Overthinking Christianity

@rajk999 said
What are you doing to help Christians to grow and to understand the importance of the Lords Prayer.

Reverend Tiki Bar, have you tried channeling Christ?

@divegeester said
How do you define “most merciful God” within the context that he’s invisible and only communicates slightly mysteriously (some would say incoherently) via collection of writings written by a disparate group of people thousands of years ago… or by people claiming to know the ultimate truth and articulate that “truth” by making dark threats about this “most merciful God” bu ...[text shortened]... for not them not believing in him?

Interested in your thoughts on that specific exegesis please.

Have you ever considered that God might indeed be more merciful than you deserve or could imagine, e.g., by not crushing or crippling your typing fingers somehow or other?

@kevin-eleven said
Have you ever considered that God might indeed be more merciful than you deserve or could imagine, e.g., by not crushing or crippling your typing fingers somehow or other?

What did you do to upset him?

@mike69 said
It’s a very important prayer also used to be a structure for our own personal prayers. You, do you feel this prayer has all power over all prayers?

I thought all Christians would think statements, recommendations, made by Christ carried more weight than personal ones, and that includes prayer.

@mchill said
I've noticed a number of atheists and agnostics here overthinking Christianity. Some with genuine questions, and some with the intention of discrediting it. I don't claim to have answers to all your questions, but the prayer used in my church sums up our relationship to God. Rather than overthinking it all, you might consider the fact that none of us has all the facts and that ...[text shortened]... , so that we may delight in your will and walk in your ways, to the glory of your holy name. Amen 🙂

Overthinking Christianity started a long time ago, when theologians started trying to make intellectual sense of a highly implausible story. You would have to backtrack before Origen to find a Christianity not burdened by overthinking.

@moonbus said
Overthinking Christianity started a long time ago, when theologians started trying to make intellectual sense of a highly implausible story. You would have to backtrack before Origen to find a Christianity not burdened by overthinking.

Or, as happens more often than not, not enough thinking.

@divegeester said
Legitimate how?

It has nothing to do with the thread or any topic in it.

So?

Maybe you can reread my post for clarification.

I'm not just spewing random words onto the screen here.

@suzianne said
Or, as happens more often than not, not enough thinking.

Or not enough of the right kind. In any case, Christianity itself invites and incites overthinking. It comes with having a doctrine. A religion with no doctrine does not have this problem.

@mike69 said
It’s a very important prayer also used to be a structure for our own personal prayers. You, do you feel this prayer has all power over all prayers?

For one thing, Jesus recommended it.

But then, he also recommended following scripture. Some "red-letter Christians" think all you have to do is heed the words of Jesus. There's far more to the Christian walk than that, although it's a good starting point to be sure. The rest is flavoring, yet important. It helps one to become more than a blind follower. It also helps to avoid misapprehending what Jesus actually said.

He said, "After this manner therefore pray ye". After this manner. If you use the Lord's Prayer, it should be with full meaning, not simple "vain repetition". Model the rest of your prayers after his example, and you won't go wrong. Try to leave out words like "me" and "I". Try "we" and "us". Pray more for others. This will enrich your life.

@mike69 said
I wonder why?

Yes, I have often wondered how it works for some people. 😆

@mike69 said
I wonder why?

@BigDogg: it works for some people
@mike69: I wonder why?

I believe the answer to "why?" is a matter of psychology and anthropology.

@rajk999 said
I thought all Christians would think statements, recommendations, made by Christ carried more weight than personal ones, and that includes prayer.

What you wrote is nuts in many directions from only seeing through the eyes of written words creating visualization of thought instead of a more prayerful, spiritual, one on one relationship for wholeness and better understanding. This is in my opinion only, as all of us Christians do have our own reality of a single truth from being individuals. This isn’t an all inclusive, all in, message from ego and all related as this would be of the world not God nor for understanding of one another with possible growth for both in Christ. Please be more honest and clear in your question’s, equally expressing yourself in more detail also on your feelings while doing so.

@mike69 said
What you wrote is nuts in many directions from only seeing through the eyes of written words creating visualization of thought instead of a more prayerful, spiritual, one on one relationship for wholeness and better understanding. This is in my opinion only, as all of us Christians do have our own reality of a single truth from being individuals. This isn’t an all inclusive, ...[text shortened]... in your question’s, equally expressing yourself in more detail also on your feelings while doing so.

That sounds like a load of BS.Jesus made some recommendations and dos and donts about prayer. Of course those who do not follow Jesus will not see the point of these and go off on their own

@rajk999 said
That sounds like a load of BS.Jesus made some recommendations and dos and donts about prayer. Of course those who do not follow Jesus will not see the point of these and go off on their own

I asked you specific questions in my last post in a specific manner for the understanding of one another for growth of each if possible in unity, directness, which I prefer, without bad intent.

Without the things I mentioned at the bottom of that post.

Could you please reread and answer in this manner in your own words without the use of misc. thoughts to deceive and wiggle out of answering, in my opinion only, as each answer from me will be with anyone here.

We’re just sitting at a table as friends with the ability to be open with one another and not be insulted at all on a subject for growth, if this helps.

@Suzianne
Please do the same.