Monday, 29 June 2009
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Wanna help me out with some homework?
You know you do!! Because you all love me so much!
I have to do two different kinds of surveys. The first one is for people who ARE NOT Christians. The second one is for people who ARE Christians. I could go out and ask random people on the street these questions, but since Xanga contains such a diverse group, I figured I'd ask you guys first! Besides that, I'm curious to hear your answers.
So, here's the deal... Pick the suvey appropriate to your belief / non-belief and you can either leave your answers in the comment, or message them to me, if you for any reason don't feel comfortable sharing your thoughts in "public." You guys are awesome!
Survey 1 [for people who are not Christians]
1) If you could summarize the purpose of the Christian religion in a sentence, how would you describe it?
2) Do you ever pray? Why? Why not?
3) What do you think God is like?
4) Have you experimented with the Christian faith? What was your experience?
5) If Christianity could extend anything of significance to you, what would you want it to offer?
6) What individual Christian have you known who impresses you? What characteristics about this person impressed you the most?
7) What individual Christian have you known who made you think the Christian faith is a joke? What characteristics about this person bothered you?
8) What are your main objections to Christianity?
9) What would you change about the Christian faith, or the church, to make it more acceptable to modern society?
10) Assuming the existence of God, if you could sit down with him over a fine dinner and ask him questions, what would they be?
Survey 2 [for people are Christians]
1) How would you describe a Christian? Why are you a Christian?
2) In what way(s) do you believe your upbringing has contributed to you being a Christian?
3) Do you believe there are different ways to God? Why? Why not?
4) Have you ever considered the truth of other religions? For example: Buddhism, Judaism, Islam, New Age, etc.
5) Why are there so many different churches (Baptist, Catholic, Congregational, Episcopal, Methodist, Presbyterian, etc.)?
6) Other than your faith in Christ, what else is important to you?
7) To what extent does your Christian faith affect your life? Examples?
8) Do you feel mostly forgiven or guilty about your life?
9) What is the most difficult thing you have ever faced?
10) Does God care about people who are not Christians? Why? How?
Did I mention that you guys are awesome?! Thanks for your time.
Piece_of_a_Melody
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Comments (75)
Well, I will try to do the Christian one for you since I tend to be lumped in that category. I am messianic.
1) How would you describe a Christian? Why are you a Christian?
A follower of Yahshua Hammashiach (Jesus the Messiah)
Because I believe it to be true
2) In what way(s) do you believe your upbringing has contributed to you being a Christian? I was raised in a conservative Anabaptist (Mennonite/Amish) home. So I was raise in a christian background by very godly grandparents.
3) Do you believe there are different ways to God? Why? Why not? I believe that there is only One G-d! That being said I do not condemn Jews or Muslims....We all come from Father Abraham and G-d promised blessings to both
4) Have you ever considered the truth of other religions? For example: Buddhism, Judaism, Islam, New Age, etc.
I see truth in Judaism and Islam
5) Why are there so many different churches (Baptist, Catholic, Congregational, Episcopal, Methodist, Presbyterian, etc.)? I think because so many people dont want to follow G-d and what the bible says. They would rather just make a bunch of man made rules and follow them. The become more Churchians then Christians. They tend to become followers of Church rather then followers of G-d.
6) Other than your faith in Christ, what else is important to you? My Family is very important to me.
7) To what extent does your Christian faith affect your life? Examples? My faith and wanting to follow G-d affects every area of my life. It causes me to dress modest and cover my head. It causes me to try to follow G-d in all things.
8) Do you feel mostly forgiven or guilty about your life? Not exactly sure how to answer this. When I do wrong I feel guilty and try to make things right.
9) What is the most difficult thing you have ever faced? I face a lot of ignorance and racism from many people...other Christians included because I veil and dress modestly.
10) Does God care about people who are not Christians? Why? How? Yes He does. G-d loves the whole world. He gave us free will but He loves everyone and wants them to follow Him.
Hope that helps.
Blessings
@Kristenmomof3 - Thanks so much!
I just have one question, out of curiosity. When you say that you do not condemn Jews or Muslims, what exactly do you mean?
