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If you don't believe in Christ, then no, you are not a Christian.

Please understand something, though. MANY people, (including myself) believe that Catholicism and Christianity are two very different things.

Using your masturbation example, as far as I have been able to find out, that's a Catholic doctrine.

To the best of my knowledge, this is the scripture that many people point to in order to say that masturbation is a sin:

(Genesis 38:8 - 10) "And Judah said unto Onan, Go in unto thy brother's wife, and marry her, and raise up seed to thy brother. And Onan knew that the seed should not be his; and it came to pass, when he went in unto his brother's wife, that he spilled [it] on the ground, lest that he should give seed to his brother. And the thing which he did displeased the LORD: wherefore he slew him also."

See, Onan's brother was dead, but Onan was supposed to marry his brother's widow and make her pregnant and the resulting baby would be raised as his brother's baby, not his. Some people translate these passages as saying that instead of making her pregnant, he masturbated, then got killed for it because he "spilled [it] on the ground" (his seed).

If you read it, it's pretty obvious that's not what happened because it first says "he went in unto his brother's wife". So basically, he had sex with his brother's wife, then pulled out at the last second in an effort not to make her pregnant. He didn't want to "donate" his seed to his dead brother, but he still went ahead and had sex with his brother's wife, you see?

It had nothing to do with masturbation. That's the way, I read it, anyway.

But there may be some other reason why the Catholic Church thinks it's a sin. If they have a different reason, it might be from one of the exclusively Catholic doctrines.

The Catholic Church believes that the Bible is not the only authority. Their teachings include such documentation as Catechisms, and Papal Encyclicals (defined as "authoritative teaching instruments from the Vicar of Christ" (the Pope)) which have been written and added to throughout the years of the history of the Catholic Church.

Because of this, the Catholic Church has MANY teachings, beliefs, and traditions which are VERY different from a Christian who believes the Holy Bible is the exclusive authority of Christianity.

Their belief that masturbation is a sin may come from one of these other 'authorities', rather than the Biblical scripture I quoted.

So I would ask that you not to write-off Christianity just because of your experiences with Catholicism. Please keep an open mind about this.

My personal opinion based upon experience: Sometimes people feel a *wrongness* with the Catholic Church, and it makes them feel that there might be something wrong with Christianity... But maybe if they understood all the things that make Catholicism, Catholicism, they would understand how little some of the doctrines and such that bother them have to do with the Bible, and exclusively Bible-based Christianity.

For more information about the differences between Catholicism and *exclusively* Bible-Based Christianity, see the following link:

http://www.russpickett.com/apolog/catindex.htm

You may find that many of the things that bother you about Catholicism aren't based on the Bible at all, and may even be the exact opposite of what the Bible teaches.

If you have any questions, my email is DangerWench@gmail.com

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In my opinion, a good general answer to that is: Put the needs of others before your own needs. Serve others in the name of Christ. And do these things no matter how they treat you (love your enemy).

And if you can, find others who also believe in doing these things. (Good luck finding a church that is actually active in these things more than just every once in a while, and isn't just basically a social club.)



Matthew 22:37-39 "Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment.

And the second [is] like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself."


Loving your neighbor as yourself... Your "neighbor" being anybody else in the world, of course, not just the person who lives next door to you.

You love yourself enough to always try and make sure you have good food to eat and don't go hungry... So you should want the same for others, and try to help make that happen. You love yourself enough to always make sure you are warm and have a nice place to sleep, so you should want the same for others, and try to help make that happen. And so on...

Maybe you might have to give up your favorite coat to someone who doesn't have a coat at all... Or maybe even give up your only coat. There are limitless examples from small to large.

This mindset should be part of your everyday life. Be always aware of the people around you, and if they might need help or comfort... Even something as simple as a big smile and a cheerful greeting can be helpful to others.

I find that the following verses help me greatly when thinking of how I should be treating my neighbor... And how I really should visit people who are in the hospital and who are in prison. Just thinking about people in the hospital (or nursing home), I'm sure there are many who have nobody to visit them and would love to have someone just talk to them for a little while. How sad and lonely those people must be. Here are the verses:

Matthew 25:34-46 "Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world: For I was an hungred, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in: Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me.

Then shall the righteous answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, and fed [thee]? or thirsty, and gave [thee] drink? When saw we thee a stranger, and took [thee] in? or naked, and clothed [thee]? Or when saw we thee sick, or in prison, and came unto thee?

And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done [it] unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done [it] unto me.

Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels:

For I was an hungred, and ye gave me no meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me no drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me not in: naked, and ye clothed me not: sick, and in prison, and ye visited me not.

Then shall they also answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, or athirst, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not minister unto thee?

Then shall he answer them, saying, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye did [it] not to one of the least of these, ye did [it] not to me.

And these shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the righteous into life eternal."



And finally, here are the verses in the Bible that people usually point to when talking about the definition of the love we should have for others. It's interesting to note that the King James Version uses the word "charity" and the more modern versions translate the word charity to "love".


1 Corinthians 13:1-7 "Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity, I am become [as] sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal.

And though I have [the gift of] prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not charity, I am nothing.

And though I bestow all my goods to feed [the poor], and though I give my body to be burned, and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing.

