One of three major religious groups that worship the god of Abraham, also known as Yahweh, Jehovah, and Allah. The others are Judaism and Islam. Held complete domination of Europe through most of the middle ages and erradicated almost all other belief systems in that territory. Early on there was a break between Roman Catholics in the west and Eastern Orthodox Christians in the Byzantine Empire based in Constantinople. The Catholic church had several Protestant churches break off in the early Rennaisance, in a period called the Reformation. Shortly after the Church began the Counter-Reformation which changed many policies and has continued to evolve.
The crusades, medieval witchhunts, and innumerable wars between Christian sects have all spilled enourmous amounts of blood in the name of this religion that professes universal love and brotherhood.
In general, modern Catholics do not believe the Bible is to be taken literally and is open to interpretation (on Oct. 12, 1996, Pope John Paul II announced that he believed the theory of evolution is correct and not in competition with religion). Protestants consist of dozens or hundreds of faiths, and it is from their number that some groups who believe every word in the Bible must be taken literaly and therefore evolution, along with most science, is wrong.
The crusades, medieval witchhunts, and innumerable wars between Christian sects have all spilled enourmous amounts of blood in the name of this religion that professes universal love and brotherhood.
In general, modern Catholics do not believe the Bible is to be taken literally and is open to interpretation (on Oct. 12, 1996, Pope John Paul II announced that he believed the theory of evolution is correct and not in competition with religion). Protestants consist of dozens or hundreds of faiths, and it is from their number that some groups who believe every word in the Bible must be taken literaly and therefore evolution, along with most science, is wrong.
The Christian soldiers burned the city and killed all the men, women, and children, reasoning that "God will sort the dead."
by salute_20 February 28, 2005
Christianity is the largest religion in the world today. Adherents to it are called Christians. Although beliefs within Christianity are extremely varied, it can for the most part be characterized by the following beliefs:
1) God
Most Christians believe in one and only one God, Creator of heaven and earth. Christians worship the same God as Jews and Muslims. He is eternal, uncreated, all-powerful, all-knowing, merciful but just, absolutely good, and possesses many other divine qualities. Most Christians believe that God exists in a Trinity (tri-unity): that is, there are three Beings or Persons within God. These are the Father, Son, and the Holy Spirit. This is not to be mistaken for polytheism, or belief in multiple gods. No, Christians believe in a single God in three Persons. They are united in substance, will, nature, and so on. This is called hypostatic union. Specific beliefs on God vary very much in Christianity.
When referring to God, most Christians use male pronouns, for many reasons, but increasingly in churches affected by feminism God has begun being referred to as a She. This has pagan connotations, however, and a mother, as the passive partner in sex (the one being penetrated while the man penetrates), does not accurately reflect the active Creator aspect of God. Furthermore, God is a spiritual Being (according to most Christians, at least), not One who is physically male or female. In any case, Christians usually capitalize words referring to God: “Lord” instead of “lord.” God has many names and many epithets, but He is commonly referred to as Yahweh, Yahveh, or Jehovah. According to the Bible, when asked His Name by the prophet Moses, God said that His name was, “I AM THAT WHICH I AM,” emphasizing the pure being of God.
2) Jesus Christ
The majority of Christians believe that Jesus of Nazareth, a first-century Jewish preacher, is an Incarnation of the Son of God, as the second Person of the Trinity, and thus God Himself. It should be stressed that Christians believe that Jesus was fully God and fully man. Christians view Jesus as being prophesied by the Prophets before Him as the Messiah. In this context, Jesus is often called “Christ,” a title from the Greek word Christos, meaning “annointed one” or Messiah. Christ, however, is not a part of His Name. Specific information on the life of Jesus can be found in His definition; see Jesus. Jesus was killed by Roman and Jewish authorities by being crucified. Christians believe that three days after He died, He rose from the dead, called the Resurrection, after which He ascended into Heaven, the Ascension. Christians attach special significance to His death. It can be summed up as follows:
A) All people have sinned and therefore fall short of the glory of God.
B) Sin separates a person from God.
C) Jesus Christ died as a substitute for us. He lived a perfect life under the Law and our sins were placed on His head. All believers are in the body of Christ, and so all believers died with Christ.
D) Therefore, all believers have paid the penalty for the sins because of Christ’s sacrifice.
E) Having paid the penalty for their sins, all believers are thus sinless, forgiven, without having died themselves. In other words, anyone with faith is accounted righteous.
F) Removing sin removes separation from God.
G) Therefore, faith in Christ brings a person to God (salvation).
This is how Christian salvation works in its most basic form, although different churches attach other requirements to achieving salvation, or exempt certain groups from these requirements. Certain churches teach that there are other ways than this to achieve salvation.
