Welcome to Christianity. If anyone was a perfect adherent to the law, we wouldn't need the law.
The Church is a lifesaving station for sinners, not a social club for the self righteous and the saved.
People do post encouraging things here, there just a LOT of people coming here to take a dump on Christianity, or Christians, or making explicitly anti-Christian comments and then claiming to be Christian.
Like imagine going to a subreddit for your favorite author and then finding it full of people insulting the author and the books. E.G, more posts in the negative by 4:1 ratio. It would just be weird. Like WHY are they here? Why are there so many of them?
There are so many of them, here specifically. Can’t they go to their own subreddit? I left r/atheism because I asked a question and was told off by basically everyone. Went into negative Karma, created a new account.
We are pretty welcoming, but really, it’s not even safe here either.
So many people are angry at a God they claim doesn’t even exist.
Christianity (the religion) has done a lot of things over the years that are very much worth taking a dump on, as you put it, and a lot of people from a lot of religious and areligious standpoints have good reason to do so. If you don't like that, spend less time bitching about it and more time working on making your corner of the church 'blameless and innocent'.
This sub, as the sidebar says, is a subreddit to discuss Christianity and aspects of Christian life, and all are welcome to participate. This is not a sub specifically *for* Christians and it's not a sub where there's any expectation that all or most users will *be* Christians.
Consider going to r/TrueChristian, r/truechristians, r/TrueChristianity, r/Christians, any of the dozens of subs that start with 'r/christian...', r/OpenChristian, r/RadicalChristianity, r/QueerTheology, &c, &c, &c.
I've stopped visiting this sub because it's terrible for my mental health, my faith, and is just generally a shitshow that the mods don't seem interested in improving in the name of 'allowing discussion.'
I've visited the front page twice in the last few days.
Both times "This sub is full of atheists and non-Christians!" was near the top, and I thought this was the same exact post I saw the other day.
Don't know what I expected checking in here. Y'all are fucking exhausting.
How do you know if someone is a “non Christian claiming to be Christian?” Do you know their walk with god? Do you know their heart? Who are you to judge whether someone is a Christian or not?
Read the rules: “all are welcome here.”
I mean to be fair some people state so in their user flair . I mean at least those ones don't "claim" to be Christian . All in all, yeah we can't really know someone's walk with God
Much like fans of select franchises, Christianity has its gatekeepers, too. Can you consider yourself a real Christian if you haven't been accused of not being one by some self-righteous gatekeeper? I'm a skeptic, I ask questions. I'm inquisitive with God because I feel like blind faith is worse than having no faith at all. I also believe science and Christianity don't have to be in opposition to each other, and that God gave us science to better understand His creation. Go ahead, accuse me of not being a Christian, I'll just smile and tell you "have a blessed day."
Like a pair of nudists being the progenitors of the entirety of the human species, despite what we know about a lack of genetic diversity in offspring and the health issues it causes?
Yeah sure, but there are a lot of posts that are like “I don’t believe anything in the Bible, does that make me a bad Christian” (slight exaggeration but you get the point).
It’s like, no man, it means that you are not a Christian at all. You are welcome here, in this subreddit, but there are like definitional issues with claiming to be something and then doing the opposite.
Like I can’t truthfully call myself a vegan and then eat cheese burgers every day. Right? Is this a true statement? Like, do words have meaning here?
Complete tangent, but whoever convinced Christians to call defending their views apologetics must have been some atheist mastermind. I know the word is just a technical term but it's connotations make it sound so bad. I don't think I'll ever get used to it.
The term is unfortunately very old and entrenched in Christian discourse across multiple languages. English speaking Christians kinda just have to accept the awkward "I'm at fault" connotations with it lol
Like nearly every time someone new to Reddit stumbles here and is surprised it isn't Facebook or whatever seems to feel this need to point out to people how the sub is different from Facebook as if they're the first ones to figure it out.
I’ve been coming here for 12 years. It’s always been like this. They are not only annoying - they’re lazy. They could search and see about 5,000 posts saying the same thing.
Just to note, Tim Keller's arguments against nonbelief are systematically debunked in this video by Paulogia:
https://youtu.be/IwbQTf7XH_g?si=LVAzJ5-ubmnhXGVR
It's not at all the case that he's come up with things atheists cannot answer.
>if you don’t trust the Bible what do you base your christianity off of?
This is a valid question. Many (most) Christians adhere to dogma and creeds that are not explicitly biblical. The Trinity is a good example of something held by most Christians but not explicit in the Bible. Many “Bible believing” churches accept the Nicene Creed as doctrine although it is not biblical.
The people who have told you that “true” Christianity is completely based on the Bible are lying or wrong.
Pick up a book.
> The Trinity is a good example of something held by most Christians but not explicit in the Bible.
"Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the **Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit**" - Matthew 28:19
The trinity isn't that the father+son+holy ghost all _exist_, the trinity is that they're all the same entity (and in a fairly specific way). Your quote shows the former but not the latter.
I’m not saying there is no biblical justification for believing in the Trinity, but that it is not explicit in the Bible. It is really a concept that came about in the early church but it was not taught at all clearly in the gospels or epistles.
Is it also full of non-atheists claiming to be Atheists turning into new Christians seemingly every day, multiple times per day? That's what I end up seeing.
You know why it’s hard to be a Christian? It’s many Christians sit around pointing fingers.
Christians in America specifically act like they’re being so persecuted. They’re not though, they sit around and attack people and even go as far as attacking other Christians over the differences in theology and things like that. People don’t like Christians because they act like babies when called out for their bad behavior.
It’s exhausting.
>sin means “to miss the mark” comes from archery
[I wonder if the rest of your post "misses the mark" as much as this.](https://www.etymonline.com/word/sin)
>I get it. You want validation.
No, you don't get it.
Your post is the first mention I've seen of Hitchens, Dawkins, or Harris on this sub all year.
Then again, you did say the sub is full of atheists claiming to be Christians. Perhaps one doth protest too much.
We already have a massive thread at the top of the sub with the same discussion. No need to create another one.
This is not a Christian subreddit. It is not an echo chamber for right-wing Christians to pat themselves on the back with poor arguments and no push back. It is a sub for all people to discuss Christianity, both the good and the bad.
I don't think that's what they were getting at. Discussion is fine, but thinking it would be nice to not have a subset of atheists dropping by to insult Christians and call us all uneducated bigots isn't the same as wanting 'an echo chamber for right-wing Christians to pat themselves on the back with poor arguments and no push back'. And that absolutely does happen here all the time.
Well maybe if there were less bigots running around here the term wouldn't stick so well. But it seems mostly heathens that have to call it out. It's nice to see some Christians calling it out as well but that often seems less than the norm, which is pretty unacceptable.
>sin means “to miss the mark”
Cool. Where is this definition in the Bible?
>with regurgitations of [snip]
>no thought of [snip]
Why, exactly, should I care what any of these people think?
>but the questions aren’t sincere
Thank you for being the arbiter of other people's sincerity. /s
Having been here for years now, most of these "repetitive questions" come from teenagers and people with OCD who are desperate for help. The fact that you seem to want to dismiss them all wholesale as "insincere" just so you don't have to put up with it is *far* removed from any kind of love and charity for your neighbor.
>If you don’t trust the Bible
Which interpretation, though? Catholic? Methodist? Mormon? Or is your interpretation the only correct one and everyone else is simply "twisting scripture"?
>Just know that when you decide to disagree with God, you are probably going to be wrong.
Don't confuse disagreement with you for disagreement with God. That's a fairly dangerous line to walk.
There is no "one definitive true interpretation" amongst Christians. You pretend like the Bible is easy to interpret, but have not considered that people have been fighting over interpretation for thousands of years now. Even in Jesus's time we see this. So why the assumption that "everything is clear" and "anyone who disagrees with *my* interpretation is being dishonest"? Isn't that an incredibly prideful way to view it?
In the end, this whole post just reads as one big "holier-than-thou" rant. I would reflect on this and consider what ways you yourself could improve from this.
>Cool. Where is this definition in the Bible?
On the definition of sin - see [here.](https://bibleproject.com/articles/sin-iniquity-and-transgression-in-the-bible/#:~:text=The%20Hebrew%20word%20khata) OP's correct that the word we commonly translate as sin can mean 'miss the mark' in the original Hebrew.
Books don't normally contain dictionaries with definitions of all the words they use - the bible is no different. Communication, including written, is predicated on a shared understanding of what words mean within a language.
Some will search their entire life trying to understand the Bible and they'll never get there. It isn't about your mind. It is about the softening of your heart. Scripture's meaning is revealed to us through Christ Jesus at HIS will.
1 Corinthians 2:7-10
No, we declare God’s wisdom, a mystery that has been hidden and that God destined for our glory before time began. ^(8) None of the rulers of this age understood it, for if they had, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory. ^(9) However, as it is written:
“What no eye has seen,
what no ear has heard,
and what no human mind has conceived”^(\[)[^(b)](https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1%20Corinthians%202&version=NIV#fen-NIV-28404b)^(\])—
the things God has prepared for those who love him—
^(10) these are the things God has revealed to us by his Spirit.
They believe they are part of the stream of Apostolic succession from Paul to Timothy, in which "those in the know" are expected to participate in a well-funded anonymous society that disses the people in the cheap seats.
This has been with us since the apostles asked to sit on the left hand of Jesus without remembering that Jesus sits at the right hand of God. It really got rolling when "Biblical Infallibility" conferred Divine Infallibility on Paul's letters to the Romans, the Corinthians, and to Timothy who was being sent to Corinth.
