What am I???????????????

Question

I consider myself a Christian, and I love God with all my heart. Yet people tell me my views and ideals are different from Christianity. For example, I question many things in the Bible. I know this may be wrong if I take it to far, but I can't help but question things. Some of my questions are why Apostle Paul said women can never have any authority? Or why God blessed Samson if all he did was seek revenge and s***w prostitutes? Or why the book of Genesis contradicts itself with the story of creation? I also view things very differently. I tolerate people who smoke, drink, do drugs. I find that these people are much more accepting and less judgemental. I also have a couple of g*y friends, and I don't judge them whatsoever. I disagree with their lifestyle, yet I'm somewhat understanding about it. Lastly, I'm a bit skeptical with some of the events I've encountered. I once went to a service, and oil and diamonds started dripping out of the bible, I really doubted that it was real. What does this make me?

Answer 1

I am a Christian and i have never read the Bible.(shock horror!) Besides, which of the more than 50 different versions of the Bible in English alone is the One True Bible of the Word of God. Fortunately i know which one it is. A true Christian tries to live the life God would like him to live, that is to love one another as he loves us. A true Christian would never say Atheists are going to h**l.(judgemental), or, homosexuality is a sin. A true Christian would never say you will go to h**l if you do not accept Jesus as your saviour etc. A true Christian does not make fun of other religions.

I would say you are heading in the right direction.

Answer 2

Well if makes you feel any better, if you are all into god and Jesus, then to a non believer like me you are definitely a Christian.

Sorry though that your own religion is so picky among it's own people, that is a real shame. People shouldn't be so fussy and judging like that.

Answer 3

You can call yourself whatever you want; however, to believe in Christianity you must believe Faithfully in Christian doctrine (the bible).

With that said, the bible is a bunch of horse malarkey with no ground to stand on. You've stumbled upon a few paradoxes (there millions more) and a couple hypocrisies (there millions more of these too). But what your problem is is that you are trying to juxtapose contemporary thought onto a two thousand year old document written by several men who had a specific belief system, based on how things ought to be (in their view) vs. how they actually were, and now how we contemporary thinkers perceive these views to be.

You say, "Apostle Paul said women can never have any authority." Well, Apostle Paul never lived during Women's Lib. You got your views, having lived post the Women's Liberation. Samson didn't live in a world where prostitution was deemed illegal. The Book of Genesis was written before the discovery of dinosaurs, carbon dating, physics. The men who wrote the bible didn't know half of what you learned. Therefore, it seemed perfectly reasonable to write, man has lived on earth 6000 years, and that he was the beginning, or that the earth was the center of the universe.

While you know it's all c**p, your knowledge of how things are comes second to how things are in the bible. That is, they come second if you are truly a G/god Fearing Christian. I think you are smarter than that. But you can call yourself whatever you want.  

Answer 4

Maybe your not a christian!

Webster’s Dictionary defines a Christian as “a person professing belief in Jesus as the Christ or in the religion based on the teaching of Jesus.” While this is a good starting point in understanding what a Christian is, like many secular definitions, it falls somewhat short of really communicating the biblical truth of what it means to be a Christian.

The word Christian is used three times in New Testament (Acts 11:26; Acts 26:28; 1 Peter 4:16). Followers of Jesus Christ were first called “Christians” in Antioch (Acts 11:26) because their behavior, activity, and speech were like Christ. It was originally used by the unsaved people of Antioch as a kind of contemptuous nickname used to make fun of the Christians. It literally means, “belonging to the party of Christ” or an “adherent or follower of Christ,” which is very similar to the way Webster’s Dictionary defines it.

Unfortunately over time, the word "Christian" has lost a great deal of its significance and is often used of someone who is religious or has high moral values instead of a true born again follower of Jesus Christ. Many people who don’t believe and trust in Jesus Christ consider themselves Christians simply because they go to church or they live in a "Christian" nation. But going to church, serving those less fortunate than you, or being a good person does not make you a Christian. As one evangelist once said, “Going to church doesn’t make one a Christian anymore than going to a garage makes one an automobile.” Being a member of a church, attending services regularly, and giving to the work of the church cannot make you a Christian.