Jesus told His apostles, those of His disciples whom He chose to preach in His Name, that in the end times He would return to earth. Christians believe that when the Prophets foretold the Messiah, they spoke of two advents, or comings, by implication. His first advent was as a rejected King who died for the world’s sins, as foretold in Isaiah 53, a prophecy made hundreds of year before His birth – “But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon him, and by his wounds we are healed.” (Isa. 53:5). His second advent, or parousia, will be in glory and power, as in Isa. 9:7 – “He will reign on David's throne and over his kingdom, establishing and upholding it with justice and righteousness from that time on and forever.” In His second advent, Christ will judge all people, assigning them to Heaven (salvation) or Hell (condemnation).
3) The Bible
The holy book within Christianity is called the Bible, and it consists of two main parts. The first part, called the Old Testament (it is the same text as the Jewish Bible, the Tanakh, but reorganized), includes three sections called by Christians the Law (mostly concerned with the origins of the world and a legal code concerned with righteousness), the Histories (records of history in Israel), the Wisdom books (poetic books that reflect the author’s wisdom), and the Prophets (books containing prophecies). The Old Testament focuses on God’s relationship with Israel and the Jewish people. The New Testament, the second part of the Bible, consists of four parts – the Gospels (accounts of Christ’s first coming, i.e. short biographies of Jesus Christ), the Acts of the Apostles (details about the establishment of the early Church), the Epistles (letters that contain doctrinal statements), and the Revelation (an account of the end times and the second coming of Christ in prophetic symbolism – the hardest book of the New Testament to understand). The New Testament focuses on Jesus Christ explicitly.
Opinions about the Bible vary within Christianity. Many Christians believe that the Bible is inspired by God and is inerrant (has no errors), as long as it is translated correctly (the text was written over 1,500 years by some 40 authors in Hebrew and Greek). Other Christians believe it’s generally reliable and truthful, but deny that it’s inerrant. Most Christians interpret the Bible, or have it interpreted for them by their church, literally in some cases and symbolically in others, whereas some Christians interpret it literally throughout. Specific interpretations vary from denomination to denomination. Also, it should be noted that some churches have different versions of the Bible than others – Catholic Bibles have seven extra books and additions to other books; Orthodox Bibles contain those and possibly other books depending on the type of church.
In Christian usage, the Bible is called the Scripture(s), or sometimes a passage a Scripture.
4) Hell
Most Christians believe that either after one dies or after a day of judgment (the Day of the Lord) in the end times, a person will go to either Heaven (paradise with God) or Hell (condemnation). Catholic Christians believe in a third option, Purgatory. If one doesn’t go to Heaven (or, in Catholicism, Purgatory), they go to Hell. Christians are split on the exact nature of Hell. A common belief is that Hell is a physically real place in which the souls of the unsaved are tortured in flames for all time as a punishment for their sins on earth. Although many Christians do believe this, many do not. Another common belief is that Hell is a state of eternal separation from God with no active punishment; another is that Hell is the same place as Heaven, but that the righteous experience God’s love in a positive way, while the unrighteous experience extreme guilt from God’s love. Still other Christians believe that Hell is temporary, a place one goes to gain faith, or pay for their sins themselves, before being accepted into Heaven, like a hospital for the soul (alternately, some believe that Hell is temporary, but one just ceases to exist afterwards). Other Christians say that though it exists, God won’t use Hell, while still other Christians deny the existence of Hell altogether.
It should be noted that several words translated “Hell” in English Bibles actually refer to entirely different places than this “place of condemnation” – Sheol, Hades (Greek equivalent of Sheol), and Tartarus. The fiery abyss most people associate with the English word “Hell” is rendered by the Greek word “Gehenna.” So, many English Christians may be surprised to learn that “Hell” is three different “places.” Further, the word often translated “eternal” from the Greek word “aionios” is derived from the Greek word “aion,” meaning “age” or “eon” (in British English, “aeon”). In other words, the fire in the Bible probably isn't "eternal" so much as "age-long." So, these various understandings of Hell may simply be the result of translation errors.
There are three main types of Christian (size estimates as of 1995, Encyclopedia Britannica):
1) Roman Catholic (968 million)
Roman Catholicism sees itself as the continuation of the original Church tracing back to the apostles of Jesus Christ. Catholics believe that the authority the apostles had (called apostolic authority) was passed down to their heirs, who passed it down to their heirs, and so on. This is especially true of Simon Peter, one of the apostles to whom Catholics believe Jesus gave special authority. Simon Peter became bishop of Rome, and so Catholics believe that all bishops of Rome (called Popes) have that special authority – in fact, Catholics believe that Popes are capable of making infallible (absolutely true) statements for all the Church to follow. The Pope is the highest rank in the Church, and he is seen as a representative of Christ on earth.
