The Core Message of Christianity

[arthwollipot]

This thread is for the Christian apologists of the site - specifically hamelekim, ethnikos and Kurious_Kathy.

What is the core message of Christianity?

What is the minimum we need to know in order to be saved - the smallest possible distillation of Christ's message to humanity?

Please try to be brief. I don't want lots of detail. The reason I ask is that I was given a one-sentence summary of Christ's message when I was a churchgoer, and I'd like to know whether it is similar to yours or not.

 

[Darat]

I was brought up a Methodist (more accurately a form of primitive Methodism), and we were taught that everyone was "saved" or rather that God's love and forgiveness was infinite.

 

[Monster Machine]

I was brought up Free Methodist. Amongst the many, many, many lifestyle rules this denomination imposed, the core belief was that Jesus Christ died to save us from our sins. Salvation COULD be lost based on stubborn refusal to repent for sins.

Monster

 

[~enigma~]

I was btought up Free Methodist. Amongst the many, many, many lifestyle rules this denomination posed, the core belief was that Jesus Christ died to save us from our sins. Salvation COULD be lost based on stubborn refusal to repent for sins.

Monster

Sorry for this stupid sounding question but free versus what?

 

[Achán hiNidráne]

This thread is for the Christian apologists of the site - specifically hamelekim, ethnikos and Kurious_Kathy.

What is the core message of Christianity?

Here, put on these sunglasses and look at this picture of Ted Haggard...

 

[SpuriusMaximus]

Hmm, it's been a while, so my memory might be a bit fuzzy, but lemme try to remember...

Jesus loves you, but doesn't put out. The cock-tease...​

Nah, that can't be right. Lemme try again...

Jesus kills a kitten each time you masturbate. You too can help control the stray cat population.​

Hmm... Do I get one more try?

Anal sex makes baby Jesus cry. So stick to consenting adults instead.​

Or maybe how about...

Jesus freed us from original sin. So we've had only unoriginal copycat sins ever since.​

Wait, wait, I know...

Jesus died for your sins. Don't let it be for nothing.​

 

[MG1962]

What is the core message of Christianity?

What is the minimum we need to know in order to be saved - the smallest possible distillation of Christ's message to humanity?

Be cool to each other. Be cool with who you are

 

[Sun Countess]

Be cool to each other. Be cool with who you are

So if I believe that, I can be a Christian too? No belief in god or jesus required. I didn't know that.

 

[Darat]

So if I believe that, I can be a Christian too? No belief in god or jesus required. I didn't know that.

I have heard quite a few Christians say something like "Not to worry he believes in you".

 

[SpuriusMaximus]

So if I believe that, I can be a Christian too? No belief in god or jesus required. I didn't know that.

That would be the heresy of Pelagius. Just do good, you _can_ choose good or evil by yourself, just take Jesus as just a good role model, and you can save yourself by just being a good person. Major heresy. According to one interpretation, those were the "snakes" driven out of Ireland by St Patrick. Got a bit of smack down from The Man, The Legend, St Augustine Of Hippo, too.

 

[MG1962]

So if I believe that, I can be a Christian too? No belief in god or jesus required. I didn't know that.

No one is asking you to believe anything. The OP asked a question and I offered an opinion

 

[rocketdodger]

I have heard quite a few Christians say something like "Not to worry he believes in you".

This is incredibly strange, and disturbing -- I was going to reply saying that this cuts both ways, depending on whether or not one enjoys the attention of the God in question.

To illustrate, I was going to use the following exchange in BraveHeart:

[QUOTE="Braveheart" transcript]Executioner: William Wallace, you stand intained of High Treason.

William: Against whom?

Executioner: Against your king. Have you anything to say?

William: Never in my whole life did I swear allegiance to him.

Executioner: It matters not. He is your king. Confess, and you may receive
a quick death. Deny, and you must be purified by pain. Do you confess? Do
you confess? Then on the morrow you shall receive your purification.[/QUOTE]

But while googling to find this transcript I also found this post on a Christian forum:

In fact, everyone on earth has a relationship with Jesus RIGHT NOW… the same relationship that a king has with rebellious subjects. In Braveheart, the High Inquisitor says that William Wallace is on trial for high treason. Wallace replies, “Never in my life did I swear loyalty to that man.”

