Unitarian Christians- true or not true?

[PRmerger]

Sure they can if they arrive at a point along their faith journey when they believe it’s the church Jesus founded and holds the truth.

Now, this! This is a paradigm that I absolutely espouse!

Find the Church that Jesus founded and then conform your views to this Church’s. That’s not church shopping.

NOT: shop around for a preacher who preaches what you want to hear (“You can continue to have sex outside of marriage because God doesn’t think it’s a sin!” “You can abort your baby if your boyfriend left you because God wants you to go on to college!” “You can use all the birth control you want because God never intended sex to make babies–it’s simply for your enjoyment!”) Hey, you say, “I want to join this church because the preacher preaches all the things that I already believe!”

Nope. That’s church shopping.

 

[frobert]

So you’re saying they looked for a church that taught that birth control is immoral, that homosexuals ought not get married, that divorce and re-marriage is adultery, that sex before marriage is sinful…because that’s what they personally believed?

Is that what you’re saying?

Really?

Questioning motivation again?

 

[PRmerger]

The other day (not on this forum) someone told me if I wouldn’t study Daoism he was putting me on his ignore list. OK then!

It was a very odd statement for a Daoist to make.

That was a rather weird reason to put someone on his ignore list.

Some people are not very good ambassadors for their belief system,"

'Tis true, this.

actually, oddly, that discussion was sort of similar to this one. He said if I would not follow the recovery program HE followed, the way HE followed it, it meant I was being prideful and making myself god.

If there’s anyone here who says that unless you become Catholic you will be on his ignore list, I suggest you tell him that his fundamentalism is impeding his ability to reason.

However, this is not to say that there aren’t a myriad other reasons to put someone on ignore–to wit: because someone is uncharitable. Because someone is ridiculous and illogical. Because someone is recusant to reason. Because someone doesn’t understand even basic rules of reasoned discourse. Because someone doesn’t have the ability to think in the abstract. Because someone isn’t here to learn about the Catholic faith.

So, lots of good reasons to put someone on ignore.

But because you’re not Catholic isn’t one of them.

 

[Sy_Noe]

Now, this! This is a paradigm that I absolutely espouse!

Find the Church that Jesus founded and then conform your views to this Church’s. That’s not church shopping.

NOT: shop around for a preacher who preaches what you want to hear (“You can continue to have sex outside of marriage because God doesn’t think it’s a sin!” “You can abort your baby if your boyfriend left you because God wants you to go on to college!” “You can use all the birth control you want because God never intended sex to make babies–it’s simply for your enjoyment!”) Hey, you say, “I want to join this church because the preacher preaches all the things that I already believe!”

Nope. That’s church shopping.

I still think though we may just have different ideas on what church shopping is. Church shopping to me doesn’t require that one seek out only that which they already believe. I believe it was Schaeffer who explained many people search for truth. That “people leave faiths that ring hollow to them and search for something more real, deeper, challenging, true”.

The catch as I see it though is some such as yourself believe only the CC today holds the keys to God’s revealed truth and they follow the CC. Others believe differently. There certainly are Protestants who believe they are part of Christ’s church. Unitarian Universalists can even be seeking truth. Though they may not believe any one refigion holds it all.

 

[schaeffer]

That was a rather weird reason to put someone on his ignore list.
’

What was really weird is that the forum and discussion were not about religions or faiths, but about recovery methods, so to “threaten” to ignore someone for something that was not critical to the issue…And the forum is for all people in recovery, not a forum for any particular program.

Some people don’t play nice with others.

His “game” is to pick out certain people challenge anything and everything they post, and always bring it around to “I’m more spiritual than you, so there!” I am not kidding, he actually says that!

So, truly, being put on HIS ignore list is like he’s threatening not to bug you and disrupt all your discussions. Does he think people are going to beg to be reinstated?

Ha ha, maybe someone should threaten to put him on THEIR ignore list until he stops misrepresenting Daoism

At the end of the day, anyone can pick any screen name and say anything they like eh?

I was just out watching Sunset, and praying and a large group of folks of another faith were saying their evening prayers. And no body was dissing no body!

A pretty wonderful moment and a lovely way to end the day.

 

[PRmerger]

I still think though we may just have different ideas on what church shopping is. Church shopping to me doesn’t require that one seek out only that which they already believe. I believe it was Schaeffer who explained many people search for truth. That “people leave faiths that ring hollow to them and search for something more, more real, deeper, challenging, true”.

Well, let’s agree here: anyone who is a seeker of truth ought to be commended.

We agree on that, yes?

And can we agree here: no one should search for a church that teaches everything that we believe on a personal level.