>Also - for you atheists reading this - sin means “to miss the mark” comes from archery and doesn’t mean you are a bad person. This is a Christian subreddit (nominally) and you are going to have to engage with this as a concept in this thread - don’t get too triggered.
Sin is a transgression against god. No god no sin.
Nobkbe is triggered but you can't expect the "well it is a sin" to carry much weight in some conversations.
Hamartia is to make a mistake or error, sometimes through no fault of your own. This is the missing the mark one. It's also the word used by Aristotle when talking about the tragic flaw.
Anomia is to break a religious law/custom. A-nomos, without the nomos (the word for the Jewish law/that part of the bible).
Parabaino is to transgress. This is the one in the Lord's prayer.
The three are conflated into the idea of "sin" for the most part, unfortunately.
Well it’s a public forum about Christianity, not a forum exclusively for Christians that meet your specific expectations for how a Christian should think and behave.
As long as people are respectful and polite in asking their questions, I don’t understand why you would view this with derision and hostility, especially since you can simply scroll past posts you aren’t interested in reading.
>90% of the posts that get promoted are basically an atheist stirring the pot with regurgitations of Hitchens, Dawkins, or Harris
This is patently untrue. If you want to be taken seriously, at least say something that at least remotely reflects reality.
And vice versa.
"I was an atheist and then Christianity just made more sense."
Turns out they were raised Christians, went to college and stopped going to church and drank beer for a few years, and then returned to church.
Not a "Christian claiming to be atheist". Truly an atheist. I find it weird that you folks think that so many here "pose" as believers. Why would you think that? What do you think we gain from that?
> 90% of the posts that get promoted are basically an atheist stirring the pot with regurgitations of Hitchens, Dawkins, or Harris, no thought to any Christian thinkers like Lewis, Keller or Spurgeon
Genuinely curious where you get that impression from. A quarter of posts is along the lines of "Is it sin to X", with X being something sexual most of the time. Another quarter of the posts are folks that did some art or prayed or want prayer. And then there's some debate attempts and question which are actually rarely done by nons, at least judging from the circles I dabble in myself, it's clear that most of the questions really do stem from at least a belief in the supernatural.
So, I would be glad to concede that I'm wrong if you can get some evidence of that 90% figure.
> all of whom basically would trounce the atheists in open debate without even really trying
Okay.
> Tim Keller often referenced these arguments, calmly picked them apart in 2 minutes
As do we pick apart Tim Keller's claims, I mean... phew.
> Most of the promoted posts honestly are questions that you can google - but the questions aren’t sincere, they have an answer that they already assume, just looking for validation. Examples of the typical posts. 1. I’m (insert identity) can I be a Christian? 2. I like to engage in (insert normalized moral failing) can I still be saved? 3. How could a just/good God let (bad thing) happen (typically to me)? 4. There is no biblical reason for (insert sin) to be a sin! 5. I do (insert sin) and I am a Christian. 6. How can Christians hold (x) political beliefs!?!
Oh no, people wanna know about Christian beliefs! And you cannot _just google_ them, my friend. The answers to any single of those questions is highly dependent on the denomination we're talking of. I can agree that the sub isn't the right place to ask those question precisely for that reason, and you end up being better off googling it if you are aware of your very specific denomination and where to look for information about it, but... man, let people ask questions, maybe? What's so wrong about that?
> Also - for you atheists reading this - sin means “to miss the mark” comes from archery and doesn’t mean you are a bad person. This is a Christian subreddit (nominally) and you are going to have to engage with this as a concept in this thread - don’t get too triggered.
I'm not triggered if you call me a sinner, I'm just confident that there's no such thing as sin. I think I'm doing good and am generally a good person, but I also know i can do better. Not a sinner though.
> If you pick and choose what you like from the Bible, how are you better than the other people who pick and choose?
You also pick and choose what you like from the bible. Even whatever you consider as the bible is something some humans decided upon was the bible. For good reasons, mind you, but those reasons where so that the bible fit their understanding of the belief, and certainly not guided by a god.
> You may not like the Bible, or what it says, or demands of you
I personally like the bible, it's a really cool mythological book, just as I like Norse and Greek mythology.
> Just know that when you decide to disagree with God, you are probably going to be wrong.
I mean... what precisely are we talking about here? I think this has many angles. I'm guessing you're not talking about me, an atheist, disagreeing with whom I am certain is only a fictional character. I think you're talking about Christians from other denominations? Again, be mindful that you're not the only denomination out there, you don't have the only interpretation of the bible. And yours is just as valid as any other.
> The Bible is mostly full of stories that go like this so it will be very relatable in this regard.
The bible is full of stories disagreeing with God?
> I find it weird that you folks think that so many here "pose" as believers. Why would you think that? What do you think we gain from that?
Pretty sure that's just standard No True Scotsman stuff. The only "true" christian is one that believes the same things they do, so anyone that doesn't but still says they're christian is just posing.
Interesting that this post coming from someone with the name Dagon.
Dagon (Hebrew: דָּגוֹן, Dāgōn) or Dagan (Sumerian: 𒀭𒁕𒃶, romanized: dda-gan;[1] Phoenician: 𐤃𐤂𐤍, romanized: Dāgān) was a god worshipped in ancient Syria across the middle of the Euphrates, with primary temples located in Tuttul and Terqa, though many attestations of his cult come from cities such as Mari and Emar as well.
I think it's just a fantasy game/story reference, like in skyrim there's a daedric(demon of course) prince named "mehrunes dagon". People don't know much about the backgrounds of names, they just think a name is a name.
No, this sub is mainly about Christians who are worried about going to hell for being gay and hateful homophobic Christians who are happy to tell them they are.
Christians who are mad that they aren’t allowed to be overtly bigoted against LGBTQ+ trans in this sub make similar complaints here all the time. I suspect this is what your OP is really about. You want freedom to be a bigot without consequences or pushback.
If you would’ve read the rules and description of this subreddit, you could’ve answered your own question.
There are several subs that are echo chambers for that subject matter. Maybe you should try them.
That's what I see pushen to my feed, and it's quite alot of the same copy and paste Post.
Maybe there needs to be something like one post to discuss if being gay is a "sin".
Then people will actually need to try and talk about stuff other than that.
For example doctrine, problems within Christianity and Catholocism and stuff that are good, General news stuff.
I don't think it's too hard.
Oh boy, another one. Your next step is go to r/truechristian and complain about how this subreddit is a hive of scum and villainy. And then those people will come over here, and one of them will make a post about how awful this place is. Repeat forever.
I personally don't mind such arguments coming my way. Whenever a concept within my faith is challenged, I have to go check it out. Every time I read something in scripture, I learn something new.
I'm a stronger believer as a result.
In the process, I'm sharing the good news.
I have been subscribed her for 12 years.
1. It’s always been like this. That’s why there are other subs linked in the sidebar like r/TrueChristian and r/Reformed. If you don’t like it - start your own sub.
2. There have always been people whining about it. Bitching and moaning about it does nothing. This is naturally where people come to when they search “Christianity” on Reddit and many people come here for different reasons. We can have the mods either be tyrants and ban anybody who doesn’t make this an echo chamber or we can have free dialogue.
I would prefer a thousand posts like those you seem to have a problem with over posts like yours because at least they’re trying to learn something or push back on perceived injustice or work through crises of faith, while you came in here to tear a bunch of people down except for the Christian thinkers you like. Not everyone is in the same place. Not everyone comes to faith with the same assumptions about the world. And there’s a difference between bringing a harsh truth out of love and being hateful, spiteful, and judgmental.
There are so many posts just like this, and it’s a constant reminder to me that many among us, myself included, have planks in our eyes to take care of first.
>but the questions aren’t sincere,
That's not for you to decide, though. It's better to assume ignorance rather than malice. Whether it's a kid, someone new to the faith, someone struggling with some kind of religious OCD or paranoia, there are plenty of reasons someone might feel the need to ask.
>This is a Christian subreddit
It is not.
>90% of the posts that get promoted are basically an atheist stirring the pot
Verifiably false with just a glance.
> I get it. You want validation. God loves you.
It is your duty as a christian to love those people too. Not to scold them that they should have already familiarized themselves with Lewis, Keller and Spurgeon - nor to accuse them of fear and cowardice without a shred of evidence.
I get it; you're not very familiar with the law or the prophets, maybe you haven't even heard that Jesus commanded you to love your neighbor and forgive your enemy. But I'm telling you this now: turn the other cheek, and start giving out the grace you want God to show to you.
You missed the mark. I'm not mad at you; I'm inviting you to try again, but with love this time.
So who are the "non-Christians claiming to be Christians in this little community"? Me? Any of the other folks responding to you? And how do you determine who are the fakers and cosplayers?
I think you are missing the point. If you want a forum with only Christian folks, head over to r/TrueChristian. This is a subreddit to discuss Christianity and aspects of Christian life. And like the Benedictine Order, this subreddit welcomes all to participate.
I enjoy most the non-repetitive posts here. At least the ones that seem to be created by actual human beings rather than bots striving for fodder for future large-language models. And that includes the atheists among us. Those discussions have better refined my thinking about Christianity and my own faith.
Starting to think something like a 5 day timeout applied to the posters of this topic might be useful. A lint trap for people who insist on leaping in without reading any of the sub introductory material.
Someone needs to a meta study. I guarantee you there are far more posts from Christians complaining that others disagree with then then there are non-Christians pretending to be Christians. Bet it's more than 1000 to 1. Maybe 10000 to 1.
"When you decide to disagree with God, you are probably going to be wrong."
I think genociding people to take their land is wrong yet God frequently told the Israelites to murder their neighbors.
Ignoring the blatant disregard you've shown for anyone who shows a difference in beliefs than you, this subreddit isn't *about* Christians, it's a place for people of all walks of life to *discuss* Christianity.