@Pieces_of_a_Melody - Well we all come from the same tree you could say. We all believe in the Same G-d. Allah means G-d
Islam says That there is only one G-d
Judaism says there is only one G-d
Christianity (If it follows the bible and not man made doctrine) says there is only one G-d.
We all come from Father Abraham (Praise be unto him). One side comes from Issac (Praise be unto him) one side from Ishmael (Praise be unto him). Both were promised blessing from G-d.
1. a Christian is somebody who has accepted Jesus Christ as their savior and lord. Because I accepted Jesus into my life.
2. My parents have advocated the Christian life. It always seemed right to me also especially with all the creation study I have done...
3. Nope. It says in the Bible that Jesus is the way the truth and the life and nobody comes to the Father but by him. Meaning Allah, Buddah etc...doesn't work!!
4. I've looked at them but they didnt seem exactly right.
5. Because everybody decides that their flavor of Christianity is the right one. Each is mainly the same but in different dialects making them quite different also. None of them are completely right.
6. Music, family, fellowship and happiness!!!
7. That I conciously think about how to live my life to reflect Christ in the best manner. For instance I
8. Forgiven because I know that God wipes your slate clean when you ask him for forgiveness. So as long as you can forgive yourself and put all that stuff in the past you shouldn't be living a guilty past!!!
9. Telling my parents that i completely messed up and was sneaking behind there back with something...but i knew telling them was the right thing to do.
10. God completely cares about non-Christians!! He loves them more then they ever realize. He is just waiting for them to accept him instead of forcing them to.
@Kristenmomof3 - But wouldn't you say Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life and that no one comes to Father but through him?
But if a dog won't eat pork then is it really a dog?
@Pieces_of_a_Melody - so you would say that all the Jews who lived before Yahshua (Jesus) are lost?
The bible says different. Even in the New Testament Abraham (Praise be unto him) is held up as a example of faith
@mrcolorful - Please tell me that was totally random, because if it wasn't, then I'm not following. lol
@Kristenmomof3 - Jesus was the Messiah. He came to fufill the Law. Thus, making himself the way to God, rather than requiring us to get to God by following all the meticulous rules of the Law. Now Jesus is the way to the Father, because he came so that we could be saved by grace, through his sacrice.
@Pieces_of_a_Melody - I'll let you make up your mind about whether it is random or not...
I don't feel like thinking at this point in time (read my post from this evening) and for some reason I am slightly dyslexic tonight and was reading God as dog (I really am worn out when I start getting dyslexic...) and had just finished talking bbq with a friend on the phone so I had pork on my mind...
@Pieces_of_a_Melody - actually Yahshua (Jesus) said that he did not come to abolish the law but to fulfil and that until all was fulfilled not one jot would pass away.
I think we could all agree that not all has yet be fulfilled. The 1,000 year reign has not yet happened. And other things that were told of in the Tanakh have not yet happened so the Law can not have passed away, because He said it wouldnt.
Matthew 5:17-19 "Don't think that I have come to abolish the Torah or the Prophets. I have come not to abolish but to complete. (18) Yes indeed! I tell you that until heaven and earth pass away, not so much as a yud or a stroke will pass from the Torah -- not until everything that must happen has happened. (19) So whoever disobeys the least of these mitzvot and teaches others to do so will be called the least in the Kingdom of Heaven. But whoever obeys them and so teaches will be called great in the Kingdom of Heaven.
@Kristenmomof3 - So, then what are you saying? What would be the point of Jesus' sacrifice if we could all just be saved by believing in the One God and following his rules?
@mrcolorful - LOL. It's still random.
@Pieces_of_a_Melody - because we all fall short. Have you never broken one of the 10 commandments? Have you never broken Kosher Laws etc?
If you have broken any then it is as if you have broken all 613 mitzvots in the Torah.
It doesn't abolish those mitzvots but it provides the grace when we fall.
He is very important
@Pieces_of_a_Melody - I'll take your word for it...
@Kristenmomof3 - Yes, of course. I know we are still supposed to follow the Law. BUT, how does this justify the whole thing about Muslims and Jews? Can they still get to God because they follow the laws?