Yes, we can agree with that? That if God exists, and if God is Almighty, then He is going to make some demands on His Creatures that are not the same way that we view things.

Are we agreed on that?

 

[schaeffer]

I still think though we may just have different ideas on what church shopping is. Church shopping to me doesn’t require that one seek out only that which they already believe. I believe it was Schaeffer who explained many people search for truth. That “people leave faiths that ring hollow to them and search for something more real, deeper, challenging, true”.

The catch as I see it though is some such as yourself believe only the CC today holds the keys to God’s revealed truth and they follow the CC. Others believe differently. There certainly are Protestants who believe they are part of Christ’s church. Unitarian Universalists can even be seeking truth. Though they may not believe any one refigion holds it all.

Thank you, that is what I meant, but I figured if it wasn’t making sense the way I said it, I couldn’t think of any better words…so I was just leaving it.

There are many people who strive for truth and excellence and to be called to their best selves and highest purpose. They want their soul fed and stretched.

I’ve been blessed to know many such people in my life.

 

[Sy_Noe]

Well, let’s agree here: anyone who is a seeker of truth ought to be commended.

We agree on that, yes?

And can we agree here: no one should search for a church that teaches everything that we believe on a personal level.

Yes, we can agree with that? That if God exists, and if God is Almighty, then He is going to make some demands on His Creatures that are not the same way that we view things.

Are we agreed on that?

Regardless of the many different ways you wish to rephrase the same thing, I thought Frobert answered it well before you started ignoring him.

 

[Sy_Noe]

Thank you, that is what I meant, but I figured if it wasn’t making sense the way I said it, I couldn’t think of any better words…so I was just leaving it.

There are many people who strive for truth and excellence and to be called to their best selves and highest purpose. They want their soul fed and stretched.

I’ve been blessed to know many such people in my life.

You’re welcome but no problem. The way you said it made sense to me. Sometimes though it is just best to leave it.

 

[PRmerger]

Regardless of the many different ways you wish to rephrase the same thing, I thought Frobert answered it well before you started ignoring him.

I am not interested in what frobert thinks. I am interested in what you have to say, about where we agree, and as frobert did not address my questions that I asked you explicitly, could you please respond?

So…anyone who is a seeker of truth ought to be commended.

We agree on that, yes?

And can we agree here: no one should search for a church that teaches everything that we believe on a personal level.

Yes, we can agree with that? That if God exists, and if God is Almighty, then He is going to make some demands on His Creatures that are not the same way that we view things.

Are we agreed on that?

A simple yes or no to the agreed part would be great. And if it’s a no, perhaps a simple explication as to why you disagree with me.

Thanks.

 

[Indifferently]

Heathen, according to a particular dictionary, has two meanings:

1: an unconverted member of a people or nation that does not acknowledge the God of the Bible
2: an uncivilized or irreligious person

To which do you refer?

Jon

 

[JonNC]

Ok. Is it possible that Unitarians acknowledge the God of the Bible, even though you and I would consider that acknowledgement woefully lacking at best, flat wrong at worst?

It just seems to me “heathen” was a gross overstatement.

Jon

 

[frobert]

I am not interested in what frobert thinks. I am interested in what you have to say, about where we agree, and as frobert did not address my questions that I asked you explicitly, could you please respond?
Thanks.

PR seems to have the notion that it is ok for her to not respond to questions but it is disordered for someone else to not respond to what they think are foolish questions. I have noticed that she repeatedly prods and goads even when politely requested to shop.

 

[CHRISTINE77]

Sorry, I didn’t read this whole thread, but I believe that Unitarians are Deists and were from the beginning. That is why they are call Unitarians. Originally, all Unitarians were Christians who did not believe in the Holy Trinity of God (Father, Son, and Holy Ghost). Instead, they believed in the unity, or single aspect, of God.

Gradually, in America they were influenced by the Transcendentalist ideas of Emerson and Thoreau, to name a few, who emphasized intuition as the source of knowledge, and believed that that God is present in every individual and throughout the natural word.

Today Unitarian Universalism encompasses liberal Christians, Jews, Buddhists, humanists and followers of earth-centred spirituality (neo-pagans) within its ranks. I think it is a very New Age religion in its present form.

 

[Sy_Noe]

I am not interested in what frobert thinks. I am interested in what you have to say, about where we agree, and as frobert did not address my questions that I asked you explicitly, could you please respond?

So…anyone who is a seeker of truth ought to be commended.

We agree on that, yes?

And can we agree here: no one should search for a church that teaches everything that we believe on a personal level.

Yes, we can agree with that? That if God exists, and if God is Almighty, then He is going to make some demands on His Creatures that are not the same way that we view things.

Are we agreed on that?