Charity suffereth long, [and] is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up, Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil; Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth; Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things."

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Actually, Christ was asked a very similar question, and He said that there is no marriage in Heaven:

"The same day came to him the Sadducees, which say that there is no resurrection, and asked him,

Saying, Master, Moses said, If a man die, having no children, his brother shall marry his wife, and raise up seed unto his brother.

Now there were with us seven brethren: and the first, when he had married a wife, deceased, and, having no issue, left his wife unto his brother: Likewise the second also, and the third, unto the seventh. And last of all the woman died also.

Therefore in the resurrection whose wife shall she be of the seven? for they all had her.

Jesus answered and said unto them, Ye do err, not knowing the scriptures, nor the power of God.

For in the resurrection they neither marry, nor are given in marriage, but are as the angels of God in heaven.

But as touching the resurrection of the dead, have ye not read that which was spoken unto you by God, saying, I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob? God is not the God of the dead, but of the living.

And when the multitude heard [this], they were astonished at his doctrine." Matthew 22:23-33

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Looks like Solaris pretty much has it covered. But I'll go ahead and post my answer anyway, since it's already right here waiting to be posted. ;-)

The Catholic Church believes that the Bible is not the only authority. Their teachings include such documentation as Catechisms, and Papal Encyclicals (defined as "authoritative teaching instruments from the Vicar of Christ" (the Pope)) which have been written and added to throughout the years of the history of the Catholic Church.

Because of this, the Catholic Church has many teachings, beliefs, and traditions that are different from a Christian who believes the Holy Bible is the exclusive authority of Christianity.

A Catholic Christian believes in the Catholic doctrines, teachings, and traditions which include, but are *not exclusive to* the Holy Bible.

Most non-Catholic Christians believe the Holy Bible is the *exclusive* authority of Christianity... No other documents.

Much argument comes from this, as quite a few non-Catholic Christians (such as myself) believe the Catholic doctrines to be un-Christian and not corresponding with Biblical scripture. And obviously, Catholics disagree.

For more information about the differences between Catholicism and *exclusively* Bible-Based Christianity, see the following link:

http://www.russpickett.com/apolog/catindex.htm

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I notice you don't really mention what you do believe, nor do you mention what you don't like about Christianity.

Some people are taught that certain things are Christian, and because they don't like those things, they don't like Christianity. Some of those things, when examined against what the Bible actually says, end up not being Christian at all.

If you would like to write to me and let me know, what you do believe, and what you dislike about Christianity, maybe you can make a more informed decision, then you won't have to worry about pressure and such. My email is DangerWench@gmail.com

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I've seen that abbreviation used on some forums. When I have seen it used it means "Dear Husband".

DW = Dear Wife
DD = Dear Daughter
DS = Dear Son

I don't know if that's what it means when your sisters say it, but that's the only meaning I know of.

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As mentioned, a Christian is a "follower of Christ". We follow the Christ of the Holy Bible, and believe that the Bible is the inspired Word of God.

The Catholic Church believes that the Bible is not the only authority. Their teachings include such documentation as Catechisms, and Papal Encyclicals (defined as "authoritative teaching instruments from the Vicar of Christ" (the Pope)) which have been written and added to throughout the years of the history of the Catholic Church.

Because of this, the Catholic Church has many teachings, beliefs, and traditions that are different from a Christian who believes the Holy Bible is the exclusive authority of Christianity.

A Catholic Christian believes in the Catholic doctrines, teachings, and traditions which include, but are *not exclusive to* the Holy Bible.

Most non-Catholic Christians believe the Holy Bible is the *exclusive* authority of Christianity... No other documents.

Much argument comes from this, as quite a few non-Catholic Christians believe the Catholic doctrines to be un-Christian and not corresponding with Biblical scripture. And obviously, Catholics disagree.

For more information about the differences between Catholicism and *exclusively* Bible-Based Christianity, see the following link:

http://www.russpickett.com/apolog/catindex.htm

If you do not want to be characterized as a Catholic, you do not have to be. Just because you were baptized as a baby, doesn't mean the choice was made for you. You have Free Will and can make your own decisions. Pretending you are something you don't want to be is not good for you. Think carefully about your beliefs... Pray about it... And make your own decisions.

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(Written by a Christian, so this will be from the viewpoint of a follower of Christ, not any other religion. (not Catholic, not Protestant or any other label, just a believer in God and Christ))

It's funny you mention "evangelists" specifically... It's hard for me to understand them too. Especially the ones on TV begging for money from little old ladies barely getting by, while they are living in mansions, driving fancy cars, wearing expensive clothing, and covering their "stage" area with gold-plated angels and other ridiculous things. I can't empathize with those fake-Christians at all.

I can also understand feeling sorry for the people who buy into the whole TV-evangelist circus. Giving money to someone like that, when they could use that money to benefit local people who are truly needy... Yes, I think that's pretty misguided.

But if you are also having problems with ordinary people who believe in Yahweh (God) and Yeshua (Christ), I'm not sure why it should bother you, really. I mean, if they are preaching at you all the time, and you have told them over and over that you don't want to hear it, I can see how that would get annoying.

I have some help for you with that, though... You can basically use the Bible's own words to keep them from nagging you uselessly.