Catholics believe that the Bible is a source of authority in the Church, but they also believe that Holy Tradition, those beliefs passed down from early Christians that are not contained within the Bible, is a co-source, equally important as Scripture. Historically, Catholic writings have been written in Latin, and they still are today, but (largely as a response to the rise of Protestantism) now Catholic documents, like Bibles, written in the vernacular (common languages like English) are acceptable.
Catholics are said to perform “latria,” or adoration, for God, and “dulia,” or veneration, for saints. The term “hyperdulia” refers to the Virgin Mary (mother of Jesus), whom Catholics venerate much more than other Saints. Catholics, like the Orthodox, hold that a Saint is a person recognized by the Church to be in Heaven currently, and Catholics pray to Saints to make intercession for them. The reasoning is that asking a saint to pray for them strengthens the prayer, as God will much more likely listen to a righteous person than one who isn’t.
Since the Second Vatican Council, Roman Catholicism has taught that not only Catholics, but also the Orthodox, Protestants, Jews, Muslims, and others who try to live moral lives will go to Heaven, but this was not always so, historically speaking. Catholics believe that, for a Catholic to be saved, they must have faith in Jesus Christ as God and Redeemer and also should perform good works and receive baptism. Catholics also believe that some will go to Purgatory, a place to purify the soul, if they were Christian but sinned after baptism.
2) Eastern Orthodox (218 million)
Eastern Orthodoxy also sees itself as the continuation of the original Church tracing back to the apostles of Jesus Christ. At first, there was only one Church, but schisms within it eventually led to the birth of two sects in 1054: the Latin-speaking Western Christianity (Roman Catholicism) and the Greek-speaking Eastern Christianity (Orthodoxy). Orthodox believers are classified according to the region they live in; hence, one might be a Greek Orthodox, a Russian Orthodox, etc.
Like Catholicism, Orthodoxy also uses both the Bible and the Holy Tradition, but, as in secular matters, traditions do not always agree with each other. As a result of this, and also the Orthodox emphasis on the Greek Fathers (distinguished Christians who spoke Greek), Orthodoxy disagrees at times with Roman Catholic traditions. For instance, the Orthodox Church uses a different calendar than the Roman Catholic Church. It should be noted that Orthodox believers usually emphasize Tradition even more than Scripture, as they hold that Scripture sprang from Tradition, not vice versa. But on the whole, Eastern Orthodoxy is very much like Catholicism.
Distinctive features of Orthodoxy include the use of icons to pray (to saints or to God), very specific architecture in churches, and no absolute condition for salvation – the Orthodox hold that their Church represents the best path to salvation, but not necessarily the only one. The goal of any Orthodox Christian is theosis, or Union with God. It is often said, “God became Man so that Man might become God.”
3) Protestant (466 million)
Protestantism originates in 1517 and was founded because some Christians became concerned with corruption within the Roman Catholic Church. Their name comes from protesting Roman Catholic practices. Generally, Protestantism was originally characterized by belief that only the Bible is a source for doctrine, not traditions or popes/councils, belief that only faith is necessary to salvation, not good works or anything else, that no one can earn salvation, but that it is only by the grace of God that anyone is saved, and that Christ is the only mediator between God and men, not the pope, saints, or oneself, but Protestant has since come to mean any non-Catholic and non-Orthodox. As a result, the beliefs of Protestants are extremely varied.
Different denominations interpret the Bible differently, and some denominations have other Scriptures than the Bible (i.e. Mormons). Also, the Protestant Bible is shorter than the Catholic/Orthodox Bible. Protestants removed several books, the ones found in a Greek translation of the Old Testament (Tanakh) called the Septuagint but not included in the Jewish Bible. It is significant that one early Christian, a certain Athanasius, believed that the Bible should consist only of the books Protestants now consider acceptable. It is difficult to discuss any Protestant views in depth, however, as they are so diverse.
About 275.5 million Christians identify themselves as “other.”
Christianity, as the world’s largest religion, is often attacked or insulted, but such people who attack it most likely do not have a good understanding of the actual religion; they are attacking a caricature of Christianity as practiced by a minority of Christians. Many non-Christians associate hypocrisy, bigotry, absurd beliefs like creationism, stupidity, or other negative qualities with Christianity. It is true that, historically, Roman Catholics and some Protestants have persecuted other groups or began wars (rather ironically, in the Name of Jesus Christ), but Christianity does not preach persecution. There are also many lies concerning Christianity, but these are simply untrue and malicious, made specifically with the intent to detract others from the faith. Many, many books have been written that provide reasons for believing Christianity’s claims against those often provided for not believing; popular ones include Mere Christianity by C. S. Lewis, Case for Christ by Lee Strobel, and many others. For a list of web sites that defend Christianity, try http://en.wikipedia.org/ wiki/Christian_apologetics#See_also (make sure to take out the space inserted here) for a large number, some very nice in the list. God bless!
