Religion vs. Christianity: What’s the difference?

[chad_tukes]

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original sin... just one of the absurdities of RELIGION and the Bible. it has been said to be passed down the male blood line through the semen according to Augustine. Augustine, of course, coined the term "original sin". how absurd and unethical it is to condemn a child, even before it is born, of a sin committed by our ancestors? this is quite obnoxious, in all honesty.

[schmuck]

my exact sentiments exactly chad.

Why should I be tainted with the "sins" my ancestors did. They did it, not me.
Another thing is, how is this "sin" is inherited. What is the underlying mechanism for it to happen?

[chad_tukes]

my exact sentiments exactly chad.

Why should I be tainted with the "sins" my ancestors did. They did it, not me.
Another thing is, how is this "sin" is inherited. What is the underlying mechanism for it to happen?

yeah exactly.

as if it's not absurd enough, God for some weird reason suddenly decided to reincarnate himself in the person of Jesus to become the redeemer of ALL our sins. not just past sins, but future sins as well... whether you commit them or not! hahahaha...

[Hinara]

“Why are you Christians always sending missionaries overseas? People have their own culture, their own religion, why don’t you just leave them alone?!” This is one of the most common statements we hear as we lecture on college and university campuses throughout the United States and around the world. Students and faculty often jeeringly ask us, “What is so special about Christianity, different from every religion in the world?” To be sure, this is a very significant question; and probably one of the most significant questions that any Christian could ask themselves: what is so special about Jesus Christ?

Our family has a close friend named Lou. Lou grew up in the nation of Thailand and he was a Buddhist for the first 20 years of his life until he met some Christian missionaries who introduced him to Jesus Christ. If you were to ask Lou today, “What is so special about Jesus Christ and Christianity different from every other religion in the world?” Lou would share with you the following story:

“When I was a Buddhist I felt like I was in the middle of a large lake. I was drowning and I didn’t know how to swim. As I struggled to keep my head above water, I looked out towards the shore and saw Buddha walking up to the edge of the lake. I was going under for the third time, when suddenly Buddha began shouting out instructions to me, teaching me how to swim. Buddha shouted, ‘Kick your legs and paddle your arms.’ But then Buddha said, ‘Lou, you must make it to shore by yourself.’ As I desperately struggled to follow the instructions of Buddha, I looked out towards the shore again, but this time I saw Jesus Christ walking towards the edge of the lake. However, Jesus did not stop at the edge of the lake. Jesus dove into the lake and he swam out and rescued me! And once Jesus had brought me safely back to shore, then he taught me how to swim, so that I could go back and rescue others!”

You see, this is the key difference between Christianity and every other religion in the world: Christianity is not a religion! What are religions? Religions are about human attempts to make our lives right with God, through our good works, sacrifices, rituals, and money. However, Christianity is not a religion. Christianity is about God entering human history to graciously save men and women through His Son Jesus Christ. It is only by placing our faith in Jesus Christ and submitting to his Lordship that we will be saved.

A relationship with God will never be found in any religion, because religions only offer swimming lessons to people drowning in the sea of sin. And it doesn’t matter how sincere or devout you are in your religious faith and practice, because the sea of sin is eternally immense. The only hope for men and women drowning in the sea of sin is Jesus Christ. God entered human history in the person of Jesus Christ; he dove into the sea of sin in order to save desperate and drowning people. If you’ll allow him to take you there, he’ll hold you in his loving arms and bring you safely to shore. And after arriving safely to shore, then your swimming lessons begin, so that you can go back and rescue others!

By Jason Carlson and Dr. Ron Carlson of CMI

>>> Love it! Nice one! Super nice post! Could I repost it somewhere else? Thanks...

[jamesmusslewhite]

schmuck
I know how you feel it does noy seem fair that we have a sin that goes back to the first parents. I have it on my head the same as you and everyone else. Not for me to understand just to deal with, not my rules. I am not God, it is his game, his rules. Whether we choose to believe or not, does not take it aways but it is still a road block between us and Grace

chad_tukes
I have read the Bible front to back several times, and even several versions of the Bible. Never did I read God reincarnated himself, the Christ was his son and he stated that his Father had sent him. That he had no power but through his Father.

I have read where one can interpret that you will be forgiven for future sins. You are forgiven for the original sin, past sins, and future sins.

When we become Christians we do not become perfect but continue to commit sins, but we do not make a practice of committing sins if the spirit of Christ has actually come into us.

God knows that it is humanly impossible for people to become sinless, but through Jesus Christ, God forgives Christians for all of our past, present, and future sins, and we do not perish, but have eternal life. Without Jesus and forgiveness, we have nothing.

1 John 1:9 "If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from ALL unrighteousness."
1 John 1:7 "...the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from ALL sin."
1 John 2:2 "And He Himself is the propitiation (payment) for our sins, and not for ours only, but also for the WHOLE WORLD."This is a debate among Christian sects, accept Christ and then you can do as you please all will be forgiven. "Instant Get Out of Hell Free card".

I personally think that is a misinterpretation, once you accept Christ you are to try to live by his teachings, because you are a changed being. If you try your best and fall short, pray with a retentive heart you will still have salvation.

If you accept Christ and still live an unchanged life and a heart that continues to engage in sin, because you think you are free to sin all you want, than salvation will be lost to you. For you were not a changed being.

I may very well be wrong, but then why the terms "Luke warm" and "Back Slider" Christians. If one time fits all then Christian is Christian, why reference to lesser Christians.

