Trying to be a Christian... any tips?

[HeroicMinute]

I've just started listening to the Hallowed app. The first thing I've come across is a Routines course, which is great for me as I am horrendous time waster, which probably explains why I haven't spiritually evolved.
I was raised loosely Christian and attended the village church as a child. I think I want to replicate this traditional experience, but with some slightly more intellectual content.
I've been thinking about Christianity for a few years, and have tried a few different churches, but nothing's stuck.
My reasons for not sticking at a church:
-I can't handle a church band, it all seems very nice and worshipful but it makes me cringe a bit. I love a choir.
-I am very opposed to modern identity politics and didn't go back when a vicar started talking about structural racism in the church.
-I stopped going to an evangelical church because the curate was sweet and excited about his Christianity but did lengthy sermons suitable for children with no analysis or intellectual stimulation.
-found a curate at another church a bit creepy.
-found the sermon in a big popular church on 8th October to be a bit antisemitic.

You get the picture; I'm a bit of a PITA and I'm obviously putting up barriers. Don't get me wrong; I'm not a particularly intellectual person but I am curious and I sincerely want to be a Christian. I don't yet believe properly, sometimes I do, well I suppose I usually do, but with varying levels of conviction.
Any tips would be very gratefully received.
Thank you in advance.

How bizarre of course you can, if you want to use the analogy of a living animal you can take samples to look at its dna to see where it’s come from, you can analyse it’s ancestors, you can look at the wider environment it has adapted to. You can take X-rays and scans to see how it works mechanically. By looking at these piecemeal parts you can get a better idea of the whole.

How bizarre of course you can, if you want to use the analogy of a living animal you can take samples to look at its dna to see where it’s come from, you can analyse it’s ancestors, you can look at the wider environment it has adapted to. You can take X-rays and scans to see how it works mechanically. By looking at these piecemeal parts you can get a better idea of the whole.

@Kdtym10, not without due caution, great skill and a recognition of the limitations of interpretation from this method because there is risk and loss involved in all these procedures. Some might cause the animal pain, injury and scarring. If you have taken a part by separating it from the animal then the animal loses that part and that part ceases to be living )when apart from the whole) and you cannot observe how it works in conjunction with the whole. Plus scans and pictures only cover one area and show a 'snapshot' in time. Equally DNA is meta stable as epigenetics can affect gene expression.

Gnosticism is heresy and is condemned in scripture. The “gospels” of Thomas and Philip are not canonical.

“O Timothy! Guard what was committed to your trust, avoiding the profane and idle babblings and contradictions of what is falsely called knowledge (γνῶσις : gnōsis)
—by professing it some have strayed concerning the faith. Grace be with you. Amen. “
1 Timothy 6:20-21

I know the church doesn’t like it. After all the Chirches disdain of Gnosticism led to the brutal slaughter of between 200,000 to 1million gnostics in what is now southern France in the Albegensian crusade the Chutch ordered. Can you quote where Gnosticism is condemned in the scriptures?

I know it wasn’t part of the chosen canon as that developed between the Council of Rome 382AD to the Council of Trent (1545-63AD). We can have a discussion round the history of that of you like and reasons certain books are in and out.

All those things are necessary though. Pu might not take a close look and invite a tiger into your house because you haven’t studied it on enough details

I already gave you a quote.

All those things are necessary though. Pu might not take a close look and invite a tiger into your house because you haven’t studied it on enough details

@Kdtym10, it's amazing what we can know intuitively. I would really have to force myself to invite a tiger into the house. I haven't studied tigers.

What I am saying is there needs to be balance. The Christian faith is neither purely esoteric nor exoteric. Studying has its limitations and there are certainly dangers on relying too heavily upon it but we shouldn't exclude it - just as we shouldn't exclude the experiences of others.

Esoteric and exoteric. The individual and other people and God. Connections. Unity. Not exclusive but separated unto God - Holy.

I doubt whether not inviting a tiger into your house is intuitive. You know that it’s dangerous you have gnosis because the tiger has been studied. It’s interesting you’re confusing the two

Im struggling to see what issues you have about the way I interpret the Bible.

I doubt whether not inviting a tiger into your house is intuitive. You know that it’s dangerous you have gnosis because the tiger has been studied. It’s interesting you’re confusing the two

@Kdtym10, I've not studied the tiger by breaking it down to look at all its component parts and look at its DNA which is most like the type of study you were talking about.

Im struggling to see what issues you have about the way I interpret the Bible.

I have read many of your posts over the years and you recommend studying many, many religions and all the apocryphal writings in great detail as something akin to necessity in order to establish a relationship with God. No sorry, should I say knowledge of God since I don't think you believe in an interventional God, if I remember correctly? But then that would be self knowledge since you believe God is the better part of you? The level of study is something which I simply don't think is necessary. I believe God can reach us and lead us if we wholeheartedly believe in Him and desire Him to. I believe He does intervene in our lives by transforming us into being more Christlike as we grow in faith. Plus you have spoken of more occult rituals, ceremonial magic and summoning spirits/demons on previous threads which I believe goes against Christian teachings.

