Tuesday 3 July 2012

The things people say - 3

Had an interesting conversation just now and one of the things that came up was the issue of which Bible version to read and how much of the Bible we should take take as being true. "After all, " said the other half of the conversation, "It's not like it's the Gospel truth, is it?"

Well of course I had to say that it was exactly that and this caused a bit of a stir as they'd been told by their cleric that the majority of the Bible had been added to make jesus fit the prophecies and to win over powers and people to the Christian way of thinking. Seems that we shouldn't be taking the Gospels as 'gospel' as the editors pencil and Tippex were evident all over the place.

The other funny thing today was the person who asked me whether you could be a Christian and a Buddhist as they were thinking of becoming one but wanted to keep their 'Christian' label too. The reason?

Apparently being English and Christian are one and the same thing and my enquirer didn't want to stop being English, they just wanted to find an inner enlightenment and the peace that this would bring.

Like a mug I asked whether they'd considered peace and enlightenment might be found as the fruits of following jesus and living the Christian life. "Too many rules and things to keep away from with church, "they explained, "Better to look inside and find out what makes me happy and enjoy doing it!"

I smiled and told them I hoped they'd be happy and that they'd need to make a choice and left them to it (wondering if there's someone out there who is pointing these people in my direction? And thinking that if it wasn't God, how much I wish they'd only send me one a day :-) )

Hey ho - no one said it wouldn't be fun did they (and it certainly is!).

Pax

1 comment:

UKViewer said...

I know some Christians who don't do church and live as best they can without corporate worship.

I'm content with the rules, which are a challenge, but we need to be challenged or life would be boring and mundane and joyless.

As for the Bible, the NRSV seems to be the preferred option, but I find NIV and KJV have their uses. As I have been gifted a number as well as one's that I've purchased, I don't want them just gathering dust. So I rotate them so that all get fair use.