Church Shopping

[Bluegoat]

Hey! Are you still going by your statement that the Easter Rite Catholics differ from the Latin Rite Catholics on transubstantiation, original sin, the papacy?

If so, can you cite your sources?

I thought I had alreay said something about this?? Maybe it was in another thread and I have got mixed up.

I will have to get back to this though, I think the baby is up.

 

[PRmerger]

Hi PRMerger: Thanks as usual for the reply. On the first question, I have sen a lot written on persecution of Gnostics by mainstream Christianity of the time, but I haven’t ever run into anything suggesting that pagans did.

Fair enough. I guess I am an agnostic as to the history of Gnosis as it pertains to Christianity.

As for the second question, my opinion, and again, this is my opinion, so it isn’t qualified in any way is that all of them were inspired. I think the fact that God is so far beyond our comprehension is a significant contributor in our tendency to gets some things wrong. So, I think all of them got some things right and all of them got some things wrong. While I am agnostic, it’s more in the sense that I am forming a view. I do believe in something. My personal view is to see it more in line with an Atman, or Purushottama. A universal soul of which you and I are part of if you would. In one sense, that would include Jesus like it would anyone, and could easily include Jesus in the more traditional sense as the Son of God. This is the part I am trying to get my head around. For me, it’s going to boil down to the meaning of some of the things He said, and beyond that, what He actually said. Vetting the sources is a tough endeavor.

Interesting. I will continue this dialogue, then, operating from the POV that you believe that God exists…otherwise this discussion regarding the Scriptures is moot, yes?

So, do you believe that there is just one God, or that there could be many?

And if you believe that there is just one God, what is it that He has revealed to us? Do you believe the OT is inspired, as well as all the gnostic/christian/NT writings?

 

[Sufjon]

Fair enough. I guess I am an agnostic as to the history of Gnosis as it pertains to Christianity.

Interesting. I will continue this dialogue, then, operating from the POV that you believe that God exists…otherwise this discussion regarding the Scriptures is moot, yes?

So, do you believe that there is just one God, or that there could be many?

And if you believe that there is just one God, what is it that He has revealed to us? Do you believe the OT is inspired, as well as all the gnostic/christian/NT writings?

Hi PRMerger: Yes, I believe there is one God, but that God is formless, yet everything with form exists within Him and He exists within everything with form. Sounds confusing , I know. I believe He has taken on human form, but not once, rather a number of times. He comes different times and different places with different messages depending on the spiritual needs of the culture and time period in which He is visiting. Aside from those fully realized incarnations of God in the flesh, everything that takes on flesh is also a fragment of Him, but less aware of what it is. The sin of these fragments or Jivas is not knowing what they are. Not knowing what we are is the gateway sin to all other sin, because not knowing that we all share part of the same great soul enables us to commit sin against one another. That is why I believe Jesus may have said love God and your neighbor as yourself. Because they are. In that regard, Christianity almost fits. In other regards it doesn’t. That is what I’m working through. I do not believe that the OT was God inspired, at least not much of it, but that’s another topic altogether. I do think that whatever parts of the NT contain the sayings of Jesus were God inspired because they came from Him who was God. To me, the rest is the result of humans trying to frame what they saw in their minds. As to what I think the message of Jesus was, I’d have to explain in another note, but I have to get ready for work .

Anyway, this is some idea of what I believe. I do have a lot of questions on the Christian parts. I always stress that this the direction I am taking, and not making any assertion as to whether anyone should agree or accept it in any way. It just gives some background as to why I have questions.

Thanks again Friend PRMerger,
Sufjon

 

[PRmerger]

Hi PRMerger: Yes, I believe there is one God, but that God is formless, yet everything with form exists within Him and He exists within everything with form. Sounds confusing , I know. I believe He has taken on human form, but not once, rather a number of times. He comes different times and different places with different messages depending on the spiritual needs of the culture and time period in which He is visiting. Aside from those fully realized incarnations of God in the flesh, everything that takes on flesh is also a fragment of Him, but less aware of what it is. The sin of these fragments or Jivas is not knowing what they are. Not knowing what we are is the gateway sin to all other sin, because not knowing that we all share part of the same great soul enables us to commit sin against one another. That is why I believe Jesus may have said love God and your neighbor as yourself. Because they are. In that regard, Christianity almost fits. In other regards it doesn’t. That is what I’m working through. I do not believe that the OT was God inspired, at least not much of it, but that’s another topic altogether. I do think that whatever parts of the NT contain the sayings of Jesus were God inspired because they came from Him who was God. To me, the rest is the result of humans trying to frame what they saw in their minds. As to what I think the message of Jesus was, I’d have to explain in another note, but I have to get ready for work .

Anyway, this is some idea of what I believe. I do have a lot of questions on the Christian parts. I always stress that this the direction I am taking, and not making any assertion as to whether anyone should agree or accept it in any way. It just gives some background as to why I have questions.

Thanks again Friend PRMerger,
Sufjon

Well, you’re quite welcome, Sufjon. :tiphat:

As to the content of your post above, I must say that I really can not address any of your opinions. For, as you correctly stated, they* are* your opinions. So for us to discuss would be as pointless as my saying, “I like chocolate!” and your replying, “No! I like vanilla!”.

Unless there is the nugget of Ultimate Truth in this discussion what we would be doing would be a wild goose chase, without the golden goose prize of Truth.

 

[Sufjon]

Well, you’re quite welcome, Sufjon. :tiphat:

As to the content of your post above, I must say that I really can not address any of your opinions. For, as you correctly stated, they* are* your opinions. So for us to discuss would be as pointless as my saying, “I like chocolate!” and your replying, “No! I like vanilla!”.

Unless there is the nugget of Ultimate Truth in this discussion what we would be doing would be a wild goose chase, without the golden goose prize of Truth.

Friend MPMerger: I agree, but I sure have enjoyed talking to you, and I am grateful to have had that time with you!

 

[ConstantineTG]

Of course not! People always want Christianity to adapt and form to one’s personal beliefs and agendas instead of the other way around. One of the many reasons why there exist so many ‘feel-good’ churches today.

The sad reality of today. That is why I stuck it out with Catholicism even though at times my faith was wavering in the past. Because I know the high standards of morality taught by the Church makes perfect sense even though they are hard to accept and follow. Perfection is a hard thing, but Christ asks us to strive for it. And only the Catholic Church asks perfection from us.

 

[MerryCatholic]

When people are Church shopping, do they try out Catholic Churches? If they do, what would encourage them to stay?

i don’t church shop. i go to the closest catholic church to where i live.

 

[PRmerger]

Friend MPMerger: I agree, but I sure have enjoyed talking to you, and I am grateful to have had that time with you!

I’m certain that we shall meet again!