Zone1 What makes Christianity different from other religions?

[hobelim]

I will answer that if you give a straight answer as to whether or not "God" inspired all of the Old Testament (as Paul said), that the laws in there were all given by God, including slavery, that the laws were to NEVER be abolished until heaven and earth passes away, and if your Jesus is also God.

I find it interesting the cherry-picking that goes on among alleged Christians who say the OT laws were only for that time period, when nowhere does it say that and Jesus himself said they would never pass, and try to use some guy named Paul, who CLAIMED a vision, never met Jesus and then says the "LAW" dies on the cross when Jesus never said any such thing.

You are famous for ignoring the OT as if the slavery passages are not there, that homosexuals are abomination is not there and trying to say that Jesus (God) said we can all forget about those nasty laws now when he (allegedly) said he was here to FULFILL (obey) those laws.
Click to expand...

Well said!

The only way that I have found that resolves those contradictions is, by saying "eat my flesh", a direct reference to kosher law, Jesus was teaching that the words used in the Law were not to be taken literally by the intelligent. God spoke through all of the prophets using figurative language, metaphors, allegory, homonyms, hyperbole, etc., so why would God express himself in another way when giving the law through Moses, a prophet?

So what became obsolete after this revelation of Jesus was the wrong way to interpret and comply with the Law, not the Law itself, which was lost to time for 1000 years after the death of Moses who said, "After my death you will turn aside from THE WAY I taught to follow the law and take to degrading practices and become utterly corrupted by the work of your hands", which I see as taking the law literally, building a temple, the sanctuary of God, which cannot be made by human hands anymore than Divine providence can be made by human hands.

The animals in kosher law whether clean or unclean represent human archetypes. People have been comparing other people to creatures in nature to either praise or insult in every language ever since people could talk.

This instruction will never become obsolete for as long as there are people on earth. If you fill your mind with the vile and loathsome flesh (teaching) of unclean creatures that do not ruminate, and "just believe" without thinking rationally, you will surely die, lose your soul, your mind, and become an unclean creature that cannot ruminate.

Genesis, was written to teach children just freed from Egyptian "slavery" (being brainwashed) as a warning about losing your mind and freedom for life by being "possessed" by a devil, a brazen con artist, like any narcissist.

The word for serpent in Hebrew, nachash, is a noun and adjective meaning snake, brazen, shiny one, or someone who practices divination, the magical arts, sorcery, what is now well known as brainwashing or mind control.

The story of A&E may be a fairy tale but millions of people "beguiled", possessed by a devil, hoodwinked by trump, is no fairy tale. Reality is by far more bizarre and unbelievable than any fairy tale ever written or imagined.

Its happening right now, live and in living color, in front of billions of eyes whatever they believe or don't believe.

 

[hobelim]

We dont live today by 3000 year old Jewish civil law in Leviticus.

How many of you are there?

 

[Paradoxical#1]

We dont live today by 3000 year old Jewish civil law in Leviticus.

Why not. Where did Jesus ever say the law was no longer?

 

[Paradoxical#1]

Well said!

The only way that I have found that resolves those contradictions is, by saying "eat my flesh", a direct reference to kosher law, Jesus was teaching that the words used in the Law were not to be taken literally by the intelligent. God spoke through all of the prophets using figurative language, metaphors, allegory, homonyms, hyperbole, etc., so why would God express himself in another way when giving the law through Moses, a prophet?

So what became obsolete after this revelation of Jesus was the wrong way to interpret and comply with the Law, not the Law itself, which was lost to time for 1000 years after the death of Moses who said, "After my death you will turn aside from THE WAY I taught to follow the law and take to degrading practices and become utterly corrupted by the work of your hands", which I see as taking the law literally, building a temple, the sanctuary of God, which cannot be made by human hands anymore than Divine providence can be made by human hands.

The animals in kosher law whether clean or unclean represent human archetypes. People have been comparing other people to creatures in nature to either praise or insult in every language ever since people could talk.

