Was Jesus God?

Quote: FrGamble

Isn't it clear that the concept of God in Judaism, Christianity, and Islam is different?

That's not much of an answer, because you know
it's anything but clear. The teachings of Abraham
is the basis for all three religions, and Yahweh is
the god of Abraham. What's clear as glass is the
god all three religions pray to is Yahweh.

You said yourself god hasn't changed. So the
guy who blows up a bus claims he gets his
orders from the same god that turns your
wafers into human flesh. What's obvious
to an outsider is, it's all made up nonsense.
Self deluded people trying to make their
boring lives more exciting by making themselves
the center of some gods universe.

Quote: FrGamble

1) The Eastern Church is the same thing as the Western Church for over 1,000 years.

So a big split is your definition of "unchanged." Good to know.

Quote:

2) Egypt is a very different country today than it was 1,000 years ago much less even further back.

Are you willing to swear to God that the Church is exactly the same as it was 2,000 years ago?

Quote: boymimbo

Even Jesus himself was the descendant of some pretty horrible people.

Wait, I thought he was his own son and Mary merely carried him. If not, then are these horrible people on his side or his mother's/lover's side of the family?

Quote: Evenbob

The teachings of Abraham
is the basis for all three religions, and Yahweh is
the god of Abraham. What's clear as glass is the
god all three religions pray to is Yahweh.

I explained this to my Christian brother in law
today and he was amazed that he never
thought about it before. He's never heard it
discussed in Church or anywhere else. 'Food
for thought' he ended up saying.

He'll mention it to a few other Christians and
they'll tell him it's not true and he shouldn't
even be thinking about it. He'll shrug and forget
it, that's the Christian way. Thinking for yourself
is verboten.

We discussed this in our church 5 weeks ago in a sermon that discussed commonalities and differences between Islam and Christianity. All Christians recognize the similarities and differences between Jews and Christians.

Jesus supercedes the law according to Abraham by offering Himself for everlasting life for those who believe in Him.

Islam recognizes the first five books of the OT, the Psalms and the GOSPELS as the Word of God (though they believe there have been additions and subtractions to them). Mohammed is a "correction".

No thinking for oneself is necessary.

Quote: boymimbo

No thinking for oneself is necessary.

LOL! Thank you, an honest Christian at last.
All the thinking has been done for you,
all you have to do is relax and keep tithing.

Ha. I've always been honest. I think about what I read in the Bible all of the time and put it into context of non-believers. I absolutely understand how Christians come to their beliefs and the mindset that we have to support our belief in God.

Relax? No. Keep tithing? As long as church remains transparent on its spending, sure.

Quote: boymimbo

I absolutely understand how Christians come to their beliefs and the mindset that we have to support our belief in God.

95% of Christians are raised that way
and never question it. The one's who
are converted are the people I don't
understand. The story of Jesus is not
unique. Everything he was and supposedly
did was told in myths about other men
long before he was born. Why someone
would latch onto the Jesus myth and
run their lives with it bothers me. I always
think something is wrong with them,
I would never do that to myself. Like my
ex priest friend says, it eventually became
embarrassing to him that he was a priest
and he had to get out. He came to realize
the religion was a scam.

Quote: Evenbob

He'll shrug and forget
it, that's the Christian way. Thinking for yourself
is verboten.

It's easier that way. For most people the need to be accepted by a group is overwhelming. Herd mentality.

To help you understand the differences in the Abrahamic religions it might be helpful for you to read the prophecy in Chapter 16 of Genesis. In verses 11-12 the Lord's messenger says to Hagar Abraham's maidservant who is the mother of his first son, Ishmael the following: "You are now pregnant and shall bear a son; you shall name him Ishmael, For the Lord has heard you, God has answered you. He shall be a wild ass of a man, his hand against everyone, and everyone's hand against him; In opposition to all his kin shall he encamp." As Muslims take Ishmael as their Patriarch it seems pretty clear that this prophecy is fulfilled.

To help you understand the uniqueness of Jesus you have to see the Gospel as the ultimate fulfillment of the greatest hopes of humanity. That the true God would fully become one with us and that He would show the depths of His love by sharing in human life, modeling for us how to live, and then in willingly laying down His life for our eternal salvation. I think the reason people latch onto the story and why all great stories are in some ways a reflection of the one story of Christ is that it is about a hero who humbles Himself, sacrifices for others, and gives everything He has to show us a way of love, peace, and happiness. He shows us that love ultimately wins over violence, sin, and even death itself. It is truly the greatest story ever told. There is no other major religion where God is on the bus like one of us. Where God is as close to us as a personal friend who loves us more than we can imagine no matter what our faults, failings, reputation, or sufferings might be. A God who we don't have to impress to earn His love, but it is given as a free gift that cannot be lost. There is no other more historical religion than Christianity where through archeology and established history you can trace from the lives of Jesus through His earliest followers to today. No religion has made more of any impact on the world and how we all live our lives. I know that some people leave the priesthood or lose their faith, but I think there needs to be something wrong with you to be embarrassed by that time in your life. As the largest charitable organization in the world one would have to be really perverted by hate to call the religion as scam.