Get them to listen to this audio file:

http://www.dangernerd.com/kirkcameron.mp3

If they are an actual preacher/pastor, this one is geared more towards them:

http://www.dangernerd.com/raycomfort.zip

Send them the link, or burn it to CD and give it to them, whatever it takes. If they really listen to it, they should understand that annoying you isn't what they should be doing. You'll be helping them, and helping yourself at the same time.

On the other hand, if it's not a matter of them annoying you, but you unable to keep from telling them how stupid you think they are... That's something only you can deal with. Most people aren't going to react well if you tell them you think their beliefs are wrong or stupid.

Even amongst ourselves, Christians sometimes argue about whether certain beliefs are right or wrong, and nobody likes to hear they might be wrong. For instance, I catch a lot of flack because of my views on the differences between Catholicism and *exclusively* Bible-based Christianity. Catholics tend to be upset that I view many of the man-made Catholic doctrines as un-Biblical. But that's my opinion.

At any rate, you might be interested in this link:

http://www.doesgodexist.org/AboutClayton/PastLife.html

It's an absolutely fascinating read about a former die-hard atheist who was determined to write a book called "All the Stupidity of the Bible".

As a teacher of physics and earth science, he is a logical and analytical person.

He also looked into many religions and read the Vedas, Koran, Sayings of Buddha, writings of Bahaullah and Zoroaster.

If you read that with an open-mind, maybe some of his experiences might help you? At the very least, maybe your negative feelings towards believers will be mellowed and you will find it easier to understand them and get along with them, even if you still don't agree with them.

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Now this next part might not even apply to you, but in case you might be a former believer who has become disgusted by hypocrisy and "Churchianity", I urge you to read my answer to this question:

http://www.advicenators.com/qview.php?q=426757

Scroll down, my answer is the very bottom answer. It addresses some of the major problems with many "Churches" these days.

I hope something here helped. :-)

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That's just a rumor that some people decided to spread. I wouldn't worry about it.

I don't think anything special will happen today unless somebody deliberately tries to go out and make something happen.

Some people are just in snit because the way we abbreviate today's date is similar (not even the same) to a Biblical prophesy number. But 666 is the number of a man, not the number of a date.

The number comes from the book of Revelation in the Christian Bible, chapter 13. It is describing the Anti-Christ and what will happen during the Great Tribulation.

The end of chapter 13 says:

"And he causeth all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond, to receive a mark in their right hand, or in their foreheads:

And that no man might buy or sell, save he that had the mark, or the name of the beast, or the number of his name.

Here is wisdom. Let him that hath understanding count the number of the beast: for it is the number of a man; and his number [is] Six hundred threescore [and] six." (Revelation 13:16-18)


For those who might not know, a "score" is 20. So "threescore" is 3x20, or 60. Therefore, the number is six hundred, sixty, and six, or 666.

To read the rest of that chapter, you can click here: http://www.blueletterbible.org/kjv/Rev/Rev013.html

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I don't think anything special will happen tomorrow unless somebody deliberately tries to go out and do something bad to make something happen.

Some people are just in snit because the way we abbreviate tomorrow's date is similar (not even the same) to a Biblical prophesy number. But 666 is the number of a man, not the number of a date.

The number comes from the book of Revelation in the Christian Bible, chapter 13. It is describing the Anti-Christ and what will happen during the Great Tribulation.

The end of chapter 13 says:

"And he causeth all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond, to receive a mark in their right hand, or in their foreheads:

And that no man might buy or sell, save he that had the mark, or the name of the beast, or the number of his name.

Here is wisdom. Let him that hath understanding count the number of the beast: for it is the number of a man; and his number [is] Six hundred threescore [and] six." (Revelation 13:16-18)


For those who might not know, a "score" is 20. So "threescore" is 3x20, or 60. Therefore, the number is six hundred, sixty, and six, or 666.

To read the rest of that chapter, you can click here: http://www.blueletterbible.org/kjv/Rev/Rev013.html

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At first this may read like I'm answering a different question, but it all ties together, I promise. ;-)

I'm pretty sure you are thinking of these verses (and keep in mind, these particular verses are Christ's words being quoted):

Matthew 6:1-8

"Take heed that ye do not your alms before men, to be seen of them: otherwise ye have no reward of your Father which is in heaven.

Therefore when thou doest [thine] alms, do not sound a trumpet before thee, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may have glory of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward.

But when thou doest alms, let not thy left hand know what thy right hand doeth:

That thine alms may be in secret: and thy Father which seeth in secret himself shall reward thee openly.

And when thou prayest, thou shalt not be as the hypocrites [are]: for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and in the corners of the streets, that they may be seen of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward.

But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret; and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly.

But when ye pray, use not vain repetitions, as the heathen [do]: for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking.

Be not ye therefore like unto them: for your Father knoweth what things ye have need of, before ye ask him."

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For those who might not know, alms = donations. The first part of these verses is telling us to make our donations anonymously, if possible, and don't tell *anybody*. That way we won't be tempted to feel prideful and want to have people tell us how great we are for our donation.

