Why are so many young people against marriage?

Now for the religious side...

I'm sorry to say, but I think our "Christians" fail at the same rate (or higher) our marriages... and for similar reasons. Here's where I'll ruffle some feathers. (*disclaimer, the following words are based on my beliefs which continually shift, as they should. Any contradiction to your beliefs is not intended to offend. Besides, who really cares if I think you're wrong)

The word "Christan" was mockingly given to followers of Jesus, calling them "little Christs". True Christianity, like marriage or love, is a verb, not a noun. The use of "we", "them", "believers" etc. are grossly over used in church. At any given moment, anyone in the world can be and extension of Christ's Love... and in the next walk away from Him. Like Aldo said in my quote, "..the important think is not to achieve but strive."

That's the beauty, and danger of Christianity: It's not where you are, but what you are doing that's important. I'll take that a step further and say, it's not even what you are doing, but what you are doing and why.

These acts in faith are not notches on a belt, in fact, acts for the purpose of the act is what the Jews were doing that bothered Jesus. The religious leaders doing nice things because they thought they had too. Like a child forced by his parents to say sorry for something. Sure he said it, but where was his heart.

Contrast that with the example Jesus gave for being a good neighbor. Not some goodie-two-shoe's list of chores they did for the poor, but a "Godless" Samaritan's single act of compassion & love.

How about the thief at the cross. because of one act in faith and the end of his life, he was promised eternal life.

I don't think Jesus' focus is on where we've come from or what we've done, good or bad. He want to know what we are doing now. And he already knows the why.

There is no prayer that ensures your safety. No action in and of itself that "saves" you (by the time I come up out of the water, I'm already dirty again). These acts are important, don't get me wrong, but there is not a finish line. No Secret handshake. No club to be in or out of. Christianity is not something to be had because it is not a noun.

Beliefs are the compass and faith are your steps. The Bible is the map and Jesus is the destination.

Now, the Bible is the map, but like a map the words are not important (wait for a second before you get your NIV in a bunch). The words are important in the sense than they help tell the story, but on their own or out of context, they can be meaningless. Here's where many people, both "Christian" & "non-Christian" get into trouble. They quote a verse. Or chapter, or book. It's not the parts that are important, but how they help tell the story.

If you take one or two lines off a topo map, looking at them might tell you something, but it's not until they are laid out with the map as a whole that they can truly be understood. Expanding even further, you might have an idea of what that place looks like, but until you are actually physically there in the real world... you won't fully understand.

Taking this out of context is easy, watch. Jesus says if a man slaps my face I should turn the other cheek. He also said that if my eye caused me to sin, I should gouge it out. Contrast that with Him walking into a church, fashioning a whip and driving out the money changers. What a hypocrite, right?

I'll even go as far as saying that the Bible, while important, is still only part of the story. It is not the be all & end all.

Now I stated that beliefs are like a compass, and earlier stated that my beliefs are constantly shifting. Seems weak, I know, but I've had many instances in both the real wilderness and the "spiritual" one where I've suddenly been struck with the realization that my compass had been pointing in the wrong direction.

Northern MN is full of iron. Walk in a 1/2 mile straight line, and you can watch that needle dance 360 degrees. But pause a moment, observe the world around you, maybe consult your map, or a friend with you, and re-assess the situation. Then based on your new beliefs you take a step in Faith.

I fear for any reading this, and for my growling stomach (aching for lunch) that I could go on & on & on.... most-likely long enough that my beliefs will have shifted

Jesus is the biggest welfare line there is. Like any line of the sort, people are there for different reasons. Some know they need help, they're at rock bottom. Some are trying to play the system to get free stuff. The difference is EVERYONE needs what is in this line, and only Jesus paid for the handouts.

While I'm waiting in line again, I might as well try to help those around me and those now yet in line. I sure think He like that.

 

Fitz, I've said it before and I'll say it again...if more christians approached this subject the way you do, christianity would be better off.

