Being a Christian.... ( Archived) (212)

whats so scary about it anyway?? as a Catholic I was supposed to be anyway... the only difference is sincerity.. to me it makes sense what do u think??

Nothing wrong with being a Christian. I was raised a Catholic also, but choose to believe in God and Jesus without the benefit of a denomination.

To each his own

Is it scary? Why?

Me...I just dig on being loved up by God and am thankful I can turn around then and love on others...I couldn't really do that before I knew His love for me. So, yeah, I think it boils down to love...and that trips me out...the simplicity.

Sincerity is exactly why I can't be. I was raised Catholic as well. And then I started reading History. Inquisition, Crusades, the suppression of a heliocentric paradigm, witch burnings...I could go on, but suffice it to say, I had a crisis of faith. And then, you know what, while my faith in a higher power hasn't changed, I started looking at religion a little differently.

I have no problem with God. I just don't believe in a vengeful one. It's his fan clubs I can do without. On the whole, I respect Christians as individuals. I just prefer the pragmatic loving-kindness of Buddhism. It doesn't deny the existence of a higher power, in fact it ignores the concept completely and focuses on the "human" condition, leaving me with a much better understanding of myself. I am a good man, with or without God. Sure, I make mistakes, what Christians would call sin, but overall I live the Golden Rule.

Can't get much more Christian than that. And, after all Christian means Christ-like. Everyone always asks, what would Jesus do? I think the question needs to be rephrased. What would YOU do IF you WERE Jesus?

Please clarify the question,
Don't really understand what you are asking.

I have no idea what's scary about being a Christian. You aren't a Christian because you're supposed to be, you aren't born into it, it's a personal decision. And without sincerity, it's just not possible. You might be able to fool everyone else, but not yourself and God.

And GB, I believe that's the point of the question. Live and love others as close as possible to Jesus.

I understantd, bebe. I just wanted to clarify that just because you don't declare yourself a "Christian", doesn't mean you aren't already one by the literal definition in comparison to the way you live.

Personally, in addition to being Buddhist, I'm also an ordained Minister. Some Christians berate me as an apostate, but I myself see no conflict. It's all in how you view the message as compared to the man who gives it.

Even though it has been a life journey the commitment is fairly recent.. and while I have no doubts... I have just started telling my friends..(who are really good people btw so not that worried) but a couple of them were really anxious that I would change as a person and stuff.. just wondering... It's not a cult whats the big deal... I was baptized a Catholic anyway (without my express consent )... and its basically an aspirational Catholic with lots of fringe benefits