Yes Christians have to come together and submit and transcend their differences, but that takes time to do. You would agree that we all have different start points?
It's a feel-good club, very often very self-righteous, and full of pride and intolerance. Christians are not taught to be individuals but to be one in mind.
I don't always feel very good about myself when I practice my faith. Quite the contrary.
Why submit to and place your life in charge of illogical beliefs? Even worse, why would God need human "prophets" instead of talk to individuals directly? As is, you have to believe some human "prophet" first.
I didn't say it was illogical. I said you cannot prove it with logic. I personally do not believe faith and reason are incompatible. God chooses to use prophets (no quotes needed) because He chooses to work through Humans, perhaps because it teaches the people involved something. After all, you learn things better if you do rather than be told.
First, whether you beieve Australia exists or not matters not as regards "afterlife" or "salvation," in other words it's not existentially essential for you or your loved ones.
Chill. It was only an example.
But, in extremis, Australia is provable. You don;t have to take anyone's word for it. You can actually take the trip yourself. And there are no tens of thousands of different opinions where Australia is, what it is, etc. Apples and oranges.
We're all on a trip to the afterlife as well. So that's going to be proveable too, is it not?
By the way, the Bible says oyu should not test or tempt your God but only your faith.
At the moment, He isn't "your" God, not so?
And how do you determine they are "right" given that they cannot be subjected to reason. How do you determine that the unreasonable is "right"? Gut feeling? Come on.
You come on. I never said they were not subject to reason. I think faith and reason are very compatible. I said they were not proveable solely by reason.
I don't even know what God is, how can I put it to test? I know, you will tell me God is a who. Well, before he is a who he is also a what. If you can't define the essence you can't recognize the form. So, what is divine? How do you recognize divine?
I wasn't going to suggest that, as it happens. Start at the point of where you are. If you don't even know if God exists, or even what God is, or what to call divine and what to call worldly, then ask Him to resolve that. If God does not exist, then you will lose nothing. If, as I believe, there is a God that loves you and does not want you to be so confused and angry and hurting, then you have everything to gain. And how do know that something irrational is divine? What is spiritual? I can understand that certain beliefs are emotional, i.e. that they provide psychological comfort.
What I am trying to get over is that belief is a combination of many things - reason, emotion, passion, faith. It calls for a response from your soul, your mind, and your body.
I noticed a characteristic in western Christianity of subjecting God to a higher necessity ("God has to.."). From an Eastern Christian point of view it is something very, very alien.
How we all speak, and do not even realise that we sin! Yes of course you are quite right. God does not "have" to do anything. My statement is based upon my understanding of God's character (which is imperfect). When I say "God has to" I mean the said action is compatible with God's observed actions.
I though when they are baptized they are transformed to hate sin. The evidence seems ot be lacking that this is so.
I didn't say it was illogical. I said you cannot prove it with logic.
Then it's illogical. It's like saying 2 + 2 = 5. You say it's true and I say prove it. Okay, so let's say you are right...what can you prove it withW?
I personally do not believe faith and reason are incompatible
What do you base your 'reason' on if it isn't on logic?
God chooses to use prophets (no quotes needed) because He chooses to work through Humans, perhaps because it teaches the people involved something.
Perhaps? Are you guessing? And how do you know that that's what he wants? You read it from the self-styled "prophets", didn't you?
Start at the point of where you are. If you don't even know if God exists, or even what God is, or what to call divine and what to call worldly, then ask Him to resolve that.
Well, why don't you tell me how he resolved it for you? What am I supposed to do? Listen for "voices"...from the heaven "KOSTA!...here I am [like he doesn't know]...?
What I am trying to get over is that belief is a combination of many things - reason, emotion, passion, faith
It can't be reason, because it's illogical. The rest is fluff. Your fancy. Frankly I don't feel like talking to the air. God supposedly knows your thoughts and desires. No need to talk to the air. I have done my share of that. The world is the way it is even if we don't understand it. If there is God and he wants me to know something, he will let me know. God is not my busboy who waits for me to call.
Eastern Christianity believes that God makes the first move. He knocks on your door and it is up to you to open it and let him in. You don't call God to answer you because you want him to prove himself to you! The East would call that the "ugly twins", arrogance and pride, of the fallen humanity.