1) God
Most Christians believe in one and only one God, Creator of heaven and earth. Christians worship the same God as Jews and Muslims. He is eternal, uncreated, all-powerful, all-knowing, merciful but just, absolutely good, and possesses many other divine qualities. Most Christians believe that God exists in a Trinity (tri-unity): that is, there are three Beings or Persons within God. These are the Father, Son, and the Holy Spirit. This is not to be mistaken for polytheism, or belief in multiple gods. No, Christians believe in a single God in three Persons. They are united in substance, will, nature, and so on. This is called hypostatic union. Specific beliefs on God vary very much in Christianity.
When referring to God, most Christians use male pronouns, for many reasons, but increasingly in churches affected by feminism God has begun being referred to as a She. This has pagan connotations, however, and a mother, as the passive partner in sex (the one being penetrated while the man penetrates), does not accurately reflect the active Creator aspect of God. Furthermore, God is a spiritual Being (according to most Christians, at least), not One who is physically male or female. In any case, Christians usually capitalize words referring to God: “Lord” instead of “lord.” God has many names and many epithets, but He is commonly referred to as Yahweh, Yahveh, or Jehovah. According to the Bible, when asked His Name by the prophet Moses, God said that His name was, “I AM THAT WHICH I AM,” emphasizing the pure being of God.
2) Jesus Christ
The majority of Christians believe that Jesus of Nazareth, a first-century Jewish preacher, is an Incarnation of the Son of God, as the second Person of the Trinity, and thus God Himself. It should be stressed that Christians believe that Jesus was fully God and fully man. Christians view Jesus as being prophesied by the Prophets before Him as the Messiah. In this context, Jesus is often called “Christ,” a title from the Greek word Christos, meaning “annointed one” or Messiah. Christ, however, is not a part of His Name. Specific information on the life of Jesus can be found in His definition; see Jesus. Jesus was killed by Roman and Jewish authorities by being crucified. Christians believe that three days after He died, He rose from the dead, called the Resurrection, after which He ascended into Heaven, the Ascension. Christians attach special significance to His death. It can be summed up as follows:
A) All people have sinned and therefore fall short of the glory of God.
B) Sin separates a person from God.
C) Jesus Christ died as a substitute for us. He lived a perfect life under the Law and our sins were placed on His head. All believers are in the body of Christ, and so all believers died with Christ.
D) Therefore, all believers have paid the penalty for the sins because of Christ’s sacrifice.
E) Having paid the penalty for their sins, all believers are thus sinless, forgiven, without having died themselves. In other words, anyone with faith is accounted righteous.
F) Removing sin removes separation from God.
G) Therefore, faith in Christ brings a person to God (salvation).
This is how Christian salvation works in its most basic form, although different churches attach other requirements to achieving salvation, or exempt certain groups from these requirements. Certain churches teach that there are other ways than this to achieve salvation.
Jesus told His apostles, those of His disciples whom He chose to preach in His Name, that in the end times He would return to earth. Christians believe that when the Prophets foretold the Messiah, they spoke of two advents, or comings, by implication. His first advent was as a rejected King who died for the world’s sins, as foretold in Isaiah 53, a prophecy made hundreds of year before His birth – “But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon him, and by his wounds we are healed.” (Isa. 53:5). His second advent, or parousia, will be in glory and power, as in Isa. 9:7 – “He will reign on David's throne and over his kingdom, establishing and upholding it with justice and righteousness from that time on and forever.” In His second advent, Christ will judge all people, assigning them to Heaven (salvation) or Hell (condemnation).
3) The Bible
The holy book within Christianity is called the Bible, and it consists of two main parts. The first part, called the Old Testament (it is the same text as the Jewish Bible, the Tanakh, but reorganized), includes three sections called by Christians the Law (mostly concerned with the origins of the world and a legal code concerned with righteousness), the Histories (records of history in Israel), the Wisdom books (poetic books that reflect the author’s wisdom), and the Prophets (books containing prophecies). The Old Testament focuses on God’s relationship with Israel and the Jewish people. The New Testament, the second part of the Bible, consists of four parts – the Gospels (accounts of Christ’s first coming, i.e. short biographies of Jesus Christ), the Acts of the Apostles (details about the establishment of the early Church), the Epistles (letters that contain doctrinal statements), and the Revelation (an account of the end times and the second coming of Christ in prophetic symbolism – the hardest book of the New Testament to understand). The New Testament focuses on Jesus Christ explicitly.