@Pieces_of_a_Melody - The Jews are G-d's chosen people. He is clear that He will bless those who bless them and curse those who curse them. I would never ever say anything bad about the Jews. Doubting their relationship with G-d would be cursing them....something I would never want to do.
@Kristenmomof3 - Okay, but they deny that Christ is the Messiah. What implications does that have?
@Things_Are_Starting - Of course it helped! And I know what you mean, things always make more sense in my head. lol But I'm pretty sure all that made sense! :)
@Kristenmomof3 - I think though that there were Jews before Jesus who believed in Jesus, in that they believed in the PROMISE of the Messiah to come and take away their sins. So while they might have not exactly believed in Jesus the way that you and I do right now (because they didn't have the same knowledge of Him that we do), but they still believed in Him.
Also, Islam claims that Jesus was merely a prophet. In essence, Islam calls Jesus a liar. Did you know that when Mohammed first had his vision/hallucination, that he thought it was a demon visiting him, and not the angel Gabriel?
2) Do you ever pray? Why? Why not? No, because I don't believe in something to pray to.
3) What do you think God is like? I don't believe there is a god.
4) Have you experimented with the Christian faith? What was your experience? No. that's not to say I haven't tried to understand or talk with Christians, it's just that I cannot make myself believe in something that I don't believe in.
5) If Christianity could extend anything of significance to you, what would you want it to offer? I can't really think of anything. Do you mean this in a "if any wish could be granted" sort of way, or in a "what are you looking for in religion" sort of way?
6) What individual Christian have you known who impresses you? What characteristics about this person impressed you the most? One of my friends; I was impressed at how she trusted that God had a plan for her. She worked hard, but she didn't worry overly much because she was confident things would work out ok.
7) What
individual Christian have you known who made you think the Christian
faith is a joke? What characteristics about this person bothered you? People who only play the "christian" card when it suits them. This person sleeps around, drinks to excess, doesn't go to church, cheats, lies, steals, and is generally a rather unpleasant person. Then they try to take the moral high ground when it comes to the gay rights debate, and they use their religion as an excuse to harass gays.
8) What are your main objections to Christianity? I don't know that I have objections persay; I don't follow it because the lack of scientific proof for God isn't something I can ignore. I don't mind if other people want to follow it, I just don't think it should be the basis for legislation.
9) What would you change about the Christian faith, or the church, to make it more acceptable to modern society? Hmm...I don't know if this is possible. Faith seems to be one of the foundation stones of religion, and I'm not sure it would be Christianity any more without that.
10) Assuming the existence of God, if you could sit down with him over a fine dinner and ask him questions, what would they be? Do you believe you are all powerful, all knowing, and entirely benevolent? If so, Is it true that you're going to send everyone to hell if they don't believe in you? Why would you do this? Do you actually want to be worshipped, and why?
I would be of the non-Christian variety.
1) Control the masses. That's not really a sentence, but it is how I feel about the matter.
2) I don't pray. I don't believe in any supreme being. Praying would be me talking to myself.
3) ..Non-existent?
4) I have not, personally. I was adopted by a Christian family. They told me I was possessed by demons. No, I'm not making that up.
5) The love that I'm told it's supposed to represent.
6) My roommate. He believes; he needs his faith, but it's his, he doesn't try to share it with the world at every given opportunity. He leads a "Christian" life by example, not by telling other people how they should live theirs.
7) The family that adopted me. They walked through the motions, condemned people they disagreed with. There was no real faith there, only fear.
8) Honestly? The Christians.
9) I would make it more...um, Christ-like.
10) Why would such an all-powerful being let mere mortals run around proclaiming they all know what he wants, all the while each shouting something different, without saying or doing anything about it?
@just_the_average_jane - Hey, thanks for your help!
As to your question about #5, I think the question is asking what you are looking for in a religion.
@TheWriteWay - I'm really sorry that Christians did that to you. It makes me sad that Christians act so horribly. It makes me wonder what Jesus thinks about how Christians act sometimes, because they CLEARLY don't act the way he taught. Thanks for your help.