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Pastimes : History's effect on Religion -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?


To: TheStockStalker who wrote (377)8/25/2005 9:52:57 PM
From: Greg or e  Read Replies (2) | Respond to of 520
 
"I mean why the dogma?"

Your statement is at least as dogmatic as the one I made so I would ask you the same question; I mean why the dogma?

At least my statement has a basis in reality. Yours is simply unsubstantiated and factually wrong.

If you know what Christianity is, then you know it is based on the vicarious sacrificial (physical) death of Jesus Christ for sinners and the physical bodily resurrection of that same Jesus Christ. If you know what reincarnation is, then it is obvious that the these two are are diametrically opposed to one another and both cannot logically be true. Did anyone in the ancient wold believe in reincarnation? I'm sure they did but they were never considered to be Christians if they did.

Here is what Paul had to say in Athens

22So Paul stood in the midst of the Areopagus and said, "Men of Athens, I observe that you are very religious in all respects.
23"For while I was passing through and examining the objects of your worship, I also found an altar with this inscription, 'TO AN UNKNOWN GOD ' Therefore what you worship in ignorance, this I proclaim to you.

24"The God who made the world and all things in it, since He is Lord of heaven and earth, does not dwell in temples made with hands;

25nor is He served by human hands, as though He needed anything, since He Himself gives to all people life and breath and all things;

26and He made from one man every nation of mankind to live on all the face of the earth, having determined their appointed times and the boundaries of their habitation,

27that they would seek God, if perhaps they might grope for Him and find Him, though He is not far from each one of us;

28for in Him we live and move and exist, as even some of your own poets have said, 'For we also are His children.'

29"Being then the children of God, we ought not to think that the Divine Nature is like gold or silver or stone, an image formed by the art and thought of man.

30"Therefore having overlooked the times of ignorance, God is now declaring to men that all people everywhere should repent,

31because He has fixed a day in which He will judge the world in righteousness through a Man whom He has appointed, having furnished proof to all men by raising Him from the dead."

32Now when they heard of the resurrection of the dead, some began to sneer, but others said, "We shall hear you again concerning this."


33So Paul went out of their midst.

34But some men joined him and believed, among whom also were Dionysius the Areopagite and a woman named Damaris and others with them."

What did they believe according to Acts? The necessity of repentance from sin, the atoning sacrifice of the death of Jesus, and the physical resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead. NOT reincarnation!



To: TheStockStalker who wrote (377)8/25/2005 10:01:52 PM
From: Greg or e  Respond to of 520
 
Again Paul makes it crystal clear that what he is teaching is not compatible with reincarnation.

1 Corinthians 15
The Fact of Christ's Resurrection
1Now I make known to you, brethren, the gospel which I preached to you, which also you received, in which also you stand,
2by which also you are saved, if you hold fast the word which I preached to you, unless you believed in vain.

3For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received, that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures,

4and that He was buried, and that He was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures,

5and that He appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve.

6After that He appeared to more than five hundred brethren at one time, most of whom remain until now, but some have fallen asleep;

7then He appeared to James, then to all the apostles;

8and last of all, as to one untimely born, He appeared to me also.

9For I am the least of the apostles, and not fit to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God.

10But by the grace of God I am what I am, and His grace toward me did not prove vain; but I labored even more than all of them, yet not I, but the grace of God with me.

11Whether then it was I or they, so we preach and so you believed.

12Now if Christ is preached, that He has been raised from the dead, how do some among you say that there is no resurrection of the dead?

13But if there is no resurrection of the dead, not even Christ has been raised;

14and if Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is vain, your faith also is vain.

15Moreover we are even found to be false witnesses of God, because we testified against God that He raised Christ, whom He did not raise, if in fact the dead are not raised.

16For if the dead are not raised, not even Christ has been raised;

17and if Christ has not been raised, your faith is worthless; you are still in your sins.

18Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished.

19If we have hoped in Christ in this life only, we are of all men most to be pitied.



To: TheStockStalker who wrote (377)8/25/2005 10:20:11 PM
From: Greg or e  Read Replies (1) | Respond to of 520
 
Peter's first sermon is in perfect harmony with the teachings of Paul. Note that the "Christians" "were continually devoting themselves to the apostles' teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer." What did they teach? RESURRECTION!

Acts 2:22-
"Men of Israel, listen to these words: Jesus the Nazarene, a man attested to you by God with miracles and wonders and signs which God performed through Him in your midst, just as you yourselves know--

23this Man, delivered over by the predetermined plan and foreknowledge of God, you nailed to a cross by the hands of godless men and put Him to death.

24"But God raised Him up again, putting an end to the agony of death, since it was impossible for Him to be held in its power.

25"For David says of Him,
'I SAW THE LORD ALWAYS IN MY PRESENCE;
FOR HE IS AT MY RIGHT HAND, SO THAT I WILL NOT BE SHAKEN.
26'THEREFORE MY HEART WAS GLAD AND MY TONGUE EXULTED;
MOREOVER MY FLESH ALSO WILL LIVE IN HOPE;
27BECAUSE YOU WILL NOT ABANDON MY SOUL TO HADES,
NOR ALLOW YOUR HOLY ONE TO UNDERGO DECAY.
28'YOU HAVE MADE KNOWN TO ME THE WAYS OF LIFE;
YOU WILL MAKE ME FULL OF GLADNESS WITH YOUR PRESENCE.'

29"Brethren, I may confidently say to you regarding the patriarch David that he both died and was buried, and his tomb is with us to this day.

30"And so, because he was a prophet and knew that GOD HAD SWORN TO HIM WITH AN OATH TO SEAT one OF HIS DESCENDANTS ON HIS THRONE,

31he looked ahead and spoke of the resurrection of the Christ, that HE WAS NEITHER ABANDONED TO HADES, NOR DID His flesh SUFFER DECAY.

32"This Jesus God raised up again, to which we are all witnesses.

33"Therefore having been exalted to the right hand of God, and having received from the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit, He has poured forth this which you both see and hear.

34"For it was not David who ascended into heaven, but he himself says:
'THE LORD SAID TO MY LORD,
"SIT AT MY RIGHT HAND,
35UNTIL I MAKE YOUR ENEMIES A FOOTSTOOL FOR YOUR FEET."'

36"Therefore let all the house of Israel know for certain that God has made Him both Lord and Christ--this Jesus whom you crucified."

The Ingathering
37Now when they heard this, they were pierced to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, "Brethren, what shall we do?"
38Peter said to them, "Repent, and each of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins; and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.

39"For the promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off, as many as the Lord our God will call to Himself."

40And with many other words he solemnly testified and kept on exhorting them, saying, "Be saved from this perverse generation!"

41So then, those who had received his word were baptized; and that day there were added about three thousand souls.

42They were continually devoting themselves to the apostles' teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer.

43Everyone kept feeling a sense of awe; and many wonders and signs were taking place through the apostles.

44And all those who had believed were together and had all things in common;

45and they began selling their property and possessions and were sharing them with all, as anyone might have need.

46Day by day continuing with one mind in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, they were taking their meals together with gladness and sincerity of heart,

47praising God and having favor with all the people And the Lord was adding to their number day by day those who were being saved.