Personal opinion ahead: This is one of the reasons I believe it's wrong to pass a plate in church, where everybody can see if someone donates, and sometimes even how much they donate. Not only can that lead to prideful feelings from those who put more than others in the plate, it can lead to shamed feelings for those who can't afford as much, and dirty looks for those who don't donate at all.

I think, at most, a church should have a private place with a drop-box, like a voting booth. Even that is questionable, as people will assume someone is donating if they go into the booth, and we can't be totally anonymous. Perhaps the way to donate is a money order in the mail, or something like that. Again, this part is my personal opinion, others will have different ideas.

Of course there will be times when we can't necessarily give anonymously (say, meeting someone on the street who is in need of something), and in those cases my husband and I feel the right thing to do is to not make a big production out of it. To be humble, and direct any "thanks" to God and Christ, who provided you with whatever you gave.

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Sorry, I know that part was a bit off topic from your question, but I felt that those scriptures go along with the rest (which is why I included them), and I wanted to make sure anybody else reading this would understand what alms meant, etc.

Now, for the verses that address your question. It's the same principle, really. Sometimes people praying in front of other people, may feel prideful in a "look at how religious I am" kind of way. I think these verses are warning against that.

If you think about it, prayer is a personal conversation between you and Yahweh (God). Imagine you are wanting to have a conversation with your friend, and so you go to a building with a bunch of other people, and this guy up front tells you words to repeat to your friend... Not much of a personal conversation, is it?

Praying to Yahweh shouldn't be an event to be viewed by all, but a personal thing between the two of you.

Now, having said that, I don't think there is anything wrong with like-minded people praising Yahweh and thanking Yahweh together, if they truly mean it and aren't just going along with the crowd. Notice the part of the verse that says "that they may be seen of men". To me it sounds like *intent* is important here. Is someone praying earnestly because they would pray exactly the same if nobody was watching? Or are they just wanting people to see them?

At any rate, your personal prayers will always be personal. Someone can't pray those for you. And of course it's best to pray those in private... There would be no reason for anybody to hear your private prayers (unless you wanted to show off).

Then there is praying in "vain repetitions". "Repetitions", of course, means "the same thing over and over". The definition of this that makes the most sense to me is a prayer that's just repeated over and over and over... I'm sure that over time, people who memorize these prayers just pray them automatically. They don't even think about the words anymore. The words of the prayer have lost any meaning. Whereas, if your prayers are formed as you think them, these prayers are from your heart.

Now, as to your question about going to church. I hate to do this to you, but I'm going to give you a link to another answer I wrote on the subject of "Churchianity". Mostly because I would be saying almost the exact same thing here, and I don't want to add to this already huge post. ;-)

See this question: http://www.advicenators.com/qview.php?q=426757

...and scroll down. My answer is the one on the very bottom. The first half of my answer there addresses the church and fellowship question.

Sorry for the novel, but I hope there was at least something helpful in it. ;-)

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The number comes from the book of Revelation in the Christian Bible, chapter 13. It is describing the Anti-Christ and what will happen during the Great Tribulation.

The end of chapter 13 says:

"And he causeth all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond, to receive a mark in their right hand, or in their foreheads:

And that no man might buy or sell, save he that had the mark, or the name of the beast, or the number of his name.

Here is wisdom. Let him that hath understanding count the number of the beast: for it is the number of a man; and his number [is] Six hundred threescore [and] six." (Revelation 13:16-18)


For those who might not know, a "score" is 20. So "threescore" is 3x20, or 60. So the number is six hundred, sixty, and six, or 666.

To read the rest of that chapter, you can click here: http://www.blueletterbible.org/kjv/Rev/Rev013.html

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Naturally, atheists and agnostics will tell you that you should be one of those choices and that you won't go to hell because that's what they believe.

Christians will advise you not to turn away from God and give up your eternal life, because that's what we believe.

I have something for you to read that might be helpful to you:

http://www.doesgodexist.org/AboutClayton/PastLife.html

It's an absolutely fascinating read about a former die-hard atheist who was determined to write a book called "All the Stupidity of the Bible".

As a teacher of physics and earth science, he is a logical and analytical person.

He also looked into many religions and read the Vedas, Koran, Sayings of Buddha, writings of Bahaullah and Zoroaster.

I think you might be interested in his story.

Good Luck.

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It's strange that there would be two very similar questions asked here suddenly... and at the same time I stumble upon something completely by accident tonight, that addresses these very questions.

When you have time, please read this:

http://www.doesgodexist.org/AboutClayton/PastLife.html

It's an absolutely fascinating read about a former die-hard atheist who was determined to write a book called "All the Stupidity of the Bible". As a teacher of physics and earth science, he is a logical and analytical person.

He also looked into many religions and read the Vedas, Koran, Sayings of Buddha, writings of Bahaullah and Zoroaster.

I think you might be interested in his story.

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Actually I understand exactly what you mean. In your additional info when you say "i dread going to church becuase it's so boring and ppl are snotty" My husband and I have taken to calling this type of thing "Churchianity"... People who think that going to church once a week is what Christianity is about. The rest of the week you wouldn't even know they were a "Christian" unless they had little symbols on their car or something.

