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The Forum > Article Comments > So, where are all these Christians? > Comments

So, where are all these Christians? : Comments

By Peter Grimley, published 21/10/2008

There is a wealth of wisdom in the Gospels, if you just ignore the stuff about gods and angels, heaven, hell and demons.

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Dear Paulr;

As I said earlier: I don't claim to be an expert - but I am certain that the scripture is packed with mysteries - metaphors that are are not to be taken literally. They key is knowing when to take literally - and when to seek out the meaning of the mystery.

Take the following: I sometimes wonder myself whether or not 'walking on water' - referred perhaps to faith, and to what the Greeks called the 'element' of water...which some see as refering to the unconscious mind...

Because understanding is so important - I believe it really is right - that if there are authorities on these mysteries - then the truth should be shared...

If there is to be an afterlife, for instance, of what shall such a life comprise? I admit - the prospect of a purely unconscious afterlife worries me a little...There is a passage in the Bible where Jesus 'opens the minds' of his disciples to the true meaning of the scripture...Now - I wish I knew as much.

And a postscript - the moon is associated with 'the eye of the needle' - and in Psalms God is referred to as a 'sun and a shield'...What is the true meaning of this? Again - I don't know for sure - but have hope in the saying 'seek and you shall find'.

Finally - Palulr - thanks for alterting me the the different Rabbincal tendencies - as I said - I'm no expert
Posted by Tristan Ewins, Friday, 24 October 2008 9:46:36 AM
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Some awe-full symbolism there, Tristan.

Yet another interpretation is that the stormy sea symbolises chaos; Jesus is the one who brings peace amidst chaos.

Another more political interpretation is that Jesus' walking on the water symbolises that he, not the Romans, control the Sea of Galilee. (The Romans had set up a government fishing industry on the lake which wreaked havoc on the local economy and caused much resentment).
Posted by paulr, Friday, 24 October 2008 6:06:20 PM
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Upon reading this post I see a bunch of people who have no idea about what a christian is . First and formost christianity is not a democracy it is a theocracy and what we think and say has no revelence . Second christianity is not a religion ,a philosophy or a learned behaviour . Thirdly christianity is a relationship with our heavenly Father through faith in the finished works of his son Jesus who came down from heaven to make the way open for man to again have fellowship with his heavenly father as Adam had before the fall. Peter put it very simply ,repent or turn around , believe in the Lord Jesus , the Christ the anointed one and be baptised for forgiveness of sin and you will recieve Gods free gift of the Holy Spirit and when that happenes you are a child of God through the rebirth experience . Then and only then are you given His NAME Christ - ian . You get your name from your father . If you live in a hen house and eat chook feed and are taught that you are a chook it does not make it true . If everyone believes their parents where monkeys and are taught that it does not make it true . If you truely Want to be a christian you have to do it Gods way and give up any brownie points you have on yourself. If you have a problem with this word take it up with God for its his word not mine I am only the messenger .
Posted by Richie 10, Sunday, 26 October 2008 10:19:48 AM
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Richie 10, 1st things first. Why weren't you in Church at the time you wrote this post!! Or were you in Church and just a bit bored up the back so you pulled out your LapTop to kill some time.

OK, sorry for the nit picking but you do come across as a bit of a "black and white" messenger of the Lord don't you? Very little room for shades of grey in your world.

How do you reconcile your absolutism with (say) the world of Islam, the average Hindu or some of the myriad of other religious "faiths" we sceptics have to keep up with?

What is a "Christian" anyway? Someone who "believes" or someone who "walks the walk" - e.g. embraces poverty, helps the needy, rejects Church-based wealth as a fraud on the flock etc., etc.

Why not take the value from the allegory that flows from the Tales of Christ and do something useful?

Persisting with a faith that insists upon absolute subjugation to a faceless Deity makes it very difficult to distinguish your type from the extremists we are repeatedly told by so-called Christians we must resist.

Maintain the scepticism people!
Posted by tebbutt, Monday, 27 October 2008 9:56:55 AM
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"Obviously, atheists would choose to disregard the first rule entirely,"

But the first rule isn't in the least bit "supernatural". It is simply a metaphor for absolute integrity. to love the lord thy god with all thy heart and all thy mind and all thy body is simply to live in a state of complete integrity. One who has complete integrity finds it easy to treat his neighbour as himself. understanding what one does and doesn't like at a fundamental level is the same as knowing what everyone does and doesn't like at a fundamental level.

We all know we wouldn't like to be killed for example, therefore we also know everyone else...

The first rule is a solicitation to attain integrity in your thoughts, feelings and actions. What's so supernatural about that?
Posted by K£vin, Monday, 27 October 2008 12:04:38 PM
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This tale goes about a group of respectable families picnicking down Albany way on the edge of a high cliff near deep water.

The rumour was that it was a churchy group, who should have known better than let the young person fall in.

It seemed that none of the group knew what to do in time and it took one who happened to be the worst young district ratbag - who ripped a spare tyre off the back of a car, and then dived in.

Story told in a local pub was mostly what the rescuer yelled out as he followed the tyre -

What's the matter with you selfish lot of bastards, thought you were supposed to love your neighbour.

Off course, being pub talk, was probably stretched a bit?
Posted by bushbred, Monday, 27 October 2008 3:35:35 PM
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