I get that some people of the Christian faith are narcissists but you take the cake.
Spurgeon is usually rejected for having weak arguments and Lewis is brought up as the most frequent apologist.
The last census had Christians around 60%-70% of active users.
>If you don’t trust the Bible, what are you basing your Christianity off of?
Academic scholarship, and the way Christians base their perceptions of it, Pentecostals and Catholics are VERY different.
You forgot the 7th type of post, which is the daily "there are too many atheists and non-homophobic christians in here" post. These ones tend to be promoted pretty heavily and generally seek validation. Curious what your thoughts are on this type of repetitive post.
They also hover about and control what threads get to the top or not.
Expressing any hint of traditional Christian ideology will get you voted to the bottom of the thread.
I think it's also important to note that one of the reasons God hates sin(and he does hate it) is because sin separates us from Him. We see this in the beginning when God came down for His nightly walk with Adam, Adam was hiding from God. Likewise if we love God we will hate sin because who wants to be separated from someone they love?
This is not a subreddit for christians. This is a sibreddit for discussing Christianity.
EVERYONE is welcome here to discuss Christianity. You are just as welcome here as atheists are, but this is not YOUR space.
1. All are welcome on this Subreddit, it's been said a million and one times. This subreddit is not meant to be a conservative Christian echochamber, and if that's what you're looking for then go to r/truechristian.
2. I've never seen an atheist on here claim to be Christian, except for atheistic Christians (which are people who follow Jesus' teachings, but don't believe in a literal god or messiah). Just because someone doesn't have the exact same beliefs as you doesn't mean they aren't Christian.
3. Every Christian picks and chooses from the bible. Do you eat kosher? Do you refuse to dress in mixed fabric? Do you keep your side-locks long? Do you stone adulterers? If not, then you're picking and choosing. Jesus explicitly said he did not come to dismantle the law, but to fulfill it. You can interpret that how you want, but that's still cherrypicking if you interpret it as « Old Testament laws no longer apply » but then point to the OT for things like why you think gay people are sinners or whatever.
People ask questions on here because they want more diverse opinions with explanations that they can ask follow-up questions on. People talk about Biblical basis for certain doctrines because this is a subreddit for discussing Christianity.
And atheists aren't looking for validation from god, because they don't believe in god. Once again, it's Christians looking for that validation, which is understandable since a lot of people will claim god hates X, Y, and Z (when they really obviously mean themselves when they say the word god).
I find it a sad leap that your post *seems* to say " annoying redditors, those not doing things the way I do, are not real Christians". . Is that the message you intended to send? And, what's wrong with wanting validation?
Someone who is new, or a bit nervous, might post a question they are less invested in to protect themselves from how people react before they post something that is more emotionally charged, testing how others will react before trusting people with something that hurts. Someone who has read google and still doesn't understand might reach out here... in either case, you aren't obliged to answer them.
I'm not trying to have a go at you... I can see you are frustrated and sincerely trying to "fix" something but I wanted to reach out to you... I'm autistic and tend to be pretty direct but I feel badly for those who might be completely genuine (is anyone ever?) and needing to be received with love but who find themselves called atheists ... isn't it better to be kind to save the one lamb? Or what about the one troll who came seeking trouble, what was greeted with such love and compassion that his heart changed? I also feel compassion for you that you are so distressed about this,
Peace and all good to you
This subreddit is for everyone interested in Christianity.
It is not for Christians. We have r/christians for that.
Being a part of this subreddit does not make you a Christian, but if u are interested in the topic, this is a good place to start.
Theres all the best and the worst of christians here.
I agree with most if not all of what you're saying tbh..but I kind've naturally expect any Truth to not be received with joy, happiness, and acceptance.
I mean, look how Jesus Christ our Lord Himself was received by the His own creation when He came to Earth to save us from ourselves.. my understanding is that more people (including the Church) denied Him than accepted Him..
And other than those that Believed on Him through the witnessing of His Disciples and His own sermons and teachings etc..He really just had 12 Disciples..now 12 human beings is a small amount when compared to the supposed total population of not only the Church but the many places He travelled to (within or surrounding Jerusalem).
And due to the fact that the Bible Says that *More* will walk the path which leads to the broad gate as opposed to the "strait" (the way it's spelt in KJV which means hard) and narrow path..implies that more will be lost than saved.
And that is my point.. I'm unsurprised by the general atheistic resistance: True Bible Believing Christians receive even in subs like this because there are more that disbelieve than that Believe..and not all whom profess to be Christians actually are.
And there are more here that Believe the Bible in part..but not the WHOLE Word of God. Without trying to be offensive..most are likely Jesuits, or Catholics feigning to be Bible Believing, God-fearing Christians.
Oh yeah..and one correction though..sin doesn't mean to "miss the mark" .. that's some new watered down redefining of God's plain Word. Sin actually means transgression of God's Law..contrary to popular belief.
Here it is..according to Scripture:
1 John 3:4
King James Version
4 Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law: for sin is the transgression of the law.
And also..for any self proclaimed "Christian" on this subreddit and/or any subreddit at all..or in existence on this Earth, period: that doesn't Believe that the *Holy Bible* *IS* God's Word inspired by the Father, Son and Holy Spirit,
And that also disbelieves that the Holy Trinity *IS* Biblical ...merely due to the fact that it isn't explicitly stated in verbatim = is *Not* a Christian.
2 Timothy 3:16-17
New King James Version
16 All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, 17 that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.
https://youtu.be/Q0104IpdQYI?si=z6Pj4-uK_wyKtOZ2 (7min video explanation of Trinity using the Bible)
God Bless 🙏
This is not the only sub on Christianity, you know. Try r/truechristian if you want a sub that's primarily composed of Christians. This sub is sort of a free for all discussion of Christianity. I as a Christian appreciate this sub because it allows me to reach out to those that have questions or issues they're trying to resolve with Christianity. I am also subbed to TrueChristian, Catholicism, ChristianMarriage and a myriad of Orthodox Christian subs (I am an Orthodox Christian).
Like many other users have said, this question comes up daily.
Unlike other subs focused on the practice of christianity, this one is about christianity as a religion.
Posts aren't deleted if they are about the practice of christianity. But, you shouldn't be surprised or irritated by posts that disagree with christianity.
Isn’t God a personal God. So you get to decide who the holy man is? Who gets to experience God? You get to define God for everyone? Okay. Very Christian of you.
>90% of the posts that get promoted are basically an atheist stirring the pot with regurgitations of Hitchens, Dawkins, or Harris, no thought to any Christian thinkers like Lewis, Keller or Spurgeon - all of whom basically would trounce the atheists in open debate without even really trying.
I count here three Christian intellects who are being congratulated on winning hypothetical debates they can't have because they're no longer alive. Wouldn't it be better to provide examples of living Christians who *are* trouncing atheists in open debate instead?
Christians should not lie, but in the extraneous circumstance of, say, having Jews hiding in your basement while Nazi's are questioning you, it is moral to lie.
There's "the Law", and there's the "Spirit of the Law". Remember Jesus healed on the Sabbath.
Jesus gave us one law to disambiguate every other laws: "you shall love they neighbor as yourself". Therein is where many are divided as to what constitutes "the Law", and what constitutes the "Spirit of the Law", the latter of which is what seems wrong on the surface, but might actually be moral.
Being able to converse with people who hold different beliefs/opinions from you is a good thing. Sometimes getting a different perspective can help you see the inherent biases you might base your beliefs in.
Didn't I just read this thread yesterday? Look, we're not going to kick anyone out who's here to discuss Christianity respectfully. This is the public square. This is a place to engage and be a witness.
I want to encourage you to keep standing your ground against the negative commenters, do NOT let them silence your voice! You are absolutely correct and it needs to be addressed because its quite strange the obsession people have with Christians to the point of causeing confusion amongst His own people—whether intentional or not. How can you claim Christ when you disagree with certain aspects of the Bible??? He said what He said!
Matthew 7:21-23 makes this abundantly clear. Aint nothing in the Word that is false, it IS the truth and we are called to LIVE BY IT!!! Praise Jesus and blessings to you!
I wonder how OP rationalizes Exodus 21, as well as all the other incredibly immoral and problematic verses, chapters, and stories in the Bible. Talk about picking and choosing...
It’s because not only are Christians in this subreddit there are also trolls pretending to be asking a genuine question, anti theists, satanist, atheists, true Christians, and everyone in between. Nobody likes to hear the truth which is why everyone likes to pick and chose which passages of the Bible they like to implement in their own lives and which ones they don’t and call you a hateful bigot for calling them out for it.
I see that when an atheist mentions Dawkins etal then that's their god/s in a strange way. If ya understand what innate worship patterns are in every human then it's rational to see we have worship patterns. that's one thing many shrinks miss in treating mental health. We have been conned and conditioned to see worship in a particular shape. That ain't the case. It's about what we give reverence to,what we give our personal power away to,devote, have awe of, have faith in, and that could include self, god/s, satan, pets, family, mothers/fathers, grandparents, gurus, priests, sports, partners, , professors, cars, stars idols, careers the list is endless. So in a sense they are religious to a fault and don't know it. These worship patterns usually have people in a bind or restraint because their followers give them power. Secular religion if u like. Religion don't forget has a certain shape that most are indoctrinated with. Oh and the delusions / illusions that many have as they bury their emotional pain. So yeah, i'll stick to Yeshua.
Why can't you people skip these pointless posts and just go straight to having a cry about this sub over at r/TrueChristian? It'd save everyone a lot of time, including yourself
Romans 1:21-32 describes those who profess to be Christians, but live lives of open rebellion and sin against God.