Imagine facing Yahweh (God) on judgement day and saying, "No, I never fed the poor, helped the widows and orphans, or visited people in prison, but once a week I dressed up in nice clothes, sat in a pew and listened to a guy in a suit tell me his version of what the Bible says... I even put money on the plate to make sure he was able to drive around in a nice Cadillac. Oh, and I had a cute little fishy thing on my car."

It's even worse when these Churchians act all superior on top of it. We call those kinds "Sister Bertha-Better-Than-You". ;-)

My husband and I do not currently go to a church. We have yet to find one that actually tries to follow the Bible and Christ's teachings.

Please understand I'm not saying church is bad, and I'm not saying that people who go to church are bad. I'm just saying that some people who go to church lose sight of the important things. The true Church is not a building or a denomination. We, Christians (followers of Christ), ARE the Church. We can fellowship in the middle of a field, we can fellowship on an airplane, we can fellowship in the middle of McDonalds. It doesn't matter where.

Matthew 18:20 "For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them."

I Corinthians 3:16 "Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and [that] the Spirit of God dwelleth in you?"

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Last week, we went into a Christian book store and our conversation with the guy behind the counter led around to the church he belonged to. Hubby asked him what his church "does" for others. And the guy just had this blank look on his face. He was speechless. Hubby asked if his church fed the hungry. "No." Does his church take care of widows and orphans? "No." Does his church visit people in prison? "No."

What does his church do? Like many, many other churches, it basically holds a "meeting" once or twice a week. Wee.

The guy behind the counter was amazed. He knew something hadn't been right with his church. He knew something was missing. He had never even formally "signed up" with the church because he felt it. (and his own Father was the pastor there!) Maybe he will start a revolution in that church. I hope so.

We left that store praising Yahweh.


Matthew 25:34-40 says:

"Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world:

For I was an hungred, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in: Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me.

Then shall the righteous answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, and fed [thee]? or thirsty, and gave [thee] drink? When saw we thee a stranger, and took [thee] in? or naked, and clothed [thee]? Or when saw we thee sick, or in prison, and came unto thee?

And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done [it] unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done [it] unto me."


I guarantee that you will not be bored if you live the way Christ wants us to.

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Sorry, I kind of went off on a tangent there, mostly talking about one small portion of what you had typed... But it all just came rushing out. I'll move along now. ;-)

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I do want to touch on the subject of the rapture just a wee bit. In case you didn't know, I wanted you to know that there are many schools of thought on the timing of the rapture. Some Christians believe it happens pre-tribulation (like in those Left Behind books), some believe it happens mid-trib (half-way through the 7 year tribulation), some believe it happens pre-wrath (sometime during the tribulation but before the really bad stuff starts happening), and some believe it happens post-trib (right at the end when Christ returns).

Basically, the Bible isn't clear on when it happens, so people pick apart scripture and try to figure it out. Some people believe in the rapture but admit they really don't know when it will happen... That's sometimes called pan-trib (it could happen any time.)

I just wanted you to understand that, because if the rapture doesn't happen pre-trib, there are some pre-trib believers out there whose faith will be sorely tested because they didn't think they were actually going to have to go through any of the trials and troubles of the tribulation. Or maybe they will think that the Bible actually said that the rapture will happen before the tribulation, and so they will be mad and think that the Bible lied... instead of understanding that it was some people's opinions that were wrong, not the Bible.

I've actually read comments from some "Christians" that if they don't get a free ticket out of the tribulation, then what's the point? As if they are somehow more special and deserving than the Christians who have gone through trials and troubles (and martyrdom) throughout history. I'm not at all saying all pre-tribbers are like this, but I have absolutely seen them, and that's a dangerous path they are walking.

Personally, I am pan-trib. Whatever Yahweh thinks is best, I accept it. If it does happen pre-trib, great. If not, then that's the way it is. It's certainly not worth arguing over. It'll all "pan" out in the end. ;-)

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Now I'm getting to the part that I originally wanted to say.

Lots of people go through the things that you are going through... It's not unusual at all.

I want to ask you a favor. Please listen to the following MP3. It's perfect for the questions you have asked.

It's hard to explain how awesome this is... That's why you just have to listen to it. After you listen to it, if you have any other questions or concerns that I didn't address, or that this MP3 didn't address, please feel free to email me at DangerWench@gmail.com

Here is the link to the MP3:

http://www.dangernerd.com/kirkcameron.mp3

(It's 9 megs, so it may take a bit to download)

If you can't download MP3's for some reason, you can download the zip file.

http://www.dangernerd.com/kirkcameron.zip


I hope you will let me know what you think about it. :-)

...

Edited to add: Reading mylordwon's answer to you, I wanted to agree with that.

I also wanted to make sure that I wasn't misunderstood to be saying that we can be saved by doing good works. Because if we are guilty of even one sin in our lives (which we are) we are guilty of all of them, and we all fall short. None of us is worthy of eternal life on our own merits, no matter how many good works we do.

That's why we need Yeshua (Christ), so that we can be forgiven our sins when we repent of them.

The good things come after that. As a product of becoming a follower of Christ, we should want to obey our Creator and do the things which please Him.

He wants us to love others as we love ourselves, and even love our enemies.

