I love interfaith Bible study. My hired worker and I have been talking Bible lately. He's a devout Christian.
He knows I am a practicing Jew. I mentioned to him that I have 2 issues with Christians: 1) they have been slaughtering Jews for 2000 years; 2) they don't follow the teachings of Jesus and sow hate and division.
My worker responded that he agrees. There are too many people full of hate that call themselves Christians. He said that he and his wife found hateful agendas from the pastors at church and so they stopped going to church. They do private Bible studies and worship in their living room with a group of friends.
We both enthusiastically agreed that "God loves all His children; it is not for me to judge."
I mentioned that through the ages, one group of Christians who never persecuted Jews was the Mormons.
That set my worker off on how the Mormons and Catholics, Jehovah's Witnesses and 7th Day Adventists aren't really Christians.
So what is a Christian? We both agreed that if you take Christ as your personal savior and believe that he died for your sins, then you are a Christian.
I said that Mormons and Catholics both take Christ as their savior and believe he died for their sins. My worker disagreed. He went on and on about minute differences in their beliefs which disqualifies the others from being Christians. He said Catholics don't even worship Christ; they worship Mary and a dozen other idols. And both Mormons and Catholics don't believe that Christ died on the cross and rose up in 3 days.
I replied that Mormons and Catholics believe they are Christians and call themselves Christians.
My worker declared that it is a FACT that they are not Christians! I asked if they believe they are Christians, and he believes they are not Christians, can both facts be correct at the same time?
Without answering, the discussion took a pause at that point. Then I asked if he isn't being a tad judgemental? He replied that there is no judgement in a fact. Facts are facts.
I thought the whole exchange was fascinating. I love Bible talk!
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At another time, we were talking about our children. I mentioned that one of my sons is of the "non-binary" generation. He asked what non-binary means. I explained. He retorted that the Bible only gives 2 choices, male and female. He said he can't understand why non-binary is so popular now.
I thought about it for a week and told him my conclusion.
When things are normal and there is hope in the world, then males and females want to mate and procreate a generation for the future. But when the people in power do nothing to stop conditions leading to the extinction of all life on Earth, then hope is sucked out of the world and no one wants to procreate. If there is no future, why make babies??? So everyone becomes a non-sexual blend of amorphous androgyny.
My worker responded that his religion gives him hope. These are the End Times just as predicted in the Bible and being forgiven in Christ, he can look forward to sitting at Christ's side at the End.
I love Bible talk!
Needless to say, I was not only fascinated to learn his viewpoint on things, but was shocked that my worker is one of the people who does nothing or even accelerates climate caused mass extinction. And this gives him HOPE!!!!!
You read about people saying things like this. And you hear about it on the late night comedy shows. But to hear it in earnest right from the horse's mouth is a phenomenon extraordinaire.
Fortunately, we both agree that President Trump is NOT a Christian.
I could have added a third issue that I have with Christians, the absence of brotherly love. My worker and I wholeheartedly agreed that we must love our neighbor as we love ourselves. But I find Christians to be a backbiting crowd. The Protestants all agree that the Catholics are idol worshipers and not Christians. Most agree that LDS aka Mormons are a cult, and not Christians. The Baptists laugh at the Lutherans. The Adventists disqualify from Christianity all sects that have Sunday instead of Saturday as the Day of Rest. I could go on and on, but I haven't heard them all yet. In my experience, the Book of Mormon and the Pearl of Great Price are as much a bundle of myths, tales, and beliefs no more crazy than the New or Old Testaments of the Bible. Or the cultural beliefs that accompany them.
To me, if someone considers themselves a Christian, they should follow the teachings of Jesus. I hear the Gospel words come out of their mouths, and in the next breath are judging their fellow Christians of not being authentic. It is not the first time that a Christian has assured me that his beliefs are FACTS.
I want to love all beings. It is not for me to judge anything about anyone else. And I am totally fascinated to learn the viewpoints of other people. I find that Christians who consider their beliefs to be facts are living in a house of cards floating on a sea of hope. Collapse is inevitable. A very different reality than mine yet we share the same world.