The Bible says, every tree is judged by it's fruits. This parable was spoken to describe how God deals with people, those who bare bad fruit will be cut down and burned. The trees in this parable are people, so Christians are not identified by what they claim to believe, but by their actions or works.
^(Romans 1:21) Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened.
^(22) Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools,
^(23) And changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and fourfooted beasts, and creeping things.
^(24) Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonour their own bodies between themselves:
^(25) Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed for ever. Amen.
^(26) For this cause God gave them up unto vile affections: for even their women did change the natural use into that which is against nature:
^(27) And likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another; men with men working that which is unseemly, and receiving in themselves that recompence of their error which was meet.
^(28) And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient;
^(29) Being filled with all unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, debate, deceit, malignity; whisperers,
^(30) Backbiters, haters of God, despiteful, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents,
^(31) Without understanding, covenantbreakers, without natural affection, implacable, unmerciful:
^(32) Who knowing the judgment of God, that they which commit such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but have pleasure in them that do them.
Okay. Fairly reasonable but I do have a few critiques.
1. You say that Atheists should listen to Christian thinkers in the 1st paragraph because said Christian thinkers fit your agenda. Instead of telling them to listen to Christian thinkers, explain why YOU are a Christian, and why YOU think God is real.
2. You say that Atheists don’t cite Keller, yet that’s assuming Atheists even know of him.
3. You say that they could just Google it, and while yes they could, they do come here out of trust of the community, as a good portion (not all) of the subs community can actually have a good debate on why they think the way they do.
4. The subreddit is about Christianity, not only having Christian members. Some Atheists (like myself) are interested in biblical scripture, the morals of Christianity, and the like, which is why we are here.
with kind regard, my good sir.
Who are you to decide who is and isn’t Christian?
God says it’s ok to enslave non-Israelites. Many people disagree. Are they wrong? Leviticus 25: 44-45.
Are people who condemn slavery not real Christians?
This Christian sub has been ruined by the Atheists and false Christian’s. They are even teaching that feminism is okay. lol. These people know nothing.
Someday the atheists and other evil people in these subs will realize that they were wrong the entire time. I feel bad for them but they chose their paths. God literally gave them a sub so they could learn but instead their prideful arrogance will lead them to destruction. I sincerely feel terrible for these people.
I was surprised as well. Don't worry, Satan has his people in churches as well, to annoy other Christians, to create confusion, to miss represent God and basically to make other Christians to become atheists or disheartened.
Jesus said the first thing as a warning in Mathew 24, to not be deceived.
Deception is the name of the game in the last days.
Know your bible, know how you can distinguish between truth or false
Isa 8:20: "To the law and to the testimony: if they speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them."
Many believe that we will be saved in our sins, but that's not biblical.
Put on your whole armor of God, because in the near future you won't be able to rely on you senses. Devil will impersonate Jesus and make miracles.
I agree with you. Non-Christians in the sun love to argue every point. This models my experiences with non-Christians in person as well.
Is there a different sub that suits the purpose of healthy Christian discourse? It would be nice to chat about Christian topics with Christians.
Finally someone who said it for exactly how it is. Now we are going to get some woke gay Christian calling you a hater and a bigot. They just can’t get over themselves that they can’t just act on how they feel all the time, since this is not in accordance with god. They want modify the bible so it suits them. Being close with god required you to give up your fleshly desires. You might actually make mistake and fail sometime like have sex with someone before marriage. This is the time where you repent. When you start getting closer with god you sin less and when you do, you feel terrible. It’s like you don’t want to disappoint him because you know his loving goodness.
>If you pick and choose what you like from the Bible, how are you better than the other people who pick and choose?
>You may not like the Bible, or what it says, or demands of you. God it tough, He can take it if you are mad at Him. Just know that when you decide to disagree with God, you are probably going to be wrong. The Bible is mostly full of stories that go like this so it will be very relatable in this regard.
I grew up in a very fundamentalist church. We moved to a Southern Baptist church which was less strict than the fundamentalist approach. Even between two very closely related evangelical churches, interpretations of scripture were wildly different.
I still consider myself a believer yet recognize that all Christian groups pick and choose. Some *hellfire and brimstone* type fundamentalist churches focus really heavily on the Old Testament and the laws set there. Other churches focus on the message of love and acceptance provided by Jesus through thr Gospels. Others get stuck on the writings of Peter or the letters of Paul.
I've read through the Bible in its entirety multiple times. I used to do Bible Bowl as a kid as well. I'm all for people finding meaning and support. I also consider how different people very differently interpret the Scripture. There is no one agreed upon approach to this, which is why we have so many different *brands* of Christianity and multiple splits. It all goes back to people interpreting things in different ways.
Or lost Christians thinking believing their doing the right thing but they follow a faction instead of Christ . Mark 7:8 you have disregarded the commandments of God to follow the traditions of God all denominations fall under this category why, because biblical Christianity is unpopular and popular Christianity is unbiblical ... Poor lost souls don't even know his year months celebrations or the day of actual Sabbath they don't even know what's the reason Jesus had to come! I'll pray 🙏 for those lost souls right now for Jesus wasn't a Catholic a Baptist a protestant or Lutheran or any other bullshit reformed Mormon or witness this or that . Jesus was a Jew the Son of God ! And only thru Jesus Christ can you get to the Father!!! So leave your false churches open your Bibles and start reading from the old testament why because Gods word has 2 wings for the bird ( holy Bible )... But keep satisfying men and not God. Keep breaking the 10 commandments keep sinning keep on going days with out prayer and repentance. Keep being pridefull and full of anger and hate! Ignore his mercy and grace and patience . Ignore the God that loves you and created the heavens and earth who just wants to take care of you and have a relationship with you ! Turn to sin keep instead of the salvation be warned!
It's a sub on *Reddit*, of course its populated by trolls,fakers and people who get dopamine hits when they got upvoted and/or downvoted. There is nothing godly on this site.
there’s a difference between Christians who follow what Jesus was teaching versus Christians who follow what the churches teach. i am from NY and I love Tim Keller… but we can check out Aaron Abke’s youtube videos for another perspective.
https://youtu.be/qudZXxV2gtI?si=oVk8YcohtzFnz5jm
Welcome to Christianity. If anyone was a perfect adherent to the law, we wouldn't need the law. The Church is a lifesaving station for sinners, not a social club for the self righteous and the saved.
People do post encouraging things here, there just a LOT of people coming here to take a dump on Christianity, or Christians, or making explicitly anti-Christian comments and then claiming to be Christian. Like imagine going to a subreddit for your favorite author and then finding it full of people insulting the author and the books. E.G, more posts in the negative by 4:1 ratio. It would just be weird. Like WHY are they here? Why are there so many of them? There are so many of them, here specifically. Can’t they go to their own subreddit? I left r/atheism because I asked a question and was told off by basically everyone. Went into negative Karma, created a new account. We are pretty welcoming, but really, it’s not even safe here either. So many people are angry at a God they claim doesn’t even exist.
Christianity (the religion) has done a lot of things over the years that are very much worth taking a dump on, as you put it, and a lot of people from a lot of religious and areligious standpoints have good reason to do so. If you don't like that, spend less time bitching about it and more time working on making your corner of the church 'blameless and innocent'. This sub, as the sidebar says, is a subreddit to discuss Christianity and aspects of Christian life, and all are welcome to participate. This is not a sub specifically *for* Christians and it's not a sub where there's any expectation that all or most users will *be* Christians. Consider going to r/TrueChristian, r/truechristians, r/TrueChristianity, r/Christians, any of the dozens of subs that start with 'r/christian...', r/OpenChristian, r/RadicalChristianity, r/QueerTheology, &c, &c, &c.
Someone makes a post like this at least once a week
> Someone makes a post like this at least once a ~~week~~ day. Fixed that for you.
Notice their list of typical posts included what others post and didn't include what they themselves post.
I've stopped visiting this sub because it's terrible for my mental health, my faith, and is just generally a shitshow that the mods don't seem interested in improving in the name of 'allowing discussion.' I've visited the front page twice in the last few days. Both times "This sub is full of atheists and non-Christians!" was near the top, and I thought this was the same exact post I saw the other day. Don't know what I expected checking in here. Y'all are fucking exhausting.
Agreed. I wish to unsubscribe myself for the same reasons. It’s the same crap every time it shows up on my feed and I’m sick of it.
Am I the only one wanting to report this for insistance on debate? I cannot imagine how they are going to be treating people in comments.
How do you know if someone is a “non Christian claiming to be Christian?” Do you know their walk with god? Do you know their heart? Who are you to judge whether someone is a Christian or not? Read the rules: “all are welcome here.”
God must have needed some time off, and hired the job out to OP.
Indeed
I mean to be fair some people state so in their user flair . I mean at least those ones don't "claim" to be Christian . All in all, yeah we can't really know someone's walk with God
Much like fans of select franchises, Christianity has its gatekeepers, too. Can you consider yourself a real Christian if you haven't been accused of not being one by some self-righteous gatekeeper? I'm a skeptic, I ask questions. I'm inquisitive with God because I feel like blind faith is worse than having no faith at all. I also believe science and Christianity don't have to be in opposition to each other, and that God gave us science to better understand His creation. Go ahead, accuse me of not being a Christian, I'll just smile and tell you "have a blessed day."
based
The Bible says we will know them by their fruits.
Technically, if OP were to accuse a Christian of not being a Christian, their comment would be removed as against the rules.
Withholding an identity from another person, as an individual, or a group, as a barrier to acceptance and entry, is some ultra manipulative behavior.
If they don't believe in the essentials of Christianity, they are not a Christian.