 

Not really, closse though. I don't think people hear the word so much as try and hold onto it as a possesion. Then it becomes an idol. Seems rediculous to think that I just inferred that some people's "golden calf" is the bible huh... I think it's true though.

This brings up another point for me. If you are trying to explain a topic to someone and they don't have much interest in it in the first place, speaking a different language (or translation) does little to help you cause.

 

This is true... The line is filled with people and God continues to dish out love and grace to everyone, However only the ones with open hearts and on bended knees will be able to be fulfilled by it! You are always able to go to the front of the line but pride and temptation will take the gifts from you if you allow it.

Good stuff Fitz

 

This is true. Citing scripture to prove a point does not matter to a "nonchristian".

Its like telling me I have to keep my chimney clean because Santa Claus is about to slide down it.

 

You couldn't be more wrong .... faith comes by hearing the Word of God .... one day we all will be held accountable for what we heard and how we responded ......

 

Shocking.

So now you're telling me, as a nonchristian, what makes more sense to a nonchristian? Thats classic.

 

I am still trying to wrap my mind around what Fitz is actually saying. I know he is not suggesting that Christians should be blown around by every wind of doctrine. And the words are very important, though I do agree to a point that we can end up worshipping the bible itself and end up missing the message in it. But it is the words, "the Word" that must change us for it is the gospel (the good news) that has the power of salvation, Romans 1:16 and it is Jesus alone who possesses the words of truth John 6.

However I do think I hear what you are saying but real Truth never changes. Opinions, beliefs, feelings etc... do. When truth is discovered, it's just really hard to grab hold of anything else. That's why the disciples were all willing to die a martyrs death. Its just hard to believe a man will die for what he knows to be a lie.

 

the reason is that many that name the name of Christ are not Christians ... Matthew 7:21 Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. 22 Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? 23 And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity. 24 Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock: 25 And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not: for it was founded upon a rock. Mat 7:26 And every one that heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them not, shall be likened unto a foolish man, which built his house upon the sand: 27 And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell: and great was the fall of it.

not sure where you got that from but Act 11:26 says ... And it came to pass, that a whole year they assembled themselves with the church, and taught much people. And the disciples were called Christians first in Antioch.

Christian means follower of Christ

there is much truth in this, but also an undertone that you can lose that which you had no part in ... talking about your faith .... you are either a new creation in Christ, or you are not...

AMEN!

The prayer of repentance towards God and faith in Jesus Christ DOES ensure safety ... for those that have are IN Christ ... they are a new creation .... they have been born again ... born of the Spirit .... and NO ONE can pluck them out of His hand

I couldn't disagree more with the message of this section .... Faith comes by hearing the Word of God ... now the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life .... the devil knows the Word of God better than anyone but he twists it and contorts it to HIS purpose as do MANY that name the name of Christ ... BUT the Word of God is pure .... and true Christians follow the Word of God by the illumination of the Holy Spirit .... the errors and self serving come from those that do not have the Spirit (lost people) and those that ignore or quench the Spirit of God (true Christians) ... if you have not the Spirit, you are not of Jesus

good stuff and oh so true .....

TRUTH!


My above comments are written with the full realization that I may have misunderstood some of your post and if I did, please forgive me and feel free to correct my wrong interpretation :D

 

Your response is classic ... I used to be a non-Christian ... hello .... I know what worked on me .. I know what brought me to Christ ... I know what YOU will be held accountable to in the day of judgement if you do not receive the Salvation Christ offered YOU ...


1Corinthians 2:14 But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.

You have to understand that you are NOT God ... you need the Holy Spirit of God to open His Truth to you ....

 

To all the Christians, the most important thing a person can do is know Christ as their personal Lord and Savior and then live their Life to emulate Him.

To all the Non-Chrisitans I pray that you one day realize that you need Christ, and accept the salvatoin offered to you. I will not begin to say that I have all the answers because I do not. But one thing I know is that Christianity is either Truth or False. Do you know for sure which?

