Christianity QA

Question:

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Remain in your own faith with these conflicts unreconciled. Or some other option. Well Sunny, as you well know, I took the option of examining my Christian faith, and it crumbled to pieces under the magnifiying glass! If this fellow should do the same, he will likely find the experience humbling, but well worth it for the truth he finds. We all have our own journey to make, Bill The blessing is in remembering that there are places to stop and be refreshed, but that the journey doesn’t end.  It is only in stopping and trying to hold onto one place that we lose the path. Sunny who’s feeling all poetic and eastern and stuff

   Yep, and that journey is slightly different for each of us.     I think Jelly Bean’s posts are starting to rub off onto you…that’s great, I love it! Shalom, Bill – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – People demand freedom of speech as a compensation for the freedom of thought which they seldom use. Soren Kierkegaard

Response:

I am involved in an on-going religious debate with a co-worker, and now need some help.  For starters, he is Catholic and I…well, I grew up Weslyan, but do not consider myself to be a Weslyan now.  Lets just go with Christian Fundamentalist.  (as non PC as that is these days) He was recently very surprised to learn of my belief that you can only get to Heaven through Jesus Christ.  He called this view radical, extremist, and elitist.  Here is what I need help with.  (I am ashamed that I did not have answers readily available.  I think this means I need to read my Bible more.) 1) As I am not very well versed in Catholocism, I may be wrong, but… Does not the Catholic doctrine state that only Catholics are going to Heaven?  Something about being Baptised Catholic? 2) How many branches of Christianity beleive that the only path to heaven is through Jesus Christ? 3) How do I account for those who have never had the chance to hear the Word of God or hear the name Jesus Christ?  I do not beleive that God created anyone with no choice but to go to Hell. Thanks in advance, JD

Response:

I am involved in an on-going religious debate with a co-worker, and now need some help.  For starters, he is Catholic and I…well, I grew up Weslyan, but do not consider myself to be a Weslyan now.  Lets just go with Christian Fundamentalist.  (as non PC as that is these days) He was recently very surprised to learn of my belief that you can only get to Heaven through Jesus Christ.  He called this view radical, extremist, and elitist.  Here is what I need help with.  (I am ashamed that I did not have answers readily available.  I think this means I need to read my Bible more.)

It might mean that you need to clarify what you mean when you say "only get to heaven through Jesus Christ."  That’s not a poke, but a serious question, because when you compare these two statements of belief: You can only get to heaven through Jesus Christ I do not believe God created anyone with no choice but to go to hell, When you factor in those who haven’t ever been exposed to Christianity, those two statements need some thought to be reconciled. 1) As I am not very well versed in Catholocism, I may be wrong, but… Does not the Catholic doctrine state that only Catholics are going to Heaven?  Something about being Baptised Catholic?

Hard to tell.  Seriously.   2) How many branches of Christianity beleive that the only path to heaven is through Jesus Christ?

I have no idea, but I assume most of them. 3) How do I account for those who have never had the chance to hear the Word of God or hear the name Jesus Christ?  I do not beleive that God created anyone with no choice but to go to Hell.

You can either: Go Calvinist, and assume that God made some people just for the fun of watching them burn in hell Move to a more liberal theology, which allows for reading less as hard fact and more as allegory Remain in your own faith with these conflicts unreconciled. Or some other option. Thanks in advance,

Have fun.  It’s nice that you’re talking.  You may both end up learning something. Sunny People demand freedom of speech as a compensation for the freedom of thought which they seldom use. Soren Kierkegaard

Response:

Remain in your own faith with these conflicts unreconciled. Or some other option.

Well Sunny, as you well know, I took the option of examining my Christian faith, and it crumbled to pieces under the magnifiying glass! If this fellow should do the same, he will likely find the experience humbling, but well worth it for the truth he finds. Shalom, Bill – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – I am involved in an on-going religious debate with a co-worker, and now need some help.  For starters, he is Catholic and I…well, I grew up Weslyan, but do not consider myself to be a Weslyan now.  Lets just go with Christian Fundamentalist.  (as non PC as that is these days) He was recently very surprised to learn of my belief that you can only get to Heaven through Jesus Christ.  He called this view radical, extremist, and elitist.  Here is what I need help with.  (I am ashamed that I did not have answers readily available.  I think this means I need to read my Bible more.) It might mean that you need to clarify what you mean when you say "only get to heaven through Jesus Christ."  That’s not a poke, but a serious question, because when you compare these two statements of belief: You can only get to heaven through Jesus Christ I do not believe God created anyone with no choice but to go to hell, When you factor in those who haven’t ever been exposed to Christianity, those two statements need some thought to be reconciled. 1) As I am not very well versed in Catholocism, I may be wrong, but… Does not the Catholic doctrine state that only Catholics are going to Heaven?  Something about being Baptised Catholic? Hard to tell.  Seriously. 2) How many branches of Christianity beleive that the only path to heaven is through Jesus Christ? I have no idea, but I assume most of them. 3) How do I account for those who have never had the chance to hear the Word of God or hear the name Jesus Christ?  I do not beleive that God created anyone with no choice but to go to Hell. You can either: Go Calvinist, and assume that God made some people just for the fun of watching them burn in hell Move to a more liberal theology, which allows for reading less as hard fact and more as allegory Remain in your own faith with these conflicts unreconciled. Or some other option. Thanks in advance, Have fun.  It’s nice that you’re talking.  You may both end up learning something. Sunny People demand freedom of speech as a compensation for the freedom of thought which they seldom use. Soren Kierkegaard

Response:

Remain in your own faith with these conflicts unreconciled. Or some other option. Well Sunny, as you well know, I took the option of examining my Christian faith, and it crumbled to pieces under the magnifiying glass! If this fellow should do the same, he will likely find the experience humbling, but well worth it for the truth he finds.

We all have our own journey to make, Bill The blessing is in remembering that there are places to stop and be refreshed, but that the journey doesn’t end.  It is only in stopping and trying to hold onto one place that we lose the path. Sunny who’s feeling all poetic and eastern and stuff People demand freedom of speech as a compensation for the freedom of thought which they seldom use. Soren Kierkegaard

Response:

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