Opinions about the Bible vary within Christianity. Many Christians believe that the Bible is inspired by God and is inerrant (has no errors), as long as it is translated correctly (the text was written over 1,500 years by some 40 authors in Hebrew and Greek). Other Christians believe it’s generally reliable and truthful, but deny that it’s inerrant. Most Christians interpret the Bible, or have it interpreted for them by their church, literally in some cases and symbolically in others, whereas some Christians interpret it literally throughout. Specific interpretations vary from denomination to denomination. Also, it should be noted that some churches have different versions of the Bible than others – Catholic Bibles have seven extra books and additions to other books; Orthodox Bibles contain those and possibly other books depending on the type of church.
In Christian usage, the Bible is called the Scripture(s), or sometimes a passage a Scripture.
4) Hell
Most Christians believe that either after one dies or after a day of judgment (the Day of the Lord) in the end times, a person will go to either Heaven (paradise with God) or Hell (condemnation). Catholic Christians believe in a third option, Purgatory. If one doesn’t go to Heaven (or, in Catholicism, Purgatory), they go to Hell. Christians are split on the exact nature of Hell. A common belief is that Hell is a physically real place in which the souls of the unsaved are tortured in flames for all time as a punishment for their sins on earth. Although many Christians do believe this, many do not. Another common belief is that Hell is a state of eternal separation from God with no active punishment; another is that Hell is the same place as Heaven, but that the righteous experience God’s love in a positive way, while the unrighteous experience extreme guilt from God’s love. Still other Christians believe that Hell is temporary, a place one goes to gain faith, or pay for their sins themselves, before being accepted into Heaven, like a hospital for the soul (alternately, some believe that Hell is temporary, but one just ceases to exist afterwards). Other Christians say that though it exists, God won’t use Hell, while still other Christians deny the existence of Hell altogether.
It should be noted that several words translated “Hell” in English Bibles actually refer to entirely different places than this “place of condemnation” – Sheol, Hades (Greek equivalent of Sheol), and Tartarus. The fiery abyss most people associate with the English word “Hell” is rendered by the Greek word “Gehenna.” So, many English Christians may be surprised to learn that “Hell” is three different “places.” Further, the word often translated “eternal” from the Greek word “aionios” is derived from the Greek word “aion,” meaning “age” or “eon” (in British English, “aeon”). In other words, the fire in the Bible probably isn't "eternal" so much as "age-long." So, these various understandings of Hell may simply be the result of translation errors.
There are three main types of Christian (size estimates as of 1995, Encyclopedia Britannica):
1) Roman Catholic (968 million)
Roman Catholicism sees itself as the continuation of the original Church tracing back to the apostles of Jesus Christ. Catholics believe that the authority the apostles had (called apostolic authority) was passed down to their heirs, who passed it down to their heirs, and so on. This is especially true of Simon Peter, one of the apostles to whom Catholics believe Jesus gave special authority. Simon Peter became bishop of Rome, and so Catholics believe that all bishops of Rome (called Popes) have that special authority – in fact, Catholics believe that Popes are capable of making infallible (absolutely true) statements for all the Church to follow. The Pope is the highest rank in the Church, and he is seen as a representative of Christ on earth.
Catholics believe that the Bible is a source of authority in the Church, but they also believe that Holy Tradition, those beliefs passed down from early Christians that are not contained within the Bible, is a co-source, equally important as Scripture. Historically, Catholic writings have been written in Latin, and they still are today, but (largely as a response to the rise of Protestantism) now Catholic documents, like Bibles, written in the vernacular (common languages like English) are acceptable.
Catholics are said to perform “latria,” or adoration, for God, and “dulia,” or veneration, for saints. The term “hyperdulia” refers to the Virgin Mary (mother of Jesus), whom Catholics venerate much more than other Saints. Catholics, like the Orthodox, hold that a Saint is a person recognized by the Church to be in Heaven currently, and Catholics pray to Saints to make intercession for them. The reasoning is that asking a saint to pray for them strengthens the prayer, as God will much more likely listen to a righteous person than one who isn’t.
Since the Second Vatican Council, Roman Catholicism has taught that not only Catholics, but also the Orthodox, Protestants, Jews, Muslims, and others who try to live moral lives will go to Heaven, but this was not always so, historically speaking. Catholics believe that, for a Catholic to be saved, they must have faith in Jesus Christ as God and Redeemer and also should perform good works and receive baptism. Catholics also believe that some will go to Purgatory, a place to purify the soul, if they were Christian but sinned after baptism.