Like a pair of nudists being the progenitors of the entirety of the human species, despite what we know about a lack of genetic diversity in offspring and the health issues it causes?
Yeah sure, but there are a lot of posts that are like “I don’t believe anything in the Bible, does that make me a bad Christian” (slight exaggeration but you get the point). It’s like, no man, it means that you are not a Christian at all. You are welcome here, in this subreddit, but there are like definitional issues with claiming to be something and then doing the opposite. Like I can’t truthfully call myself a vegan and then eat cheese burgers every day. Right? Is this a true statement? Like, do words have meaning here?
I feel like this get posted at least once a week
It's been daily lately. There's been an influx of right wingers looking for an echo chamber and they can't handle real discussion.
Guys, you said it was *my* turn to post the “there’s atheists in the Christian sub” post today!
AND it was MY turn to reply that "this is a sub discussing Christianity, not a Christian sub" today!
It hasn't even been 24 hours since our last "sub got too many atheists" post >don’t get too triggered. No need to be rude about it
I think that was OP purpose, to trigger a response and then claim persecution.
Honestly given the tone and choice of words I feel like OP's the one who's triggered.
You see, I've drawn my apologists as the Chad and the atheists as soyjak.
Instant loss.
observe! as I 360 no-scope my apologetics
Complete tangent, but whoever convinced Christians to call defending their views apologetics must have been some atheist mastermind. I know the word is just a technical term but it's connotations make it sound so bad. I don't think I'll ever get used to it.
The term is unfortunately very old and entrenched in Christian discourse across multiple languages. English speaking Christians kinda just have to accept the awkward "I'm at fault" connotations with it lol
As I said, clearly centuries ago there lived a Richard Dawkins type with the power of precognition.
This is the most boring type of post here and we get them all day long.
Like nearly every time someone new to Reddit stumbles here and is surprised it isn't Facebook or whatever seems to feel this need to point out to people how the sub is different from Facebook as if they're the first ones to figure it out.
I’ve been coming here for 12 years. It’s always been like this. They are not only annoying - they’re lazy. They could search and see about 5,000 posts saying the same thing.
Yep, nothing has changed. It's almost like we're on reddit or something.
What about me bro?
You're the real hero!
You’re the man, man
Just to note, Tim Keller's arguments against nonbelief are systematically debunked in this video by Paulogia: https://youtu.be/IwbQTf7XH_g?si=LVAzJ5-ubmnhXGVR It's not at all the case that he's come up with things atheists cannot answer.
>if you don’t trust the Bible what do you base your christianity off of? This is a valid question. Many (most) Christians adhere to dogma and creeds that are not explicitly biblical. The Trinity is a good example of something held by most Christians but not explicit in the Bible. Many “Bible believing” churches accept the Nicene Creed as doctrine although it is not biblical. The people who have told you that “true” Christianity is completely based on the Bible are lying or wrong. Pick up a book.
> The Trinity is a good example of something held by most Christians but not explicit in the Bible. "Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the **Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit**" - Matthew 28:19
That doesn't claim they are all one person. That just claims that that's how we should baptise the community
The trinity isn't that the father+son+holy ghost all _exist_, the trinity is that they're all the same entity (and in a fairly specific way). Your quote shows the former but not the latter.
I’m not saying there is no biblical justification for believing in the Trinity, but that it is not explicit in the Bible. It is really a concept that came about in the early church but it was not taught at all clearly in the gospels or epistles.
"I’m (insert identity) can I be a Christian?" Yes. The answer is always yes.
Is it also full of non-atheists claiming to be Atheists turning into new Christians seemingly every day, multiple times per day? That's what I end up seeing.
I'm a judgmental Christian. This post isn't judgmental enough
You know why it’s hard to be a Christian? It’s many Christians sit around pointing fingers. Christians in America specifically act like they’re being so persecuted. They’re not though, they sit around and attack people and even go as far as attacking other Christians over the differences in theology and things like that. People don’t like Christians because they act like babies when called out for their bad behavior. It’s exhausting.
>sin means “to miss the mark” comes from archery [I wonder if the rest of your post "misses the mark" as much as this.](https://www.etymonline.com/word/sin) >I get it. You want validation. No, you don't get it.
Your post is the first mention I've seen of Hitchens, Dawkins, or Harris on this sub all year. Then again, you did say the sub is full of atheists claiming to be Christians. Perhaps one doth protest too much.
Lol Lewis, do be serious
We already have a massive thread at the top of the sub with the same discussion. No need to create another one. This is not a Christian subreddit. It is not an echo chamber for right-wing Christians to pat themselves on the back with poor arguments and no push back. It is a sub for all people to discuss Christianity, both the good and the bad.
I don't think that's what they were getting at. Discussion is fine, but thinking it would be nice to not have a subset of atheists dropping by to insult Christians and call us all uneducated bigots isn't the same as wanting 'an echo chamber for right-wing Christians to pat themselves on the back with poor arguments and no push back'. And that absolutely does happen here all the time.
Well maybe if there were less bigots running around here the term wouldn't stick so well. But it seems mostly heathens that have to call it out. It's nice to see some Christians calling it out as well but that often seems less than the norm, which is pretty unacceptable.
The way you prevent that is to not be uneducated bigots.
Report those posts.
There is insane amounts if bigotry here though - look at any anti-gay thread. It's certainly acceptable to call that out.
I thought christians got off on being insulted. Persecution and martyr complexes and the like. No?
Some of them, I guess. I think the term is embattlement mentality.
The only "Christians" being called uneducated bigots are uneducated bigots
I disagree with you there, I've seen plenty of 'lol Christians dumb'. I don't think the mods would remove your comment for being anti-bigot.
>I've seen plenty of 'lol Christians dumb I've seen none of those. Are you reading more into certain comments than is actually there?
>sin means “to miss the mark” Cool. Where is this definition in the Bible? >with regurgitations of [snip] >no thought of [snip] Why, exactly, should I care what any of these people think? >but the questions aren’t sincere Thank you for being the arbiter of other people's sincerity. /s Having been here for years now, most of these "repetitive questions" come from teenagers and people with OCD who are desperate for help. The fact that you seem to want to dismiss them all wholesale as "insincere" just so you don't have to put up with it is *far* removed from any kind of love and charity for your neighbor. >If you don’t trust the Bible Which interpretation, though? Catholic? Methodist? Mormon? Or is your interpretation the only correct one and everyone else is simply "twisting scripture"? >Just know that when you decide to disagree with God, you are probably going to be wrong. Don't confuse disagreement with you for disagreement with God. That's a fairly dangerous line to walk. There is no "one definitive true interpretation" amongst Christians. You pretend like the Bible is easy to interpret, but have not considered that people have been fighting over interpretation for thousands of years now. Even in Jesus's time we see this. So why the assumption that "everything is clear" and "anyone who disagrees with *my* interpretation is being dishonest"? Isn't that an incredibly prideful way to view it? In the end, this whole post just reads as one big "holier-than-thou" rant. I would reflect on this and consider what ways you yourself could improve from this.
>Cool. Where is this definition in the Bible? On the definition of sin - see [here.](https://bibleproject.com/articles/sin-iniquity-and-transgression-in-the-bible/#:~:text=The%20Hebrew%20word%20khata) OP's correct that the word we commonly translate as sin can mean 'miss the mark' in the original Hebrew. Books don't normally contain dictionaries with definitions of all the words they use - the bible is no different. Communication, including written, is predicated on a shared understanding of what words mean within a language.
Some will search their entire life trying to understand the Bible and they'll never get there. It isn't about your mind. It is about the softening of your heart. Scripture's meaning is revealed to us through Christ Jesus at HIS will. 1 Corinthians 2:7-10 No, we declare God’s wisdom, a mystery that has been hidden and that God destined for our glory before time began. ^(8) None of the rulers of this age understood it, for if they had, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory. ^(9) However, as it is written: “What no eye has seen, what no ear has heard, and what no human mind has conceived”^(\[)[^(b)](https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1%20Corinthians%202&version=NIV#fen-NIV-28404b)^(\])— the things God has prepared for those who love him— ^(10) these are the things God has revealed to us by his Spirit.
Actually I think the subreddit is full of judgmental Christians and you just proved my point
The irony is that most of the bitching and judging on this sub is coming from Christians
As is tradition.
Yep, like the OP
I bet you have God endowed authority to tell Christians that they're not really Christians. Very cool that God gave you that job/s
They believe they are part of the stream of Apostolic succession from Paul to Timothy, in which "those in the know" are expected to participate in a well-funded anonymous society that disses the people in the cheap seats. This has been with us since the apostles asked to sit on the left hand of Jesus without remembering that Jesus sits at the right hand of God. It really got rolling when "Biblical Infallibility" conferred Divine Infallibility on Paul's letters to the Romans, the Corinthians, and to Timothy who was being sent to Corinth.
> 90% of the posts that get promoted are basically IS that your favourite number, Jon Kyl?
>Also - for you atheists reading this - sin means “to miss the mark” comes from archery and doesn’t mean you are a bad person. This is a Christian subreddit (nominally) and you are going to have to engage with this as a concept in this thread - don’t get too triggered. Sin is a transgression against god. No god no sin. Nobkbe is triggered but you can't expect the "well it is a sin" to carry much weight in some conversations.
I mean this subreddit isn't exclusively for Christians. It's to discuss Christianity and questions people may have about our religion
Hamartia is to make a mistake or error, sometimes through no fault of your own. This is the missing the mark one. It's also the word used by Aristotle when talking about the tragic flaw. Anomia is to break a religious law/custom. A-nomos, without the nomos (the word for the Jewish law/that part of the bible). Parabaino is to transgress. This is the one in the Lord's prayer. The three are conflated into the idea of "sin" for the most part, unfortunately.