The Bible teaches us that the good works we do cannot make us acceptable to God. Titus 3:5 tells us that it is “not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit.” So, a Christian is someone who has been born-again by God (John 3:3; John 3:7; 1 Peter 1:23) and has put their faith and trust in Jesus Christ. Ephesians 2:8 tells us that it is “by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God.” A true Christian is someone who has repented of his or her sin and put faith and trust in Jesus Christ alone. Their trust is not in following a religion or a set of moral codes, or a list of do’s and don’ts.

A true Christian is a person who has put his or her faith and trust in the person of Jesus Christ and fact that He died on the cross as payment for sins and rose again on the third day to obtain victory over death and to give eternal life to all who believe in Him. John 1:12 tells us: “But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name.” A true Christian is indeed a child of God, a part of God’s true family, and one who has been given new life in Christ. The mark of a true Christian is love for others and obedience to God’s Word (1 John 2:4; 1 John 2:10).

Have you made a decision for Christ because of what you have read here? If so, please click on the "I have accepted Christ today" button below.

Galatians 5:22-23 tells us, "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control..." The fruit of the Holy Spirit are the results of the Holy Spirit taking a role in the life of a Christian. The Bible makes it clear that everyone receives the Holy Spirit the moment he or she believes in Jesus Christ (Romans 8:9; 1 Corinthians 12:13; Ephesians 1:13-14). One of the primary purposes of the Holy Spirit coming into a Christian's life is to change that life. It is the Holy Spirit's job to conform us to the image of Christ, making us more like Him.

The fruit of the Holy Spirit are in direct contrast with the acts of the sinful nature in Galatians 5:19-21, "The acts of the sinful nature are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God." Galatians 5:19-21 is what people are like, to varying degrees, when they do not know Christ and therefore are not under the influence of the Holy Spirit. Our sinful flesh produces types of fruit (Galatians 5:19-21), and the Holy Spirit produces types of fruit (Galatians 5:22-23).

The Christian life is a battle of the acts of the sinful nature with the fruit of the Holy Spirit. As fallen human beings, we are still trapped in a body that desires sinful things (Romans 7:14-25). As Christians, we have the Holy Spirit producing His fruit in us and the Holy Spirit's power available to us to conquer the acts of the sinful nature (2 Corinthians 5:17; Philippians 4:13). A Christian will never be completely victorious in al

Answer 5

Nominally a Christian, but more intelligent than most.  Once you scrutinize the Christian mythology in detail, you will be able to see that it is nonsense.

Answer 6

ur still one of god's children.

Answer 7

Being a christian is ALL ABOUT following Christ. So if you have accepted Him as your Lord and savior and attempt to walk as best you can in His instructions then you are a Christian.

  As for your questions, they are all good questions, but also most are bought about through your not understanding the context and times of when those writings were written. Get hold of some good Bible commentaries or join a good Bible study group and those questions will quickly be answered, even if you will then find more questions, to then find answers for. But that is fine. The more you read the Bible with an inquiring mind and seek out the answers, the more you will grow in understanding and your walk with God.

Every blessing to you there. E-mail if you want more details.

Answer 8

I'd say you have common sense.  The Bible is just a book of fairy tales, like any other religious book.  Fortunately, you're beginning to realize that.

Answer 9

Daniel K,

It sounds like you are a good kid but you are agreeing with social problems liked drug,smoke and drink and that is bad because as a good kid,you need to remove anything that is related to evil.Anyway, you are yourself and you are showing your true colours

Answer 10

Questioning is GREAT!

And there are many good places to go to get answers but you can't understand anything, without first going back to Genesis and understanding the beginning of man and the world.

A.  Women can have authority, Paul just said not to preach in to men in Timothy, as a woman, I understand this because man was created FIRST to have authority and women second to compliement, be the other half of the man.  But the proper position is MAN as the head of the woman just as CHRIST is the head of the church.  IF the men are decent, loving, Christian men... which is rare today which is why the role have to change a bit because MEN are denying their duty and s******g up so badly, so the second in command (the woman) has to step in and save the church.

B.  Samson's s***w ups were what resulted in his death, God will not condone your s***w ups and sins and they will usually, ultimately result in your untimely death.  God's blessing was on him before he screwed up.