This instruction will never become obsolete for as long as there are people on earth. If you fill your mind with the vile and loathsome flesh (teaching) of unclean creatures that do not ruminate, and "just believe" without thinking rationally, you will surely die, lose your soul, your mind, and become an unclean creature that cannot ruminate.

Genesis, was written to teach children just freed from Egyptian "slavery" (being brainwashed) as a warning about losing your mind and freedom for life by being "possessed" by a devil, a brazen con artist, like any narcissist.

The word for serpent in Hebrew, nachash, is a noun and adjective meaning snake, brazen, shiny one, or someone who practices divination, the magical arts, sorcery, what is now well known as brainwashing or mind control.

The story of A&E may be a fairy tale but millions of people "beguiled", possessed by a devil, hoodwinked by trump, is no fairy tale. Reality is by far more bizarre and unbelievable than any fairy tale ever written or imagined.

Its happening right now, live and in living color, in front of billions of eyes whatever they believe or don't believe.

When you get right down to it, we could all be living in a simulation. When one imagines an eternity of glorifying god, of what purpose would that serve him or you? A million years of that? Seriously? I like Spinoza's take which cannot be refuted, which is that we are all part of the whole and god IS the universe, everywhere and anywhere. In the trees, the ocean, the stars, and we are there also.

 

[ding]

I will answer that if you give a straight answer as to whether or not "God" inspired all of the Old Testament (as Paul said), that the laws in there were all given by God, including slavery, that the laws were to NEVER be abolished until heaven and earth passes away, and if your Jesus is also God.

I find it interesting the cherry-picking that goes on among alleged Christians who say the OT laws were only for that time period, when nowhere does it say that and Jesus himself said they would never pass, and try to use some guy named Paul, who CLAIMED a vision, never met Jesus and then says the "LAW" dies on the cross when Jesus never said any such thing.

You are famous for ignoring the OT as if the slavery passages are not there, that homosexuals are abomination is not there and trying to say that Jesus (God) said we can all forget about those nasty laws now when he (allegedly) said he was here to FULFILL (obey) those laws.

Inspired doesn’t mean written or no embellishment or no allegory.

Your turn. Other than a massive conspiracy, How else do you explain the NT?

 

[Hafar1014]

Inspired doesn’t mean written or no embellishment.

Your turn.

Christianity uses threats sin and hell to manipulate people into following it. What saved them are the Jewish commandments. Other than that its a religions that follows polytheism idolatry and nonsense.

 

[ding]

Christianity uses threats sin and hell to manipulate people into following it. What saved them are the Jewish commandments. Other than that its a religions that follows polytheism idolatry and nonsense.

Don’t be a Christian. Problem solved.

 

[ding]

When you get right down to it, we could all be living in a simulation. When one imagines an eternity of glorifying god, of what purpose would that serve him or you? A million years of that? Seriously? I like Spinoza's take which cannot be refuted, which is that we are all part of the whole and god IS the universe, everywhere and anywhere. In the trees, the ocean, the stars, and we are there also.

And that simulation would have a creator, right?

 

[Paradoxical#1]

Inspired doesn’t mean written or no embellishment or no allegory.

Your turn. Other than a massive conspiracy, How else do you explain the NT?

IOW. Inspired means much of what was written is puffery, exaggeration, fake news like CNN?

What of the NT are you struggling with that I can help you by explaining it?

 

[Paradoxical#1]

And that simulation would have a creator, right?

No one knows for sure. But, it was Hitchens who got tired of this first cause argument as I am and bellowed at the shocked William Lane Craig, "Even if you can make a case for an intelligence or intelligent being or entity must have created everything, you have your entire life ahead of you proving that your Christian God was the one."

What mystifies me is that people who have your same belief system that it is impossible for something to come from nothing, unashamedly claim that their imagined god concept is an exception because he/she always was. But the universe? Oh, no, THAT needed a creator.