Also, what better way to reach the lost? How many people who are non-Christian will be saved by people who do nothing but go to church and then go home and behave just like everybody else in the world does (worldly and selfish... we all struggle with selfishness). How is that a good example or something to admire and want to find out more about?

But what if the non-Christian sees someone behaving differently... Someone doing selfless things and giving of themselves to others when they don't have to, and who gets no perceivable reward from it? Maybe they will wonder about it. Maybe they will ask about it. Maybe that Christian can tell them they are doing it because they follow Christ's true teachings and so they love others even to the point of putting them before their own personal comforts. The very example Christ set for us.

Leading by example can certainly be a wonderful way to reach the lost. Just a thought. :-)

...

I think most people have thoughts about things like this sometimes.

It's funny, I wasn't really planning on answering this question, since others have answered it... but literally minutes ago I finished reading something that I stumbled upon completely by accident, and I think it might help you.

When you have time, please read this:

http://www.doesgodexist.org/AboutClayton/PastLife.html

It's an absolutely fascinating read about a former die-hard atheist who was determined to write a book called "All the Stupidity of the Bible". And not only that, he looked into many religions and read the Vedas, Koran, Sayings of Buddha, writings of Bahaullah and Zoroaster.

I think you might be interested in his story.

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(This is written from a "Christian" perspective. By "Christian" I mean a follower of Christ, not Catholic or Protestant or any sub-group. Just a believer of the Holy Bible.)

As mentioned by others, whether or not Yeshua (Christ) is the Messiah, is the focal point around which most of the differences between Christianity and Judaism revolve.

Because followers of Judaism do not believe the Messiah has arrived yet, they believe they are still under the old Laws (aka the old Covenant). The Laws which were written in the Old Testament include the dietary restrictions (Kosher diet) and the laws regarding Temple sacrifices, among many, many others.

Judaism (like Christianity) does have some divided "denominations" based upon differences of opinion regarding Scriptures and such.

For instance, some Jews believe that the Jewish people should not move back to Israel because in the Old Testament, Yahweh (God) exiled the Jewish people from Israel... and they believe that they are still forbidden to leave their exile. (see http://www.jewsagainstzionism.com for more info)

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Followers of Yeshua (Christ) believe that the entire Bible includes both the Old and the New Testament. The New Testament states that if anyone breaks even one of the Laws, they are guilty of breaking all of the Laws. And since everyone has broken at least one of the Laws, none of us is righteous, none is worthy, we have all sinned. Since the wages of sin is death, that means none is worthy of eternal life.

So, to summarize, many of us believe that the purpose of the Law is to show us how imperfect we are, and how we fall short of Yahweh's goals for us.

Followers of Yeshua believe that is why He came to earth, to live the perfect life that none of us could. So we believe He obeyed every single one of Yahweh's Laws, perfectly. (remember, Yeshua was Jewish so he would have lived the Jewish lifestyle under the Jewish Laws.)

We believe that when Yeshua sacrificed himself for us, He was paying our debt (the wages of sin is death, so he died for us) and because He is the sinless, spotless Son of Yahweh, His death is enough to pay for all of our sins, if we accept His Gift.

Because of this we believe we are under a New Covenant... We have been given grace. "...for ye are not under the law, but under grace." Romans 6:14

For more info about Yeshua, grace, and the old Laws, see here: http://www.letusreason.org/Doct31.htm

...

As for the Sabbath, it's true that most Christians celebrate the Sabbath on Sunday. While the Biblical (and Jewish) Sabbath is actually from sundown Friday to sundown Saturday. There are many different opinions on why this happened... But here is a bit of info on the most widely accepted reason:

"The Catechismus Romanus was commanded by the Council of Trent and published by the Vatican Press, by order of Pope Pius V, in 1566. This catechism for priests says: "It pleased the church of God, that the religious celebration of the Sabbath day should be transferred to 'the Lord's day. Sunday.'"

But many followers of Yeshua don't believe that there was any reason to move the Sabbath, so they observe the original Sabbath.

For instance, we (myself and my husband) now observe the original Sabbath from sundown Friday to sundown Saturday, and we are not "7th Day Adventists" (another division of Christians who observe the original Sabbath day).

On a personal note, I must say that since we have started observing the original Sabbath, we have felt it to be more restful and peaceful. :-)

...

By the same token, some Christians also think that eating Kosher (or close to it) is a good idea. Not because it's a law we have to obey, but because Yahweh knows better than us...

This one is my personal theory, but I don't think Yahweh would exclude a food just to be arbitrary. I mean, pork tastes very good (to me, anyway), and I don't think Yahweh would tell his children not to eat something tasty, just because He felt like it. I think He has a very good reason and I think it's because it's bad for us. He didn't want His children eating things that would hurt their health.

Part of the kosher dietary requirements eliminates being able to eat scavengers. Pigs are scavengers that will eat poop, dead things, and just about anything else. Catfish are scavengers too (and because they don't have scales, they aren't kosher), and crustaceans (like crabs and lobsters), and mollusks (like clams and oysters) are bottom-feeding scavengers too, and not kosher. It seems reasonable that it could be bad for our health to eat things that live by consuming questionable things.

So even though I am what people consider to be a Christian, I gave up eating pork and other scavenger creatures, not because I think it's a sin, but because I believe that Yahweh has our best interests at heart.

