I would suggest a variation on the third, where the objective is to follow the principles of what Jesus taught - the stuff that is really true. Not easy and impossible to get comprehensive agreement.
For example.
Jesus said forgive your enemies (And keep fogiving - 70x7 etc) Modern psychology would say if you don't forgive you chain yourself to the past, forgive to set yourself free.
To me the principle Jesus taught is born out by modern scientific thinking. Similarly, consider the well known phrase ' the sins of the father will be visited on the son to the nth generation' Looks like a threat, but is in fact just a statement of fact. If you have a rubbish abusive parent, there is a very high probability you will become one yourself.
The real truths Jesua taught the core of the matter can be founs also in science and in many other faiths/philosophies....
Hi, Anon #2 -- you're suggesting that peace at heart is a sign of a real Christian? It's possible. Seems like it would raise a lot of questions, though. Many Christians by other definitions (e.g., believing in Jesus as Savior) don't have peace at heart, so they would be excluded. People who have peace at heart but don't meet other definitions (e.g., atheists who meditate) would be Christians. That's possible, in the sense that they are Christlike, if Jesus himself had peace at heart. But I don't think he did -- not, anyway, when he was grieving over this or that, throwing moneychangers out of the Temple, etc. I would hope that a perfect being would find life on Earth profoundly unsettling. I know many people who consider themselves Christians want to believe that faith brings inner peace, but I don't know of evidence that it actually does.
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I would suggest a variation on the third, where the objective is to follow the principles of what Jesus taught - the stuff that is really true. Not easy and impossible to get comprehensive agreement.
For example.
Jesus said forgive your enemies (And keep fogiving - 70x7 etc)
Modern psychology would say if you don't forgive you chain yourself to the past, forgive to set yourself free.
To me the principle Jesus taught is born out by modern scientific thinking. Similarly, consider the well known phrase ' the sins of the father will be visited on the son to the nth generation' Looks like a threat, but is in fact just a statement of fact. If you have a rubbish abusive parent, there is a very high probability you will become one yourself.
The real truths Jesua taught the core of the matter can be founs also in science and in many other faiths/philosophies....
What about that peace at heart witch seems to be exclusive for Christ followers?
Hi, Anon #2 -- you're suggesting that peace at heart is a sign of a real Christian? It's possible. Seems like it would raise a lot of questions, though. Many Christians by other definitions (e.g., believing in Jesus as Savior) don't have peace at heart, so they would be excluded. People who have peace at heart but don't meet other definitions (e.g., atheists who meditate) would be Christians. That's possible, in the sense that they are Christlike, if Jesus himself had peace at heart. But I don't think he did -- not, anyway, when he was grieving over this or that, throwing moneychangers out of the Temple, etc. I would hope that a perfect being would find life on Earth profoundly unsettling. I know many people who consider themselves Christians want to believe that faith brings inner peace, but I don't know of evidence that it actually does.
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