I appreciate your civil rebuttals. It is a sign of intelligence and good character.
I am glad you acknowledge how important ideals are but I still feel that instead of talking about christianity or jesus it is a lot more practical this day in age to focus on the ideals. Anyone who has not met Jesus is going to be skeptical at a minimum and is not relevant to their lifes.
It is easy to share the ideals and examples of Jesus without having to be all cultish. I get judged as being a cult leader quite regularly. That is fine. I am happy to provide them an outlet and to forgive them for their mistakes.
In truth Christianity is infinitely more cultish than The Garden of Eden is.
I chose the name Garden of Eden not because it is Christian but because it embodies the ideals of a "perfect" world.
I know that I am NOT perfect and have not once claimed it to be so. In fact I quite regularly say so on radio shows, interviews as well as in private conversations. Yet because I am aware of and committed to IDEALS, every time I waver from them I have the ideals to remind me and bring me back.
This is the benefit that Christianity and Jesus can have for people. I am well aware of that. However the labeling and quite frankly the average christian has actually lost the ideals and is cought up in an idea of just calling one self a christian being superior. It is also making people susceptible to trusting the church or pastors just because they are ORDAINED and BACKED by the CHURCH. Then behind the scenes they are raping children and being treated as holly....
ON the other hand you also have people who automatically judge christians and associate them with all the ignorant and lost ones.
So in both circumstances it is not helpful.
This is why focusing on ideals is far more helpful to the success of actually inspiring a more loving and responsible world.
∞§∞Eternal Blessings∞§∞
That's great points you make. I will try to focus more on ideals in the future.
It must be difficult for you wanting to initiate change and being labeled or judged by some as a cult leader.
Yes I'm aware and saddened by the fact that many Christians just call themselves Christians and act more supperior without following the example or holding to the teachings of Jesus. So I guess this series is also an opportunity to help us discuss what really following Jesus and his ideals is all about.
Thanks again for your contribution to the discussion. And I welcome further dialogue with you
Thank you for handling my test so well. While we obviously disagree on a few things I can tell you are an honest and loving being. I can see you are trying to help people in the way that you feel is most helpful.
I am grateful you have had a civil discussion with me on a very complicated topic and I hope that others will read it and get something out of it. I also hope that it will help you reach and inspire more people.
Blessings~*~