I am a Christian but belong to a church of one; me, because I can't find a church that actually teaches the true meaning of what Jesus taught. If you doubt that, read John 21:25. I imagine that Jesus said a lot more than all libraries could hold as well.
I have so-called "heretical" beliefs; for instance I don't believe that the "God" of the Old Testament is the same God that Jesus called "Father," who is the one true God. I don't believe that the Bible is the "Word of God" but rather it is the words of MEN who wrote down what they thought would serve them in some cases but includes a lot of truthful knowledge especially the stuff in red. I think Paul was truly a gifted person but made some mistakes for example Colossians 3:22. I'm working on that last bit according to The Imitation of Christ which I am reading now. All great teaching is hard to live up to.
The first five books of the Bible: Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy are the Jewish Torah which came from even older texts written in Sumeria ("Babylonia") thousands of years before the Bible and were polytheistic. I am a monotheist because I believe there is only one true God, the same God that Jesus called "Father." I believe that Jesus died for us to redeem our souls so that we may find a path out of the trap that we are in. And I believe that he rose again in order to prove the existance of the "afterlife" of the soul and to teach his desciples more. Much more. So much more than any Christian church has ever taught. Because most people are not ready to hear it and because they may not know it themselves. You can't teach what you don't know.
It seems to be a trait among Christians to take the Bible literally when it suits them but metaphorically/allegorically when that suits them better. This is the case for Genesis 1:26: "Then God said, “Let US make mankind in OUR image, in OUR likeness..." I was told yesterday that the plural means "the Trinity" but I don't see how a spirit (Holy or otherwise) has an image and no one could tell me anything to convince me otherwise. Jesus always said he was the "Son of Man" and not the Son of God. That does not mean I don't believe he was the Son of God, only that there is a lot more to the story of Adam and Eve than meets the eyes/ears. If I tell you what I am inclined to believe here I'll probably get banned or chastized. I wrote much of the same in another forum and was told, "the admins don't put up with ANY false teachings. I'll pray that you find the truth."
I will not be going back there and I pray that they find the truth as well.
Furthermore, I believe Thomas (definitely not a "doubter" like we've been taught) and Mary Magdalene were true disciples and "knowers" of what Christ taught. I read the Gnostic scriptures in the Nag Hammadi library and other "apocrypha" like the Book of Enoch. I refute the Nicene Creed/Council, "Emporer" Constantin, Ireneaus (the "heretic hunter"), Hippolytus and a whole lot more of the so-called "theologians" of the early church and the Catholic church of course who are the hypocrites Jesus called out. The Roman Catholic church ARE the heretics/hypocrites and the Vatican/Pope are as corrupt as any US politician. Maybe more so. No that's not possible ha ha.
I have so-called "heretical" beliefs; for instance I don't believe that the "God" of the Old Testament is the same God that Jesus called "Father," who is the one true God. I don't believe that the Bible is the "Word of God" but rather it is the words of MEN who wrote down what they thought would serve them in some cases but includes a lot of truthful knowledge especially the stuff in red. I think Paul was truly a gifted person but made some mistakes for example Colossians 3:22. I'm working on that last bit according to The Imitation of Christ which I am reading now. All great teaching is hard to live up to.
The first five books of the Bible: Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy are the Jewish Torah which came from even older texts written in Sumeria ("Babylonia") thousands of years before the Bible and were polytheistic. I am a monotheist because I believe there is only one true God, the same God that Jesus called "Father." I believe that Jesus died for us to redeem our souls so that we may find a path out of the trap that we are in. And I believe that he rose again in order to prove the existance of the "afterlife" of the soul and to teach his desciples more. Much more. So much more than any Christian church has ever taught. Because most people are not ready to hear it and because they may not know it themselves. You can't teach what you don't know.
It seems to be a trait among Christians to take the Bible literally when it suits them but metaphorically/allegorically when that suits them better. This is the case for Genesis 1:26: "Then God said, “Let US make mankind in OUR image, in OUR likeness..." I was told yesterday that the plural means "the Trinity" but I don't see how a spirit (Holy or otherwise) has an image and no one could tell me anything to convince me otherwise. Jesus always said he was the "Son of Man" and not the Son of God. That does not mean I don't believe he was the Son of God, only that there is a lot more to the story of Adam and Eve than meets the eyes/ears. If I tell you what I am inclined to believe here I'll probably get banned or chastized. I wrote much of the same in another forum and was told, "the admins don't put up with ANY false teachings. I'll pray that you find the truth."
I will not be going back there and I pray that they find the truth as well.
Furthermore, I believe Thomas (definitely not a "doubter" like we've been taught) and Mary Magdalene were true disciples and "knowers" of what Christ taught. I read the Gnostic scriptures in the Nag Hammadi library and other "apocrypha" like the Book of Enoch. I refute the Nicene Creed/Council, "Emporer" Constantin, Ireneaus (the "heretic hunter"), Hippolytus and a whole lot more of the so-called "theologians" of the early church and the Catholic church of course who are the hypocrites Jesus called out. The Roman Catholic church ARE the heretics/hypocrites and the Vatican/Pope are as corrupt as any US politician. Maybe more so. No that's not possible ha ha.
Last edited: