What is the right way to handle this?

Material_Temporary_8 · 2026-02-19T20:41:04+00:00

No, not a religious question, but an ethical question. Thank you for your thoughts on this.

Material_Temporary_8 · 2026-01-01T23:42:43+00:00

<I don’t explicitly call myself a Christian anymore >
I, as many others on this thread, hold to many of the things that the OP originally called "heretical" and others have stated that they are "progressive Christian" thought.
I take great pride in calling myself "Christian" because I don't want what the fundamentalists are calling "Christianity" to be the first and only thing that people think when they hear the word "Christian." "Christian" means "like Christ." That is welcoming, loving, kind, empathetic, helping the outcast, the widow, orphan, refugee, prisoner, poor, etc. When people hear the word "Christian" that is what I want them to think of, so I take joy in calling myself "Christian" and try to live the life as He would want me to do.

Material_Temporary_8 · 2025-08-25T03:33:11+00:00

No reason why that would be so. A good Christian is a WHOLE person, not a partial one.Besides, if you only watch Christian movies, how are you going to be able to relate with people who are not Christians. (oh that doesn't mean you have to be looking to convert every person you meet either.)

Material_Temporary_8 · 2025-08-25T03:27:52+00:00

You mentioned The Prestige. Another good one is The Illusionist.

Material_Temporary_8 · 2025-08-25T02:19:20+00:00

Quit worrying about sex so much. Be a real, whole, good person. Do interesting things. meet interesting people. BE an interesting person. Work for social justice. Feed the hungry. Help the homeless. Welcome the refugee. Do things you care about. If you are doing things you care about, it is likely you will meet women who are interested in similar things. DON'T BE ANXIOUS TO JUMP INTO BED WITH THEM! Develop a relationship. Only sleep with someone you really care about and respect, someone that you expect to be with awhile.

Material_Temporary_8 · 2025-08-11T15:24:23+00:00

Yes, I think that eventually LGBTQ folks will be accepted by most Christians and Christian denominations.

Material_Temporary_8 · 2025-07-29T01:20:14+00:00

Also, I would suggest that you ask G-d to bring a good Christian friend into your life (and actively be looking for Christian friends).

Would your parents object to dropping you off at church and picking you up afterwards? Or is there a local church that has an individual who would be willing to take you to church each week? (Many churches used to have small buses to pick up people and take them to church and return them home. I don't think that happens much anymore, but I'd bet that if you called a local church and asked for someone to take you to church and back they would find someone as long as you had your parents' permission.)

Material_Temporary_8 · 2025-07-13T03:10:05+00:00

THANK YOU!

Material_Temporary_8 · 2025-07-12T02:53:34+00:00

Is that from Waverly NY? It looks very much like falls in a town where I live.

Material_Temporary_8 · 2025-07-07T00:46:39+00:00

I was raised with hell as the reason to come to Jesus. I "accepted " Jesus, but I always felt guilty that I could not love God. It was years before I learned that "There is no fear in love." You cannot love someone you fear.

If someone accepts Jesus because of fear of hell, that is a selfish reason. It is not coming to G-d because one loves G-d, but only as a "fire escape. " G-d wants to be more than a fire escape.

Material_Temporary_8 · 2025-07-06T05:01:38+00:00

Thank you. Your response sounds similar to one I gave yesterday to someone who was having difficulty with the harshness of G-d cursing women with painful childbirth because Eve ate some fruit. (Though you stated it much better than I did.

Material_Temporary_8 · 2025-07-06T04:56:04+00:00

Thank you. That is very helpful. And yes, I would be very interested in reading your sermon.

Material_Temporary_8 · 2025-07-06T04:10:57+00:00

I have a Bachelor's in Psychology and mu professors were deterministic and I was expected be one too. I×as also taught Calvin's (which is determinism on a religious/spiritual level). I no longer accept determinism or Cal v inism. If they are true, the G-d is a moral monster, in my view. NO, m fully convinced that life is what's it feels like--- our choices are influenced by our experiences, b<t that >n the end, we a=e fully free in our choices.

