Originally posted by wolfgang59In Christianity, angels are not gods. They are spirits, and not of flesh. They are messengers, protectors, harbingers, and take on different forms as the need arises. Angels are more intelligent and powerful than human beings but much of their existence is spent serving human beings. We are told by God not to worship angels as they are merely creatures.
I was just briefly reading the Archangel Michael thread and was wondering ...
1. How many other supernatural beings are there in Christianity.
2. Isn't this rather like a pantheon of gods? (With lesser gods having weaker powers)
Christians, because of our partnership with Christ, actually rank above angels and one day it is said we will actually judge them.
Originally posted by sumydidYour answer to Q.2 is therefore NO (unsurprisingly)
In Christianity, angels are not gods. They are spirits, and not of flesh. They are messengers, protectors, harbingers, and take on different forms as the need arises. Angels are more intelligent and powerful than human beings but much of their existence is spent serving human beings. We are told by God not to worship angels as they are merely creatures. ...[text shortened]... ship with Christ, actually rank above angels and one day it is said we will actually judge them.
What about Q.1 ??? how many species?
Originally posted by sumydidI wouldn't believe they'd have free will, but there was the Lucifer/Satan incident. Weird stuff.
In Christianity, angels are not gods. They are spirits, and not of flesh. They are messengers, protectors, harbingers, and take on different forms as the need arises. Angels are more intelligent and powerful than human beings but much of their existence is spent serving human beings. We are told by God not to worship angels as they are merely creatures. ...[text shortened]... ship with Christ, actually rank above angels and one day it is said we will actually judge them.
Originally posted by wolfgang59That seems strange to me that you would be interested in what
My post starts "In Christianity" ... I am interested in what Christians believe [b]not in what might be. (Since I believe all supernatural creatures are fiction)[/b]
Christians believe on fictional creatures. To each his own they say.
There are some books written, speculating on these fictional creatures.
But I figure I have enough other things to learn about and I am going
to wait until I get to Heaven for that, since angels are not anywhere
near the top of my priority list.
Originally posted by RJHindsSome people have broader minds than you and are interested in the language, food, customs and religion of others.
That seems strange to me that you would be interested in what
Christians believe on fictional creatures. To each his own they say.
There are some books written, speculating on these fictional creatures.
But I figure I have enough other things to learn about and I am going
to wait until I get to Heaven for that, since angels are not anywhere
near the top of my priority list.
I am interested.
Pity you cannot answer.
Can anyone out there?
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Originally posted by sumydidBecause of our thinking, we assume that angels are more intelligent than us. You put a barrier between us and them, (us and "God" ).
In Christianity, angels are not gods. They are spirits, and not of flesh. They are messengers, protectors, harbingers, and take on different forms as the need arises. Angels are more intelligent and powerful than human beings but much of their existence is spent serving human beings. We are told by God not to worship angels as they are merely creatures. ...[text shortened]... ship with Christ, actually rank above angels and one day it is said we will actually judge them.
To me this is the core problem with with christianity. It is a lie that has been perpetuated for many hundreds of years to keep the church in power and to keep man in his place. (We are actually psycically connected to "God" and his "angels" )
The truth ,imo, is that there is no difference between us and the divine.
Christianity tells us that we are sinners and hence our only way to redeem our sins in through the acceptance that JC is the only way to heaven , to submit to him and be saved through his grace.
My take on christianity is that JC said that we all have the potential to realize christ-conciousness through our own efforts. To understand that we can be christ-like through understanding our own egos. (this sort of thinking is alligned with the gnostics)
True religon is actually is a system of psycology that leads us to the spiritual dimension which we all have the potential to do through our understanding of our connection with the divine. The separation is the illusion as is death and hell.
The bible has just enough mis/dis-information to keep us in doubt, stop us unifying our planet via the people who have, for many generations been lead to think that we are mortal and separate from "God" , who is immortal.
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Originally posted by karoly aczelbut one of the big problems is when people try to attain God via their "own efforts"
Because of our thinking, we assume that angels are more intelligent than us. You put a barrier between us and them, (us and "God" ).
To me this is the core problem with with christianity. It is a lie that has been perpetuated for many hundreds of years to keep the church in power and to keep man in his place. (We are actually psycically connected to ations been lead to think that we are mortal and separate from "God" , who is immortal.
this is what the pharisees were doing and it is what many "religious people" continue to do to this day -- but Jesus made it clear that all they were doing was "cleaning the outside" and then proudly patting themselves on the back.
Jesus instead called on people to imitate the tax collector who "knew he was a hopeless sinner" and knew that it was impossible for him to attain God via his "own effort" -- but the irony is that it is precisely in this act of "giving up one's own effort" that allows one to find God.
The great irony throughout the gospel is that the more sinful and hopeless a person was, the more likely it was that they would come to Jesus and find healing. But the more "righteous" a person was, the more likely it was that they would oppose Jesus.
Originally posted by wolfgang59Jesus said, “Enter through the narrow gate; for the gate is wide and the way
Some people have broader minds than you and are interested in the language, food, customs and religion of others.
I am interested.
Pity you cannot answer.
Can anyone out there?
is broad that leads to destruction, and there are many who enter through it.
For the gate is small and the way is narrow that leads to life, and there are
few who find it."
Originally posted by RJHindsI have a strength statistic of 14. I roll an 18 on my bend bars / lift gates attempt. Do I pass the narrow gate?
Jesus said, “Enter through the narrow gate; for the gate is wide and the way
is broad that leads to destruction, and there are many who enter through it.
For the gate is small and the way is narrow that leads to life, and there are
few who find it."
Originally posted by RJHindsSome people take that passage to mean that large Christian sects are not in line for salvation and small ones are.
Jesus said, “Enter through the narrow gate; for the gate is wide and the way
is broad that leads to destruction, and there are many who enter through it.
For the gate is small and the way is narrow that leads to life, and there are
few who find it."