2) Eastern Orthodox (218 million)
Eastern Orthodoxy also sees itself as the continuation of the original Church tracing back to the apostles of Jesus Christ. At first, there was only one Church, but schisms within it eventually led to the birth of two sects in 1054: the Latin-speaking Western Christianity (Roman Catholicism) and the Greek-speaking Eastern Christianity (Orthodoxy). Orthodox believers are classified according to the region they live in; hence, one might be a Greek Orthodox, a Russian Orthodox, etc.
Like Catholicism, Orthodoxy also uses both the Bible and the Holy Tradition, but, as in secular matters, traditions do not always agree with each other. As a result of this, and also the Orthodox emphasis on the Greek Fathers (distinguished Christians who spoke Greek), Orthodoxy disagrees at times with Roman Catholic traditions. For instance, the Orthodox Church uses a different calendar than the Roman Catholic Church. It should be noted that Orthodox believers usually emphasize Tradition even more than Scripture, as they hold that Scripture sprang from Tradition, not vice versa. But on the whole, Eastern Orthodoxy is very much like Catholicism.
Distinctive features of Orthodoxy include the use of icons to pray (to saints or to God), very specific architecture in churches, and no absolute condition for salvation – the Orthodox hold that their Church represents the best path to salvation, but not necessarily the only one. The goal of any Orthodox Christian is theosis, or Union with God. It is often said, “God became Man so that Man might become God.”
3) Protestant (466 million)
Protestantism originates in 1517 and was founded because some Christians became concerned with corruption within the Roman Catholic Church. Their name comes from protesting Roman Catholic practices. Generally, Protestantism was originally characterized by belief that only the Bible is a source for doctrine, not traditions or popes/councils, belief that only faith is necessary to salvation, not good works or anything else, that no one can earn salvation, but that it is only by the grace of God that anyone is saved, and that Christ is the only mediator between God and men, not the pope, saints, or oneself, but Protestant has since come to mean any non-Catholic and non-Orthodox. As a result, the beliefs of Protestants are extremely varied.
Different denominations interpret the Bible differently, and some denominations have other Scriptures than the Bible (i.e. Mormons). Also, the Protestant Bible is shorter than the Catholic/Orthodox Bible. Protestants removed several books, the ones found in a Greek translation of the Old Testament (Tanakh) called the Septuagint but not included in the Jewish Bible. It is significant that one early Christian, a certain Athanasius, believed that the Bible should consist only of the books Protestants now consider acceptable. It is difficult to discuss any Protestant views in depth, however, as they are so diverse.
About 275.5 million Christians identify themselves as “other.”
Christianity, as the world’s largest religion, is often attacked or insulted, but such people who attack it most likely do not have a good understanding of the actual religion; they are attacking a caricature of Christianity as practiced by a minority of Christians. Many non-Christians associate hypocrisy, bigotry, absurd beliefs like creationism, stupidity, or other negative qualities with Christianity. It is true that, historically, Roman Catholics and some Protestants have persecuted other groups or began wars (rather ironically, in the Name of Jesus Christ), but Christianity does not preach persecution. There are also many lies concerning Christianity, but these are simply untrue and malicious, made specifically with the intent to detract others from the faith. Many, many books have been written that provide reasons for believing Christianity’s claims against those often provided for not believing; popular ones include Mere Christianity by C. S. Lewis, Case for Christ by Lee Strobel, and many others. For a list of web sites that defend Christianity, try http://en.wikipedia.org/ wiki/Christian_apologetics#See_also (make sure to take out the space inserted here) for a large number, some very nice in the list. God bless!
For the message of the cross Christianity is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. - 1 Cor. 1:18
by Brian an t-Albannach May 31, 2006
The most followed piece of fiction ever written. A fairytale to explain to people what man can't explain and provide them with comfort by shielding them from the truth.
Christianity blinds you.
by God May 15, 2003
The devotional worship of a 2,000 year old mythical dead Jew on a stick, as Chriatianity prefer Jews in that condition.
by Elaygee June 4, 2006
Perhaps the single most debated thing in the entire world, next to abortion. Involves major characters from religions across the world, such as Islam and Judaism. In all three religions, a single God stays in the middle of all conflict, with differing views depending on the religion one is looking at.
The major difference with Christianity, though, is that Christians believe that Jesus of Nazareth, a man who was born around the year 0 (while most scholars now believe the date could have been a couple of years later), was and is divine. The story behind Jesus is that God, the loving, caring, creator of the universe, saw that the world was slowly sinking into it's own evil, and sent his only son to save the people, by offering himself as a sacrifice to cleanse the sins of the people of the earth. This form of sacrifice dates back to early Jewish practices, except that instead of an innocent human, animals were sacrificed to please God and beg for forgiveness.