And my issues with the way you interpret the Bible? Discounting all of Paul's writings as erroneous and is problematic to me to say the least.

When you say “I’ve not studied the tiger” presumably you mean you rely on the research of others. That’s fine to an extent, but as we both know Christianity (and all organised religion) is subject to misrepresentation, people twisting things to fit their own agenda etc..Religion has been used to control people, especially women.

So if we take 1 Timothy 2:9 et seq

9 * *In like manner also, that women adorn themselves in modest apparel, with shamefacedness and sobriety; not with broided hair, or gold, or pearls, or costly array;
10 But (which becometh women professing godliness) with good works.
11 Let the woman learn in silence with all subjection.
12 But I suffer not a woman to teach, nor to usurp authority over the man, but to be in silence.
13 For Adam was first formed, then Eve.
14 And Adam was not deceived, but the woman being deceived was in the transgression.
15 Notwithstanding she shall be saved in childbearing, if they continue in faith and charity and holiness with sobriety.

Do you rely on that as the immutable word of God? The repeated vilification of women in the Bible leads to a belief system out of balance, you either accept the above as the word of god or look and learn to see whether it can be rejected.

All those things you mention about me are true, although I’ve yet to be convinced you understand them - they are done to bring internal gnosis which I think in the true teaching of Jesus

why do you find Paul’s teachings not problematic in the context of providing us with a true reflection of a man he never met.

@Kdtym10 within everything from Bible interpretation to dilemmas in my everyday life I pray through it and ask God to lead me, to put His desires on my heart, so that I want His will and do His will. I pray in faith and believe God is willing to grant these prayers as what they are asking for is His will to be done in me and through me. And from there solutions arise in time. 🙂

So if you are relying on an individual interpretation/personal revelation from God how does that tie in to orthodox Christian interpretation . How do you know Satan isn’t tempting you with his interpretation?

@Kdtym10

And Paul? He was a man of his times. A human being. Not without flaws. His expression reflects this. He certainly doesn't trust women (but in other sections he points out we can't fully trust any other person, excepting Christ in His humanity, entirely as being without flaws.) I don't think, as a woman, me lecturing him, talking over him or undermining what he said would have impressed him very much. Neither was he impressed by fancy hairstyles or jewellery. He revered good works more.

However, there are lessons for us here still today. I would say men could be included in these lessons too but they are not spoken about in this section. It's not what you wear that makes a good person neither does shouting down/arguing with teachers. Being respectful is important.

So you agree Paul wrote of his time, so why would we follow his teachings 2000 years later? You can’t pick and chose and decide what’s relevant. Either Paul was transmitting the word of God for all times or he was writing what was relevant to the eastern Mediterranean 2000 years ago.

So if you are relying on an individual interpretation/personal revelation from God how does that tie in to orthodox Christian interpretation

@Kdtym10, it ties in with Martin Luther, Protestantism.

How do you know Satan isn’t tempting you with his interpretation?

Comparing it to Jesus Christ as depicted in the Gospels. Soul searching in terms of what I feel at peace with. And trusting God in faith to lead me and confessing and repenting when I feel I've gone astray through ignoring His prompting.

So you agree Paul wrote of his time, so why would we follow his teachings 2000 years later? You can’t pick and chose and decide what’s relevant. Either Paul was transmitting the word of God for all times or he was writing what was relevant to the eastern Mediterranean 2000 years ago.

@Kdtym10, you missed where I said how what he said from the bit you quoted was relevant.

@Kdtym10 so you present a false dichotomy.

But in order to compare with the Gospels surely it is important to understand what is being said in the gospels - in order to compare it requires knowledge

what do you mean toes in with Luther/protestantism?

Can you expand on this?

Martin Luther

iep.utm.edu/luther/#:~:text=German%20theologian%2C%20professor%2C%20pastor%2C,the%20Church's%20sale%20of%20indulgences.

Can you expand on this?

@Kdtym10, Paul was a man of his times and also a person which God was at work in and through. He has the expression and experience of a man of his times. The message of God (see where I said what could be learnt from the passage you quoted) still came through him.

Yes, I know about Luther, can you set out the point you were trying to make

@Kdtym10

"The God revealed in and through the cross is not the God of philosophy but the God of revelation. Only faith can understand and appreciate this, logic and reason – to quote St. Paul become a stumbling block to belief instead of a helpmate."

This I believe is a pertinent section. Revelation comes from the Holy Spirit which we receive by faith, that is not through using logic and reason to disassemble and dissect scripture in order to find meaning,

But that does not answer the question- how do you know the Revelation is from God not the devil

@Kdtym10,

But that does not answer the question- how do you know the Revelation is from God not the devil

By believing in faith God will l lead me as I have asked him to in my prayers. By believing in faith that He will 'lead..' me '..not into temptation' as I have asked and 'deliver..' me '..from evil' as I have asked Him to. And by believing He will convict me of any sins (where I might stray from His will) in my conscience. And then forgive me as I confess and repent.

So in other words, by faith.