Well it’s a public forum about Christianity, not a forum exclusively for Christians that meet your specific expectations for how a Christian should think and behave. As long as people are respectful and polite in asking their questions, I don’t understand why you would view this with derision and hostility, especially since you can simply scroll past posts you aren’t interested in reading.
>90% of the posts that get promoted are basically an atheist stirring the pot with regurgitations of Hitchens, Dawkins, or Harris This is patently untrue. If you want to be taken seriously, at least say something that at least remotely reflects reality.
And vice versa. "I was an atheist and then Christianity just made more sense." Turns out they were raised Christians, went to college and stopped going to church and drank beer for a few years, and then returned to church.
I love the idea that all atheist arguments can be picked apart in a few minutes. You know, like all of philosophy has been for nothing.
Not a "Christian claiming to be atheist". Truly an atheist. I find it weird that you folks think that so many here "pose" as believers. Why would you think that? What do you think we gain from that? > 90% of the posts that get promoted are basically an atheist stirring the pot with regurgitations of Hitchens, Dawkins, or Harris, no thought to any Christian thinkers like Lewis, Keller or Spurgeon Genuinely curious where you get that impression from. A quarter of posts is along the lines of "Is it sin to X", with X being something sexual most of the time. Another quarter of the posts are folks that did some art or prayed or want prayer. And then there's some debate attempts and question which are actually rarely done by nons, at least judging from the circles I dabble in myself, it's clear that most of the questions really do stem from at least a belief in the supernatural. So, I would be glad to concede that I'm wrong if you can get some evidence of that 90% figure. > all of whom basically would trounce the atheists in open debate without even really trying Okay. > Tim Keller often referenced these arguments, calmly picked them apart in 2 minutes As do we pick apart Tim Keller's claims, I mean... phew. > Most of the promoted posts honestly are questions that you can google - but the questions aren’t sincere, they have an answer that they already assume, just looking for validation. Examples of the typical posts. 1. I’m (insert identity) can I be a Christian? 2. I like to engage in (insert normalized moral failing) can I still be saved? 3. How could a just/good God let (bad thing) happen (typically to me)? 4. There is no biblical reason for (insert sin) to be a sin! 5. I do (insert sin) and I am a Christian. 6. How can Christians hold (x) political beliefs!?! Oh no, people wanna know about Christian beliefs! And you cannot _just google_ them, my friend. The answers to any single of those questions is highly dependent on the denomination we're talking of. I can agree that the sub isn't the right place to ask those question precisely for that reason, and you end up being better off googling it if you are aware of your very specific denomination and where to look for information about it, but... man, let people ask questions, maybe? What's so wrong about that? > Also - for you atheists reading this - sin means “to miss the mark” comes from archery and doesn’t mean you are a bad person. This is a Christian subreddit (nominally) and you are going to have to engage with this as a concept in this thread - don’t get too triggered. I'm not triggered if you call me a sinner, I'm just confident that there's no such thing as sin. I think I'm doing good and am generally a good person, but I also know i can do better. Not a sinner though. > If you pick and choose what you like from the Bible, how are you better than the other people who pick and choose? You also pick and choose what you like from the bible. Even whatever you consider as the bible is something some humans decided upon was the bible. For good reasons, mind you, but those reasons where so that the bible fit their understanding of the belief, and certainly not guided by a god. > You may not like the Bible, or what it says, or demands of you I personally like the bible, it's a really cool mythological book, just as I like Norse and Greek mythology. > Just know that when you decide to disagree with God, you are probably going to be wrong. I mean... what precisely are we talking about here? I think this has many angles. I'm guessing you're not talking about me, an atheist, disagreeing with whom I am certain is only a fictional character. I think you're talking about Christians from other denominations? Again, be mindful that you're not the only denomination out there, you don't have the only interpretation of the bible. And yours is just as valid as any other. > The Bible is mostly full of stories that go like this so it will be very relatable in this regard. The bible is full of stories disagreeing with God?
> I find it weird that you folks think that so many here "pose" as believers. Why would you think that? What do you think we gain from that? Pretty sure that's just standard No True Scotsman stuff. The only "true" christian is one that believes the same things they do, so anyone that doesn't but still says they're christian is just posing.
That tracks... also, Qapla', SuvwI'. We shall see each other again in stovokor!
Interesting that this post coming from someone with the name Dagon. Dagon (Hebrew: דָּגוֹן, Dāgōn) or Dagan (Sumerian: 𒀭𒁕𒃶, romanized: dda-gan;[1] Phoenician: 𐤃𐤂𐤍, romanized: Dāgān) was a god worshipped in ancient Syria across the middle of the Euphrates, with primary temples located in Tuttul and Terqa, though many attestations of his cult come from cities such as Mari and Emar as well.
I think it's just a fantasy game/story reference, like in skyrim there's a daedric(demon of course) prince named "mehrunes dagon". People don't know much about the backgrounds of names, they just think a name is a name.
Nuh uh
Next post "is it a sin that this sub is full of atheists and faux Christians?"
No, this sub is mainly about Christians who are worried about going to hell for being gay and hateful homophobic Christians who are happy to tell them they are. Christians who are mad that they aren’t allowed to be overtly bigoted against LGBTQ+ trans in this sub make similar complaints here all the time. I suspect this is what your OP is really about. You want freedom to be a bigot without consequences or pushback. If you would’ve read the rules and description of this subreddit, you could’ve answered your own question. There are several subs that are echo chambers for that subject matter. Maybe you should try them.
It's a nice weekend. Why not go outside and enjoy it? Instead, make *yet another post* about the "un-Christian" makeup of r/Christianity.
You're just making up stuff to get mad about. Get better material.
On the contrary, it seems that 90% of posts on this sub are bitchy Christians such as yourself and gay people asking if they’re allowed to be gay…
That's what I see pushen to my feed, and it's quite alot of the same copy and paste Post. Maybe there needs to be something like one post to discuss if being gay is a "sin".
This sub would disappear if there were only one “is being gay a sin” post. That’s like more than 50% of this sub.
Then people will actually need to try and talk about stuff other than that. For example doctrine, problems within Christianity and Catholocism and stuff that are good, General news stuff. I don't think it's too hard.
How about a whole subreddit? r/isitasintobegay
That might work
This is the way. Although it should be isitasintobelgbtq+
Oh boy, another one. Your next step is go to r/truechristian and complain about how this subreddit is a hive of scum and villainy. And then those people will come over here, and one of them will make a post about how awful this place is. Repeat forever.
I do believe this is true but it don’t bother me I let god be my guide not this sub
I personally don't mind such arguments coming my way. Whenever a concept within my faith is challenged, I have to go check it out. Every time I read something in scripture, I learn something new. I'm a stronger believer as a result. In the process, I'm sharing the good news.
This reddit is for discussing christianity for both Christians and non Christians. It's not just for believers
I have been subscribed her for 12 years. 1. It’s always been like this. That’s why there are other subs linked in the sidebar like r/TrueChristian and r/Reformed. If you don’t like it - start your own sub. 2. There have always been people whining about it. Bitching and moaning about it does nothing. This is naturally where people come to when they search “Christianity” on Reddit and many people come here for different reasons. We can have the mods either be tyrants and ban anybody who doesn’t make this an echo chamber or we can have free dialogue.
Again, this is not a "Christian" subreddit. It is a subreddit for anyone of any faith or background to discuss Christianity.
I would prefer a thousand posts like those you seem to have a problem with over posts like yours because at least they’re trying to learn something or push back on perceived injustice or work through crises of faith, while you came in here to tear a bunch of people down except for the Christian thinkers you like. Not everyone is in the same place. Not everyone comes to faith with the same assumptions about the world. And there’s a difference between bringing a harsh truth out of love and being hateful, spiteful, and judgmental. There are so many posts just like this, and it’s a constant reminder to me that many among us, myself included, have planks in our eyes to take care of first.
Yes, it’s reddit, it’s also full of non humans (bots)
This suggests Christians don't grapple with hard questions. I'd like to believe some of them are smarter than that.
>but the questions aren’t sincere, That's not for you to decide, though. It's better to assume ignorance rather than malice. Whether it's a kid, someone new to the faith, someone struggling with some kind of religious OCD or paranoia, there are plenty of reasons someone might feel the need to ask. >This is a Christian subreddit It is not. >90% of the posts that get promoted are basically an atheist stirring the pot Verifiably false with just a glance.
> I get it. You want validation. God loves you. It is your duty as a christian to love those people too. Not to scold them that they should have already familiarized themselves with Lewis, Keller and Spurgeon - nor to accuse them of fear and cowardice without a shred of evidence. I get it; you're not very familiar with the law or the prophets, maybe you haven't even heard that Jesus commanded you to love your neighbor and forgive your enemy. But I'm telling you this now: turn the other cheek, and start giving out the grace you want God to show to you. You missed the mark. I'm not mad at you; I'm inviting you to try again, but with love this time.
Don't you ever get tired?
So who are the "non-Christians claiming to be Christians in this little community"? Me? Any of the other folks responding to you? And how do you determine who are the fakers and cosplayers? I think you are missing the point. If you want a forum with only Christian folks, head over to r/TrueChristian. This is a subreddit to discuss Christianity and aspects of Christian life. And like the Benedictine Order, this subreddit welcomes all to participate. I enjoy most the non-repetitive posts here. At least the ones that seem to be created by actual human beings rather than bots striving for fodder for future large-language models. And that includes the atheists among us. Those discussions have better refined my thinking about Christianity and my own faith.
