I see that there is interest in learning about religions other than Islam. Since I’m a Christian and I know most of the members here are Muslim, I’m starting this thread to encourage interfaith dialogue; that we can learn more about each other’s beliefs. I will try to give everyone answers as representative of Christianity as a whole, but since I’m Charismatic I won’t be sounding points a Catholic or a Baptist would sound.
Re: Ask a Christian
What is a Charismatic? How big the differences are amongst different sects of Christianity? Are there sects who believe that other sects are not real Christians?
You think that Jesus only died for the sins of his followers, or for the whole humanity?
Ask a Christian
Charismatics (and Pentecostals) believe that things like miracles, speaking in tongues, prophecy(called the gifts of the Spirit in the Bible) are for today, in contrast to Cessationists, who believe all that ended when Jesus' apostles died. (Sometimes they throw the "heresy" label at each other, but not as much nowadays.)
Jehovah's Witnesses consider themselves the only true Christians and all other religious beliefs to be of Satan; but, due to their denial of the Trinity and the fact they don't consider Jesus to be God(only the Son of God), many other Christians consider them heretics. Latter-Day Saints(LDS, Mormons) believe that Joseph Smith was a prophet to whom, in the latter days of the 1820's, God reestablished the true Church. Due to beliefs significantly different from mainline Christian belief, they are also sometimes labeled as "heretics".
A major difference between Christians is between Catholics and Protestants; Protestants believe salvation is by faith alone, whereas works play a bigger role in Catholicism. (Sometimes Protestants don't consider Catholics to be Christians.)
Among Protestants there are Calvinists and Arminians: Calvinists believe God randomly chose people to be saved (the elect) and it's for them that Jesus died. (5 points of Calvinism: Total depravity, Unconditional election, Limited atonement, Irresistible grace, Perseverance of the saints). Arminians, on the other hand, believe Jesus died for all humanity, but one those who accept Him will be saved.(I lean Arminians, but many Arminians have embraced legalism, which I don't accept. I do accept Jesus' dying for all humanity.) Another view is universalism, which says everyone will be saved, but it's generally considered heresy.
One thing that's widespread among Christians is the belief that God wants friendship with humanity.
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How and where does a common Christian gets his religious knowledge from ?
The Bible is the main source (as Holy Scripture); also, over the past two millennia books have been written explaining various teachings; devotionals describing people's journeys connecting to God; apologetics defending the Christian worldviews. The Purpose-Driven Life is a good book explaining why we're here from an Evangelical Christian perspective. (Evangelicals tend to be more conservative or center in Christianity; to believe in biblical inerrancy; many also seek to convert others to their beliefs.)
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how can god be both son and father, and holy spirit too? why not just be god, or son, or holy spirit?
why did anyone have to die for the sins of man? cant god just simply forgive without demanding sacrifice? and how is it sacrifice if its god himself who is offered in sacrifice to himself?
when do christians think the world is going to end?
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Is there any concept like blasphemy in Christianity?
What is the views of religious scholars on 'forced conversions'?
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What is the concept of Taharat, i.e. physical cleanliness and purity in Christianity? In Islam, none of your prayers are accepted if you are in the state of impurity (Najasat). That means that before you are ought to clean your soul, you need to clean your body. Is there an equivalent concept in Christianity?
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In Mark 7 Jesus said it's what comes out of someone that defiles him. Thus purity in Christianity is more of a moral purity; there isn't so much of a ritualistic body washing. However some churches have a foot washing ceremony, but this is a demonstration of service, not of purity.
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Virtually all Christian scholars today oppose forced conversations(especially among many Protestants, who believe one must freely accept Jesus as their Savior).
There is a concept of blasphemy, and some countries still have the laws on the books but(at least in USA) no one's been prosecuted in decades. There have been times when people were accused of blasphemy when the challenged the dominant views(sometimes later declared heroes).
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Thank you Laskar Cinta for reaching out to our community.
Great thread!!!
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What are Christian beliefs concerning the antichrist?
Thanks.
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You're very welcome!😄😄😄😄😄
"We made you from one man and woman into nations and tribes that you may know each other."(Surah 49:13) -- of all I've read in the Quran that's my favorite ayah. The Bible has many verses encouraging peace like "Blessed are the peacemakers; they shall be called the children of God."(Mt. 5:9).
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Peace Laskar Cinta
I can see you haven't answered few question asked above. :) Will you gonna answer?
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additionally, what do christians believe is the reason god made the universe? why did he make humans? what is the purpose of the moon?
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Yes, I will be answering -- I wasn't feeling well last night, and for some of these questions I want to think it through, due to the complexity of the issue.
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Yea I wana know too how can Jesus be the son of God AND God at the same time as per christian belief?
Headsup: TLK will be asking further questions about taharat which he badly needs to know so better get ready ;)
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So if found red-letter and st pauls teaching at odds with one another who would Christians pick?
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Since(at least among Conservatives) the Bible is seen as inerrant and as noncontradictory, Christians will try to reconcile the statements. However, Jesus is the Center for Christians, and St. Paul builds on, interprets what Jesus said. (Jesus mainly preached to Jews, but he told his disciples to take His message to the whole world; St. Paul applied what Jesus said to the converts' Greco-Roman culture.)
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Like many things there are a number of schools of thought(and I'm in the process of changing mine) but Dispensationalism has the most developed theory and is what I grew up on, so that is the view I'll give.
According to this theology the last seven years before Jesus returns are going to be a very difficult time, worse than anything else in human history, called the Tribulation, when the Antichrist will rule the world. Most believe he'll come from a land once part of the Roman Empire(a few use this as an anti-Muslim or anti-Catholic polemic). It is believed the Antichrist will sign a seven year peace treaty involving Israel(and convince many Jews he's their messiah) but break the treaty after 3.5 years. At some point it's believed the Jewish Temple will be rebuilt(some speculate it will coexist with the mosques) and around the time the Antichrist breaks the treaty he'll defile the Temple, claiming to be God(identified as "The abomination of desolation"). It also taught the Antichrist will be assassinated at this point, but Satan will bring him back and indwell him. Enter the false prophet: the Antichrist's propaganda master, even calling down fire to deceive people into worshipping the Antichrist. He also makes a talking idol of the Antichrist(the image of the beast) that everyone is required to worship on pain of death. The false prophet also requires everyone to take a mark on their right hand or forehead in order to buy or sell(however anyone who takes it will go to hell). Throughout this time God's Judgment is being poured out(listed in the book of Revelation). After the end of the Tribulation the Antichrist convinces the nations of the world to join forces against God. (At one point the Euphrates dries up allowing the kings of the East to come for battle.) The gather at Armeggedon(generally identified with Megiddo in northern Israel) then Jesus returns, captures the Antichrist and false prophet, casts them alive into the lake of fire, and kills the rest of the army. After this the Millennial reign of Jesus begins.
Another aspect is the Rapture, in which Jesus takes real Christians out of the earth. The are four camps on when it occurs: pre-Trib says Christians will be raptured before the Tribulation; mid-Trib(also called pre-wrath) believe the Rapture will happen halfway through the Tribulation(about when the Temple is defiled); post-Trib says the Rapture will occur after the Tribulation, so Christians will be essentially a welcoming committee for Jesus(a custom in the first century).
The novel series Left Behind lays out the whole seven years from a pre-Trib perspective, through the adventures of an airline pilot who was left behind but whose wife got raptured.
BTW, the fourth view on the Rapture is it doesn't exist(which includes everyone who is not a Dispensationalist and does not subscribe to the beliefs listed above ).