A simple yes or no to the agreed part would be great. And if it’s a no, perhaps a simple explication as to why you disagree with me.

Thanks.

Frobert answered. In fact here’s what he said. “I will answer your question.” And he elaborated better than simply yes or no. He explained how one can believe all their religion teaches even if they don’t understand everything.

Yet when you get an answer someone does not understand everything their faith teaches but still believe it, you keep insisting they must disagree with something their faith teaches. Why on earth anyone would disagree with a teaching if they’ve found a faith community whose teachings they believe are true and of God is beyond me. As Frobert showed, one can believe even if they don’t understand why God has a certain view.

 

[PRmerger]

Frobert answered. In fact here’s what he said. “I will answer your question.” And he elaborated better than simply yes or no. He explained how one can believe all their religion teaches even if they don’t understand everything.

So you and I are agreed that people who seek truth are to be commended.

I still do not know your answer to my question as to whether we agree with this: no one should search for a church that teaches everything that we believe on a personal level.

Remember, if God exists, and if God is Almighty, then He is going to make some demands on His Creatures that are not the same way that we view things.

Yet when you get an answer someone does not understand everything their faith teaches but still believe it, you keep insisting they must disagree with something their faith teaches.

Can you show where you have given that answer and where I have stated that I don’t believe you?

Why on earth anyone would disagree with a teaching if they’ve found a faith community whose teachings they believe are true and of God is beyond me. As Frobert showed, one can believe even if they don’t understand why God has a certain view.

Excellent. So if you can show me where you explained which teaching you believe is true but you don’t really understand that your church teaches, that would be great!

 

[frobert]

Frobert answered. In fact here’s what he said. “I will answer your question.” And he elaborated better than simply yes or no. He explained how one can believe all their religion teaches even if they don’t understand everything.

Yet when you get an answer someone does not understand everything their faith teaches but still believe it, you keep insisting they must disagree with something their faith teaches. Why on earth anyone would disagree with a teaching if they’ve found a faith community whose teachings they believe are true and of God is beyond me. As Frobert showed, one can believe even if they don’t understand why God has a certain view.

Sy,

Thank you for referring to my posts in such a positive light. I believe I copied someone on here with my answer so feel free to copy it yourself.

One quick suggestion, stay focused on the what you posted and don’t let anyone goad you into saying anything beyond that.

 

[frobert]

So you and I are agreed that people who seek truth are to be commended.

I still do not know your answer to my question as to whether we agree with this: no one should search for a church that teaches everything that we believe on a personal level.

Remember, if God exists, and if God is Almighty, then He is going to make some demands on His Creatures that are not the same way that we view things.

Can you show where you have given that answer and where I have stated that I don’t believe you?

Excellent. So if you can show me where you explained which teaching you believe is true but you don’t really understand that your church teaches, that would be great!

Why do you keep prodding and goading? If the poster wants to answer he/she will. You reserve the privilege for yourself but not for others.

 

[Sy_Noe]

So you and I are agreed that people who seek truth are to be commended.

I still do not know your answer to my question as to whether we agree with this: no one should search for a church that teaches everything that we believe on a personal level.

Remember, if God exists, and if God is Almighty, then He is going to make some demands on His Creatures that are not the same way that we view things.

Can you show where you have given that answer and where I have stated that I don’t believe you?

Excellent. So if you can show me where you explained which teaching you believe is true but you don’t really understand that your church teaches, that would be great!

I’m not sure anyone is searching for everything they personally believe. It sounds to me people seek truth and at some point along their journeys they come to believe they have found more of it in their faith community just as you believe you have found it in yours. What I can show you is where at least 2 others have told you they don’t understand everything their faith teaches but they still believe everything. IOW the things they don’t understand they conform to. Exactly what you want them to do. Yet you appear not to believe them. I personally am still seeking the truth and don’t have a home church at the moment. Though yes I sometimes worship in yours But I’m continuing to work on it.

 

[PRmerger]

I’m not sure anyone is searching for everything they personally believe. It sounds to me people seek truth and at some point along their journeys they come to believe they have found more of it in their faith community just as you believe you have found it in yours.

I don’t have a problem with that paradigm.

What I can show you is where at least 2 others have told you they don’t understand everything their faith teaches but they still believe everything

Can you show these to me, please?

Yet you appear not to believe them.

And this, too. Where did I respond to their posts in a manner that implied I did not believe them?

I personally am still seeking the truth and don’t have a home church at the moment.

As long as you don’t look for a church that conforms to all of your own beliefs, but you do some research to find: what is the Church that Christ established? What does this Church teach? And now I will use my logic and reason to try to conform to all that this Church, Christ’s Body, teaches.