Should christians love money so much ?!

[urban cowboy]

let me introduce myself, my name is Aaron and i'm your local athiest.

in an ironic twist - were you aware that the word Atheist was originally coined by the Romans as a term they could call the Christians of the first century???

what these new "christians" were saying about spiritual reality was unique and didn't belong to any religion of the day and hence could not be classified with the other religions of the world.

Christianity to most people IS religion and moralism - but that was not and is not the intention of Jesus Christ. The parables Jesus taught clearly indicate that the religiously observant people were offended by him and those estranged from religion and moral observance were who were intrigued by and attracted to him...that remains today - get past the religious rubbish that many push forward and there is a true message there that transcends generations and breaks down religious barriers.

The greatest problem in the world today is not those who don't believe in Jesus - it is those who do and take it upon themselves to add to the gospel with their religious fervency...

 

[Uncle Perce]

Well said Urban !

Christianity to most people IS religion and moralism - but that was not and is not the intention of Jesus Christ. The parables Jesus taught clearly indicate that the religiously observant people were offended by him and those estranged from religion and moral observance were who were intrigued by and attracted to him...that remains today - get past the religious rubbish that many push forward and there is a true message there that transcends generations and breaks down religious barriers.

The greatest problem in the world today is not those who don't believe in Jesus - it is those who do and take it upon themselves to add to the gospel with their religious fervency...


-Its amazing how Legalism and Religion always gets in to in a debate like this.
- Jesus himself was against the religous leaders and "learned " people of the day.
I thank him daily that i dont need to be religously made right by trying to be "good enough "for God.
What a freedom it brings when we can surrender and give God a chance with our lives ,knowing his Grace is enough for the journey all the way.

Its funny how some people in life get this idea that "Christians" shouldnt be successful or have alot of money. That if people choose that "religous life", they need to be pious and stay away from the world in case they get "stained"!
To me, the thing is, once you've got this relationship with the Lord of the Universe,you just dont want anything to get in the way of yr relationship with him.
I find once you start re arranging yr life and putting him first ,he takes care of the money and other stuff. He actually also gives you all these principles which will initially bring glory to him as we start to live by them.
But also then, after a while you actually begin to get successful aswell financially and in many other more important ways !

At the end of the day we cant take it with us ,and this whole earth is gonna burn up eventually anyway,so we need to think ok what do i live for ?
What is gonna make a difference today for eternity ? and live yr life for these things.
Then having heaps of money or little will be of heaps less concern in yr priorites.
Generally speaking though from personal experience ,once you put God first in yr life ,he will pour out an absolute abundance in yr life !

 

[Token Funder]

in an ironic twist - were you aware that the word Atheist was originally coined by the Romans as a term they could call the Christians of the first century???

In a further ironic twist, did you know you are wrong? As a hint, consider why the Romans would be using Greek.

 

[Francesco]

What is the point of Jesus coming to earth? To do what no mortals can do at great sacrifice, out of love to reconcile man to God, with earthly and heavenly consequences. The outcome to those who believe is to have the spiritual life that was once dead. Spreading out from the spiritual life is a renewed mind and a sound body. Prosperity comes with the new life of the believer as a side product of the 'abundant life'.

Christianity says the secret of life as we know it wells out from the spiritual life, to the renewed mind and the sound body. Of course, many muddle through life by placing priorities differently on spirit, mind and body.

 

[urban cowboy]

In a further ironic twist, did you know you are wrong? As a hint, consider why the Romans would be using Greek.

nope - people with a lot more brains than you and I put together have done the studies on that one...

it was the language of the area and time...the Roman empire and the Romans did not all speak Latin. Most soldiers in the outposts were made up of armies of conquered tribes. So the predominant language would have been the Greek - especially since most of the new testament was written in Greek.

 

[aussierogue]

Francesco - I am sure you have lots of good things to say but every post is like a sermon. Are you a man of cloth? Or have you just memorised the New Test so well that this happens naturally?

Can you dunb down the venacular for us heathens. ie the best messages get through when they can be understood by the Joe Average.

Great posts by the Uncle and the Cowboy btw!

Cheers
Aussie

 

[Francesco]

Francesco - I am sure you have lots of good things to say but every post is like a sermon. Are you a man of cloth? Or have you just memorised the New Test so well that this happens naturally?

Can you dunb down the venacular for us heathens. ie the best messages get through when they can be understood by the Joe Average.

Great posts by the Uncle and the Cowboy btw!

Cheers
Aussie

Hi Aussierogue

All believers of Christ are in a 'priesthood' (take it from me - I do not want to give a Bible lesson), so in a sense I am a man of unseen cloth. What I wrote is as it is. Anyway, if you have a question I will try to explain.

 

[Token Funder]

nope - people with a lot more brains than you and I put together have done the studies on that one...

it was the language of the area and time...the Roman empire and the Romans did not all speak Latin. Most soldiers in the outposts were made up of armies of conquered tribes. So the predominant language would have been the Greek - especially since most of the new testament was written in Greek.

Wanna bet?

 

[JamesGG]

From memory, the word 'theos' is Greek for 'god' ('thea', for goddess) and the prefix 'a-' means without.

'Atheisme' is the French word from which, I think, the English was derived.