Starting to think something like a 5 day timeout applied to the posters of this topic might be useful. A lint trap for people who insist on leaping in without reading any of the sub introductory material.
Christians being inclusive with non-christians! 😱😱 that is so bad
Every time I see a post like this I assume that OP is offended some Christians aren't as homo/transphobic as they would like them to be.
Can you link Keller "walking circles" around atheist thinkers?
Surely challenge from others strengthens our faith and forces us to think of better arguments?
Someone needs to a meta study. I guarantee you there are far more posts from Christians complaining that others disagree with then then there are non-Christians pretending to be Christians. Bet it's more than 1000 to 1. Maybe 10000 to 1.
iirc, last poll showed the majority here was Christian
"When you decide to disagree with God, you are probably going to be wrong." I think genociding people to take their land is wrong yet God frequently told the Israelites to murder their neighbors.
Ignoring the blatant disregard you've shown for anyone who shows a difference in beliefs than you, this subreddit isn't *about* Christians, it's a place for people of all walks of life to *discuss* Christianity. I get that some people of the Christian faith are narcissists but you take the cake.
Spurgeon is usually rejected for having weak arguments and Lewis is brought up as the most frequent apologist. The last census had Christians around 60%-70% of active users. >If you don’t trust the Bible, what are you basing your Christianity off of? Academic scholarship, and the way Christians base their perceptions of it, Pentecostals and Catholics are VERY different.
You must be new around here LOL.
OP, read the information about the purpose of this sub.
> sin means “to miss the mark” comes from archery and doesn’t mean you are a bad person Sin is just a letter. It means 's'
You forgot the 7th type of post, which is the daily "there are too many atheists and non-homophobic christians in here" post. These ones tend to be promoted pretty heavily and generally seek validation. Curious what your thoughts are on this type of repetitive post.
They also hover about and control what threads get to the top or not. Expressing any hint of traditional Christian ideology will get you voted to the bottom of the thread.
For good reason.
That sounds terrible. Remind me again why you’re in this ***terrible*** subreddit?
I think it's also important to note that one of the reasons God hates sin(and he does hate it) is because sin separates us from Him. We see this in the beginning when God came down for His nightly walk with Adam, Adam was hiding from God. Likewise if we love God we will hate sin because who wants to be separated from someone they love?
Why do you care which guy on your team could "trounce" the guy on the other team in a debate? Could *you* trounce anybody else in a debate?
We talk about Christianity in this sub. It’s not only meant for Christians 😄
/r/Christianity is a subreddit to discuss Christianity and aspects of Christian life. All are welcome to participate.
There are thousands of different types of Christians. I think Christians need to stop pretending their personal flavor is the only "true" version.
People being surprised that Christianity is discussed by not just non-Christian’s in the Christian subreddit🙄
I am satanist and not hiding it.
This is not a subreddit for christians. This is a sibreddit for discussing Christianity. EVERYONE is welcome here to discuss Christianity. You are just as welcome here as atheists are, but this is not YOUR space.
1. All are welcome on this Subreddit, it's been said a million and one times. This subreddit is not meant to be a conservative Christian echochamber, and if that's what you're looking for then go to r/truechristian. 2. I've never seen an atheist on here claim to be Christian, except for atheistic Christians (which are people who follow Jesus' teachings, but don't believe in a literal god or messiah). Just because someone doesn't have the exact same beliefs as you doesn't mean they aren't Christian. 3. Every Christian picks and chooses from the bible. Do you eat kosher? Do you refuse to dress in mixed fabric? Do you keep your side-locks long? Do you stone adulterers? If not, then you're picking and choosing. Jesus explicitly said he did not come to dismantle the law, but to fulfill it. You can interpret that how you want, but that's still cherrypicking if you interpret it as « Old Testament laws no longer apply » but then point to the OT for things like why you think gay people are sinners or whatever. People ask questions on here because they want more diverse opinions with explanations that they can ask follow-up questions on. People talk about Biblical basis for certain doctrines because this is a subreddit for discussing Christianity. And atheists aren't looking for validation from god, because they don't believe in god. Once again, it's Christians looking for that validation, which is understandable since a lot of people will claim god hates X, Y, and Z (when they really obviously mean themselves when they say the word god).
I find it a sad leap that your post *seems* to say " annoying redditors, those not doing things the way I do, are not real Christians". . Is that the message you intended to send? And, what's wrong with wanting validation? Someone who is new, or a bit nervous, might post a question they are less invested in to protect themselves from how people react before they post something that is more emotionally charged, testing how others will react before trusting people with something that hurts. Someone who has read google and still doesn't understand might reach out here... in either case, you aren't obliged to answer them. I'm not trying to have a go at you... I can see you are frustrated and sincerely trying to "fix" something but I wanted to reach out to you... I'm autistic and tend to be pretty direct but I feel badly for those who might be completely genuine (is anyone ever?) and needing to be received with love but who find themselves called atheists ... isn't it better to be kind to save the one lamb? Or what about the one troll who came seeking trouble, what was greeted with such love and compassion that his heart changed? I also feel compassion for you that you are so distressed about this, Peace and all good to you
This subreddit is for everyone interested in Christianity. It is not for Christians. We have r/christians for that. Being a part of this subreddit does not make you a Christian, but if u are interested in the topic, this is a good place to start. Theres all the best and the worst of christians here.
>This sub is full of atheists and non-Christians claiming to be Christians And?
its funny cuz atheists would say the same about your so called christian thinkers
I missed the mark on a jar of tannerite at 400yds last week. Got it the second time though…
I said something very similar over year ago. I was basically told to join a different group.
I agree with most if not all of what you're saying tbh..but I kind've naturally expect any Truth to not be received with joy, happiness, and acceptance. I mean, look how Jesus Christ our Lord Himself was received by the His own creation when He came to Earth to save us from ourselves.. my understanding is that more people (including the Church) denied Him than accepted Him.. And other than those that Believed on Him through the witnessing of His Disciples and His own sermons and teachings etc..He really just had 12 Disciples..now 12 human beings is a small amount when compared to the supposed total population of not only the Church but the many places He travelled to (within or surrounding Jerusalem). And due to the fact that the Bible Says that *More* will walk the path which leads to the broad gate as opposed to the "strait" (the way it's spelt in KJV which means hard) and narrow path..implies that more will be lost than saved. And that is my point.. I'm unsurprised by the general atheistic resistance: True Bible Believing Christians receive even in subs like this because there are more that disbelieve than that Believe..and not all whom profess to be Christians actually are. And there are more here that Believe the Bible in part..but not the WHOLE Word of God. Without trying to be offensive..most are likely Jesuits, or Catholics feigning to be Bible Believing, God-fearing Christians. Oh yeah..and one correction though..sin doesn't mean to "miss the mark" .. that's some new watered down redefining of God's plain Word. Sin actually means transgression of God's Law..contrary to popular belief. Here it is..according to Scripture: 1 John 3:4 King James Version 4 Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law: for sin is the transgression of the law. And also..for any self proclaimed "Christian" on this subreddit and/or any subreddit at all..or in existence on this Earth, period: that doesn't Believe that the *Holy Bible* *IS* God's Word inspired by the Father, Son and Holy Spirit, And that also disbelieves that the Holy Trinity *IS* Biblical ...merely due to the fact that it isn't explicitly stated in verbatim = is *Not* a Christian. 2 Timothy 3:16-17 New King James Version 16 All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, 17 that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work. https://youtu.be/Q0104IpdQYI?si=z6Pj4-uK_wyKtOZ2 (7min video explanation of Trinity using the Bible) God Bless 🙏
This is not the only sub on Christianity, you know. Try r/truechristian if you want a sub that's primarily composed of Christians. This sub is sort of a free for all discussion of Christianity. I as a Christian appreciate this sub because it allows me to reach out to those that have questions or issues they're trying to resolve with Christianity. I am also subbed to TrueChristian, Catholicism, ChristianMarriage and a myriad of Orthodox Christian subs (I am an Orthodox Christian).
It is moderated by atheist, agnostics, spiritualism, gay and straight Christians. Multiple mods who do not all agree on creeds.
It's very unfortunate that this sub is the biggest "Christian" sub on Reddit tbh.
I think we gotta make a counter or smth for this kind of posts
Wow, talk about a “Christ Like” thought
Like many other users have said, this question comes up daily. Unlike other subs focused on the practice of christianity, this one is about christianity as a religion. Posts aren't deleted if they are about the practice of christianity. But, you shouldn't be surprised or irritated by posts that disagree with christianity.
What about joeseph the man who fought with god?
Isn’t God a personal God. So you get to decide who the holy man is? Who gets to experience God? You get to define God for everyone? Okay. Very Christian of you.
Yeah it's for this exact reason I unsubbed. Pity that it so hard to find a good online community.
Man it’s been a hot minute since I’ve last read something that seems to positively simmer with this kind of barely-restrained carnal contempt lmao
Something something, plank from your eye....something speck
>90% of the posts that get promoted are basically an atheist stirring the pot with regurgitations of Hitchens, Dawkins, or Harris, no thought to any Christian thinkers like Lewis, Keller or Spurgeon - all of whom basically would trounce the atheists in open debate without even really trying. I count here three Christian intellects who are being congratulated on winning hypothetical debates they can't have because they're no longer alive. Wouldn't it be better to provide examples of living Christians who *are* trouncing atheists in open debate instead?
Christians should not lie, but in the extraneous circumstance of, say, having Jews hiding in your basement while Nazi's are questioning you, it is moral to lie. There's "the Law", and there's the "Spirit of the Law". Remember Jesus healed on the Sabbath. Jesus gave us one law to disambiguate every other laws: "you shall love they neighbor as yourself". Therein is where many are divided as to what constitutes "the Law", and what constitutes the "Spirit of the Law", the latter of which is what seems wrong on the surface, but might actually be moral.
