garys@bunker.UUCP (Gary M. Samuelson) (04/01/85)
OK, I am now convinced that I should not remain silent with respect to certain recent postings regarding "Identity Christianity." because of Laura Creighton's question concerning which issues represented the greatest menace (if you don't know what I am alluding to, don't worry about it; it's not essential to this article). (Thank you, Laura). You may ask, "Why didn't I reply earlier?" I'll tell you. First, once in a while I read an article which makes me think, "This writer is going to get nailed for that one, and rightly so." Such was the case with the IC article. In such cases, I shake my head in wonder at what some people will submit, apparently in all seriousness, and watch the flames that ensue (since I am, apparently, at the "edge" of the net, I usually see such flames the same day I see the article which evoked them, and often I see the flames first.) Usually, anything I would add would be superfluous at best. Second, I really thought people knew enough about Christianity to recognize such an obvious counterfeit. (I should know better by now -- particularly in this forum anything that claims to be Christian is assumed to be so, no matter how outrageous.) Really, doesn't someone who denies the holocaust adequately refute himself? Third, I have, and others have, on several occassions, said that things like the inquisistion, the Salem witch trials, Nazism, etc., etc., etc... were not Christian, despite claims to the contrary. We have not been believed; it therefore seems useless to continue to say so. I keep trying to think of a different term to use besides Christian, since that one has been misused to the point it is meaningless, but I haven't been able to. Fourth, I didn't really take it seriously. Not meaning that I don't think the writer was sincere, but that I didn't really think that such beliefs could represent a real threat any more (once burned, twice warned, etc.). In this I was wrong, and apologize. Many people in the 1930's, not wanting to believe that anyone could be that rotten, didn't think Nazism was a serious threat, either. (Now someone will take me to mean that IC == Nazism, to which I respond beforehand, I didn't say that; I said that just as people didn't think Nazism was a threat, so might IC be a threat even though some may not think so.) Fifth (this may be a poor excuse, but I really feel this way), I find net.religion to be an ever increasing weariness of the soul to read, let alone respond to. As such, I don't read nearly as much of it as I used to, and plan to read even less in the future. In fact, I think I will unsubscribe (not for the first time) later this week. I don't have the time or the patience to explain everything I say three or four times, and finally be branded a liar anyway. (I am not the only one this happens to; I don't know how (or why) others keep putting up with it.) Having spent 50+ lines explaining why I haven't responded to the articles about IC earlier, and why I have changed my mind, let me now attempt to briefly explain what I think Christianity is. I think that will be easier than trying to list all the things it isn't. If that isn't sufficient, tough. I shall narrow the topic by saying that I am going to try to describe what might best be called New Testament Christianity; i.e., Christianity as defined by the New Testament. I don't like the term "fundamentalist"; it has too many negative connotations in the minds of too many people (including, to some extent, me). It's also too vague. Limiting the discussion to New Testament Christianity has the advantage that it simplifies matters considerably; if it ain't in the book, it ain't necessarily so. According, then, to the NT, there lived a man named Jesus, of the town of Nazereth, who preached a message which came to be known as the "gospel," which means "good news." He exhorted people to repent of their sins, and to love one another, as he himself loved them. He claimed that he was the Messiah of whom the prophets spoke; to substaniate this claim, he performed many notable miracles. He alone of all the people who have ever lived committed no sin, neither in what he did, nor in what he said. Finally, because of his teachings, he was brought to trial and condemned to death by crucifixion, though he was not convicted of any crime. Although he had the power to destroy his accusers, he did not do so, thus giving his life freely. Since he was without sin, his sacrifice was sufficient to atone for the sins of all who would accept the gift of eternal life he thereby purchased with his blood. On the third day after his death, he was raised from the dead to attest to the fact that he had been made both Lord and Christ (Greek for Messiah). His apostles later (50 days after the resurrection) proclaimed this message, calling on the hearers to repent and be baptized for the remission of their sins. Three thousand people accepted the message on that day. The above is a partial summary of the events up to and including the second chapter of Acts. The rest of the book of Acts describes how the early church grew (by leaps and bounds), how the Gentiles were accepted as equals in the church, albeit reluctantly on the part of some, and how the church was persecuted in its infancy, and how one of its most vehement persecutors (Saul, also known as Paul) became one of its most vehement proponents. The rest of the NT, except Revelation, consists of letters to various churches and individuals, exhorting them to hold fast to the message they received in the beginning, to accept one another without showing partiality, either on the basis of race or sex, and to care for one another in times of need, physical and otherwise. On the other hand, they were exhorted not to allow anyone to pervert the message for their own gain, nor to live in such a way as to bring reproach to the name of Christ. The Revelation to John is John's record of a vision (or series of visions) depicting the fight between good and evil, and the fact that though it may appear that evil is winning, good will eventually win, and sorrow and death will be no more. I hope I haven't left anything essential out. I also hope that readers of this article will read the New Testament to verify that what I say the New Testament teaches is really there. I further hope, but harbor no illusions, that having stated what NT Christianity is, I won't be asked to state what it isn't. Some people find the above objectionable. There appear to be several reasons for this. First, the notion of God or miracles or anything else supernatural is rejected out of hand by some. No more need be said on this point. Second, the concept of sin is likewise rejected out of hand by others, who say that there is no such thing as absolute right and wrong, and that therefore the idea of sin itself, let alone having to atone for sin, is an absurdity. Yet these same people say that some things are morally wrong, absolutely, if you ask the right questions. Third, the Bible claims that Jesus alone is mankind's hope for salvation (which I didn't make clear in the above summary); if the word "alone" could be left out, it would upset fewer people. But if it were possible to be saved without Jesus's death, then he died for nothing. Fourth, some people don't see the justice in the NT scheme of redemption. What does belief have to do with worth? Nothing, actually; the point is that no one is good enough to deserve redemption (if they were, they wouldn't need to be redeemed). If justice were the only consideration, all of us would be lost. Not that we are such worthless creatures (after all, Christ thought we were worth dying for), but that God is so far above us. (Of course, some people object equally to the notion that there might be something or someone beyond our capacity to comprehend.) Finally, some people simply reject the NT account, saying that it happened some other way, or not at all. They would like to see "unbiased" evidence. Of course, anyone who believes the NT is true is "biased," and no one who does not believe the NT is true is going to present evidence to show that it is. Gary Samuelson ittvax!bunker!garys