To which the Inquisitor replies simply, “Nevertheless, he is your king.”

That is the nature of the relationship that everyone has with the Lord Jesus Christ. To change that relationship, one must defect from your former loyalties (repent), swear loyalty to him (confess), and begin serving him.

(from http://oneinjesus.info/2008/07/21/which-gospel-the-gospel-of-community/)


... wow .... just, wow.

 

[Sun Countess]

The OP actually asked two questions:

What is the core message of Christianity?

What is the minimum we need to know in order to be saved - the smallest possible distillation of Christ's message to humanity?

Is the core message of Christianity so similar to the core message of many other religious and non-religious groups that it shouldn't even be seen as different? I'm a life-long atheist, and believe in being good to other people, try to live by the golden rule, etc. If it's just the same ole, same ole, why pick Christianity? Why not just live a good life?

Is there something different, or more to Christianity that one should believe so one can be saved? (whatever that's supposed to mean)

 

[temporalillusion]

I think the core message of Christianity revolves around redemption.. all men have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God, and Jesus was sent to redeem man.

HOW this all happens and what it means varies significantly among Christian denominations, and even varies within the Bible itself.

 

[Monster Machine]

Sorry for this stupid sounding question but free versus what?

Honestly - dunno.

monster

 

[MG1962]

The OP actually asked two questions:

Is the core message of Christianity so similar to the core message of many other religious and non-religious groups that it shouldn't even be seen as different? I'm a life-long atheist, and believe in being good to other people, try to live by the golden rule, etc. If it's just the same ole, same ole, why pick Christianity? Why not just live a good life?

Is there something different, or more to Christianity that one should believe so one can be saved? (whatever that's supposed to mean)

I am reminded of a quote I have heard from a number members of the Islamic faith when discussing the various religions "We are all brothers under one God"

One of the biggest problems in defining an athiest doing good work is the situation that spirituality has been part of human culture from virtually the begining. A lot of our various moral codes come from that spirituality, faith, religion whatever you wish to call it

So for an athiest the question becomes, are these good works based on learned response dating back thousands of years, or are athiests independently developing their own drivers for good works

 

[Professor Yaffle]

So if I believe that, I can be a Christian too? No belief in god or jesus required. I didn't know that.

I became an atheist when I realised that the only god I could believe in or worship would be one who didn't care whether I believed in him or worshiped him.

 

[rocketdodger]

One of the biggest problems in defining an athiest doing good work is the situation that spirituality has been part of human culture from virtually the begining. A lot of our various moral codes come from that spirituality, faith, religion whatever you wish to call it

cum hoc ergo propter hoc

I doubt you can find evidence that it isn't the other way around -- the moral codes of spirituality are merely instantiations of evolved monkey social behavior.

Chicken or Egg for breakfast, sir?

 

[MG1962]

Chicken or Egg for breakfast, sir?

LOL its funny. I nearly started my post with that exact comment. Did spirituality or morality come first. I tend to favour that spirituality did, simply because through history our moral codes have changed. I wont say evolved because I dont see the sort of finess I would expect

If however morailty was a wired element of the human condition, it should stay fairly constant

 

[SpuriusMaximus]

Except we had mirror neurons even before we were humans. Your cat or dog already are hard wired to pull the punches and try not to inflict too much damage against another of its own species. Most such fights are really more like shows of "look what I could have done" than actual fights between members of a species perfectly equipped to turn each other into spare parts.

E.g., one common trick when a male dog gets ornery and tries challenging for alpha around 2 years old, is to put your hand around its throat and pin it to the ground. It's mimmicking what they actually do in a fight, except it would be another dog's jaws instead of a hand. It's a conventional "you lose" (for the obvious reason that you could lose your throat if you don't agree) hold that's wired in the species, instead of actually tearing each other's throat.

Are you going to tell me that they got that from spirituality?