Introduction

[bangorme]

I am a non-practicing Christian Scientist looking for some different ways of looking at things and trying to answer some difficult personal questions about Christianity. I'm hoping to find some answers here... or at least some direction.

 

[Br. Bear]

Greetings,

Looking at what you have written, you 'said', "I am a non-practising Christian Scientist"
Does that mean you are not a Christian Scientist?
Perhaps it does!

Welcome to TalkJesus
Ask and listen, is my advice, but try not to ask about answers offered. Instead, ask another question. Some folk misinterpret questions and get sidelined with defensive rebuttals instead of replies.

Most folk here are happy to make friends and enjoy the fellowship of God's love.

Have a look around and play with the menu button. You won't break anything. Once you know some basic functions of the site, join a discussion or start a new one.
If you have any concerns or questions .... ask!


Bless you ....><>

 

[bangorme]

Greetings,

Looking at what you have written, you 'said', "I am a non-practising Christian Scientist"
Does that mean you are not a Christian Scientist?
Perhaps it does!

Welcome to TalkJesus
Ask and listen, is my advice, but try not to ask about answers offered. Instead, ask another question. Some folk misinterpret questions and get sidelined with defensive rebuttals instead of replies.

Most folk here are happy to make friends and enjoy the fellowship of God's love.

Have a look around and play with the menu button. You won't break anything. Once you know some basic functions of the site, join a discussion or start a new one.
If you have any concerns or questions .... ask!


Bless you ....><>

Thank you for the response and encouragement. I am here to learn, not teach or debate.

I have studied Christian Science for 50 years, but never really practiced it. It appealed to my way of thinking, I believe the Bible is divinely inspired and our vehicle for knowing all things about God. For the last five years I've begun to consider other ways of looking at Christianity, and probably the biggest impact upon me has been the Apologetics perspective. I think it is OK to believe something, not believe it, or admit to being unsure. Christian Scientists don't believe that Jesus was God or the traditional concept of Trinity. I can't say I'm there yet, but can say that I have moved from not believing it to thinking it is certainly possible that Jesus was God and that the Trinity exists.

I plan to be a spectator most of the time and hope to get answers to my questions through reading other discussions. But every once in a while I'll pose a question that may seem completely foreign to how you look at things. Don't be offended, it's just that there is a great distance for me to travel on a road that is unfamiliar to you.

 

[Br. Bear]

@bangorme

Thank you for your reply
and for your honesty

Don't be offended, it's just that there is a great distance for me to travel on a road that is unfamiliar to you.

Perhaps that would be equally put as, 'a road that is unfamiliar to me'?

I can not guarantee you that things you might post will be replied to with the courtesy that you might use and /or expect, as some folk get rather defensive and can sometimes forget the following...

Post in Peace

Jesus is Lord


Bless you ....><>

 

[emanuel88]

Hello and welcome.

 

[Mayflower]

I am a non-practicing Christian Scientist looking for some different ways of looking at things and trying to answer some difficult personal questions about Christianity. I'm hoping to find some answers here... or at least some direction.

Welcome to Talk Jesus. Praying you find the answers you seek.

 

[Rhema]

Christian Scientists don't believe that Jesus was God or the traditional concept of Trinity.

Neither did Sir Issac Newton.

I have moved from not believing it to thinking it is certainly possible that Jesus was God and that the Trinity exists.

There are some who believe that one must believe in the Trinity to be saved. I don't find the New Testament to support that belief, but if you're ever told that, make sure you ask for scripture references. And the same would go for the Trinity and, for that matter, any other doctrine.

I have studied Christian Science for 50 years, but never really practiced it.

Interesting. I had not thought it would need 50 years, so I must be missing something. I am aware of some of the fundamentals, as I am with other groups such as Mormon and JW, but would you mind if I PM you if I run across any Christian Science specific questions? I had once thought that a CS reading room was where one would go to read, but then found out it was a place where one would go to be read to. (I have yet still to visit.)

But every once in a while I'll pose a question that may seem completely foreign to how you look at things. Don't be offended, it's just that there is a great distance for me to travel on a road that is unfamiliar to you.

I'm pretty good at handling foreign perspectives, and have had some experience in mediating things "lost in translation." For example, I have found that there are five active yet different definitions of the word Faith.

But do feel free to PM me if you feel uncomfortable asking anything in public.

Kind regards,
Rhema

 

[Rhema]

Perhaps that would be equally put as, 'a road that is unfamiliar to me'?

If I may ... I think the concept is that he has to walk back (out) of the Christian Science mindset - a thing that would be unfamiliar to you.

But I might be wrong.

Rhema

 

[bangorme]

You pretty much have it Rhema. When I started to look outside of Christian Science for different perspectives, I discovered that there are 33,000 sects of Christianity in this country! And each and every one of them has a passage(s) of the Bible to convince them of the truth they feel. Christian Scientists rely a lot on John 14:12 "Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto my Father." Of course there are many other scriptures that are cited to support much of what Christian Science offers. And I'm not really interested in debating scriptures, translations, versions, etc of each of these 33,000 sects, for every sect (including Christian Science) uses this technique to bolster its credibility. But the Bible is divinely inspired. It is ALL we have.

I just read through 20 pages of scriptural discussion regarding the ritual of baptism. Dipping, dunking, sprinkling, ... Now, Christian Scientists don't really think much of baptism. confession, preaching, foot washing, and such outward professions. And 99% of Christians (including myself) don't think much of ritualized healing like Christian Science Practitioners. So, I came here not to belittle those things I just don't see or understand. But I came to look at them and listen to other people that do see them and value them. I'll never attack your religion or claim to be wise enough to judge it. We will all stand before God on that day and the truth will be undeniable.

 

[Rhema]

You pretty much have it Rhema.

yep. And my wife hates when that happens....

I discovered that there are 33,000 sects of Christianity in this country

Just to clarify, these are mostly different ecclesiastical governance divisions, rather than doctrinal divisions. You may run into a dozen Presbyterian Sects (denominations), but they only differ in who owns the buildings and how the pastors get paid... not much if any difference in core doctrinal beliefs. Same with the Lutherans - not much overall doctrinal division (although the liberal LBGTQ(?) agenda is in active dispute).

Christian Scientists rely a lot on John 14:12 "Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto my Father."

Now THAT I find fascinating. Have any calmed the storms or raised the dead? There is a tradition of the gifts of healings within the Pentecostal churches, but I have no idea how that works out within CS. So please pardon me if I might offend, but you are a rare bird to me. I couldn't even tell you what the CS position on soteriology is - and I'm embarrassed to admit that.

But the Bible is divinely inspired. It is ALL we have.

Ahem... we do have what would be called "rhema" (ρημα) which is the voice of the Holy Spirit that speaks directly to a believer. It's a prominent teaching of the Pentecostal Churches. I'm not saying they perfectly understand or implement this, BUT it is something one needs to consider when thinking about Ecclesiastical Authority. Again, please forgive my ignorance, but doesn't CS rely heavily on the writings of Mary Baker Eddy ? Can you venture a guess on the percentage of Ms. Eddy's books used by a practitioner(?) in comparison to the Bible?

That said, YES, the New Testament text are extremely important to the disciple of Jesus, and I encourage everyone I meet to buy this book:

Amazon.com

It will help YOU work through the details for your walk.

Kindly,
Rhema

We will all stand before God on that day and the truth will be undeniable.

Yet most of us stand before God even now. It seems to be an exciting time in your life. God bless.