Registry Office vs Church Marriage

margaretclare

Bobbyssqueeze wrote:

Sorry that you don't understand the meaning of christianity. It means to follow christ and his teachings. If you don't then you are saying its okay to lie, to commit adultery, to kill and all else. Its not just obeying the commandments but also doing your best to be a good person, no lying, cheating, or deliberately doing things you know are bad, these are wilful sins. Everyone messes up but you can't expect to be forgiven for deliberately sinning and then taking a morning after religion pill. The parables are just that, or didn't you know? Parable: a short allegorical story designed to illustrate or teach some truth, and the one you say means there was forgiveness, but it doesnt mean it was right in the first place, and it means we should forgive each other, because some of us fail!! It doesn't mean it's right to screw people around!! Hope this broadens your understanding and tells you how stories fit into the bible!

I think it's you who has misunderstood the meaning of Christianity. No one is saying that 'it's OK to lie, to commit adultery' etc etc. Of course we do not say that these things are OK and we do not 'deliberately sin and then taking a "morning-after" religion pill'. What an idea! And it is certainly not all right to 'screw people around'!

You seem to think you have some kind of superior knowledge and feel inclined to 'talk down' to us poor creatures who've misunderstood - you 'hope that this broadens (our) understanding and tells us how stories fit into the Bible'!

The Parables were graphic illustrations of basic truths. Jesus usually told them when people - the 'righteous people' of his day - were trying to trip him up, not because they really wanted to know but because they were hoping he would say something that they could then condemn him for. However, for the simple people around him, who hung on His every word, the stories painted a picture which was more understandable to them than if he'd talked in abstract concepts and high-flown theological language. And we do remember those stories to this day - most of us learned them years ago as children and they still have resonance to us years later. I chose that reading from Matthew for my husband's funeral just because it was so like him. He wasn't perfect, of course he wasn't. But he never refused to help anyone, no matter how inconvenient it was. We took in battered women in our home, we fed them and comforted them and gave them clothing and household goods when they were rehoused. Not enough, never enough. But he did it because of what he believed in.

Margaret

margaretclare

Bobbyssqueeze wrote:

Sorry Margaret but it's clear, the word Christian means to follow Christ and his teachings. There aren't any other options!!

Yes, I know what it means, and that's what we do, to the best of our ability. If we were perfect we wouldn't need His spirit, which he left with us. But we aren't perfect, so we do need it.

I am not sure just what your agenda is - it seems to be a strange one, if you don't mind my saying so. I do not need you to teach me what it is to be a Christian or what it means to follow Him and His teachings.

You should talk to my DH - while I was brought up as a Christian and learned those truths as a small child, my DH grew up in a completely different religion and only chose to be baptised, to become a Christian, the summer before last, in his 70th year. He is well aware of what the word means and what is required, yet he made that choice of his own free will. He practises what he believes in, as I do.

I really think that BS is right, we should not derail this thread. But please do not try to 'talk down' to me and tell me that I don't understand exactly what my religion requires. I do.

Margaret

margaretclare

Bobbyssqueeze wrote:

Margaret I dont have superior knowledge, I'm blonde! Christianity is following Christ and his teachings, it's in the bible. IF you want to say I'm wrong, go ahead, but please don't argue with the bible.

Whether you are blonde or otherwise is irrelevant. I repeat, I am well aware that Christianity means following Christ and his teachings.

If you really want to 'put your money where your mouth is', have a look at this. I've already suggested to our church council, of which my DH and I are members, that this is something that our church could help to support. We already help numerous charities including a Nigeria health project, Macmillan nurses, a lot of others: http://www.chaste.org.uk/cst_1.html and http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/5365412.stm

Margaret

Noctu

My imaginary friend is better than all your imaginary friends.

Emms

So much for not derailing the thread! The OP asked very nicely that you lot didnt go into this but your still doing it! Delete your posts and give our heads peace.

Emma

seven-day-weekend

OK, I will delete mine as the OP did ask us not to derail the thread.

If anyone wants to discuss Christianity, please start another thread or pm me.

Bobbyssqueeze

I've deleted mine to show good will and sorry for anything thats been taken out of context. But I will just say to NOctu that his imaginary friend MIGHT be better than mine but I would die for my imaginary friend and he is always there for me whether he's imaginary or not!!

Noctu

I am female, not male

The post was intended sarcastically, by the way... it's bloody stupid arguing about different gods when in reality all the religions are saying "look, believe in our god, if you don't, you'll go to hell/limbo/be a sinner/blah blah". You're damned if you do, damned if you don't.

I won't be adding any more to this debate. If you find solace in your faith, then so be it. It may do you some good to read some Marxist theories about it, and understand how corrupted the Christian church (as an example) is.

Squidgy

Sorry if I repeat anything I didn't get a chance to read all the posts. We got married in a church outside our parish. You have to have permission from your local vicar and you have to have your banns read in both churches. I'm sorry to say that unless you have special permission from the church, as your other half is divorced it is unlikely that you can get married in church. Not impossible, just unlikely.

Squidge x

seven-day-weekend

Noctu wrote:

It may do you some good to read some Marxist theories about it, and understand how corrupted the Christian church (as an example) is.

Been there, done that, many of my family bought the teeshirt, I was brought up in a Marxist family.

'The Church' is not Christ.

And now I WILL shut up.