There is no doubt that Jesus Christ did exist, as three major world religions do make references about him, only in differing ways. The Jews think he was a prophet, not the Messiah (perhaps because his teaching went against many of the things that Jews originally thought), the Muslims think he was a prophet, but that he had little significance besides the fact that he was a wise man, and the Christians think he was divine.
Personal Opinion: For all of you athiests out there, I understand that believing in an all powerful, universe controlling Mega-God may be hard, but look around. Do you honestly think that everything, from the sky, to the earth, to yourself, just happened? It is almost foolish to say that everything just "happened", because there is so much proof against it.
Think of it this way: The Jews are foretold to be God's chosen people. They are, in a sense, protected by God, though it may not seem to always be that way. Want an example? In Jewish history, past and present, Jews have fought in wars after wars, been persecuted, killed, tortured, and nearly wiped out, yet they are still a powerful world religion, mainly in the middle east. Do you see anybody around now who worships Baal, the fertility god? Or Ra, the god of the sun? The answer is no. Those religions died off after a short time, because they had nothing backing them up. In Judaism, Islam, and Christianity, all three worship the same God, just in different ways, with different beliefs.
Now, to the point of Jesus the Christ. Scholars know, without a doubt, that Jesus was an actual man, that he did live, around the year 0.
People think Christians and Jews are so different, when in fact, they really aren't. Christians are just Jews who have realized their Messiah, while Jews think he still is to come.
My own personal belief? God does have a son. His name was Jesus of Nazareth, son of Joseph the Carpenter and Mary. I do believe that he was born of a virgin, and for those who stop there when thinking about it, remember, this is God who we're talking about. If he wants Jesus to be born of a virgin, so be it. If he wants Him to be born from a man... so be it as well, but I really don't think he would do that.
I also believe that Jesus died at the hand of Pontius Pilate, the Roman governor, and after three days, He rose again, as was foretold in Jewish prophecy.
And now, for my final statement to defend my case, think of Christianity in one last way. In the words of C.S. Lewis, let's say that you athiests are right. We die, thats it, nothing more. Everybody loses. But let's say I'm right. You still lose, but I get eternity in Heaven with the God of the universe and his only begotten son.
Let's just say I'm pretty sure of myself.
The major difference with Christianity, though, is that Christians believe that Jesus of Nazareth, a man who was born around the year 0 (while most scholars now believe the date could have been a couple of years later), was and is divine. The story behind Jesus is that God, the loving, caring, creator of the universe, saw that the world was slowly sinking into it's own evil, and sent his only son to save the people, by offering himself as a sacrifice to cleanse the sins of the people of the earth. This form of sacrifice dates back to early Jewish practices, except that instead of an innocent human, animals were sacrificed to please God and beg for forgiveness.
There is no doubt that Jesus Christ did exist, as three major world religions do make references about him, only in differing ways. The Jews think he was a prophet, not the Messiah (perhaps because his teaching went against many of the things that Jews originally thought), the Muslims think he was a prophet, but that he had little significance besides the fact that he was a wise man, and the Christians think he was divine.
Personal Opinion: For all of you athiests out there, I understand that believing in an all powerful, universe controlling Mega-God may be hard, but look around. Do you honestly think that everything, from the sky, to the earth, to yourself, just happened? It is almost foolish to say that everything just "happened", because there is so much proof against it.
Think of it this way: The Jews are foretold to be God's chosen people. They are, in a sense, protected by God, though it may not seem to always be that way. Want an example? In Jewish history, past and present, Jews have fought in wars after wars, been persecuted, killed, tortured, and nearly wiped out, yet they are still a powerful world religion, mainly in the middle east. Do you see anybody around now who worships Baal, the fertility god? Or Ra, the god of the sun? The answer is no. Those religions died off after a short time, because they had nothing backing them up. In Judaism, Islam, and Christianity, all three worship the same God, just in different ways, with different beliefs.
Now, to the point of Jesus the Christ. Scholars know, without a doubt, that Jesus was an actual man, that he did live, around the year 0.
People think Christians and Jews are so different, when in fact, they really aren't. Christians are just Jews who have realized their Messiah, while Jews think he still is to come.
My own personal belief? God does have a son. His name was Jesus of Nazareth, son of Joseph the Carpenter and Mary. I do believe that he was born of a virgin, and for those who stop there when thinking about it, remember, this is God who we're talking about. If he wants Jesus to be born of a virgin, so be it. If he wants Him to be born from a man... so be it as well, but I really don't think he would do that.
