Is it impossible to lose religious faith?

@fmf said
I didn't perceive the long post I was responding to as having much "integrity of overall meaning". It seemed to be mostly some sort of banter.

Then why in heaven's name are you bothering to answer what you perceive to be banter, with such openness on matters of you faith, past and present? That's very personal, too personal to waist on banter.

Is your memory so poor as to not remember why you created this thread?

And also too short to recall this? I said: I'm going to assume you did not create it for sarcastic use, against me. But if you did, read no further.

@pettytalk said
I can be general here and just say that a true Christian is one that follows in the footsteps of Jesus.

I think "true" in this context is a rhetorical gimmick. A Christian is one who strives to follow Jesus. The "in the footseps of" hyperbole is not helpful. We are not rabbis, we are not in Judea, it's not 2,000 years ago, and we are not required to sacrifice ourselves by being executed by the government in order to conquer death and save mankind from its sins.

@pettytalk said
Then why in heaven's name are you bothering to answer what you perceive to be banter, with such openness on matters of you faith, past and present?

I answered the salient points I found point by point and ignored the banter.

@pettytalk said
I said: I'm going to assume you did not create it for sarcastic use, against me. But if you did, read no further.

If you want to spend time typing out sarcastic banter and strawmen, then that is your prerogative. I am however prepared to sift out the points that you do make/ questions you ask.

@fmf said
I believed in Jesus for the better part of 30 years of my adult life.

Tell me more on this 30 years, as to what was this belief in Jesus?

Did you believe, for the entire 30 years, that Jesus was an actual historical person, to begin with? During those 30 years, had anyone try to tell you different? Something to the nature of, saying that he never actually existed, because he was made up by those who can take the credit for writing the original gospels?

Again, if I may ask, do you still believe in Jesus the same way today, as you did in any of those 30 years of your adult life, assuming that you are still an adult today?

@pettytalk said
Have you the faintest idea, as to what constitutes, more or less, a true Christian? I'll accept even a guess from you right now.

Why would I have to "guess"?

@pettytalk said
Did you believe, for the entire 30 years, that Jesus was an actual historical person, to begin with?

For the better part of 30 years, yes. It was more than 25 years.

@pettytalk said
During those 30 years, had anyone try to tell you different? Something to the nature of, saying that he never actually existed, because he was made up by those who can take the credit for writing the original gospels?

I've interacted with people who are theists, atheists, agnostics, Hindus, Muslims, Jews etc. all my life. I've always been interested in what they believe.

@pettytalk said
Again, if I may ask, do you still believe in Jesus the same way today, as you did in any of those 30 years of your adult life, assuming that you are still an adult today?

"Assuming that you are still an adult today"

Huh?

@pettytalk said
if I may ask, do you still believe in Jesus the same way today, as you did in any of those 30 years of your adult life?

What on Earth are you on about?

@pettytalk said
During those 30 years, had anyone try to tell you different? Something to the nature of, saying that he never actually existed, because he was made up by those who can take the credit for writing the original gospels?

He may well be a historical figure or perhaps a composite. There were many maverick rabbis that were executed back then. I think he may have been one - or a composite of several - who were trying to modernize Judaism. Meanwhile, I think Christianity was created by others decades after his death.

@fmf said
I think "true" in this context is a rhetorical gimmick. A Christian is one who strives to follow Jesus. The "in the footseps of" hyperbole is not helpful. We are not rabbis, we are not in Judea, it's not 2,000 years ago, and we are not required to sacrifice ourselves by being executed by the government in order to conquer death and save mankind from its sins.

But you jumped to the conclusion here. You are addressing his final steps. He is said to have walked all over Judea for 3 years, at least. Even a few steps on the fresh water of the sea of Galilee. Making fresh footprints on water is not my idea of a pure Christian. Maybe a perfect Christian will follow those steps, one day, unless they are water skiing without the water skis, and a fast boat pulling them along.

You have entirely skipped the steps of his teaching. What kind of Christian were you? Which of the thousands of sects/denominations did you follow when you believed in Jesus?

@pettytalk said
You have entirely skipped the steps of his teaching.

I have no interest in going through "the steps of his teaching" and I have not been trying to.

@pettytalk said
What kind of Christian were you?

Catholic.

@pettytalk said
He is said to have walked all over Judea for 3 years, at least. Even a few steps on the fresh water of the sea of Galilee. Making fresh footprints on water is not my idea of a pure Christian. Maybe a perfect Christian will follow those steps, one day, unless they are water skiing without the water skis, and a fast boat pulling them along.

Noted.