 

[hobelim]

When you get right down to it, we could all be living in a simulation.

Everyone who maintains 'beliefs' that are contradicted by reality, proven and well known facts about science biology astronomy, literary devices, etc., is living in a simulation within their brain dictated by what is going on in their minds.

Everything a person sees hears thinks feels dreams about or imagines is perceived in the brain. If a persons brain is filled with delusional beliefs that inspire vile and degrading practices their experience of life will surely suck.

When one imagines an eternity of glorifying god, of what purpose would that serve him or you? A million years of that? Seriously? I like Spinoza's take which cannot be refuted, which is that we are all part of the whole and god IS the universe, everywhere and anywhere. In the trees, the ocean, the stars, and we are there also.

I would say that God who must be incorporeal to be God is present everywhere in the universe but is not and cannot be the universe in the same way that the consciousness of a person is present and aware of everything everywhere in the body but is not the physical body. A persons mind is the only thing in man that is incorporeal.

This is the true subject of kosher law. To differentiate between clean or unclean teaching of people who by their attributes resemble every sort of creature in nature to stand guard over the sanctity of ones own mind to avoid going insane or falling victim to the mind control tactics of talking serpents who try to beguile people for cash.

 

[hobelim]

Your turn. Other than a massive conspiracy, How else do you explain the NT?

Easy. You must have forgotten to include in your speculations that to Jesus, his disciples, his many followers, (his many enemies), and the unknown authors of Gospels who witnessed the complete destruction of Judea, the Temple, their way of life, and the unrelenting persecution, enslavement, exile, and ruthless slaughter of hundreds of thousands of innocent Jewish men women and children "the nations" (of the Roman empire) were the enemy.

The Gospels were the first century equivalent of the nuclear option.

Would you like to see how the Gospels OPENLY confirm this fact? Yes? All you have to do is call me Sir, and ask.

 

[Paradoxical#1]

It basically took Judaism and stripped it down mainly to the "fun, optimistic stuff without the inconvenient sacrifices". It also broke one of the key Commandments in the process, to not engage in idolatry (worshipping Jesus).

This isn't to denigrate Christianity at all, it's just the reality of it. It is a loving religion, sometimes to a fault (as I experienced when I kept turning the other cheek) which follows a practitioner of Judaism except he altered it, which ensured that it was no longer Judaism. This is also what makes it different, it's progressive and diverting from its origins.

The acts are what are lacking and it's clear in Canada in particular, less so in the U.S where you have pockets of righteous people of faith.

You can't say for instance, "I'm a Christian" but then push for capital punishment. This is particularly egregious to Jews and Catholics. You cannot say "I'm a Christian" but then turn your back of civil duty and love of fellow man, charity etc.

Acts over thoughts are critical and it's often where Christians and Catholics fall short.

It's a big reason there are many protests in Israel. They want their hostages back and they also want Israels reputation back. They want to defend their reputation as a loving, tolerant, Jewish state that is supposed to bring the light to the world. You'd be amazed at how many Jews convert to Buddhism, they want the spirituality (like Christians) without the effort.

Christianity is different in that it sidesteps some of these critical acts for easier effort. You can convert to Christianity in an instance as long as you firmly believe in Christs teaching. Islam is similar as I understand it. Judaism requires great effort and commitment. It must be your destiny more than a simple conscience decision, it has to be G-ds decision for you. Christians are different, you choose when to convert.

If Israel loses it's Judaism it will be no more significant to the world than if Saudi Arabia lost its Islam or how so many of the West are losing it's Christianity based on Judeo-Christian doctrine.

You don't need state ordered religious laws, everyone can worship as they please. You do need to the spirit of the faith though. The spirit of your nations faith will guide your principles and they are a challenge in a society driven by short attention spans and lack of depth in thought.

I am late on this reply, but you are right. There is not one Christian who can answer how and why it no longer has to follow the 613 laws, since Jesus himself was a Jewish Rabbi and that the law would NEVER perish until heaven and earth did. Try as they might try to twist what Jesus said into a pretzel, they cannot. All they can do is quote what some dork claimed to be a vision who never met Jesus and wanted to start a kinder, gentler god belief because the God of the OT was a bloodthirsty maniacal madman.

There's a group called Jewish Roots who adopted this premise that I knew of since childhood, and they claim they follow Jesus, not Paul. They observe all of the Jewish customs. I doubt the Jews want or appreciate them, because of course they want to think the Jews are special and chosen.

 

[Hawkins]

There is not one Christian who can answer how and why it no longer has to follow the 613 laws

What? That has been answered long ago, so have been all your other questions.

A covenant covers only a specific group of humans. Moreover, a covenant always accomodates or overlaps with a previous covenant. Gentiles don't observe the 613 laws, as they are part of the Mosaic Covenant which only covers the Jews after Moses.

Basically it works like this,
The covenant covers all humans after Noah, then the scope of coverage branches out. The Jews received independent covenants which only cover the Jews. The came the New Covenant which again covers all mankind.

The Jews;
Covenant of Rainbow, conscience will be used as the judgment standard.
To the Jews, faith then was introduced till Moses (this covers the Jews from Abramham till Moses, not detailed though in the Bible as the covenant details may not help the situation of humanity as a whole)
Then came the Mosaic Covenant, with a coverage of Jews from Moses and after. Now the Jews need to 1) act in accordance to self-conscience (covenant of Rainbow), and 2) observe the 613 laws (Mosaic covenant).
Then came the New Covenant, with a coverage of both the Jews and gentiles. Now the Jews need to 1) act on self-conscience, 2) observe 613 laws, and 3) believe in Jesus.

Gentiles;
They need to 1) act on conscience (covenant of Rainbow), 2) believe in Jesus (New Covenant).

Gentile Christians don't need to observe the 613 laws, because they are not in the New Covenant as laws. Some of these laws re-appear as Christ commandments though. Such as,

Matthew 22:37-39
Jesus replied: "'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.'
This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.'

Matthew 19:18-19
"Which ones?" the man inquired. Jesus replied, "'Do not murder, do not commit adultery, do not steal, do not give false testimony, honor your father and mother,' and 'love your neighbor as yourself.'"

Because Jesus said so that those commandments can also be found in the New Covenant, they are no longer enforced as laws though. It says a commandment can be enforced as a law, or simply a teaching without the law effect. It's still a commandment from Jesus that Christians shall follow, but it's no longer law it means we can violate but repent and forgivable. When it's implemented as a law, then it means if you once violate you are dead.

Please also notice that Sabbath is intendedly omitted. It means Sabbath is no longer part of the New Covenant (however Jews still need to observe as explained above, that is, 1) act on self-conscience, 2) observe 613 laws, and 3) believe in Jesus). Jesus is the Lord of Sabbath means Jesus didn't break the law of Sabbath. Because no other human knows more legislatively what the legal term "Sabbath" is. Only Jesus as Lord can have the authority of integretation. Keeping Sabbath won't supersede the action of life-saving (soul saving is even more crucial).

The slavery question is also answered (this is a bit complicated), so is the OT God killing (this is simple). Humans lack the ability to answer simple questions (such as why the OT God kills), simply because...it is prophesied; the god of this world has blinded the minds of humans (so that they can't even figure out simple answers to simple questions).

Do yourself a serious review, your "not one Christian who can answer" remark is a joke!

 

[Hawkins]

Granted, not all "Christians" may agree as many try to still earn their salvation.

It's actually very easy to tell the fundamental difference between Christianity and all other religions. However, humans are blinded to reckon simple truth like this, just as said.

2 Corinthians 4:4
In their case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.

The first and foremost is that, human have completely missed the big picture of what planet earth is. They do their reasoning based on wrong assumptions, which makes their reasoning a joke!