 

I know I hate when christians say they "feel sorry for me", but I truly feel sorry for you PT. Its not your beliefs, but how you convey them. I hope god gives you better guidance in the future. I do, because outside of that, you're not a bad guy.

Its interesting you tell me I'm not god, although I never thought I was, when you speak in such a superior fashion.

 

You make NO sense ..... none

 

that just goes on to prove my point of in math there is only one solution and only one way to get that solution.

 

Dividing by zero is an undefined operation in mathematics. That is why, when you type 4/0 into a calculator, it comes back with "undefined". You can't do it, because it doesn't mean anything. You can't divide 4 apples among zero people. The answer wouldn't just be 4, as your intuition might suggest (no one gets the apples, so there are 4 left, or something), because that's the answer for dividing the apples among 1 person, and 1≠0.

Now, you can look at the problem in another way, using a limit. Consider the ratio 4/x, where x is some number between 0 and 1. As x gets smaller and smaller (that is, as it approaches zero), the ratio 4/x gets bigger and bigger. It is important to note that, no matter how small x is, if it is greater than zero, it can be always made smaller. Consequently, 4/x can increase without bound. Hence the limit of 4/x as x→0 is ∞. The crucial distinction is that this is only a limit. 4/x ≠ ∞ when x = 0. 4/x is undefined when x = 0. If you were to graph 4/x vs. x, there would be an asymptote at x = 0.

 

Some say 1/0 is ∞. Others say you can't divide by zero in the first place.
Outside of abstract algebra, let's look at a physical analogy of elementary arithmetic.
You have 12 apples and you must evenly distribute them to n number of people.
If there are 3 people, 12/3=4, each person will get 4 apples.
If there's only one person, 12/1=12, that person will get 12 apples.
Wait, what if there are zero people? :O
12/0=∞? So the empty air gets an infinite number of apples?! (what a lucky non-existent entity)

 

YES! Marriage(and the decline of it's meaning), religion, AND mathmatics. Where else can you find all that in one topic but on a BOWHUNTING sight! yee haw!!!

 

My real point about words & the WORD is the difference that I believe is overlooked by Christians. Jesus is the Truth, the WORD is Jesus & his story in history (the entire existence of since Jesus, GOD & the Holy Spirit are one). The words you quote from a bible tell the story, they themselves are not the Power, or the story.

Case & point. Read the entirety of the Bible to me in Greek & Hebrew and I will learn nothing... NOTHING. You shared the WORD with me right? Wrong. Words do not equate WORD.

Further application. Quote a non-Christian (or Christan for that matter) verses from King James, ie. Thy thus shalt picketh....... might as well be in Greek. Jesus mostly spoke in parables. Yes, he would quote the OT writings, but not in the original context or language. And when he did quote, he usually was inferring a different meaning.

Quoting the Bible is not always sharing the WORD, in fact it can even push people away from Christ.

New BibleDictionary​

Third Edition​

Organizing editor (first edition)J. D. Douglas​

Lecturer, Singapore Bible College​

Revision editor (second edition)N. Hillyer​

formerly Librarian, Tyndale House, Cambridge​

Revision editor (third edition)D. R. W. Wood​

Senior Editor, Inter–Varsity Press​

Consulting editors for the third editionI. H. Marshall​

Professor of New Testament Exegesis, University of Aberdeen​

A. R. Millard​

Rankin Professor of Hebrew and Ancient Semitic Languages, University of Liverpool​

