| Subject: Re: What is everyone's beef with christanity |
Author:
CJ
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Date Posted: 14:45:23 01/02/05 Sun
In reply to:
Vince
's message, "Re: What is everyone's beef with christanity" on 10:39:45 01/01/05 Sat
>Hi CJ,
>
>I can understand your concerns and it is a common one.
>May I quote something that i wrote on this that may
>offer some answers?:
>
>Many Pagans and Wiccans feel that they have been
>treated badly by the Church throughout history. There
>is certainly much truth in such a view. At times, the
>established Church has treated witches in terrible
>ways. However, a lot of Wiccans may not know that it
>wasn't just the witches who were persecuted. Another
>group also suffered. Who were they? True Christian
>believers! At various times throughout Christian
>history, evil and unregenerate men have infiltrated
>the established Church and caused it to fall into
>apostasy. During such times, true believers have
>separated themselves, but then found themselves being
>savagely persecuted. Those who persecuted both Pagans
>and true Christians were not really Christians
>themselves, but rather corrupt and evil men who took
>the opportunity of infiltrating the established Church
>for their own selfish gain. That other Christians were
>also persecuted, along with many other groups, by the
>Church is acknowledged by authorities in Wicca:
>
>"All the religious and magical practices on which the
>Catholic Church did not bestow its blessings - other
>Christian sects, Paganism, and magic, - were now
>lumped together. Whatever their aims and virtues, they
>were declared to be Devil worship...Despite fierce
>attempts to persecute those Christians whose views did
>not accord with Catholicism, the heretical sects which
>later transmuted into the Protestant movement
>flourished and grew strong." (Vivianne Crowley, Wicca,
>(Revised and updated ed.), pp. 19-20, emphasis added).
>In modern times, the world may look to the trouble in
>Northern Ireland between "Catholics" and "Protestants"
>and the killings which occur between the two camps.
>True Christianity does not seek to harm its neighbour,
>but rather seeks to obey the commandment of Christ
>which states: "You shall love your neighbour as
>yourself" (Mark 12:31). True Christians have had a
>life changing experience with Jesus Christ and would
>certainly seek to distance themselves from all
>violence, hate, and persecution of others. The very
>fact that someone, labels themselves 'Christian' does
>not always automatically mean that they are a true
>follower of Jesus Christ, no matter who he or she may
>be. Indeed, the Bible even warns us that false
>Christians will come and attempt to bring shame upon
>the message of the Gospel of Jesus (e.g. 2 Peter
>2:1-3; 2 Corinthians 11:13, 26; Galatians 2:4; 1 John
>3:15, etc.).
>
>Many Pagans may have had first hand bad experiences
>with churches, or professing Christians. This is, of
>course, very unfortunate. However, it may be worth
>mentioning two points regarding this. Firstly, it
>should be noted that not everyone who attends a Church
>is a Christian. There are many, who for various and
>varied reasons, attend Church of a Sunday, but are not
>actually Christians. It is easy to focus on such
>individuals when their life does not conform with
>Christian principles and then tar everyone with the
>same brush. Secondly, it must be confessed that even
>true Christians are by no means perfect. Christians
>still have a sin nature which, sadly, causes them to
>fail at times.
>
>Many Pagans and Wiccans tend to look at the sins of
>the Church and use this as justification to turn away
>from following Jesus Christ. On account of this many
>have, sadly, missed Jesus altogether. However, the
>Bible never tells us to fix our eyes on what the
>Church is, or is not, doing but rather to `fix our
>eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecto of our faith'
>(Hebrews 12:2).
>
>From:
>http://www.spotlightministries.org.uk/christianobpaganw
>icca.htm
>
>Also, have a look at this article on the burning times
>if you get the time:
>http://www.spotlightministries.org.uk/burningtimes.htm
Interesting and very enlightening however my concern is not for other christians my concern is for my pagan sisters and brothers. What we believe is that Jesus was a man with a gift but no more than a good prohet, to follow him would be a wrong. We would look at him as I would look at any man a mere mortal who has not returned yet as propohesized. Nor will he we believe as jesus or a God, perhaps he has already returned several times reincarnate.
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