Here's the big picture,
The Final Heaven is about how the high intelligence angels (their existence is to participate in God's various creations, that's why they are created with high intelligence and high abilities) interacting with the low (yes, very low in comparing with that of the angels) intelligence humans. Eden is so modeled that even within God's own dwelling realm that humans (Adam and Eve) are utterly beaten by angels (the crafty snake).

Earth is the same platform modeling the Final Heaven, it's also designed for the same interaction to occur. It's in the same situation where humans are utterly defeated and completely captive under Law. The difference is that this time humans will beat the angels through Faith, such that the Final Heaven is built with both angels and humans living in. Thanks to Jesus and God. Without Jesus then, the utterly defeated humans shall be fully destroyed together with planet earth (by the Flood of Noah).

Earth is literally a hell (more precisely a wilderness, as God is where His sheep are, God hasn't yet fully withdrawn His influence), where Satan is referred to as "the god of this world". Wherever God has His influence withdrawn, such as the so-called permanent separation, the most evil and the most powerful figure will naturally and eventually rule, whose name happens to be Satan. Earth is not yet fully hell, not yet fully separated from
God simply because God still has a job to do, which is to save His sheep (falling victim in the wilderness and captive).

Earth is always with the overwhelming influence from the fallen angels, they have all the intelligence and ability to hammer our morality, especially by means of our society cultures (the guy asking question is partly right, he doesn't know what is behind the scene though). One has to dig deep inside ourselves to recover/regain our conscience which is the objective one. The simplest to get rid of this mess, where humans lost their sense of the objective conscience especially with cultural influences, is to accept the New Covenant and turn to Christ. That's the ultimate solution, unless you insist on fighting the fallen angels with might and intelligence (instead of Faith). That is to say, use your Faith instead of might/intelligence to deal with the crafty snake, or else it's a fight humans stand no chance to win!

 

[Hafar1014]

Don’t be a Christian. Problem solved.

IM not no problem at all

 

[Hawkins]

It's actually very easy to tell the fundamental difference between Christianity and all other religions

This involves the details on how the devil tactically used to blind humans from knowing the true nature of religion. There is one case worth of analysis. If you can truly analyze this case in full, it's not difficult for you to proceed to the next step of reckoning the truth behind religions. The devil did is to blind you from reckoning the fundamental methodology employed, on a daily basis, by humans in conveying truth. Humans are using this methodology all the times but without actually reckoning it.

Isaiah 6:9
'Be ever hearing, but never understanding; be ever seeing, but never perceiving.'

Case study:
In the US 2020 election, is it Biden who won the majority vote or is it Trump?

All humans know obviously that one out of the two must be a lie. They however lack the ability to tell which is which. That's why some of them were driven nuts and rushed into the US Capitol with a gun. Sane humans will not do that if they can actually tell the lie from the truth in this case. What actually hindered them from reckoning a truth while knowing for certain that the other must be a lie?

You are very close to unfolding what blinded you if you can get this case resolved!

 

[Paradoxical#1]

What? That has been answered long ago, so have been all your other questions.

A covenant covers only a specific group of humans. Moreover, a covenant always accomodates or overlaps with a previous covenant. Gentiles don't observe the 613 laws, as they are part of the Mosaic Covenant which only covers the Jews after Moses.

Basically it works like this,
The covenant covers all humans after Noah, then the scope of coverage branches out. The Jews received independent covenants which only cover the Jews. The came the New Covenant which again covers all mankind.

The Jews;
Covenant of Rainbow, conscience will be used as the judgment standard.
To the Jews, faith then was introduced till Moses (this covers the Jews from Abramham till Moses, not detailed though in the Bible as the covenant details may not help the situation of humanity as a whole)
Then came the Mosaic Covenant, with a coverage of Jews from Moses and after. Now the Jews need to 1) act in accordance to self-conscience (covenant of Rainbow), and 2) observe the 613 laws (Mosaic covenant).
Then came the New Covenant, with a coverage of both the Jews and gentiles. Now the Jews need to 1) act on self-conscience, 2) observe 613 laws, and 3) believe in Jesus.

