What sacrifice, a bad weekend then eternal bliss.

Because God is eternally present across all time, the Father is forever experiencing the suffering of and grieving for the Son.

[The Grand Nudger]

Aww, poor baby.  It's a wonder he finds time to be such a dick through all that grief.

[brewer]

How about a bible-free xtianity?  I can see some real advantages.

Shit, I read "bible free anxiety".