I also believe that Jesus died at the hand of Pontius Pilate, the Roman governor, and after three days, He rose again, as was foretold in Jewish prophecy.
And now, for my final statement to defend my case, think of Christianity in one last way. In the words of C.S. Lewis, let's say that you athiests are right. We die, thats it, nothing more. Everybody loses. But let's say I'm right. You still lose, but I get eternity in Heaven with the God of the universe and his only begotten son.
Let's just say I'm pretty sure of myself.
Christianity has been twisted, molted, and perverted in every possible way, by people who aren't willing to admit that their lives are not perfect. Those who do realize this and repent are assured life eternal. Those who realize it but do nothing will end up spending eternity in the lake of fire.
by Children of the King June 13, 2006
To know him is to love him.He loves us enough to make a way for us.He has redeemed us! And we have only to believe and we are saved!
by Faith October 1, 2004
First of all, Christianity is not only a religion, it's a relationship. In spite of all the hyposcrisy, stereotypes (as well as truths), and blame, this special faith has proven to be a lending hand when all else fails.
True Christians actually do not Bible-beat you or shun you for not believing in what they do. They may feel sad, worried, or guilty, but they won't turn their noses and walk away. They believe in spreading the Word of their faith, but a true Christian won't attack your ideals and morals if they contradict the mission. Christianity is about open doors and opportunity; the gate to heaven is never closed. The signs are right there in front of your nose every day of your life, and Christians only want you to see them. When you may be struggling in life, it is the role of Christians to allow you to seek shelter and to realize that you indeed have someone to turn to who will always be there for you will never stop caring about you.
Also, true Christianity is not stupid and ignorant. It doesn't have to butt heads with science; it can co-exist and agree. Part of the faith is the ability to be open minded and use logical reasoning, such as realizing the Bible contains many symbols and metaphors that represent the overall message. Jesus Himself often spoke in parables; to take them literally would completely alter the symbolism and meaning of the moral of the story (Sadly, this is a common case). As Christians, we don't necessarily know for sure which stories are parables or not. For example, there are two different stories of creation in the book of Genesis. One involves the creation of the earth and universe in seven literal days. the other actually suggests that humans were made from the dry, waterless ground. (Genisis 2:1-9) So which one do we believe? Arguing over which one is "true" has tragically split the religion unecessarily when the overall picture of God's creative design is the most important part. Even evolution has been considered by some Christians to factor into the creation at some point.
So if you are struggling, searching, or realize that something in your life may be missing, just remember that there is a friendship right there, whenever you are ready to give it a try.
True Christians actually do not Bible-beat you or shun you for not believing in what they do. They may feel sad, worried, or guilty, but they won't turn their noses and walk away. They believe in spreading the Word of their faith, but a true Christian won't attack your ideals and morals if they contradict the mission. Christianity is about open doors and opportunity; the gate to heaven is never closed. The signs are right there in front of your nose every day of your life, and Christians only want you to see them. When you may be struggling in life, it is the role of Christians to allow you to seek shelter and to realize that you indeed have someone to turn to who will always be there for you will never stop caring about you.
Also, true Christianity is not stupid and ignorant. It doesn't have to butt heads with science; it can co-exist and agree. Part of the faith is the ability to be open minded and use logical reasoning, such as realizing the Bible contains many symbols and metaphors that represent the overall message. Jesus Himself often spoke in parables; to take them literally would completely alter the symbolism and meaning of the moral of the story (Sadly, this is a common case). As Christians, we don't necessarily know for sure which stories are parables or not. For example, there are two different stories of creation in the book of Genesis. One involves the creation of the earth and universe in seven literal days. the other actually suggests that humans were made from the dry, waterless ground. (Genisis 2:1-9) So which one do we believe? Arguing over which one is "true" has tragically split the religion unecessarily when the overall picture of God's creative design is the most important part. Even evolution has been considered by some Christians to factor into the creation at some point.
So if you are struggling, searching, or realize that something in your life may be missing, just remember that there is a friendship right there, whenever you are ready to give it a try.
Girl: "I've been so depressed lately. I'm struggling with my decisions, my family, and my weight. I've considered suicide before, and sometimes I feel like I have nowhere to go, and no friends to turn to."
Other Girl: "Have you considered Christianity?"
Girl: "Yeah, but aren't they gonna hate me for my messed up life?"
Other Girl: "Well, I know of someone who may help. Look around you. He's right here; He's been with you this whole time."
Other Girl: "Have you considered Christianity?"
Girl: "Yeah, but aren't they gonna hate me for my messed up life?"
Other Girl: "Well, I know of someone who may help. Look around you. He's right here; He's been with you this whole time."
by Opendoor April 19, 2007