Gentiles;
They need to 1) act on conscience (covenant of Rainbow), 2) believe in Jesus (New Covenant).

Gentile Christians don't need to observe the 613 laws, because they are not in the New Covenant as laws. Some of these laws re-appear as Christ commandments though. Such as,

Matthew 22:37-39
Jesus replied: "'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.'
This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.'

Matthew 19:18-19
"Which ones?" the man inquired. Jesus replied, "'Do not murder, do not commit adultery, do not steal, do not give false testimony, honor your father and mother,' and 'love your neighbor as yourself.'"

Because Jesus said so that those commandments can also be found in the New Covenant, they are no longer enforced as laws though. It says a commandment can be enforced as a law, or simply a teaching without the law effect. It's still a commandment from Jesus that Christians shall follow, but it's no longer law it means we can violate but repent and forgivable. When it's implemented as a law, then it means if you once violate you are dead.

Please also notice that Sabbath is intendedly omitted. It means Sabbath is no longer part of the New Covenant (however Jews still need to observe as explained above, that is, 1) act on self-conscience, 2) observe 613 laws, and 3) believe in Jesus). Jesus is the Lord of Sabbath means Jesus didn't break the law of Sabbath. Because no other human knows more legislatively what the legal term "Sabbath" is. Only Jesus as Lord can have the authority of integretation. Keeping Sabbath won't supersede the action of life-saving (soul saving is even more crucial).

The slavery question is also answered (this is a bit complicated), so is the OT God killing (this is simple). Humans lack the ability to answer simple questions (such as why the OT God kills), simply because...it is prophesied; the god of this world has blinded the minds of humans (so that they can't even figure out simple answers to simple questions).

Do yourself a serious review, your "not one Christian who can answer" remark is a joke!

Jesus said the LAW would never be abolished. He was a Jewish Rabbi. All this stuff about the LAW not applying to gentiles is nonsense.It's all nonsense to suggest that some god that could create an entire universe would play favorites with a small tribe of people in a small area and that alone proves the OT was written by crafty men seeking to get and keep power by claiming "God said it".

Jesus NEVER, EVER wanted people to not follow all the Old Testament laws. That was Paul. You know. The guy who faked a vision because he was getting no love or adoration in hassling Christians. If Jesus wanted to single out that his message was not for the Jews but just for non-Jews, he would have said so. But when devious humans want to create a religion, they will claim a pig is really a horse with a straight face because he has four legs and get people to believe that and if they don't, they will go straight to hell.

 

[ding]

Easy. You must have forgotten to include in your speculations that to Jesus, his disciples, his many followers, (his many enemies), and the unknown authors of Gospels who witnessed the complete destruction of Judea, the Temple, their way of life, and the unrelenting persecution, enslavement, exile, and ruthless slaughter of hundreds of thousands of innocent Jewish men women and children "the nations" (of the Roman empire) were the enemy.

The Gospels were the first century equivalent of the nuclear option.

Would you like to see how the Gospels OPENLY confirm this fact? Yes? All you have to do is call me Sir, and ask.

That's doesn't explain the miracles or what Christ claimed he was here to do which was suffer death for the forgiveness of sin.

 

[ding]

There is not one Christian who can answer how and why it no longer has to follow the 613 laws

Because I'm not Jewish.

Not everyone follows the 613 mitzvot (laws) of Judaism, as the laws are applicable to specific groups within the Jewish people, such as men, women, priests (Kohanim), or those living in the Land of Israel. Furthermore, many laws are only relevant when the Temple in Jerusalem stands and some cannot be followed today. Generally, the laws of Judaism are incumbent on the Jewish people, with non-Jews having their own set of seven Noahide Laws to follow.

You should probably amend your statement in the future as it's never been the case for non-Jews to follow the 613 laws of Judaism.