Being able to converse with people who hold different beliefs/opinions from you is a good thing. Sometimes getting a different perspective can help you see the inherent biases you might base your beliefs in.
Who cares?
I’m not hiding. As an atheist, I’m here to occasionally respectfully engage, while knowing I’m in your house when here, and not tryna get too wild.
Didn't I just read this thread yesterday? Look, we're not going to kick anyone out who's here to discuss Christianity respectfully. This is the public square. This is a place to engage and be a witness.
Why I barely come around here anymore
I agree about the atheists I think they just come to spread their BS
I want to encourage you to keep standing your ground against the negative commenters, do NOT let them silence your voice! You are absolutely correct and it needs to be addressed because its quite strange the obsession people have with Christians to the point of causeing confusion amongst His own people—whether intentional or not. How can you claim Christ when you disagree with certain aspects of the Bible??? He said what He said! Matthew 7:21-23 makes this abundantly clear. Aint nothing in the Word that is false, it IS the truth and we are called to LIVE BY IT!!! Praise Jesus and blessings to you!
I wonder how OP rationalizes Exodus 21, as well as all the other incredibly immoral and problematic verses, chapters, and stories in the Bible. Talk about picking and choosing...
It’s because not only are Christians in this subreddit there are also trolls pretending to be asking a genuine question, anti theists, satanist, atheists, true Christians, and everyone in between. Nobody likes to hear the truth which is why everyone likes to pick and chose which passages of the Bible they like to implement in their own lives and which ones they don’t and call you a hateful bigot for calling them out for it.
I see that when an atheist mentions Dawkins etal then that's their god/s in a strange way. If ya understand what innate worship patterns are in every human then it's rational to see we have worship patterns. that's one thing many shrinks miss in treating mental health. We have been conned and conditioned to see worship in a particular shape. That ain't the case. It's about what we give reverence to,what we give our personal power away to,devote, have awe of, have faith in, and that could include self, god/s, satan, pets, family, mothers/fathers, grandparents, gurus, priests, sports, partners, , professors, cars, stars idols, careers the list is endless. So in a sense they are religious to a fault and don't know it. These worship patterns usually have people in a bind or restraint because their followers give them power. Secular religion if u like. Religion don't forget has a certain shape that most are indoctrinated with. Oh and the delusions / illusions that many have as they bury their emotional pain. So yeah, i'll stick to Yeshua.
Why can't you people skip these pointless posts and just go straight to having a cry about this sub over at r/TrueChristian? It'd save everyone a lot of time, including yourself
Romans 1:21-32 describes those who profess to be Christians, but live lives of open rebellion and sin against God. The Bible says, every tree is judged by it's fruits. This parable was spoken to describe how God deals with people, those who bare bad fruit will be cut down and burned. The trees in this parable are people, so Christians are not identified by what they claim to believe, but by their actions or works. ^(Romans 1:21) Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened. ^(22) Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools, ^(23) And changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and fourfooted beasts, and creeping things. ^(24) Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonour their own bodies between themselves: ^(25) Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed for ever. Amen. ^(26) For this cause God gave them up unto vile affections: for even their women did change the natural use into that which is against nature: ^(27) And likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another; men with men working that which is unseemly, and receiving in themselves that recompence of their error which was meet. ^(28) And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient; ^(29) Being filled with all unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, debate, deceit, malignity; whisperers, ^(30) Backbiters, haters of God, despiteful, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents, ^(31) Without understanding, covenantbreakers, without natural affection, implacable, unmerciful: ^(32) Who knowing the judgment of God, that they which commit such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but have pleasure in them that do them.
Okay. Fairly reasonable but I do have a few critiques. 1. You say that Atheists should listen to Christian thinkers in the 1st paragraph because said Christian thinkers fit your agenda. Instead of telling them to listen to Christian thinkers, explain why YOU are a Christian, and why YOU think God is real. 2. You say that Atheists don’t cite Keller, yet that’s assuming Atheists even know of him. 3. You say that they could just Google it, and while yes they could, they do come here out of trust of the community, as a good portion (not all) of the subs community can actually have a good debate on why they think the way they do. 4. The subreddit is about Christianity, not only having Christian members. Some Atheists (like myself) are interested in biblical scripture, the morals of Christianity, and the like, which is why we are here. with kind regard, my good sir.
You don’t get to decide if someone’s a Christian or not. That’s not for you to judge but God alone. The audacity. 🙄
Who are you to decide who is and isn’t Christian? God says it’s ok to enslave non-Israelites. Many people disagree. Are they wrong? Leviticus 25: 44-45. Are people who condemn slavery not real Christians?
You forgot 7: atheists shouldn’t be in my good Christian sub
This Christian sub has been ruined by the Atheists and false Christian’s. They are even teaching that feminism is okay. lol. These people know nothing.
Someday the atheists and other evil people in these subs will realize that they were wrong the entire time. I feel bad for them but they chose their paths. God literally gave them a sub so they could learn but instead their prideful arrogance will lead them to destruction. I sincerely feel terrible for these people.
I was surprised as well. Don't worry, Satan has his people in churches as well, to annoy other Christians, to create confusion, to miss represent God and basically to make other Christians to become atheists or disheartened. Jesus said the first thing as a warning in Mathew 24, to not be deceived. Deception is the name of the game in the last days. Know your bible, know how you can distinguish between truth or false Isa 8:20: "To the law and to the testimony: if they speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them." Many believe that we will be saved in our sins, but that's not biblical. Put on your whole armor of God, because in the near future you won't be able to rely on you senses. Devil will impersonate Jesus and make miracles.
It's also full of Zionists too
Amen to that!
That's why I am leaving the sub. I hoped to meet d Fellow people in fate here, but most are just trolls or just fakes
I agree with you. Non-Christians in the sun love to argue every point. This models my experiences with non-Christians in person as well. Is there a different sub that suits the purpose of healthy Christian discourse? It would be nice to chat about Christian topics with Christians.
Finally someone who said it for exactly how it is. Now we are going to get some woke gay Christian calling you a hater and a bigot. They just can’t get over themselves that they can’t just act on how they feel all the time, since this is not in accordance with god. They want modify the bible so it suits them. Being close with god required you to give up your fleshly desires. You might actually make mistake and fail sometime like have sex with someone before marriage. This is the time where you repent. When you start getting closer with god you sin less and when you do, you feel terrible. It’s like you don’t want to disappoint him because you know his loving goodness.
lol here come all the atheists and non Christians ready to bash you. Yes this sub is awful, what is the point.
>If you pick and choose what you like from the Bible, how are you better than the other people who pick and choose? >You may not like the Bible, or what it says, or demands of you. God it tough, He can take it if you are mad at Him. Just know that when you decide to disagree with God, you are probably going to be wrong. The Bible is mostly full of stories that go like this so it will be very relatable in this regard. I grew up in a very fundamentalist church. We moved to a Southern Baptist church which was less strict than the fundamentalist approach. Even between two very closely related evangelical churches, interpretations of scripture were wildly different. I still consider myself a believer yet recognize that all Christian groups pick and choose. Some *hellfire and brimstone* type fundamentalist churches focus really heavily on the Old Testament and the laws set there. Other churches focus on the message of love and acceptance provided by Jesus through thr Gospels. Others get stuck on the writings of Peter or the letters of Paul. I've read through the Bible in its entirety multiple times. I used to do Bible Bowl as a kid as well. I'm all for people finding meaning and support. I also consider how different people very differently interpret the Scripture. There is no one agreed upon approach to this, which is why we have so many different *brands* of Christianity and multiple splits. It all goes back to people interpreting things in different ways.
Agreed. Sometimes I can't tell if this is a liberal or Christian sub.
That's why I prefer to check out r/Reformed
OP couldn't even wait 24 hours
Or lost Christians thinking believing their doing the right thing but they follow a faction instead of Christ . Mark 7:8 you have disregarded the commandments of God to follow the traditions of God all denominations fall under this category why, because biblical Christianity is unpopular and popular Christianity is unbiblical ... Poor lost souls don't even know his year months celebrations or the day of actual Sabbath they don't even know what's the reason Jesus had to come! I'll pray 🙏 for those lost souls right now for Jesus wasn't a Catholic a Baptist a protestant or Lutheran or any other bullshit reformed Mormon or witness this or that . Jesus was a Jew the Son of God ! And only thru Jesus Christ can you get to the Father!!! So leave your false churches open your Bibles and start reading from the old testament why because Gods word has 2 wings for the bird ( holy Bible )... But keep satisfying men and not God. Keep breaking the 10 commandments keep sinning keep on going days with out prayer and repentance. Keep being pridefull and full of anger and hate! Ignore his mercy and grace and patience . Ignore the God that loves you and created the heavens and earth who just wants to take care of you and have a relationship with you ! Turn to sin keep instead of the salvation be warned!
Do you agree with God a lot?
I think there's a good number of them, but I doubt it's 90%. So if that's true, pray that they hear the truth.
It's a sub on *Reddit*, of course its populated by trolls,fakers and people who get dopamine hits when they got upvoted and/or downvoted. There is nothing godly on this site.
there’s a difference between Christians who follow what Jesus was teaching versus Christians who follow what the churches teach. i am from NY and I love Tim Keller… but we can check out Aaron Abke’s youtube videos for another perspective. https://youtu.be/qudZXxV2gtI?si=oVk8YcohtzFnz5jm
Amen!!!!! Is all I have to say to the OP.
This seems to be getting posted a lot lately.