J. I. Packer​

Professor of Theology, Regent College, Vancouver​

D. J. Wiseman​

Emeritus Professor of Assyriology, University of London​

Christian. The 3 occurrences (Acts 11:26; 26:28; 1 Pet. 4:16) all imply that it was a generally recognized title in the NT period, though it is evident that there were other names which Christians themselves used, and perhaps preferred (cf. H. J. Cadbury, BC, 5, 1933, pp. 375ff.).​

a. Origin of the name​

The formation seems to be Latin, where plural nouns ending in -iani may denote the soldiers of a particular general (e.g. Galbiani, Galba’s men, Tacitus, Hist. 1. 51), and hence partisans of an individual. Both elements are combined in the quasi-military Augustiani (see below). In the late 1st century ad at least, Caesariani was used of Caesar’s slaves and clients, and in the Gospels we meet the Herodianoi, who may have been partisans or clients of Herod (*Herodians).​

Christian​

(o)i, therefore, may have originally been thought of as ‘soldiers of Christus’ (Souter), or ‘the household of Christus’ (Bickerman), or ‘the partisans of Christus’ (Peterson). H. B. Mattingly has recently given an ingenious turn to the latter interpretation by suggesting that Christiani, by an Antiochene joke, was modelled on Augustiani, the organized brigade of chanting devotees who led the public adulation of Nero Augustus; both the enthusiasm of the believers and the ludicrous homage of the imperial cheer-leaders being satirized by the implicit comparison with each other. But the name ‘Christian’ may well be older than the institution of the Augustiani.​

I know we are all different. We also come to Christ different. Personally, for me it wasn't the Bible. The Bible has infinitely enhanced, and refined my Beliefs & Faith, but it is not what brought me to Christ. Infact, the Bible, and the way some used it kept me from Him for a long time. His story kept me coming back, but people pulling Verses like the Media does in politics drove me nuts. Now, I now know that most (not all) were not trying to be condecending.... but the were.

Nothing made me feel more inferior than some one quoting a Book, Chapter, Verse # and then the verse word for word in a language not thyn own...

For me? It was seeing him work. Seeing His Love, Compassion & Healing continue His story into today. Hearing His story from 2000 years ago is nice. Experiencing it Today made me a believer. Seeing people that followed him, not going through the motions, but "Doing Church" (great book btw). People not preaching to me about what Jesus did, but showing me what he is doing. Not scholars on Spiritual Warfare, but the troops out there in the fight, getting hurt, dirty, beaten down.

Life was boiled down to a very simple : Love God. Love People. Period.

I do not, and will not question anyones faith on here or anywhere. But I will question how they share, & portray it. Maybe it's the Marketing Graphic Designer in me or the hunter, but if I'm going after something/someone; I'd better know my audience/prey.

Sure I can go the an archery shop, buy a Mathews, some carbon express arrows with rage broadheads, so Scent block, nose jammer, trail cams, buck bombs, and hang my Lone Wolf in a tree over some clover plus. Shoot, I might even kill a deer first time out..... but I'll be danged if that's how I hunt. On the flip side, I'm not out smoking a cigar in my checkered cotton shirt either. I can kill a deer that way too. But if I wanna be successfully, I need to know deer, deer behavior, deer ecology... It does me now good to call a deer in with a bleating of a Zebra.

I'm not for diluting Christianity. God stop me if I do. But I am for authentic, relevant, sharing of Jesus' story, from "in the beginning" to "I am Coming" to today. If I believe that, then in faith I must join in the story. That's what he wants.

Repentance, baptism, prayer of faith, born again.... all fantastically wonderful things, but I don't see it as a one & done thing. No. I need to turn back to God more than that. Not once in my life, not twice a year on Christmas & Easter. Not once a week at church. Not once a morning during devotionals... No, if I go one second without God, I will sin. I do sin. Far more than I don't... Sound futile right. But that's the whole point. Every time I fall, fail, turn away, He's still there. If I ask, he'll pick me up. Even thought both He & I know I'll just fall again, He's there Lifting my burden. That's what made me start loving him, and in turn, thats when he opened my heart to love others.

Love God. Love People. Period. (not my words FYI)


Scattered and long winded as usual...

 

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Wait I thought there was only one answer? And one way to get there?

 

you missed the satire