 

[Aaron Sice]

in an ironic twist - were you aware that the word Atheist was originally coined by the Romans as a term they could call the Christians of the first century???

what these new "christians" were saying about spiritual reality was unique and didn't belong to any religion of the day and hence could not be classified with the other religions of the world.
.

hah! there ya go - learn something new every day!!!!

cheers for that little tidbit

 

[Francesco]

hah! there ya go - learn something new every day!!!!

cheers for that little tidbit

Another tidbit is that the gentiles of the day (Romans or Greek) thought that Christians were practising cannibalism because of the symbolic language of Jesus.

 

[Aaron Sice]

ah this is funny stuff! keep it coming.

 

[WinstonWolfe]

I have it on good authority that Jesus translated into English is Brian.

 

[Rixter]

I have it on good authority that Jesus translated into English is Brian.

Life of Brian - I always thought that Monty Python was a higher authority.

 

[Token Funder]

nope - people with a lot more brains than you and I put together have done the studies on that one...

it was the language of the area and time...the Roman empire and the Romans did not all speak Latin. Most soldiers in the outposts were made up of armies of conquered tribes. So the predominant language would have been the Greek - especially since most of the new testament was written in Greek.

Wanna bet?

OK. I'll give you another hint. How likely would it be that the Roman's "originally coined [the phrase] as a term they could call the Christians of the first century" prior to the existence of said Christians.

Unless of course their gods foretold the coming of said Christians and pre-emptively suggested the Romans come up with a derogatory phrase to save time

 

[Francesco]

This thread seems to have captured more than just Christians and the love of money. In another twist to the facet of spirituality and the intensity of engagement with life, including the 'love of money' below is a bit of Steve Job's philosophy:

A line from a speech that Jobs delivered at Stanford University in June, 2005: “Again, you can't connect the dots looking forward; you can only connect them looking backwards. So you have to trust that the dots will somehow connect in your future. You have to trust in something — your gut, destiny, life, karma, whatever. This approach has never let me down, and it has made all the difference in my life.”

http://news.stanford.edu/news/2005/june15/jobs-061505.html

In Christianity it is the faith (or belief) that conquers the world so to speak.

 

[jaycee]

From memory, the word 'theos' is Greek for 'god' ('thea', for goddess) and the prefix 'a-' means without.

'Atheisme' is the French word from which, I think, the English was derived.

Atheos in Greek would mean without God (cna;t think of a better way to translate it)
Atheismos in Greek would mean the belief in no God

Atheisme sounds like the French adaptation of this word. Who knows which road exactly it travelled before getting into the english language. Greek-French-English..Greek-French/English at the same time ? All I know is I have 2 second languages, i cant speak either of them properly

 

[RPI]

He's not the messiah, he's a very naughty boy

 

[Bargain Hunter]

UC - now youre talkin dude!

I must say i find it extraordinary that non believers use biblical verses to prove god is evil. If you dont believe in christianity don't quote the bible to back up your claims!

The Church is on trial and always will be. A good lawyer will use the previous testimony of a defendant and use it to get a conviction. The Bible is clearly open to criticism as it is proclaimed to be the "Word of God" yet there is frequently conflicts in the message. God will smite, God is Love....

Acceptance of the Bible and its passages requires faith. Without faith all that is left is argument and division. The fact that there are so many sects of Christianity that all proclaim to know the truth while vilifying other sects is disconcerting.

I was raised a Catholic, I attended pentacostal churches as a young parent. The message from the pulpit was clear, the Catholics are wrong and worship idols (Mary & the Saints) as The Bible states that there is only one way to God and that is through His Son Jesus Christ. I am abhorred that my mother, a very devote Catholic would be considered by some 'Christians' to be disqualified from everlasting life.

The other main item on the Pentacostal agenda was tithing, 10% belongs to God (or God's work on Earth), only after this can you be considered to give. Although the NT states that you are saved by the blood of Jesus, the focus on money was intense. Giving of time was not considered as holy, only the giving of dollars was considered to prove your faith.

If Christians cannot agree on what is good and holy how can anyone expect non-believers to understand the main tenets of the good news?

I do not believe in God, or god's, nor do I see that there has to be a greater being. I try to do my best to treat all people and creatures with respect. Does that make me a bad person? If I did believe but treated others poorly would that make me a good person?

The good news is that all that follow Christ will be saved, and all those who don't will be lost. As a non-believer it doesn't sound like good news to me, and if my mother has spent her life playing for the wrong team (Catholics) then should she be penalised when she has been so fervent in her belief?

Religion just doesn't seem fair, and by extension neither does God. When there are so many conflicting faiths, and all of them believe they are the only true one how can anyone be sure of salvation?

Regards

Andrew

 

[weg]

The Church is on trial and always will be........



The good news is that all that follow Christ will be saved, and all those who don't will be lost. As a non-believer it doesn't sound like good news to me, and if my mother has spent her life playing for the wrong team (Catholics) then should she be penalised when she has been so fervent in her belief?

Religion just doesn't seem fair, and by extension neither does God. When there are so many conflicting faiths, and all of them believe they are the only true one how can anyone be sure of salvation?

Regards

Andrew

I've often been perplexed over this one and wondered how Christians (and others) believe theirs is the true religion, when there are so many with the same convictions. How do they rationalise it?

Or do they not Q these things because it is entertaining the doubts of non believers, and leads them away from Jesus, Mohammed, etc .

"John 3:16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

John 3:17 For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.

John 3:18 He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God."

John 8:24 I said therefore unto you, that ye shall die in your sins: for if ye believe not that I am he, ye shall die in your sins.


And how based on demographics is everyone meant to have easy access to the only one right path to salvation?

I suppose once again it come down to faith, or is it blind faith?