I'm an evangelical Christian - ask me anything

[Insieme]

I'm happy to answer questions, though I'm not interested if people just come on to be insulting.

I can only give my views and talk about what I believe - evangelicalism covers a broad spectrum of beliefs and I can only speak for myself.

Ask away!

OutWithTheOutCrowd you are quite right that Christianity makes the claim that Jesus is the only way to God.

However, I don't think that Christians (or the Bible) claim there is nothing good in other faiths, or that we can't learn anything from them. As a very small example, I think Christians could learn a lot from the attitude of most Buddhists to the earth and our care for it.

But it's true that Christianity makes an exclusive claim. We can learn from people of other faiths, we can admire their actions and thinking, but we need to be clear that those faiths will not lead us to God.

Having said that, I don't think I've ever heard another faith described as devil worship by a Christian? Surely only Satanism would deserve that name?

You are of course free to feel that Hinduism fits our multi-cultural society better than Christianity. I disagree. We're told that in Christ there is neither man nor woman, Jew nor Greek, slave nor free. There are Christians of virtually every ethnicity. Everyone is welcome, regardless of sex, wealth or status.

The other point to bear in mind is that Christianity is supposed to be radical and counter-cultural. If Christianity conformed to the culture around it (whatever that culture may be) then it would cease to be as transforming as it is.

It means both are unreliable

No, it means both are real.

For the devil worship supposition, I was thinking of statements like these in the writings of St Paul:

But I say, that the things which the Gentiles sacrifice, they sacrifice to demons, and not to God: and I would not that you should have fellowship with demons.

Be you not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship has righteousness with unrighteousness? and what partnership has light with darkness?
And what harmony has Christ with Belial? or what part has he that believes with an infidel?

What merit would other religions ultimately have in your view, if you don’t think that adherents are able to commune with God through them, just as you do through Christianity?

I'm not sure that the Hindu caste system would lead to a more equitable and tolerant society. The results in India are catastrophic for so many.

In terms of other religions, I think that the proliferation of them points to a shared human consciousness and reaching for God. Many are searching - yearning - for something more, and the human construct of religion has come about as a result of this soul-deep need for reconciliation with and relationship with God. Therefore as Christians we can't judge those of other religions and find them wanting, but we can tell them about what we believe to be truth, if they should want to know. St Paul did this with the Athenians and affirmed their faith and their search for God, then made clear to them the answer they were looking for (the worship was to 'an unknown god') - as he saw it.

I know that claiming 'truth' can seem arrogant in itself, but if you think about it, other religions are claiming truth and atheism is claiming that none are true, so none are really holding out these tolerant values which seem so desirable. The difference, I believe, with Christianity, is that it is for everyone, as Insieme says - held out to everyone, inclusive to all and bringing those who believe into freedom and human flourishing. It's not a tribal religion but a belief based on historical events and claims that can be held to historical scrutiny rather than a personal account/visitation of its founder. Claims which could be verified from the start.

I'd hate to treat religion as a game of chance - spin the wheel, roll the dice, and there's your truth. I know it can seem like it must be this way as so many believe so many different things, but for me Christianity accounts for human purpose, value, dignity and morality as well as for the cosmos more than any other, so yes, I do believe Jesus is the 'only way'. However, I also know God is far bigger than my imaginings, and that God is perfect justice, and therefore those seeking God will find God, and 'through Jesus' doesn't have to mean they have even heard of Jesus. Jesus is the means by which we are reconciled to God, but not all will have known his name.

Madhairday will you come to my church someday and give the homily? Pretty please?

Aw MissConduct that's a very kind thing to say I think you and Insieme are both very clear and articulate too and have really enjoyed your posts :)

No, it means both are real.

Sorry that doesn't make sense?

Why unreliable Head? If I am asked about a party and say ' it was awful, I did not know anyone and the music was rubbish' and someone else was asked and says ' yes,there was a great bunch of my friends there and the music was awesome' both accounts are true for the person reporting. They are each person's experience and unlikely to be the same. Why are they unreliable?

Well there's 2 problems when your analogy. For starters the biblical data is quantitive. So for a comparable analogy it would be about accounts of how many people were at the party.

Secondly there's a belief that the bible was inspired by god. Yet it contradicts itself as we see with the Canaanites genocide. Saying things that are not true. Doesn't that throw doubt over other possible events being exaggerated?

Re: homosexual sex being a sin.

Yes, the Bible forbids it.
But isn't that in the Old Testament? Along with a lot of other prohibitions that Christians don't follow? Doesn't Jesus' sacrifice supersede the old law?

I don't think Jesus himself says anything about homosexuality? He certainly didn't judge or ostracise (he was friends with prostitutes).

Do you think Christians pick and choose from the Bible?

In the New Testament, there are at least three passages that refer to homosexual activity: Romans 1:26–27, 1 Corinthians 6:9–10, and 1 Timothy 1:9–10. A fourth passage, Jude 1:7, is often interpreted as referring to homosexuality. Jesus only discusses marriage in a heterosexual context when he cites Genesis during a discussion of marriage (Matthew 19:4-6 and Mark 10:6-9).

So, no, I don't believe it's just an Old Testament thing.

I do think Jesus came to fulfil the old law - that's why we don't have to obey all the rules on dress and food and things like that. But if it's in the New Testament then I think we do have obey it.

And it's true Jesus doesn't judge or ostracise (and that's what I aim for too, though I'm sure I don't always manage it). But he also told the woman caught in adultery to 'go and sin no more'. So he wasn't closing his eyes to her sin, he told her to stop doing it!

So I hope not to judge anyone if possible, but that doesn't mean sin doesn't exist or that it's ok to do anything.

I know lots of sincere Christians disagree with me, so I can only tell it how I see it, if you see what I mean.

Thanks for your open and honest answer.

Do you believe that women shouldn't speak in church, as that's in the New Testament?

Where do you think dinosaurs come from?

Why do you think god doesn't want people to have sex in same sex relationships?

Shednik again, this is just my personal view. I don't believe women should preach in church (that's what I think Paul means by speak, in the context) but see no reason why women should not read, pray or discuss in church.

Historyismything I believe dinosaurs evolved, and then were probably wiped out by a catastrophic event. Where do you think they came from?

Surely that's a contradiction?

In your opinion why doesn't god want women to preach?

History why is it a contradiction?

Why can't women preach?

Because God has given men and women different roles. Obviously women CAN preach, and do so in many churches, but my interpretation is that they shouldn't.

As we've discussed earlier on this thread, Christians interpret the same passages differently, so while I respect the opinion of those who support women preaching, I personally don't agree with it.

Because God has given men and women different roles.

That's not the reason. That's like saying the reason children can't drive cars is because they're not allowed too.

So what's the actual reason behind women not being able to preach. Or gay people not being allowed to have sex with their partner.

(If you can't think of a reason and just say 'it's what god wants' that's nothing to do with morality. That's just unthinking obedience. Morality is about weighing up the good/harm of an action. So far it seems you're not engaging your moral compass and just adopting an opinion (which is a bit scary))

What about the cave people? They weren’t Christians. Did they just go straight to Hell? All of them?

I think some of the same questions do keep being repeated to Insieme, and she has kept answering very gracefully. Maybe some different questions might be good?

I do have the opposite stance on women preaching for eg, but it doesn't mean we don't share the same tenets of faith - we absolutely do. I respect her position as thought out. But I do think women should preach and teach. I'm just at a massive Christian festival and been at the morning session where an amazing woman was speaking to 6,000 people and completely rocked it. In fact on balance this year there are more women than men speaking, so I'm thrilled about the balance finally being redressed. They're all awesome and brilliant too. I think it's completely biblical to say women can preach and teach - not just through twisting certain passages which are always used, but by looking at the general status of women in the early church and finding out about what they were actually doing. It's fascinating.

I preach/teach myself, so might be biased, but I've seen so many life changing talks by women and love that God is working with them and through them in this way. And it's great that the cofe are catching up!

Out of interest, Insieme, how do you read the passages which describe women prophesying in the churches and women as apostles? (I'm just interested, not at all in any antagonistic way) :)

I think some of the same questions do keep being repeated to Insieme, and she has kept answering very gracefully.

The answers given often prompt a further question that may look quite similar. For example I asked why women can't preach and the answer was that god gave men and women different roles. I can already see that from the bible but I wanted to know why he gave us different roles. What's the reason behind it that would upset him if a women did preach.

It may seem like repetition but gradually we're getting to the heart of the issue.