There is only one path to Christianity it is through the shed blood of Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior. He, and he alone is worthy of our praise and worship. That is the difference between Christianity and a number of other "religions." If you do not believe that Jesus became your sin, and died for you, on the cross, then you are not Christian. You may have a religion---but it is not Christian. BIG difference.

 

The ABSOLUTE Gospel Truth. :thumb:

Please elaborate on what we differ on.

 

I am Catholic. One thing that you and I differ on is that I do not think that a peasant farmer in China (for example) who has never heard of Christ is going to Hell, whereas you would say that God has condemned him forever.

Those who think they have it all figured out remind me of the Pharisees that were so well versed in the law, but so far off the narrow path.

I am Catholic. One thing that you and I differ on is that I do not think that a peasant farmer in China (for example) who has never heard of Christ is going to Hell, whereas you would say that God has condemned him forever.

 

Actually we don't differ on this. If the farmer never rejected Jesus then I think he is not doomed. God is a just God. If however, you think Jesus was a great teacher but not The Way, The Truth, and The Light. that is another subject altogether.

Those who think they have it all figured out remind me of the Pharisees that were so well versed in the law, but so far off the narrow path.

 

I certainly don't have it all figured out but the Bible is very clear on what it takes to be saved.

I would have liked more concrete thoughts from Obama on the questions.

 

However I find it funny because I was trying to remember if these same interviews were given to Ronald Reagan at any time in his presidency or before? Yet he was given the vote of the Evangelical community very easily. Really, the only indepth statements by a President I recall about faith have been from Jimmy Carter and we know how well that has played.

 

LBBC raised legitimate questions and discussion points in his initial thread but the immediate judgement based on this interview is a little much and farther than I thought the thread would venture.

I never said or insinuated that. Personally, I think he is far from it. As I said in my 1st post, I think he should be very clear about his faith! I think he dances around the truth and says things to be appealing and has said things to capture as many votes as possible. Most politicians do. My point is, our leader's faith should not be in question. He should come clean about his beliefs. I feel that is an unfortunate direction our country is heading, to water down your faith and place God where he cannot be seen. Such as the Ten Commandments not allowed in public places and schools. Our country was founded by God-fearing, God-loving, and God-respecting men and we should stand tall and proud as they did NOW!

 

Well, not all were the Christians you make them out to be. Jefferson, Henry, even Franklin in his actions were far from the Puritan caricatures you seem to be insinuating. I would also add that many of those who did fear God or loved (i.e. Washington, Madison, Adams) did so with different visions about the country and about different racial parts of humanity. They may have articulated their faith much better and publically than Obama or Bush or whomever but their walk wasn't much better in some arenas. :thumb:

I certainly don't have it all figured out but the Bible is very clear on what it takes to be saved.

 

Yes it is. It's an internal, personal decision. When any of us try to judge weather or not someone else is "saved" we are wasting our time because there is no way for any of us to know a heart other than our own.

Yes it is. It's an internal, personal decision. When any of us try to judge weather or not someone else is "saved" we are wasting our time because there is no way for any of us to know a heart other than our own.

 

Unless Obama is being dishonest in his respones to the questions then he by definition is not a Christian. I know that doesn't sit well with some but this is how it is.

 

He may have given what he thought were the politically correct answers but if he truely believes what he said...............................

Unless Obama is being dishonest in his respones to the questions then he by definition is not a Christian. .....

 

By whose definition?

 

Does the Bible give an actual definition of what a Christian is?

By whose definition?

 

Does the Bible give an actual definition of what a Christian is?

 

Really I give up.

Really I give up.

 

What? I asked a simple question and I want to know if you know the actual answer. Does the bible define what a Christian is? If so, where? You said "by definition." I'm asking for you to cite the definition that you refer to.

A couple of three of 4 things

 

I have shared this story from T. Campolo before and the Eastern Holy man who was being evangelized to. Once the preacher/missionary finished talking about the wonderful person Jesus was and about His teachings the Eastern Holy man says, and I paraphrase, I have believed all of my life, you have just now given me a new name for what I believed.

 

Secondly, there are thousands perhaps millions of Christians who believe there are differing ways to God. The great philosopher monk - Thomas Merton - says that the search for God and doing the right thing (even for those who don't know Jesus) is pleasing to God.

 

Thirdly - Jesus may have been saying when He said He was the WAY - that because of what I am doing right now all people can find their way to heaven. paraphrasing again - Through one man the entire world was put in sin and through one man the entire world can be saved. John 3:17 - For God sent not his son into the world to condemn the world, but that THE WORLD - through him might be saved"

 

There are many Christian Apologists who speak of the Cosmic Christ.

 

As to the Founding Fathers, how about this little tidbit from Thomas Paine - who wrote Common Sense - that helped lead to the Revolutionary War . . .

 

1795 "Age of Reason" Whenever we read . . . the cruel and tortuous executions, the unrelenting vindictiveness with which more than half the Bible is filled, it would be more consistent that we call it the word of a demon that the word of God. It is a history of wickedness that has served to corrupt and brutalize humankind. And, for my own part, I sincerely detest it, as I detest everything that is cruel"

I am Catholic. One thing that you and I differ on is that I do not think that a peasant farmer in China (for example) who has never heard of Christ is going to Hell, whereas you would say that God has condemned him forever.

 

Absolutely not true. Romans, I think 2nd chapter, basically says that those who have never HEARD the Gospel but do the things naturally that the Gospel would ask you to do will be saved.

 

Those that reject Jesus Christ, either by outright rejection or by never accepting him, are the ones that might be in trouble.

What? I asked a simple question and I want to know if you know the actual answer. Does the bible define what a Christian is? If so, where? You said "by definition." I'm asking for you to cite the definition that you refer to.

 

Accept Jesus Christ as the Lord and Savior or your life and the only way to know the Father through his sacrifice on the cross.