C.  It doesn't contractict itself.   http://www.christiananswers.net/q-eden/e...

D.I tolerate people of all kinds too because we are ONE BLOOD, and God loves everyone... but however those that don't accept Him and love Him to want what's best for themselves (God knows what's best, he wants people to do things His way because like a caring father he knows what is good for us - and drugs and homosexual s*x is not, it's dangerous to body and soul and spirit) instead act on their own desires and arrogantly think THEY know what's best HURT God and reject him, sealing their own faith.  But the Bible calls us to be loving.

E.  Sounds weird, don't base your faith on "services" - it was meant to be about God only and his word which is the Textus Receptus - the KING JAMES Bible.  Read that, reasearch it on good sites like the one below and get answers for yourself.

I'm kinda quoting x-files, but "the truth is out there"  - Find it!  I did!

(and plus, if you read the bible, you'll find out what you are, it's like a mirror that we can "see ourselves clearly" in)

Answer 11

for me you are an open mind who see life different from others

Answer 12

wow! and to add to your frustrations.... i dont get that verse on anti tattoos in the OLD testament .its right next to in the same verse and the just of it is that says you cannot wear any clothing woven of two different kind of materials. whats up with that???( i have 3 tats and a brow piercing which is shunned by the church btw) but my point is there are so many things in the Bible that make no since to me. many things that seem to contradict and may seem confusing. and thats ok. the important thing is my Christianity is based on faith; not on what makes since to me.we all interpret the Bible differently.but i think God also speaks to us differently as well.I understand and live by the basics and that is  understanding the purpose of the cross and why it is everything about how and why we are  Christian. thats what really matters.but some of my own views on how to live my life differs greatly to the norm.I too am not caught up in the stuff but more importantly the people.i think if we start focusing more on loving people where they are and stop trying to be their judge and change them,we would see more people coming to know Christ. but that would mean we would have to stop being hypocritics.I stopped going to church several years back because of the disgust i experienced myself. yes indeed you are sooo right,Christians need to take a lesson or two from the world on judging.i found my peace when i left the church and was able to find freedom outside the clickish christian huddles.

in answer to your question: it makes you real! a real Christian that doesn't claim to know it all have all the answers. a real Christian that has questions opinions and views  that may differ from the norm.a real Christian that I wish so desperately were more of!! please dont question who you are.you are an effective Christian. question more about what message the church is sending our society.

Answer 13

It makes you discerning and rational.

Take the Belief-O-Matic at http://www.beliefnet.com/ it will tell you what you are. It's fun.

Answer 14

Organized religion is the root of all evil. Only when people start to ask questions can they be led to a path of open-mindedness and truth. Don't be afraid to ask questions and if anybody criticizes you for it, they are not worth having in your life.  

Answer 15

You are a skeptical christian. I can tell you why Paul said they couldn't have authority. It had to do with the culture and society back then. Some people take the bible WAY too far. I take a lot of things literal, but not when it comes to stuff like that. As for the Samson thing. I really don't know much about his story. Genesis contradicting itself? You are going to have to explain. I'm pretty much like you. I accept everybody, don't judge them, pretty much like those people better then most christians. As for the last thing you said. I believe in stuff like that. Most WOULD be skeptical about it, but it's normal. If you believe that Christ can do anything, then it shouldn't surprise you too much.

Answer 16

You're a Christian that carefully considers his faith. You said it yourself, didn't you?

Answer 17

Their is nothing wrong with questioning anything whether it is in the bible or not. I consider you smart because you are looking on both sides of the fence for answers which to me proves that you are not an ignorant,self righteous individual like most in religion. Do yourself a favour and remember it's( smart to ask a stupid question than to make a stupid mistake ) just make sure that you ask the right person.

Answer 18

It makes you a human being with lots of questions which is normal.  You will find your answers in time.  You are NOT dead.    

Answer 19

it makes you an individual child of God .  you don't need people to have God...i dont know about oil and diamonds but hey!

Answer 20

It makes you reasonable and rational and like all the others maturing in your faith.

There ARE many contradictions in the Bible.

Slavery was condoned and women were told that they were to be under the authority of men.

Today we all know that these things are wrong.  

Our understanding of morality has changed over the centuries as we learn more about human nature and grow in our understanding of what loving our fellow man is all about.

Answer 21

Paul was talking about women in the church who talked during the preaching.

I can understand your toleration. I have found that true myself, which is sad.  Oil and diamonds dripping out of the bible? wow, that is interesting.