#23. Must All Christians Think Alike?

Many Christians are open-minded to other points of view. Some are not. They are overly insistent that Christians must all think alike -- that a true Christian must believe what they themselves have been taught to believe. I imagine that when Jesus returns, He will likely respond to them with "I said WHAT???"

I consider myself to be a free-thinker -- one who thinks outside their box. Listed below are my responses to ten of the most-often-asked-questions directed to me over the years by devoted fundamental Christians. What would your response be to their queries?

1. Do you believe in Jesus Christ?

My Response:

• His existence - Yes;
• His teachings - Yes;
• His Presence - Yes;
• His name - No, for his name was Jesus -- Jesus of Nazereth -- and, to me, His name is still Jesus

2. Do you believe the Bible is the inspired Word of God?

My Response:

• Yes, if every poet, artist, and singer is inspired . . .
• Yes, if every farmer, electrician, and inventor is inspired . . .
• Yes, if every scientist, teacher, and laborer is inspired by the Spirit of God, then I believe the authors of the scriptures were also inspired by God . . . to express their creative juices

3. Do you believe the Bible is absolutely true and therefore flawless from cover to cover?

My Response:

• Yes, if every alteration made in the Bible is flawless . . .
• Yes, if every translation of the Bible is flawless . . .
• Yes, if every author of the Bible is flawless . . .
• Yes, if every person reading the Bible is flawless . . . from cover to cover

4. Do you read the King James Version of the Bible?

My Response:

I read many versions of the Bible -- usually the one that is available at the moment; often I even quote from the Virgilian Version of the Bible

5. Do you read all of the Bible or do you pick and choose only what you want to read and believe?

My Response:

The latter -- life is not all black and white, but mostly gray . . . or bald

6. Do you believe in the divinity of Jesus?

My Answer:

• Yes, if you are divine, as well . . .
• No, if any one soul be not God's beloved child

7. Do you believe Jesus died for you?

My Response:

No, I believe Jesus lived for me -- why must you need him to die for you? Must the shepherd die to rescue his lost sheep?

8. Have you been saved?

My Response:

• Saved from what -- from my errors? No, they're all mine ... all the time;
• Saved from Satan? No, the indwelling spirit of opposition yet has a foothold in the polarized mind of all humanity . . . including me;
• Saved from God's wrath? Oh no! Love simply has no room for wrath
  

9. Do you believe in the resurrection of Jesus?

My Response:

Every soul expresses as form: sometimes in a 'physical' form, yet at other times, an 'ethereal' form. The gospels show Jesus appearing in both forms . . . after his death . . . and before

10. Do you worship Jesus as Lord?

My Response:

Jesus worshipped God as Lord of the Universe, referring to Him as His beloved Papa. And He taught us to do the same -- to love God with all our heart and to pray to Him as our heavenly Papa. Why would Jesus desire that He Himself be worshipped? Would He not prefer that we follow Him? Jesus is my Master, so I respect Him and follow His teachings.