Revelation 3:16 Jesus says, "Thus because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I am about to spue thee out of my mouth."

Matthew 7:22 "Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy by thy name, and by thy name cast out devils, and by thy name do many mighty works?" "And then I will declare to them. I never knew you. Depart from me, you who practice lawlessness."

[schmuck]

schmuck
I know how you feel it does noy seem fair that we have a sin that goes back to the first parents. I have it on my head the same as you and everyone else. Not for me to understand just to deal with, not my rules. I am not God, it is his game, his rules. Whether we choose to believe or not, does not take it aways but it is still a road block between us and Grace

No. I refuse to accept something that is not properly explained or has solid basis. I am not uto-uto(ask your Bisaya speaking friends what this means).

[jamesmusslewhite]

My wife speaks 12 Dialects, she is from Bohol but raised in Surigao. It is good you are not uto-uto. But I am neither buttering it up for you are trying to manipulate you to believe. I am only telling you what is taught, and as I said whether you believe or not really matters. I am no preacher, and I am not passing around a collection plate. I want nothing from you and I am not tying to get 10% of your earnings. I am only fellowshiping, listen if you like or ignore me if you like, each is up to you. Please debate me if you are curious, I will honestly try to answer serious questions to the best of my ability. but I ignore those that just want to toy or clown around around. You I have found to be skeptical but fair and you try to always back your statements with facts. You are blunt like me but you are always respectful. I enjoy our exchanges.

These are the sources that fuel this debate and is with most of the Bible it is how you choose to interpret the text. I accept it others do not. Before I accepted Christ and had been baptized of the body as a child. When as an adult I accepted the Christ and that was a baptism of the heart. Either will free you of that ancestral sin.

In Genesis, Chapter 3, Adam and Eve committed a sin, the original sin. Known as the "Fall of Man." The Eastern Orthodox Church teaches that no one is guilty for the actual sin they committed but rather everyone inherits the consequences of this act; the foremost of this is physical death in this world. This is the reason why the original fathers of the Church over the centuries have preferred the term as "ancestral sin". The consequences and penalties of this ancestral act are transferred by means of natural heredity to the entire human race. Since every human is a descendant of Adam then 'no one is free from the implications of this sin' (which is human death) and that the only way to be freed from this is through baptism. So if you were baptized even as a baby this was for the release from the bonds of this sin.

Romans 5:12-14 12 Therefore, just as through one man sin entered the world, and death through sin, and thus death spread to all men, because all sinned— 13 (For until the law sin was in the world, but sin is not imputed when there is no law. 14 Nevertheless death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over those who had not sinned according to the likeness of the transgression of Adam, who is a type of Him who was to.

1 Corinthians 15:22 22 For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ all shall be made alive.

Psalms 51:5 5 Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity, And in sin my mother conceived me.

Psalms 58:3 3 The wicked are estranged from the womb; They go astray as soon as they are born, speaking lies.

come.Original sin - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

[schmuck]

You have not, can not explain how this "original sin" gets inherited.
Quoting Bible verses to prove something is like quoting Gandalf to prove Frodo exists. Come on.

"The consequences and penalties of this ancestral act are transferred by means of natural heredity to the entire human race." <- how exactly? can this be tested? verified?
No? Why do you believe it without batting an eyelid?

[chad_tukes]

chad_tukes


I have read where one can interpret that you will be forgiven for future sins. You are forgiven for the original sin, past sins, and future sins.

When we become Christians we do not become perfect but continue to commit sins, but we do not make a practice of committing sins if the spirit of Christ has actually come into us.

God knows that it is humanly impossible for people to become sinless, but through Jesus Christ, God forgives Christians for all of our past, present, and future sins, and we do not perish, but have eternal life. Without Jesus and forgiveness, we have nothing.

1 John 1:9 "If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from ALL unrighteousness."
1 John 1:7 "...the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from ALL sin."
1 John 2:2 "And He Himself is the propitiation (payment) for our sins, and not for ours only, but also for the WHOLE WORLD."This is a debate among Christian sects, accept Christ and then you can do as you please all will be forgiven. "Instant Get Out of Hell Free card".

I personally think that is a misinterpretation, once you accept Christ you are to try to live by his teachings, because you are a changed being. If you try your best and fall short, pray with a retentive heart you will still have salvation.

If you accept Christ and still live an unchanged life and a heart that continues to engage in sin, because you think you are free to sin all you want, than salvation will be lost to you. For you were not a changed being.

I may very well be wrong, but then why the terms "Luke warm" and "Back Slider" Christians. If one time fits all then Christian is Christian, why reference to lesser Christians.

Revelation 3:16 Jesus says, "Thus because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I am about to spue thee out of my mouth."

Matthew 7:22 "Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy by thy name, and by thy name cast out devils, and by thy name do many mighty works?" "And then I will declare to them. I never knew you. Depart from me, you who practice lawlessness."

nice try.

to explain original sin using Bible verses does not, in any way, prove its validity. why don't we use some real stuff? i thought you are a scientist? please explain original sin in scientific terms. how is it inherited? is it indeed passed down through the semen according to Augustine? can you give us a scientific explanation as to how original sin is passed down through natural heredity?

[hizuka007]

original sin? .... duda ko di maapektahan ang mga pinoy ana bai, kay kabalo naka ang mga pinoy wala jud originality .. so di nana original inig abot sa pinoy...
mga DVD movies man gani or kanang mga PC Softwares dili naman gani original, pirated naman gani...

.......aw ... asa na ko?.