He knows I am a practicing Jew. I mentioned to him that I have 2 issues with Christians: 1) they have been slaughtering Jews for 2000 years; 2) they don't follow the teachings of Jesus and sow hate and division.
My worker responded that he agrees. There are too many people full of hate that call themselves Christians. He said that he and his wife found hateful agendas from the pastors at church and so they stopped going to church. They do private Bible studies and worship in their living room with a group of friends.
We both enthusiastically agreed that "God loves all His children; it is not for me to judge."
I mentioned that through the ages, one group of Christians who never persecuted Jews was the Mormons.
That set my worker off on how the Mormons and Catholics, Jehovah's Witnesses and 7th Day Adventists aren't really Christians.
So what is a Christian? We both agreed that if you take Christ as your personal savior and believe that he died for your sins, then you are a Christian.
I said that Mormons and Catholics both take Christ as their savior and believe he died for their sins. My worker disagreed. He went on and on about minute differences in their beliefs which disqualifies the others from being Christians. He said Catholics don't even worship Christ; they worship Mary and a dozen other idols. And both Mormons and Catholics don't believe that Christ died on the cross and rose up in 3 days.
I replied that Mormons and Catholics believe they are Christians and call themselves Christians.
My worker declared that it is a FACT that they are not Christians! I asked if they believe they are Christians, and he believes they are not Christians, can both facts be correct at the same time?
Without answering, the discussion took a pause at that point. Then I asked if he isn't being a tad judgemental? He replied that there is no judgement in a fact. Facts are facts.
I thought the whole exchange was fascinating. I love Bible talk!
*********************************************************************************
At another time, we were talking about our children. I mentioned that one of my sons is of the "non-binary" generation. He asked what non-binary means. I explained. He retorted that the Bible only gives 2 choices, male and female. He said he can't understand why non-binary is so popular now.
I thought about it for a week and told him my conclusion.
When things are normal and there is hope in the world, then males and females want to mate and procreate a generation for the future. But when the people in power do nothing to stop conditions leading to the extinction of all life on Earth, then hope is sucked out of the world and no one wants to procreate. If there is no future, why make babies??? So everyone becomes a non-sexual blend of amorphous androgyny.
My worker responded that his religion gives him hope. These are the End Times just as predicted in the Bible and being forgiven in Christ, he can look forward to sitting at Christ's side at the End.
I love Bible talk!
Needless to say, I was not only fascinated to learn his viewpoint on things, but was shocked that my worker is one of the people who does nothing or even accelerates climate caused mass extinction. And this gives him HOPE!!!!!
You read about people saying things like this. And you hear about it on the late night comedy shows. But to hear it in earnest right from the horse's mouth is a phenomenon extraordinaire.
Fortunately, we both agree that President Trump is NOT a Christian.
I could have added a third issue that I have with Christians, the absence of brotherly love. My worker and I wholeheartedly agreed that we must love our neighbor as we love ourselves. But I find Christians to be a backbiting crowd. The Protestants all agree that the Catholics are idol worshipers and not Christians. Most agree that LDS aka Mormons are a cult, and not Christians. The Baptists laugh at the Lutherans. The Adventists disqualify from Christianity all sects that have Sunday instead of Saturday as the Day of Rest. I could go on and on, but I haven't heard them all yet. In my experience, the Book of Mormon and the Pearl of Great Price are as much a bundle of myths, tales, and beliefs no more crazy than the New or Old Testaments of the Bible. Or the cultural beliefs that accompany them.
To me, if someone considers themselves a Christian, they should follow the teachings of Jesus. I hear the Gospel words come out of their mouths, and in the next breath are judging their fellow Christians of not being authentic. It is not the first time that a Christian has assured me that his beliefs are FACTS.
I want to love all beings. It is not for me to judge anything about anyone else. And I am totally fascinated to learn the viewpoints of other people. I find that Christians who consider their beliefs to be facts are living in a house of cards floating on a sea of hope. Collapse is inevitable. A very different reality than mine yet we share the same world.
