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Public 'do not believe in nativity'= Premier 10 today
Report continues:
Seventy per cent of the public don't believe the Christmas story is true.
St Helen's Church in London conducted a survey of over a thousand people, which shows the majority doubt what the Bible says.
Almost a quarter of people who described themselves as Christians share the scepticism.
Is there any wonder that the general public don’t believe what the bible says when many Christians don’t believe it either. There are so many Christians who now pick and choose which bits of the bible they believe in, the bits that are inconvenient, the bits that the world may scoff at, the bits that are difficult to believe. If Christians are refuting the bible what does that say to non-believers?
Are we actually being our own worst enemies in the example we are setting and a bad witness to others? How can we possibly evangelise and witness to non-believers when we cannot say hand on heart that we don’t believe it ourselves. Belief is contagious as is our enthusiasm for our faith so I guess unbelief is contagious also, therefore do we need to start evangelising ourselves?
Faith = belief in, devotion to, or trust in somebody or something, especially without logical proof
Seventy per cent of the public don't believe the Christmas story is true.
St Helen's Church in London conducted a survey of over a thousand people, which shows the majority doubt what the Bible says.
Almost a quarter of people who described themselves as Christians share the scepticism.
Is there any wonder that the general public don’t believe what the bible says when many Christians don’t believe it either. There are so many Christians who now pick and choose which bits of the bible they believe in, the bits that are inconvenient, the bits that the world may scoff at, the bits that are difficult to believe. If Christians are refuting the bible what does that say to non-believers?
Are we actually being our own worst enemies in the example we are setting and a bad witness to others? How can we possibly evangelise and witness to non-believers when we cannot say hand on heart that we don’t believe it ourselves. Belief is contagious as is our enthusiasm for our faith so I guess unbelief is contagious also, therefore do we need to start evangelising ourselves?
Faith = belief in, devotion to, or trust in somebody or something, especially without logical proof
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Dr. Derek P. Blake on -
There are those who call themselves Christians that don’t believe in the resurrection, second coming, creation, that God inspired the bible, that the flood never happened, and the virgin birth; and a good number of them are members of this forum.
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Permalink Reply by Karen on -
Sometimes I really do not know what to think and, since coming on this site, it's worse!!
I really am quite shocked at some of the things I read and wonder if I am reading the same Bible as everyone else. It's more of the 'me' generation...what suits me. If it fits in with me it's ok i'll believe it Many Christians now think sex before marriage is ok. When I have questioned Christians about this they say that they are 'nearly' married'. I digress but I just do not believe what I hear. Are the Pastors responsible for the confusuin?
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Permalink Reply by Myfanwy on -
I think we all need to spend more time reading our Bibles, I know I do! I agree with you Tony, but sometimes we do not understand things properly and we need help. I must say I cannot understand how people can call themselves Christians when they refute basic Bible teaching though,like you mentioned Derek. And, please forgive me when I get things wrong!
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Permalink Reply by Karen on
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I agree. Actually, I usually do agree with you Myfanwy so, to save time, i'll let you post for me!!!!!
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Permalink Reply by Ali G on -
The thing is, for me, I don't really have an opinion on what other people believe or don't believe. Its not my business to judge another persons christian belief. When an individual is totally convinced of their belief and can then back that up because they read something that matched it in the Bible they can do very EXTREME things in the name of that belief. Thats like fundamentalism, its dangerous.
You are really alienating so many prospective believers with these types of expectations that 'real' christians 'cannot refute the bible'.
Actually there is an amazing parable that says you only need faith the size of a grain of mustard seed. How inclusive, liberating, hopeful is that parable? I love that parable, and I know it to be true. Imagine a parable that says you must believe every word of the bible or you are not a real christian? Im not sure Jesus Christ said anything like that did he? Correct me if I am wrong.
Margaret, you seem to get some sleuth like satisfaction in having 'worked out' who on this site doesn't believe as you do? What connects us as christians? How can we get on with each other better because if we are alienating each other how on earth can we hope to attract someone in the dark who really needs to hear the good news?
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Permalink Reply by Myfanwy on
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I have to say I would not call myself a Buddhist if I did not believe in their fundamental teachings..or any other religion for that matter. I am sorry if I come across as judgemental.
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Permalink Reply by Ali G on
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Myfanwy, I hadn't read your post when I put mine on. You said "I cannot understand how people can call themselves christians when they refute basic bible teachings". I call myself a christian because I took the leap of faith to pray to Jesus Christ for forgiveness and for freedom from addiction. I have been free from addiction now for 10 years. I pray every day. I read the gospels, that is all. I would think it very egocentric of me to decide if another human being had the right to call themselves a christian. If someone says they are, then they are having a relationship with Christ and that is what makes them so. The thing is you don't get to decide what the fundamentalist teachings of christianity are - its is an individual journey.
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Permalink Reply by Myfanwy on
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Hi Alisha..I think it is truly wonderful that you have been set free from your addiction. No, I cannot see into your heart, and I cannot say that you do not love God or that you do not have a relationship with Him.I was not having a go at you, sorry if you thought I was. What I mean is the Bible is the inspired Word of God, so if we do not hold to it's basic teachings then we are not really following Christ.
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Permalink Reply by Ali G on
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Myfanwy, I do not think you are having a go at me and you don't have to apologise for your beliefs. This is a discussion forum and for their to be a need for that there has to be people who wish to discuss things, and we are all not going to agree with each other, so I'm not concerned that your view differs from mine, or take it personally in any way.
I will say that in your last post you are saying the same thing over again, that unless a person holds to the Bible ( I presume you mean the whole of the Bible, every word as it is the inspired Word of God) then that person is not really following Christ. I am making it very clear, that as a Christian I only read the Gospels, and I have never read the whole of the Old Testament. So you ARE saying that I am not really following Christ no matter how you dress it up.
This does not concern me, because my experience is in my heart and my mind and the change is reflected in my wonderful life which is full of love. PS - I found it a bit patronising that you expressed how wonderful it was I had been set free from my addiction. I do not feel the need to say that I think it is equally wonderful that you have been set free from your sins.
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Permalink Reply by Dr. Derek P. Blake on
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Surely, if you believe in Jesus then you believe in God as Jesus is God, one of the Trinity; Father, Son and Holy Spirit, one in being with the Father, indivisible. If you don’t accept this then you cannot call yourself a Christian.
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Permalink Reply by Myfanwy on
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Hi Alisha, again, I apologise if you thought I was being patronising. I was simply rejoicing that you had been set free from an addiction, I was not even referring to it in the sense of a sin. I have had addictions and I have been set free too, praise the Lord. You are right, it is your choice to worship God as you see fit. Yes, this is a forum for debate and discussion, and I am certainly not apologising to you ar anyone for my beliefs..but I will apologise if I think I have said something to offend someone in terms of how they interpret what I say. The Bible is God's inspired Word, all of it, whether you choose to read the whole of it or not. And, again I say to you, that I cannot judge you as to how you stand in your relationship with God. It is not my nature to 'dress' things up, I am a very down to earth person, a very ordinary person that does not always perfectly articulate what I am trying to say. In very simplistic terms, if we do not hold to the entire Word of God, then we are not following Him as we ought. God says in the Bible not to add or subtract from His Word, those are not my words.
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