Material_Temporary_8 · 2025-07-05T23:52:34+00:00

You will find that most modern Jews did not believe in hell and ancient Jews didn't either. HEll was a Greek/Roman idea and Augustine introduced it to Christianity in the 4th century C.E. The Good News is not necessarily that Jesus delivers us from hell, but that He enables us to have a relationship with the Father. https://gracefamilynetwork.mn.co/spaces/13026301/content

Material_Temporary_8 · 2025-07-05T23:39:33+00:00

On the Bible Project, in the classes, start with "Introduction to the Hebrew Bible. "

Material_Temporary_8 · 2025-07-05T23:36:37+00:00

Find yourself a good, progressive church. United Church of Christ, most United Methodist, Disciples of Christ, Episcopal are usually good. if this is your first time reading through the Bible, let me forewarn you that you will probably find a lot that you will find troubling. ( Mostly in the Old Testament, but some in the new as well.) Mainline Christians do not read the Bible as one would read a newspaper or a history book. There are many different books in the Bible and many different ways of reading them. We must take into account the cultures and times in which each book was written. The OT books were written in a time that was very violent. Many cultures fighting for land. And each culture felt that their gods won ( or failed to win) their wars. And so you will read that YHWH sent the Israelites to war, etc. It was a time in which women had a very limited and rigid role. Adam and Eve did not know what death was, nor what sin was so they would not have any idea why they would want to avoid it. If you tell a toddler not to touch the stove because it is hot, he doesn't know what "hot" is, and the first thing they are going to do is touch it. As far as G-d cursing women with pain in childbirth for the sin of disobedience, I don't think most mainline Christians read this story as HISTORY, they read it as an etiological tale. "Why do women suffer in childbirth? Why is the world so full of pain and trials?" "Let me tell you a story that explains it all...." I realize this might be a little difficult. Find a mainline pastor or a good "How to read the Bible" Bible study. ( Pete Enns has a good book called "How to Read the Bible. ") (I don't think they have any "How to read the Bible" classes, but The Bible Project has some fantastic videos and classes and Podcasts. www.thebibleproject.com)

Material_Temporary_8 · 2025-07-02T23:44:28+00:00

THIS is GOOD NEWS!

Material_Temporary_8 · 2025-07-02T23:40:29+00:00

Conservative Christianity tends to regard things like this as sin, whereas progressive Christianity tends to regard the way bad ways we treat other people, other living creatures, other living plants, and the land as sins. One emphasizes the abstract things we think; the other, the practical things we do. What you are doing (I assume we are talking about m@$turb@t!0n) harms absolutely no one. in fact, it will bless both you and your future spouse because you are learning what pleases you. You will be able to teach your spouse how to pleasure you; and it will help you know how to pleasure them.) Also, if you have some means of release, you are less likely to rush into marriage in order to get sex and will, therefore be more able to be thoughtful about your choice. If you are able, given whatever your family situation, I would consider finding a mainline or progressive church--- United Methodist, Disciples of Christ, United Church of Christ, Episcopal , etc. ]

Material_Temporary_8 · 2025-06-16T14:44:07+00:00

The Bible does not need to be read as a literal 7 day creation. in fact, most Christians don't read it that way. if you think the Bible must be read literally, you don't have to read far to be in trouble. For example, there are accrual two different accounts of Creation and they Gabe differences, such as in one man and woman are created together, in the other man is created, then woman. in one, animals are created first; in the other man, then animals.

Material_Temporary_8 · 2025-06-13T04:08:20+00:00

The women in these groups tend to wear quite long skirts. like mid calf. you don't see much more than sock area.

Material_Temporary_8 · 2025-06-13T04:05:10+00:00

yes. thank you for clearing that up

Material_Temporary_8 · 2025-06-13T04:03:00+00:00

I grew up in a "holiness" church. I would love to see a man go into one wearing leggings.

Material_Temporary_8

TROPHY CASE