...

There is also a difference between Jewish people and Judaism. A Jewish person is, racially, someone who is a descendant of Jacob (son of Isaac, who was the son of Abraham) from the Old Testament. Jacob was also called "Israel", thus his descendants are also called Children of Israel or Israelites. He was the father of twelve sons, who represent the twelve tribes of Israel.

Descendants of Jacob do not necessarily practice Judaism. Just because someone is born of a certain heritage, doesn't mean they will automatically practice the traditional religion of their fore-fathers. So there are Jews who do not practice Judaism.

And from what I understand, non-Jews can convert to Judaism... Though I'm not sure how that works.

There are also Jews who DO believe that Yeshua is the Messiah, and thus have those Christian beliefs. Some call themselves Messianic Jews. Usually, they still observe the Sabbath from sundown Friday to sundown Saturday, among other Jewish traditions. Though there are some Jewish believers that follow the more traditional Christian paths, and consider themselves to be Jewish Christians, Hebrew Christians, or Christian Jews: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Messianic_Judaism

...

Ok, I'd better stop now before I think of more things to type. ;-)

...

Well... Why would you get confirmed by the Catholic Church if you aren't interested? Just for your mom's sake? That's not a good reason, that's a pretty big lie.

How much worse would she feel if she found out you had went through all the motions and they had all been lies. In her eyes you would then not only have been lying to her but lying to her church too.

You can't keep up a lie like this forever. The Catholic religion is pretty much a way of life.

Why not just tell her the truth?

Also, I appreciate that you are not interested in the Catholic Church or Christianity in general, but I just want to clarify that there is a difference between Catholic Christianity and *exclusively* Bible-Based Christianity.

The Catholic Church believes that the Bible is not the only authority. Their teachings include such documentation as Catechisms, and Papal Encyclicals (defined as "authoritative teaching instruments from the Vicar of Christ" (the Pope)) which have been written and added to throughout the years of the history of the Catholic Church.

Because of this, the Catholic Church has many teachings, beliefs, and traditions that are different from a Christian who believes the Holy Bible is the exclusive authority of Christianity.

A Catholic Christian believes in the Catholic doctrines, teachings, and traditions which include, but are *not exclusive to* the Holy Bible.

Most non-Catholic Christians believe the Holy Bible is the *exclusive* authority of Christianity... No other documents.

Much argument comes from this, as quite a few non-Catholic Christians believe the Catholic doctrines to be un-Christian and not corresponding with Biblical scripture. And obviously, Catholics disagree.

For more information about the differences between Catholicism and *exclusively* Bible-Based Christianity, see the following link:

http://www.russpickett.com/apolog/catindex.htm

...

First, I wanted to say that you have my condolences. We get used to people being a part of our earthly lives, and when they aren't here anymore, it can leave a gap that's tough to deal with.

The worst is when someone dies unsaved... They refused to accept Christ as their savior, even to the end. Those people I truly mourn.

As far as "why" sometimes "good" people die and "bad" people live... Only God knows the truth... But I can offer some of my own thoughts on the subject.

First and foremost, I believe God wants us all to have eternal life with Him. He knows that what really matters in the scheme of things, is where we will be spending eternity. Our few short years on this earth are nothing compared to eternity. He has our best interests at heart.

It's harder for us to see the big eternal picture because we haven't experienced heaven yet, so far our only personal experiences are on this earth. And this life is right here in our face, so it can be hard sometimes to see past all the worldly things that are thrown at us constantly, to distract us from what really matters.

Maybe sometimes it's important for people to leave this earth at a certain time. As long as they will live with God in Paradise for eternity, that's the most important thing.

And the murderers who are still running around alive? They still have a chance to repent. As long as they are alive, they have a chance to realize their sins and repent and turn to Christ. It's the people who are "lost" who need the time on this earth the most... Every minute more they live, is another minute they have to repent and live for eternity.

I know it's tempting to look down on murderers as being worse that us because WE never killed anybody, but the Bible says that all sins are equal. Sin is sin, and if we are guilty of one we are guilty of all of them. And we have all sinned in some way.

None of us are worthy of eternity on our own merit, every single one of us needs the opportunity to repent that Christ gave to us. So that murderer deserves a chance to repent, just as much as anybody else. And to say that we don't believe that murderer should receive forgiveness, is to say that we ourselves shouldn't receive forgiveness. I'm not going to say that. I need that forgiveness.

...

On a different note; I kind of look at things in a funny sort of way, sometimes. Sometimes I look at our earthly bodies like "loaner" vehicles. God "loaned" me this vehicle to use on Earth until I either crash it beyond repair, or it breaks down on it's own, for whatever reason. But it's just a loaner. A temporary thing.

Based on how we do with our loaner vehicle, that determines if God feels we are up to having an eternal vehicle that never breaks down, and is always brand new.

Another way I sometimes look at it is that life is like an employee training period. We're given the manual(The Bible), and told to do our best. Though it seems like we are unsupervised and can goof off and not get in trouble for it, there are actually "cameras" everywhere and the Boss knows exactly how well we are or aren't doing.

