Saturday, March 22, 2008
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What is Christianity Without the Risen Christ?
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Posted by:
Carol Platt Liebau at
3:43 PM
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In at least one Canadian Protestant Church tomorrow, worshippers will be celebrating the resurrection of "hope" -- not of Jesus. And here in the U.S., a developer of Sunday School curricula is omitting Easter altogether in some of its materials, deeming Jesus' crucifixion to be "simply too violent for pre-schoolers."
Of course, everyone is free to worship as s/he wishes. But those who are taking radical liberties with Christian doctrine should acknowledge that, at some point, they're nominal Christians only. Censoring, ignoring and excising "inconvenient" or uncomfortable parts of Christianity results only a theology that ultimately transforms the Bible into the religious equivalent of a "living Constitution" -- one that can be reinterpreted and tinkered with at will, until it's devoid of any meaning except what its new, politically correct interpreters give it.
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God has provided us with our Savior. God will not force us to accept Him. We cannot be saved against our will. You may reject the Incarnation, but if you have heard the Gospel you will be held responsible for your response to the Good News. |
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I don't know why you're telling me that, though. |
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I'm not a Christian, so I have no dog in this fight, but this one is just plain wacky. The basis of Christianity is that he gave his mortal life to guarntee eternal life(conditionally) for humanity. Whether or not one excepts the doctrine, it's frankly rather laughable to suggest that religious education should omit the central precept of the religion being taught. If I were a Christian I think I'd be outraged. |
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Looks like you're wrong, Ziersan. |
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Without Christ, there is no hope. Why celebrate meaningless platitudes if you don't recognize the source? |
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I'm over 50, was raised in old skool Catholicism, and was raised in an environment where crucifixes were on almost every wall.
In addition to the nails and the crown of thorns on a regulation crucifix, there was a very realistic replica of a gaping wound on Christ's side, where the Roman soldier drove the spear to ensure Christ was dead. From the wound ran a dual rivulet of blood and water.
I know there were a few million kids like me, and we turned out all right, in a manner of speaking.
The parents who cry "too violent" are likely to be the ninnies who refuse vaccinations for their children, and who let their disgusting snot rockets ruin countless others' restaurant meals nationwide. |
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...And if Christ be not risen, then is our preaching vain, and your faith is also vain.
Yea, and we are found false witnesses of God; because we have testified of God that he raised up Christ: whom he raised not up, if so be that the dead rise not.
For if the dead rise not, then is not Christ raised:
And if Christ be not raised, your faith is vain; ye are yet in your sins.
Then they also which are fallen asleep in Christ are perished.
If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men most miserable... |
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that we have free will, despite the bible saying otherwise--they're just nominal christians. And all those who believe that we shouldn't stone adulterers--they're just nominal christians. |
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