Then if we prove that we can be trusted to follow the manual as best we can, even when we think the Boss isn't looking, once the training period is finished, we can move over to a permanent position... Eternal, even. Those who wasted their opportunity get "fired".

So in other words, "death" to a Christian is just a change. A change for the better. No more pain, no more sorrow, no more worries. Eternity in Paradise. Not something to be mourned.

The death of the unsaved? That's something to be mourned.

...

I can help you with the Catholic Vs. Christian part of your question.

The Catholic Church believes that the Bible is not the only authority. Their teachings include such documentation as Catechisms, and Papal Encyclicals (defined as "authoritative teaching instruments from the Vicar of Christ" (the Pope)) which have been written and added to throughout the years of the history of the Catholic Church.

Because of this, the Catholic Church has many teachings, beliefs, and traditions that are different from a Christian who believes the Holy Bible is the exclusive authority of Christianity.

A Catholic Christian believes in the Catholic doctrines, teachings, and traditions which include, but are *not exclusive to* the Holy Bible.

Most non-Catholic Christians believe the Holy Bible is the *exclusive* authority of Christianity... No other documents.

Much argument comes from this, as quite a few non-Catholic Christians believe the Catholic doctrines to be un-Christian and not corresponding with Biblical scripture. And obviously, Catholics disagree.

For more information about the differences between Catholicism and *exclusively* Bible-Based Christianity, see the following link:

http://www.russpickett.com/apolog/catindex.htm

Want to know how to keep your questions from being rated down? Click Here!

********************************************

I'm DangerNerd's wife. We met on an internet personals site back in December, 1996. He flew across country to meet me for the first time in late February of 1997, and we were married a few weeks later. We've been together 9 years now. :-)

If you want to mail me, my email is DangerWench@gmail.com

Yes, I do sometimes copy and paste my own answers to answer different people's similar questions. I still personalize/edit them when necessary... but for instance, my advice about diet and exercise it going to be pretty much the same every time, and that's a very common subject for questions here... so there's no point in typing the same thing over and over and over again. ;-)

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Yes, hubby and I were both virgins on our wedding night, at the age of 26. Yes, we are both Christians, but we greatly dislike what "Christianity" (or "Churchianity") has come to represent in many people's minds these days... Hypocrisy, greed, pride... Things which the Bible says we are NOT supposed to do. We are supposed to be a good example, not a bad one. :-(

If you have a Christian acquaintance who is hitting you over the head with "Jesus will bring you peace and joy and happiness" tell them to listen to this:

http://www.dangernerd.com/kirkcameron.mp3

(It's 9 megs, so it may take a bit to download)

If you can't download MP3's for some reason, you can download the zip file.

http://www.dangernerd.com/kirkcameron.zip

If they are an actual preacher/pastor, this one is geared more towards them:

http://www.dangernerd.com/raycomfort.zip

Send them the link, or burn it to CD and give it to them, whatever it takes.

If they really listen to that, they will see how the Bible itself says the way they are annoying you is wrong. :-)

If you are a Christian, please listen to it, even if you aren't beating people over the head with Jesus. I promise you, it will give you a new perspective. It's totally awesome.

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I'm also fascinated by prophesy, and I do think we are living in an age where we are seeing many things come true that were prophesied 1,000's of years ago.

********************************************

There has been a lot of hubbub lately regarding my views on the differences between Catholicism and *exclusively* Bible-Based Christianity... Mostly due to my not making myself clear. I did have a big long explanation here, but this time I will opt for the KISS method (Keep It Simple, Stupid). Yes, the following is the simplified version. ;-)

The Catholic Church believes that the Bible is not the only authority. Their teachings include such documentation as Catechisms, and Papal Encyclicals (defined as "authoritative teaching instruments from the Vicar of Christ" (the Pope)) which have been written and added to throughout the years of the history of the Catholic Church.

Because of this, the Catholic Church has many teachings, beliefs, and traditions that are different from a Christian who believes the Holy Bible is the exclusive authority of Christianity.

A Catholic Christian believes in the Catholic doctrines, teachings, and traditions which include, but are *not exclusive to* the Holy Bible.

Most non-Catholic Christians believe the Holy Bible is the *exclusive* authority of Christianity... No other documents.

Much argument comes from this, as quite a few non-Catholic Christians (myself included) believe many of the man-made Catholic doctrines to be un-Christian and not corresponding with Biblical scripture. And obviously, Catholics disagree.

For more information about the differences between Catholicism and *exclusively* Bible-Based Christianity, see the following link:

Roman Catholic Doctrine vs. The Holy Bible

And a final note about that link... That e-book isn't written by Jack Chick, I have a lot of problems with Mr. Chick. Some of his tracts are great, and some of them are way "out there" if you know what I mean. I do not support Jack Chick. This e-book is written by Rick Jones, who was a Catholic for many years, not Chick.

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"This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come. For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good, Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God; Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away. For of this sort are they which creep into houses, and lead captive silly women laden with sins, led away with divers lusts, Ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth." (2Timothy 3:1 - 7)

"And there shall be signs in the sun, and in the moon, and in the stars; and upon the earth distress of nations, with perplexity; the sea and the waves roaring..." (Luke 21:25)

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Yahweh is my God, Yeshua is my Savior.

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